Steve G

I used to go to DrinkMore before I got an RO/DI set up at home. They have a location in Bethesda, I believe. I'm in DC and would let you fill up at my house, but I'm having some performance issues at the moment -- RO/DI performance, that is.

All LFS's have huge markups on dry goods, but Roozen's is up there with Congressional Aquarium in the shamelessness department. My problem with Roozen's is not the death or the cramped quarters, it's the unreliable pricing. I have been quoted prices all over the map, but usually on the high side. I know what the prices are online and in other LFS's. Roozen's is not such a bargain unless they like you.

My ocellaris uses a euphyllia divisa (torch) as a host. I have had them hosting in other corals and tank equipment. Maybe htis is especially true for tank-raised fish like mine, but anemones are not at all necessary for clownfish survival in the marine aquarium. By the way, I'm in a similar position as Inna. Had a clownfish pair and the smaller one had a fatal run-in with a powerhead that I had temporarily installed (without adequate protection). The remaining clown has gotten large. Now I am thinking of getting her a boyfriend, but I'm not sure how small I should go. Is there a danger of running afoul of clownfish society by trying to pair an immature male with a mature female? Will the larger fish pick on the smaller one?

I am way overdue for replacing the filter media in my RO/DI unit and I can't find the large plastic wrench thingy that it came with. It feels like the canisters are not going to twist open without a fight. Do I need the wrench? If so, does someone have one I can borrow? Thanks. Steve

Sorry to be off marine topic but I have had a small pond (about 40 gallons) for over five years and so far have gotten by on very little background research other than extrapolating from my knowledge of reef and freshwater aquarium keeping. But I would really like to get all my dumb questions answered. Is there a resource like reefcentral or WAMAS for ponds? I have seen some but not sure which is right for me. One problem is that it's very hard to find people with ponds as small as mine. Advice is usually geared toward large plots with 1,000 gallons or so. For example, my two small pond plants have died and I just have four comets swimming in an unadorned murky green puddle. I've tried barley straw and chemical additives, but am convinced that hardy plants are what I really need. Not sure if one can put in new pond plants this time of year (or which ones would do best). If anyone has links (or advice) that would be cool. Thanks.

What they said. I have a 180 and I upgraded from Mag 7 to Mag 9. Also, I have to fine tune the gate valve to get the bubbles going. Be careful or else you will just get water out the top. Mine is also outside the sump on a makeshift platform.

Thanks, all. I'm not sure if a 1/6 will be enough but I'll do the math again. kngfisher, the eheim is for hte return (goes through a scwd, so I wanted extra juice) and the mag 9 is for the skimmer (ev 180). I probably should drill the sump and mount one or both of those externally to get some heat out of the tank, but I suspect the lights are the real culprits.

Thanks for the replies. I have a pH monitor and I love it. I like having data but I hate all the time of gatehring it. Was not sure if a Ca monitor would give me the same amount of utility, but I suspect at $250 it's not worth it.

I am looking at a used chiller described as a 1/5 HP CSL. Asking $450 + shipping. I understand Custom SeaLife has gone out of business. I am new to chillers. Is this risky? (I'm trying to cool a 75g in a room that gets up to mid/high 70s in the summer, but there are two pumps an Eheim 1262 and a Mag 9.5 and MH lights heating up the water)

I'm sick of testing for Calcium and find that I can't seem to keep the Ca, KH, Mg parameters where I want them. Is a Ca monitor worth the expense? Does anybody have advice on selecting or purchasing them? Thanks.

Ben, Sounds like you're on the right track. Generally people separate the sump tank into sections using glass or acrylic baffles, with one section dedicated to refugium. That allows your tank water to drain into one compartment that is not filled with sand, the water is skimmed and flows over another compartment that houses the fuge (has sand), and finaly into a separate compartment that houses the return pump, so the return pump doesn't have to sit in the fuge. I used glass that I got bought at Lowe's. I just measured very carefully and got them to cut it for me. Use silicone to attach the baffles to the sump. You can use multiple baffles between compartments if you want a bubble trap (to keep bubbles from going back into your display). Good luck.

