hmoore

About 5-6 months later, I picked up a 125G from PetSmart and set it up, adding a clown tang. (Side view from security camera) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I moved / drove from Alabama with a couple buckets of stuff (rocks, clownfish, YT, snails, crabs, some corals, etc) and started setting up a 37G (temp tank) immediately when I got here. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You’re welcome to a small batch of chaeto and/or red Gracillaria (long red ogo). I’m in Woodbridge. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Drill. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My detritus pile above. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you direct your current appropriately, you can force the detritus to settle in an area in which it is easy to siphon. A 5G water change allows me to siphon the spot with reserve. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I use Marine Board at the bottom. It’s plastic so it’s a coralline algae magnet and it spreads out the downward force of your rock work. It will not stay white though. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would always rather get a fish kept long term by a fellow reefer over one direct from the LFS or online vendor. Re: The Cheshire Station Petco I vouched for earlier, the lady who kept everything tidy is no longer there. It def shows. Caveat Emptor! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

And, sorry for your loss bro! But, stay with it. You’ll be glad you did. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would bet on something other than the return pump not being turned back on. I lost power in a 135G in Birmingham for 17 hours with zero flow in the tank. Everything (I could see) - including my 2 osc clowns, YT, and Powder Blue - survived. I would occasionally take a jar and lift water and dump it back into the tank to agitate the water. But, I certainly didn’t do that all day since I went to work that day. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In a couple of days, the hunger will kick in. My trio love Mysis Shrimp and Bloodworms. Just be careful with your bioload as you can turn your cycle into an algae fest attempting to get that trio to eat. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is when I first got him. I threw him in my breeder container inside the old 37G from which I upgraded. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ve been lucky, I guess. I just setup a 125G mid-March. I got a PBT (on sale) and three Squam Anthias from LiveAquaria - all eating wonderfully. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you’re ever near the Cheshire Station store, check it out. The corals are very healthy. A fellow reefer maintains the saltwater tanks. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It’ll be fine. I have several fish I’ve purchased from my local Petco in Cheshire Station near Dale Blvd. I currently have a very healthy and active lawnmower blenny, mandarin goby, cleaner goby, and yellow tang from there. I also bought Hermit crabs, Turbo snails, Astrea snails, and a few corals from there. Everything is doing well. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I can also confirm the prices. I just bought three buckets at the Woodbridge store - 2 Regular I/O and 1 Reef Crystals.

Forgot to add that I use zip ties to keep that bundle together. I can grab that branch anywhere and it all remains intact. I'm a bare-bottom, high-flow fan so I do not rely on anything to anchor live rock, especially since snails, digging fish, water currents, etc. may undermine / move sand beds. Epoxy works great too!!

Tonga Branch is wonderful for allowing mounds of flow, allowing for a lot of negative space for corals to grow into.

Thanks. I look forward to being back in "the DC area". Lake Ridge seemed like a really nice place to live. A little background: I currently have a 37G setup after selling my 135G locally. I have a pair of Osc clowns that I've had for 10 years now. I also have a 7 yo Yellow Tang I couldn't sell locally. My Powder Blue sold quickly. So, they're coming with me, I guess. I want to get a tank near the 300G mark. I've contacted James at Envision Acrylics (EA). I had a 628G (made by EA) but that's been a while. Plus, I see that there is a local Acrylic guy in Manassas. So, that might be a more pragmatic option. The good thing is that I still have a lot of my equipment (Tunzes, Litermeter III, Calcium / Kalk Rx, Skimmer, etc). Old CMAS thread (many pics are missing, many still there near the end): http://www.cmas-md.org/forum/tank-build-journals/3847-the-tank-was-here-but-now-i-m-moving-changed-from-the-tank-is-here?start=798#68541

The best advice would be to remain patient with everything you do. Your biggest mistakes tend to come from hasty decisions. I've learned this lesson the hard way at first ($$$).

Hi, I am new oldie to the area (well, not there just yet). My wife and I are returning to the area after a 13 year hiatus (N. Carolina and Alabama). We are under contract for a home in the Old Bridge area of Woodbridge. I was a member here before and a member of CMAS. I am also hmoore on RC. I hope to get another tank started there soon enough. If anyone knows an admin on CMAS (George, geofloors?), I cannot get my user/pass to work.