AquariaUSA

I have several dozen XMs running on various tanks. Although I like the look of the 20K, I have yet to figure out how to adjust my white balance on the Canon to take pics of tanks with 20Ks. Most of our clients love the blue look, but I like more of a whiter look personally, for it makes taking pics easier, and is much brighter. However, I do have a few frag/prop tanks lit by 20ks. The growth is the same from what I can see and the corals seem to hold color longer (when taking out of the tank, etc.) under 20ks. 10Ks do grow a heck of a lot more algaes, so might be switching the new holding tanks over to 20ks. I have always used VHO actinic supplementation with 10K bulbs on display tanks. Glad you liked the bulbs We would all be in for more trouble if AB started making 20ks. hehe

They are more likely Bispira viola species. Harmless, great filter feeders and sometimes a good supplemental food for Chelmon rostratus (Copperband Butterflys). The tubes are whitish with small .25"< heads?

Hardcore meaning the amount of money invested into their systems, or they never leave home for fear of something happening to their tanks? hehe The Washington-Baltimore metro areas have plenty of hardcore~advanced hobbyists...always looking for a new prized specimen Come visit in June, you won't be dissapointed.

Billy, Just my opinion, but you were given very bad advice :( Hang in there keep a close eye on water quality. What type of rock was it, and what kind of condition was it in? Lots of smelly stuff on it? Good coralline algae coverage or minimal? If it is on the "base rock" side, then you should be allright.

Run carbon (good carbon or Chemi Pure), scrub off dead material, and allow good circulation

Only thing that any of our LPS corals get fed are....light Once in a while (probably 1x month) I feed the tank some TLF Phytoplan or Liquid Lifes BioPlankton. Otherwise I am guessing the system feeds itself with no skimmer, reactors, etc. I do have several pairs of mated and non-mated shrimp in that system though. This is the tank that if a coral does not always come in looking to good (after 3-6 week QT to rid disease, viral, or parasitic issues) or if it was attacked by another coral in a client tank...I put them into this tank to recover. A few members recently saw some of the "recovering" species before the WAMAS event. I honestly think you either got shipped a weak specimen, or it was damaged. How is it doing now?

Hi Michael, I know he put the Wells back into trachy again, darnit! But they are still shipping as wellsophyllia which helps to "classify" them differently on the hobbyside I brought two out to the event, and when I mentioned the whole genus regrouping some of the hobbyists looked at me like I was nuts, so I just said it was a Wellsophyllia (used to be in Trachyphylliadae, then Wellsophyllia, then past 6 months back into Trachy confused some people Please post a pic if you can, or find a similar pic of the species online. I am guessing it is Brown Jelly like Michael described, more likely due to tissue injury when handling or shipping.

Clownfish4.... Do you have any idea of the species? Do you have any pictures? There has been major issues with Trachyphylliadae "brain corals" over the past year depending on the supplier/shipper. The Wellsophyllia (trachy family as well) has not been as suceptible to brown jelly.IME I would not go back to trachys but will do the Wellsophyllia anytime I do not feed the "hobby tank" tank anything on a regular basis, but once a month I usually use what is called Selcon.

Hi Krish, I have the modified "stockman" durso pipe running on the temporary SPS tank at the house if you want to look at one way to do it. Although I do not have the elbow on the inside which keeps it quiet. Forgot it, need to get one though. Fairly simple to do and cheap. If you want to drill the tank, I can bring the drill over from the warehouse, and you can do it. I can't find the rubberdarn we use, but rolled up paper towel with drill coolant works the same on the press. If it's not worth the hassle, I am sure Grim at the Reef Tank can do it for ya!

Hi Eric, CV had issues with the envelope design. Initial PAR values were great, but I am sure that will be changing when they rework the bulb if they have not done so already. I know of at least 1 1/2-2 dozen aquarists who had serious bleaching issues when using the bulbs. 80% of them reported using light acclimation techniques, so it was not like going from a 20K to 10K 3" above the water and giving the corals a sunburn. The bulbs are cheap, but so are XMs which we have picked up since they were available. So far no problems with bleaching, great growth, and not the pricetag of Ushios or ABs which helps hobbyists keep their costs down on the equipment side. You do get a little variance on "visual color" from bulb to bulb, but in the end worth the money IMO.

