jaddc

So I think the best advice was already given -- slow it down. Let the tank even itself out in its early days. Whatever the parameter you are concerned about, it is not the actual *value* that is of primary concern. The *change* in value is the primary concern. We acclimate our new friends to avoid exposing the livestock to an abrupt change in water params. Doing 50% water changes can bring about rapid changes to the tanks chemistry -- and that is not good. The only time I'd do 50% on my tank is if I know something big went awry (e.g. I overdosed something or a 12" anemone died and is about to nuke the tank). I consider dropping nitrates by (in theory) 50% in one water change to be stressful on the livestock (even if temp and pH were EXACTLY matched). I'd rather do more frequent 10% changes than an abrupt 50% change. I wouldn't stress about nitrates. First, on the health of the livestock. Nitrates affect invertebrates (ahem...snails) before fish. At about 100 pm, fish start being obviously affected and start getting sluggish and pumping their gills rapidly. The practical reason that we all do all sorts of crazy things to reduce N and P is because we all want algae free tanks. Now it looks like you haven't had a bloom...yet. I'd be surprised if you escape this without an algae problem. What do you do? Well, if you haven't started with with a nutrient removal system, start one. Do whatever is easiest for you: Dosing a carbon source. Chaeto. Grow Xenia. Algae scrubber. Anaerobic reactors. Etc. There are some fancy new nitrate absorption resins available that come at a price. Everyone here has their favorite method (and its their favorite because it works for their tank). Don't worry about the pH just yet. That will settle in over time.

Thank you!

Experiments show that coral can survive down to ~20ppt. Less than that and the actually coral will die and fall off the skeleton. Caveat-each coral is different...some are more tolerant other less so. However, the zooxanthellae are negatively effected at lower salinity and so reversible bleaching will occur. If you want more info "hypo-osmotic stress" is your keyword.

Hmmmm -- that's really interesting.

Yup -- they'll be fine. And the hermits are always amusing to watch IMO.

Looking like a nice start! The hermits are always jonesing for a new shell. If you get a bag of empty Astrea and Turbo shells that will prevent snail decimation. IME they rather fight each other for empty shells than tackle a snail.

Stuff like this is what this hobby is all about!! Congratulations!

Yeah -- I would work to eliminate the splashing. The tank engineers would have more to say than I, but I get the sense that noise and splashing can always be reduced with the right plumbing. My return comes in about 0.5 to 1 inch below the surface of the water. That way you'd only need netting or plexiglass if you buy a fish prone to jumping.

I can't see why your water splashes. Is it because of the return line?

Whelks have a taste for meat, so I don't think they be very effective at eating algae and detritus -- but someone should check me on that.

Nice!

Ah - I thought that sexy shrimp also ate starfish.

Wow Jan! Do you feed the starfish to the sexy shrimp?

Those guys hide very well. Keep your eyes peeled.

There are other differences. But from the pic I focused on the trunk. http://www.melevsreef.com/id/whats_a_whelk.html

The dark spotted trunk makes me suspect that it is a dreaded whelk.

+1

That's an Asterina Starfish. And yup, that's an amphipod.

Nice!

I really like your aqua scape.

How are the chromis getting along?

The Nuvo 8 is slick. Great choice!

Thanks! It took some time, but the Tanaka Wrasse is finally spending a lot of time out of the rocks! Such a graceful and peaceful fish.

Thanks Jimmy! Hmmmm... I have read quite a few times that Xenia's mysteriously stop pulsing and no one really knows why. Mine don't pulse all the time -- maybe for about half of the day. As for the aquascaping -- it is a work in progress. I'm constantly messing with it.

Hey everyone, Wanted to share a vid of my JBJ 28 gallon. The tank is 20 months old. Anyone have an idea for my next Coral? Enjoy! Jeff PS I left my older videos up. Same tank -- just older shots.