Urchin tank

mosdojaf · 05-16-2008, 05:20 PM

OK, i am in process of making an urchin tank. It is for a black spiny urchin. I am thinking a 20 long, with 1 inch of sand and 20+ pounds of rock, 2 power heads for water movement, 72 watts of lighting, and an aqua clear 20 or 30 gallon filter customized.

I am moving the urchin from the 45 gallon reef, he bulldozes everything, lol and munches on zoa's. cant put him in refuge his spines are to big he is about the isze of a softball.

Dentoid · 05-16-2008, 05:27 PM

Where are you going to put the Urchin while the new tank cycles and matures?

cheeks69 · 05-16-2008, 06:32 PM

These guys can turn to sessile inverts when there's not enough food in the tank. I really don't see a 20 gal tank providing enough algae coralline or Macro's to sustain the Urchin lon term, my suggestion would be to return it to the LFS.

mosdojaf · 05-16-2008, 11:21 PM

he is currently in my reef and will stay until tank is ready. and none of the LFS will take him.

CMG · 05-19-2008, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheeks69

These guys can turn to sessile inverts when there's not enough food in the tank. I really don't see a 20 gal tank providing enough algae coralline or Macro's to sustain the Urchin lon term, my suggestion would be to return it to the LFS.

Do these guys eat all types of algae or just coraline? If they eat all kinds you could just use tap water with a buffer for chlorine and all those phosphates would grow algae like mad. yum yum yum.

cheeks69 · 05-19-2008, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMG

Do these guys eat all types of algae or just coraline? If they eat all kinds you could just use tap water with a buffer for chlorine and all those phosphates would grow algae like mad. yum yum yum.

Yes they're excellent herbivores and will eat not only coralline but macro/micro algae. The problem with tap water is that in many municipalities PO4 is the least of your concern and since Inverts can be very sensitive to water quality this generally isn't a good idea.

My suggestion would be to simply supplement their diet with nori or other algaes sold at your LFS..

CMG · 05-19-2008, 05:57 PM

Ok, well I tried.

05-16-2008, 05:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,239 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Urchin tank Where are you going to put the Urchin while the new tank cycles and matures? __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

05-16-2008, 06:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
cheeks69 Wannabe Guru Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northeast Posts: 6,630 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Urchin tank These guys can turn to sessile inverts when there's not enough food in the tank. I really don't see a 20 gal tank providing enough algae coralline or Macro's to sustain the Urchin lon term, my suggestion would be to return it to the LFS. __________________ Robert My Cube “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe—a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” Albert Einstein

05-16-2008, 11:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
mosdojaf Fire Coral Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: crystal lake Posts: 83 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Urchin tank he is currently in my reef and will stay until tank is ready. and none of the LFS will take him. __________________ 45 gallon reef tank cpr backpack skimmer Aqua clear 110, customized cpr aquafuge medium (coral life 18w compact on refugium) jbj 260w compact flourescent maxijet natural wavemaker system various power heads

05-19-2008, 05:57 PM	#7 (permalink)
CMG Torch coral Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sonoma County, CA Posts: 586 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Urchin tank Ok, well I tried. __________________ My Chronical: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...wlr-setup.html 40g, Purple Dartfish (squirley), Banggai Cardinal (Spot), 3 sand sifting snails, 3 nerite snails and a golden banded shrimp (Batman).

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