Levels 1 month in

So to start I have a 75 gallon with 80lbs LR. IVe had the tank up and running for a month. The LR was from a tank up a few years. I currently have apx 20 snails and a pair of mated false percula clowns. My levels are:

PH- 8.2

Salinity- 1.025

Ammonia- 0

Nitrites- 0

Nitrates- 1

Phosphates- 1

dKH- 12

Calcium- 460



I had some brown algae as I cycled which the snails have taken care of. I now have a little bit of green algae but I'm definitely seeing much more corraline algae on my rocks. At these levels would you think it's ok to add a serpent sea star?

not sure what it is.

Im setting up a another pico tank and I put my live rock in last night and I checked on it this morning and there was this little white bug looking thing running around my tank. I've been trying too get a picture of it but it wont stop moving. Its about the size of a grain of rice and stays on the rock. sorry for the crappy description and no pictures, if it lets me take a picture of it I'll post it when I get it. Not sure if they've always been in my tanks and I've never noticed them or what. Any help is apreciated.

Stocking 75 gallon with sump

I just got a 75 gallon tank and I have a kole tang, a blue chromis, and a cleaner shrimp along with some snails/crabs. The tank has a 20 gallon sump so I was wondering how many fish I can put in the tank. I have heard of the "one fish per 10 gallons rule" but does the 20 gallon sump allow me to have 2 more fish on top of the 6-7 fish already? It might be a dumb question but I am new to this hobby! Thanks!

Bloated Puffer

I have 3 gsp in a salt tank. I have had them for about 8 months. In the last week one has become a little bloated with a bulge on his right side/my left. he is eating fine swimming fine he is a little darker than normal on top but his belly is still light. He doesn't have ich or worms or anything like that. any suggestions would be nice

What's The Best Powerhead for me?

I have a coral life biocube 29. I would like to get one powerhead and keep it fairly affordable. What's the best one for me to get for my sized tank?

Invert updates

Hey, everyone :wavey: just wanted to post a some updates on the well being of a couple of my inverts.





Last month I found my banded serpent star in less than stellar condition. Silversides are a big no-no apparently as they can and will bust through the test of the starfish! :eek: he had a quarter sized hole in his half dollar disc. After focusing on thorough water changes and stability, he's almost completely healed.



Thanks, Connor, for letting me know that they can survive this. I was ready to pull him out and call it a day!





And some of you may know the oh-so-lovely story of the Petco LTA rescue. Mislabeled, bleached, unburied, a couple inches big. He recovered some zooxanthella in my system, but he recently started reaching up to receive more light. Not happy.



I stopped by a club member's house last night and bought a black box just for him. He's starting to bury his column again. I hope he's happy. If I need to, I'll have optics added to the light later.









I would add more pics but for some reason I keep getting the same URL for every one...

Snail Casualties?

Over the past year, my tank has lost almost all of the snails it had started with, and I was wondering if this was usual with marine tanks. About how long is the lifespan of your typical snail (turbo, astrea, etc.)? Do they have to be replaced yearly or is this just something happening to me? Any info would be appreciated.

this is weird I'm new and I need help

Just watch the video he had ich copperd him with cuprimene for 2 weeks ich went away waited 2 weeks seemed fine now this

Plumbing frag tank into main display

I ordered this frag tank:

http://ift.tt/1LvQ74T



I was wondering what would be the best drain to use on it and should I just use my main tanks return pump to pump water to this tank to? Or is a new pump in order? I have a Eheim 3000 return pump on my 50g display right now. For the drain i was thinking a Herbie overflow and use 3/4 pvc for the drain and 1/2 pvc for the retun.



Any thoughts?

Possible Pod explosion?

Greetings all,



I am trying to identify a large amount of little white specs on my glass this morning. I used my super secret spy device (magnifier glass) to take a photo of the invaders. It looks like some type of Pod to me but i have been unable to identify them.



Attachment 115811



Any Ideas?

Attached Images

image1.jpg (50.5 KB)

Filter question

I have a Aqueon QuietFlow Aquarium Power Filters



My question May be stupid but instead of buying the filter pads that goes into it can I use maybe an old sock or something else? Your thoughts? ???

clownfish breeding pair

So I was wondering if It is possible to breed a tomato clownfish with a clarki clown. If so I would also like to see what it would look like!



Thanks!

Adding New Chromis to a School

I got me a small school of blue/green chromis yesterday. I got five for $20 at my LFS. I love the look of them how they swim together. Could I add more later or, if I wanted to do that, should I do it now or not at all? I would probably do nine at the most by adding another four.

HELP!!! is my anemone dying

hi, I bought the bta yesterday, when I put it in the tank it settled straight away and opened up fully, and everything seemed ok, until this morning when the lights where off I noticed it was deflated and drooping down and the mouth was wide open, I just thought it was because the lights where off but the lights have been on for over 4 hours now and it still hasn't improved.

All my other corals are fine and ive tested the water and everything is as it should be, it is an established tank over 2 years now, and im using the tmc ilumenair led lights.

ive put pictures on and 1 from yesterday.

thanks.

Attached Images

	IMG_2745.JPG (226.3 KB)
	IMG_2753.JPG (217.6 KB)
	IMG_2755.JPG (185.8 KB)

Saturday eats

Good mawnin', TRT!



Coffee is ready. Plenty of juice for Dave and everyone else. Take your pick, the magic of TRT supplies that they are endless.



Breakfast appetizer is oatmeat with cranberries, brown sugar and cinnamon. I know someone will be offering something else soonish.



Off to work in a bit. The staff is having a covered dish lunch, and the theme is bacon. So I'm taking mac 'n cheese in retaliation ;)



Lots of love and hugs and peace and healing to all!

Spreading tube thingy...

Can anyone ID this please?



It started off just 1 or 2 but now there is about 15 of them :help:



Thanks

Attached Images

	image1.JPG (156.7 KB)
	image2.JPG (123.7 KB)
	image3.JPG (148.4 KB)
	Tank-BehindRock.jpg (53.4 KB)

Thank the world for reef keeping.

It seems that the past two months have put me in the lowest mental part of my life. Everything has crumbled in what I called my peaceful schedule of a life. My parents separated, I lost my relationship, I fell down my stairs and hurt my right side of my body, and due to chemical issues near my room I am having various side effects along with depression that Lower me further. However, there is always one thing there for me, that keeps me going. My reef tank. The lower I get mentally, the harder I work on it. It's my getaway, and my release. It's looking amazing right now, and I find myself watching it on end, losing track of time. It never disappoints, and it's always there. I want to thank all of you, for all the help and advice I have received, all positive and kind of course. It means the world, and it pushes me along. Reef keepers, keep feeding, and keep sharing, because it might just be keeping others going, too.

Regular tank cleaning

I am fairly new to the saltwater-tank community and have few questions about keeping the tank clean. When I do my water changes, is it necessary to sift through the sand to suck up any of the crap that finds its way there? If so, do I need to worry about removing the live rock to clean underneath it? I do have a Goby in my tank, and he goes through the sand every once in a while but I am still noticing some extra food and such in the sand surface.

To cook or not to cook?

Thought I had it all decided but after reading more about it, Im not so sure....



My rock, was bought dry and cycled in my 135g which was a failure. I dried it and bleached it, then used it all in the 135 as a cichlid tank.Then I sold the 135 but kept the rock. Bleached again and let dry in Florida sun for 2 weeks. Stored for ~6 months then used ~40lbs in my current 45g tank last 8 months. Went through terrible brown stringy algae phase for 7 weeks then all cleared up and been fine IMO. I removed all rock with no coral on it and let it dry, then built the structures for my new 90g with the intentions of "cooking" it. But I started reading up on the process and came across several instances where, bleaching or acid dips were recommended in a situation like this when saving beneficial organisms isn't the goal, but removing phosphates is.



Don't want to do anything just to do it but don't want to short cut it either. My goal is to clean this rock to be equal to "fresh" dry rock that will be seeded with 3lbs of coralline covered LR from my current tank.



So hit me...What are the opinions?

Power heads and sand problem!!!!

Hello. Maybe I'm wrong I have a 55gal tank with live rock and live sand. I have 2 power heads 1 on each side wall of my tank. I feel as though I have good flow. But my problem is, it's seems to me the power heads are always blown sand into the air of the tank which drives me cray plus it blown sand on to my rocks as well drives me nuts!!!!! What should I do or how do I fix it might I add no coral and at this time no plans to do it until I master the fish only part

arrow crab

Will an arrow crab hurt snails or a torch coral and eat baby bristol worm s

Help me with my tank upgrade

Hello,

I currently have a 20g tank that I want to upgrade to a 75g. How do I use my current equipment to cycle the new tank without killing everything in my old tank? Thank you for any help

Just got my LEDs how bright do I start?

