gonapora gift

[vibe]

i went into my LFS last night to look around with my dad and step mom. i went straight to the coral tank and look where a yellow gonapora was sitting. i wanted it for about 2 weeks now. i noticed a couple getting salt water and talking to one of the employees about general fish questions and what not. i put my information into the conversation and i became aquanted with them. we were talking about the corals in teh tank and i pointed to the yellow gonapora, saying that i have always wanted it. she said, "why dont you get it?" "becasue i dont have the money, not having a job, and wanting a 40 dollar coral...its pretty ruff." we talked about other LFS in teh area.
then she told me to follow her. as i followed her my dad said. "they just bought taht coral you wanted." she said "actually im buying it to give it to your son." my eyes widened, i couldnt believe it. at the check out counter, as she handed me the bag she say, learn a lesson in life...be kind to others. i thanked...i even hugged her, and she gave me the recept and left. this has nothing to do with reef tanks...but i figured it would be a nice story to share.
has anyone else had an experience like this one?

 

[vibe]

yeah. i was truly amazed. there are still kind people out there.

 

[tigerlover]

WOW, hard to believe there are still nice people out there, i don't believe i know a one, but that lady was very nice, if i had the money, i definetly would have done the same
No, I have not had someone do something like that for me before, but I've done something like that for someone else

 

[vibe]

yeah, if i had the money, i probably would as well. btw he looks great. the employee said i should give it back on account of my lighting. but when he heard that i already had a flourishing gonapora, he said go right ahead. they both look better than they were at the store. the yellow one is absolutly beautiful, and really stands out. im going to try and get a hold of my friends camera and take a couple pics. thanks to responses

 

[carsgirlsnfish]

Originally posted by vibe
at the check out counter, as she handed me the bag she say, learn a lesson in life...be kind to others.
i thought your lesson was going to be..."get a job"

 

[bergshawn]

Just a quick question.. How are you keeping those corals with only a Coralife 50/50 bulb? I have a 48" Coralife 50/50 bulb and was told I would need PC, VHO, or MH to keep corals?

 

[j21kickster]

that is a very nice thing to do- wow!- sadly the coral she got you is very hard to care for- it will not last if you keep the same lights on your tank- sorry to rain on your parade- but it waas the thought that counts

 

[spsfreak100]

It was indeed very nice of them to buy that for you. It's happened to me, once.
Unfortunatly,
The coral you got is extremely difficult to keep in captivity. Many do not survive more than 3 months. Those that survive longer than that period of time usually slowely die off within the next 6-7 months. The Goniopora will need a very high nutrient level in order to survive. This can be hard to achieve if you do not have proper filtration on the tank.
I do not beleive that lighting plays a very important role when keeping Goniopora's. I've seen some thriving under Power Compacts or VHO's. Even though they won't need halides to survive, they still do need good amounts of lighting.
Honestly, your Corallife bulb could not keep up the zooxanthellae living in the coral. Your Goniopora will most likely die from a large variety of reason (IE:, Not enough food, not enough lighting, etc.). I do hate to be negative, but it really needed to be said. Goniopora's are definitaly not for the inexperienced aquarist, or, any aquarist I may add. These corals are best left in the wild, which is where they belong. I again apologize for being so negative. I need to say what needed said.
Take Care,
Graham

 

[kainrahl]

Scotts has been very kind to me from this board. I have all the grattitude in the world. He gave me some corals that are now doing pretty well. Thanx to SCOTTS

 

[vibe]

well, i did some research. gonaporas only live about 6 months to a year and a half anyways. btw i bought a new light today. i bought an Aqualight today. 20", 28 watt 50/50 square pin compact fluorescent lamp. im going to install it now. i should be able to pretty much put an coral i want in my tank now.
-bergshawn 50/50 is good, but only until you up your lights. my tank could sustain my corals because its small and closer to the ground. in addiotion i put my corals pretty much directly under the light. it all depends on tank size. this light was the perfect length wattage and price. get what ever suits you.
-spsfreak100 i do have proper filtration. emperor 280 gives me 4 times the amount of filtration needed to filter out my tank. im currently running 2 filters on it, and peguin mini bio-wheel filter, and my emperor. i have more than enought filtration. gonaporas only live 6 months- a year and a half.
thanks for the input all.

