In the summer of 2007 I began to make preparations for getting a 90G reef tank set up. I proceeded to do a little research to see what exactly would be involved as far as equipment goes and what type of finances that I would be looking at to get up and running, and then the maintenance involved and monthly expenses to operate such a system. I currently have a 20G nano reef and simply love it. After my research, I still felt compelled to move forward with my plans. So far all my efforts have been a challenge to me, but I am a very patient and determined individual who enjoys a challenge.

I started looking at 90G reef tanks and decided that I preferred the standard tried and true rectangle shaped tank. I knew I also wanted a tank with some width as I didn't want my live rock looking like it was inside a glass jar like pickles. :D I wanted plenty of room across the front to view the marine life that would eventually live there. I found a tank just like I was looking for from a woman that lived 45 minutes away from me. She had the tank custom built, but decided that she wanted a tank of lesser height due to her coral raising. I purchased the tank which measures 18 X 25 X 48. In the meantime, I had gotten a 55G tank that I had decided to turn into the sump/refuge for the system I was building. I took it down to the LFS and explained what I was wanting. After several weeks of delays from the LFS, the sump/refuge was built. I stored both tanks in my living room and sat back and worked on finding a stand.

I found a solid wood cabinet large enough for my tank, but what I did not take into consideration was the plumbing that had to be installed inside. This was mistake #1. I was back to square one. A friend of mine who has awesome carpentry skills agreed to go with me to Lowes and I purchased a oak kitcken base cabinet like contractors use in new constructions. We spent one entire afternoon installing a brace support system inside the cabinet and creating the top for it. He was quite thourough using wood screws and wood glue on everything he did. I was very pleased.

My installation for plumbing had been postponed several times by the LFS for one reason or another. Thats fine by me as I am a patient person and it gives me more time to select the different sand types that I will use in my tank. After doing a little research I have decided to go with a mixture of sand instead of choosing just one size grain. I purchased sand as fine as sugar and the next 3 sizes up to be mixed in equal parts before being placed in my tank. I will not layer the sizes as I know that all will eventually settle according to mass and weight. I have also decided that I will purchase the ready made salt water for my tank. I don't want any errors or miscalculations on my part at this critical time.

The LFS finally keeps an appointment saying they finally found the heavy duty schedule 80 bulk heads that I argued back and forth with them about. ( The LFS said that I could use regular schedule 80 on my tank. I had heard different from the previous owner. I also had contacted the business who custom makes these tanks and was told by the owner to use only "heavy duty" bulk heads to keep from having problems and that the LFS was full of beeswax..) The guy does the plumbing and says he'll be back in 2 days and that the plumbing and glue had to cure. That's fine with me.... I'm making progress. After a week of delays, he comes back again and fills my tank and starts the system up. He adjust the water level so it is at the right height in the sump/fuge and things look good except for water running from both bulk heads. He applies more glue, epoxy or whatever one uses and the left bulk head sealed up and the bulk head that pumps the water from the sump is still leaking bad. He stays 30 minutes longer and the leak slows some. He calls it a pin hole, but it is drip, drip, drip in rapid succession. Probably a gallon in 3 hours. He leaves saying he will be back the next day and I have not heard from him since. Approximately 9 days pass and the leak is slowing down and I feel much better, but know I still have problems that need to be addressed in the near future. I decide that I will work with what I have so far and not pursue the LFS to correct the problem as they can't return my phone call. I do not trust myself to remain dignified in a patronizing conversation full of lip service and butt pats out the door. Good riddance to bad rubish!

http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=621&c=2&userid=1059

My tank is up and running and the day before the LFS came to fill the tank, I did some shopping at another LFS 2 cities away. I purchased 125lb of a combination ofFigi Pukani being the bulk LR, Figi Premium, Tonga branch, natural coral mix and some lace rock to use as a building base. The rock is cured and the Pukani looks awesome. It is a very lightweight, porous, soft rock. Quite beautiful. I got more enjoyment from picking each piece and found myself going back and choosing just one more! I bring back my precious cargo and begin laying it out by shapes and sizes and coloration. My tank is cloudy due to the sand storm, but is settling nicely. I have decided to cut eggcrate to lay on the bottom before building my aquasctructure in hopes that it will be more base stable. I have my drill, ties and hold tight clay medium at the ready. Finally after changing my mind several times, I feel I have created a look that I like. I then check the flow of water in the tank and felt that the left side of the tower did not have enough flow so I put a rotating powerhead there for good circulation. I felt that even though the LR was cured, it would still have more die off until my tank did it's first initial cycle.

I am thinking that even though my cured LR has bateria in it, I still need to start a cycle. I run to the back yard and dive into our fishing bait freezer and pull out a shrimp. I toss it in my tank with glee. I leave it in for 3 days before I pull it out. 2 weeks later, my system has had it's first initial cycle! Yeah!

http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=626&c=2&userid=1059
http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/gallery/files/1/0/5/9/90Gallon5.jpg

Talkingreef - Skurvey Dog's 90G Reef Project (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=625&c=2&userid=1059)

Talkingreef - Skurvey Dog's 90G Reef Project (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=624&c=2&userid=1059)


Now I see other problems that need to be addressed. I have 2 section of the top portion of my overflow tower that needs to be repaired as live stock will be pulled out of the tank and into the tower. I was given excellent advice from dedicated, experienced members here at TR and the repair went smoothly with a little trial and error.


Talkingreef - 90G Reef Project (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=629&c=2&userid=1059)

Talkingreef - 90G Reef Project (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=628&c=2&userid=1059)

The next problem that I realized was that the overflow cut outs from my fuge that flow into my sump with my skimmer and pumps were inappropriate. There are 4 2" drainage overflows from the fuge and they were allowing everything to pass through them. Again, the fine, dedicated folks here at TR gave me some more valuable advice on how to correct the problem. It was a very easy task. I just used GG here again, but cut out all plastic from the screen, only using the hard plastic to work like a frame to support the screen. A mag float now holds this in place and is located above the water level in the fuge.

Talkingreef - 90G Reef Project (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=627&c=2&userid=1059)

I am in the process of cutting 2 plexiglass squares that will be a cover on the DT to help with evaporation. I am planning on using eggcrate on the back 3" to aid in air circulation and gas exchange. Will update with photos as they become available.

I forgot to post here the pics of my sump/fuge design so you can take a look at it and give me some feed back. On the left hand side, you can notice the sock filters. The plate was installed backwards by the LFS so that the plumbing they installed would fit into the sump. That's what I thought also. The couplings are glued together and are not useable to maintain the socks. I tried to build a better mouse trap, so I got me some cable ties and threaded it across the neck of each sock locking it to the perfect size to slip up over the tower drainage pvc pipe to my sump. I then added another tie creating a loop that I use a tie to secure in place. All I have to do is cut the one securing tie to remove the sock and clean it. The heater is housed in the ajoining section.

Talkingreef - Skurvey Dog's 90G Reef Project (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=623&c=2&userid=1059)

Talkingreef - Skurvey Dog's 90G Reef Project (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/gallery/showimage.php?i=622&c=2&userid=1059)

Skurvey,

I just read your tank thread and two things stand out.

First, you really did your research. I commend you on that!

Second, you learned early-on that your LFS is not trustworthy both in keeping appointments and knowledge. It's common knowledge among experienced aquarists that the worst place to seek advice is the very place you'd think of to go first, your LFS. It's sad but true, IME over 90% of LFSs are the worst place to get advice.

Sorry you had to experience that. Glad you learned it early. Happy you found TR.

About the leaking bulkhead. If installed correctly they will not leak. If he used a wrench to tighten it, he probably cracked it. They only need to be hand tightened. Personally, I've never used schedule 80 bulkheads even on large tanks. If installed correctly and the plumbing installed without stress points nothing will break or leak. I don't know if you visited my tank thread. Every aquarium is plumbed differently but all should be plumbed true level and square. I was a pipefitter for 40 years and I wouldn't expect a novice to do a perfect job. It is a skill but one easily learned. Here is a link to a pic of my 135 plumbing Amphibious' plumbing job (http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/member-tank-projects/412-amphibious-135-gal-reef.html) I wish you lived closer. I would fix that leaking BH. The salt creep would drive me nuts after awhile. At least it drains into the sump.

Keep us informed, Lori.

Dick

sounds like you are on your way !! let us know if we can be of anymore help !!

Yippee! If I was you I'd buy Dick a plane ticket and invite him to come fishing for a week. :) I will offer a word of caution: even though you are using pre-mixed SW you still should test it before you use it. If the LFS is mixing it there is always the possibility that they made a mistake in mixing or accidentally filled your jugs with RO/DI instead of SW. Even the pre-mixed SW in a bottle could have variation from one lot to another.