I just got my LEDs in. They are the ones off eBay. I see everyone post about what they are running now, but what % do you start at so you don't shock your corals?

Is this a pest?

found these things about a week ago on my corals, i haven't touched them but i'm a little curious/worried as to what they are. Can somebody tell me what these are and if they can harm my corals/tank? If they can, whats the best way to get rid of them?

theres one my zoas, favites coral, and mushroom frag. here are the pics









sorry about bad quality, taken with iphone.

Identify please

I have a couple corals that i am wondering what they are.



#1 First is this guy, i am trying to get my tanks params in order cause he was much taller at the LFS when i got him last friday.







#2 Kinda blends in he is green, above my pink anemone but below the bubble coral







#3 The pink guy i got from a friend, trying to get him to open up







Last but not least i want to show off my pink bubble tip anemone.



:rolleyes:

Sea Urcin

Is it normal for a sea urchin to eat a crab?

I started with an emerald crab and then added a pencil urchin. I just looked and the urchin is eating the crab.

I guess the circle of life happens in a tank. :eek:

cloudy water, bacteria bloom?

My tank has all of a sudden become cloudy. I am 99% sure it is due too a bacteria bloom. I have read that it makes pH drop rapidly, which is what I am currently experiencing. My tank is fairly new(3 months). Diatoms are gone, water is good, except pH. There is a bit of green algae on glass, but I believe it is from an accidental overdose of phytofeast. I am currently dripping a solution to maintain pH. The day after I stop dripping the pH will fall to around 7.5. Any way to get rid of this without dosing anything unnatural, unless its my last resort. Or is this a game of patience? Thanks.

Skimz SN143 Monzter Mini Protein Skimmer?

http://ift.tt/1wJuUJX



Does anyone have any experience with this skimmer? I've been thinking about replacing my corallife HOB skimmer with something like this. The price seems unbeatable. I have a 75gallon tank, this skimmer says it's rated for up to 237 gallons or 900 liters. It's cheap, looks like it works great. My Coralife HOB skimmer is a pile of garbage. So I'm strongly considering this.

How to Remove Chloramines with your RO/DI System

How to Remove Chloramines with your RO/DI System



In this video, we give you the rundown on chloramine, teach you how to test for it and provide some helpful tips on how to remove it from your tap water.

How much flow for 90g?

I am currently running 68x flow (3100gph) in my 45g tank. It keeps detritus off the floor and gets in the filter sock/sump for easier removal. My intentions were to simply double this for my new 90g- Same foot print just taller.



What are thoughts regarding flow in a minimally scaped 90g BB? I plan to try my hand at mostly LPS and SPS with this tank but maybe a few softies.

bristle worms

I caught a red worm with white legs looks like a centapeid what is that it's about 3 to 4 inches long.is it a bad thing

biocube led upgrade

Have a coralife biocube 29. .. cycled and running for 4 months... well.. newbie here added several corals and 2 clownfish and an entire clean up crew... All is well as I use rodi water and check parameters frequently. Now... stock pc aren't good enough or are they?.. been looking at all led upgrades... would prefer to keep the stick hood. Has anyone used proledsupply? .. It's plug and play with little mods and can go back to stock lights if I choose. Steves and rapid have a laundry list of extras that skyrocket the price to about 400... Im not growing any sps so what is the best easiest most cost effective and not have to go to college to install kit?.. I'm handy but I don't work for radio shack... thanks in advance

Snapping in the day and night? ruh roh...

Hello TRT Community,



I was home sick yesterday and was laying on my couch watching T.V. when I could suddenly hear distinct snapping sounds coming from my tank. At first I thought it was the floor settling (wood floor and this house i'm in CONSTANTLY settles), but it persisted throughout the day, and a lot more at night.



I'd hear maybe a snap, then 5 mins later 1-2 snaps, then maybe 20 mins later another snap, etc.



Not often, but often enough to alert me that there is something in my LR that's making the noise.



I have two hermit crabs and two snails in my tank right now, neither seems to be bothered but I have noticed that neither species will venture remotely close to the arch I have in the back of my tank (it's a cave really.) This is where the snapping comes from, but I cannot see what's producing the noise, even at night with a red filtered flashlight... :/



Question is this...



Is there anyway to identify via sound if this is a Pistol Shrimp or a Mantis Shrimp? Literally sounds like snapping fingers.



Also, if it is either or, will this be a issue for future inhabitants if they're left unchecked?

skimmers

What is a good cheap skimmer to put on a 45 gallon reef tank

10 gallon reef

Ok so I just recently started up my 10 gallon nano reef. I used 10lbs of live sand and about 10 or so lbs of live rock my my 55 gallon setup. For my filter I am using a Marineland Penguin Power 200gph with the mechanical filter cartridge and a bad of chemipure elite, I also have a 50 watt submersible heater.

What I am wondering is I set the tank up a week ago and have tested my water every day since and I have 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and 0 to 5ppm nitrate. Is there going to be anymore of a cycle? Or because I used live rock from an astablished tank and live sand will there not be a cycle? I currently have no live stock in the tank but plan on keeping Softie, Lps, and possibly a few sps. Is it a good time to add a cleanup crew or possible a clown or coral? Any thoughts would be great.

Also I'm using rodi water with insta ocean reef salt.

Help Me Build A Frag Tank

Alright I am going to build my own frag tank out of acrylic



I was thinking I wanted the tank to be 20x20x8



I was going to use 3/8" acrylic



Do you think I would need some kind of bracing for this? I wouldnt think so.

Ecoxotic Panorama Pro Lighting for 29Gal Biocube

I have watched a few videos on Youtube.com and seen some reviews for these lights and I am considering replacing the stock lighting on my biocube...however, I did see that these can burn out pretty quickly/easily. Would it be worth getting them @ $40-$60 ea.? Would they overheat if I had my biocube's fans running?

Light output, LPS preference.

Hello hello,

Over the course of my short journey into the saltwater world, I find myself always wanting to buy new toys for the tank. I'm selling stuff around the house left, right and centre just to warrant the excuse of buying new things. The wife can't believe I am even considering buying a $300+ LED light for my NanoCube, BUT she didn't hear me speak up when she bought a pair of shoes for $200 that she'll likely wear twice.

Anyways, back on track. There is a local ad for an Ecotech Marine Radion xr30w Gen 1 for $250CDN that I believe to be a good deal and I am really considering. The reason I want to go into the fully customizable LED direction is for the BLUE. When you look at a coral tank lit by primarily white LED's do you find yourself teaming with sensation and awe? Oh heck no! But then you see that bad boy at 16,000K and something stirs in your loins.

Okay getting way off track now... (just pounded back the cup o' joe and was up till 4:30 last night because the wife had the stomach flu, it's currently 8:30 here).



To the point!

Are LPS corals and softies comfortable with 16-20K all throughout the day, or should there be a peak white lighting at around 10-12K for an hour or two? Right now my tank runs on the JBJ LED Professional series, which is quite white and bright, and frankly I know it will eventually bleach my upper corals. The specs state that the hood is 14K, but in person it is BRIGHT. I don't know where they got that from. I've seen other tanks run at 14K and they were certainly not as overwhelming as the JBJ's.

Basically, I'm just looking to hear what your LED specs might be. My corals are certainly growing, but have dulled ever so slightly since adding them. I don't want to get a new light and wipe the suckers out.

Unknown thing growing on rocks

I think it's aiptasia but not exactly sure and was wondering if any could help me identify it. Thank you.

Attached Images

image.jpg (98.4 KB)

Can I Build My Own Frag Tank?

I want to see if building my own frag tank would be cheaper then buying one.



The tank would be 22x22 and like 10" tall, Not sure on hight I need to run it by a few people to figure out a good hight however I dont think it will be over 10"



My question is could I just get the glass cut and silicone the tank myself? I have build quite a few sumps so I think I could do it not sure though because IDK if there will be to much pressure. Also I am unsure of what thickness of glass I should use.

Meeting Postponed

Sorry everyone I have to postpone the meeting. I was thinking next Sunday at 1pm.

