Gatortailale

There will be a summer meeting SUNDAY, July 17 @ 1:30 Location will be: Charles Wesley United Methodist Church's all purpose room 6817 Dean, Dr McLean, VA 22101 Current plans include; * Demo on how to frag several types of corals * RBTA cloning demo * auction of your aquarium related equipment * sale of your aquarium related equipment * vendors with home grown frags -- More events to be added. Guest speaker Ken Feldman - "Waste Not, Want Not: The Story of Dissolved Organic Carbon in the Reef Aquarium." Bio Ken Feldman was born and raised in Miami Beach, Florida, where a proximity to, and an affinity for, the Atlantic Ocean dominated his early years. Days spent fishing and snorkeling fostered a keen interest in all things marine, a fascination that continues today. In 2004, that interest finally culminated in a plunge into the marine aquarium hobby, and today he is the caretaker of a 175-gallon reef tank housing a host of fish and corals whose behaviors continue to educate him on a daily basis. He is joined in his aquarium avocation by his daughter Leah, who has been instrumental in aquascaping the tank, as well as in choosing both fish and corals. Ken has a day job as well - Professor of Chemistry at the Pennsylvania State University. He spends his aquarium down-time focusing on teaching and research in the area of Organic Chemistry. He has published numerous articles on the organic chemistry of molecules found in the reef environment, particularly from sponges. Currently, his research interests include (a) devising the means to synthesize sponge- and coral-derived metabolites that elicit promising chemotherapeutic responses against some cancers and against some immune system malfunctions, and (b) to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which these biological properties are manifest. Waste Not, Want Not: The Story of Dissolved Organic Carbon in the Reef Aquarium Organic Carbon (Total Organic Carbon, TOC and Dissolved Organic Carbon, DOC) has been called "the soil of the sea" for its foundational role in the marine food web. It likely serves a similar function in reef aquaria, but in excess can become problematic; speculation that high TOC levels can overdrive bacterial growth and lead to coral mortality has been offered (Rohwer, 2006). Consequently, a means for DOC export has become paramount for successful aquarium husbandry. Both protein skimming and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) play a major role in this necessary maintenance function. A discussion of acceptable levels of DOC in marine aquaria will follow. The development of quantitative assays for measuring both protein skimmer performance and GAC performance in removing TOC, as illustrated in the graph below, will be described. Skimmate chemical composition analysis will offer some surprise answers to the question, "What is a skimmer actually removing from aquarium water?" Finally, data bearing on the relationship between marine water TOC levels and water column bacteria populations for a variety of aquarium and authentic reef water habitats will be presented. WAMAS will also have door prizes and the usual awesome raffle ticket items Volunteers are requested, please contact flowerseller to offer your help.

That tank at the invert house @ National zoo sure looks awesome. Love what you have done over last few years on it.

Sold here at Aquarium Plants Reef Central brief dicussion on it Looking for a more consistent bubble rate. The one I have works well, but I don't like the needle valve method of accuracy.

