fishface

It may be adjusting to a different tank chemistry. Usually any coral that loses color and develops brownish coloration is harboring more Zoxanthellea to accomodate lower light than they like. That doesn't seem to be the case here. In my case, I have two completely different colonies that recently greened up. The first is an Acro from Tribui, and he might have told me that it was green-I took his word and the time, probably 6 months ago, and it has "greened" up over the brown. I also bought a yellow turbinaria that was a mustard color, and I realized by last month developed a beautiful greenish cast. I've had it 9 months, but recently moved it, and it apparently likes where it is. I had 3 weeks of high temps, and unfortunatly after a measure of success both have started to bleach. I'm going to try to save some frags of them and begin again. -FF I have a 75 with two 250 HQI AB pendants. The acro is under a 14k, the turb is under a 20k.

I had a coral RTN already from Dr. Mac. This also happened in Nov during the frag fest-and my first meeting. At that time, we were buying the frags out of unheated shipping containers, and I figure that the next time I should bring a box. This time, they had an incredible pair of frag display tanks and I had a box so I thought that this wouldn't happen. FF

Back to what Gary said. Majano, Mojano. I think that they are nice, and I'm embarassed to say that I bought a piece of LR intentionally becuase it had one from Leesburg pets. The staff even named it. They thought it was special and couldn't id it. Nope, I'll never by anything but a bulkhead from them again. Nor ask ANY advice except on where to buy gas... It split frequently, but I kept it a floating fish breeder, so it never got out of control. I'd would never let it loose in a tank with corals. The literature says that they will take over. I wouldn't starve the tank to keep the population controlled either. When I saw Mike at the Reef tank cutting them off his colonies, I deep sixed mine... FF

Help me out, I missed the reference to"reef porn". (Whoops, is that ignorant?) Meanwhile, the pics are great, and I'm glad you didn't post anything on technology stuff. But I have to say since it was my first event and so I have no comparision, I had positively no idea that you could build a skimmer so large that you'd need a bigger house. FF

The water change is good, and they aren't consider to be the problem that was once thought. And use the phrase "dilution is the solution to pollution" and you'll see that makes sense. but replace exactly what you add, unless your salinity it wrong. Do you measure the water with a hydrometer? Are you dripping the new water in? Again, how deep is your sand? FF

Hey Yomeister: I setup a basement sump last October and was absolutly thrilled. The ease of maintenance is astounding. Simmer, reactor all within easy access. 'Course the same problem with the house temp last summer reoccured and I lost 3 colonies to bleaching. Doh! Now I'm moving the tank to the finished part of the basement. Sniff, sniff. Still anyone want to join my new club the DGDLBM of WAMAS? No fees, since we're all getting divorced soon. Bag lunches. No frag trades, though. That's too conscientious. Future ex's welcome.

I'm running a Calc reactor only. My tank is a 75 with small and medium sized easy Monti sps's. I went with a Knop in Feb, and I have to say that it's a pain to dial in. I chose it because of it's reputation and for 135 bucks, I felt that it wasn't worth any savings making one, but I presumed that there was research and testing behind it. People have posted their opinions out there and it's worth doing the research so that you know how the thing behaves and select what you prefer since each has quirks. I see posts about MRC that are positive and it was my second choice. Seems to have a rep. for easy dial-in, but maybe uses more co2. Now apparently if you only dose Kalk, the ionic balance will go off eventually unless you are doing regular water changes. Chip's correct that it is an alkalinity reactor. WWMedia does clarify that and states the calcium is a positive by-product. There's a middle ground to Chips point though. IF the tank isn't heavily stocked then there's little trick to dialing it in when the load isn't much. You just bring up the co2 slowly. Chip may have a lot more in his tank than you or I :-) Calfo's takes the opposite view and feels that the average reefer can easily manage the reactor, but if they push Kalwasser too hard and precipitate the calcium, it's really bad news. He does feel that Kalk offers a higher calcium level though if you need it and can manage it... Just some collected opinions out there....FF