Thanks

Jeff

Suggestions for Tall Coral in back/bottom of DT

Hi All--

Any suggestions for a tall coral (at least getting 5-6 inches or more tall) for the back bottom corner of my 100g cube (it's 30" wide by 30" front to back by 24" tall). And the added challenge is the fact that my wife (the boss) doesn't really care for corals that have a stick-like appearance, so most Gorgonians would not qualify. However, I was thinking maybe I could get away with her being ok with a purple sea plume, or if I could find one--a nice one--perhaps a sea fan (but I don't know where I could get one--anyone know where those are available?).

Or possibly any soft corals people could think of or any other ideas? Thanks much in advance!



Robert

New 55 Gallon

Hi! Just set up my first saltwater tank. We bought an established tank off of craigslist for an awesome deal. We had to make a few modifications and do A LOT of cleaning but it is finally coming together!



It came with a ton of live rock/sand, large wet/dry filter (not sure of the size) that has bio balls and live rock in the filter, a 125g corallife protein skimmer, a slightly small submersible heater and two hanging aquaufo led lights. We have added a hang-on refugium, stocked with chaeto and grape algae, and an extra heater. We have also added a few more pieces of rock. We eventually want to add a uv sterilizer and a phosphate reactor, but have just heard a lot of mixed emotions about them. The tank looks great so far and the water parameters have all kept pretty steady :)

Foxface Rabbitfish?

Hi! I'm new to the forum and new to saltwater tanks! I just set up my first tank about a month ago with my boyfriend. We got a used tank of craigslist that had been established for over 10 years. We decided we wanted to do a reef tank as we find them beautiful.



Alright, so the thank came with two mated clowns and a few anemones (two small condy, a ultra green flower and another flower) and a bunch of live rock. The first thing we added was a good clean up crew (snails, hermits, peppermint shrimp, etc). Last week I went out and got my first coral frags. We picked up a hammer, a pulsing xenia, a green star polyp and a duncan.



Yesterday, I added my first fish. The guy at the saltwater store recommended a foxface (the tank came with an algae problem and infested with aptasia). I thought I had heard they nip at LPS corals, but he insured me that he wouldn't touch them. WELL, I woke up this morning and my hammer (which looked GREAT last night) is GONE! All thats left is the stony part. The green star and xenia were knocked on the ground and the duncan looks "weird", it looks swollen almost and is closed up.



What do I do? I just lost tons of money on frags and I'm pretty positive the foxface ate them all. Should I try to return him? He is also super skittish and every time I come near the tank he turns white and hides.



Any advice would be appreciated!! I'm super bummed about my frags :(

A hitchhiker already?

A hitchhiker already? I knew at some point I could possibly see something but I figured it would be so tiny it would take weeks to grow and show up in my tank where I can see it with my bare eyes.



I can't tell you how much time I spend staring at the sand with my LED flashlight imagining little critters are things moving around to find out it was my eyes playing tricks on me or just little pieces of whatever coming off of my rock!

(well I have nothing else to look at for the time being LOL)



So last night I started looking up different critters that you can have in your tank & bristle worm seem to show up quite a bit some people keep them and like them some people don't.. Thanks to YouTube I've had some great visuals of the little buggers as well as the big ones..I've read that the small ones are harmless part of the ecosystem in the tank.



So on further inspection of my tank last night before going to bed, I could've sworn I saw her a 1 inch skinny little beige color something or other that my eyes were having a hard time focusing on cause it's super skinny and with the reflecting water I thought it was my eyes playing tricks again..(especially since I just had all those visuals!)

I thought I saw some legs on it!! I would be lying if I told you I didn't get the shivers! Lol I know, I know that's all part of it and I was expecting it at some point. And I could learn to love worms too! If I have to. I love all living things, I love all living things, did I mention I love all living things?



So as I stared at this one inch skinny little thing it started to get a little bit smaller. And smaller and it eventually disappeared before my eyes! I believe it was burying itself in the sand. I've been on a mission to locate him again because when I called my husband over to look at it he was gone! Without a trace!!

was it in my eyes? was it in my head? or was it really in my tank??

And I'd imagine if I have one I could have more? Someone said they sting don't touch them?

And the most important question good or bad for the tank??

Friday Snow, severe cold/windchill Weekend coming

Good morning TRT Faithful

Got some kind of bug or maybe it's pneumonia...so I'm way off my game today. Even coffee tastes terrible. Rut-Row.



So I'll come after the show and check out the offerings. Yeah, I have to go in.

The first hour is just news and stuff. The second hour won't have a lot of talk.

So George and Hack, please be aware that I may sound like a baritone Barrister.



Was gonna do some guitar/jazz today, but that's not gonna happen. Will just play some of tunes from the automated system and put some on my phone.



Hope I don't start coughing.



What do you suppose the temperature in Vegas is?



Enjoy everyday

Where to buy Saltwater Fish???

Where is a great place to buy Saltwater fish at??



Thanks

Am I the Only One

For the past week or so, I find times that TRT will either not load or will take quite some time to load. Frequently getting a "host server" error message.

Next fish help??

Please help me figure out what would be a good addition to my tank I currently have a coral beauty angle and of course a cleanup crew. Snails, crab, star fish and 3 hermit crabs. I have 42 lb live rock 1.5 live sand bed. And also reef octopus skimmer unsure if you needed all this info. But thanks

FS: RKL Controller loaded

I am planning on upgrading my aquarium controller and wondering if anyone is interested in purchasing my current one. I want to upgrade to include internet access and to accommodate my custom Auto Water change system. The reef keeper lite can have 4 modules which is what I am currently at.



Digital Aquatics Reef Keeper Lite

3x 4 outlet PC4's (one is brand new)

SL2v2 system lab including

PH probe(lab grade)

Salinity probe (just added)

Temp Probe (I need to re crimp the connector end)

Bus Hub to make it easy to attach modules



Asking $400obo Local folks are welcome to come check it out in person if you are interested.

wow aqueon customer service is bad

So I have a 220 gallon tank I got as a gift a few years ago, the tank started leaking. I broke it down called marineland (that's the brand I prefer) they were super helpful were going to replace the tank, just needed makers mark. Makers mark showed it was an aqueon tank. Called aqueon the said they have a lifetime warranty as well. Makers mark checked out it was verified their tank verified leak was manufactur defect, won't cover tank because I dont have a receipt. How shady. Worst customer service. They did see manfactur defect but still won't honor their "magnificent" lifetime warranty. So make sure you guys are buying marineland where they stand by their products.

Good final piece?

So in my 29 gallon(now cyano free) I have a pair of percula clownish, and a diamond goby. I was wanting opinions on a good final fish. I was thinking possibly a firefish or a Diademma dottyback, but I'm undecided. I want some movement and good bright color. (Lighting is a deep ocean blue kessil). Any thoughts??

Strange Growth

I have a strange growth on my rocks and equipment on the backside of my rock structure ( sorry, I couldn't get a picture to load ).



Its a white and cloudy growth that almost looks like smoke. It isn't on anything on the front side of the rock work, but only on the backside.



Any ideas what this could be? It's only been there for the past few weeks.

Anemone questions!!

Okay, so I have two anemones in my tank right now. I have the proper lighting, a good filter, and a protein skimmer rated 5X my tank.



So I have a Green Bubble Tip anemone and a tube anemone.



My first question is feeding. The guy I bought them from said to feed them cut up krill or shrimp, but neither anemone has accepted this food. It ends up just falling out of them... Are Tigger Pods the way to go to feed them? That was my original line of thinking but the guy talked me out of it...? So feeding both of this is my first question.



My second question is lighting. I keep my LED light on during the day, and after feeding and at night, I leave it on the "Nighttime" setting where the light is blue. My question is do I need to keep a light on all the time for these two? Like is the blue setting at night necisary?



My last question and a very frustrating one... How do I get my tube anemone to stay in the substrate?

I keep burying about half of him in the substrate, and then it'll stretch out and end up on it's side just laying there after about an hour...



Thank you for any and all answers! I just want to keep these guys as happy as I can!

Snails Dying?

Last week I added 10 snails to my tank and within 2 days all of them had quit moving and spewed out a white, stringy substance that almost looks like they're covered in cob webs. I didn't smell them but I just assumed they were dead and removed them.



Last night I added 6 more to the tank and 3 already have the same problem of not moving and being covered in these "cob webs". Am I correct that they're dead? I don't want to leave them in the water and have them screw up my tank.



I checked my water last night about an hour before putting them in the tank and my ammonia, nitrites and nitrates were all at 0, my salinity was at 1.025 and my pH was at 8.1. I'm not sure what's causing their deaths. Everything else in the tank (fish, shrimp, hermit crabs and emerald crab) are doing really well; none of the other tank inhabitants ever bother the snails so I don't think they're being killed by them.