Good advice Carmie, especially about the plane ticket and the fishing trip. :rotfl:

Woooohoooo! I love you people! :p I would love Dick to come down this spring and fish. I can't wait. The only bad thing is my health insurance deductable starts over in January. :roll: Nothing like an ER visit to get that outta the way! :rotfl: Just teasing. I only get hurt around salt water. Must be the "No Fear" syndrome (Actually the been in the sun too long)

Anyhoo, you are definately right. I'm weird, as you all already obviously know, as I taste the water of each of my containers to distinguish which is what. Sounds stupid? Not really. Markings I don't trust, as it's not their tank and they don't give a bleep. And yes, even though it is early in the game for me, I have found that the salinity PPM they tell me is BS. I have already run salinity test with my new handy dandy, new and improved, behind door number #1 refractometer and it was higher than what they stated. I had to immediately do a quick clean of my tank and replenish with RO/DI water to stabalize the tank at the correct readings. :wow: Those people never cease to amaze me with their scam. However you will be proud of me. I got Scott to go with me the day after Christmas and pay a friendly visit to them and let them know that my plumbing was still leaking. (How many weeks has it been now?) Explain this to me.... why is it that a man can put the fear of God into someone and me, a little woman gets patted on the butt? Heck, he had the owner up front during this little interaction and they were all but falling all over themselves. He told them that they could fix it on their own or he would find someone to do the job correctly and would send them the bill. From what I could tell, the owner never knew there had been a problem and the lil boy who did the original plumbing had scheduled with me to come out in 2 weeks. After the owner got involved, well, they're suppose to come Saturday. For their sake and my nerves, I hope that they do. Especially after I told Scott how much money I have spent in their store so far for a sump/fuge build, 2 pumps, skimmer, plumbing supplies, labor and salt water. He was livid! He likes the owner as he loves the custom 3000 gallon tank they built at his favorite "watering hole." He feels if they can do that, they can certainly do a little tank like mine. Did I say that I concur? :rotfl:

Anyway, I will be working on my tank for the next few days as I learned today that i need to burn up 19hrs of annual leave or lose it. I still need to cut the plexi-glass and egg crate for the top of my tank. I will really need you guys shortly. I have got to decide on what type of lighting I need to purchase. I have a temporary light set up, but don't want to use it too long as I am concerned about my live rock and Vandamere, my lion fish. I am not experienced in hard corals like acropa? (I only have soft corals in my nano tank.) What I have read so far, they need excellent care and I do not want to be a bad caretaker at their expense. They deserve better than that. I thought about a few soft coral and then maybe some LPS? Is that correct? I just want to start out with an excellent lighting system and maybe in a year or so, expand my coral dependancy needs. I don't want to design something, only to turn around and do something else. I have more time than money, so I would rather do it right the first time. Does that make sense? Even if finances make me wait a while. To be honest with you, Lighting, for a inexperienced marine reef person, is the most complex, confusing topic there is known to man. Or woman I should say. I have a general understanding and idea of what I need. Because of the depth of my tank I realize that I need to compensate for that with the type of lights that I use. There are so many types, name brands, efficiancy ratings, heat generating issues that are corrected with chillers, and the list goes on. What's a girl to do? :shout:

first of all, my bad, cause i didn't read your profile & had know idea your female, which makes helping you all the more pleasurable...lol

secondly, take into account that natural or pre mixed salt will inevitability be subject to evaporation which can drive salinities up, couple that with the temp its kept at @ & it may indeed differ from what you expecting.

Thirdly, if your new refractometer has metal guide pins holding the spread plate - a helpful hint for future reference is to grease them to save rusting within the plastic shroud.

fourthly, men are the center of the universe:rotfl:, im glad someone is sticking up for your interests..lol good luck kiddo! ;)

Thanks Veriann for the great advice on the refractometer. I didn't think about that, as all I thought to do was clean it with ro/di water and dry it. All my top offs are with ro/di only and I make sure that my tank is at full capacity before I start to clean it, so when I add my salt water, nothing changes. I learned the hard way to do a salinity test BEFORE adding it to my tank.

Men...center of the universe. Hmmmmm. I think you are quite right. Perhaps I need to rethink my strategy. I hate to trade in my comfy flip flops, shorts and pirate t shirts for a pair of high heels and short skirt just to get what I paid for! Perhaps I could put those spike heels to better use and kick them, the LFS, in the rear to drive home my sincerity. ;P Just kidding. Le Garson.... center of the universe, may I please just have a slice of moon cheese. LOL

I do get frustrated when my husband gets stuff done in one snap that I have been trying to get taken care of for weeks! But, hopefully now that the boss knows it will get fixed this time.

Here is what this girl did about lighting. My used tank came with a NO strip light and one of those mini Coralife PC lights. I wanted an anemone so six months later I bought a PC fixture. Then I got the BTA, some softies and a Pocillopora. Then I decided I wanted more stony corals. I looked at MH and T5 but my chiller was already running all summer and most of spring and fall. In it ran when it was really warm last December!

So, I started saving and, about a year after I bought the PC's, got a Solaris LED fixture (from The Cultured Reef). I love it! I like toys (just ask my hubby & son) and this is a lot like a toy with all of the programming options. My tank looks great, my stony corals are growing well a-n-d my chiller never turned on after I got it!

love stories with a happy ending. ;)

Well, yesterday the LFS came to my house at 12:30 to fix the leaking bulk head. He ho hummed around, making phone calls to the home base, and messing with my pipes. Door bell rings and a second person comes to help him use a drimel and cut out a square in my stand top to give him better access to the bulk heads. I keep an eye on him and continue working on my computer. (Tank is in my office) Once the access to the bulk heads is cut out, the 2nd guy leaves. He ho hums around some more and makes some more phone calls. (2 hours have now passed.) I look up and the owner of the LFS is now here. He looks under my tank and accesses everything. He does not look pleased. (Like I have been? lolrof ) I get up and go to the den and 30 minutes later, he comes and gets me. He wants to know why I put the socks plate back on backwards, that it is adding stress to the plumbing and is now causing the left bulk head to leak. Well now, "REALLY?" I let it ripppppppp! In a very calm, matter of factly conversation of course. I inform him that I did not do anything to the plumbing, I did however rig the socks with ties, put LR and micro algea in the sump. Other than that nada. The tank was leaking from day #1 on the right bulk head, not the left. The guy who did the job knew that and promised to come back the next day and never came, called or anything. Now....finally some light is being shed on the problem here. "Once we practice to deceive, a terrible web of lies do we weave." Ahem... someone is now in deep manure. I give him my most gracious, sun shiney smile and go back to the den. :D (That boy must have gonads the size of an elephants!) I can not believe he told his boss that I did that shotty plumbing work and removed the sock plate and reinstalled it backwards. Well, Scott comes home. Here we go! Don't mess with the ruler and his domain. ;) He goes in there and I hear them talking. A few minutes later Scott chimes out to get his mag light and come there. Oh gosh, let everything be ok. I get there and he tells me to look at the plumbing and make sure it is the way it is suppose to be that nobody....nobody is leaving until it is to my satisfaction. I begin to sweat profusely. :sick: I examine everything and notice that 75% of all the plumbing has been redone by the owner. Gosh it looks good! Like it's suppose to be. There is however a one drip about every 5-7 minutes coming from a pipe on the left hand side. Thank goodness that it isn't a bulk head. The owner tells Scott that he will come back in a few days and apply some more glue to that pipe and reinspect everything. Scott promptly redirects the conversation to me saying that it is my tank, my project and his mission in life is to make sure I am happy. (I can't believe he told him that!) Gosh, I love that man!!!!!!!!! They pack up and leave. It is now after 6:30pm! Hmmm, I am curious to see if a certain individual is still doing plumbing for that store come morning.

I hate that all this happened to me. I am glad however that it was corrected. I am also glad that the owner cared enough to come himself this time and do all the work himself. And most of all........ I am glad that he found out what kind of plumbing work was being done and that he had an employee who was not truthful. Hopefully others will now be spared the agony, stress and tears that I have had to deal with.

Rrrr! This never should have happened but I am glad to hear that the owner stepped up, had his eyes opened and took responsibility for solving the problem.

Yippee, you are finally up and running!

Thanks CJo ;) I am glad to have this problem finally resolved. It just seemed like the harder I tried, the worse things got with building my tank. Very frustrating. Oh, I also wanted to thank you so much for that link to the vodka article in the reefer's magazine. I guess I didn't realize that it was there. :doh: They have a lot of great articles and I really enjoyed reading the one about reef lighting. I have a better understanding now of what I need to be looking at when I decide on the system I need to go with. I'd love the Solaris, but it is out of my reach right now. Perhaps in the near future, a year or two, the price may come down a bit and become more affordable. I'm glad you were able to get one though. ;) They look awesome. The cadilac of marine lighting!

well its about time !! glad they got this taken care of for you. that little leak should have stopped by now. the salt creep probably filled the hole. i would have them re glue that area just to be safe.

let me know if you need articles to read ... i have a ton stored on my laptop !! everything from alkalinity to zooplankton, lol.

Glad to hear they finally made things right for you. Your experience underscores the general feeling about LFSs, most cannot be relied upon for good work or advice.

Happy New Year!

Dick

Thanks Bobby! "Passing you a bowl of chilled shrimp" ;) I'll drink your share of the spritzies! :p I will definately hit you up on a as needed basis with that data base of info tho. My lil hard drive pumpkin is empty, with the exception of info that I have retained so far in regards to where I am with this tank build. :roll: While I'm in the research and discovery mode with choosing a lighting system, based on my not yet decided coral selection, which limits me from zeroing in on it. I also have a few questions that came to mind this morning that I wanted some feedback on. The socks were removed from my sump yesterday and I will not be using them anymore. I asked him if I could use some of that blue floss mat? He said I didn't have to but that I could if I wanted to. Not sure what it's called, but it is a blue fiborous material. I ask this because I feel like the socks polished my water and I say this because this morning, my tank doesn't quite seem to have the crystal clear water quality that it did before. Maybe it's all in my head, but I'm in my office 80% of the time when I am at home and am obsesses with my tank. It's like a living room, activities room, etc. for me. Ok, I have no life. :shout: I figure I could pull it out every 3-4 days and wash it out like I do with the sponge that is located in the chamber next to my sump where the skimmer and pumps are located.

Also, I have Vandamere my lion and an angel fish I have yet to name. Both fish are very finicky eaters. The angel will eat her dried seaweed/aglea, but will not touch any type of dried food. I have been feeding her an every third day tiny portion of a mixture that I make myself containing shrimp, fish, oysters, mussels and some frozen reef plankton cubes. (All of course are raw ingredients) Vandamere however will eat nothing that is not alive. He is being maintained on live ghost shrimp and very small marine fish. Both fish have improved color since I brought them home. Is Vandamere getting enough vitamins/nutrition? I will continue to try to coax both of them with vitamin enriched store bought foods and maybe with time they will accept them. Don't mean to gross you out, but I also do a look for poopy check with Vandmere after I feed him to make sure he is getting enough to eat. Sorry, but my fish are like kids to me. Heck, my dog thinks he's human too! :agree:

Well, I have many more questions, but at the moment... these were forefront in my mind. :p

Happy New Year Dick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry if it looks like I side swiped ya! You must of posted while I was yammering away a post to reply. :tongue2:

NO PROBLEM, my dear. Yammer away.

I'd continue offering the fish a variety of foods. The homemade food (fish mush) is great. I add some algae to it as well as vitamins and garlic. Garlic is an appetite stimulant and general tonic for your fish.