You definately want to skim heavily and do a serious water change. Spawning on that level can a lot to the tank. On the other hand, I guess test for it first...your fileter feeders may have taken it all up. How did your corals react? If your tank can handle it, that's a perfect way to feed the water column. In fact, but the skimmer on a timer and turn it OFF for an hour so everything can chow down. Are you going to attempt to repeat it? FF

Oh Gee, I'm getting a divorce (not-)! But in that direction, let's create a sub-club of WAMAS. DGDLBM of WAMAS Disfunctional Geeky Divorce Looming Bankrupt Members of WAMAS. Technically, I couldn't elect myself Pres 'cause I'm still slightly married. VP maybe? FF

Hi Alex: I'm surprised that you still have high Nitrates. I have heard that many tanks may have a problem with the sand bed after 2 years. The Deep Sand Bed is anything deeper than around 4 inches and higher. Don't quote me - others would have an opinion. But it can't be just 2 or 3 inches of sand. So determine how deep it yours is. In any case, you've starting skimming, added an RO filter and we all assume that you're feeding properly. So either the LR is contaminated - which is unlikely and even unheard of as long as it's coral based. No lava or terrestrial rocks are in there to leak contaminants. Or maybe your sand has accumulated stuff and it is due for a cleaning or replacement. Not many other possible causes there. After 2 years it's possible it has trapped all kinds of stuff dsb or not dsb. So since it is not functioning as a dsb filter you could vacuum or siphon it, wash it or replace it. Anyone think this may be a good next step to resolve this? FF

I'd be interested to know if you could try cooking the rock. I've read about it on Reefcentral. Since it doesn't involve cooking, I guess that they needed to come up with a cool trendy name. It applies (so far) to killing algea by putting the LR in a bucket or tub with a power head and heater at normal temp in the dark to kill it off. I recall that you do water changes, which makes sense. Prior to using this method the only way people would kill algea was to dry out the LR, killing everything. Did you know that there may be burrowing clams INSIDE the LR? I saw some at the fall fragfest or I would not have believed it. Anyway, I image the tipping point here is whether the Aptasia can survive in the dark merely by absorbing neutrients from the water, which they probably due to some extent. Would you consider putting aside a few pieces in bucket as a test? Thanks, FF

That's great alex. The advice about leaks is solid, my unit has a tiny ldrip, and I've tried to fix each time I replaced the cartridge. It's better... Write down the date you set it up. if you don't have a meter then just replace the cartridge at a reasoanble interval. I think they are good for three months, maybe more if the water isn't too bad. Oh, and the last filter set I had lasted only two months. If your water district flushes the pipes like mine did, it all comes downstream to our filters and splat, brown gunk for everyone! Overnight my filter cut off. FF

Alex: I've complemented you on the progress you've made with your tank. Now I have to also tell you to curb the tough psuedo profanity. Notice that it's rare to see a post with that on it. Thanks, Ff

Hi Howard: To "calibrate" your sump capacity it's never recommended to add additional water to the system while it's running without establishing a baseline first (sorry dchild). You need to have the system at rest and the tank and sump filled to whatever max height first. This establishes what the available total volume is that you have to work with. If that doesn't resolve it, then you either need another bulkhead to assist in draining the tank or throttle back the pump output. You can use either way to balance the equation. And right now the back pressure is not your problem, it is that the bulkheads are not transfering enough water. Is there a blockage? And FWIW: When comparing two pipe diameters, if you transition down by 1/2 such as from 2 down to 1, you've lost more than half. Draw a circle with a 2 inch diameter, and then within it draw two 1 inch circles next to each other. This shows the lost carrying capacity. 2 one inch pipes carry around 30% less than one 2 inch pipe. The one inch bulkheads have a 600 gph capacity-the mag 12 would be fine with just 2 bulkheads but the Iwaki would need 3, but you should be fine with your configuraiton. Maybe it's running higher than spec? Or you recieved the larger one...? I hope these points/suggestions help. WetWebMedia has a lot on this subject. FF