Let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions.. thanks!

What Reef Salt Do You use?

I have always used IO Reef Crystals what do others use for your reef tanks?

What to use?

Hey Guys,



I finally got my salifert test kits (Calcium, Magnesium, Alkalinity)



I tested my water last night.



Ammonia-0

Nitrite-0

Nitrate-<5



Mag-1470-1500

Calc-350

KH- 8.9

Alkalinity- 3.19



What chemicals should i purchase to get my calcium and Alkalinty (KH) in the correct areas?



Look like my calcium is a little low so i need something to higher that.



What is the suggested KH and Alkalinity?

fake live rock

hi there i know you can put fake live rock in a reef tank

but i got a few questions about it





1 if live rock is your filter what would you use for filteration if your using fake rock ?



2 whats the pros and cons of using fake rock



any body got a tank with fake live rock in it ?



3 would all your snails and stuff clean it like normal live rock and



4 would you need to do anything to use fake rock or would you just put it in tank and then let it cycle ?



also is it possible to use ocean rock in a reef tank cause i like they way its looks with big holes in it and that and it been white



tia for any answer with this

Condy Anemone

Could a peprmint shrimp and condy anemone co-exist in the same tank. My shrimp runs all over the place in the tank and even on my hand when I put it in the tank. I am afraid he might run into the anemone and get killed. Any thoughts?

Ordering fish/inverts online

I have yet to order anything living from an online retailer. I was wondering if anyone had done this and if so, your experience? Did the fish/invert/coral come still alive...did it acclimate well...etc.

No need to name the site but just looking for some different experiences



Thanks!

Thursday hello

Good mawnin', TRT!



Coffee is ready and some ready for you to flip a switch when you wake up:thumbup:



Buttermilk pancakes with Dave's VT maple syrup to get us started. I bet someone will like to cook some bacon.



Yesterday was much better than *uesday, though we had more than our share of screaming 2 year olds whose parents didn't have the sense to leave the library.



Off to Civitan. Lots of love and hugs and peace to everyone.

Happy birthday to tims on 1/29!

And here's the Official TRT Chorus® to sing......



HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOOOO YOUUUUU!!!!!!!!



Clementine cake!

75g heater

Can anyone recommend a quality heater for my 75g? Aqua top has failed me and now elive has failed me twice.

skimmer

hello

i am thinking of buying ati skimmer 250 i s. is it good for 343 gallon?

Work Related Problem

My work has been a mess lately. My team members has been making a lot of mistakes and of course, as their superior, it's all reflected on my performance. I don't know what I should do about my team. I feel guilty firing them. Besides, I won't have a team then.



For situations like this, what do you think should I do? Should I just try to smooth things over with my Boss? How should I discipline my team members?

Good cleanup citter for green algae on sandbed

Looking for a new cleanup citter to add to my tank that will get rid of the rest of my green algae on the sandbed. There isn't much left but it's a pain to try and remove? ????

Hello Everyone

I just got the permission to post issues cleared up and have been following this site for months. I have been keeping saltwater critters for about 6 or 7 years. I thought I had a basic understanding until I read the reef keeping made easy and Docs skimmer threads. I have a 120 DT with 3 tangs, 2 clowns 1 cleaner wrasse and a fire shrimp with 1 hammer, 1 frogspawn and 2 acans. I used to have a refugium, substrate and bio pellets. Thanks to Geoff, I now have a 35 gallon settling barrel which has a siphon cleaning set up and a 30 gallon sump. I couldnt do the conical tank. I have a Bermuda skimmer but I will have to ask Doc how it compares to the newer ones. Thanks to all of you for the valuable info you post on here daily.

Jay

Cycling...day 4

Ok, I added my shrimp Monday night.. Tuesday afternoon I added a few pellets. My salinity was really high so I water changed 3gallons last night and today Salinity is good. According to the charts its where it should be. 1.025. So I just tested everything since the rotting shrimp and water change and here is what I am getting...

I know it takes time but I was thinking my numbers would very slowly be going in the right direction.. Maybe this is? Is this the way things should be at this point? And shall I keep adding pellets?



My numbers...Temp at 77 no light yet



Salinity 34 was 38

Gravity 1.025 was 1.032

PH 8.0 was 8.2

Ammonia .50 was 0

Nitrite. 1.0 was 0

Nitrate 2.0 was 5.0



I know it takes time but I am hoping this is part of the cycle and someone recommended Prime.. Opinions on that? I know the natural way is the best but will this work?

Low Kh and Dead Clownfish

About a half hour I discovered my dead clownfish on top of the filter of my biocube. I think that he just jumped back there and then suffocated because there was no water on the filter pad. After testing my tank, everything was in check except for my Kh, which is at a 6. Could these two things be related? If not, is a low Kh bad for my tank? It was FO 29 gallon biocube with (now) only two fish, a crab, a hermit crab, and two shrimp. What are your thoughts on the dead clown? I have never seen him jump before so I was very surprised and sad when I found him dead in the back chamber.

New tank lighting

Hey guys, got some lighting questions for you. Looking for opinions and help!! Im looking to use Evergrow lights on my main display the tank is 36"Lx18"Wx22"H Which evergrow fixture would do best in a mixed reef?



I was looking at this one.



http://ift.tt/1y7v0ww



Also I wanted to use a kessil on my 16"Lx16"Wx6"H frag tank. Which kessil would be better the 150a or the 350a?



All opinions are appreciated!!!

Weak young clownfish, need input.

Hello.

Unfortunately one of my new clownfish is not doing particularly well. He has not eaten much, if at all, since I have gotten him. Today I have seen him on several occasions briefly rest on the bottom of the tank. His caudal fin has been split from day one, I regret not examining him more thoroughly before bringing him home. The LFS I got him from has a policy of no live-returns. I called them explaining the situation the very next morning after getting him, but they said it was likely caused during the drive home. ANYWAYS. So he is weak and tends to spit up every food I have offered him. I can set up a hospital tank tonight (hoping I get an answer first), but I don't know what kind of medical attention this would require. I have frozen brine and mysis shrimp, as well as spectrum pellets .5mm and 1mm. Should I get some frozen blood worms in attempt to put some fat into the little sucker?



Water parameters:

pH: 8.2

KH: 11dKH

Salinity: 1.025 SG

NH3: 0ppm

NO2-: 0ppm

NO3-: 0ppm

TEMP: 78F



Tank Specs:

JBJ 28 NanoCube

Nano Circulation pump

TUNZE 9200 protein skimmer

30lbs live rock

15lbs live sand

Hammer coral x2

Frogspawn

Mushrooms

Toadstools

Kenya Tree

Xenia



Inhabitants:

-5 blue legged hermit crabs

-3 red scarlet hermit crabs

-1 sharknose goby

-2 false percale clownfish



I should note, all other inhabitants are doing well and eating without any issues.



Thank you for any help and input you might be able to provide.

FS like new Water Blaster 7000 return pump

http://ift.tt/1y7uZZs?



Paypal only original box and parts. $25 in added valved union and ball valve



Pump was only used 4 MONTHS!!! :cool:

Coral identification

I just picked up some coral from a guy and was wondering if someone can help me identify them. I can't seem to upload the pictures I took could someone help with that also. Thanks Zac

Best way to buy SPS for Reefs

I am rebuilding my reeftank after it crashed, this time I am going to 2part dose and go back from LPS to SPS.



My question is, sps colonies that are 2-3" are in the 70$-100$ range. In your experience whats the best way to buy them? in colonies like these or frags for 20$ each?



The tank is 220g so I am ok with it taking time to grow them out but I want to do it in a way that I will be spending my money in the best way to get the most bang for my buck.

RIP Eel :(

My golden dwarf eel of three years just died today. He was one of my favorite fish (and unfortunately my most expensive). He basically stopped eating all together, having eaten no more than five times over the past two months. Hunger strikes are common and I wasn't really worried, but last week I found lying on the sand and breathing heavily. He showed a bit of improvement over the past few days but died today. I honestly have no idea what caused his sudden eating strike and death considering he should have been the hardiest fish in the tank:bawling:

Didn't receive an activation email

Is there a way to resend the activation email?

Reefkeeping is NOT under attack

Quote:

At least not by NMFS or NOAA. I really wish reef aquarists and experts alike would stop spouting this "we're under assault" red herring. It's serves only to undermine our own hobby and the animals we all love.

http://ift.tt/1BpZXNt



I rarely post links to my own articles, but it's high time hobbyists, experts, and industry people discuss this issue with facts and integrity.

