Carnation coral care

[jaded]

I am the new owner of a beautiful carnation coral that I really would like to give a good home too, but they are notoriously hard to keep.

Feeding is the issue here... I have a thought about a way that might work without the 24/7 drip tube. I am thinking I can cut a few holes in a clear plastic container (like a 16oz coke bottle) and place this over the coral in the sand. I can then inject (I use a 20ml syringe instead of a turkey baster) phyto into the container all around the coral. After an hour or maybe more (I guess I'll have to experiment) I can remove the feeding box so it can blow in the wind. I would think just a tiny shot of phyto each day with perhaps zooplankton every other day would be plenty

what are you thoughts???

[gjuarez]

I dont know but I would sure like to see how everything works out. I have been wanting to keep a carnation coral but I dont know if I can succeed at doing so. Let me know how everything works out.

[jaded]

Im no where near finished reading this 6 page thread, but there seems to be some people having success

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=524097&perpage=25&pagen umber=1

[CD]

Hmmm...I've read some articles on these, and it appears that the majority of any long term success stories (and I stress "long term") have been with the 24/7 phyto drip. Otherwise, they will eventually starve to death. If using your bottle idea, you may have a better shot by leaving it on the carnation (with the phyto of course) more like 12/7. I just don't think it would get enough nourishment by only having the bottle over it a couple of hours a day. Then again, the lack of flow might be detrimental too. That's a tough one, Jade!
I do wish you the best of luck, though. Carnations sure are beautiful :)
Keep us posted on your progress?

Wendy

[seamonkey2]

Jaded, after reading your Idea, the bulb went off this morning, ok here it goes >_< BAM!!!,...wait i got to change the bulb....... :lol
ok ready, at work we use iv bags, hook up to tubing with a dosing wheel(simple stuff, roll the wheel up more flow, roll the wheel down little flow), is basically gravity feed, but you can also use a pressure bag( you can roll the IV bag and tape it as it gets used) and you can hide the tubing behind the rocks and under the tree, so it will fed as much or as little as you want.
If you want I'll get you the set up
of course, you will empty the bag of its solution and filled with DTs

LMK
Jose

[Thunderkat]

Yeah, you can go to a medical supply store and buy the IV pole and buy the tubing too, get the largest tubing to lessen chance of clogs, don't forget to buy the drip rate valve too. If they don't sell bags see if you can buy a bag of just saline or lactated ringers and empty it and place your food inside.

[seamonkey2]

why an IV pole a screw in the wall is just as good

[Thunderkat]

why an IV pole a screw in the wall is just as good

Yeah if its your house you can do that, if you live in an apartment its not a good idea to put screws in everywhere though.

[jaded]

I used to use the same setup years ago for acclimation. Jose if you can hook me up with the setup I think this is a great idea. I was thinking that ridgid airline tubing would be best for the line behind the rocks.

So where would you guys start? Maybe a drop an hours 2 drops and hours? Im concerned about the water qualtiy too

[Thunderkat]

Thats a good question. How much do those things eat and whats the concentration of your food?

[Thunderkat]

Here is one fatality (http://www.janetsreef.com/carnatio.htm).

Little bit more info (http://www.marinedepotlive.com/marinedepotlive/1153794.html)

some more (http://www.marinedepotlive.com/1153814.html)

Little bit better (http://centralpets.com/critterpages/fish/saltwater_inverts/SWI1695.shtml)

After reading the others this dealer seems shady (http://www.fishsupply.com/cgi-bin/f2/common/store.cgi?dbname=f2&path=top/C/CD/CDN00)

Just a cool pic (http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/reef/reef2087.htm)

After reading all those there is one thing I recommend but it wouldn't be very pretty. Use the tank that coral is in as a hatchery for brine shrimp. Have those things hatching like crazy and stock up on lots of eggs. Feed your fish then dump in lots of eggs. The tank will get full of old and unhatched eggs so its going to take lots of cleaning. Everybody might be filling up their pants while reading this but I think you will need a high volume of baby brines from what I read to keep that alive.

