DFR

Looks nice! Sweet color scheme

Well I’ve had a green haddoni that killed 1 false perc and allowed 2nd to host. It also didn’t allow the clown to host until a long time after it’s been in my system for a while and went from maybe 5-6” to about 10”. Don’t know if you would call that success or not but it is something!!!

I wouldn’t worry too much about the raise following the carbon block (But out of curiosity what were the values before and after?) providing the readings following the RO membrane is near 0, and 0 after the DI resin.

It’s really partially luck in terms of hosting the unusual pairs (but I have heard of people showing the clown videos, or physically guiding them to anemone). If the fish are interested in the anemone, I found that a regularly fed anemone is more accepting. The norm now seems to be against directly feeding anemones. I’m definitely following along to see others’ experiences.

Welcome back to the hobby!

Thanks for sharing! Love reading about current scientific research.

I found IO to have decent variations also (but I only mix what is needed, when needed). This could be alleviated by mixing 2-3x what is needed if you have the space and equipment. I now also try to tumble the salt when I first get it to try to mix it a little better.

Nice job! You’ll find that to be all around better and will add more flexibility.

Welcome! You’ll find the group to be pretty helpful.

Welcome! Those were really nice tanks you had. Looking forward to the new build.

If your Mg is within a normal range, I would continue monitoring and look at trends a little longer (just to get a better idea of consumption).

Welcome back!

Nice write-up!

Thanks! I’ll look into those also.

Thanks! I just didn’t like the color as it doesn’t match anything. I was leaning toward it as it looks pretty well sealed and would hold the probe.

Yes, in this case there will be air downstream of the gate valve, so it wouldn’t be a full siphon. There is a partial siphon however (overflow to valve) and that’s why it will still be silent.

In doing my periodic maintenance, I realized that the seal around the magnets on my probe holder has broken. The magnets haven’t started to rust (so I must’ve caught it early) but I do see a haze in the chamber. I am using an apex temp probe that has a larger diameter than most probes and that made it a little more difficult in selecting my current holder. Are there many magnetic holders that work well with that probe where the magnet is decently sealed?

Well I’ll have to disagree with this comment. The full siphon poses dual function- reduced noise & increased volume displacement. Noise can be reduced numerous ways! Noise from our plumbing comes from 2 sources, splashing and bubbling. Yes a full siphon eliminates both of thes but it is NOT the only way to. Providing all the plumbing to the right of his gate valve is filled with water, and the flow is equal to the return there will be NO noise. Being that his gate valve is positioned upstream on his horizontal run will help with the air (bubbles) making its way back up once it is tuned in. The benefit of his setup is that he also never have to worry bout re-establishing a siphon. There is always more than one way to accomplish any task if you put a little thought into what your specific needs are. The solution isn’t always what everyone else is doing.

Kinda looks like ich. Keeping him well fed with high quality foods will be sufficient. Your system will still have ich even after the spots are gone, but usually it won’t be much of a problem.

With all the advancements in power heads, I don’t really see the need for a full siphon. Think high flow in tank, low flow to sump. The main benefit of having the full siphon is the increased volume of water it can carry. If properly tuned the placement of the gate valve shouldn’t be much of a problem, and could still be dead silent. This set up will also have the benefit of reduced water in the pipes resulting in less water drained to the sump in outages since he opted against using a check valve. If you are planning a complete overhaul, I’d definitely make all the changes previously mentioned though as there is increased flexibility.

Looks fine as designed. The only change I’d make would be to connect the pvc to your return pump using flexible tubing. That’ll help cut down on noise and vibration. Plus it makes it easier to remove when time comes to glean the pump.

Looks like a fairy wrasse to me.

I’m running a custom build 60 cube, nothing spectacular. Honestly they’ll both be fine long term. I just did a quick search and many that were initially hesitant changed their mind after receiving the stands. My only reservation is that since the stands lack a true frame, any structural damage could be detrimental. I haven’t looked into it much, but changing to marine ply will definitely help it retard moisture damage which should extend its life.

With Red Sea, I’ll be more concerned with the longevity of the stands than the aquariums. I also agree with everyone else about maintenance of non-eurobraced aquariums. It is extremely easy to splash water out onto the outside of the glass. I do however have an internal overflow and my water line is about an inch below top of glass so don’t run into issues of salt creep.

Maybe I should’ve elaborated a little more. It’s very likely that you have two reproductive males (vs 2 non-reproductive individuals) so this behavior could continue until one transforms to a female. Though watching them pair off can seem disheartening, they’ll be fine. The larger issue is to keep them well fed to ensure their immune system can handle possible invasions during this time of heightened stress. Fin nipping is normal and is still safe for the fish. Symptoms that should prompt your intervention are visible signs of damage to the body or extreme stress (fish not moving, labored breathing, etc.). These types of issues make pose the risk of getting bacterial or parasitic infections/outbreaks.