Sump Cleaning

I purchased a tank from a guy who had the system running for a while he and everything was healthy in the tank, Ive had the system running for about 6 months and have noticed a build up of what looks like dark brown sand in my sump. There was some there when I bought the tank and the guy said its good and that there are a lot of good organisms that live in it and clean the water and that he never cleaned it out and never had a problem, I have to weekly water changes for the past 6 months and my nitrates won't go down. My TDS meter says 0PPM for my RODI water so I was think that the "brown sand" is detritus build up and that it needs to go. Am I right on thinking this way or am I miss lead. Do you clean your sump and if so how often and how thorough. Thanks in advance for your help

VIDEO: What makes a "good" protein skimmer?

VIDEO: What makes a "good" protein skimmer?



Watch our latest video to find what to look for when shopping for a protein skimmer!

Vermetid Snail

Do you agree with the following, especially the section " Their presence is a sign of a healthy system" -



This group of snails have forgone their mobility by attaching their "shell" to the substrate and converting it into a calcerous tube. They release a mucus web out into the water, which they then reel back in and consume, eating the food particles caught in it. Their presence is a sign of a healthy system and don't typically cause any problems. The exception is if the mucus net irritates a neighbouring coral, which can lead to death of the polyps that it is irritating.



from http://ift.tt/1uBsWLR

c0ralr3efg1rl's Build Blog

Here I will be posting pictures of my tank as well as new upgrades soon to come.

Currently I have:

29 Gal Coralife Biocube (Reef Tank)

inTank Media Basket (filter floss, purigen 100ml, chemipure 6.5oz)

Coralife 265gph Return Pump

Marineland 100watt Heater

Stock lighting (x2 white LED bars, x1 blue LED bar, 36watt Actinic & Flourecent Bulbs)

x1 Hydor Mini Centrifugal Pump

Hydor 360° Water Deflector

Approx 18 lbs liverock



Live stock:

x1 Occelaris Clownfish

x1 Red Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

x2 Serpent Starfish

Green Star Polyps

Kenya Tree Coral





Planning on purchasing the following this week for my 29gal Biocube:



-Hydor 320gph Pump

-AquaticLife 115 Skimmer

-x2 more LED bars

-Light timer plug-ins



once I have those, I'm planning a new stock list--

Coral:

-Rock Flower Nem

-Lobo Brain Coral

-Zoas

-Ricordea/mushrooms



Livestock:

-Neon Blue Stripe Hermit Crab

-Green Clown Goby

-Royal Gramma

-another Occelaris Clownfish

29Gal Coralife Biocube

**Updated as of 1/28/15.**



29 Gal Coralife Biocube (Reef Tank)

inTank Media Basket (filter floss, purigen 100ml, chemipure 6.5oz)

Coralife 265gph Return Pump

Marineland 100watt Heater

Stock lighting (x2 white LED bars, x1 blue LED bar, 36watt Actinic & Flourecent Bulbs)

x1 Hydor Mini Centrifugal Pump

Hydor 360° Water Deflector

Approx 18 lbs liverock



Live stock:

x1 Occelaris Clownfish

x1 Red Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

x2 Serpent Starfish

Green Star Polyps

Kenya Tree Coral

New Reef Keeper

Hey there! I'm Kate and I have been trolling this site for a while and finally started to join. I am also a member on aquariumadvice.com if any of you are familar with it as sharkiegirl94. In the past I have had fish bowls (lack of knowledge about goldfish/bettas)...and established my first freshwater aquarium in 2013. I have always loved the ocean, having been born in Myrtle Beach, SC, then whisked away to boring Illinois by my parents...I decided to sell the freshwater and start my dream -- a reef tank! I began setup of my Coralife Biocube 29g in March 2014 and it has been evolving ever since. I have unfortunatly had some snails and fish die, but it was not due to perams, so I think I have a good handle on things. I love to talk coral and fish, so you ever want to chat, message me! In my 29g setup I have currently: Occelaris Clownfish ("Bozo"), Red Skunk Cleaner Shrimp ("Piere"), Serpent Starfish ("Creeper"), Kenya Tree coral, and green star polyp. I'm hoping to soon make some major upgrades to get new coral and fish. Stay tuned, because I may post about them. I hope to make a lot of friends and learn a lot from this community!

internet find: pretty funny comic with cool facts

http://ift.tt/Yb07Wd



:wavey:

NOAA Proposed Rule

I'm interested in understanding how NOAA's proposed increased protection will affect the hobby. I'm seeing a lot of scare tactics about how it will be the end of reef-keeping as we know it, but I don't see that in the law. As it is currently written I find no restriction on personal activity, elkhorn and staghorn are the only ones that have that because they have extra protection that is not on the table for any other species.

I read the law as a prohibition on going to a reef and breaking off some endangered coral without a permit.



I respect the heavyweights (Sprung et al) that are coming out against it, as well as PIJAC, but I haven't gotten enough information from them to form an educated opinion on the matter.



I'd like this to be a thread where people can learn about the law and get enough info to make their own decision about it. I think that my comments and letters will be more effective if I can explain why I oppose the additions, rather than just a pitchfork mob. I will edit links to more info into this post, to make it easier to find them. I will also add any you guys suggest, that would be a big help. I'm neither for nor against the thing, just trying to get my head around it and cut out the drama.



links:

Clevers 220G Revive - Help

Heres the story - About 5 months ago my tank crashed and I lost everything. Cal, Alk, Mag all fell out of balance and I lost almost all my corals.



My tank was an LPS Reef with a few SPS. I want to bring my tank back to life and do SPS this time. I have been working over the last month to get my para back in order. I have been doing water changes 2x every week changing about 70gallons of water per week.



I want to prevent this issue from happening again so I am thinking I will be dosing 2part or using a kalk reactor.



Heres my setup.

220g Tank with coast to coast overflow

Gyre Riptied

2x WP40's

3x AI Hydra 26's

Reef Octopus 250 Regal DC Skimmer - Rated for 200-600g

Dual Media Reactor From BRS

DC return Pump from reef octopus (dont remember modle)

Reefkeeper Lite



I want to make sure I have everything prepared and set up right this time. My tank did well for a year without any issues until my alk cal and mag fell out of balance. I had great growth from my corals and everything was very happy. I think that if I am able to get the Alk Cal Mag issue under control and keep it undercontrol through automation I will have a sucessful reef. Also I think I need a way to control my PO4 without the use of GFO, I really dont want to spend the money on GFO so what are some other solid methods? I currently dont have a fuge and dont have room in my sump for one but it is possible for me to put one next to my sump under my stand.



What do you all sugest i do to revive my tank?



I am going to get the Jebao DP 4 Dosing Pump, I know its not the best but I have had a good exp with their products.



Heres what my tank used to look like.

Methods Of Removing PO4?

i have done GFO, I am over it. It cost to much and I dont like it. What are some other solid true and tried methods?



The tank is 250G total, Its a 220g tank with a 30g Sump.



The sump currently has no room for a fuge however It is possible for me to plumb one into it so that is an option.



But give me some ideas.



I dont have a PO4 issue at all but I am going to turn my tank into an SPS tank and want to get a method in place to control it prior to adding corals.

Maxspect GYRE! XF 150 and the mini XF 130!!!

First stock anywhere of the new XF 130! XF 150 back in stock, limited supplies!

Hump day!

Morning all! Lots of coffee and omelettes and sausage links. Cold today 12* right now.Hope you all have a great hump day!

Attached Images

image.jpg (36.3 KB)

Skimmer Overflowing

So ive taken my biopellets off line in place of vodka/vinegar dosing. I also added about a quarter stick of epoxy to the system around the same time as starting the vodka/vinegar and taking the pellets offline. This was 4 days ago and my protein skimmer has been overflowing ever since even when having it at its lowest setting. Its an Vertex Omega 150. I have since done two water changed, a 10 gallon and 15 gallon on my 60 gallon system and also vinegar bathed/cleaned the skimmer really good. Any ideas? I currently have the tube from the cup directed into my filter sock so that i can have it running still while it overflows like crazy.



Other then that system looks really good and all parameters are normal. However i figure running a overflowing skimmer into a filter sock it really not that efficient. Any ideas??

nitrate rise in 1200 gallon

In my 1200 gallon system my nitrates are rising. I'm am startING to feeding less and have been doing 120 gallon water changes every third day. Any other suggestions to help let the levels? Also my phosphates are slowly creeping up. I use RO/DI water and salinity reef salt by Seachem. I have two small media reactors with nitrate media. Five reusable media bags, four are filled with nitrate media and the last one is filled with phosphate media. Tank has some coral and I noticed that my tracophylia brain has lost color and seems thatitis not eating. Other corals look good some even are growing!



