Djplus1

What kind of readings are you getting on the Nitrate with the Hanna? I'm stil getting basically zero on the Red Sea, so it would be nice to see "something" in number form.

I was watching a Red Sea video with a guy using one of those and also thought that would be be better than capping and shaking, AND I get to feel like a mad scientist, lol. So you're using this method with Hanna reagents or other tests?

As title says, which ones are the ones that literally night and day make a HUGE difference in testing ease/accuracy without just spending money to spend money? I've historically used Red Sea and have experience with Salifert and obviously API. I just ordered a Hanna HI-772 for dKH because I forgot how annoying the Red Sea test is. I'm pretty comfortable with the Nitrite, Nitrate and Ammonia so unless they are proven to be WAY off, I'd probably stick with those, but I'm adding corals now and will soon be testing for the other stuff (Phosphate, Calcium, Magnesium, etc) Are any of these a Hanna must? I've read elsewhere that the Phosphate tester is a pretty solid one so that is logically my next one, but don't know if I should just go ahead and get the Red Sea Foundation Pro (for the Ca and Mg) as it's cheaper than buying the two separate Ca and Mg, or are those Hanna tests just also a way better investment? Or I'm open to other options for those additional tests if you can sell me on why some other alternate brand is significantly better.

I appreciate that this is clearly a risky way of operating. And yes, odds are at some point, I'll lose a tank full of fish to ich or whatever. I do have a small biocube that I can set up as a SMALL QT if I can't find any "suitable to me" additions however so I'm not completely disregarding any and all risk. I mountain bike and wear a helmet on the trails, but not cruising around the hood too, lol. Would dosing full tank Prazipro a week before adding any new fish potentially do anything to reduce some risks?

I know this sounds bad, but I never quarantine the first couple fish. If they have issues, I'll just go fishless for a while. If they're fine, (and they appear to be) and when looking to add more expensive fish, I'd prefer either A. Pre Quarantined or B. fish that I know have been in a store for a while in a cleaner environment (like a display) vs just sitting in racks of sale tanks or someone's personal fish that I know.

OK, I'll reach out to them and see if I can get pricing on a couple different fish and see what they say. I suppose I should ask Reef Escape the same. Thanks for the tip.

I just looked at their stock list and looks like they have a decent selection, though nothing I'm currently interested in. Do you know if they switch up their stock variety pretty frequently? I'd be looking in the next 30-45 days or so, but if it's the same, I don't think I'd go with TSM.

I actually stopped by there after swapping skimmers with you last month. . I did end up buying a chromis and yellow watchman goby from him as I've bought many fish from him previously with pretty good results. His selection isn't the best, but I do agree that those fish are pretty healthy as they don't have a very rapid turnover and he told me he generally sticks to the same general species in his store as they tend to have the highest success rates.

I was just in Frederick and I'm 90% sure I saw that Rick's had a tank full of live brine shrimp. You might want to call them first though.

Good to know. However, I sincerely doubt anywhere (other than Reef Escape) quarantines at all. Maybe they hold fish for a few more days to prevent borderline DOA sales, so perhaps Fintastic is guilty of that. Do you personally feel better getting fish from an online retailer like Live Aquaria or BRS? I just like seeing them so I don't get something WAY bigger than I thought (has happened to me before, lol) or with some scarring or torn fins, etc.

So to report back, as I did my tour yesterday of BRK, Supreme Reefs and Reef Escape. The fish selection of all three was for lack of a better word, underwhelming. I'm not sure how many here used to go to Aquarium One in Rockville, but I was hoping to see a fish selection like that. I did just see a FB post about Fintastic in Frederick (which I had forgotten all about), has anyone been there recently? I know it at least was owned/operated by the old GM of Aquarium One.

Cool, that's what I was hoping to hear. If they can fix mine for like $25-$30 I'll probably get it done just to have it, but otherwise I think you're right, as I can by a brand new fire tablet for like $60-$75.

Hey all, just curious how many people use Alexa for their Apex controllers? Basically, is it a complete replacement of using a display hooked up with the additional benefit of voice? I currently have my display RMA to Neptune and if they try to tell me it's going to be $100 to fix, I'd rather just buy a cheap Amazon Fire Tablet and mount it on wall near tank provided I can just hit buttons for feed/maintenance without reaching into my pockets with wet hands etc. Any downfalls I'm not thinking of?

Wow, as in JUST opened, like 2 days ago, lol.

Looks like I'll be planning a quick drive by of a couple VA spots soon. I was going to contact monkiboy, but I also noticed that his last posts from a while back seem to lean towards no longer being in business. Supreme Reefs, Reefescape and BRK are close enough to hit up in one day so I guess a little recon mission is imminent. And where in MD are you? I'm up in Sykesville so nothing particularly close other than CTE Aquatics (Timonium), Aquatic Creations (Ijamsville) and House of Tropicals (Glen Burnie)

Define "more expensive"? Like a 25% upcharge or double/triple price? Ultimately I'm not super sensitive on price as this is a Waterbox 45.2 so I don't see myself adding more than 6-7 small fish.

As title says, who locally is the best for fish (variety/health/reputation) in the DC and Baltimore metro areas? It seems most/all the shops that were around 10+ years ago are no more.

I just tried to do this on Fusion (which sucks BTW) and logging into the Apex directly. I'm unable to delete from Fusion, but did it through the Apex site. Fusion shows I have three spaces. the EB8, Display and EMPTY when I have the display plugged in, with the display showing as "disconnected" and unable to do anything from Fusion. If I click on the EMPTY module, it says there is a module issue and to select delete from the menu and save, but that doesn't do anything even though it says it was a success. EMPTY is still an option and the display still shows as "disconnected" and I can't make any selections. If I go back to the Apex site, I can delete the display and then Fusion only says the EB8 and the EMPTY module is showing. The Apex site does not show this EMPTY module, only the EB8 so I'm not sure where to go from here.

Apex: How to change the name of your tank in Fusion? | Reef2Reef

Not sure if this helps your situation, but I ran across this today while trying to change me "name" and someone is asking about clearing data.

I've been setting up stuff over the last few days and got my Apex working and reprogrammed, but the display seems to be just "flashing" with no text showing. I just upgraded the firmware hoping that would help and have plugged into both Apex Lite brain and EB8 and it's still flashing. Any ideas?

So, the tank has water in it, tested everything so far except the ATO and my old Apex Lite. I actually have some living critters (mainly worms, but also Gary the snail and at least one piece of plate coral (barely hanging on)) from the sand and couple inches water that the seller left from two weeks ago. He also left a couple bags, 1 Rox and 1 chemipure elite in the rear chambers which I assume I should leave for the couple/few weeks till cycle is complete. I'm curious if I should add the skimmer I just got from trade now of wait for cycle to be complete? Also, since I clearly have some living stuff, should I get a small CUC pack this week (<15 snails and hermits) or should I also wait for cycle? I have yet to test water. Lastly, I've generally always used Rox, should I add chemipure elite to the mix, or is there something else I should use alongside Rox that's either cheaper or wildly more effective than using chemipure bags every few months? Keeping it simple in the two back chambers, no reactors.

Can anyone decipher the manufacturing dates from these two MP10 serial #'s? Approximately at least?

There is another outlet (non gfci) around the front wall directly to the left that you can't see (same circuit I believe) that I could always tap into in case of GFCI failure and another opposite the tank (separate circuit, I think) that is on the stairs coming down to basement that I can run a cord over to without much fuss "temporarily" so I don't feel I'm completely screwed in an emergency situation

It's the very unpopulated side of the utility room and I'm pretty sure the only outlets are for the main utilities on the other side 20 feet away.