lanman

ah... nice coral - but 2 weeks isn't going to let us know much about long-term survival. bob

Then it's probably just a molt... when my Sally Lightfoot crabs molt - it looks like an entire whole crab. I sometimes leave them around, and people think my crabs died. bob

I recognize that tank - wasn't it the November 2010 TOTM?? bob

One for me, please! bob

No... but once I get things settled again - that's a good idea. I decided I wanted one tank with an MH over it - for the 'sparkle' that it throws around the room. I have a powerhead running in that tank now - and .... SPARKLES!! bob

I've had plenty of room - ever since my wife left. I use her half of the house for my hobbies. I THINK that is it for now. Until I see an incredible deal on a 400-gallon tank again. bob

Actually - that is the left END. The front of the tank faces toward the two 50-gallon Rubbermaid's. So in the middle of the room - you're just about surrounded! bob

No problem - the light bulb you gave me even works. I tried it before I switched over to a new 10K Ushio. However - now I have to order a 14K; see if I don't like it a little bluer. bob

Kind of an update of sorts... I just added my 4th frag tank. Not quite full of water or plumbed yet - will be by tomorrow evening. Now have 240 display, and 33-40-50-50 gallon frag tanks on two separate systems. (Three separate systems, counting the display.) bob

I don't think so - except maybe a smaller piece now and then. I already HAD a bunch of extra rock in the sump of my 58-gallon tank. I put that, plus what I got from Steve in for my major aquascaping. The pieces I have added came from a 'buy everything I have for $600' sale. Rocks had been sitting in cold salt water for most of a year. But before I used them, I put them in a 45-gallon tank with lights and movement for many months. And just for fun - I checked that tank for nitrates some time back - they were LOW! Despite only one water change in over a year, a Psychlone skimmer, NO and PC lights, and one Seio powerhead moving the water. I have a VERY fine crop of Kenya tree coral growing in that tank, now. bob

Thanks for the suggestions!! I got it! Emergency over! Well - the physical emergency... I'm beginning to wonder at my mental state. Frag Tank #4 is about to come online... bob

A. Picture?? B. For how long?? bob

Hmm... it turns, eh? Different kind of holder? Mine has no space to turn; it has ceramic blocks on the end that fit into ceramic slots - with very little space. Like this: bob

Dynamite?

I had to practically use a hammer to get it in... now how do I get a 250W DE MH bulb OUT of the fixture?? Grab it by the glass and yank? Use a screwdriver or something?? I haven't tried yet - so maybe it just pops right out at the slightest touch. But I don't THINK that's going to happen! Thanks, bob

Nadir sells a beautiful set of tools - but I have to report that they aren't much good; they just look great. Rust up VERY fast, grips are slippery, etc. For cutting outside the tank - really can't beat a dremel moto-tool. I have the rechargeable battery powered one, but the one you plug into the wall is fine. Diamond bit lasts forever if you don't bend it. bob

I only did that once... accelerator does NOT make corals happy at all No telling what will happen - but keep it under good flow and wait and see. bob

you probably should... even though I'm sure it's fine; just aerate it good... bob

Blue-tipped staghorn. It looks green when young - and as it gets more mature, the branches are reddish-purple, with pale blue tips. bob

Here is how it grows... bob

I agree with you, Lancer... it's confusing. bob

Pooof!! Hmm.... meter smells kind of funny. You could read volts, if you knew how many volts you were expecting - but don't those things send out a 'spike' to start running? Or maybe that's only fluorescent light ballasts. You could read current - but you need a load (light bulb) in the circuit - and the meter between the load and the line; hard to rig up. Best bet with a meter (IF you know how much voltage you're looking for) is to leave the light bulb in - and check the voltage across it. Start on a very high voltage setting on the meter - 10,000 volts oughta do it. Then switch down to 1000, and 500 if the reading is 110V, like I think it would be. We are talking high-voltage, relatively high-current devices - I don't think I wanna stick my Simpson in there unless I have to. I like the light bulb idea. bob

Don't try to do 18 months... I did - and my corals lost a lot of color for several months. I think I would shoot for about 12-14 months on a set of T5's. I run my T5 'actinics' (actinic, actinic+, Aquablue+) 11 hours/day. I run the rest of the brighter lights 9 hours a day. bob

Indeed - that's why I call my chalice Sanchez, the killer chalice. He spit out his spaghetti, and killed a WAR coral sitting 'downstream' from him. Fast, too! I had looked at the chalice and war coral earlier in the evening - and they were fine. A few hours later, the WAR coral was dead. I should have taken pictures - but I thought I could save the WAR coral. bob

Looking great!! **WARNING - Do NOT Fall into the Anemone patch!** bob