Check out links for pictures!



http://ift.tt/1D7FbEs What my tanks look like



http://ift.tt/1CLgdgy From second floor looking down on fish only tank (700 gallons)



http://ift.tt/1D7FbEw Refugium on display (part of fish only tank)



http://ift.tt/1CLgdgA Spill down from top reef tank to bottom fish only tank.



http://ift.tt/1CLgaBr Pumps, stumps, and skimmer.



http://ift.tt/1D7FbEC http://ift.tt/1CLgaBt http://ift.tt/1D7FcZ1 http://ift.tt/1CLgdwQ http://ift.tt/1CLgaRJ http://ift.tt/1D7FcZd

http://ift.tt/1D7Fdfr

http://ift.tt/1D7Fdft



Hope you like!

Lighting curiosities!

Has anyone ever used both LED and fluorescent lighting, together, in a marine tank? I currently have both and am looking to get another LED lighting fixture since the one I have only fits half the tank :/ . I was wondering if using both would be plenty of light for anemone and/ or corals.(Depending upon the route I decide to go and if I can get it to where the nem doesn't harm the coral.) I current have a fluval ecobright LED, however I do not believe it could support coral life...Help? Please and thank you in advance! :)

Looking for dolomite...

Anyone know where I can get dolomite gravel? Search leads me to Amazon which that product says it has a "breathable" coating that some rviws refer to as resin. Don't think I want resin in my tank. Other options come up as bulk grade and that is too coarse a grade. This used to be the go to for marine applications, right?

Should you add sand periodically?

So this is probably a real silly question, but when I am cleaning the tank and siphoning my sand, I typically suck up about 1/4cup to a 1/2 cup of sand each time. Should I be:



a) Not sucking up sand (somehow)?



b) Adding sand periodically so as not to completely deplete my sand bed over time?



Thanks!

What sand sifter should I get?

So I am looking into a getting a sand sifter. I was told the Hector's Goby, Rainford's Goby, or the Gold Head Sleeper Goby are all good. Out of those three which would you recommend? Would it be good to get one rainford and one hector? I have a 29gallon biocube, with a Bengaii Cardinal, Kupang Damsel, and a clown fish. If you think a different goby is better than the three that i mentioned please say so.

Ebay carbon pellets

Looking for bulk carbon on ebay and all I can find are pellets. How do they differ from the granules BRS sells?



http://ift.tt/1zta4Gb

Something broke :(

i looked over at my sump today because it should be about time to topoff and i thought it weird i didn't topoff yesterday, and i noticed water wasn't level with my last baffle :( it popped a hole in the bottom of the baffle...



had i known this 2 days ago i would have the supplies to fix it right now, but i cant do anything about it atm.



im not really worried as my overflow hasn't failed yet in 6 months of operation, but ya never know. just makes it harder to know when and how much to topoff.



i suggest no one use thin acrylic with a glass sump on a larger sump.

my tank

http://ift.tt/1JCK50g 280 gallon



http://ift.tt/1CwgMu4 105 gallan

343 gallon build

i have this tank runing freshwater in 2 week's i will sell all the fish & buy new equipment for reef 130 kg dryrock 8 ati t5 bulbs livesand 55kg ati skimmer 250 is , 2 Jebao RW-20 ,Reef Octopus Multi Filter MF-800B (4000ml) Bio Pellete my budget is $7000

i have uv iam not going to use it. any opinion is welcomed bad or good i need all the help i can get

what do u think?!!

Frameless Cube with RR overflow - What do do with the overflow

Hello TRT friends -



I have been away for awhile, planning a wedding and getting my new house in sorts. My 90 gallon frameless cube has been immaculate as of late, and I am in maintain and enjoy mode. Slowly adding a few coral frags here and there to get them going, but that's about it. Since my tank has been up and running for nearly a year, I am starting to figure out the pros and cons, my likes and dislikes. The #1 focus right now is the corner overflow, which came pre-drilled with the tank. It's the standard black plastic overflow. My issue is with the corner which the overflow covers. The 90 gallon is 24 inches deep, so the corner with the pipe and overflow plumbing is that deep as well. All of this, and the water is simply skimmed from the top.



1. Does this water in the bottom of the overflow column actually turn over, or is it dead water at the bottom?



2. Can I fill this with LR pieces, just to fill the space?



3. I basically cannot clean the walls inside the overflow, which amounts to about 6 inches of glass space. Because of the plumbing, it is virtually impossible to get anything in there to clean.



4. Is the buildup of material on the walls OK?



5. Do I have any other options? (IE draining it, creating a "false bottom" with a piece of plastic or something?) Anything else? Do I just get some black vinyl and fit the section to cover it up?

Changes to uploading pictures?

Has something been updated recently that caused changes to the way pictures upload? All of the sudden I can't post pictures anymore (from my computer, or my phone). I normally take pictures with my phone then email them to myself and upload them from my computer, which then they get resized automatically... I tried uploading from my phone a week or so ago and it said the file could not be resized, please do it manually... so I changed my camera settings on my phone to the smallest picture size (which is still a step larger than what TRT accepts), tried uploading that size picture and it can't resize it... emailed it to myself and tried uploading from my computer and now that doesn't work either...

Hello

Hi All,

Just a quick hi, I have kept fresh and brackish, am now on my next journey:marine!

Have been given a largish tank with LR.

All running just at point of testing water and waitng to see if the LR is actually LR (not sure how long wasnt used for.)

Thanks for reading :wavey:

Meetup in Rochester Jan 31st

Check out the thread for details







Lots of Frags!!!

blowing sand, and more QUESTIONS!

I have (1) 500 GPH PH in my 29gL tank. It is re-arranging my sand and everytime I relocate the pump it moves sand in an other location. I know many ppl dont like/have sand but I do like the look of it and would like to have it though, I may have to reduce the amount. I can't imagin getting another PH as I have seen most reef tank have 2 and it was suggested i have 2 when I get coral. So I was going to place it at the bottom blowing upward but I dont think thats how it should be?

Any thoughts, suggestion or otherwise? eric3316 you run 2? in a similiar size tank correct? I know you dont have sand now but did you?

My sand is now covering a very pretty, purple, expensive rock! I will be disconnecting my filter once the tank clear from me fooling with the sand but I dont believe the water flow from the filter could be contribuiting that much movement to move my sand.

Also, when I move the sand the water clouds up for a short while. Should I vaccume the sand? Or will I take away good stuff? I dont think I want to get rid of the sand totally...And if I need more circulation with coral and I get a 2nd pump it will be like a TORNADO in there! Is it all trial and error in finding the right place in the tank? or is there a correct formula on how to place 1 or 2 pumps?

Ammonia / Nitrate spike

Good morning,



Looking for some help.



I have a 55 gallon tank. It took 3 weeks to fully cycle before all levels reached 0 and things were perfect. I have 50lbs of live rock and live sand.



I added in 2 clown fish and a clean up crew and for the last week - 2 weeks everything has been going great. So I added a Goby also.



Yesterday, my ammonia jumped up to 0.25ppm and PH to 8.4. So I did a water change taking out 10% of the water and also cleaning all equipment.



Today I have a shrimp and 2 snails dead and Ammonia of 1.0ppm with Nitrate of 10ppm. My Nitrite is steady at 0.



One other thing I did after the water change was reposition 2 live rocks which I have now read can cause spikes.



Any ideas if this could be the reason? Or dead shrimp? It was removed as soon as I found it in the morning.



I have added some EasyStart Bacteria Booster to try to help out...



Any advice? What should I be doing to help reduce my levels again?



Thank you so much for any advice!!

Whats that on my rock? And a question of course!

So my tank is really clear this morning except my glass is foggy looking maybe from the cloudy water?

Anyway, on intense examination of every inch of rock I keep thinking I am seeing moving things. I know 99% of what I am seeing is due to the water movement. BUT....Under a flat rock I noticed 2 or 3 dark(blackish) worm type looking thingy's that I thought were moving but not sure but that was yesterday.

I know things may appear or disappear and I am really looking closely but today I only see 1 black thingy...(Thingy for lack of a better word) Ok, I could say worm but thingy sounds better in my head! :funny:

Could it be my first critter sighting??



And, what should I get to feed the empty tank?

