renman303

Capt. Obvious, Come and see me, I can donate a frag of Birdsnest, Xenia, Green Star Polyp, Gold Polyps and other stuff. Dave

I have plenty and would be willing to donate some for you. Dave

Mike, Sounds like what I have been doing albeit, not quite to the extreme that you took. I may have to though! I have been pulling rocks one at a time to remove the algae. It is starting to cover the corals and I have to use a soft toothbrush to remove the algae from these. Here is my Blog: Renman's Blog Here is my setup: 225 gallon tank 100 gallon sump which has about 45 gallon refugium. (NOTE: Sump is algae FREE!) Skimmer: Deltec 851 Water Movement: 2 -Eheim 1262 pumps to the tank. 1 Tunze Wavebox 1 Tunze Stream 1 SEIO 1500 1 SEIO 1100 Critters: 1 Sailfin Tang (5") 1 Swallowtail Angel (4") 1 Scooter Blenny 1 Oscellaris Clown 1 Pink Bar Goby 2 Blue Line Cleaner Wrasse 1 Tiger Pistol Shrimp 1 Gold Coral Banded Shrimp 3 Peppermint Shrimp 1 8" Black Serpent Star 20 Various Snails 20 Various Red and Blue Leg Hermits Feeding: 1 standard frozen cube, shrimp/octopus/Brine Shrimp Every other day, greens for the Tang. Water: Water parameters are good. Calcium is at 430, pH 8.4, Magnesium good, Phosphates=zero, I have to buffer quite a bit though...usually sitting at 6 DkH. Temp 78 degrees. Water changes have been every ten days at 65 gallons (~20 %). Pat, I'm really curious about your methods? Sounds very interesting??? I would like to load the sump with more Mangrove plants for filtering. My sump has lighting as I keep an overload of Gold Polyps Green Star Polyps and about 50 additional pounds of LR. The sump has lighting for about 8 hours a day and has great coraline growth! This is what is perplexing? No algae in the sump? Here is a link to a reef care package that was suggested by John at Kingfish: Reef Care Package - Reeftopia I could host a meeting and get everyone's opinion on this? Besides, you have to see this killer tank with external overflow that Kingfish had built for me. It's plumbed through our dining room wall and all equipment is in the garage. I could do this on Saturday the 24th at noon (have to work by 3pm) or Sunday the 25th?

I don't have much of a cleanup crew to speak of. AndmySailfin Tang could care less about the algae!

Hey Clint, RO/DI water for all changes. Setup by Kingfish. Problem is I was growing algae from minute one and Kingfish was actually good enough to bring the initial H2O from their place so, I know it was good. Half the LR was new from them and the other half came from my old 55 gal. Never had an algae issue there... Water parameters are good. Calcium is at 430, pH 8.4, Magnesium good, Phosphates=zero, I have to buffer quite a bit though...usually sitting at 6 DkH. Tank was set up on July 2 so it's now 6 months old. Dave

I would be very interested in how you remove Hair Algae? My tank has been rampant since day one, the first of July! I keep removing the rocks to scrub it away but it still returns? Water movement is provided by two Eheim 1262's returning to the tank from the sump, a Tunze Wavebox, Tunze Stream, SEIO 1100, SEIO1500. Seems like enough water movement to me????? I'm getting frustrated with removing rocks everyday to scrub them and sifting the sand that has a film over it. I'm about to pour Round-Up in the tank! ha ha. I think I'd like to schedule the January meeting at my home to get everyone's input? Thoughts? Dave

I have some nice frags that I already have mounted to Oyster Shells. Birdsnest corals and the like. Not to change the subject but I would be very interested in how you removed the Hair Algae? My tank has been rampant since day one! I keep removing the rocks to scrub it away but it still returns? Thanks, Dave

I'll take $50 for the tank? Anyone? Dave

I bought 2 fans for my hood that I made. Radio Shack had them for $19 and they are dead silent, take 20w and move about 150cfm. Dave

Nah, I've loaned them put a few times to serious players. Nice instruments should really be experienced by all, at least once in your life to fully appreciate them. Dave

Yea, I bought it off some gut about a year ago like that. It's about 4" across now. I love it. Just different, you know?

