dshnarw

Since I've disrupted the thread already...can the "naughty word" filter be edited to correctly spell "hockey" as well?

Davelin - I have a problem with this edit. That word IS the appropriate language, and literally translated from the Old English meaning "female dog" or "female canine", which was first used prior to the 12th century. It is no different than using the word hen for a female chicken or sow for a female pig. It only becomes "inappropriate language" when used in an inappropriate context - which is certainly not the case here.

yep: http://www.wamas.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=18123 very good fish selection, didn't personally see a qt, but there's obviously "more" somewhere because the online corals weren't in the storefront.

You must have been leaving as I was getting there (overheard some conversation about a huge rottweiler).

The puppy woke me up early this morning, so I decided I'd see what was happening at the Grand Opening... Hadn't planned on spending much, but WOW! there was some nice stuff there. Got a few LPS, a nice green BTA with purple tips to add to my anemone collection, and one of the free zoa colonies. Prices were cheap (as an example, the $60-70 fungias at TFW were $30-40 at Mr. Coral), great selection, especially for LPS, zoas, and shrooms. Especially liked that the prices were clearly marked for nearly all the corals and fish. Much appreciated.

Doesn't look like it was structural based on the stand design, so I wouldn't be worried.

Just a couple thoughts on the RC thread: IMO/E both anemones were lost due to owner "negligence" (not really the correct word, but as close as I can think of at the moment). I'm not saying that he didn't know what he was doing, couldn't take care of a fish tank, didn't understand the risk, or didn't care about his anemone. But there were some things he could/should have done differently: 1. more waterchanges - anemones dying, giving off slime, and he only does a few waterchanges a year? Even weeks after that carpet was cut up, it's still sliming up where it's been cut. If you don't remove that slime constantly from the system, you're bound to have problems. 2. less moving the nems. The single worst thing you can do to a coral or anemone is to continually stress it out when it's trying to heal, especially when dealing with such large areas that need to heal on such a sensitive specimen. Mine go straight from the saltwater bath to their respective tupperware containers, and aren't touched until they're feeding on their own. Added to that: 3. not torturing it with clownfish hosting in it while trying to heal. (This goes to traveller's point of dedicated system...) 4. more feeding. I feed my newly cut anemones EVERY DAY as soon as they show interest in foods. Light is only important until the mouth heals. After that, stuff the things with food. There is absolutely no quicker way to heal an anemone (especially carpet nems - bleached doesn't matter as long as you're feeding it enough food). 5. dedicated system, or at least a system where nothing is competing against it (fish or shrimp that may bother it, other anemones producing toxins, etc.) and in which it can't kill everything else in the tank (I think this is realistically less of an issue with a proper saltwater bath of several hours with several water changes before replacing in the tank). That said - I have no doubts this can be done successfully (and fairly easily) for an experienced "anemone splitter". But definitely shouldn't be the first thing you attempt.

I've cut the maxi variety of tapetum a number of times (this being the non-splitting variety READ: non-aiptasia-like ). My advice is, should you try cutting a carpet, only cut it in half. Let it heal, then cut in half again. Tapetum is the best candidate because it's so hardy, but even small ones still take a month to regrow a mouth, and 2 months before they're completely circular again. The larger they are, the longer they take. If you try cutting in into quarters, the risk of killing it skyrockets.

They're just terrestrial isopods, so they have gills, like their marine cousins (and even restricted to humid terrestrial environments). Never heard of it before, but its certainly possible that they could live/survive underwater because of the gills.

Yeah....that rat just won't go away. He nips too... Cost was about $30 for the wood and the metal brackets. Already had the wood glue/nails. I had Lowe's do the cuts, since I don't have a saw around here (and there was NO way I was going to use a hand saw), and after that it was just a matter of glue/hammer. A few hours should be plenty, even if you work slow (this is really one of those "If I can do it, anyone can do it" things). Stand dimensions are 36x18x27. Wood sizes (all 2x4s): 4 @ 36" (long sides) 4 @ 11" (short sides) 8 @ 24" (uprights, 2 on each corner in an L shape) brackets (have no idea what they're actually named, but they're in the middle of all the lumber at Lowe's): 8 90* corner brackets 8 90* elbow brackets If you want, I can get better pics after the water test. I'll finish the stand off with some finished plywood and trim to make it look nice once my fiancee decides what she wants it to look like.

A few pics from the ongoing water test! (yes...I know the toilet seat is up...you can tell it's a guys apartment...) THATS how you water test in an apartment

Well, college football was on all day yesterday, and I actually got to see some SEC games, so what better time to scrape silicone off the tank? Was an all day task with the razorblade, but I got the tank looking presentable. I should have done this after the water test, but I have to have something to do while watching football. But anyhoo - Water testing has begun. No initial leaks. Glass is fine - the deflection on the side glass isn't noticeable, and only barely so with a straight edge against the glass. Just waiting to see if the silicone holds I was thinking I'd leave it overnight before calling it a success, since it's in the bathroom and I would like to take a shower before the lab I teach tomorrow afternoon. (This is without the corner pieces. If/when I do add those, it'll just be that much stronger.)

Have you noticed the clown taking food to the anemone? Every clown I've had has grabbed some of the food I offered it and fed it to the anemone. Would certainly explain the newly developed decrease in feeding.

Oh....I should add in that I'm not a big fan of glasscages.com, and would be extremely hesitant to buy from them. They aren't in good standing with the Better Business Bureau in Tennessee (I lived an hour from Nashville before moving here) and several of the LFSs in Nashville recommended finding a different vendor because of the number of complaints they'd heard. Not saying they can't do good work, just seems like they have many more issues than other custom tank companies.

NICE!!! Love the macro/seagrasses...working on a similar setup myself (Singapore lagoon biotope). If you ever need to trim the tank, I'd love a couple small pieces for my setup.

Made it based on Glass Thickness Calculations, checked against thermodynamics data from one of my textbooks for accuracy/precision. I put it on my old website if you'd like to use it. First sheet, "calculations", contains the relevant data and information you'll need to get a required thickness. The second sheet, "instructions", tells you what data you need to enter, and where to enter it. Link: Glass Calculator xls

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback. Concerning the "frame" (more inclined to simply call it trim): The thickness of the glass is a concern, but it's still a concern based on the height of the tank, relative to the length/width of the tank. In this case - with the tank being only a foot high, but three feet by one and a half feet in length/width, the tank should be fine. I did some calculations for the minimum glass thickness, based on the length/height and width/height ratios: This one has a safety factor of 3.8, which is the recommended value for bracless glass aquariums. This one has a safety factor of 5.5, which is the maximum safety factor that created a minimum thickness below that of the tank: These calculations were done for the minimum accepted tensile strengths of glass, as well, just for extra safety. I'm actually not concerned with the glass holding up. I'm more concerned with the silicon holding, which is why I plan to use the "corner caps". Along with the bottom rim, it should be enough opposing pressure for the silicon to hold (certainly it would be as much as the cheap-o plastic). Water test will happen after the edges are cleaned up to ease my mind on the corner design, and others on the trimless design.