Would it be the same that I would use when I get fish? And someone mentioned pellets. Actually, I asked about an auto feeder for when I go away and I was told to use amix of pellets and frozen so the fish get accustomed to the pellets which are better in auto feeders and frozen is better so alternate so the fishes will get the pellets when I need to use the feeder and the frozen will give them variety.. So what about my none existing Coral? Will they eat something different?



I know I'm rambling....You may have noticed that about me LOL But don't forget my original question...What to feed the fishless tank to help the cycle? Since I added the shrimp yesterday my NitrAte, Ammonia and PH have all gone up a bit.



Thanks everyone!

Whiteish water while cycling

Hello all. I am about 3 weeks into a new 29 gallon cycling. All seems to be progressing with levels. Currently ammonia is .25 nitrite 1 and nitrates 10. I used the raw shrimp method. Currently have no filtration (skimmer ordered) and just 1 powerhead for flow.



Yesterday I noticed I could see the water moving in the tank. It appears it is not totally clear anymore but has a white tint to it. Any idea what this may be? I wasn't sure if some sort of algae or bacteria bloom has clouded the water. What are my next steps should i change some water or will it clear up over time? Can a skimmer go in any time now or should I wait a bit. Thanks.

Cant keep bubble coral?

As the title says guys,



I am alittle embarrassed to admit I can not seem to quite keep these bugger alive no matter how hard I try and how much I pay attention!



They all seem to go the same way... bubbles deflate... slowly starts to recede... then vanishes with skeleton left.



Ill start with readings...



salinity (refrac) - 1.025

PH - 8.2

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 2 ppm

MG - 1400

CA - 480

DKH - 8.3

Phosphates - 0



Reef breaders photon 48 with 90 degree optics.. highest is 55% grow

Circ pump is a Jebao wp 40 and (2) hydor pumps.





I run a good amount of flow through this tank.... my return pump is flowing about 2100 gph... and the wp40 is running about 85 % power in ELSE mode... so there is CURRENT for sure....



Im wondering if these bubbles just cant take the current in my tank.... :( the last one I got was SO HEALTHY when I got him... but I remember when I purchased him... he was in a low light display tank with VERY LITTLE current....



any advise on these guys will help... I have a mixed reef.. and keep torch.. hammer and frogspawn with a SINGLE issue....

180 Gallon Wall Build or Stand and Hood? Pics

I currently am running a 90 G in my wall. The wall isn't even fully done yet, (I've got the trim stained and ready to put in front of the tank and I haven't painted the wall yet) but am so busy right now it's low on my list of things to do.



By chance, I came across a 180 Gallon Glass, 6 x 2 x 2 footprint, with a Black Hood and Stand so low I had to buy it.



I'm torn between using the stand or building it in the wall. What do you guys like better, wall builds or stand alones?



My 90 is nice looking in the wall, but it's a Pain in the Arse to work on and clean.



If I did replace the 90 with the 180, It would fit, I would just move the switches over and the 180 would basically fill up the wall all the way across.....and I would then probably get more stone and finish the wall off.



If I used the hood and stand, I would move it to another part of the basement and put up a dartboard or a large picture where the tank currently is. Attachment 115719



Attachment 115720



Attachment 115721

Attached Images

	20150125_190514.jpg (18.3 KB)
	20150125_190526.jpg (14.7 KB)
	20150125_190545.jpg (15.0 KB)

180 Gallon Return Pump Question

I've purchased a 180 Gallon Tank, Hood, and Stand. I'm slowly beginning to acquire the equipment needed to run it before I begin to set everything up.



I have a 90, and have had a 125, but Have never had a tank this big before and am unsure of the Return pump needed to move the proper amount of water over hourly.



It says it has a Max output of 2400 GPH.



http://ift.tt/1LeoQUo



Seems to have good reviews. Would I need two of these, one for each side?

Acan vs Frogspawn

I have a frogspawn who is quickly growing and approaching my acan. Is this a turf war I need to worry about?

Please take a moment to preserve our hobby.

I prefer to think of myself as a "Glass Half Full" type of guy who never gets too worked up over anything that is related to my hobby, but the recent NMFS proposed rule making regarding 20 different corals has the potential to alter our hobby in a big way. I'm not saying it absolutely will, but neither do I want to play down the importance of taking action.



Please take a moment to send a simple email to the National Marine Fisheries Industry stating your support for the PIJAC - Aquatic Committee's comments on this issue.







NMFS Seeking Public Comment


Comment: Regulations.gov



PIJAC Aquatic Committee Response


Something as simple as:



Dear NMFS,



I fully support the comments and proposals made by the PIJAC Aquatic Committee in regards to NMFS ANPR on the 20 Threatened Coral species.


or not to put words in your mouth, but you could go further with something like this . . .



Through our efforts to grow and study corals at home our hobby is part of the solution to protecting coral bio-diversity. Just as species such as the African Cichlid were returned to the wild by mere hobbyists so too many of the listed corals are currently protected and preserved in the thousands of home aquaria that are already successfully cultivating the corals in question. The captive colonies are in a secure environment free from the vagaries of Global Warming and present a treasure trove of potential future seed sources to help rebuild lost wild colonies. Forcing the destruction of these hobbyist grown coral colonies would be a tragic loss for global biodiversity.



Anyways, I simply want to encourage everybody to take action now before it's too late. ;)







For those who have not been following this issue here is a photo of the 6 most common corals that are on the list and in our tanks (notice that "frogspawn" would be swept up because it is "similar")

Tuesday and snowless in SC

Good mawnin', TRT!



Coffee is ready. Let's have whole wheat French toast with nanner sliced and VT maple syrup! Hot chocolate to carry with you.



Doug - Have a great time with your adopted niece's birthday. Sounds like great food for the fun of it!



LL - Little Rose is a beauty :) Don't let your family make unkind remarks too close to her (if at all) ;)



NE be careful out there!



Lots of love and hugs and peace to everyone.

ati

hello

i am thinking of going for ati t5 8 bulbs 39w?

what do you think?

hello

hi everyone :)



i want to move to saltwater reef i dont no much but i learn cowic.

i am a master of discus fish but it's not enuf for me so i want to make a reef tank. i have 1300 liter tank in my living room so let us get started.

Hitchhikers found on live rock, should I be worried?

I recently bought a couple pieces of live rock from my local fish store, and after getting them my tank I had notice a few different things on the rock. There are these things on the rock, that to me resemble a baby anemone.. I am not at all familiar with live rock hitchhikers so I could be way off. If these are anemone's, should i be concerned for the health of my fish?

Rapid breathing,Is it ich?

Hello, I have had a kole tang in my 40 gallon for approximately one month(he is small and I am getting an 80 gallon frag tank 4ft by 2ft in approximately two months). Recently j noticed he was breathing heavily, I initially though ich. However he is not scraping against rocks, and I can not see for sure if he has white spots because of natural spots on his head. I did see one spot on the fin though. Also the tang has been rather confined to one part of the tank. I believe I stressed him out too much, due to recently reaquascaping and taking out the sand bed (now bb). I haven't gotten him to eat anything I put in the tank, but he has been grazing on the rocks and glass. My fear is , if it is ich, that it could spread. Only other tank mates are a snowflake clown, fire shrimp, and few corals. Everything else in the tank is flourishing. (BTW I have lots of surface agitation, an open top tank, and a sump so I highly doubt Oxygen problems) any help would be appreciated, also tips for feeding would be good. I have tried garlic soaked seaweed, caulerpa, and new spectrum pellets.

Overflow options

Finally getting around to making progress on my newby 120 reef- by that I mean about to start curing rock and obtaining remaining supplies. So still a long way from stocking tank.



My question revolves around the Mainland Cornerflo overflow system. It comes with a 1 1/2" inverted U drain (not quite a Durso- no vertical clean out) but does have a small air vent in that region but also 2 odd ~1/4' holes drilled at water line. The tube decreases to 1" as passes through the bulkhead at base of overflow. Also has a 1" straight additional standpipe designed to be for water return from sump.



I am paranoid about everything reef due to my initial short and fantastic failure 15 years ago (I haven't tried since...) Anyway, after lots of reading I have become fond of the idea of an emergency drain. Therefore, I am considering making the 1" standpipe into some variation of an emergency drain. Then, I will have to bring the return line up over the back of the tank, which I am fine with- don't really want to drill anything. My question is about what to do with the other 1 1/4' drain? For those of you with Marineland experience, is this provided drain configuration any good? Have heard it is loud and water level varies which adds to my paranoia. Should I switch to a conventional Durso? Should I use more of a Herbie like setup? I really like the BeanAnimal but don't have the 3rd drain hole needed.



