https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/phyto.html#:~:text=The two main classes of phytoplankton are dinoflagellates and diatoms.
 

What are phytoplankton?

Phytoplankton are microscopic marine algae.

 

 

Phytoplankton, also known as microalgae, are similar to terrestrial plants in that they contain chlorophyll and require sunlight in order to live and grow. Most phytoplankton are buoyant and float in the upper part of the ocean, where sunlight penetrates the water. Phytoplankton also require inorganic nutrients such as nitrates, phosphates, and sulfur which they convert into proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. 

The two main classes of phytoplankton are dinoflagellates and diatoms. Dinoflagellates use a whip-like tail, or flagella, to move through the water and their bodies are covered with complex shells. Diatoms also have shells, but they are made of a different substance and their structure is rigid and made of interlocking parts. Diatoms do not rely on flagella to move through the water and instead rely on ocean currents to travel through the water.

In a balanced ecosystem, phytoplankton provide food for a wide range of sea creatures including shrimp, snails, and jellyfish. When too many nutrients are available, phytoplankton may grow out of control and form harmful algal blooms (HABs). These blooms can produce extremely toxic compounds that have harmful effects on fish, shellfish, mammals, birds, and even people.

The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science conduct extensive research on harmful algal blooms. Scientists use a range of technologies to predict where and when HABs are likely to form and how they will affect the areas where they occur. Scientists use this information to inform coastal authorities on how to best respond in order to minimize negative impacts.

I have spent the last year on the road, so all the "difficult" stuff had already been removed. When it was broken down, it was basically a pile of Kenya Trees and Caulerpa. Not fancy, but able to go months without servicing. When I broke it down, all the Kenya Trees were removed and the rock flipped over for a blank slate. Not a great picture, but this is day 1.

You can see how giant the rock is, along with the anemone I received as a house warming gift from my dad (who owns Bird Dog & Cat Fish in Bulverde if you're ever down that way). I used new substrate and brought a few starter pieces of Caulerpa, along with the fish and some Kenya Tree filler.

The tank is a 40B with a heater, two maxi-jets and a Bio-Cube prop pump. Water is turning about 12-15x/hr depending on how lazy my MJ pumps have gotten. Light was recently upgraded to an Ai Prime. That's it! Just a giant rock and veggies to keep it clean.

About three weeks later, it looks like this

Clown went into the nem in about 48hrs and hasn't left since, lol. The big finger leather came from Odyssey Pets in Dallas. Great place to pick up show size coral at a decent price. They get them back from service clients.

Not that I usually stock my tanks with decor, but I swiped this from my plant tank mid-move. Silly, but it makes a nice moment off to the side. I typically keep mantis shrimp in here, so if I get another one Buddha will have to go or face certain death.

Stock list of fish is

1 black clown (my first s/w fish!)

4 PJ cardinals

1 Elegant Dottyback

1 4-stripe damsel

They've all been together at least three years and they have a good dynamic between them. Cardinals make great referees to keep the aggression in line.

So that's it so far! What do you think?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you for the red sponge, Grog. It rocks.

Laissez la bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

The bottom tank is eight months into maturity. It is set up with 1" of CaribSea Florida Crushed Coral. This substrate is coarse at 2mm-5mm. I initially cycled this tank with Red Ogo and beacoupe amphipods. One week into cycle, I added 30 mollies and feed heavily. With one week of grace from predators, the pods were well established in the spaces between substrate before introduction of fish. Imagine my amazement, to see large amphipods grazing in the open next to the mollies. These fresh water fish did not recognize the pods as food, yet they eat there offspring as food. This tank has been successful behind my wildest expectations. Sea Apples and Flame Scallops are my favorite inhabitants.

This 55G lagoon tank is supported with minimum equipment and maintenance. A $20 power head and a $50 HOB provide brisk circulation. A small amount of activated carbon is replaced each week. No other maintenance, aside from glass cleaning. Water makeup from the Middle Trinity Aquifier is extremely caustic, and qualifies as lime water. In tank buffering is accomplished with aroggonite. When the lights go out and the pH drops, the mood is set. With no work on my part, at 8.0 pH, aroggonite will begin dissolving. This releases trace minerals and alkalinity buffers which maintain dynamic equilibrium. Considering that lagoons and salt water marshes are the hatchery for the oceans, I mimic proven systems.

While I use reverse light cycles on systems with refugiums, I find it to be unnecessary for my purposes, which require econominal set ups.

More later,

Patrick

Thanks!

Lorien

Here are a few pictures of my GOM live rock lagoon.

I am going to be starting a 125g 6' lagoonal reef system. It will be filled with some encrusting corals such as Xenia, GSP, and some of the Euphyllia species of coral (Hammer, Torch, Frogspawn). Low to moderate corals will be the name of the game here. There will also be various macros as well to fill in the gaps.

The problem im encountering is that I'm not too well versed in macro algaes. My current lighting consists of three 120w full spectrum LED fixtures that are about 10" above the water line with 90* optics. I know too powerful of lighting will cause some of the more sensitive species of macro to go sexual.