Hey Alex: As stated, they will grow everywhere under and eventually in back of LR. I had a bunch and they now mostly appear in my sump, but the're behind my LR, etc, and there aren't many ones left out front. They are harmless, so as for the mushrooms, or when ANY of your animals don't appear right, do the usual routine. Runs tests to check your water quality! Whenever you aren't sure, just do a water change so if there is anything in the water you are at least diluting it. It a no-brainer. Did you get the famous RO/DI filter? In any case there are always setbacks. I think that your Live Rock looks pretty good. You finally deserve a complement and it looks as if you are heading in the right direction. FF

Thanks. The first time I read some similar articles, they concluded that the salt really did matter. Later I saw the other one that stated that testing proved that it didn't. Either way I'm interested in trying a mix that appears to be more complete. I bought Nutri-water a few times from the Vienna Aquarium. It's jugs of seawater that has some additives and supposedly live bacteria. Each time I did a water change the corals opened right up, a huge difference. So I'm willing to believe that anything that more closely approximates seawater will have similar effects. FF

Great test. It's recommended that you acclimate corals by using layers of vinyl screens over them when you introduce them into your tank. (I think it applies most if you are placing it where your lighitng is stronger than the lighting where it came from, and whether it was actually there long enough to be settled in that tank.) Since it's important not to block all of the light output, why not try a system of 1 or 2 layers of screen over it? I bought some at Lowes and plan to use it the next time I add or move things around. FF

Hi Larry: I have a had a Reef tank for about 15 months and consider myself new in the field. I'm also exploring the idea of breeding fish or inverts, but have not yet started. I selected Gold Bar Maroon Clowns for breeding because they are a fish that I like - and needed to remove from my display tank. Unfortunately they may take quite a while to get settled in a tank and get down to business. While that happens, I'm exploring other options. It was recommended that I speak to Maria about clownfish, and did so briefly at a meeting a few months back. She had bred various Clownfish and just confirmed some points in the Wilkerson book for me and I found it very helpful. I probably have read the same articles that you have showing that aquaculture has a lot of room to grow before it can replace wild collection, but I believe that certain battles can be won, and pressure taken off various fish. That, and to a lesser extent the business aspects or my primary motivations. I recently read about concern that Bangii Cardinals are being overharvested as well. Whether it's Clownfish or other species, I see the most limiting factor is feeding fry on a large scale, and maintaining water quality during this early period. I'm just starting to experiment with culturing food so that I can ultimately feed the larvae. Otherwise, watching eggs hatch would be pointless for me. I'd like to hear how things are coming along. FF

Generally fish are shipped in bags roughly 1/2 full and should be bagged with O2. Usually the fish aren't fed so that they don't crap and have to swim in it. Urine can't be helped, but ironically the acidity of it lowers the ph and reduces the impact of ammonia. "Oddly enough, however, carbon dioxide levels are often elevated as well, and the resulting low pH actually protects the fish by converting deadly ammonia into non-toxic ammonium. If the aquarist then adds water of a higher pH, aerates the water, or even leaves the bag open long enough for that carbon dioxide to escape, the ammonium is converted back to ammonia, and tragedy follows. Such bags of fish should receive no more than a brief period of floating - still sealed - and even that should be cut short if fish show signs of distress. " http://www.bestfish.com/floatdip.html talks about that mechanism. --------------- Anyway, for an overnight shipment, I think that the water should have been much less nasty. Or to put is simply, this time my fish were more stressed than my other on-line purchases had been. FF

I was going ask for other people's experience too. I ordered the Pajama Cardinals and the Green Chromis. One PJ was packed with another order and Howard had to re-bad it. I bought 4 chromis, and they came in maybe 1 inch of water, and man it was Foul. I know that you want to do more than just keep the fish MOIST. Although the bag were all sealed with a lead band, none of the bags arrived tightly inflated. So I wasn't too impressed, and I'm sure the fish didn't like it either. I saw the PJ's this morning, but the light was just turned on and the Chromis might have been hiding. FF

