Making a Koralia Anemone Safe

[Ram_Puppy]

ok, it occured to me that w/ my new anemone coming, that, unlike my 120 which i took great pains w/ to desing as an anemone safe reef (safe as can be anyhow), the 30 cube is anything but anemone safe.

I have multiple powerheads (feeding a TLF reactor and the skimmer) plus the two hydor Koralias. the pumps are easy enough - sponges will be added and zip tied to the screens to ensure they don't get pulled off.

So here are the plans for the Koralias (feedback appreciated):

Equipment: snips, zip ties, plastic craft screen, hydor koralias.

I will create a cylindrical screen to go around the back half of the Hydor the "intake". It will be about an inch larger around than the Koralia. (smaller holes, so to trade off reduced flow from the screen, i am increasing surface area). I will zip tie the scren in place.

the front of the Koralia - the front screen pops off easily. There I plan on just cutting screen to shape, and putting it inside the koralia (if i can get it to fit w/o interfering w/ the blade) no zip ties, it's springiness should hold it in place inside the main guard. if the anemone tries to get in from there, it should push the screen in first and just stop the blade.

the restriction caused by the front screening should make the water pressure coming out of the front of the koralia that much higher, and hopefully, the anemone simply won't feel the need to crawl through that hole (right down the toughest part of the current.

[Texreefer]

sounds like it might work.. i have two modded maxis in my 120 and i know this is asking for trouble but neither one is covered... i plased anemone in tank and watched him closely and turned maxis off at night until he found his home,, his foot is burried deep inside a rock now and hasnt moved in 6 months.. as long as i keep him happy i shoudnt have to worry about anything

[Ram_Puppy]

i was thinking that it probably wasn't going to be an issue, from the design of the koralias, they are low 'suction' and put out a broad gentle flow of water.... so i wasn't going to do anything.

then a guy on RC posted about his Pink BTA walking right into a koralia and becoming soup... you know, honestly, if thing wasn't such a rare color morph I wouldn't mess w/ it. I know that is callous, every creature deserves an even chance in the tank, and that would definately suck for all my other stuff...

anyhow.. this blood red bubble tip.. I very much want to get the color morph out into the hobby... and as one of only 3 or 4 i know of out there, it would be a bloody shame if i killed it. (no pun intended.)

[5.0Stang]

Or a wise man once told me pantyhose goes along way! That wise man owns wolf reef!

[cpreefguy]

What does Ed wearing pantyhose have do do with it? :lol

[caferacermike]

You might try the blue prefilters for one of the marine land filters. I forget just which one it was but I needed a screen for a Tunze stream. I found that it fit perfectly with no mods needed. Just cut it to the length and it slips right over, the filter is basically a stretchy tube.

[Ram_Puppy]

well all those are excellent ideas! if only i had read them before I made my "Koralia Armor!"

i will try to upload pics tomorrow.

I found some plastic mesh in an egg shape at michaels, i ws skeptical, but it fit over the front of the koralia perfectly!!!! i just cut out the front a little and flow seems to be at about 80% of what it was before.

i took pictures but for some reason my camera is overexposing everything... think someone tinkered w/ the settings so i am going to fool w/ that tonight.

[Ram_Puppy]

ok, well these aren't the best pictures, but they give you an idea.

This was my first attempt, and it worked ok, but the guard up front practically obliterated the flow. (not much point then ehh?) so basically removed that guard leaving a single opening at the front, this restored it to what i would estimate to be about 80% of normal, which is good as the 3's were a little overpowered for my tank.

The front is made out of a preformed 'egg' that sells for about 2 bucks, the back is a circular disc of the same stuff. it's all zip tied together.

the front is easily detetatched for cleaning as normal, but cleaning under the guard will require removing zip ties.

[cpreefguy]

Pretty cool!