Can you trick Vandamere? You know, when you do something he always gets fed and then start dropping other stuff besides ghost shrimp? You might also try chilling the ghost shrimp (this is not exactly the same as the shrimp you had today) in the freezer just before you feed so they are not moving. They look the same, but Vandamere is getting used to food that doesn't swim away from him.

i agree with Carmie about the feeding.

why can you not use the socks anymore ?? i see no problem with the filter floss (blue stuff) as long as it is cleaned religiously. i would use the socks if there is any way possible. i have a friend here that is extreme about his water clarity ... he uses the socks and he swears by them (for polishing the water). he says that if you look at his tank ... it looks like his fish are flying and not swimming, because it is so clear. i have to agree with him ... it DOES look clear !!

Thanks guys! :thanks: I have fed him a time or two before and one of the shrimp wasn't moving and he caught him up when he was in his eating mode. I tried this on another occassion and he just looked at it and moved on. I wonder if I fed him just one shrimp to get him started and then tried soaking a piece of krill in water so it won't float on the surface? Perhaps I could slowly work up to feeding him his own mix. I don't know. When I feed the angel, Vandamere is not interested in the least. I'm in the dark as to vitamins and garlic. Is there some info you can give me on where to go get this and what I'm looking for? I don't want to be a bad parent. :heart:

About the socks and the plumbing issue I was having. The plumbing height inside the cabinet after the inside bracing was completed, made it difficult for the LFS to install the plumbing for the sump to be used with the socks as it was designed to do. There is not enough room to use the disconnects and raised them up to side the sock plate up and over. I had used the black plastic locking ties to secure the socks onto the 2 incoming pipe flows. I had used ties like a drawstring making an opening just large enough to be able to fit snug, creating another loop that I could insert another tie to and attach to the pipe above to hold it in place. The LFS told me not to do this. I myself don't see any harm in this as the 2 pipes fuse down on the main plate is is held in place by the top of the sump. It wouldn't be as if a flow of water weight would be pulling at them. They fit snug in themselves. What are your thoughts? I just know I see a difference in my water clarity. I added the blue floss this morning and see a very small difference. I am still uneasy knowing what my water looked at before and it is the only thing I have to base my observations from. Here's something else. Since the socks have been off, my skimmer seems to be more active. The liquid removed is not yellow, but a dishwater quality to it. Are the 2 tied together? I have not done anything differently and everything is normal. Is the skimmer now picking up what the socks removed when they were in use?

i dont see why you cant use the socks either.

the skimmer IS collecting everything that the socks were getting now. i would throw the socks back in there and see if you notice a difference. can you get a pic of the sump area ?? with AND without the socks ??

I use GarlicGuard (http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/GarlicGuard.html) and - = Welcome to Kent Marine » Zoe Marine = - (http://www.kentmarine.com/saltwater/vitamins/zoe-marine.htm). All of my food gets soaked in both. I'd soak the krill in garlic. :)

sweet effort, high-coo all round!

Did i see the word vodka on a reef related article. oh boy, i had a mixed debate with the english folks over at another site on this subject whilst TR was being renivated. Im assuming if refering to vodka dosing yeah?

Hey V, you have YIM? Would be interesting to have verbal combat w/ you. :p

sweet effort, high-coo all round!

Did i see the word vodka on a reef related article. oh boy, i had a mixed debate with the english folks over at another site on this subject whilst TR was being renivated. Im assuming if refering to vodka dosing yeah?
Yes, that's it.

Hey V, you have YIM? Would be interesting to have verbal combat w/ you. :p

lol, be careful what you wish for, i dont roll with the punches, i am the punches :p

I use GarlicGuard (http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/GarlicGuard.html) and - = Welcome to Kent Marine » Zoe Marine = - (http://www.kentmarine.com/saltwater/vitamins/zoe-marine.htm). All of my food gets soaked in both. I'd soak the krill in garlic. :)

It would smell like Italian pizzeria at your house carmie. bet you have the althiest fish on the block:)

:showoff: That's why I like posting... gives me a while to come up with a come back .:D

Yes, the vodka thread was about the contraversial topic of dosing with vodka. Totally unreliable as "Uncle Fester did it in his basement." :jester:

its not for me, many say sound in principle because "look at my results", meaning my tank looks colourful & hasn't crashed yet..lol

start up a thread & lets throw some effort into it:raining:

It would smell like Italian pizzeria at your house carmie. bet you have the althiest fish on the block:)

My husband IS Italian and he gets the biggest kick out of the fact that I feed the fish garlic! In his opinion we have Italian fish!

Years ago when our son was a pre-schooler I took him and a friend to the park for a couple of hours. It was summer time so the van got hot while they were playing. When it was time to go I opened the doors to the van and to odor of garlic wafted out. I had been to Sam's Club (a warehouse shopping place) the day before and bought a 3# bag of garlic and it got left behind when we unloaded. Simultaneously Dominic, our son and Logan, his friend said "What smells so good?" and "Phew, it stinks!" I'll let you guess which boy said what!

Yes, and none of the clinical trials were done in a contained invironment, nor did they have enough input/participants, or data based on a long study or research. It was sort of like me going off on my own and experimenting and because I got positive results, I am now claiming that whatever I did to my tank is good and should set the standard for future reefers. I think perhaps, the party/parties who did this, were imbibing a 75/25% ratio with their tanks. :D I spoke with Vandamere and he said that he was not partial in participating in said studies. :p

Sorry CJo that I was slow in responding. And NO I have not been conducting vodka research on my own. :rotfl: I have been very sick for the past few days. :sick: I love that story. He's a boy after my own heart! I adore garlic and I'm at an age I don't give a blink if the smell offends other parties. :rotfl: The garlic is very good for you and it also keeps the vampires away! :rotfl: Forgive me if I'm having a mental lapse due to the fever I've been having, but... I can't remember about where to purchase the vitamins and garlic to add to my fishes diet. Vandamere is still persistant as ever and flat out refuses to cooperate with me. He's a typical male. :up: That's ok cause I adore him and he is getting so beautiful and is growing rapidly. I'm in love! He is very docile (And I do realize that may change with his maturity) he shies away where I work inside of my tank and only gains interest when I make water movement on the water's surface (sort of like a dinner call) to let him know it's nummy time!

Hi Lori,
Sorry to hear that you have been under the weather. I hope you are feeling better.

I just buy the garlic and vitamins at the LFS. You could probably save a few $ by buying them on line but they last a long time so the cost per month is minimal. Plus, I have a thing about supporting my LFS.

That's the story V.... always a day late and a buck short. I did tremendously enjoy the live TR last weekend, but I felt like I didn't get any 'NEW" info in regards to the info I already have aquired. Perhaps it's just a matter of knowing what to do with that information.

for a 90 gallon tank if you want to go with metal halides ... 2x250w 10000k coralvue reeflux bulbs with coralvue of icecap electronic ballasts. how's that ??

BTW ... i would personally supplement with 4x110w VHO 460nm actinics.

Bobby,

Thank you. The LFS is trying to sell me on 2 Hamilton MH pendants 175 watts each as I said I did not want to heat up my water and take a chance on needing a chiller. They were going to upgrade the bulbs to 14K. I do not have a hood on my tank. I can not do a retro fit as I have no electrician experience. What name brand are you partial to, and etc. Lets just figuratively speaking you walked into your favorite aquarium store and purchased your lighting system there for a newly set up 90G tank............................

i would go with something like this ...

48" Aqualight Pro, 2x 250W HQI + 2x 96W Actinic + 3 Blue Moonlight LEDs - 53526 (http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=314)

and i would ditch those bulbs (but keep them for backup bulbs) and go with 2x250w 10,000K Coralvue Reeflux bulbs.

BUT the Hamilton pendants would probably also be a great choice, but i would go with 250w. a 90g is a fairly deep tank is the reason why, and i do not think that 175w would penetrate deep enough into the water. in either case ... i would ditch the bulbs (if they even come with any) and replace them with Coralvue Reeflux bulbs. the pendants might even be a little cheaper on the wallet. if you do not mind hanging the pendants ... they would work well (in 250w). i have to go to work, but will check back when i get home.

Thanks a million!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did like the look of the MH pendants, but they wouldn't be enough different spectrums for what I needed and then there was trying to figure out what else to get to enhance them. I had decided that if I got them, I would have run them through the ceiling and stored the ballasts in the attic as it is well ventilated. (Or at least that's what my thoughts were.) I really do like the set up you showed me and it is a little more, but it is much simpler for me that way as I have really been stressed out entirely too much lately. :( I'm going to try to get your suggestion next week when I get paid, unless I get impatient and put it on a card. Can't squeeze it in now as I just had to pay for another semester of school for my daughter. :heart: If she'll just decide what she wants to be when she grows up and not change her mind any more! :rotfl:

Thanks for hanging with my psycho, fruitcake self. I think my patients are rubbing off on me sometimes. :blush: If you ever cruise my store and want to place an order, just remind me who you are in the comments field and I'll issue you a $10 credit for all your help. Thanks again.

no need for the credit, but thanks. that is why we are all here ... to help each other out when we need it. you never know, one day you could be the one giving me advice on something that you know more about than i do. it is a win win situation for me.

lol, skurvey......your a genuine wacko my girl.........welcome to the club :tongue2:

lol, skurvey......your a genuine wacko my girl.........welcome to the club :tongue2:

Aren't we all when it gets right down to it? :D Some just shine at the surface more than others. Some shine the brightest when their stress level is at it's most climatic zenith. :wow:

Oh, and I'm feeling much better now. :roll:

no need for the credit, but thanks. that is why we are all here ... to help each other out when we need it. you never know, one day you could be the one giving me advice on something that you know more about than i do. it is a win win situation for me.