Anybody ever end up here? http://www.aquacraft.net/s9910.html http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/3/aafeature or here? What's really in a Salt mix? Aquacraft is a manufacturer of a Salt Mix and Reef additives. I don't know yet how good their Salt mix is (naturally they're going to paint it in as good a light as possible). But with regard to the health of fish and critters all aspects of the tank are always worth investigating options, now and later on. And yet we're always dragged down to the common denominator of the bottom line - cost. I have no problem with a popular name brand, but if someone gave you a choice between a free Pioneer car stereo or a Nakamichi, which would you take home? For most average listeners the Nakamichi name isn't even on the radar, but the products are far superior. Anyway, I had read the above a while back. The Aqvanced Aquarist contains a study of fertilization of Urchin eggs to compare salt mixes. And yet someone had the audacity to state that the relationship of the health of those eggs are no basis for comparing a Salt mix since the other species in your tank are too different. Hmm. Evidently, he's never heard of a Canary in a Coal Mine. I'm not yet deeply experienced with the world of captive reefs. Anyone willing to offer an opinion that that they'd recommend something other than IO?

Hi Emmisary: I just received the 2 bulbs that I ordered. 1 55 watt CF "equivelent to a 300w bulb, and 1 the CF Floods you mention. I definately can't wait to hook them up. The only problem is that the 55w is a bare bulb. It's probably safe, but I'd prefer to put it in an enclosed fixture or have a guard. The problem is that I haven't seen any. I know that I can rig a lens/guard out of some scrap acrylic or even a glass pane, but a fixture would be neater and nicer. Have you seen any that you can recommend? FF

I've read a number of his articles including the one I quoted. But the bulb matrix is really great and somehow I never saw it before. I probably thought the website name was not current or something. FF

For a measured comparison, look up Sanjay Joshi's articles containing his analysis. Here's the significant one: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2004/feature1.htm It's an article on bulbs and ballasts comparing Photon Flux Density output for 250w bulbs. However he throws in 400W MH bulbs and there are some significant results. I've pasted ONE section, please visit his site so that this is not taken out of context: "Figure 9 shows the PPFD values for the unshielded 250W DE lamps as compared to the USHIO 400W lamp. It is very interesting to note that the PPFD values for the unshielded 250W DE lamp with the M80 ballast are about the same as that of the Ushio 400W on a standard ballast or a pulse start ballast, with much less power consumption.........however the Ushio 400W consumed 512W of power, where as the 250W AB lamp only consumed 304W of power. The difference in PPFD is 37 units where as the difference in power is 208W. Combine this with the fact that the reflectors for the 250W DE systems are much better given the smaller size of the lamp, I am starting to believe that the 250W DE 10000K lamps are a better option for most mid size tanks. The difference in intensity caused by the glass shield (about 18%) as shown earlier, can easily be offset by lowering the lights by an inch or two." ('Course I no longer know what is considered to be a mid-size tank.) Whoa! While I was looking for the article in Advanced Aquarist, and I got a hit directly to his website. I must have missed this 100 times! An Online bulb and ballast database referencing 630 spectral plots. A Reeflighting Geeks Heaven! http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/ FF

Hi Howard: I didn't see this until after 11:00 last night. I was really exhausted, and was going to PM you, and don't even recall I stopped or clicked "send". Please add these if possible. I'll pickup in Falls Church. I'd be appreciative if you can append this to the order. Regards, Dave Freshwater plants: 99801 Italian Val, 3 $1.09 3 $ 3.27 99932 Micro Swords, $ 3.39 99560 Purple Cabomba 2 $1.89 $ 3.78 99916 Red Wendtii Crypt $ 4.49 99540 Hornwort $ 2.29 99860 Jungle Val, 3 $1.09 $ 3.27 $20.49 sub tot. Marine Fish: 119200L Green Chromis 4 $3.99 $15.96 115100L Pajama Cardinal 3 $8.99 $26.97 $63.42 tot. + S & H