Here are the pics: Take your pick ! Dave

I have some gold polyps, green polyps, devil's hand corals if interested?

I have a Pink Birdsnest that I can frag? I also have Devil's Hand Leathers and Gold Button Polyps and green star polyps. I'm off of Leander Rd. in Gtown.

Sounds like a Derasa? Does it look like this? If so, I'd be interested. PM me, I'm in Gtown as well.

TTT

I have both the wavebox and the Stream. Personally, in my 225 gallon, the wavebox does all of the work. I really don't understand the stream? It can also vary in power and frequency but doesn't seem to create the waves that the box will. Secondly, it's waaaayyyy overpriced (stream) for $300+. I also have a SEIO 1500 that moves 1500 gph and only costs $70! Not sure of your tank size? Placement of the wavebox has a "Blue" line on it. That should be level with your water level when there is no motion. The wavebox works great!

Got 37 Astrea Snails to add to the tank and cleared a lot of the algae out by hand. It's like trying to weed a garden. Some of those guys are impossible to pull out! Also got an "Algae Urchin" aka: Math Sea Urchin. Great at eating Algae. It's only about 2 1/2" across so, it has lots of room to grow.

The Sea Apple has been doing fine for about 2 months now. I know that they can be volatile so I have my QT set up right under the main tank in the stand. Prior to the Phytoplankton I was only using dried Cyclopeze.

I do build my own. I find they are better than most, albeit I don't use a CNC to form any part of the guitar. And I can mold and fit them to each player. Most people that play the first guitar that I made love it but find the neck a bit too narrow however, it fits my hand perfectly!

I was feeding a Philippine Sea Apple and I heard from the guy at Aquatek that I should use it for the corals and clams as well? I've had clams for more than two years and never used it before? I was not sure about the corals as this is the first time I've tried SPS types and the like. I'll bet there is a bunch of gunk in that Phytoplankton!

Could the Phytoplankton that I feed to the critters be causing this? Funny thing, it started about 3 weeks ago when I started using phytoplankton. Prior, I was just using Clyclopeeze. Dave

My urchin is the more common "Pincushion" type though I may opt for a Blue Tuxedo just to add some color. The thing eats algae like there is no tomorrow but, can't keep up by itself. The Bubble Algae is only in 5-6 spots and is large enough that I am going to try and extract it myself...about the side of a pencil eraser or larger. I have a Sailfin tang that eats algae and a Swallowtail Angel that does the same but, again too much tank for two fish. Water changes have been weekly at about 5% volume (tank and sump included=~300 gallons). I feel that at least replentishing nutrients little by little on a weekly basis is better than a shock once a month. However, I have just increased this to 10%...changing out 30 gallons just a few minutes ago. The tank has only been up since July 2nd so, I've gone through the diatom stuff and this from what I have researched is more than likely "Green Algae". Could just be maturing but I could use some cleaners. The entire back wall is covered with 1/2" algae. Looks beautiful and natural but might be the culprit that I let get a bit out of hand!

I like the idea of another urchin. Anyone know if they are all compatible? What about 3-4 Mythrix Crabs?. Phosphates are reading zero. Nitrates are reading zero. Nitrites are reading zero. Two of the four Actinics turn on at 7am, the next two turn on at 7:30am. These go off at 7pm and 7:30 pm respectively. The MH's: One turns on at 10am the other two turn on at 10:30am. They turn off at 6pm and 6:30pm respectively. Things that make you go hmmmm?

I just put some Phos Ban in to see what would happen over the next few days. In the meantime I tested the water for Phosphates. Phosphates=zero. I went in the house to look in the tank and my Yellow Taro Tree went into sever shock! I noticed on the Phos Ban that "some corals may be adversely effected by Phos Ban". GREAT!!!! So, I removed it immediately. Especially since the phosphates were at zero. Now I'm thinking cleanup crew....