Hope you took no offense, it's just that you aren't here. I'm a true Southerner and we thank people with cards, small gifts, or food..... cookies, cakes, brownies........... :D Just as a way of saying :thanks:

I'll have a gater hat, gater belt & that tasty looken gater sandwich please.:huh:

Would that be a wally or croc? I saw a wally a couple of months back at the dock, a notice about a dog or two missing and then a new sign posted. :p Must be for all these northern transplants who aren't used to being stalked at the water's edge. :agree: fresh water, salt water, makes no difference to them. Nothing calls a gator faster than a wet dog. Next time I see him, I'll ask him if he thinks he'd look good in designer acessories. :rotfl:

Hope you took no offense, it's just that you aren't here. I'm a true Southerner and we thank people with cards, small gifts, or food..... cookies, cakes, brownies........... :D Just as a way of saying :thanks:


NOPE, no offense taken at all, i will take some cookies, cake, and brownies though !! lmao

;)

Hey Lori, Bobby is the MH guy and, you know me, I am an LED gal. I'm glad he was able to give you a concrete suggestion. When I first got back into the hobby I really struggled with decisions like that because the choices were so overwhelming. And I bought my tank used with a lot of equipment so a lot of the choices were taken out of my hands.

I am glad to hear you are feeling better. But, I wish you would have sent what you had to V. Now I have strep throat and laryngitis so bad I can only whisper. So if it got to him upside down he would have athletes foot and be yelling at the wife and children!

:raining: is that spit i feel? lol

Thanks guys! It has been overwhelming sometimes, a little frustrating, but very rewarding to see it finally start to come along more and more. Two days ago, I ordered one of those maximus II RO/DI set ups with a tank. From what I read, it didn't appear to be too techie to hook up and use. I guess I'll find out soon enough huh? :D I am still wanting to do some reading up on this "cryptic" fuge I have. I've found all sort of things on builds, but really no in depth info on contents; substrates, etc. I'm sure it's out there and I probably just haven't found it. I'm concerned whether the crushed coral used in there will have all the nitrates burned up in there or will it be pumping it back into my system. If this needs to be changed, I'd rather do it now than later. I want to try to prevent possible problems before they make their presence prominently known. Well, gotta jump into some clothes and get to work! Gotta have that job if I want to get those lights! :D

Gosh CJo! What a ninny I am! :slap: Sorry to hear that you have strep throat and laryngitis. I know you are miserable. Hope you start feeling better soon!

Thanks, as you know this too shall pass. :)

i would go with something like this ...

48" Aqualight Pro, 2x 250W HQI + 2x 96W Actinic + 3 Blue Moonlight LEDs - 53526 (http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=314)

and i would ditch those bulbs (but keep them for backup bulbs) and go with 2x250w 10,000K Coralvue Reeflux bulbs.

Bobby, Had to buy text books for school for my daughter too. :shout: Funds for lighting is now pushed back! Can't wait any longer. I gotta move forward. :up: Want to order the lights today on some plastic. You mentioned upgrading the bulbs with the Coralvue Reeflux. The store there has an upgrade of a XM DE 20-15010. This is greek to me. What to do? Is this what I want or it another vendor/store I go to to get the correct bulbs for this particular unit. Sorry to be ignorant, but hey, you already know I'm blind when it comes to this. :help:

the XM 20k DE bulbs are going to be extremely blue. you CAN use those bulbs if you want a very blue look to the tank. a fixture will come with actinic supplemental lighting (usually T5 or PC lights). the reason that i recommend the Coralvue Reeflux 10k bulbs is that they are the most white bulb available, IMHO, and by already having the built in actinic bulbs in the fixture, they will give you a somewhat bluish white and super crisp look to the tank. not to mention that 10k bulbs are proven to be the best k rating for coral growth.

sorry, i just checked out the link and looked into the bulbs that are available.

IMHO, the XM 10k (what i run right now) are to yellow unless you supplement with crazy amounts of actinics.

the 15k bulbs have less par than the 20 k's but are not as blue. and you want a good par rating so you can keep light demanding corals on the bottom half of the tank.

the 20k bulbs have a DECENT par, but, IMHO, are way to blue (for my taste).

WoooooooHooooooooooo! Finally, I feel like I am making some headway here. It's about time! Life is good today. TGIF :w00t!: Yesterday felt like Christmas or my birthday! I got the 2 #3 Korellas that I ordered, the Maximus II RO/DI System and.......... the gallon freezer baggie of macro algea for my fuge. oh....... hubby handled it ok I thought after I set up another tank to house my ghost shrimp. You know, the tank that you said you wouldn't get after the 3rd tank? :rotfl: Grief! Naw, I just have my nano, a 10g LR w sand for my feeder minows (Vandamere) and the new 90 I set up. I had to set up a lil 5G BB for the ghost shrimp because the minnows were dining on them. I am running out of reasons for all my new additions. He tells me my office looks like DNR in here. Heh heh. It's great, I find that this fights my cabin fever with it being winter. Oh, and I ordered my new lighting system. The one Bobby helped me with. I can't wait! I'm so excited. I know with the new lights I'll be bust'n wide open! OOOOOOOOOhhhh. You guys better watch out for my entry to the LR Tank of the Month! Ya'll will have coral, fish and colored sticks, but I'll have some great looking "lit up rocks!" :up:

so what bulbs did you end up going with ?? bulbs are a tough decision, i know. i am going through the debating process right now as i am having trouble with ALL 4 of my 160w actinics. they just keep shutting off for no reason that i can see. enough about me though (i will figure it out sooner or later, until i do the fish will just have to go to bed early). anyway, what bulbs did you go with ??

Olah Bobbyerto :tongue2: Trying to catch my build up to date. I just ordered the standard lighting in the new lighting system that I ordered. I figured after spending 1 G on the initial, I would cool my jets and upgrade the lights in 6 months when they need to be replaced. I do appreciate, more than words could ever express your one on one help and TRL the other night while we were taping the broadcast. You guys are awesome! :up:

I am currently trying to assemble my Maximus II RO/DI unti and tank. I have posted a help thread to answr my questions on the assembly. I recieved the 2 #3 Korellas and placed them in my tank to increase the flow of current. I feel that one them is correct, I may move the other, trial and are, before I find the correct water flow that i am looking for. It's sort of hard since I have no corals, etc in my tank. I can only judge my findings/water movement on Vandemere. I have just opened up the boxes containing my liughting system. The balances feel like they are about 15lbs apiece. (Of course this is estimated judgement from lugging water containers.) I have looked up the electricity usage scales and will find out the voltage capabilities of the outlets that I have available. I have an electrician at the ready who has agreed to come in and make the neccesary upgrades as necessary. I'll have to get back with you as I assemble my lighting system.. I'm quite estatic. I am making progress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Lori, that's exciting! I love getting boxes!

Thanks CJo! I was so excited I downed a pint while fussing with this RO/DI unit and unpacking the lighting system. I'm under the weather, maybe it a bad cold, flu or something else. Hubby whisked me away to the slam, bam for a bite to eat and now I'm beat. I'll update you folks about my lighting in the am when I've gotten some rest. Work week has been rough this go round. :up: I'm hoping I'll get some info to finish the RO/DI in the am. If not, I've made a call to a LFS 30 mins away to see if they can help me. And NO>>>>>>>>>>> sometimes ignorance is not bliss! I used to think it was, but have changed my mind since then. :tongue2: Take care folks!

just opened up the boxes containing my lighting system. The balances feel like they are about 15lbs apiece.

Sorry about that. That's a typo :p I meant 5lbs. The more I think about it they probably are more like 3.5 or 4lbs.

Woke up this morning not feeling so swell. Running a temp, chest/ head all congested and have laryngitis. Aweeeeeeeee. The humorous part was the phone rang this morning and I answered it, but no sound would come out!!! Hubby taking good care of me but is having a field day! :agree: He keeps me laughing and he knows I am probably packing my humour arsonal for when I have recooperated.

I unpacked my lighting system and inserted the bulbs and installed the support legs. Took so long, all morning, because I'm so weak and get tired easily. I got it set up and am running the lights, with the exception of the MH. Didn't hook the 2 ballasts up because I want the electrician to come out here again and give me the go ahead as I don't want to overload anything.

I am still at a stand still with the RO/DI unit, as I had to cancel my planned trip to the LFS. I think part of my problem is that I'm tired and ill and just can't think clearly and that coupled with my frustrations have in part, not allowed me to problem solve. If anyone has experience with the Maximus II, I sure would appreciate any information that you'd like to share with me.

I did some routine maintenance on the tank today and my macro algeas are doing well and I have copepods of various species crawling all over the glass. How exciting. I am very pleased seeing this. I'll try to post some pics soon of my DT. I couldn't believe how it came alive with the new system. It looks totally different. Worth every penny I spent. :D

Ahhh, sorry you are sick Lori.

I have finally got the RO/DI system up and running. I am enjoying not having to go to the LFS and pay almost a buck a gallon for water. This unit will pay for itself rather quickly. I also purchased a mag pump and 25 foot of tubing to use for tank maintenance and water changes. I can't tell you what a difference it has made. (Short of the mishap when the hose got away from me did a dance. I was soaking wet!) :p At least I smile when I think how insane it looked. I have got the lighting system up and running, but need to pull it back down and check on a loose connection to one of the fans. Worse case scenario would be that the fan is bad and I checked and they aren't that expensive to be replaced if it had to be. I have had a diatom bloom and have been brushing my LR to keep it clean and keep moving the 2 Koralias trying to figure out a permanent placement for them. I have ordered some frags, several types of zoos, a star polyp, and a Goniopora. I currently have 3 mushroom cap frags and 2 kenya trees, or at least that's what they're suppose to be. I have tried to do a little research on the zoos and am hoping that they are not too stressed out from transit when they arrive. Wish me luck for I'm sure I will need it.

Yare making wonderful progress ! I can't wait to see some photo's with the new frags in there, should be great ! G'luck and keep up the excellent work !

Thanks DkOne! I gotta do something to keep from going crazy. Still sick and out of work this week until i get the ok to go back. And still can't talk yet! Grief! You had me smiling from ear to ear with that pico. The youth today don't have anything on us! :rotfl: Yeah we're older, but alot better, smarter, and entertain ourselves quite effectively. I'll post picks soon of my new babys.

I am pleased as the weather has been mild and there should be no delays in my frag overnight package. I did some research on zoos and picked up a few things and believe that I will do the following method with my new family members.