Hi Eric, Well to be honest I would not consider Clarity a "custom" builder for they put out retail grade tanks. If you can't go the 6' length, why not use an AGA or Oceanic 120 which is 48"x24"x24"? It will keep your cost down, and is readily available. Oceanics oak cabinetry line is also very appealing and cost affective. If you want we can quote you the 60"x24"x24" but you will pay more for it is not considered a stock tank (one that is readily made). We don't just quote one or two acrylic companies, we quote 5 for each is regarded much different in quality and scope of work they are capable of. Some people will tell you all acrylic is the same, but that is far from the truth (different types of sheet, bonding agents, techniques, etc.). Try asking your LFS as well, for sometimes Clarity and others may offer them price breaks on a quarterly basis depending on their volume.

What size are you looking for?

Hi Werther. If you have trouble finding one, email us and we can probably build you a reasonable one. Does it have to be oak or just oak color? What does the name "taino" stand for? Thanks, Rich

We will bring a box of XMs, and whatever ABs we have out to the WAMAS meeting for those interested. Something we have done for quite a while at other functions, and usually priced inline with other retailers. IME/O I would avoid the coralvue bulbs. The majority of reefers across the country have stuck with AB, Ushio, and XMs for consistency. Two sides of the fence regarding 10K vs. 20K. If you go with 10K, I would recommend VHO 03 supplementation. If you go with 20Ks the growth rates might not be as fast, but all depends on the system. Thanks, Rich

Hi Phil, Few questions: 1. Does the anemone host clownfish? If so, what are they doing? 2. Any new circulation pumps added? 3. Having Bubble Tips does not always mean it enjoys the light...Most of the time they will not have the bubble tips if neighboring corals (LPS) are releasing any kind of toxins/terpenoids into the water...this seems to stimulate them to "extend" their tentacles into the open water, possibly to put out stinger sweeper tentacles. 4. Are you feeding the anemone? What? 5. We keep all of our anemones under metal halide lighting. The success rates (longterm) are so much better IMO , and they do tend to split much faster than if under VHO, PC, or T5. Just an observation. Upgrading the lighting should actually help the anemone do better, but the wandering sounds like something totally separate from the lighting.

No problem Michael. I try to pimp myself out locally when the money comes in slow jk Actually it is tough sometimes due to the amount of incoming~outgoing livestock we order for both Columbia and Charlotte...but we get by 80% of our business is service oriented so thats where our major funding comes from. If things are educationally based, we do not seek to make profits, unless we are doing the service end of the deal (which we can't do for free...yet!). If it is something a local club is organizing, I will work with the members to allow them to order items at our cost (as long as they are used in the school, and not Billy's home aquarium) and sometimes depending on the month can probably help defray the cost with monetary or equipment donation. On the CMAS and WAMAS side, we rarely make enough to cover the freight and time spent preparing for the events, but this is the only pseudo retail we do, and only because you guys are experienced hobbyists. How a retailer can sell just about anything to anyone that walks through the door has always made me curious, but that is why I am not retail based

I'm up for a WAMAS trip to Long Island I too have read and seen plenty of pics from the Atlantis Marine World Aquarium but still have yet to see it. Anybody know Joe Y from there? Perhaps someone can get a "private" tour setup? We could always pay admission or double what they charge. Worth it IMO

uh oh Welcome Robert, although I know ya from CMAS! Welcome Amber! Hanging around with all the coral crazies will help you get on the "fastrac" to keeping a healthy and sustainable reef. Just watch the budget, for once you are hooked it goes out the window faster than you think

Great ideas Robert, call me when the club starts to get going at CHCHS. I am willing to either donate or help buy items at our cost, as long as they will be used at the school. Same goes for the WAMAS projects. We are waiting to start work this summer on a very interesting project for a special school that is being funded by outside investors. We will be installing and maintaining two aquarium exhibits (fresh and reef)...but will also be developing a learning/training program for the students and staff to learn about the systems, and to perform water quality and brief lab work on. Each month we will also be doing a mini-volunteer lectures/training days in which we will present a topic regarding the systems to discuss, etc. Once this gets rolling, I was thinking of bringing in WAMAS/CMAS for some of these mini-meetings especially since it looks great for the clubs to be involved, and offers diversity of opinion If we can be of any help, feel free to call or email. Thanks, Rich