WAMAS SPRING MEETING - Kilmer Middle School, Vienna, VA - April 10, 2011 (Sunday) The Spring Meeting of The Washington Area Marine Aquarist Society (WAMAS) will be on Sunday, April 10, 2011 from 1:00-5:00 p.m. at Kilmer Middle School, 8100 Wolftrap Road, Vienna, VA 22182. Special Guest and Highlights: - Speaker: Ret Talbot- Topic - see below - Artist: Karen Talbot - displaying some of her art prints. One will be in the Raffle! Along with lots of frag swapping and a great raffle, this is sure to be a meeting NOT to miss! For further information on the WAMAS Spring Meeting, visit our web site http://www.wamas.org/ Who: WAMAS (Washington D.C. Area Marine Aquarist Society) When: April 10, 2011 (Sunday) Time: 1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. (EDT) Where: Kilmer Middle School Auditorium 8100 Wolftrap Road Vienna, Virginia 22182 Cost: Members - FREE Non-members - $5.00 [WAMAS Annual Membership = $20 - Individual; $35 - Family; $10 - Educators; Free - Students] Agenda Will be posted soon - looking to start by 1:00 to get you home earlier than a Saturday meting. Miscellaneous - food & drinks provided - Raffle prizes - Win art print by Karen Talbot - Win a copy of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Saltwater Aquariums - Avast Marine K-1 Kalk Stirrer kit - Fantastic Frags Gift Certificate - Mr. Coral Gift Certificates - Aquaholics Gift Certificates - pumps, refractometer, and test kits from Premium Aquatics - A yellow porites colony and a 3" purple montipora verrucosa (?) colony from SaltwaterWorx. * more to be posted soon Bio: Ret Talbot Ret Talbot is an award-winning freelance writer and photographer who frequently reports on the marine aquarium industry. Most often addressing topics at the intersection of the hobby, science andRet Talbot is an award-winning freelance writer and photographer who frequently reports on the marine aquarium industry. Most often addressing topics at the intersection of the hobby, science and conservation, Talbot is a strong advocate for a robust and sustainable marine aquarium trade where aquarists serve a critical role on the front line of reef conservation. As a marketing consultant and editor, he has worked with many leading marine aquarium companies to promote that vision. When he isn't writing about saltwater aquaria (or tending to one of his five tanks), Ret is often fly fishing in either salt- or freshwater and writing about conservation issues related to angling and healthy fisheries. Trained as a writer, Ret holds degrees in writing from both Wheaton College (Massachusetts) and the University of St. Andrews (Scotland). He has travelled the world as a mountaineering and fishing guide, as well as a writer seeking out stories in some of the most remote and inaccessible regions on the face of the Earth. His aquarium-related books include The Complete Idiot's Guide to Saltwater Aquariums (September 2009) and Coral (spring 2011). His aquarium articles can be found in print publications such as CORAL Magazine and Tropical Fish Hobbyist or online at Suite101.com, where he is the saltwater aquarium feature writer. Ret and his wife Karen, an artist known for her fish paintings, split their time between Laguna Beach, California and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Proposed Topic: There is a lot of talk about sustainability in the saltwater aquarium hobby these days. For much of the past year, writer and photographer Ret Talbot has travelled for CORAL Magazine to many places where marine aquarium fishes are claimed to be collected sustainably. So how sustainable is the trade? What is the future of wild collection and source country mariculture? How does a marine aquarium fishery affect local fishers in remote villages in developing island nations? How can aquarists use their purchasing power to impact socio-economic development and reef conservation? From Papua New Guinea to Hawaii, the Solomon Islands to Belize, Talbot has interviewed fishers, industry leaders, government officials, and anti-trade advocates in an effort to get beyond the rumors, rants and anecdotes. This talk shares some of those experiences and gives the average hobbyist a rare glimpse into the inner-workings of the collection side of the trade. Of particular note, this talk will share the latest on post-larval collection for tank-raised fishes, and it will be one of the first talks to cover the Solomon Islands, where Ret spent the month of March researching the trade. Directions: - Here's a map from Mapquest Map Link Special thanks to theses sponsors. Please support them & say thanks next time you shop with them. You can find their website address by visiting their forum or the sponsor page on the WAMAS website - Air, Water & Ice - Aquaholics - Avast Marine - Blue Ribbon Koi - Dr. Mac's Pacific East Aquaculture - Fantastic Frags - Fiji Coral Direct - Fins & Feathers - LiveWire Aquatics - The Marine Scene - Mr. Coral - Petland - Premium Aquatics - Reef eScape - SaltwaterWorx - www.FishNReef.com * Save your receipts from our sponsors and get raffle prize tickets.

Red Octopus Macropus

Yes- agree with Dave, we need some more details on system. Do you use calcium reactor or drip Kalk? Sounds like you have lots of corals. Thus, they are going to demand trace element supplements as evidence by their use of the dosing you have been doing. Initial cost of calcium reactor or kalk drip system is of some concern, but in long run you will use less of a 2-part dosing with one or both equipment additions. Time of day you do your testing can also impact numbers. It's good to focus more on alk to determine system balance as I have found over 10+ year that ph swings up and down depending on of lights on or not.