I cleaned my tank and did a 25% water change/ filter mediums/skimmer

No changes will be made to water, with the exception for top offs for the next 5 days.

I will run my actinic lighting , but will not use the MH for 3 or 4 days.

I will monitor the usage of my Koralias for my low flow patterns.

The reason for using this method is to minimize the stress on the corals. These guys have been pulled out of their warm, protective beds, packaged in small individual baggies and stuffed into a darkened box for 24 hours. And if that were not enough, they've been jostled, dropped, thrown, shook and left on my doorstep. Now if those aren't enough reasons for stress to set in, I don't know what is. I want them to slowly adapt to their new home and surroundings. I do not want to stimulate them, as this adds stress. The monitoring of water flow and reduction of lighting will will keep stress at a minimal. Zoos feeding machanism kicks in with those two factors. There was an independant, experienced zoo hobbiest, who did an experiment with 2 friends, under semi controlled conditions. And of course it was just one test, but his findings were very interesting to say the least. The 3 got together, all water parameters matched, all systems pretty much the same. Ordered zoos and had them delivered. Each took a few frag colonies and did everything the exact same, with the exception of lighting exposure and water flow. Here is the results.
Guy #1- placed frags in tank and continued on as usual with normal water flow and lighting(Actinic/MH).
Guy #2- placed frags in tank and continued on as usual with the exception of not using MH.
Guy #3- placed frags in tank, reduced water flow, placed coral out of direct flow, did not use MH and did not cut actinic lighting on for a day, afterwards minimal actinics, no MH until 5 days later.

Findings
Guy #1- Lost about 2 frag colonies, a couple of polyps very slow to open, not looking very happy.
Guy #2- Lost no zoos, a few frags very slow to open and a few not looking so happy.
Guy #3- Lost no zoos, polyps started opening 1 hour after being introduced to tank, all opening within a few short hours.

Of course it could be a coinscidence, but I found it interesting reading and want to practive this same approach. There's nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

They arrived this afternoon and I am estatic. They all look good and smell good. I am relieved as the trip was a concern for me. I examined them and found everything to be in order. And hindsight is 50/50. If I had of thought about it at the time, I would have pulled some water samples from the coral to get a better idea of their previous environment. Oh well, I'll have to remember that the next time.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/SkurveyDogFragExtreme.jpg

Included in my order was a couple of freebies and my favorite of those were the Christmas Tree Rock. That is so cool! :agree: I can't stop watching those little guys pop in and out of their holes. They were acclimated and seem to be well on their way. I have counted 11 frags so far that have opened up and they all look good. Now, I didn't say that they looked like the "picture" representation. :p As I'm sure there are lighting, water , and various "other" factors to be taken into consideration.

Here is a closer view. Notice how I am fortunate to be able to take such a quality photo. :huh:

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/SkurveyDogFragExtremeCloseUp.jpg

Well, that's where we are at the momento. I am very pleased thus far.

YEAH Lori !!

FYI ... Zoanthids are VERY hardy. i have shipped them using 2 day service and they are almost ALWAYS (99% of the time) great upon arrival. looks like you got some NICE frags there. where did you order from ??

next time you might want to see what i have in the way of Zoas. mine are a little more expensive, but they are HIGH END zoas. check out page 4 of my build thread to see a few of them. i will also have a few green polyp toadstool leather frags very soon, and a few other softies.

woah there Skurvey, that pic is AMAZING! the quality is so good. u can almost see that polyp opening there! haha u MUST have been zoomed in like 600x to take that pic. u were what? a mile away when you took it? pretty good. =P


your tank looks very nice. im jealous of the extra 30gallons that you have over me...and im even more jealous of everyone who has those 250-350gallon tanks.... and im even more more jealous of V for living in Austrailia...lol

V! if i go to austrailia for a vacation...can we stay with you? lol ;-)

Nice Lori! You will have a zoa garden soon!

Thanks guys! Everyone is looking good so far and opened up except for the encrushing green star polyps. I can see their pores coming to the surface, hopefully they are thinking about coming out for a look around.

That container full of frags is the result of me being in a hurry to hop over to TRL Sunday night. :D I was on e-bay looking around and saw a seller with lots of good looking WYSIWYG. (Sea Treasures) And said why not? I knew I needed to get at least 4-5 to offset the Overnight charges. I bid on a bunch of stuff thinking I'd get a couple pieces. The unthinkable happened! And you're looking at it.:agree: Normally I don't bid on something until within the last 2 minutes. 17 frags!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's painful. I can't complain though, as I got killer deals on all of it. The funny thing is while I was choosing what I liked, I picked all color schemes to compliment Vandamere. Different shades of blue, lialac, purple, tans, earthy colors with highlights. Vandamere is a Russell's lion, and he is georgeous. His ocean faerie wings have blue, violet and yellow gentle flowings stripes in them. I can watch him for hours just floating, he is so graceful.

I went online and ordered some more macro algea and a few Seachem products, they should come in some time this week. I got to get well so I can go back to work! I'm spending too much money getting bored and being sick. I'm on week 2 now. :cry:

Bobby, I love the new additions you put in there. Those are awesome. :up: I think my next move is to get some leathers, and some more star polyps. I really like the way they move with the flow in the tanks and adds color. I just want to try to stay as close to the color scheme as I have started. I was thinking about something like those clove polyps? I think that's what they are called. I'll have to do some more research. Oh, and some shrooms. I love those.

And yeah lil Buddy O mine :up: I had my big fat butt hunched a mere breath away from those frags! Lol Ya like that? Glad the ole camera had my eyes covered in case they wanted to retaliate from their road trip. :tongue2: Good to see you on my thread this go round. (Smile)

Thanks CJo for calming the ole nerves there as I was anxious. You're the best. :up:

lol anytime. ;-)

im not sure if i read it on here or not...what kind of lights are you running over your tank? are those PC? or T5?

lol anytime. ;-)

im not sure if i read it on here or not...what kind of lights are you running over your tank? are those PC? or T5?

What I finally decided to go with on my system was this lighting set-up:
48" Aqualight Pro, 2x 250W HQI + 2x 96W Actinic + 3 Blue Moonlight LEDs - 53526

What you see in the pics of my tank are the actinics, as I hadn't hooked up the ballasts for my MH yet. Boy, when you pop those bad boys on, it's a whole new ball game. Lol I couldn't believe the difference. And got the sand shimmer/ripple effect. I'm in wuv!

The lighting was very confusing for me as I wanted to use MH so I would not be limited in what ever types of corals that I choosed. My DT doesn't have a canopy and after this past year with my LFS, there is no one acessable who could build me a lighting system. If you read through my build you can understand my feeling on this. :sick: And I am not capable of electrical DIY. The other items I looked at was the hanging style MD pendants. I liked the 250w flat black ones, but knew I would have to install some actinics through compacts or something. Anyway, since I'm no brain-child, what I got was the easiest for me and ReefKeeper helped me in choosing those. If you have lighting Qs, he's the man. :up:

Awwwww, i wub you too Lori !!

i have just been through all of the brain numbing lighting questions on my own systems before. i know how confusing it can all be with so much info available on the internet. glad i could help.

neat. i gotta get me one of them..haha it looks expensive though..lol i saw the one i would need for my tank..it was like 600$... not gonna happen anytime soon..haha im havin enough trouble tryin to get myself a skimmer...i got 50$ towards it so far...haha refund from XBOX... =D

How about some of those electric blue mushrooms?

neat. i gotta get me one of them..haha it looks expensive though..lol i saw the one i would need for my tank..it was like 600$... not gonna happen anytime soon..haha im havin enough trouble tryin to get myself a skimmer...i got 50$ towards it so far...haha refund from XBOX... =D

Yeppers, that should be Numero Uno right now. It will make all the difference in the world as far as water quality. Right now water changes/cleaning is what's pulling the majority of bio breakdown in your tank. I can't remember if you had a type of filter running now or not. I thought you had something. Anyway, get the skimmer. :tongue2:

How about some of those electric blue mushrooms?

I like those and the watermelons. :up:

Awesome stuff Skurvey. Where did you get them? Maybe you mentioned above, I didn't look.

Dick

Awesome stuff Skurvey. Where did you get them? Maybe you mentioned above, I didn't look.

Dick

Sea Treasures :D

the only filter i have is a sponge from a fluval canister filter cut to size in my sump....with some carbon in there as well....i went pricing today for the skimmer i want, it should cost me about 120$

the only filter i have is a sponge from a fluval canister filter cut to size in my sump....with some carbon in there as well....i went pricing today for the skimmer i want, it should cost me about 120$

I remember you were using something, but I couldn't remember what you said it was. We've talked about so many things. Why is it everything ya gotta have, cost so much! :wall:

Hi Skurvey,

How are things looking this morning? I like the watermelons, too. Recently scored at the Orlando club frag auction on a rock with 7 watermelon shrooms.

Do you have a link to Sea Treasures? I've done a search and can't come up with them, a million other sites but not the one you referred to.

Thanks

Dick

I remember you were using something, but I couldn't remember what you said it was. We've talked about so many things. Why is it everything ya gotta have, cost so much! :wall:

yea..no kidding....this hobby is expensive....its better than what i found it for at one of my lfs.s though...they wanted like 2ce as much for the same thing......eff that...lol

You bought me snacks, sweet! how wonderful !
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/SkurveyDogFragExtreme.jpg

Dick - The frags were on auction on E-bay and the seller was Sea Treasures. Here is a link to her "feedback score" as I went there and she must of sold all she had at the time. She had about 50 frags that end time was Sunday closing bids. They are located in Pennsylvania. Hopefully she will put some more up for auction. There was another vendor that I liked also that had some very nice looking frags, but I don't know what he has left.

eBay My World - sea-treasures-llc (http://myworld.ebay.com/sea-treasures-llc/)

eBay Store - Coral Marine Life: Pet Supplies, Home Garden (http://stores.ebay.com/Coral-Marine-Life)

Everything looks fine, ecept the encrusting green star polyps as they have not opened. I am going to put them in a higher flow area today. Maybe even move them a little higher in the tank too. Just gonna have to figure out what to do with those guys.

just leave them where they are Lori !! it takes them a few days to a week to open back up after shipping. let me know if you are going to want any more of them. you pay shipping and you can HAVE a nice size piece that i have.

Ooooooooooookkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk! :tongue2: I was thinking about moving them. Whew! Glad that I was slow to action. Everything else looks good. Some of their polyps ( 10%) are coming to the surface so I think they are on the mend. I was just worried. Another piece of the stars would be "Wowsers". Let me see how this guy does.

I am about 2 months behind schedule in posting all of my behind the scenes progress, so hopefully by the end of this post, I will be up to date. :cool:

My first fish purchase was a Lion Fish and with him came the necessity of setting up a 10G tank to house his resource for live foods. One of the live foods that he is maintained on is salt water minnows. This tank consists of a SSB/LR, decorator plant life to make it more appealing and a HOB Filter. I am not concerned with a nitrate buildup as it does not have a bio wheel and I do a 50% water change every week. I also use floss in the filter and that is cleaned every other day. I have had no issues with my maintenance as is so far. I also make sure that the live food is generously fed right before the specimen is taken to the DT for feeding. I feel that this will supply a higher nutritional value for Vandamere.

IMG]http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/10GSSBLRFeederFishTank.jpg[/IMG]

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/SWMudMinnows.jpg

Minnows are a varacious eater of plant material and other marine life forms. Because of this, I felt it necessary to provide a 2nd tank to house the Ghost Shrimp. This tank is a 5G BB with a HOB filter also and me being the floss nut that I am as far as water clarity/filtration, it too has the same filter set up as the 10G. Ghost Shrimp are tricky when feeding and the "Just enough" is the key to success with them. Not enough, and they will prey on each other like vampires. Here is an example, stick your finger in a tank full of hungry Ghost and they are like mosquitos. And they do bite, nothing more than a tingling sensation, but I'm sure to another shrimp, if a pack were to ensue upon one helpless victim, well you get the idea. Too much food, and it will quickly contaminate the water and if you have a shrimp die, that pollutes the water over night. Anyone knows if you have a boiled shrimp feast one night, you darn well better wrap those shells up in a plastic bag tight and get them out of your house, cause by morning, well, you think someone has died! :D

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/5GBBGhostShrimpTank.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/10GSSBLRFeederFishTank.jpg

I am pleased so far with the refugium. I was concerned at first with the build as it had a screen table that sat in the bottom of the fuge. On this was crushed coral. Well, me being the nonconformist that I am, did some experimentation on my own. :D It was with some trial and error I assure you. When working with fuges do not ever forget rule #1. Water flow must remain constant. You guessed it, a reduction in that flow creates all sort of disasters in the making. Lol (Overflow!) With trial and error I added mud to the bottom of fuge tank, below the screen. Over that, is a combination of crushed coral and sand. There is a canal, flow through underneath the screen that is filled by the first 2 sections of the sump. This canal method allows the flow of water not to be reduced and still functions at the same flow as the original design. On top of the screen is a very thin layer of sand. The fuge has LR, 3 types of macro algaes, feather dusters, snails, mini stars, and various species of pods. Everything in the fuge is growing quite well and seems to be thriving.

The last section of the sump houses the skimmer and my filtration media. Other filtration medias that I am currently using is a sponge ( more so to down bubble action from water flowing from the fuge. I have flow through bags of carbon, Nitrate removers and of course my fav of them all, FLOSS! One can never have enough floss. Please note though, if you choose to use floss, you must be religiously faithful in cleaning it. I clean my floss every other day. If you do not, it can build up and defeats the entire purpose of all the filtration methods that you have in place. A clean floss is a happy floss. :up:

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/EstablishedRefugium.jpg

I LOVE... My fairy Flowers!

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/SkurveyDogsUnderworldFairyWoods.jpg


http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/SkurveyDogsFugeEstablished.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/SkurveyDogsLargeFeatherDusters.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/SkurveyDogsLargeFeatherDusters1.jpg

Well folks, that's all for now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!;)

And of course through all of this and my illness, I managed to beat Avelond 2 and am now into my action filled adventure journey playing Avelond 1! :rotfl: Strange magical lands transformed from my fantasy affections to my salt water efforts!

Thanks Skurvey!!!

Dick

o man. shes getting fancy with the pictures, adding captions, and even photoshopping herself? into the pics! idk if ill be able to top that! wow!

=P lol j/k.

that sump looks awsomeeee! i like the feather dusters in there. adds a great touch to it. me likey. =)

o man. shes getting fancy with the pictures, adding captions, and even photoshopping herself? into the pics! idk if ill be able to top that! wow!

=P lol j/k.

Awe my lil bubby, you should be thrilled that I am FINALLY starting to feel alive again. (If the high doesage of steroids don't kill me :wow: ) I sort of liked it as it gave the impression of me standing in front of a giant aquarium underwater display! :p And........... HA! I fossilized quite well for my old age! :mrgreen:

that sump looks awsomeeee! i like the feather dusters in there. adds a great touch to it. me likey. =)

I got the dusters for my nano and then thought, hey, let's put them in the fuge. I did, they look good in there and seem to be thriving. I'm happy!:D

lol thats a good idea.....i would do somethin like that if i had a large enough sump, and a sump that didnt have a monster of a hermit crab and an eel living in it...lol oh...and also a light....haha

also....got a pic of mr. lionfish? =]

You know PVT, you can buy just a florescent light strip, one like comes for a freshwater tank and light your fuge with that. That's what I have right now and it works. Didn't costa lot either.

Here's my Ocean Fairy :D

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/VandamereInTheCorner.jpg

I keep telling him he's a fairy as he is so graceful in motion. He personally seems to think he likes the dark side. :evil: During the daylight hours he likes to hang upside-down and pretend he is a bat! :p He loves his corner of the tank and his rock formation has a neat platform like disk shaped coral rock. He likes to laze on top of that also when he feels more socialable.

yeaaaa..i know how lions are. haha give him some time and he will start comin out....mine always hid on me until about a month of being in the tank....i am really thinking about getting one again for my tank,(i miss my killer =[ .. ) most likely a dwarf fuzzy. since theyre really small for a juvi..

he is def. gorgeous though. =)

does he accept frozen yet? or still only live? watching my one stubborn lionfish eat live was a cool experience. he rarley accepted silversides..he didnt survive long enough for me to train him to eat the frozen.

Thanks lil buddy. :up: They are pretty cool. I watch him very closely as I can see a slight pigment change in him, according to his moods, happy, very curious, and then cautious. He is maintained on live foods, however, he has taken a non live food before, twice only, and that was because he was very hungry. I feed him every 3 days. And if he comes to the top on his side, that is a signal that he is hungry, so I will feed him a shrimp or two. He is not an overeater and is pleased quite readily. I might get one more fish in the next few months, but not sure. I have plenty of time to think about that.

so Lori, how are the new zoanthids doing ?? got any pics of them in their new home ??

Hey Lori,

Everything looks nice! You have reset the bar on fuges, Bobby is really going to get on me about my dirty one!

You mentioned feeding the minnows before giving them to Vandamere and I think that is smart. If you don't already, I'd soak the food for the minnows in vitamins and garlic in order to get them into your fairy fish.

so Lori, how are the new zoanthids doing ?? got any pics of them in their new home ??

Imma work'n on it. :D I have let my home go for 2 weeks and I am trying desparately to rent a bulldozer and get it in here to clean this place back up! :eek: Other than that, I have been really working on my tanks. I will get some picks hopefully tomolly. The coloring of the frags I have do not exactly match the pics when I bought them, and I am not thinking that possibly it is due to some other type of lighting than I have. Hmmmm. Just not sure. I have also when working with my water parameters and trying to get them perfect, but you know it just takes time and slow moving is the best thing to progress.

Hey Lori,

Everything looks nice! You have reset the bar on fuges, Bobby is really going to get on me about my dirty one!

You mentioned feeding the minnows before giving them to Vandamere and I think that is smart. If you don't already, I'd soak the food for the minnows in vitamins and garlic in order to get them into your fairy fish.

Ya know Cjo, you're always a couple of steps ahead of me and I like that! :tongue2: Brilliant idea, if I must say so. And yes I do try to keep everything clean, as I have had an ongoing problem with nitrates for some reason. Like I mentioned in previous posts, I clean my floss, filtration mediums and skimmer every other day. I clean the glass every day. I keep moving around the Koralias to change up the water flow and I still have nitrates popping up. I just started about a week ago scrubbing the diatoms of my live rock and I know they have to be caused by the nitrates. Where the hades are they coming from? I test 0 amonia, o nitrites, o Phosphates. My alk was a little low around 7.9, and my calcium was low also coming in at 360. I added some buffer because of the combination of the two hoping to stabalize them. I also added calcium to the tank also. Hang on, let me test the 2 real quick..... be right back!

Well, not much has changed. Ph is reading 8.0 and calcium reads still 360. Well, I just don't know. I do know that I did not use the recommended dosage as I would rather under dose than over. I only used 50% recommended dosage. I just don't want to push the water parameter too fast as I have a lot riding on my tank right now, those frags cost plenty! :huh: I just can't figure out what's fueling the nitrates. I did a 30g water change Friday and have prepped another 30 gallons for tomarrow. They keep wanting to rise to 10. I am concerned for my frags. I just don't see the colors that was in those pictures and I just wish that I knew if it was the type of lighting they used when taking the pics or they are being affected by my water. Make sense? And yes, I am a worry wart. I just know if I can finally get parameters exactly what they need to be, hopefully I can stabalize everything and keep it there. I bought another gallon baggie of spagetti macro and have some special nitrate reducer medium on the way. I know water changes is my answer, but I know what I'm seeing here. Water change brings the trates down and in 2 days time, they're right back up there. Theres gotta be something somewhere causing this issue that I am overlooking. I think I am going to wait till 24 hours after my intial dosing and take reading again before I add more calcium. Chemistry was never one of my strong points as you can well tell. Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated. Thanks! :up:

wow not kidden, fuge envy.

