KeeperOfTheZoo

Great job!

I've been using the API kit because it was the only one I could get locally. I think for nitrate its both easy to use and read. I haven't used anything else though as comparison for ease of use. The color changes are obvious though. I went from very high nitrates to none showing up on the test so got to see a full range of color change. The only time it's a little iffy is the change between 5-10. To me the color does not appear to change. The test is cheap though and it gives you a good idea of where your nitrates are at. I noticed both RCA and Aquatec use API kits.

Neat! The rock lay out is cool.

Very nice! In their defense, my two sgts really were not that bad. They played pretty nice with others. I had one that was very entertaining to watch as she hunted pods.

Did you watch the tank at night?

I had a couple colonies of zoas close up a while back. Turned out the hermits were irritating them and then once closed a damsel was literally picking the zoas apart. Caught all the action before lights on in the morning. The fish ended up killing one colony, the other is making a slow come back. I got rid of the damsel, so much for being reef safe fish (it was a large yellow tail)

I tend to hope for irritation topically, disease in the tank scares me.

Hope its something simple for ya.

Check out this link: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nephtheids.htm

WWM is one of my favorite research sites. If you are a research junkie there's an amazing amount of info to be had there.

After witnessing the result of lps vs sps (the later lost) I've been more careful about coral placement. I've also been doing some reading and I've been surprised by what corals are considered aggressive.

Anyway, most of what I've read leads me to believe softies are relatively safe in close proximity despite allelopathy but you have to skim well and the effective use of carbon seems wise too.

You already have more than one leather. I'd love for someone with more experience to chime in but I don't see that adding multiple leathers would be any worse than the mixed reefs most of us already have.

I know I have multiple leathers and though my tank is bigger I also have bigger frags/colonies and more of them. So far all is well, even the poor sps frag I let get stung.

I still say move the middle rock.

So much progress! I think you got infected by the aquascaping bug. Please don't share it unless you are willing to come out to my house and hold rocks while listening to me cuss. My kids wont help me anymore.

Seriously though... here's a thought. Why not move the big center rock all the way to the right and leave the center of the tank more open? It would lend more symmetry to the tank and you could add a nepthea to the top of the rock on the left eventually. I think it'd look neat to have the two tree corals on either side, especially as they got big and arched over the open center. Kinda like old trees spreading over a road.

LOL! I think we may be in trouble Wayne.

Will, I'm gonna assume you only want the good stuff but if you'd like the film algae that grows on the glass I suppose I could share that too. Ya want some yellow polyps? I'm having to trim them on a regular basis. Very pretty, but prolific! Same thing applies though... you'll have to remind me!

Thanks for the vote of confidence Tim. I really hope it'll work. Gonna frag and attach everything in the next couple days right before a water change. I always get a little nervous about the toxins released by newly fragged corals.

Haha Will, you're funny. Can't be any worse than the dang coraline I'm scraping off all the time. Stupid stuff is growing on my sand bed now too. Grrr. I've been cutting (and tossing) renegade yellow polyps left and right. I keep thinking that maybe if I give them a place to grow they'll agree to grow where I want them. Wishinful thinking I know.

Derek, good question. The gorgonian does make a rather thick hard base for its self. I suspect it's using its share of calcium and trace elements for that. The yellow polyps are just softies so I would think they would be primarily photosynthetic with just trace element use. The GSP I'm honestly not sure. It's mat is flexible and soft... would it fall more into the softies category too?

My intent is to have a softies/LPS tank. I did screw up and add in a few frags of SPS that I was given and they are doing great. My tank is 7 months old with some large frags bordering on small colonies. Thus far I have not had to supplement but I'm getting closer and closer to needing to add calcium (close enough I bought some but haven't had to dose yet, just watching it between water changes). I wonder about trace elements, but hate to add things willy nilly that I don't have tests for.

Wayne, if it frags ok I'll give ya a little frag. Just keep reminding me, ok? I get a little forgetful at times. My kids find it very entertaining.

I've read very mixed things about mixed grain size sand beds. Honestly, the more I read about it the more it confuses me.

I replaced big chunky CC with sand (no idea what size, not sugar but it's not real large grain either) across most of the front of my tank (gotta finish one corner side). It was difficult to the point of futility to try and get all the CC out from around the rocks and behind them. So, now I have a mixed grain size bed because I have pieces of CC that have shifted up through the finer sand. I don't think it looks bad, actually, it looks very natural. Much like the sea floor when I've gone snorkeling in shallows around reefs/tide pools.

