hypertech

If it was upside down and spikes are falling out, its likely dead. Are you sure it isn't just flow moving the dead spikes around? Leave it be for a few days. If it doesn't move at all, rinse it, soak in bleach water for a while and let it dry. Their skeletons are pretty cool.

I don't think he has onyx clowns. Just black ones? I ended up buying some from a store because I couldn't find a local breeder.

There is an input that goes to the faucet, likely an output that goes to the DI, a product water line, and a drain line. If you post a pic I can show tell you what color goes where. Or, if you are super confused, you can bring it somewhere I am and I can show you what to do with it.

I know the BRS guys. I've been over to Ryans place when he hosted a meeting for the local reef club. They are great guys and do a great job. You can't go wrong with BRS.

The thing I still don't get is why you bought them in the first place if you don't agree with his method. Trying is fine, but that is not how you are presenting yourself. You did not start a thread to evaluate a product and offer a warning of higher risk with this type of method. This is a thread with no purpose but to bash a vendor and in this case it doesn't seem like it is deserved.

Isn't that an anti-bacterial agent? If so, it'll kill the cyano bacteria but also all the good bacteria that is processing your nitrogen cycle. It would solve a small problem at the cost of possibly causing a much bugger problem.

In addition to lowering the temp as much as you can and a fan (which can be very effective but be prepared for more evaporation), you can consider a split photo period. Run the main lights in the morning and the late evening and avoid running them in the hottest part of the day.

My BC29 with the metal halide in the hood used to swing about 4 degrees a day up to about 83. It was fine. My tank now swings about 2-2.5 degrees and I expect it may a little more than that when summer comes. The smaller the swing the better, but I think you are fine. As for a max temp, i really try to stay below 83. With this tank in the basement, being too cold is more of an issue now. I started to get worried at about 84 or 85. I've had spikes up to 90 that didn't kill everything but I did have some losses. So, I'm not sure there is a hard cutoff, but I'd start thinking about fans or maybe even a chiller if I saw 83. You may also consider dropping your regular temp to 76 to prevent the spike during the middle of the day from getting so high.

DE HQI bulbs need UV protection. ie, they need to be under glass. This is for all DE HQI bulbs.

Without spending a ton of money I don't think there are any. Most that do that point the camera at the tank. If it must go in the tank, I think you'll end up having to build an enclosure to hold one that is not waterproof.

You didn't murder anything. Even the best cared for reefs have losses. Learn and move on. Right now, I would just do the water changes and otherwise let it be for a few weeks. Slowly switch over the the MH. Then, a few weeks later, if all is still good, think about adding at that time. And, I know you have had that tang for a while, but I would sell it. The food and the poop it makes is hard on your small tank.

My feeling is that that was one part of the issue. In the last week or so, I think you have changed lighting twice, flow, filtration, had a bacteria bloom and a diatom bloom. That is a lot for a small tank to take.

You've just got to calm down and stop changing so much so fast.

OK, so it seems my reply didn't post? Well, the cliff notes are: You've got good equipment, but you are also trying to keep a tang and SPS in a small tank that is only weeks old. That is the issue IMHO. Your tank just doesn't have the biological balance and maturity to do that. I seriously doubt it is the light unless it got the tank too hot and killed something which in turn set off the water. At this point, water changes and carbon are the way to go. If you start seeing elevated nitrites or ammonia, something like seachem stability or microbacter 7 may help. When the tank settles down and you've dealt with the losses, let it mature and restock it slowly. You have a good setup that can be a nice tank if you don't rush it and let it do its thing.

What's wrong with the T fitting? That's what I use for something similar. Works fine.

What is the entire list of stuff you are adding to the tank? It sounds like you have a lot of additives and foods for a small tank not very old. Really, be prepared for it to go through some phases. Its a new tank and you've added a lot of stuff really fast.

You bought it from AWI, right? Did you remember the coupon code?

Best choice would be to get an RODI unit. Going to store for water is a pain. Its heavy, and gas isn't getting cheaper. After that, go to the LFS. If that doesn't work, the filtered water at the grocery store is better than nothing. Some people get away with tap, but I don't trust it. Especially for a reef.

I bought 5. 1 eventually died. The others are all growing and colored up nicely since the purchase. Here's the thing though - if you think it is so wrong, why did you buy from him in the first place? If its not about the money, then why is it presumably OK for him to do if all your $10 frags made it, but since you had some losses, its now a moral issue that just isn't responsible. Sort of hypocritical to buy the stuff from him and then turn around and complain the whole thing is irresponsible after you have a few losses.

Yeah, it looks better MH get hot. You can put a fan on it. You'll end up needing to top off more too, but it will help with the tank temp as well.

I keep mine so the surface is up under the trim.

Is there a reason you are running the water level that low?

Are you good at finish work? Want to trade some advice on finishing my stand for using my tools? I'm in Alexandria. I have a good table saw, circular saw, miter saw, and a sawzall.

I don't think I put my current tank on this list. 75g main tank, 20g sump. Likely 80g of total water. New total: 69759.68

I'll be the first one to admit that mine generally go till they blow because I forget about it.