I got a 400 from them a few yrs ago when Chris and Anthony came to meeting but hadn't used it. But a few weeks ago I had one bulb crack. Now using it. It's the 14k. Next to my 10 month old ushio 14k, the two week old icecaps look more blue. Will have to bust out the par meter this weekend to see what numbers say. So far, no coral issues. I did just pick up two more as salter critter had them on sale for $33 a bulb to clean out stock; so now I can complete the look.

NOTE - updates to schedule. Matt is going to give two, hour long talks. We will update soon with schedule on which talk is first. Agenda 1:15 - 1:45 Sign-in / socialize 1:45 - 2:00 Club Updates & Elections 2:00 - 3:00 Matt Pedersen - "Captive Breeding 101" 3:00 - 3:30 Break / socialize 3:30 - 4:30 Matt Pedersen - "Rethinking the Harlequin Filefish" 4:30 Raffle! Raffle prizes posted soon.

WAMAS WINTER MEETING - Thomas S. Wootton High School, Rockville, MD - January 22, 2011 (Saturday) The Winter Meeting of The Washington Area Marine Aquarist Society (WAMAS) will be on Saturday, January 22, 2011 from 1:30-5:00 p.m. at Thomas Wootton High School, 2100 Wootton Pkwy., Rockville, MD 20850. Special Guest and Highlights: - Speaker: Matt Pedersen - "Captive Breeding 101" with an additional presentation on "Rethinking the Harlequin Filefish." Along with lots of frag swapping and a great raffle, this is sure to be a meeting NOT to miss! For further information on the WAMAS Winter Meeting, visit our web site http://www.wamas.org/ Who: WAMAS (Washington D.C. Area Marine Aquarist Society) When: January 22, 2011 (Saturday) Time: 1:30 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. (EST) Where: Thomas Wootton High School 2100 Wootton Pkwy., Rockville, MD 20850 Cost: Members - FREE Non-members - $5.00 [WAMAS Annual Membership = $20 - Individual; $35 - Family; $10 - Educators; Free - Students] Agenda 1:15 - 1:45 Sign-in / socialize 1:45 - 2:00 Club Updates & Elections 2:00 - 3:00 Matt Pedersen - "Captive Breeding 101" 3:00 - 3:30 Break / socialize 3:30 - 4:30 Matt Pedersen - "Rethinking the Harlequin Filefish." 4:30 Raffle! Miscellaneous - food & drinks provided - Raffle prizes * Fantastic Frags - Gift Cards * Petland - 150W HQI MH Lighting Pendant * Dr. Mac - Tridacna maxima clam * Marine Scene - Gift Cards * Blue Ribbon Koi - Special BRK-WAMAS Clean Up Crew Packages (in store pickup) and Chalice Colony * AWI - Mighty Mite RO Unit * F&F - Gift Cards and Instant Ocean Salt Boxes * Mr. Coral - Gift Cards * www.fishnreef.com - Glue Pack * www.rockncoral.com - 150 gallon box of CrystalSea salt and a 3 gallon Pico-C aquarium by CPR Aquatic * Avast Marine Works - Medium Davey Jones Skimmate Locker Bio: Matt Pedersen is an interactive software developer and part-time fly fishing guide originally from Chicago, IL and current living in Duluth, MN, USA. Additionally, Matt has experience as a professional orchid breeder and certified fly rod builder. Matt has been a marine aquarist for 23 years, and an aquarist for 28+. After spending time on every side of the aquarium industry (retail, commercial and private maintenance & installation, wholesale, hatchery), he currently considers himself a "professional hobbyist". Most recently, Matt has currently spawned 21 species of marine fish, successfully raising 6 of them including one worldwide first (the Harlequin Filefish, Oxymonacanthus longirostris), as well as attempted another 6 invertebrate species to date. Most all of this was accomplished with less than 100 gallons of total working capacity, and all in closed culture. In 2010, Matt Pedersen was selected as the breeder of choice to work with the now famous "PNG Lightning Maroon Clownfish" from the SEASMART program, and chronicles the efforts to propagate this one-of-a-kind fish online at The Lightning Project. Matt Pedersen is credited with starting MOFIB (Marine Ornamental Fish & Invertebrate Breeder's Association) and writing for multiple publications including Coral, Koralle, Practical Fishkeeping, Reef Hobbyist Magazine and Reefbuilders. Matt has spoken at numerous aquarium clubs and events from coast to coast. He currently sits on the MBI (Marine Breeding Initiative) Council, a project dedicated to bringing the concept of a unified Marine Breeder's Award Program to hobbyist organizations across the country and around the globe. In 2009, Matt was awarded "Aquarist of the Year" honors by both IMAC West and MASNA in recognition of his accomplishments and contributions to the marine aquarium hobby. Last updated October, 2010. Directions: Here's a map from Mapquest Map Link Special thanks to our sponsors. Please support them & say thanks next time you shop with them. You can find their website address by visiting their forum or the sponsor page on the WAMAS website - Air, Water & Ice - Avast Marine - Blue Ribbon Koi - Dr. Mac's Pacific East Aquaculture - Fantastic Frags - Fins & Feathers - LiveWire Aquatics - The Marine Scene - Mr. Coral - Petland - Reef eScape - www.FishNReef.com

