zygote2k

If anyone using an algae scrubber would like to use foam in place of the screen, let me know. I have any density foam cut to any size.

Make sure to use a hose clamp on barbed fittings.

I bought a Red Sea Master test kit and am wondering if it is very accurate. I would like to know if anyone has experience with these kits/tests and what other types of test kits are accurate. I used to use LaMotte back in the day, and I thought they were fairly accurate...

"The Southdown sand, however, does contain a fair amount of fine particles, and if one simply ignores the larger particles and uses enough sand, the water can be saturated with calcium carbonate almost as fast as when using AragaMIGHT." Direct quote from the aforementioned article. Sounds like what I initially presumed was in fact true. I only use Aragamax and have just added 30# right into the sump of my existing reef. I experienced no adverse affects other than cloudy water for a day and a half. If anything, the corals reacted positively to the addition.

I used "Hilti" brand foam when I used to build large ponds and needed to glue a rock to the wall. It is in my opinion the best expandable foam on the market but also the most expensive. For large projects, Hilti makes a glue gun that takes glue cartridges. There have been many a backyard pond in the greater metro area that have vertical rocks in waterfalls held in place using this foam.

Mine lives in a burrow under a rock with an Engineer Goby. The goby is about 4" and chases the shrimp when it goes in its' burrow. I had a 6" Peacock Mantis in my old 90 reef and kept it with small fish and ornamental shrimps. I made sure there were always extra hermit crabs and snails around. I don't believe it ate anything other than the snails. It would even battle the 8" Niger Trigger.

the zoas look like Dragon Eyes.

If anyone has mantis shrimps and wants to get rid of them, I'd be more than happy to accomodate them. Can't find any videos or hard facts about mantis breaking glass anywhere. Time to call Mythbusters...

It's a wives tale that a mantis can break glass fish tanks. Maybe a 12" mantis in a 10gal might be possible. At 2.5" he can barely scratch my thumbnail when he strikes.

I keep a small mantis shrimp in my tank to act as a scavenger. It also eats a snail or two, but is a nice addition. Does anyone else do this or am I insane...?

If this is true, then why does Aragamax slowly diminish over time?

Maybe you should get a cat.

Why not filter the tank exclusively with the refugium? That's how mine works-skimmer free! I do have live rock and a deep sand bed in my 2nd sump. I don't use a heater or a circ pump either. You can see incoming water from the tank splashing directly onto a large clump of chaeto, then thru the baffles. One part of the baffle has a bag of carbon and the other baffles are filled with different types of macroalgae. I have rubble on the bottom left for pod shelter and the overflow to the DSB and return pump is placed up high with a cage to prevent clogging.

New tank? Just dump it all in. Cloudy for few days, but you'll have much more dissolved aragonite in the water. I've done this for years and other than the cloudy water, there are no problems.

I've got some if you want some...

I suggest that you buy a book to help you with your questions. "Reef Invertebrates" by Anthony Calfo is a great book for beginners.

Get rid of the splitter and replace it with an eductor or flow accellerator. It will move almost as much water as 2 pumps. Doesn't add heat or use electricity.

I have a 12 gal Aquapod and I'd like to know what others do to the filter areas in the back. In other words, I'd like to remove some of the media, but don't know which. Has anyone ever built a refugium in the media compartment?. Is there a chiller and/or sump that fits perfectly in the square stand that comes with it? Has anyone gotten any sps to grow with the power compacts?

If you mean the giant hermit crab, yes it could be bad for your set-up. More than likely it'll eat snails and small invertebrates. It'll probably go so far as to eat food from the mouths of corals. If you'd like some free frags, I'm in Reston.

Easy fix to reduce heat- eliminate 1 or 2 powerheads and put eductors on the remaining pumps/returns etc. for an easy increase in flow without generating additional heat.

I'll shamelessly add my all-natural skimmerless soft coral tank.

I forgot- the other reason(s) that my tank stays cool is because I only have 2 Koralia minis for circulation and a Mag 7 for return. I also use an eductor on the return to generate more current. No skimmer, no kalk stirrer, no dosing pump, no multiple oversized, ineffecient powerheads= no excessive heat transfer to the water. I believe that the simpler you make it, the better the results will be.

I have a 400w mh suspended 8" above my 40. It has a fan that comes on with the pc's and cools the halide too. My tank has never been above 78 degrees. It normaly runs about 77 and drops to 75 at night. My room temp is about 75 year round. If you eliminate the canopy, you'll eliminate excess heat. If you use a canopy, of course you'll need the $600 chiller. It's an easy trade-off. The top of my 40 is open and most of the light is directed into the tank. I only lose about 1/2 gal per day evap.