matt

Here you go...hope you make it out http://wamas.org/forums/topic/77626-wamas-spring-2016-meeting-423-sanjay-joshi/

8935 Bradmoor Dr Bethesda, MD 20817

The hitch is that many of us will be at the Spring mtg at that time. Glad you finally found the tank you wanted...sounds cool

This is a cool build! What MH light is that? Also, do you have anything inside the ceramics similar to the way rebar works for concrete? I don't really know it's necessary, but I remember talking to a vendor at MACNA who made similar structures and he had some trial and error to figure out what spans he could make that wouldn't ultimately crack/break. Your design and artistry is really impressive

I put a heater in my sump and a heater in my overflow. I did this for two reasons. One, redundancy is good and having two heaters seems prudent in case one fails (you have that covered). And two, if my return pump fails when I'm out of town at least the heater in the overflow *may possibly* help keep tank temps up a little versus being of no help whatsoever in the sump. I don't know how much impact the heater in the overflow will have ambiently (wrong word?) through the plastic overflow itself in the absence of passing water flow, but I know the sump heater won't do me any good in a situation where my return pump fails. Oh, and fewer heaters in my acrylic sump seemed to limit the chance of melting or otherwise weakening the acrylic.

I had a stock durso from the Marineland plumbing kit on my 90 when I got it. People say you can get them quiet. I was getting some flushing with my eheim pump running without any "dialing back". I ended up doing a herbie with the two holes in the overflow, and ran my return over the top back corner of the tank and out the overflow box where the stock return had been. I simply removed the return pipe inside the overflow and cut it down to serve as my primary, leaving the durso as my herbie back-up. Rob (zygote) probably could help you get the stock durso a little quieter, but I wanted the silence of a herbie drain.

Isn't Starfire just a brand? Kind of like Kleenex? Are there other low iron options out there that folks would also recommend or prefer? I'm just curious now

Pick up at the meeting next weekend possible at this point? Thanks

Neat little thing. Amazon Prime has it too

Nice, I did a similar set up on my 90 for a herbie. But, I had pre-existing plumbing a return knock-out removed in the overflow...so I cut off the stock return and converted it to my primary drain and my new return comes up an over...pops out the existing removed knockout in the overflow. You did good work with the new tank, but you could even put a sea swirl on your return (unlike mine)...once the wallet recovers :-)

Never had a clam to experiment on...but it occurs to me you could try applying the Bayer (or other treatment) to the shell topically, then rinse it well before putting it in water

Really dig it. Nice work!

I had fewer algae issues in my last tank when my asterina population was large ...not necessarily cause and effect, but fyi

Thanks, I've toyed with that. I really like leopards and have never had one. Potters Wrasse is a real contender for me, but I wonder if I shouldn't have added one before some of the other more sturdy/aggressive fish...thoughts? And my small-life diversity is probably at a low right now...tank was started with dry rock and recent peroxide dosing for dinos likely hasn't help me on that front. Anyways, the sand bed is pretty shallow...barely covering the glass in some spots to about an inch or so other places. Guess I could build a wrasse bed though...would you recommend any specific fish or approach if I went that route? I bought 3 lyretail anthias off DD sometime before I got the tangs. Only the male is now alive. I cut back feeding a fair bit when I was figuring out and then battling dinos. I lost the two females to what I now assume is inadequate food supply combined with toxicity from the dinos. The dinos were really bad. When I lost those 2 fish I finally figured it out and went full bore with peroxide etc. I do have an auto-feeder that I don't have installed, but the anthias I had/have never showed interest in pellets, showed marginal interest in flake, and only really competed for food when I dropped in mysis. I just like having most of my bioload in open water swimmers vs hiders...so I'm a bit disappointed the anthias haven't worked out better for me (and them). I'm still considering whether I should even keep the one male lyretail as he is all by himself...and I'd consider parting with him if that made adding a small angel a slightly smarter decision. Thanks! It feels so empty to me with so little coral, but that will change over time. The 46 SPS tank felt like a real tank, but once I lost pretty much everything it didn't have that feeling anymore...so it goes. I'll get this 90 stocked up...just a matter of time....I seem to stock in spurts, when I find time to actually go buy things and also find those things at reasonable prices...seems this is often around our WAMAS meetings

Yeah, I'm hoping to fill space with coral growth and let that add some additonal nooks, crannies, and overhangs...but have also toyed with adding shelf rock strategically on top of the big island and down low near the rock against the overflow. The hippo sleeps in part of the big island as does the pseudo. And there is a actually a large cavern under and behind the rock against the overflow. I have plenty of dry rock, but no shelf rock on hand. If you have suggestions please let me know.

Rob, so do you think I'm maxed out already?

the zoas look great. i dig this tank isaac

I've lost track, what size tank is this again? Not the 135, and not the 180...so...??

All great input...taking it all in. Thanks!

Anybody have thoughts on what I may expect adding a regal angel to this setup? Pros or cons as you see it from similar experience? Thanks

Ha, one of my clowns now likes to chase my hand away. I had a yellow tang and a potters in my 46...but knew that couldn't last forever. Lost them both when I moved though. I didn't have much issue mixing them together, but that yellow tang was a rather wimpy fella. Never had a tank big enough previously to consider 3 herbivores I dig purple tangs too, but as I already have a zebrasoma I probably shouldn't go there. Atlantic pygmies are kinda pretty...but I hear can actually get meaner than many other dwarfs

SO ...my 90g has 2 herbivore fish and I'm considering adding. I grabbed a hippo tang and sailfin tang from BRK when they had a sale recently. I already knew I wanted at least one and the fish were gorgeous and I got great help that day. John and company gave some pragmatic advice on how long I could expect them to stay sized for my current tank and even put them in the same tank at the store so I could judge how they might interact before committing. Thanks again BRK! But now I'm thinking of getting an angel. I've had potters before and didnt have issues with my corals. Think I'll try something different this time though. My wife loves the look of flame angels. Kids thought a bellus was pretty. I almost grabbed one of each, recently, but that wasn't meant to be...maybe for the best as I hadn't truly thought it through. I've also considered a grey belly regal as they are very pretty and easier on the wallet than red sea. What do folks think I should consider? My rockwork is somewhat light, and swimming space is almost equal front and back. I need to factor in sleeping spots. How do folks size next additions in this scenario....range of both are 3-4" right now. How would you manage the tank introduction to minimize aggression or am I over thinking it. So again, 90g. Two gangs. Also have 2 golden cleaner gobies, 2 ocellaris, 1 friedmani dottyback, and 1 male lyretail anthias. The tangs seem to get along, but I'm pretty sure the hippo is in charge of the tank. Your insights and experiences are appreciated!