If you are going to go the chemical route on trying to remove phosphate.... TLFs Phosban or Rowaphos should do the trick. Liquid Life has a new product, but have not used it. I know there will be Phosban at the CMAS seminar in April

Done that one before, but I choose a few different words..Holy was one of them Also done a bit of the powder inhalation when mixing it up. Drank gallons of water, spit my brains out...lived to tell about it, so I guess that is good. Being that it is caustic, and has a known carcinogen in it, we stopped using it in the late 90s. Only problem is a lot of chemicals we use have the same issues. Anyone have Kent RxP? Have problems breathing when you use this product?

Ward...you probably have the same in your book...We use the msds sheets a lot to insure we don't get in trouble Incompatibilities: Violent reactions with maleic anhydride, nitroethane, nitromethane, nitroparaffins, nitropropane, phosphorus. As a strongly alkaline material, it is incompatible with acids. Conditions to Avoid: Air, dusting, and incompatibles. CALCIUM HYDROXIDE 1. Product Identification Synonyms: Calcium hydrate; slaked lime CAS No.: 1305-62-0 Molecular Weight: 74.09 Chemical Formula: Ca(OH)2 Product Codes: J.T. Baker: 1372, 1374, 5143 Mallinckrodt: 2630, 3288, 4195, 4315, 6805 2. Composition/Information on Ingredients Ingredient CAS No Percent Hazardous --------------------------------------- ------------ ------------ --------- Calcium Hydroxide 1305-62-0 99 - 100% Yes 3. Hazards Identification Emergency Overview -------------------------- DANGER! HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED. CAUSES BURNS TO SKIN AND EYES. CAUSES SEVERE IRRITATION TO RESPIRATORY TRACT. J.T. Baker SAF-T-DATA Ratings (Provided here for your convenience) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------- Health Rating: 1 - Slight Flammability Rating: 0 - None Reactivity Rating: 1 - Slight Contact Rating: 2 - Moderate Lab Protective Equip: GOGGLES; LAB COAT Storage Color Code: Orange (General Storage) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------- Potential Health Effects ---------------------------------- Inhalation: Causes irritation to the respiratory tract. Symptoms may include coughing, shortness of breath. Can cause chemical bronchitis. Ingestion: Gastric irritant. Ingestion may be followed by severe pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and collapse. If death does not occur in 24 hours, esophageal perforation may occur, as evidenced by fall in blood pressure and severe pain. A narrowing of the esophagus may occur weeks, months, or years after ingestion, making swallowing difficult. Skin Contact: Corrosive. May cause severe burns and blistering, depending on duration of contact. Eye Contact: Corrosive. May produce severe irritation and pain. May induce ulcerations of the corneal epithelium. Can cause blindness. Chronic Exposure: Prolonged or repeated skin contact may produce severe irritation or dermatitis. Aggravation of Pre-existing Conditions: Persons with pre-existing skin problems or impaired respiratory function may be more susceptible to the effects of this substance. 4. First Aid Measures Inhalation: Remove to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Call a physician immediately. Ingestion: DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. Give large quantities of water. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Call a physician immediately. Skin Contact: In case of contact, wipe off excess material from skin then immediately flush skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. Remove contaminated clothing and shoes. Wash clothing before reuse. Call a physician immediately. Eye Contact: Immediately flush eyes with gentle but large stream of water for at least 15 minutes, lifting lower and upper eyelids occasionally. Call a physician immediately. 5. Fire Fighting Measures Fire: Not considered to be a fire hazard. Explosion: Not considered to be an explosion hazard. Fire Extinguishing Media: Use any means suitable for extinguishing surrounding fire. Special Information: In the event of a fire, wear full protective clothing and NIOSH-approved self-contained breathing apparatus with full facepiece operated in the pressure demand or other positive pressure mode. 6. Accidental Release Measures Ventilate area of leak or spill. Keep unnecessary and unprotected people away from area of spill. