I'd like to drop special thanks on the host for his extra effort bringing the online reef community an efficient information network via podcasting; it's exactly what was needed in this hobby. I'm late but I'm jumping on the bandwagon... now that I've downloaded and listened to most of the podcasts, I will spread the good word.

In the meantime I have an idea for a future podcast:

It's a topic that I've been on the fence about for a while. The subject is blue and red legs as a part of the clean up crew, yes or no? How much of a help are these crabs or are snails enough? I had both but I'm currently I am phasing out my crabs to auxilary tanks. Anyone have an opinion on this matter?

Thanks again for sharing Rob! Cheers

Hi Reefbuzz,

Welcome to TR!

As far as the hermits go, I don't believe that you must keep them to have a clean or successful tank. However, I like to watch them so I keep them. I know that a lot of folks have issues with them (many of which may just stem from them doing their job) and don't keep them.

there is a lot of talk about crabs being destructive. i had no problems with hermit crabs. i may be wrong, but i've seen may types of crabs being sold as reef safe by lack of identication or knowlege. i seen small blue stripe hermits being sold as blue legs, and they are hunters. i''ve seen blue-knuckle hermits being sold as blue legs....even those these are generally reef safe, their mature size may cause problems. the red leg hermits are also confused often...i've seen at least 4 types being sold as such. it doesn't help matters that most times it is so small that it is hard to see. be especially wary when you buy them in lots or in package deals...at the prices being sold online, the vendors will find it difficult to pick carefully...don't forget, the vendor already paid for every crab whether they are the real thing or not. at my favorite lfs, he picks out all offenders carefully before selling. i saw one batch of 200 blue legs...there was actually only about 30 real ones. i felt bad because i had complained about his price before not knowing what he does to ensure i did not end up with a nasty surprise.

Interesting to see this post tonight as I watched three of my hermits pouncing on my new bubble tip anenome. I watched em close, they didn't seem to mean him any harm, I has just fed him, he kind of closed up and I think they just wanted to see if there were any vittles underneath where he was before he closed up a little.

None of them seemed to claw at him, rather they just used him as a place to stand. I do like watching them though, they are fun. I also saw them on my leather, but they didn't seem to bother it.

When I initially posted this thread I meant to cover an entirely different area of concern, carbon dioxide in the tank, which is why I named the post "Chemistry and tank room conditions." Nice first post huh...

Well I might as well explore the topic anyway. My in wall 225 gal display tank, sump, and fuge are all inside of my house's utility room, with the circuit boxes, boilers, etc. I didn't even consider CO2 when I decided on the room, but now I am having trouble getting the pH above 8.15 or so. There may be plans in the works to install an exhaust fan in the future, but I am hoping to introduce livestock before that happens, as soon as my system cycles. Are there any tests for CO2 out there?

there are test kits for CO2 but very expensive. there is a formula for figuring out co2 content with your kh and ph. freshwater plant geeks u
se it. Rob...quick, find formula please.

if you are concerned about carbon dioxide and carbon monoxcide in the room there are plug-in units that will detect these gases.

np.. im on top of it.. :)
heres the chart
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/kh-ph-co2-chart.html

sorry it took so long, i didnt notice the post right away ;)

np.. im on top of it.. :)
heres the chart
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/kh-ph-co2-chart.html

sorry it took so long, i didnt notice the post right away ;)
thanks Rob...twelve minutes is a little too long. lol. what kind of computer do you use? HAL or the WOPR 2000?

thanks Rob...twelve minutes is a little too long. lol. what kind of computer do you use? HAL or the WOPR 2000?
i have a Mac.. :D

As in HAL 9000? I read somewhere that HAL was a cipher for IBM so we know for sure that Rob won't go for that!

yeah IBM is the brain child of HAL, Someone ran away with the letters of HAL, so they had to use what was left..lol
but just like our good mate HAL9000, IBM should be blown out the airlock as well. useless machines that they are. we wont get into a tech debate :)

CO2, if its in the room, venting is easy, dunny extraction fans are cheap & easy to fit.
if its in your water, leave a light on over the sump at night, if there is little bubbles from your overflow, throw an airstone in a opem baffle, as long as u trap the bubbles before they enter the system the added exposure will aid gas exchange

well we cant go knocking IBM all the way, until the recent Intel switch they were the manufacturer of a majority of the internal components on the G4 and G5 Macs, including the CPUs

lol rob, intel have stepped up to the plate where they can impact the proper market as of now, untill recent, intel in my opinion have flooded the market in the same way nokia have, with a monopily in the main stream un-chalenged, if u know how to manipulate your platform, ur getting closer to what a computer should be, we live in the 21ct cent. retailers push products that are already obsolete before they even hit the market! nothing even compares to the likes of unix capabilities of customisations even today, but they are getting closer. a trip to places like japan shows how far all of us behind the 8ball, as much as i hate to admit it!

veriann, quick idea on the airstone. one up for that bush library. by the way, i hope your other name isn't DAVE. HAL had some problems back in 2001 with DAVE.