BtmDweller

My wife diffuses peppermint oil. The corals seem to love it. What’s your alk/ca?

Keep in mind your ca levels need to be stable for complete coralline growth. The algae concern should be addressed by RODI water quality, bio load, and water changes.

Final output should always be TDS zero. You can get color changing resin to make your life easier. If the sediment/carbon block is a tiny bit dingy I change them. Also, be aware sediment filters .5 micron or 1 micron. I use .5 . There’s not a typical time to change filters. Lots of factors. Water coming in the system being one. Also, depends on the water volume you’re making. I’m changing DI fairly frequently 4-8 months. I’m making 250-300 gallons monthly and keeping TDS at zero.

I use IO. Like anything your salt alone doesn’t mean your ca and alk will be perfect. Still need to test and dose! Also some debate to use amino acids if it helps.

It would be worth while talking to Dr Mac. Although a cost associated with it, saves you a headache. They are very small though. However, you should be able verify they are eating frozen or something other than live food.

Of course you are!! It’s a bit addictive.

Word of advice, look at the display tanks of the LFS or fellow reefers where you get your water from. Not all RODI water is the same quality.

Yeah they eat detritus and harm nothing. I’ve heard of monster huge ones getting stuck in a pump, but doesn’t seem like the norm. Most people leave them in.

A lot of people don’t send out water. I feel to only test for things you can actually change. A good RODI system with proper filters will take care of the rest. That crash on alk would definitely kill sps. Usually crash is a drastic change on ca or alk. An automatic doser will help distribute several doses through a day and on vacations. Also, makes adjusting easier. Keeping stability is key with smaller adjustments. Most LFS that sell corals will test, if you’re ever around the area and need a test bring over some water. If you’re dosing, testing on a daily basis in the beginning is critical and backing off to a routine once stability is found.

I always forget mine on the counter and refreeze. Also, on more than one occasion I left out pieces of reef frenzy and mysis and fed to fish. No ill effects to fish thus far. Fish have been in the tank 2+ years so far. I wouldn’t keep it in an auto feeder though. If they’ll eat the same food dried you’ll be better off.

Last purple tang for $50 came in great condition. Just ordered a gem tang for $500.

As mentioned follow the instructions at the website. Solutions can be found at many of the local fish stores or online. I’ve never been a fan of the probes. I’ve had particular problems with the salinity probe, no mater what I do.

I did more of pillars. However, I’ve seen shops use acrylic rods with drilled holes to have really cool effects.

If you need you can borrow mine.

The coral plus is likely getting the pinkish color. Switch with a blue plus. you’re going to have more blue like you see in a lot of the tanks around.

The separation of a system is definitely a benefit. However, personally chose to plumb a frag system to the main so I only need to test/dose a single system, easy of plumbing for my system, added stability increasing the water volume. I use astrea and a couple Mexican turbo snails. I had a tang in the frag tank when I had more algae, but you need to supplement nutrition with dried algae to prevent problems over time.

It’s sitting on the frag rack so the top is sticking out of the water.

Just transferred to plugs. Basket small enough mushroom frags won’t go through and diffuses the flow.

Thanks for the tips on mushrooms. Seems like no secret gluing technique. Previously when I glued they all popped off. They were secure, but maybe the slight flow was enough. Used a floating basket with rubble in a frag tank.

So... that’s a good point with mushrooms. I’ve tried gluing some and they all broke off and they were secured firmly. I’d like to frag and glue an OG Bounce any tips? I’m thinking a floating basket with rubble. I’ve used an upside down closed container with rubble before. Any better ideas? I’ve had good luck with zoas. Just squirt the glue out and push them in making sure the mouths aren’t covered. I’ve lost a couple, but overall success. I for one, love the glue you guys sell and it’s cheap. Definitely picking up some.

How's reef welder?

Sandwich method also let’s you mold a base as opposed to using a crap ton of glue. Are you guys selling glue at the next meeting?

Locktite is good, but such a small size. I’ve found all the gel reef glues are essentially the same. As mentioned above reef apoxy is great, even better when used with gel glue. Sandwich the apoxy between glue and works well. Best deals are the tubes sold at the swaps, cheap. I usually pick up 2-3. If you’re careful you can easily recap and the tubes last a long time.

Red slime? aka cyano? If so chemiclean works wonders.

Luckily more fish have become captive bred. I was happy to see the recent release of yellow tangs. No doubt the hobby takes a toll on reefs. I’ve worked at a store in the past that focused on keeping fish alive. Still you’d end up with a percentage of dead on arrival, and irresponsible buyers.