Entropy

Happy B-day!!!

I have always used #16 on all the seams for a sump. The thing I like about 16 is that it comes in a squeeze tube and comes with tips so it is much easier to apply (basically the same as silicone). Of course it will not be nearly as pretty, but for a sump I am just looking for high strength and no leaks.

My turbos are useless, although they do provide an excellent meal for my army of hermits when the die. I have lost 4 out of 5 this month, but it is certainly not for lack of food. My hermits have gotten really good at flipping snails, but at least there are plenty of extra homes to go around.

Looking for a small frag of frogspawn or hammer (or both). Third choice would be a torch. What ya got?

Needlenose plyers make a pretty much perfect cut unless you need it completely smooth. I don't cover the top of my tank though, just the overflow. Between my light fixture and the wood skirt that goes around the top, if my fishies want out that bad, so be it.

I have a Rio 2100 if you just need something to get you by for a while. I am not really looking to sell it (it's my backup pump), but if you are in a bind I can sell it to you for $20. 692gph I think at zero head, probably about 400-450gph on a normal tank height.

I just noticed last night if I slide my mag float across the glass back and forth at a constant rate I can create a nice 1 inch wave across my tank. Now I just need to figure out a way to keep it going without my arm getting tired.

PM'd you both, thanks.

Any size, any color. I have an empty 150g that I want to fill with caps.

If you go off the mfg figures I have 40x (just shy of 6000gph) in my 150g, but I wouldn't bet the farm on that being accurate. Running x3 Koralia 1400, x1 Koralia 1200, QuietOne3000. I think I have decided to start finding money for the tank so maybe some new pumps in the future.

I am using th QuietOne 3000. Happy with it so far (three months) It has a little more lift that the 2100 and is about the same noise wise. It is basically silent if you keep it from touching the sides (or it vibrates pretty good). I still have my RIO2100 in the spare bucket though. Good pump.

I often wonder how old the shrimp are that are offered from most local fish stores. I don't think Peppermints have a very long life cycle. In my experience there are two methods for survival in nature (live a long time and have few offspring, or live a short time and have lots of offspring), and I think the peppermints fall into the second category. I would think with the numbers you mentioned though, that you would find at least one body. I know in my tank my long nose hawkfish kills my shrimp, but there is always a little left offer evidence. Good thing for my hawkfish that my daughter loves it.

Just placed an order with Reefrocks for 50lbs of dry rock. I have about 30lbs in my tank right now and let's just say it is pretty sparse. Anyway, the rock I have is several years old, encrusted in coralline, and very mature. My question is how long should I cure the dry rock or can I get away without curing it at all? I have a tub I can cure it in for as long as I want, but I am also want to get it into the tank as soon as possible. I don't have a spare skimmer, so it would just be water changes for the new rock in the tub.

Always test any product you get on the bottom of the tank. One thing that is pretty universal about acrylic tanks is they always have scratches on the bottom and they almost always get covered by sand/roc/etc. It makes a perfect testing ground for polishing products. If what you buy ends up making it hazy/worse/etc. it is no big deal. The back (especially if you have an internal overflow) works too. Just don't start smack dab in the middle of the front.

I have never had auto topoff. Toyed with the idea, but it has never been high on my list of things to buy for the tank. I evap about 1 gallon a day but the sump can loose almost 10 gallons before the pump starts sucking air. I am lazy so I usually get to 5 gallons down before I top off. When I am out of town I have my mom come over and dump in a couple of gallons. That is usually plenty to hold to tank over for a week. Of course I am running almost 175 gallons so I have a bit more room for error especially with salinity.

I got my refractometer the first year I got into the hobby. Got it used for $20 and have been using it ever since. Honestly I don't use it that often. Only when I do big water changes or something stupid which fortunately seems to be less often now. I do consider it a tool every reefer should have. I run my salinity at 1.024.

There is a SeaChem product that is reported to be able to remove copper.

http://www.marinedepot.com/Seachem_Laboratories_CupriSorb_Copper_Remover_100mL_Bag_Copper_Remover_Chemical_Filter_Media-Seachem-SC3271-FIFMCHCR-SC3271-vi.html

Of course by the age of this post I am guessing you figured something out or it didn't effect your tank.

I don't think there is a big enough demand for that application. Most ballasts are designed for commercial lighting and are just adapted to our hobby and the 5 foot length is not very common. x4 80w T5's is a lot of light for a single commercial fixture and a big time power sucker, plus it doesn't fit your standard 2x4 foot hole. Most of the T8's in my office are x2. There are several ballasts that will run 80wx2 for under $50 though (2 Workhorse 7's should work). Gives you a bit of redundancy and more options for when the bulbs come on. Downside is 1 more plug, but in this hobby you have to be used to at least 15 different plug/wires or more.

That was on of my main concerns. My tank is your pretty standard setp. 36x36 with a big overflow in the center back (figure 18x4). The only place I can really put the wave box where it will be aesthetically acceptable would be in the space between the overflow and the side walls (9x4 each side). I don't think putting it dead center on either side is going to fly. I suppose I could center it on the overflow but that would look kind of odd.

On the plus side I am not looking for a major wave or anything. I am more looking for back and forth movement. Out of all the Utube videos I have watched, I seem to prefer the ones that are set on the minimum setting with a slow gentle rocking motion.

Well you twisted my arm. I will hit you up on PM for details.

I was kinda of hoping to get away with the Nano to save room in the tank. I might be a little greedy since I have 36x36 but I like my space. I am running 3 Koralia 1400's and an older 1200 right now so the flow is pretty good but as someone mentioned somewhere the sand ends up getting pushed around in a few areas leaving exposed glass on the bottom. I was hoping to use two of the Koralias to move water around and the wavebox to move it back and forth all over. Maybe trying one to see what happens might be the best idea (thanks for the offer Richard).

I am surprised it took until the next day, that was a sweet deal.

Looks like James is still setting up if I viewed the correct build thread. I look forward to seeing how your setup turns out bimmerzs. It will probably take me awhile to find the funds anyway, so I have time to do a little research.

Anyone have experience with a wavebox in a cube? I have been wanting to try one for years, but I thought I read somewhere that they don't work that great on a square aquarium.

That is a really good deal! I would take it if I didn't already have one in my front room. Does the stand come apart? If the 32 height is correct it shouldn't matter, but I couldn't get my 36" cubed stand through my front door (just something to think about).