Is this a concern for my frags? (Green Algae)

So I purchased some frags, and I also purchased some coral rx dip and dipped them. However after reading the instructions it doesnt look like it would cover green algae.

I am not sure if it is, but I want to make sure so I do not take the risk of crashing my tank or having an outbreak.

Here is the pic that is included for help on possible identification and what I can do if it is indeed green algae.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Soldier Basic Training

Be a Man
Last week I took my wife to California for a medical procedure and on the plane on the way home a young man sat next to me. I knew right away he was in the service because Veterans, like myself can almost always tell who served. I can pick out a combat Vetran every time which amazes my wife as many times I will approach a stranger and welcome him home.
Anyway, this young man was in the Navy. He had short hair, an American Flag on his hat and backpack, and he called me "Sir". When I come upon an older man than myself (there aren't many left) and I know he is a Vet, I also address him as Sir because that shows respect. Something lost on almost everybody today.
We started talking about his service and he told me about his basic training and was actually embarassed that it was so easy. He told me that the drill instructors were not allowed to curse at them. They couldn't hit them, They couldn't train outside if the weather was not perfect, they could only give him 20 minutes of exercize, then had to allow them to rest and they had a card with exercizes on it and that was all the exercizes they could give them. He also told me when people thank him for his service, he says, he really isn't doing much, but Thank You.
If it were not for my seatbelt, I would have fallen off my chair.
He asked me about my training. I told him that in basic training we were not allowed to walk anywhere except Sunday morning. If we wanted to go three feet we had to run. After breakfast, at 4:00am we ran outside for inspection, no matter what the weather. Then we low crawled through a trench filled with soft mud for about 50 yards while drill Sargents kept screaming and stepping on the back of our heads to make sure our face was in the mud. Then we got up and ran through an obstical course before standing on line for breakfast. Three minutes was allowed for breakfast, no talking. Then you ran back to the barracks for a three minute change so you could get inspected. If you failed inspection you ran for most of the rest of the day and if you were over weight, you were put in the "Dune Platoon" which was just running all day with three other guys carrying a telephone pole. If one guy fell, the other three had to carry him, then go back for the pole. Then you got on with whatever you were going to learn for the day. Drill Sargeants had no problem hitting, kicking, punching or in some cases, breaking a leg on you. You didn't get to sue but the Army paid for the cast.
That was the Army then. The Marines did all that just to warm up.
Now, unfortunately, after talking to this fine Sailor, I feel we are turning out Snowflakes.
I hated my Drill Sargents but after a while my feelings changed dramatacaly and I admired the guy.
When I got to Viet Nam that training paid off because all of our fighting was in mud and there were times when that mud wasn't deep enough for me to put my face down into. I was used to the mud and it didn't bother me one bit. The enemy cursed at us while they were shooting, that also didn't bother me nor did the hot climate, snakes, scorpions, leaches, rain or anything else. That is why we trained and trained hard. We are not doing our service men and women any favors by training them like girlscouts.
Our brave fighting Men and Women deserve better and should be trained to fight, not have a bake sale. If they find themselves in combat, they should be ready and in shape.
I am sure this new training regimin is due to lawyers. I think when a lawyer gets involved in a case where we are trying to train Soldiers and not little girls we should gingerly remove that lawyer from the Army base and gently, threaten him to within an inch of his life, or make him go through Old School Basic training. Then we can get on with making Soldiers and let the lawyers stay in college.
If you are interested in what Basic training was like look up "Full Metal Jacket" and watch the Boot Camp part. The rest of the movie is also very realistic.

Preditor Tank

I have good news. In 6 moths to a year, I will be upgrading to a 100g. I will move my 40b and would like to turn it into a fish only tank, with a snowflake eel, and dwarf lionfish, and a possible puffer fish. I would feed them live ghost shrimp, that I harvested at my boat dock and quarantined, for food. How should I set up my 40b for a snowflake eel, lionfish, and puffer fish? what should type of Substrate should I use? How much? How much live rock? Etc...
Also, Please don't tell me a snowflake eel and lionfish need a 50g. My friend has kept a snowflake eel in a 40g without any troubles for 5 years.

Good morning Sunday!

Good morning Friends, and....HAPPY SUNDAY! Dunkin Donuts compliments of brother Bobby to go with our coffee and pink milk to get our day started. A sunny day, FINALLY, and a yards full of chores to take advantage of it aftefr church today. Our daughter, Squirt, is having a BBQ on the beach this afternoon we'll be going to, so shan't be a long day in the yard. Was able to hit it pretty good after work yesterday, so that helped. Had a great post last night, but due to my keen abilities of screwing up technology, I think I sent it through a worm hole or something. Long story short.....my new guitar has developed an ailment in 2-3 weeks that took my old one 40 years to develop. So a quick stop after church to the Guitar Center with my warranty papers....Grrrrrrrrr! Hope all have the very bestest of days ahead, and more than enough time to enjoy all of it,
Hack

Spridle's New 200G Reef Build (REbuild)

Hello TRT! I decided to remodel my house and my reef tank too. After almost 18 years of successfully running, I had my tank completely dismantled and rebuilt from scratch. I would like some input on the rebuild since we are getting close to finishing it out. I am interested in knowing about things I might have missed and mistakes that are going to cost me down the road.