 

[spsfreak100]

gonaporas only live about 6 months to a year and a half anyways.
I have no clue where you got that information, but it's completely false. Goniopora's are able to live for thousands of years in the wild. They're able to easily reproduce lost cells, therefore, if the coral is in the proper conditions with no predator, the coral could easily live forever. Your information most likely is regarding to life in the aquarium, not the full life span.
i bought an Aqualight today. 20", 28 watt 50/50 square pin compact fluorescent lamp. im going to install it now. i should be able to pretty much put an coral i want in my tank now.
Also false. You cannot keep anything you wanted in that tank with that lighting. Forget about keeping Small Polyp Scleractinians (SPS) and Tridacna Clams. You could also forget about keeping some species of LPS. For the most part, your lighting is suitible for a wide variety of soft corals and a few species of LPS.
i do have proper filtration.
Exactly
That "Emperor 280" cleans out nearly all the organic waste. The high nutrient levels are taken out of the water column through your "Emperor 280." Your Goniopora should eventually starve from the loss of food.
gonaporas only live 6 months- a year and a half.
See above.
I hope this message didn't come across rude, it was not my intention. I apologize if this did sound rude.
Take Care,
Graham

 

[vibe]

it does sound kind of rude, but what ever. you have to remember its a 10 gallon tank. everything is really close to the light. i feed my whole tank micro-vert. the guy at my LFS said gonioporas live 6 months to a year. but i might have said gorgonian. would it have mattered? undoubted my lighting is a decent upgrade on account of my low budget. im not proving you wrong on anything its just...i felt so happy...and now...i dont

 

[krunk]

This isnt how your suppose too caculate the light thing but, you will have 5.3 wpg. If you added 64 watts of pc, then you MIGHT be able too have enough light for most corals.

 

[plum70rt]

Damm, , I go to that same store every week No one buys me SQUAT, Good for you Vibe, Jaeson dont get offended by what these guys tell you they are trying to help, remember dont believe the LFS , they want to sell stuff, 28 watts on a ten you could get by, but not with anything you want, polups softies ok, SPS, NOPE, Clams NOPE, Sorry this Is fact, also the Gonipora is just as Graham descriped, need high Nutrient water, in a filtered tank enviorment they dont do well,
if it last past 6 months Ill be suprised,
BTW I met Vibe at a LFS , Smart Kid,
Cheer up ,you got Free Coral ,whos better than you

 

[spsfreak100]

Originally posted by vibe
it does sound kind of rude, but what ever. you have to remember its a 10 gallon tank. everything is really close to the light. i feed my whole tank micro-vert. the guy at my LFS said gonioporas live 6 months to a year. but i might have said gorgonian. would it have mattered? undoubted my lighting is a decent upgrade on account of my low budget. im not proving you wrong on anything its just...i felt so happy...and now...i dont
I truly apologize if my message came across rude, but everything I said was fact. Goniopora's have very poor survival rates and are very difficult to keep.
As for Gorgonian/Goniopora, both are able to life for thousands of years. As said above, they're able to reproduce cells that they lost unlike that of fish/ some inveribrates.
Cheer up vibe. Who knows, they could be very happy in your tank
Good luck with the Goniopora's!
Graham

 

[vibe]

thanks. im planning on trying to keep the extra wattage from my 50/50 on teh tank as well. i guess thsi is a good idea?

 

[spsfreak100]

Originally posted by vibe
thanks. im planning on trying to keep the extra wattage from my 50/50 on teh tank as well. i guess thsi is a good idea?
It should help
Take Care,
Graham

 

[vibe]

woot. the light i bought has a reflector built in, what do th4ese do? at the store it says it doubles the wattage.....is this really true? it sounds logical, but "doulbe" might be pushing it.

 

[krunk]

it doesnt double the lights, It just reflects the light the is not aiming at your tank. Like if you just have a light over a tank, with a wood canopy and no reflector, it will relfect the light hitting the canopy and the sides.

 

[plum70rt]

Again the STORE says, its helps reflect the light back into the tank ,