lanman

Sounds like you're doing all the right things. 15 nitrates probably won't kill anything - just need to keep an eye on it, because a spike from there could do some damage. I wouldn't recommend any clams or acropora - but hey, it's FO! bob

Coral needs to wait until the water is at least a little bit stable, and measured parameters are within acceptable range. Then you can put in some little cheap things (Kenyan tree was mine) and see how they do. To be of much assistance, we need to know the whole story - like where does the rock come from? How 'cured' is it? How much rock in your 30-gallon tank? Be sure to get some kind of test kit to get started - for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, ALK. Something to measure salinity with. Thermometer, heater. As soon as your ammonia drops a bit, and nitrates rise a bit - start doing regular water changes. It may take a while before you see anywhere near zero, zero, zero - but if you start testing right away, you will see the improvement, and have an idea when you are approaching good numbers. Keep us in the loop as you progress through purchase, set-up, and cycling. Everyone is happy to help - including giving you some easy-keeper corals when you're ready. bob

Excellent point! A minute is fine for water going OUT (sump pump); but I think I'd give it a little longer before I wanted to drink out of it... or ask my fish to. bob

Okay, Tom - time for an update!! Did the slime eat the tank, or did the tank eat the slime? bob

Do you have a skimmer?? Skimmer cuts down on the organics that CAN turn into nitrates. How's your sand bed? Sand bed mostly breaks down nitrates wth anaerobic bacterial action (takes place a couple inches down). And of course - water changes replace nitrate-laden water with hopefully nitrate-free water. (but even a 10% water change will only lower it a couple points) My 24-gallon has no skimmer and ONE small fish. My nitrates are pretty steady at 5%. The 45-gallon tank has a skimmer and two medium-sized fish. Nitrates are very steady at zero. bob

Are you talking about PVC pipe with primer and pvc glue? I'd wait at least a full minute, just to be sure - but for low pressure applications, 3 seconds is probably enough. Primer on both pieces - dries in a few seconds. Glue on one or both pieces - twist together (fairly quickly). Count to three - and just TRY to get that puppy apart! I'm no plumber, but I had to run about 60 feet of pvc for a sump pump outlet, and have re-plumbed my septic pump-up tank a few times. Oh... and I installed a toilet (first experience with 4" pvc). It's fun! Imagine trying to do all of that with steel pipe! bob

eBay is a strange place... I searched for Calfo's book 'Book of Coral Propagation Volume I' - and found a slightly used copy for sale - for $289. I hit up Amazon - and while they have always said 'out of stock' - they now had a copy! New - $38.95 plus shipping. (Boggle!) My ladyfriend is a heavy eBay user. She bought an item a month or so ago - paid for it with PayPal, and the guy immediately returned her money and said the item was out of stock. Today she got a form letter from eBay that the guy initiated - saying she was delinquent on payment. And then he wrote bad feedback because she didn't pay for it. (Keep in mind that eBay now owns PayPal, and can quite easily cross-index items with payments and refunds) (Boggle! Boggle!) bob

5) Someone, seeing the selling price of $2200 for a piece of coral, copied the entire auction and posted it - but doesn't really own the item at all. (and they got 'tattled on', and eBay removed the auction). bob

Probably not the best deal - but GARF offers packages, and they throw in a free coral. And the money goes to coral research. I got a yellow gorgonian as my freebie. bob

We're not worthy!!! Funny thing is - looking at what you've done - it just plain seems like the RIGHT thing to do. I'm imagining all kinds of other velcro'd panels and stuff; and nothing seems to work. You win! bob

I suspect the RED mithrax crab of capturing and killing particular types of snails (margarita). The red one is even bigger than the green one... with claws spread - I'll bet he approaches 10cm; but just the body is closer to 4-5cm. It took two of us to get him into the bag at BRK when I bought him - he would NOT let go of that rock. I will start target-feeding them when I can locate them. They hide a lot. bob

Thanks! I've seen my shrimp do it a couple of times, but this 'shell' is upside down on the sand - RIGHT where I saw the crab hanging out yesterday (upside down). I hope that doesn't mean he's getting bigger. I didn't realize emerald crabs got so big! Too much bigger, and I may have to see how they taste. bob

Either my large, green, Emerald Crab died, or he molted very cleanly. bob

I agree! You didn't mention that you had clownfish in love with the Ritteri... that might have swayed my vote. bob My EX-wife didn't have to be at all pregnant to have conversations like that. Her: Should I wear the green dress, or the red one? Me: I prefer the red one. Her: You think I should wear the Jade necklace, or the Pearls?? Me: I like red and green. Her: I agree! If I had a red necklace, I'd wear it. Me: I meant wear the jade with the red dress. Her: But which do you prefer with the green dress? Me: Whichever you like, my dear. They both go great with your stunning eyes..... (run!!) bob

Make it a double fence, put some concertina wire on top, and guard dogs in the middle... Well, that's the design for convict gobies, at least. bob

ME ME ME!! I'm also a sucker for frags of unknown origin I got two large digi's from a tank breakdown that had lost their color (brown on brown). Now one of them is butterscotch with HOT PINK growing tips... the other is still coloring up; but the brown is getting darker and darker, and the growing tips are turning lavender. bob

I'll look for you, Dave - I'd like some of the red cap as well, and maybe even green plating. I intend to be there a little early to try and catch all of the 'frag dealers'. I'm a sucker for red, and a sucker for monti's, especially capricornis. bob

Too cute! That looked like a 'Welcome to Paradise' hug to me! Some happy fish! bob

You might surprise yourself! Assuming the doc gave you some medicine right away - you might be feeling a lot better in 24 hours. Hope you recover well and fast! And no... as much as I want to win a Tunze powerhead, your place turned out to be a 150-mile round-trip when I went to pick up that coral - I'm not coming to pick up that stuff! bob

Holacanthus bermudensis ??? Photo

My greatest pleasure has been from visitors who, upon seeing my tanks for the first time, park themselves in front of the tank for 10-20-30 minutes, just completely boggled by all of the stuff inside, and the activity taking place. "THAT's a coral? A real, LIVE coral?? You mean it's actually growing?? Why is that pink thing opening and closing its hands? Can the fish see me? Your shrimp has polka-dots! Oh, my god! It eats out of your hand! Can I feed it? That snail is going crazy!" And on... and on... and on... Love it! bob

Well, I know nothing about Anemone's but what I find on the internet: Large sea anemone, up to 1 m diameter, very distinctive. Three feet??? Man, that's BIG! bob

Is that under normal lighting?? Does she do advertising work? (Flashing neon 'EAT AT JOE'S') I've seen some 'neon' fish before - but that one takes the cake. ('BETTY CROCKER!') bob

I work 5 minutes from them, but live 55 mins from them. Either you need my job, or I need your house! bob

Thanks... a few of them opened back up today; the rest are still angry. I blasted away with the turkey baster as soon as I realized the stuff was just going to sit there. I had three little bitty aiptasia on one zoo frag. I have one more on a Kenya tree coral frag; which I'm going to attack when I move it soon. To my frag tank, of course. The aiptasia were causing a few of the zoo's not to open anyhow - so in the end I hope to have a net gain in open zoos! bob