OUsnakebyte

Well, Sunday night I came home to find my tank very cloudy and 'stuff' kicked up into the water column. First thing I thought was that a powerhead had fallen and sand was everywhere. However, upon closer inspection, I noticed that the 'sand' was nicely spherical in shape and slightly larger than my sand. Plus, a few of the fish were feasting on the 'sand.' EGGS!!! WOO HOO! Then, I needed to figure out what did it - the large derasa clam (that I didn't think was of spawning size) or the carpet anemone (S. haddoni). So, I stood there for a few minutes and voila! Here come hundreds more eggs pouring out of the anem's oral disc - and I mean hundreds (thousands?). There were already tons in the water column at this point. Anyway, the entire episode lasted another 10 - 15 minutes. Then, I started to quell my excitement only to realize in horror that, "OMG! Is everything going to die?!?! Bleach? RTN...?" The yellow tang was acting kinda funny - pacing quite a bit and easily spooked - not normal for this particular fish. The blue tang was normal, and the pair of GSM clowns were feasting as fast as they could, I'm sure wondering why they were brought this big bonanza. Anyway, I quickly cleaned out my skimmer in anticipation of it going bonkers, and I had a very restless night Sunday night/Monday morning. Well, it is now Tuesday, and all is well. I guess it was just a little nutritional snack for the fish/corals. I toyed around with the idea of collecting some of the eggs and saving them, but then I thought, "What in the he!! amd I going to do with these?" So, I didn't. I did snap a few pics, but unfortunately, my digital camera is shot, so I had to use my girlfriend's, which I am not that familiar with. I'll transfer them from her cam to see how they turned out and post them when I get some time. Cheers Mike

Holy that is a nice efflo... Mine is still in frag stage.... My favorite is this A. formosa. Nice blue tips and corralites; further down the 'stalk' (which you cannot see in the pic), it is a nice army green. And this is under 10,000K lights with VHO actinics - no 20,000K 'forced coloration...' Pic is with both halides and actinics on. Cheers Mike

Another problem I see is adding that many (sensitive) fish at once. You can easily shock your system with that big of a change in bioload. Keep an eye on your parameters for the next week or two.

I'd like the Mag 7 if still available. Where are you located?

I don't have the funds for a $600 chiller (or even $400)... So, I just switched to my "summer hours." My lights come on at 5pm and go off at 5am. I also run three fans during the day, continuously. The staggering of the photoperiod, like Lee said, should also help. Cheers Mike

Yeah, I think I'll try turning all lights off and see how that goes. In putting the piece of glass/acrylic on the surface of the water, it seems it would be difficult to hold that steady. Would I get a blurred effect...? Thanks all. Mike

Any pointers out there for better "top shot" photos...? I turned off all pumps/powerheads and waited for everything to settle down. The MH lights actually point out, away from the water. So, basically the two actinic VHOs are reflecting off the water surface. I guess next time I'll turn the MH completely off... I did not use a flash, cause of the bounce back problems, and I am also using a tripod, so I can usually keep it fairly steady. I'm still seeing reflection from the inside top of the canopy. Any way around this? Here are two examples. Got any pointers...? Thanks Mike

I put a single 55 watt pc over my sump and put the chaeto in there - grows like crazy. It's lit 24-hrs a day. I've been doing this for over two years now, and it's working great. I can't keep the chaeto trimmed back fast enough. The down side to this is I often have to clean the intake guard to my external return pump (gets jammed up with chaeto...). So, it's not a separate refugium, but it serves many of the same functions... I have feather and grape calurpa in my 5.5 nano, and I have noticed the feather "going sexual" in my nano much more often that the grape. There is only a mantis shrimp and some bullet-proof corals in there, so nothing has been negatively affected... yet... I don't think I'll ever put these calurpas in my 75 sps tank. Cheers Mike

Though not required, it is also best to let your newly-mixed saltwater sit for about 24 hours before doing your water change. Ditto on the skimmer - let it run and do its thing. The benefits of skimming far outweigh any disadvantages... Cheers Mike

To extend the lives of your sediment cartridges until you order new ones, can you soak them in something? Is it vinegar...? I seem to remember reading that somewhere. Then you throw out the next 5 gallons made, or something like that...? Am I totally out of it today?

PM Sent on potters angel and DIY sea swirl... Cheers Mike

I'd like the: red milli - $20 california blue tort - 1/2" frag - $20 Will send PM Cheers Mike

Thanks fellas. That sounds simple enough. I'm sure I can find some way to mess it up though... Well, the idea would be to keep the system shut off from the main tank until the parasite's cycle had completed. I don't know if I would use it for this though - that was just an add-on. Like I said, it would be hard to run hyposalinity in a frag tank... Thanks again, Mike