Have you calculated the load going into the tank. You have rock & plenty of macro but very little in the way of sand bed from what ive seen, & thats not more than a page at this stage i think - slacko aren't i ? lol

nitrate sponge is a medium patch, increase your water changes by 5 -10% a week, bring your dosing up to normal levels over the next 2 weeks or so & monitor it at a consistent time every time to be sure of any trends.

Nitrate reactor can be deployed & at a few hundred $ for a quality unit are a worth while investment if your able to concede your load in doesn't always equate to your load out. Dont worry about 10 parts for the nitrate, Unless of course they are ultra sensitive animals, but ive seen perfectly healthy reef tanks up to & exceeding 40 parts & still displaying beautifully.
Of course we aim for the lowest values possible i guarantee that people reading this very line would have experienced higher values than that.

A few others will chime in soon, but let us know how it goes my girl!

wow not kidden, fuge envy.

Have you calculated the load going into the tank. You have rock & plenty of macro but very little in the way of sand bed from what ive seen, & thats not more than a page at this stage i think - slacko aren't i ? lol

Thanks V as I always can use good advice! Tank is stocked with the 1 lion, 1medium hermit crab, 10 snails. I know I need to throw about another 20 snails in there, but I want to get various species as I find a mix of them meets various needs of the tanks I have. I'm not real hip on crabs at all and the hermits are ok. I just only want the 1 I have as I have found that they are a little more agressive than I care for. Heres the only nutrient input to the tank as far as feeding routine goes right now. Vandamere gets 1 minnow every 3rd day, and some times I will only feed him about 10-12 Ghost instead of the fish. Maybe once a week, he'll come to the top and hover there waiting for me, as a signal that he is hungry. I will normally comply to his wishes with 2-3 shrimp to please him. The hermit crab gets maybe 2 sinking pellets once every 5 days as he hangs out on the rocks and finds food sources. I only feed him when he starts his back and forth journey across the front of the tank. Funny to watch. I have observed him cleaning up detrious from the lion, before I could get in there and siphon it out. I spot feed the dusters 2 times a week with phytoplankton about 10cc. That's it. Do you think I am overfeeding? I just don't want to malnurish my inhabitants.

nitrate sponge is a medium patch, increase your water changes by 5 -10% a week, bring your dosing up to normal levels over the next 2 weeks or so & monitor it at a consistent time every time to be sure of any trends.

In the previous months I had been doing a 20g water change every 7-10 days. After I got sick, I started paying closer attention to testing every day and started seeing the current trend that I am in. Like I said, Friday I bumped up the total volume change to 30g and will continue that trend until I see the results I am looking for which is a zero reading across the board. The filter mediums that I am currently using is for the total water volume and are carbon, Seachem De'Nitrate, Floss, and I also added some of that product called Chemipure. I have also ordered some Seachem Purigen and will put that in place when it arrives.
And I keep these media cleaned also as I have a fear of them becoming a nitrate factory.

Nitrate reactor can be deployed & at a few hundred $ for a quality unit are a worth while investment if your able to concede your load in doesn't always equate to your load out. Dont worry about 10 parts for the nitrate, Unless of course they are ultra sensitive animals, but ive seen perfectly healthy reef tanks up to & exceeding 40 parts & still displaying beautifully.
Of course we aim for the lowest values possible i guarantee that people reading this very line would have experienced higher values than that.

I would absolutely love to have a RDSB, but am limited with space. I also, like you mentioned, looked at some of the nitrate reactors, but wondered if they really had that much of an impact. And I find that there are many to choose from and all use different types of media, but along the same lines of course. If I got one, I'd like one whose media is not that darn expensive to keep loaded. From what I could tell, they were housed in the sump and they require their on pump? I don't want to spend more than $300 on a unit and that of course would include the first go round of media to get it up and running. Do you have any reactors that you are familiar with or heard good things about? I don't want to jump the gun and buy something, only to find out 6 months down the road that if I had just "gave the moolah up" for another 50-100 bucks I could have had the ultimate reefers tool at nitrate management! :D At my age, I've learned that you get what you pay for and it's worth the extra bucks to get the next step up. What are your thoughts on this? In a couple of months, if I can get the water parameters adjusted and keep them there, I'd eventually like to see myself with the standard 10g a week water change. I hope that isn't a dreamers wish. PS- The RO/DI unit comes in hands down as the best investment to save money that I have yet to spend! It's in overdrive my friend. :up:

A few others will chime in soon, but let us know how it goes my girl!

I hope you're right buddy O'mine, as I really would like to get all the feedback that I can at the moment with my current situation and really want some input on the nitrate reactors right now and how our members rate what's on the market right now.

very little in the way of sand bed from what ive seen, & thats not more than a page at this stage i think - slacko aren't i ? lol

Oh yeah, I almost forgot..... Were you speaking about the sand level in the DT or the fuge? I originally started with a 4"DSB in the DT, and it is down just a touch with the cleaning. Do you feel I need to start adding more sand to the DT slowly and do it in small sections over a period of time and bring it up to a 6"DSB? Or were you mentioning the shallow layer over the screen in the fuge? The fuge is fed by a floor level section coming from a waterfall tank to the left and that is the reason why I had to channel the flow with the sand, CC and mud as it slowed down the flow too much and created problems. Do you think I need to add more sand on top of the screen? More LR? Any sugestions would be appreciated as I am in the learning mode here!

i would love to have a DSB in my tank, i think it looks a whole lot better,i can barley see any of my sand right now because of the black trim of my tank. the sand barely exceeds that height... it stinks. i want to find a big bag of aragonite sand, like 50lbs and pour it in there. i know there are benefits to having the dsb's but i mainly want it for the good looks of having one.

Olah PVT :) What do you have in your tank now? About 40lbs? If I remember correctly, without pulling up my tank build/testing journal, I believe I started with about 150lbs and that was mixed substrate of various sizes. Seems like I only used 1 40lbs of live reef sand to seed the whole sand bed, as the rest was dry. There's always ways to cut corners and save a little cash here and there. I've heard from others that when adding sand over an existing sand band, that it needs to be done in sections slowly so that you do not disturb the organisms living there. If you get the sand buy the dry and by the 50lb bags as they are a better buy, or at least I have found it to be here at our LFS. Just make sure you wash that stuff really good before you add it and you know about the sand storms deally. :D I think if I add more sand, I;m gonna put it in a wide container with about 2" sides and lower that into the tank and go to the bottom and turn it over and see if that doesn't help with the storm. Hey for that matter, the more I think about it. I am going to try this. :agree: I'll wash my sand until I feel it is suitable and then lay it out on plastic in the sun to dry. After it dries, I'll put it back in a container and I'm gonna find something to make a large funnel out of, some container or bottle. I'm going to attach that to a piece of pipe, maybe flexable and lower that to the sand bed and then start pouring the dry sand down the funnel and see what kind of results I get from that. That way I'm thinking I can control the precise area that I want to be working with and there won't be a big mess also. Whadda ya think? Hey, gotta start somewhere and you never know if something will work or not until you give it a try. It'll either be far right field or right on target!

haha i wish i had 40lbs...i think i have about 25lbs at the moment...unfortunately... i plan on getting more though.

Well guys, I'm hoping that you catch up on this thread as I still have some of those questions that I'd like to get some feedback on. I know everyone is busy.

I spent quite some time tonight perusing my DT and was amazed at the exploding population of various pods in my tank. I am assuming that they have been busy being pumped out of my sump/fuge into my DT. They are everywhere! It is awesome to watch. The smallest are on the sides of the tank and the others, well, they are crawling all over my LR and even the sand. I would venture to say that there must be over 500 in there. And I'm not exagerating. My LR looks cleaner, crisper and the diatoms are disappearing. I have coraline algae growing on my coral branches and color is starting to spring up everywhere. The branches appear to be turning pink. Absolutely georgeous. My new coral frags look like they are adjusting nicely, but the star polyps are still slow coming out. They have yet to fully extend their polyps and it has been over a week now. Should I give them more time or do you think that I need to try to place them in a higher flow area with more light? I am in the dark here and could use some advice please. I have also noticed that Vandamere is becoming more active also and his appetite is increasing as he is begging more in between meals. I am taking this as a good sign, but will not increase his normal feeding at this point. He is a lil piggy ... oink, oink :yum:

I haven't felt real swell today and didn't get to take any pics of the new frags, but will try to do that tomorrow if I am able.

Howdy Skurvey, hope you get to feeling better. GSP can be terribly tempremental sometime for being such a tough coral. When I moved some from my 120 to my nano, they were closed for well over a week, and when i moved them back into the 120 from the nano, they were closed for nearly 3 weeks. They always came back just fine though.

Any idea what conditions they were kept under before?

SD - corals can sometimes just rest for awhile. Even under normal conditions one week they can visually act alive 24/7, other times only test the waters for 2 days in 7. Being moved will almost certainly take effect in various ways,& corals like people will react in different ways. however if your parameters are correct then i suggest not worrying so much. Your meant to be enjoying your animals, not stressing about them.

Any idea what conditions they were kept under before?

Unfortunately, not a clue. I had realized, after the fact of course, that what I should of done is taken some water samples from the water that the frags were shipped in. Too little too late, but I'll be sure to do that next time. Surely the water composition would not have changed or deteriated withing a 18 hour period.

SD - corals can sometimes just rest for awhile. Even under normal conditions one week they can visually act alive 24/7, other times only test the waters for 2 days in 7. Being moved will almost certainly take effect in various ways,& corals like people will react in different ways. however if your parameters are correct then i suggest not worrying so much. Your meant to be enjoying your animals, not stressing about them.

Yes Papa V :love!: It's just when one is not highly experienced and confident, that the overdrive is running on nitrous. I will try to gear back a few notches. The only time ignorance is bliss is when a tasty morsel, or the last of the VO has mysteriously disappeared. :rolleyes:

i was with you till the VO comment. ?????

Seagrams VO, Triple distilled goodness.

Hi Lori,

I've been super busy (our Polish exchange daughter was "home" for a visit) and have not seen your thread for a week. First of all the colors could differ because of the lights but they could have been enhanced with Photoshop. It is not uncommon for online retailers to do this.