Matt spoke at MACNA 2010 this year. We have him booked him for January 22, 2011.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1576699 image from this thread I would put it just below the red line. NOT the teal line as that is too low. That is where I run water on my 702

With recirculate pump off, set the water level about an inch below top of black union where collection cut connects to body. You also need to get proper flow rate gph for unit. Once you get steady flow, turn on recir. pump and adjust the air - start at about 2:00 and then see if it needs more or less air to raise bubble level for wet or dry skim.

-Thanks to Chip and Sonya for their time & efforts organizing and hosting the meeting. -Thanks to all the officers and volunteers for their efforts to make event awesome. -Thanks to Speaker Eric for giving up weekend to come talk to us about LED's. Great talk. -Thanks to all the vendors who took time to come set a display booth up to show off products -Thanks to Pacific East for sending a rep, donating some awesome corals, showing us how to cut them up, and donating them to the club. Over 30 members were very happy with the frags they got from the donations. -Thanks Reefescape for their coral donations. -Thanks FishnReef.com for their fragging equipment and certificate donations. -Thanks Fins and Feathers for their coral donations. -Thanks mrcoral.com for their certificate donations. -Thanks to all the members who donated corals, fish, salt water, or other items for fragging or the raffle! -Thanks to all the vendors for their sponsorship & items for the raffle. -Thanks to all the people who came out. Great to see a large crowd. See you at the next meeting. Details soon on date & location.

NICE

Avast Marine Works representative will be at the meeting to answer all your questions about their products, including the new Swabbie!

Bump - See you there.

I'll have a cold drink waiting for you

Can't wait.

Talk title and Bio added. See you at the meeting.

Looks like we need a DIY build day where we get a lot of net, screen frame material, corner pieces, ect. in bulk, then meet up and have some brews and build away.

I just linked article in the carbon thread that talks about organics in tanks that build up. Do you run carbon? http://www.wamas.org/forums/topic/26697-carbon/page__pid__320690__st__0entry320690 Also, maybe your phosphates are elevated. +1 on the age of lights consideration too. * Just cause I read the carbon article - I'm not claiming to now know it all on carbon use. Just trying to be helpful in providing information.

Got a pic of tank? Closed loop will add more flow & better IMO than just a reef ready tank. If in you budget, you can add oceans motions device to change flow on closed loop. Where are the holes? You can always paint the outside of back glass to hide pipes. If you can't find local shop, you can get black PVC pipes and some fittings at http://www.savko.com/ who I used in the past when I set up my 215.

Coral & frag equipment donations for Frag-fest: - Blue Ribbon Koi & Marine - SPS colonies - Reef eScape - SPS, LPS, & Soft coral colonies - FishnReef.com - Gift Certificates