Any thoughts on Mainland cornerflo, my idea or feedback about drain setup in general would be appreciated.



Thanks,



Bold

Green Chromis Fish

I have two green chromis fish who seem to be acting quite odd. they won't do anything and will hide behind my filter or heater or in a top corner. I can't figure out why. water parameters are fine, and my other fish and inverts are acting normal. I have a maroon clownfish, and two small damsel fish for fish along with the chromas, and 3 snails 3 crabs and one chocolate chip star fish for inverts. Yet the chromas are the ones acting odd. Help??! Don't know if this is normal behavior..

LED light stand idea?

I've got a 30 gallon tank that has T5s on it right now. I ordered the eBay LEDs that are full spectrum. The problem is is that they are hung and not with a stand. I can't hang them from my ceiling because this is an appartment and that's frowned on. So how can I construct one that I can hang the light from without drilling into the walls or ceiling.

Sixline Wrasses problem

So my sixline wrasse is swimming in circles & acting like it's blind, swimming around everywhere all over the place. Getting picked up by the current in the tank and staying low to the sand.



What is wrong with him ????:confused::(

Candy Cane Help!

So I have had this piece of coral for at least a month. It had been doing fine until about a week ago. I noticed it had not been opening up really at all. It is not discolored (as in bleached). It just simply willnot open up.



Things I have tried:

Moving it around the tank, lower and upper sides of the rock work

Adjusting flow rate from low to medium on different days



I have checked water levels, They are all doing great except Ca. It was a little off the charts, Which I have posted about and got some suggestions. I am working on that.



But is this normal with this coral species?



http://ift.tt/1zlPyY1



Sorry would not allow me to post picture in post.

What the hell is this!?!?

I have just found a few of these growing on and in crevices in my LR. Any ideas what it is or seen it before??



http://ift.tt/1uUQvVL

Attached Images

image.jpg (150.1 KB)

Preparing for power outages

I'm sure many of you are aware of the storm the northeast is getting slammed with. I wanted to start a thread about what you guys do for power outages, short of buying a generator or other backup like that. I really should get one, but other than that, what do you guys suggest for keeping everything happy and healthy during power outages? We rarely lose power (here in Boston proper) for more than 6 or 8 hours, but I'm not sure we've ever gotten the amount of snow we are forecast to get (estimates up to 3 feet).



Thanks for the help gang, from all of us in the northeast.

Biocube 14 Canopy

Hi, I have a 14g biocube and I upgraded the lighting to the kessil a150 and I'm no longer using the hood for the tank. I want to keep my fish from jumping out but I don't want to use egg crate. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could use that would fit my tank? Thank you in advance!

Biocube 14G Canopy

Hi, I have a 14g biocube and I upgraded the lighting to the kessil a150 and I'm no longer using the hood for the tank. I want to keep my fish from jumping out but I don't want to use egg crate. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could use that would fit my tank? Thank you in advance!

Meet up in Rochester Jan 31st

Check out the thread for details

Hairlike tentacle coming out of GSP

So i caught this hairlike clear tentacle coming out of the GSP while the green tentacles were closed. Not sure if its a worm or a tentacle from the GSP but it extended up to 1 inch and then went back into the hold after. I posted a video and pics on my dropbox. Any ideas? Is it a parasite or a clear tentacle?



I posted this on the soft corals section but this might get better visibility on here



http://ift.tt/1zjSxjD

Anthias acting strange?

So I got an Anthia's and two clowns the other day, as I said in a prior post. This morning when I turned on my tank lights the fish came out as usual. I stepped away briefly to go grab some food for them. I come back to see the Anthia's hanging out with the Clownfish, and be puffs his fins up and turns over on his side, suspended in the water next to the clownfish. I thought that was bizarre, I noticed he did it a couple of times, each time he was close to the clowns. He swam away onto the other side of the tank and started acting fine again.



I go back later, he's huddled up with the clown fish again, lays over on his side again... Just floating next to them on his side. What in the world is this guy doing?

How am I doing so far?

Ok guys and girls,



So after all my homework, all my should I & Shouldn't I's and wondering about regrets, I feel I've researched and listened(read) enough to take the plunge! Here is my set up I picked up Saturday and my water parameters to this point.



I have learned a lot here in my short time involved and I appreciate all the wonderful comments and advice so please, let me know if so far this's all seems ok. Of course I will follow up with some questions so read to the end! :nuts:



Equipment.



29g long tank

Fluval Aqua clear70 300gph

Aqueon PH 500

Aqueon 100W heater



led lights on the way

Glass top on the way

skimmer? see question below.

Extra PH see below



Put tank together Sat. Added 3 types of Live rock then Live Sand then hand mixed distilled water 1/2 c salt per gal.

Tank turned totally cloudy white. I let every settle over night. There was about 15% clearing by morning. Today I turned on heater, pump and filter. Everything is running great and the tank is approx. 50% clear since this morning. So I did all my testing for a base line. I tested before pumps & filter had a chance to run so I will test again tonight to see if any change occurred. I used API Liquid test kit.



Water parameters. After settling over night. Filter just started.

No light, 72 temp



Salinity Reads PPT

Gravity 1.032

PH 8.2

Ammonia 0

Nitrite 0

Nitrate 5.0



So That's my set up. How am I doing? The salinity is up and Nitrate



First and most important, I have a new GFI adapter in outlet and a new power strip yet I get tiny baby shock when I touch the water. Is that normal? I mean really so tiny I wasn't sure that's even what It was at first..

but tiny or not I don't like it! Normal?



So regarding a skimmer. I was told it is not really necessary on a tank 30G or less. But I was told by a very knowledgeable person that its always good to have one and it will help keep the tank clean.

All that being said, If I don't really need one, can I get away with a small/cheep one? To give extra help in keeping things running smooth. Or should I get a good one? I found this for $115.00

Tunze protein skinner up to 140.



Same person told me only one 500 PH that I am using is more than enough for my 29L but I see 2 on lots of pictures of reef set ups...



Final question...(not really but you knew that!)

Do I need to do water change before I add fish? (hoping numbers will be good so I can get my first little fella :fish:Or just top off? I would think it not necessary to change water since not fish or coral are in it yet..



And that top off would be Distilled water only if I top off what evaporated? I wouldn't mix with salt correct? not until test?



Ok, hope I'm doing ok. Tank seems clearer even now! but when I touch the sand it gets bad again. Should I try to vacuum? oh wait I don't have a vacuum. Guess I need one?

Macro Algae advice 20g Long Nano

I was curious on some opinions for using macro algae in my system.



The algae would have to go in the display tank under the same lighting / lighting cycle as my corals.



I am curious as to suggestions for algae that would suit this purpose well.



20 gallon long tank.





Appreciate your opinions! Thanks

Build a Mixed Reef Tank

BUILD A MIXED REEF TANK

Sale ends 2/2/15



We dropped prices on some of the cool the equipment used in our latest Featured Tank + the VorTech MP40wES is back in stock at a new low price!

My Livestock plans, opinions?

Hello fish friends,

My 28G JBJ Nanocube completed her cycle over a week ago, and shortly thereafter went into a lovely diatom bloom (sarcasm... looks like poop).

On Saturday evening I picked up my first inhabitants. I went with a pair of young false percula clownfish (1.5") and a sharknose goby. I actually kind of regret buying the sharknose goby, especially considering he was more expensive then the clowns. Store has a no-give-backsies policy on livestock, so I guess I am just stuck with him for now. Moving on!



Here is the rest of my list, thoughts?



January 31, 2015- Firefish and/or Diadem Dottyback



February 7, 2015- Six-line wrasse and/or Yellowtail Damselfish



And so concludes my stocking plans for the 28. Any personal input would be great. I have tried to stick with what has already been suggested for the biocubes/ nanocubes on this forum, so hopefully I am not too far off.



One last quick note. My clowns have both sampled three different types of food since coming home, but don't seem too inclined to swallow said food. I know fish can go for some time without eating, but the spitting out is what worries me most. I have offered Mysis, Spectrum pellets and Omega One pellets. I don't have any saltwater flakes on hand, as I read they are generally passed up by most fish. The store fed mysis and spectrum, so just a tad concerned now.



Water specs are (no chemicals have been added to raise or lower levels, tank is au natural):

Temp: 77.7F

Salinity: 1.025 SG

pH: 8.2

KH: 11dKH

NH3: 0ppm

NO2-: 0ppm

NO3-: 0ppm