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment as specified in Section 8. Spills: Pick up and place in a suitable container for reclamation or disposal, using a method that does not generate dust. Do not flush caustic residues to the sewer. Residues from spills can be diluted with water, neutralized with dilute acid such as acetic, hydrochloric or sulfuric. Absorb neutralized caustic residue on clay, vermiculite or other inert substance and package in a suitable container for disposal. 7. Handling and Storage Keep in a tightly closed container, stored in a cool, dry, ventilated area. Protect against physical damage. Isolate from incompatible substances. Containers of this material may be hazardous when empty since they retain product residues (dust, solids); observe all warnings and precautions listed for the product. 8. Exposure Controls/Personal Protection Airborne Exposure Limits: -OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL): 15 mg/m3 (total dust), 5 mg/m3 (respirable fraction) -ACGIH Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 5 mg/m3 Ventilation System: A system of local and/or general exhaust is recommended to keep employee exposures below the Airborne Exposure Limits. Local exhaust ventilation is generally preferred because it can control the emissions of the contaminant at its source, preventing dispersion of it into the general work area. Please refer to the ACGIH document, Industrial Ventilation, A Manual of Recommended Practices, most recent edition, for details. Personal Respirators (NIOSH Approved): If the exposure limit is exceeded and engineering controls are not feasible, a full facepiece particulate respirator (NIOSH type N100 filters) may be worn for up to 50 times the exposure limit or the maximum use concentration specified by the appropriate regulatory agency or respirator supplier, whichever is lowest. If oil particles (e.g. lubricants, cutting fluids. glycerine, etc.) are present, use a NIOSH type R or P filter. For emergencies or instances where the exposure levels are not known, use a full-facepiece positive-pressure, air-supplied respirator. WARNING: Airpurifying respirators do not protect workers in oxygen-deficient atmospheres. Skin Protection: Wear impervious protective clothing, including boots, gloves, lab coat, apron or coveralls, as appropriate, to prevent skin contact. Eye Protection: Use chemical safety goggles and/or full face shield where dusting or splashing of solutions is possible. Maintain eye wash fountain and quickdrench facilities in work area. 9. Physical and Chemical Properties Appearance: White crystals or powder. Odor: Odorless. Solubility: 0.185 g/100 cc water @ 0C Specific Gravity: 2.24 pH: 12.4 (saturated solution) % Volatiles by volume @ 21C (70F): 0 Boiling Point: Decomposes. Melting Point: 580C (1076F) Vapor Density (Air=1): No information found. Vapor Pressure (mm Hg): No information found. Evaporation Rate (BuAc=1): No information found. 10. Stability and Reactivity Stability: Stable under ordinary conditions of use and storage. Readily absorbs carbon dioxide from air to form calcium carbonate. Hazardous Decomposition Products: Caustic fumes of calcium oxide form when heated to decomposition (580C; 1076F). Hazardous Polymerization: Will not occur. Incompatibilities: Violent reactions with maleic anhydride, nitroethane, nitromethane, nitroparaffins, nitropropane, phosphorus. As a strongly alkaline material, it is incompatible with acids. Conditions to Avoid: Air, dusting, and incompatibles. 11. Toxicological Information Oral Rat LD50: 7340 mg/kg; eye rabbit, standard Draize, 10 mg, severe; investigated as a mutagen --------\Cancer Lists\------------------------------------------------ ------ ---NTP Carcinogen--- Ingredient Known Anticipated IARC Category ------------------------------------ ----- ----------- ------- ------ Calcium Hydroxide (1305-62-0) No No None 12. Ecological Information Environmental Fate: This material is not expected to significantly bioaccumulate. Environmental Toxicity: No information found. 13. Disposal Considerations Whatever cannot be saved for recovery or recycling should be managed in an appropriate and approved waste facility. Although not a listed RCRA hazardous waste, this material may exhibit one or more characteristics of a hazardous waste and require appropriate analysis to determine specific disposal requirements. Processing, use or contamination of this product may change the waste management options. State and local disposal regulations may differ from federal disposal regulations. Dispose of container and unused contents in accordance with federal, state and local requirements. 14. Transport Information Not regulated. 