Nat'nCritters

Both of our cleaner shrimp have eggs they are fanning under their bellies! We are so excited! However, what can we do, if anything, to ensure their survival, since we have a mandarin and a butterfly who will no doubt eat them. Should we isolate the shrimps in a QT? Please help! Thanks! Nat

This the the BEST club I have ever been in. I did not know there were such knowledgable and helpful and generous people around the area til we joined a month ago. We have truly enjoyed being part of it, even just our first month! So, welcome, and hope we meet you someday! If you are ever in Charlottesville, stop by! We are newbies at this, so might not have much knowledge to give, but we enjoy meeting others with this expensive-addictive-but-awesome hobby! Natasha and Shane

I dont think I can carry on due to the "no liquid" policy though. :( Any techniques for getting Oxygen into the baggies?

I'm starting to think about how to package up some little frags I am collecting to give to my father when I visit him in Oklahoma in June. Are there any good sites or threads out there on packing and shipping frags? They will likely be going as part of my luggage, so only really 10-12 hours in transit. Thanks for your help! Nat

I'm starting to think about how to package up some little frags I am collecting to give to my father when I visit him in Oklahoma in June. Are there any good sites or threads out there on packing and shipping frags? They will likely be going as part of my luggage, so only really 10-12 hours in transit. Thanks for your help! Nat

How close are you to Oakton? Iam getting some stuff from a guy in Oakton, and may or may not be able to get the stuff from him this Friday when I am up there. If not, though, I might contact you for help! I will bake something nice for you as thanks. Nat

that's so nice of you! We'll definitely take you up on the offer, and I am sure Vic will. Will let you know, k? thanks ever so much! Nat Excellent! Let me know what you are able to score for us, and I will drive over asap after you get back, whenever you want, k? And I will certainly do like-wise for you if I get the opp. Cheers. Nat Barry- do you have pics of your live rock? I will be in the Springfield area either Fri or Sat, not sure yet. Maybe we could stop by or meet you in that area? If not, if Vic gets some at the social, I could get some down this way then too. How much per lb? LMK, Natasha

Thanks Alok. LMK when you come through next, and wed love to have you stop by and see our well, little bit of a mess atm tank! And thanks to everyone who has welcomed us. A bit tough getting started living this far south from everybody selling great stuff,but little at a time, eh? Later. Nat

YES please let me know if you go, and maybe you would pick up something for me? Ill bake you some cookies! and drive over to pick them up the soonest I can after the social. Just let me know! Cheers guys! Natasha

We cannot make it to the social, as 5 hour round trip for us, and we both work evenings. however, we'll certainly keep in touch, as I'd be itching to get my hands on some mini stars and more pods! Yes please! Nat

Barry- If you are selling some, I am interested too. I am in Charlottesville. Let me know how/if you get any over to H'burg, as I am close. Similar needs and problems here, being really new at this! Thanks! Natasha Vic- would you be interested in putting in a livestock order with me? LMK. Nat

The setup came with one 24watt True Actinic 03 Blue light, one 24 watt 10,000K Daylight, adn 2 moon lights. I'd like the lighting to be good enough for an anemone. Keep in mind the dims are only 15"l x 15.5"w x 17"h, so the lights seem pretty good actually. But I have no comparison of course. As for the flow, many replace the stock pump with a Maxi-Jet 900. What is this, and is it a good idea? thanks to all for your suggestions. Sorry if I sound pretty ignorant here...a real newbie, but loving it! Cheers. Nat

So taking the bio balls out is pretty straight forward. But, what kind of pump would be better and suitable for the 14g Biocube, and do I need to add additional filtration of some sort? Also, should I change the lighting somehow too? Thanks for your feedback Dave. Nat

I have started 2 14g Oceanic BioCubes. Everywhere I read it seems people take out the bioballs, increase flow, and make other mods like to the lights, adding skimmers,etc.. Unfortunately, though, the forums all talk in heaps of acronyms, many of which I don't understand (yet)! So, could anyone please advise me, simply, what I need to do to modify my wee tanks so they will be ready to support all kinds of corals,anemones, etc., in a few months? BTW, they are both 2 months old, and doing pretty well. Thanks ever so much! Nat

29 g reef display 10 g quarantine Two 14g Biocubes 10g refugium more coming someday when I have more money!

Iwill DEFINITELY go in on group buys! What a wonderful idea! I am in Charlottesville, but can drive up north if that's where the order is shipped to. Are there any group buys on at the moment? BTW...Saltwaterfish never did credit me, even though I sent them the pics, and my other shrimp died this morning along with another snail. Very sad. I must've just had bad luck this time. It makes me sick, as I make myself wait SOOOO long before ordering each time so I don't over do it... Please be sure, anybody,to let me know if there are group buys going on, or if anyone wants me to head one up for the central VA area...k? Thanks everybody!

Yeah, I know y'all are right, and I should know the policy before I buy. I was just really disappointed is all, as I saved forever it seemed like before I ordered, then I lost so much. I didn't even think to see what the policy was,just assumed it was like the other places I have ordered from, so took the pics and flushed the dead fishes, in tears (of course! :() Anyhow, I think they could at least have taken the time to write a custom message back, instead of the auto reply, and I wish they had a phone number or some sort of customer service. I suppose this is how you learn. :(

No! LOL. Shane is my doting boyfriend who is very into this fantastic (albeit expensive!) hobby with me! But he works nights so is sleeping when I have been posting (and purchasing ) for us!

Thanks everybody for the nice welcomes! I am thrilled to be part of such a great club, and cannot wait to meet some of y'all. Natasha (and Shane:))

Just want to alert all members to the HORRIBLE experience I just had with saltwaterfish.com. I ordered $150worth of stuff from them. One fish arrived dead on arrival, along with 4 turbo snails. Several snails died shortly afterwards. And the cleaner shrimp died within hours. I emailed them immediately wiht pics of the dead critters, as I flushed them since they stank badly. After a day they finally wrote one line back: "Thanks for the email. We are very sorry to hear about this. Please return the items via the Money Back Guarantee procedure found on the left hand side of the website." That's all. No phone number anywhere on their site to be found and when I wrote several more times, I got the same auto reply back. I have never heard of an online store requiring the items to be shipped back for the refund. I would spend more on the shipping back even IF I had known to do this, and not flushed them when they died right away so I did not pollute my tank! :( AND they only would have refunded via a credit towards my next shipment...as if! The other fish looks in bad shape, nad the other shrimp is barely moving. Oh...and the emerald crabs do not look like any other emerald crabs on the net anywhere. So...do NOT order from this place! MUCH better luck with PetSolutions.

Hi everybody. I am new to this club, and although I only got a membership for myself atm, I will soon get one for my boyfriend who is into this wonderful hobby with me! Is there anyone else who lives near charlottesville? We are fairly new to this, and are trying to find fun, less-expensive, ways to build our 29g and two 14g nanos, like trading, or buying from other members. There is a lot of mention of "access"...access to what? Once my membership is processed,will I be able to access more areas of the site? And how will I find out more about the group going to the meeting in Pennsylvania next September? We would both like to go. Thanks all! Nat