While your goal for nitrates should be zero 10 is acceptable for the inhabitants in your tank. How often are you changing your carbon? (BTW Chemipure is really just carbon. It is good but expensive.) I use a smaller amount of carbon (3-4 TBS) and change it weekly. This avoids detritus building up in the carbon and fueling nitrates. I started doing this after hearing one of the talks at MACNA.

Hello CJo! I use 1 large mesh roll bag and change it every 2 months. I clean the mediums every other day. I also added 250ml of Purigen to the system and from that, Vandamere seems to be more active. So I don't really know if it was me trying to get the ph/ca corrected or the purigen. Maybe a little of both. I do know that the tank and rock look much better, no more diatoms. Coraline algea of pinks is taking over and starting to look good.

The diatoms are just a part of a new tank that you have to put up with! Glad Vandamere is looking better. If you continue to see the nitrates creep up I would consider the carbon as a source. Even with the filter floss catching most of the detritus in 2 months you will get nitrifing bacteria n built up.

Skurvey,

Second, you learned early-on that your LFS is not trustworthy both in keeping appointments and knowledge. It's common knowledge among experienced aquarists that the worst place to seek advice is the very place you'd think of to go first, your LFS. It's sad but true, IME over 90% of LFSs are the worst place to get advice.

Sorry you had to experience that. Glad you learned it early. Happy you found TR.
Dick


I don't necessarily agree. Shop around...talk to the folks who run the LFS in your area. There are lots of good stores out there, you just need to do your homework on them just like in all other areas. :)

I Love your refugium setup! Very cute pics!

I have a tip for helping to keep the phosphates and nitrates down. Get a turkey baster next time you visit the grocery store. Use this to blast all the detritious and fish waste plus uneaten food off the rocks and into the water column. Make sure to keep some type of filter pad in your filtration to collect the particles (I like the PURA pads by Magnavore, but any of the many available will do.) Make sure you rinse the pad out often. By doing so you'll remove a lot of the cause of both.

Your tank looks to be doing well. Continued good luck and MORE PICS!!!! :)

I don't necessarily agree. Shop around...talk to the folks who run the LFS in your area. There are lots of good stores out there, you just need to do your homework on them just like in all other areas. :)

I tried to do my homework and there is 2 LFS in this city and I checked both out. One in the next city is a head shop behind the back door and then there is another one 2 cities away which isn't too bad. And I spoke with individuals about the LFS of choice who I got to originally do my work and all good things were said about them. So everything I have done was based on this information.

I Love your refugium setup! Very cute pics!

I have a tip for helping to keep the phosphates and nitrates down. Get a turkey baster next time you visit the grocery store. Use this to blast all the detritious and fish waste plus uneaten food off the rocks and into the water column. Make sure to keep some type of filter pad in your filtration to collect the particles (I like the PURA pads by Magnavore, but any of the many available will do.) Make sure you rinse the pad out often. By doing so you'll remove a lot of the cause of both.

Your tank looks to be doing well. Continued good luck and MORE PICS!!!! :)

Thanks! I also use a turkey baster and reposition one of my #3 Koralias to clean my LR twice a week. I also use a mat filter and floss to polish my water and it works like a charm. :up: I've never used PURA pads, is it a material that can be cut and adjusted to the size needed like a mat filter fiber or is it a pre-made pad that comes in different sizes? Also, what is the life of one of those pads? Thanks!

I don't necessarily agree. Shop around...talk to the folks who run the LFS in your area. There are lots of good stores out there, you just need to do your homework on them just like in all other areas. :)

Marcye,

If you read this thread from the beginning you would realize I was referring to the LFS that Lori used to set up her tank in the beginning. And while your store is not in the same category as most, it is still a challenge for most beginners to find a LFS with reputable help that can accurately answer questions for beginners. It's not the owners of LFS that are the problem, it's the help they tend to hire. Most hobbyists with knowledge are not working for the LFS for minimum wage. There are countless stories on every forum about dubious information passed out by the LFSs.

Dick

You are quite correct there Dick! :up: I do NO business with the LFS that I had to deal with in the beginning. I use the other local one as I met the owner and his partner in crime. :D Both are very good and I might add, I do question them and they will tell me when their knowledge base is lacking on certain inquiries I make. I have developed a good relationship with them, they give me breaks all the time on purchases because I am a regular and will order anything that I require, all I have to do is ask. I do not deal with any of their store help as the owner makes it a point to help me himself. I am very pleased to say the least. They are fine people.

same here. i have 3 different lfs within 10 minutes from my house. one, which is the closest happens to be the best one, very knowledgeable, the owners are great people and never give bad info.also, their fish are well taken care of. the next closest is an alright store...sometimes have good livestock and they sometimes have good prices....the last one, which is the farthest...is absolutely horrible. overpriced, the guy there thinks he knows everything and thinks that his way is the only way to get it right. which is absolute BS. hes never got anything good. everything has ick or is half dead. these people say that they have been successful in reefkeeping for over 10 years...and i dont see how. =\


anyway..yea....thats how it is in my area....

Hey Lil Buddy :cool: Good to see you back. Probably pulling some long hours? Good/decent LFS are hard to come by, but when you find them, they treat you right. I went today myself and got 2 leathers and another kenya. :D Finally went back to work today myself for 1/2 a day after 4 weeks and I am wore out. I hate this recooperation stuff!

yea...im still around..lol

i been keeping myself busy lately. i have been checking out the forums but never really posted anything. and unfortunately nothing has progressed with my tank. which kinda stinks. the only thing that ive bought was a new shell for my monster hermit last night. ill try to post a pic of him when i take one. lol but anwyay..yea..ill continue that in my thread..haha im glad ur tank is improving though. =] good job.

and dont you just love work! isnt it great! =P

Hey Lori,
I had no idea you were still off work. I'm glad to know that you are making forward progress.

I will try to catch my tank thread up to date as it has been a short while. 2008 has not been too kind to me health wise and I am hoping that it will plane off and stabilize into an even keal and even some much needed joy and happiness. I have met my medical insurance deductable and look forward to my summer fun in the sun, on the water and all that it brings... fun, excitement, a trip or two to the ER, never a dull moment in my household. We will be steering clear of sharks and sting rays this year my friend. Plenty of other dangerous and poisoness marine creatures to discover! With that said, let us proceed to something more interesting. :D

When I last left off, I was having difficulty in improving my water quality. I had 0 amonia, 0 nitrites, 10 nitrates, 380 calcium and a ph of 8.0. (This was the best I could manage on my own with the ph and calcium as I have found trying to raise one affected the other and visa versa. And we all know I am not a chemist. :wow: ) I would like to further reduce my nitrates to a non readable number, increase my calcium and ph values. After much struggling, I finally came to my senses and turned to a think tank that has always been there for me in the past.... Dick, aka Amphibious. :agree: I have chosen him for my mentor and feel that with 40+ years of experience, I sure can't go wrong and anything is better than my own trial and errors. And we all know errors in this hobby is rather a hefty price for stupidity! Funny how when money is an issue, we get smarter by the minute.

Let me post a few pics here, before I continue forth with my instruction from the master. :D

You all know that my main squeeze is Van.... Vandamere. I adore him and he goes along with my suggestions. What a guy!
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/VanInTheKitchen.jpg

LOL, great caption!

I certainly don't think you can g wrong with Dick as a mentor :)

Yep, you said it! , and congrats on the reachout, cant go wrong.

Here is a prime example of why I am not partial to crabs, hermit crabs or any other invertabrate with claws that like to grab, dig, chew and basically rearrange my DT! I much prefer snails, with soft, smooth, slimy mouths that leave things orderly, algae free and clean. The only way you know they been there is it's clean!
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/ChristmasTreeRock.jpg

I'm running out of bribes for Van to be included in my stupid sense of humour. :rolleyes:
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/VandamereMealtimeHumour.jpg

Now the brief intermission is over............. :cool:

I spoke with Dick about getting another Koralia, a #1 this time to help the flow in my nano. And then I broached the subject of my main DT and told Dick about the current problems that I am having. Of course Dick, gotta love him, is always so eager to help. I sure do appreciate is patience and diligence, He suggested to me about using Ocean Blend. I have agreed to use the 2 part Ocean Blend along with Ocean Blend Magnesium to correct my calcium and Ph issues. And I will not even tell you what I think right yet. I'll let you be the judge of that one!

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/GroupOfLeatherCoralBeforeOceanBlend.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/LeatherFingerCoralBeforeOceanBlend.jpg

Just 3 days of using supplements that Dick suggested! Only 3 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/LeatherFingerCoralAfter3DaysUsingOc.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/LeatherCoral.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/LeatherFingerCoral.jpg

NEED I SAY MORE?????????????

You all know that my main squeeze is Van.... Vandamere. I adore him and he goes along with my suggestions. What a guy!
I thought you were talking about a BF or hubby. You are referring to Vandamere the Lion fish. Squeeze him gently, please. :rotfl:

I finally came to my senses and turned to a think tank that has always been there for me in the past.... Dick, aka Amphibious. :agree: I have chosen him for my mentor and feel that with 40+ years of experience, I sure can't go wrong and anything is better than my own trial and errors.
Oh, Dear Lori, thank you but, please, please be careful putting me up there. I'm afraid of heights and hurt real bad when I fall. I can only promise to do the best of my ability for you.

Dick

OMG, It's working!!! :wow::D:)

My ph has risen already to 8.1 and my calcium has risen to 400. I do realize that I still have a little ways to go, but gosh darn, you really have no idea how I've struggled. :shout: I'm finally making progress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yippee skippy! And my corals are LUV'N EVERY MINUTE OF IT.....

I am still being faithful with the water changes and hope that with persistance, the number (Nitrates) will slowly come down with time. Summer is fast appoaching and it is time to incorporate some methods of keeping my tank temp down. It runs between 80-82 degrees. I have been doing some reading and will also pick Dick's brain on some methods to avoid installing a chiller.

Well, I'll try to take some more pics of the other corals in my DT that I didn't get a chance to show you in this go round. But let me leave you with a shot of my love.............. Electric Blue!

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg59/Skurvey_Dog/90%20Gallong%20Reef%20Setup/ElectricBlue.jpg

Beautiful!!!