I had an unfortunate summer, with heat fluctuations that killed off some nice SPS and euphyllia frags. Now I have the dead remains of these stonies staring back at me every day as a sad reminder. Should I leave them and let other things encrust their skeletons, or remove/hide them? It's been over a month and their bright white mockery of my inability to maintain their environment has given way to a greenish brown tint that is making them start to look like part of the scenery, but they still stand out as dead versions of the corals they once were. What do you all do when a stony coral bleaches or dies? What should I do in this situation (besides solve the temperature problem and move on)?

I too lost a fair amoutn of xenia that had been growing rapidly. What do all of us in different tanks have in common? It's summertime, with heat issues being hard to control. I have heard (just chatter from reef keepers, nothing definitive) that xenia are more sensitive to temperature fluctuations. I know my tank has been on a rollercoaster from 80 to 84 this summer. Could that be it?

24/7, but that's only because my timer is broken. People use the reverse photo period to keep the ph more stable (if they have macroalgae growing in the fuge). My Ph stays pretty stable anyway even with the broken timer.

I hate to interrupt hte love-fest but there are some things that you might notice and have to work through to not get discouraged. 1. You posted for sand and got little or no reply. That does happen by luck of hte draw that you post for help or advice and the timing is such that it goes unnoticed or unheeded. Usually it's because traffic is low (summertime) or someone else happens to be breaking down their three tanks and giving away all the parts and livestock, which always starts a stampede of frugal reefers. 2. You see meetings are never near you. It feels like the cool kids are hanging out far away from you, in towns you have never heard of in Virginia. Well, they have been trying to set stuff up in MD and DC and I appreciate that. There was a social at the Zoo in DC. Tank tours in Montgomery County. They're trying. 3. You get flamed on the board. It's rare. We're more intimate and therefore more friendly than, say, Reef Central, but it happens. But if you want to put two tangs in a nano, you'll probably hear it from people. 4. You can't relate to people in the club. The more active members know each other so well that they have private jokes or inside humor that can be hard to follow (Howard of NoVA? Deer hunting?) DOn't be put off by that. It's a much larger group than it seems on the board. Most members find some "buddies" that they can relate to more easily or who keep similar tanks or have similiar philosophies, live nearby, have personal things in common (kids the same age, other hobbies) or just had a good interaction with (drilled a tank, shared some frags, went int with you on a group buy). I have met people who are in this region and in this hobby and do not belong to WAMAS. That's fine too. No pressure. Good luck with your reef keeping. Steve G

The club's center of gravity seems to be in Virginia outside the beltway, but don't be discouraged by that. There is a large crew of Marylanders and even some of us in DC. The bond of having similar interests -- you might say perverse interests, who else would take day off work to accept a shipment of crabs and snails? -- creates fast friendships. Membership is well worth it.

Hey, those are nice shots. I like the anthias (female lyretails?), but I didn't see them when I swung by Saturday night. Are they still there?

I'd like to see your tanks. I'm having a bad reef month, so I'm not sure if it will cheer me up or make me sad to see nice thriving tank.

I'm not new to the hobby but I am new to chillers. Does anybody have a link to a good article or just advice on the following topics: - how do you know you need one? (I think I do, but will know for sure after I drill my sump and run the pump(s) externally -- my fans are not doing the trick) - how large/powerful? - what features to look for? - brand? - what about controllers? My specs are below. I have two fans blowing on the water (75g). My canopy has 2-175watt MH but uses a very open design. I have two pumps in the sump (return + skimmer) which are heating things up.

Let's just declare you the winner of the contest right here and now. That shot is great for its color, but also because you have a straight-on shot with a great expression, clear detail on the mouth and eyes, and flared fins.

I set up a water change about a month ago and never did it. About 20 gallons of water w/salt has been sitting in a bin in an unused shower with a cover mostly on it. Heater and powerhead have been unplugged. Should I spill it out and start over or use it (readjusting the salt, add heat, and circulate)?

I have an icecap variable speed fan and I don't think I've seen it speed up or slow down. Then again, the temp. at which it;'s supposed to change speed is something like 95 degrees. Do others have experiences with these?

I vote for the anemone/clown shot. It's a classic, and this shot is a great one.

Thanks for breaking the ice. It feels weird to post self-pics, but it will be useful for finding each other at meetings and LFS's, etc. Here's me, Steve G

Give it another day. Mine did nothing for a day and then zap, all gone.