Tank is 200 gallons and I plan mostly softies and LPS, 10-12 fish, plus crabs, cleaners, shrimps, etc.

Here is one of the last pictures I took of the original tank before is was taken down in the Fall of 2016. Tank was started in 1999. That encrusting montipora in the middle was out-of-control aggressive and taking over the tank. I also had some scratches on the glass that bothered me, plus I just wanted to upgrade a lot of things and start fresh.

Attachment 152722

For the new tank, I decided to build it to the same dimensions as the original, and follow some of the basic setup that had been successful. I also elected to use the original sump, calcium reactor, phosban reactor, biopellet reactor and ozone generator.

I retired the Aquadyne Octopus 3000 controller, Barracuda pump, VHO and metal halide lighting, Teco RA680 chiller and Precision Marine skimmer.

We upgraded the lighting to two Ectotech XR30w Pro Generation 4 LED fixtures and replaced the pump with an Ecotech Vectra L1 that runs the sump and returns through two jets, and a Vectra M1 that feeds four return jets through an Oceans Motion wavemaker. I also replaced the chiller with a new Teco TK-1000. The skimmer was replaced with a Nyos Quantum 220. And I set up the the Ecotech Reeflink wireless device to control the lighting.

After trying several noisy and violent plumbing/overflow iterations, we decided to employ a Herbie overflow. My main siphon drain is 6” below the emergency drain. The weir falls quietly about 3/4” to the overflow box level which is governed by the emergency drain pipe height. I run the emergency drain with a trickle. It is amazingly quiet and has needed no adjustment after 2 weeks of testing. Although I have successfully plugged both main and emergency drains (separately) with my fingers to simulate an 80% blockage of each pipe, I still plan to cover the entire overflow box with egg crate and maybe and extra defense layer around the drains to prevent anything from falling in and blocking the flow. Also, there are anti-siphon tubes tapped into the supply pipes.

Here is a picture of the new tank with some cloudy freshwater running it in for plumbing testing and without the finished cabinet doors and trim:

Attachment 152762

Here is the Oceans Motion plumbing:

Attachment 152738

Here is the Radion lighting suspended 10-1/2” above the water by adjustable coated jack chains and stainless steel fasteners:

Attachment 152730

Here is the sump area under the tank (accessories not connected or organized yet):

Attachment 152754

My plan for substrate is to use the Jaubert/Monoco style plenum system that was in the original tank, but with some tweaks. I plan a 1-1/8” plenum covered with 1/2” egg crate and a screen, On top of the screen will be 3-1/2” of 2-5mm crushed aragonite gravel with another screen about halfway to block any diggers. In the bottom will be a PVC rack (new addition for this rebuild) that will support the rock and keep it from sinking down into the substrate like the previous rock did, and also to improve the flow through the gravel. The rack will be built with 3/4” PVC arranged in a 4" grid pattern with 5” tall posts in the middle and 4” tall posts around the edges so that the rack system will be just under the gravel and not visible. I believe there will be a total of 56 posts on the display floor which is 33"x34". Here is the proposed plenum/substrate bed. Note that the wood cabinet trim covers 4” of the lower tank, so only 1” of gravel will be visible when viewing the tank.

Attachment 152746

I plan to use live rock, but not sure of what is available now days. Any suggestions or experience with the man-made alternatives would be helpful.

Flow in the tank is provided by a six directional jet return system mounted in the back wall which gives a very clean look with no plumbing or powerheads to distract from the aesthetics. The top two jets are fed by the L1 (3000gph rated). The four side jets are fed with the M1 (2000gph rated) but the side jets are opposing on/off alternating due to the wavemaker. Total flow in the display is estimated at 3000gph (allowing for 7’ of head pressure on the pumps, pipe fittings, friction, etc). I estimate 90-100 gallons of actual water volume in the display after subtracting overflow and plumbing chambers, plenum, gravel and rock. Turnover is therefore estimated at 30-35x water volume in the display.

I will also line the cabinet and doors again with mass loaded vinyl sound proofing foam, so this tank should be completely inaudible with the doors closed. The new DC pumps are soooooo quiet, I probably don't even need the sound treatment.

I am also contemplating a Cheato reactor.

So there you have it. All comments, advice and recommendations welcome!

Spridle

Attached Thumbnails

     

     

Flatworm? Found this. To go or not to go?

Do I this in my coral reef tank? Pic below

Attached Thumbnails

 

New Tank Gear That Will Blow Your Mind

New Tank Gear That Will Blow Your Mind

Seeing is Believing! Check Out April’s New Arrivals!