15. Regulatory Information --------\Chemical Inventory Status - Part 1\-------------------------- ------- Ingredient TSCA EC Japan Australia ----------------------------------------------- ---- --- ----- --- ------ Calcium Hydroxide (1305-62-0) Yes Yes Yes Yes --------\Chemical Inventory Status - Part 2\-------------------------- ------- --Canada-- Ingredient Korea DSL NDSL Phil. ----------------------------------------------- ----- --- ---- -- --- Calcium Hydroxide (1305-62-0) Yes Yes No Yes --------\Federal, State & International Regulations - Part 1\--------- ------- -SARA 302- ------SARA 313------ Ingredient RQ TPQ List Chemical Catg. ----------------------------------------- --- ----- ---- ------- ------- Calcium Hydroxide (1305-62-0) No No No No --------\Federal, State & International Regulations - Part 2\--------- ------- -RCRA- -TSCAIngredient CERCLA 261.33 8(d) ----------------------------------------- ------ ------ ------ Calcium Hydroxide (1305-62-0) No No No Chemical Weapons Convention: No TSCA 12(b): No CDTA: No SARA 311/312: Acute: Yes Chronic: Yes Fire: No Pressure: No Reactivity: No (Pure / Solid) Australian Hazchem Code: None allocated. Poison Schedule: None allocated. WHMIS: This MSDS has been prepared according to the hazard criteria of the Controlled Products Regulations (CPR) and the MSDS contains all of the information required by the CPR. 16. Other Information NFPA Ratings: Health: 3 Flammability: 0 Reactivity: 0 Label Hazard Warning: DANGER! HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED. CAUSES BURNS TO SKIN AND EYES. CAUSES SEVERE IRRITATION TO RESPIRATORY TRACT. Label Precautions: Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing. Wash thoroughly after handling. Do not breathe dust. Keep container closed. Use only with adequate ventilation. Label First Aid: In case of contact, wipe off excess material from skin then immediately flush eyes or skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. Remove contaminated clothing and shoes. Wash clothing before reuse. If inhaled, remove to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. If swallowed, DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. Give large quantities of water. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. In all cases call a physician immediately. Product Use: Laboratory Reagent. Revision Information: MSDS Section(s) changed since last revision of document include: 8. Disclaimer: ************************************************************ ************************************ Mallinckrodt Baker, Inc. provides the information contained herein in good faith but makes no representation as to its comprehensiveness or accuracy. This document is intended only as a guide to the appropriate precautionary handling of the material by a properly trained person using this product. Individuals receiving the information must exercise their independent judgment in determining its appropriateness for a particular purpose. MALLINCKRODT BAKER, INC. MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION SET FORTH HEREIN OR THE PRODUCT TO WHICH THE INFORMATION REFERS. ACCORDINGLY, MALLINCKRODT BAKER, INC. WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM USE OF OR RELIANCE UPON THIS INFORMATION. ************************************************************ ************************************ Prepared by: Environmental Health & Safety Phone Number: (314) 654-1600 (U.S.A.)

Looks like this meeting is getting pretty big. A few online vendors have expressed interest in showing up, and people are planning to attend from outside the area (so they say!). Hopefully most of you diehard reefers will make the short-trip to Columbia Although I don't mind doing the same for the WAMAS spring event (have not heard much about it yet), we will be taking out 1-2 tanks for the CMAS event (like we did last year). The list of what I have ordered/added on is on the following link (not everything will fill): This weeks add-on orders for CMAS event

Looks like this meeting is getting pretty big. A few online vendors have expressed interest in showing up, and people are planning to attend from outside the area (so they say!). Hopefully most of you diehard reefers will make the short-trip to Columbia Although I don't mind doing the same for the WAMAS spring event (have not heard much about it yet), we will be taking out 1-2 tanks for the CMAS event (like we did last year). The list of what I have ordered/added on is on the following link (not everything will fill): This weeks add-on orders for CMAS event

Has Robie's pics from Roozen's on it! Alberto found that one out, and posted on CMAS. hehe