If you have the room for another dedicated tank you can make a dedicated hatchery just keep transferring those brines over constantly.

Here is just one hatchery (http://www.angelswest.com/brine_shrimp_hatchery.htm) I found while looking. You can make your own, you can also use a small light in a corner to attract them if you keep them in the dark and just siphon them out with as few eggs as possible.

[jaded]

well I'm thinking it might be better to find someone that has the ability to have a dedicated tank... but Im going to give it a whirl

The good news is hes open and looking real happy after the acclimation. Of course I'm aware that that has little to do with reality, but its nice.

[Thunderkat]

Let us know how it all works out, if it works well you can join the ranks of the elite coral keepers :) I am starting off with mushrooms and zoos, hopefully I can keep those alive, so far so good though.

[seamonkey2]

I already got the set up ready for you jade, with extra tubbing for long connections
you are correct thunderkat, but jaded own his house(I think lol) thats why I made that suggestion
and the poles are expensive, I know, cheaper would be to make one out of PVC( did that sound like Yoda talking or what LOL) and it rhymes ROFLMAO

Jose

[jaded]

MUSHROOMS AND ZOOS :blink wow... ok so you want to rig up a self contained feeding apparatus as well as a phyto reactor and brine shrimp hatchery

Dont forget that they will require you to wake up and 4:00am 3x's a week to talk to them in a calm, soothing voice as well

good luck ;)

[Thunderkat]

Yeah, if its your own house you can go all out and go to a store like Lowe's or something and buy yourself a little hook (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=138564-81227-BBR0327APCP&lpage=none) like that (but maybe not one as fancy). You can also look around at garage sales and find an old coat rack.

[CD]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=645

http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/1296/1296_4.html

Two more info sources...second link is the best and most detailed.

Wendy

[Thunderkat]

Ok, just saw that post you said about teh mushrooms and zoos, of course I don't have a set up like that for them. I was told they eat bacteria in the water so I think my system does not need any changes. I have long flowing hairs of cyano hanging off of my glass and rocks. Plenty of bacteria there. Cyano paradise!

[jaded]

What I've noticed while doing searches for info on the carnation... the scientists say it cant or shouldnt be done. The posters on forums say that it can be done but they havent done it. The Ones that have done it usually say "I dont know what I'm doing right" but its not that tough...

I guess I'll try a few things and see if anything works

thanks for the links and advise all... I'm much more versed on the science of this little creature, but I'm thinking its just going to boil down to trial and error... I hope very little error

[seamonkey2]

so you have a cyano tank..cool..LOL
sorry I am not making fun of you,it just sounds funny
I did not take my medication this morning
Jose

[Thunderkat]

Laugh all you want, it does not bother me. I have been working hard to get rid of the cyano. :lol

[jaded]

I was just kidding about all that prep work for zoos and shrooms... I'm in a funny frame of mind becuase of the daunting task of keeping this carnation.

I'm sure you've been told to increase the flow in your tank... run some a. carbon, 10% water changes... have you done all that to combat the cyano?

[seamonkey2]

hey T. I am not laughing at you, it just suonded funny in my head
no disrespect here, just crosswires
Jose

[Thunderkat]

Takes way more than that to make me mad, you actually made me laugh. I want to know how that carnation does though, we need frequent updates, at least once every two days :)

[seamonkey2]

good, now T. don't forget to take your cyano pets for a walk every day LOL
hey Jaded I got the set up at home, LMK when you want to Pick it up
Jose

[jaded]

cool thanks, how much?

[seamonkey2]

how much for what?
if you are refering to the set up, you are joking right?
Jose

[jaded]

hey if I'd have known they were free I would have asked for 3... I'll stop by tonight to pick that up if its alright

[Someone]

That'll be really cool if you can manage to keep the thing alive. Let us know how you do it.