Marine Depot Forums / TEAM Marine Depot / Marine Systems and Husbandry – by Anthony Calfo / First Time Cutting RBTA / Latest Posts

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

Anthony Calfo — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:10:59 GMT

It seems like common sense to me that if you cut anemones every four weeks they will get smaller and smaller with each cut since they are not allowed the time to grow back to the pre-cut size.

au contraire... they do grow to pre-cut size that fast. That is precisely the definition of a cycle of harvest. Youngsters of all types (people, snakes, plants... and yes - anemones) enjoy their fastest growth on the early side of life (fragmentation in this case). If you have an adequate source of nitrogen plus adequate light for zoox/carbon transfer... then your little anemones will keep growing fast and furiously.

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

ToddLaCo — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 08:44:33 GMT

Thank for your support. It is very much appreciated and good to see that at least the troops are supported even if the policy is not.

Anthony, I have a question that has been on my mind for a while and I don't remember seeing it addressed in any of your Fav's.

It seems like common sense to me that if you cut anemones every four weeks they will get smaller and smaller with each cut since they are not allowed the time to grow back to the pre-cut size.

Does there need to be a break in cutting a percentage at a time for them to re-gain some size or am I just showing my lack of experience here?

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

Anthony Calfo — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 08:28:28 GMT

agreed... thank you Todd, and all of our military citizens that serve and have served our country.

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

miatawnt2b — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 08:03:43 GMT

Thank you for your service to our country Todd!

-J

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

ToddLaCo — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 09:55:19 GMT

I believe the Hydor Sponge filters I have are rated for 125 gallons, so I will use two in each 100 gallon tank.

With belated regards to your first post to this thread;

much obliged for you taking the time to share... threads like this really help our hobby anf fellow hobbyists in forming an intelligent consensus.

.

Anthony Calfo

I feel it is my obligation to share my experience. Virtually all I have learned about propagation has been through yourself and this wonderful forum. Your generous sharing of knowledge and insight is the reason for my business/career choice with Marine Corps retirement in sight.

Thank you again.

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

Anthony Calfo — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 09:31:17 GMT

normally a "pond-rated" sponge (these are for deck ponds or tubs really) or one rated for at least 2X your tank size will get you into the ballpark, my friend

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

ToddLaCo — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 07:00:31 GMT

Anthony Calfo (2/26/2007)

Hmmm... fair enough for the sponge (to rinse in the aged water) and yet the sponge overall is still too small in this case for any large/future heavy bioload.

Anthony, I have some of the largest Hydro sponges brewing in the sump of my personal display for when I get the 100 gallon stock tanks on-line. They are about 8 inches in diameter. Will one of these handle the bio load of a 100 gallon propagation tank full of anemones, or possibly two per tub? If not, what do you recommend for biological filtration?

I am purchasing an air blower and plumbing the entire room for air lifts so there will be no shortage of air to run multiple sponge filters.

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

Killerwhale — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 06:35:59 GMT

Anthony,I know you like the efficiency of the sponge filters but if large scale production is the goal can these sponges handle the load of 100-200 anemones or is money well spent to include a remote sand bed?

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

Anthony Calfo — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:07:52 GMT

Hmmm... fair enough for the sponge (to rinse in the aged water) and yet the sponge overall is still too small in this case for any large/future heavy bioload.

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

ToddLaCo — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:57:54 GMT

The sponge guard is the biological filtration. I change about 50-75% of the water once a week. When I change the water, I rinse the sponges in the aged water.

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

Anthony Calfo — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 09:30:46 GMT

in the prop tank.. is that a sponge-guarded power head for water flow? (all good if so... though you must rinse it frequently). And how is biological filtration provided?

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

ToddLaCo — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 07:17:20 GMT

Killerwhale (2/26/2007)

Todd do you have pics of your system you would be willing to share?Things you like and things you would change about its functionality?

First is a picture of the tank they are in right now. I had surgery on my clavical back in Nov and started the farm in my office in 10 gallon and one 20 gallon long tanks so I could take care of them while recovering. Unfortunately this is not quite the setup you were hoping to see, but it worked for me. You may notice that there is some Xenia mixed in with the RBTA. They will be split to monocultures when the coral grow-out room is finished.

The second picture is my soon to be completed coral grow-out room. I am building a climate controlled room in my garage for initial grow out as I can't justify any type of commercial facility until my broodstock levels are higher. There will 10 to 12 100 gallon stock tanks set up here, as well as a 500 gallon water storage tank to help with temp stability. I will be putting up the remaining OSB today. Then all that is left is insulation and electrical which will be quite easy and quick in a small room. Plus the electrical panel is only 10 feet from the room with an open attic above, very easy to run a sub-panel.

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

Killerwhale — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 03:59:40 GMT

Todd do you have pics of your system you would be willing to share?Things you like and things you would change about its functionality?

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

Anthony Calfo — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:48:44 GMT

much obliged for you taking the time to share... threads like this really help our hobby anf fellow hobbyists in forming an intelligent consensus.

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

CanadianReef — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 13:41:25 GMT

I had mine set up for about 2 months,then decided to rearrange tanks/stands.So in effect I was back to square one.I wont be cutting my first one for about another 3 months yet.

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

redsonja — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 09:22:12 GMT

Great pictures! Keep updating! It really is amazing how fast they recover from cutting, isn't it?

I need to get my pictures organized one of these days and do something like that. I'm almost ready for round 7 of cutting here, I've just had a nasty cold and haven't trusted myself with a sharp blade for the better part of a week.

-Sonja

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

CanadianReef — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 06:56:26 GMT

I was surprised to see in the 5-10 min. after picture,that they were already reinflating and starting to close up.Amazing how they can be both delicate and resiliant at the same time.

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

ToddLaCo — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 20:36:49 GMT

It's unbelievable how easy this really is when your patient, wait for the anemone to be healthy enough to cut and follow all the advice that Anthony and others have so generously provided.

Using a sharp, quality filet knife made a positive difference also I think. I expected it to be messy trying to cut a jello like blob, but the sharp filet knife sliced right through like butter helping to reduce some stress on the anemone during cutting.

The most amazing thing to me is that 5 hours after cutting one half is almost completely closed up and the other half is not far behind.

RE: First Time Cutting RBTA

CanadianReef — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 19:44:17 GMT

Right on Todd,helps make the rest of us feel better about making that first cut.Hope it all works out well for you.

First Time Cutting RBTA

ToddLaCo — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 17:08:07 GMT

I cut my first anemone today and I started a chronological thread on my local MAS forum. Thought I would share it with the fine members of the Marine Depot forum also.

Here is alink to the local forum thread instead of re-typing everything.

Hope you enjoy....

http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=28920