elbowdeep88

So awesome. Where did you get it?

Nice write up.

Ah now I remember. This sand idea was discussed alongside denitrification coils, bioballs, biowheels, etc in an old "your first reef tank" type book. Thats why it came to mind and i wondered if you had ever heard of it. Seems like some advantages and some disadvantages over a coil

I must have read about this remote "DSB in a bucket" from Calfo. He has a long string on RC from 2005: http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=595109 The water doesnt pass through the sand. Input and output are both above the sand level. Or use an old aquarium. Or put a bucket in a tub and just let it overflow if you dont want to have to put a bulkhead on a curved bucket. Moderately high flow. You can find pictures by googling: denitrification diy bucket reef. I like the idea of a 20L with say 8" of sand plumbed in line after mechanical filtration for extra denitrification for a 100gal reef. Keep it in the dark.

Paul, I have seen folks recommend setting up 5g buckets full of crushed coral and having a slow feed to that in lieu of a coil. What are your thoughts on that?

With all those tanks at different levels on a common drain do you do a monthly power outtage test to ensure no overflows?

Yea you guys have way more colonies than I was expecting (nice ones at that)!

Hope he hitches soon! So, Im not too familiar with seahorse characteristics. Can you explain a bit about what makes one seahorse more desirable than another? As in what are you selectively breeding for? Color (yellow vs black)? Pattern? The fuzzy appendages on their backs?

acanthophyllia

Wow. THIS is a winning promo.

This seems reasonably sensible. So...what is the correct diet? And how does the nutrition-for-proper-immune-system theory interface with or caveat the exposure therapy you often give your fish using nsw? Which do you consider more important, or why do both?

There are several members here who refer to blue cloves (clavularia) as sympodium. The "aussie/japanese" blue clove that are tiny baby blue polyps spawn and spread and grow everywhere, though the color is attractive. Sympodium usually has blue and green and grows on little mats (kinda like gsp) and spreads as described above. Both are octocorallia. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2114911 Vs http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+1464+3082&pcatid=3082

I like this concept a lot. How is it working for everyone?

What are they hybrids of? Are the clowns mixed with another type of fish? They look like bettas

Hmmmm.....

Wow. So basically livestock at cost? Awesome. For us...

Wow. There's another owner of a local LFS that spends all his time playing w helicopters. Haven't seen anythig like this though.

Check on those snails. They are much more sensitive to the nitrite than the fish. If a few died they may be starting to decay somewhere and your water may get foul fast. Did the cloudiness go away?

Is 10am about when your lights come on? And 940 around the timeframe when they go off? Algae consume co2 in the tank via photosynthesis. Co2 is acidic (creating lower ph). Algae only photosynthesize during the day. At night critters are still creating co2 as they resiprate (like we do), but there's nothing actively consuming the co2 since the algae is "asleep". So right before the lights come on (thereabouts) is when you have had hours and hours of CO2 buildup (more acidic, lower ph). Right before lights go out you have had hrs and hrs of algae consuming the co2 so ph should basically be at its highest.

I agree with everyone about the dimensions but figured you may be new to SW. The tank will present you annoying challenges, but if you stick with it and like it, you will surely upgrad in a year. The dimensions of the 29 may work better for flow (very important) but will really limit your fish (which may actually be a good thing). If you already have the new 55 and stand and like where it is and how it fits in the space keep it. Just know you will constantly hear how it's a bad size and everyone will know you are new (haha). If you can deal with a 75 absolutely do that. If you liked the size of the 29 go with that as a test but plan for your next tank to be at least a 75. (If you used the 29 for fw you probably shouldnt use it for sw-many fw chemicals/med are problematic for sw). A good friend of mine got a good deal on a 55 system a year ago. That got him hooked. He learned what he wants in a new tank and just upgraded to a 90. So it can be done. Its all about what works for you and $.

55s are very common. You could probably quickly find a used one in good shape by asking in the sales thread here (mention that it will be your DT). Or find a used one and swap out the brace. Or just buy a new one of you can spend the $100 (since the $1gal sale isnt on). Those tanks are fairly tall and wide and many of them are made with relatively thin glass. Dont risk it.

Yea bad title bro.

Wow

Im not going but am actually in Denver now. Been to the Denver aquarium and Elite Reefs. They have almost as many reef stores here as DC area.

Agreed. Hard to call 3% charity.