My question is, what kinds of algae can I keep in a medium lit tank system? I can dim the lights and mix them to produce more of a 10k look instead of the 14k+ that most people use.

My goal is to recreate something like this below. Not ultimately word for word, but more or less what I'm going after.

I hope the new intense colors of the macro are not the funeral uniform.

Patrick

PS. The first two pictures were taken at noon today. The third picture was taken yesterday before I diluted to fresh water.

The linked reference has been put together by Russ Kronwetter, owner of Gulf Coast EcoSystem. For me, it is the most practical, comprehensive guide for the care of macro algae in our marine aquariums. With respect to Gulf of Mexico macro, this is a very good reference to identify emerging macro from GOM live rock.

In my systems of recent, tanks which get natural sunlight are sprouting many diverse red macros from diver collected live rock which I have in different systems. Using the above link not only assist with identification but also allows me to choose lighting that is appropiate for these emerging species. I think more importantly, when macros are matched with appropiate lighting their growth can be matched to a desirable pace of growth. In the case of fast growing Caulerpae, it would prevent macro sexual events in the tank. From recent research and experience, I have found that deep water species of red macro do not want intense 6500 kelvin lighting. Red Grapes and Dragons Breath both fall into this category. In my past, I have successfully grown both of these red macros with 3W per gallon of NO flourescent. Spectrum bulbs used was 6500 kelvin/actinic in 1:1 ratio.

It seems to me, that both of these red macros are desirable additions to our marine displays. For tanks with tangs, rabbits and angels these red macros will not survive. Also, Emerald Crabs will leap tall rocks to get to this stuff. In a nano reef with LED that favors the blue spectrum, these macros should make beautiful displays.

http://marineplantbook.com/marinebookhalymeniaelongata.htm

Red Finger is one of the emerging red macros.

Recently, during process to move live rock from south porch tanks to greenhouse grow out, I found emerging starts of both red grapes and dragons breath.

I will let nature take its course and I will document with little intervention.

Patrick

Who would have known that for the last year, my South Porch lagoon was the grasslands with only one pivital fish species, Sea Robin. There are very few ambush predators as efficient as Sea Robin. He was collected at Port Aransas jetties during ARC collection trip. While fishing for bait with 2lb test line, I caught Sea Robin on a gold spoon. I had never had a predator tank and Sea Robin was the perfect predator for me. Since his demise, I have turned this 75G tank into a GOM biotheme of macro rock. I find it interesting to see the progression of different macro algaes.

The second picture is another hitchhiker that has gotten too big and drags everything around making a mess of order. He also goes into the Blue Lagoon.

Patrick

In second picture, I am adding red macro attached to rock. Red macro appears to be Red Grapes. We shall see.

On this top lagoon tank, tale of two tanks thread, all of C. Paspodies feather Caulerpa has gone sexual. Not just the side with LED reef lights. It is still early to tell, but it looks as if some green emerging starts may be arising from the ghost white stakes of what was.k

In a nutshell, I like it because it supports the bottom of the food chain.

I like it like that.

Patrick

Il fait chaud will not be victorious. Evaporative cooling will win this battle.

Thermodynamics 101 says that for every lb of water evaporated, there will be 1000 BTU of cooling. Each gallon evaporated will give 8500 BTU of cooling. Considering that a medium sized tree will use and evaporate 100 GPD, there will be 850,000 BTU of cooling from one tree.

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

I consider geothermal to be a back-up method. Due to the warm temperature of Middle Trinity at 78 degrees, the temperature difference of the water drives the heat transfer. At a system temperature of 82 degrees, the cooling water heat gain was 1.4 degrees at 5GPM.. When I pay to pump that water it cost me $0.21 per hour compared to $.05 per hour for refrigeration heat removal cost. Yes, I could slow down the cooling water flow rate to reduce pump cost and increase temperature difference in cooling water. This also reduces total heat removed by cooling water unless the tank water temperature increases, not desirable.

I started the test at 0940 hrs with #8 tank isolated from system circulation. Air bubbles will maintain circulation. Tank water temperature was 77.3 degrees, when 20" box fan was turned on. Fan is 6" from water surface blowing at an angle of 90 degrees.

To get accurate results, this will have to be done when the sun is not contributing heat into tank. I will do these test again when the sun goes down. Perhaps a Jaccuzzi pool party.

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

This view down the length of the tank, is taken thru my HOB filter box. I have many pods that live in this acrylic box.

I just did install a new light on the right third of the tank. The previous fixture had 26 white and 26 blue 3W LED. The new fixture has the same number of 3W LED. One variable rheostat has all blue lights. The second variable rheostat has 4 red, 2 green and twenty white. I find the shimmering effect particularly strong with this fixture. There is also an ever present rainbow separation of colors associated with the glitter lines.

The fixture on the left has 56 blue and 56 white 3W LED. I like the contrast of colors as fish swim to different sides of the tank, as if to show their best colors under each light array.

I am enjoying this tank. I just did move some Frogspawn survivors into this tank. My goal is heavy on the macro with NPS, LPS and where filter feeders of all kinds abound.

Patrick

It is all up to you. Your choice.

Patrick