Will it create a problem though? I'm trying to avoid the danger zone of 2-3" of sand... the no mans land between shallow and deep because I've read that's a great way to cause problems in the tank. I can't find anything conclusive about mixing grain sizes though. I've read 'Don't do it at any cost', and I've read it's a good thing.

Hello!

Is your son's name Loki? My oldest nephew is named Loki, my oldest son is named Odin. Bit of a family theme. My sister and I toned it down for the rest of our boys... her younger son is Arius and my other two boys are Magnus and Soren.

Anyway, come on out to a meeting. The only requirement is that you be at least as addicted to saltwater as the rest of us.

Hope they are friendly hermits that won't make meals of your other tank inhabitants!

I have several gulf coast hermits in my tank, supposedly they can last several days out of the water. They are nice when they are little, but they get big and then become destructive bullies. So I now have a couple that live in my sump!

I thought I'd ask for 'how to' tips before I butcher a fragging attempt.

I have a rock with encrusting gorgonian. I'd like to frag off a smallish piece and glue it to my back tank wall in hopes that it will encrust and grow there. Has anyone done it (fragging or growing it on glass)?

I have super neon green GSPs that I got as a mat that finally encrusted onto the glass and are making good new growth now.

As crazy as it may sound, I thought I'd also encourage the gorgonian and some yellow polyps to grow across the back as well. I'm a little concerned that the yellow polyps may be too aggressive for the other two, but I had a couple polyps shoot loose and start growing by the gorgonian and it didn't bother either coral so I'm going to hope they will happily grow in close proximity.

Possible aesthetic offensiveness aside (might look a little wild with all that growing on the back of a 6' tank)... anyone see why it wouldn't be a good idea to allow these corals to run loose on the back wall of my tank? I've seen back walls covered in GSPs and really liked the look.

That leather coral looks great. Can't wait till my little finger leather frags get bigger.

I think moving the rock into two mounds will look nicer.

Mine is in a line across the back of my tank and while it looks good, its not real inspired. I wish I'd done something more unique.

Have you noticed the nano tank at RCA that has a shelf like arch? I think that's a neat effect in a smaller tank.

I like it better with the rock on the right gone.

+1 for an attic fan. Its horribly inefficient to run an AC for circulation of air. If in doubt I can share my electric bill! There's a huge difference between when we use fans and when we kick over to the AC.

I installed ceiling fans in our more open rooms (the larger living room, kitchen and playroom) with our floor plan it moves air pretty good.

The attic fan is awesome for pulling new air into the house. When its running it'll suck doors shut! I don't run it all the time but its great for this time of year when temps swing a lot and warm air gets 'trapped' inside.

My house is about 2500sqft and the attic fan can suck in enough air when it's cooler outside to cool the house down in about 10 min.

I'm game for a group order next month. I'd like to grow phyto, rotifers and pods.

I've always had good luck getting newborns to 'go' with a warm damp rough napped wash cloth. Its never failed.

Sounds like the kittens were old enough to have nursed their momma, that always gives orphans a fighting chance. I never liked the kitten formula (formula in general is just nasty), I switched to a raw goats milk based milk for rescues and had much better results. Has to be raw and 'live' though to be really beneficial.

Our last orphan was a tiny possum that fell off his momma into one of our horses water buckets. He was so ugly he was cute! He's since grown into a big fat chicken egg thief!

Good luck with the kittens.

Nice! I really like the overflow. Much nicer looking than the typical top to bottom overflows. Hmmm, I want one of those!

Hey Rob, do you have pics of the palys? I have one chunk of rock that's been in my sump, decent sized but not massive. I might be interest in a trade.

Ditto what Jake said. Set up correctly an overflow can not flood. Mechanical errors can always happen drilled tank or not. I've been running my overflow for about 6 months now, no problems except it does loose siphon at times and I want more flow. Both issues will be fixed by adding an aqualifter pump to a bigger overflow box.

Thanks Derek, those are nice looking mushrooms.

Do you know what kind of zoas the red/orange skirted ones are in your picture? I have a couple frags just like them and have no ID.

Hey Derek, I'd be happy to take some of those pesky shrooms off your hands in an effort to help protect your nem.

Does it matter? At the rate they get covered in coraline the back will be purple in no time regardless of what you want.

I've seen back walls covered in gsp which I also think is cool. I have a bunch growing on my back wall right now and I think I'm gonna encourage some yellow polyps as well.

All that said my tank is black and I like it much better than the bright blue. Dark blue might be neat though.