'Ric

Can you include pics?? We want to see our sponsor child! Nuts. Do whatever you can to make it (and it's pieces) happy. I had a pice of green singularia run away on me and when finally found it was completely white and hard. I treated it like it was going to come back in case it could and it did - It's all green again and filled out full-size now. 'Ric

Good point! That's most likely the case as well. If you don't have a stud finder, and can't get into the attic/attic has a floor, another option is to try to find the screws securing the subfloor or gypsum ceiling boards with a magnet. They will be in somewhat of a grid pattern, but in one direction they will be uniformly about 16" apart. Most joists back when your place was built would be 2x's placed 16" on center. If they used I-joists or the span was much shorter thy could do 24" on center, but was not as common.

Architect+schmuck = Archischmuck. In a strange way, that seems to have a nice ring to it!

Your county permitting office will have copies of the plans submitted for permits, which will show the orientation of the framing members and the loading criteria used. 'Ric (Registered Archischmuck)

I could try the second one since I just got a metal halide & CF combo fixture for my tank. However, I'd prefer to defer to someone with a more proven tank, though, if they are willing to step up as well. 'Ric

Table R301.5 in the 2003 International Residential Code specifies a minimum of only 30 pounds per square foot for a "sleeping room" in a residence. 40 pounds per square foot is for non-sleeping rooms. Your county may require higher, though; especially for multifamily buildings. A cubic foot of fresh water weighs approximately 62.4 lbs, while a cubic foot of salt water weighs approximately 64 lbs. Plan to have continuous base solid all the way around your tank rather than just "four legs." Don't forget diagonal braces or diaphragms to counter lateral forces to make sure your rectangular base doesn't become a rhombus. Do you know much about structures / "triangulating the forces" so to speak? The joists are most likely perpendicular to the outside wall, running in the shorter direction of the room. Verify it by going to the room below and use a studfinder on the ceiling to find the joists if the subfloor is too thick. Also, a bearing wall on the third floor will be over a bearing wall or large beam on the second floor. If there is a wall on the third floor that has nothing under it on the second floor, it's likely not a bearing wall. 'Ric

I'll send you a PM...

695? There's a 695?! That must be outside the beltway!

Yes - lmk where to send payment. 'Ric

I'm in for $40. 'Ric

ditto! So with lletellier this makes four of us! He has a potential tank set up, too. Do we want to frag the first frag in 1/2 and then 1/2 again once each piece grows? (also gives us a back-up in case one doesn't survive) 'Ric

Good idea - I'll chip in 1/3! 'Ric

My McCosker's Flasher Wrasse, eyeing me hungrily. Nikon Coolpix 8700 + lots of patience & retries.

Zoas On Tour Courtesy of my mighty-strong urchin! 'Ric

Hey I'm curious, too!

Not feeding for a week I would worry about a problem that if they don't starve, their behavior might change; e.g. some "reef-safe" critters might not stay that way. Last time I traveled, I got a bunch of those daily pill cases and filled them with the proper portions. Take the time to walk your friend through the feeding process and what to check on, with instructions that "if x happens, do y and/or call me at ..." If you usually feed your fish a couple times a day, you could set up an automatic feeder for one time (morning) and then have a friend come in the evenings and feed them, and check on the autofeeder, too. 'Ric

The Coral Banded Shrimp may also be aggressive toward the other types of shrimp, especially in a smaller space. If this will be a reef tank rather than FOWLR, note that Camel Back Shrimp are not reef safe.

Will Bubble Tip Anemones sting/hurt corals? Where I would like to put one is within tentacle reach of a nice muchroom and coral. It may not stay put, either. Is this something to worry about? Also, are BTA's known to knock things over or move stuff around? I have a small Helfrichi's Firefish - would he be at risk from the BTA? 'Ric

What should I look for in a good/higher-end test kit? Are the chemicals used as reagents different?

Where are you?s What size? 'Ric

THANKS! Very good advice and the rather long discussion in that RC link touched on everything. I wish I had found that googling prior. My paramaters - at least the ones I can test for - have rebounded. I'm not sure about my Nitrate readings anymore at all. I found that when I test with two different brands of dip-sticks, I get 20-40 as a result. But last night I tested with two different wet kits and the resulting color was a perfect match to the "10" color. The wet kit reagents don't expire until August, so they should be good. Since it's a more complex process, should I assume my wet kits are right and my dip-sticks are wrong? I'm not sure I can read my Alk right either. Date TempF Salinity Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate Alkalinity PH 4/15/2007 81 1.027 0.00 0.00 35 300 8.19 4/20/2007 82 1.026 0.00 0.00 35 300 8.15 (dosed->) 4/21/2007 80 1.026 0.00 0.25 30 240 7.83 4/22/2007 80 1.026 0.00 0.00 20? 300 8.19

Ok- I just fired up my "emergency" battery-powered air stone and will let it run for a while. I hope after all this my nitrates finally get reasonable! Thanks for the advice, 'Ric

THANKS! Any thoughts on the pH nose-dive? I just dosed Kent Marine Superbuffer-dKH at the recommended dose for my tank size. Now I'm wondering if I should hit it again or wait? 'Ric

I change 5 gallons of water in my 40g tank last night. The new water was the boxed natural sea water they sell in Petco. I tested it prior, and it had no am/nitrite/nitrates. PH fine, and salinity around 1.022 - which was good because my tank had started to run a little high at 1.026. Prior to the change, my am & nitrite were 0, but nitrates were about 30 or maybe even 35. Temp was a little high at 82. Because of the high nitrates, I thought I would try boosting my anearobic bacteria in my sandbed by putting in some granular natural sugar. I don't have any Vodka (if I did at this point I'd drink it.) Less than a teaspoon, though. Everything else is normal (for my tank) What gives?? I have an order that includes a delicate clam coming in on Tuesday, so I have to fix this ASAP if it will hurt it! 'Ric UPDATE: I tested my tank, and my pH is fell from 8.15 to 7.83 overnight: Date TempF Salinity Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate Alkalinity PH Post Test Notes 4/14/2007 79 1.026 0.00 0.00 35 300 8.19 ~4gal 4/15/2007 81 1.027 0.00 0.00 35 300 8.19 4/20/2007 82 1.026 0.00 0.00 35 280 8.15 ~5gal 4/21/2007 80 1.026 0.00 0.25 30 260 7.83 Cloudy?

To be a blatent noob: What keeps small non-clown fish from getting stung and eaten? Just relying on the fish to know not to go near it?