icecool2

Thanks for the welcome! I tried increasing mag and wound up killing all my inverts. Apparently you can only use Tech-M to get that method to work. Just be CAREFUL!

Tank looks awesome! Here's a cool trick someone just taught me for ridding frags of algae. Works like a charm! http://www.delvalreefclub.org/forums/index.php/topic,12604.0.html

The majority of the tank's instability comes from so much weight being held up rather high. The best way to stabilize it IMO would either be to secure it to the floor/wall or put it on a larger base. That being said, I've had my neices, nephew and dog all run into my 75g without so much as a splash of water. Unless the kids are climbing on it, I think you'd be OK.

I've noticed that bristle worms seem to go through phases in this hobby. When I started, they were absolutely evil and needed to be eradicated immediately. Slowly that turned to where in the last few years, people seem mostly fine with them as essential elements of the fauna in a healthy tank. It's an interesting thought that they could be preying on them after a molt. Since I'm the new guy, I'll play devil's advocate Cleaner shrimp and coral banded shrimp eat bristle worms when they can find them. I'd imagine that if they can hunt for them, they know how to evade them when they are vulnerable. What about the possibility that the shrimp had a bad molt and died (or was dieing) and you caught the worm doing it's job? I good example are aterina stars. Some people think they eat zoas, but research seems to point out that they only eat a zoa when it is already dead/dieing and we have made a false correlation.

I don't know if I've warmed up from Dutch yet! <shudder> I'm going to have to pass on this trip, but I'm definitely interested in the future. I've got a trip to Hawaii next month and I'm hoping to get a least one day in of diving. Thanks!

Thanks Chad! I'm still living up in Towson for the rest of the month, but diving sounds fantastic! Where is the local quarry? I was actually certified at Dutch Springs in Bethlehem, PA. Talk about COLD, 54 degrees at 25' with surface temps of 85.

Hey Everyone, My name is Adam and I'm in the process of moving to the Germantown, MD area (tank and all). I've been an active member of Delaware Valley Reef Club (DVRC) for several years now, but it's getting way too far for me to still participate with them. I stopped in to Congressional Aquariums last week and Ken pointed me this way. I'm really happy to find a local club. A bit of background on me: I've been into saltwater for almost 20 years. I had my first tank with my father when I was 10. I started back up again in 2007 and have been going strong since. I currently have a 75g reef ready tank lit by my DIY LED lighting fixture. I haven't kept all that much in the way of coral since we move around a fair bit (work). Right now I have a few different SPS, some zoas, acans and a couple of clams. Fish list is short: kole tang, 2 PJ cardinals, hoeven's wrasse, perc. clown, darwin clown. I have some pretty good information on everything on my website if you're interested: http://www.engineersreef.com Adam