Alright, talk to me like you would to someone who knows absolutely nothing about plumbing (and, you won't be too far off...). Okay, I know what pvc is and how to glue it together (cement, not superglue...) and elbows, 90s, 45s, returns, etc. But much more beyond that, I start to get a little fuzzy. So, here's the scoop. I have a 75 gal display (reef ready) with a 20 gal sump. I would like to plumb a 40 gal breeder (already drilled with either 3/4 in or 1 in - not sure; I'll have to check) into my main display as a prop system, as it will have the effect of increased water volume, maintaining one system - all the good stuff. How do I do it? Does the stand for the 40 have to be higher than my sump for the 75 to drain into it? Do I have two return pumps in the sump - one going to the main display and one going back to the prop tank? As you can see, I don't know much... Now, here's the kicker. Would it be possible to design it so I could shut the prop system off from the main tank and run it as an autonomous system? I would like to do this so the prop tank can double as a quarantine/hospital tank for new/stressed fish. I have an extra HOB filter that can sustain the prop tank until all is cleared and safe to return the main system. The only problem I can see here is if I need to use hyposalinity. The corals would not take kindly to that. In that instance, I can set up the 29 for short-term needs. I'm basically stocked as far as fish go, so I don't anticipate needing to use hyposalinity in the forseeable future. So, is this possible? Am I wanting too much? I can delve into lighting this sucker later, much later... Cheers Mike

Well, I currently run 150 watt XM HQI (double ended) bulbs (and 2xVHO actinics), and I'm considering a switch from 10,000K to 15,000K - staying with XM. I've read through much of the online material and heard JB speak at last summer's symposium, but I just wanted to hear the differing opinions out there. I should say that I have been quite pleased with the growth I've received from the XM 10Ks, so some might say if it's not broke, don't fix it. The look of the 20Ks is just too blue for me, plus I think I would lose too much par. What does everyone think? Is switching to 15K going to decrease the par too much? If I were running 250 watters, I would have no reservations about it, but with 150s, I just don't know. I have two clams on the sand bed that really like that light (one is a maxima). And, I would like to add a crocea in the future. I like to keep the clams on the sand - not in the rocks. Thoughts? Am I gonna lose my maxima...? Significantly reduced coral growth? Better coloration? Okay, I know no one can answer that, but I would like to hear opinions. Cheers Mike

I'm going to a baseball game with my staff... bummer...

Hmmm.... No, I didn't get it Chris. Can you email me at henleym@si.edu ? Also, Siders - I sent you a PM. Did you receive it?

Chris - I sent you a message about the micromussa. Did you receive it...?

For sale or trade: Purple digitada - several available Green digitada - 2-3 available Cream/light green milli - several available Brick red seriatopora (bird's nest) - several available Bali slimer - several available Green monti cap - several available Orange monti cap - 2-3 available Monti hispida (tan flesh, bright green polyps) - 2-3 available A. valida (tricolor) - 2-3 available Given the amount of time until the meeting, all frags will be unmounted. I also have a whole rock of green star polyps I want to get rid of - make room for more acros. I'd like to keep the rock, but if there is interest, I will do my best to get the gsp's off there. Let me know. Cheers Mike

Dang it! I am going to Philly tomorrow for work, so I cannot make the food party... Sorry all. Might someone be able to get my 1/2 block of mysis and bring it to the meeting next weekend? I would greatly appreciate it (maybe even a frag in it for ya...). Cheers Mike

There is a difference between importing in stuff that cannot be kept in captivity and not taking responsible care of what you do receive. I understand that stores are often at the mercy of what collecters and importers send them - when I was working at my LFS in college, often there were items sent to us that we did not order. It was more of a "here, try this..." However, the conditions the livestock are kept in is what is appauling. Tangs and angels in tiny boxes, not enough light on the coral tanks, etc. These animals are pulled from the wild, and it is everyone's duty, IMO, to ensure they receive the best possible care. I realize opinions differ on "optimal care," but I think we all agree that sick fish need to be quarantined and have slightly more TLC, 3"x3" boxes are not big enough for any fish, and zooxanthallate animals are hoping for photosynthesis to occur within their tissues - they need appropriate light... Unfortunately, not everyone feels this way and don't care how much they kill. After all, "it's just some dumb, slimy invertebrate or fish anyway..." The industry needs a re-vamping from the top (collector) to the bottow (LFS) if this wild-collection of animals is to remain sustainable. I do hope that MAC certifications help with this... Cheers Mike

I've never had a problem with them. I saw mine once "sample" a feeding tentacle of my green brain, but he never touched it again. I've got sps, lps, clams, zoanthids, rics, anemones, etc... You can be sure that if you have any feather dusters (big or small), they will be history though... This is also a very sensitive fish, and I would not recommend them for newly established tanks (or reefers, for that matter...). I'm not saying you fall under either of the two (I dunno...), but just stating my opinion. They can be difficult to get acclimated to frozen foods as well. Some people's eat right away, others need to be "trained." If you do get one and it won't eat, try fresh mussles, opened on the half shell. Almost any picky eater can't even refuse them. Feed your normal frozen foods when the mussle is placed in the tank. Over time, mine learned that mussle and this other stuff in the tank is food. After a while, I weaned him off mussels and strictly on to frozen. I'm sure fresh clams will work as well. I think it goes without saying (but I'll say anyway... ) that I would not try any rescue jobs with this one. It needs to be a healthy specimen. Steven Pro pointed out at the winter meeting that one needs to look closely at the mouth of this fish. If there is any redness on the mouth, it is likely a gonner. Cheers Mike

I'm pretty sure I can scoot by after 2pm on Saturday, the 23rd. If I can't, is it possible (acceptable?) to stop by the 28th or 29th? Cheers Mike

Does Red Carnation = Dendronephthya...?

Steven Pro suggested fishbase.org to us at the winter meeting. Here is the link to the Achilles: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSum...esname=achilles It says, "Feeds on filamentous and small fleshy algae." You can click on food items for a more detailed report. Not sure if this helps, but I guess it does confirm that the majority of the diet consists of veggies... HTH Mike