xcreonx

Yeah those two skimmers are pretty much useless, as others have stated. There's a *chance* I may be selling my Deltec AP600 in the next month (along with alot of corals and equipment)... but I don't know your price range.

Have you tried feeding krill, shrimp or squid? That's what he'll eat, hopefully. Pods are too small.

This is a good example of why it's so important to research BEFORE buying. Puffers eat shrimp, crabs, etc. alot of what we want to keep alive. Also they are aggressive and will nip and potentially kill tankmates. Also it's important to remember alot of aquarium store employees don't know what they're talking about. Sorry, but it's true. Most stores are guilty of it. Any store that says a Puffer can live in a 40g with corals and inverts and eats frozen mysis is dead wrong! It is SO important to do your homework, as it's up to you to decide whether the selection is appropriate. The only one who suffers here is the poor fish. Puffers need to be fed big meaty foods. Shrimp, Krill and Squid are vital.

I don't think its a matter of overskimming as it is a problem with incorrect setup. Ideally the skimmer should be getting the 'dirtiest' water in the tank. This is the surface overflow water. Some skimmers can't be gravity fed from the overflow drain and must have a pump in the sump, pulling from the bottom of the tank, far away from the surface junk. This can lead to inefficiency. There's a ton of other factors in efficient skimming that he may not be thinking of. Fwiw, I have a Deltec AP600 on my 35g tank... WAAAY overkill yet it skims perfectly and has for 2 years. I have it gravity few from the overflow.

Yes i will be here around noon. I'll email you directions.

Here's a really good guide for those interested in starting a tank: http://reefcentral.com/modules.php?s=&...wpage&pid=1

I am available anytime after 1pm tomorrow and the weekend. Please call me with a solid time and I'll give you directions. THanks. -Joseph

Yes, I still have plenty left. Unfortunately I am not available today, but tomorrow and the weekend is completely open. Give me a call at 512.791.8878 or shoot me a message. Thanks! -Joseph

I should have some left on thurs or fri, yes. Just let me know when you'll be down this way.

Thanks Joe, great to meet you! I've still got alot left. I'm open to offers and trades, btw.

Yes, take the sump water into account as well. Use your total water volume.

kreeper, pm'ed you

I've got a ton of pink Anthelia to get rid of ASAP. Alot of it is unmounted, but is easily secured to rock or anything it touches. I'm thinking $10 a handful. I've got about 15 handfuls. I will be happy to glue it to a plug for you when you're here if you'd like. It's not quite as red as this photo shows, but it's certainly pink and not tan or cream like alot of Anthelia/Xenia. I need to get rid of it now! First-come, first-serve. And no shipping, pick-up only. Im downtown, one block south of the river on Congress. Easy to find. Thanks!

Thanks. Sorry, no extra wood panels

Thanks guys! It's an honor

Alright, well I tried Good luck

GORGEOUS corals! makes me long for my days of SPS'ing....

A dead blenny in a mature tank is not a big problem as far as nitrates are concerned. The cleaners and bacteria should take care of it if you don't remove it. I had a 7inch square anthias die in my old old old 90g tank. The tank was mature, about 4 years old and the anthias didn't cause any issues even though it happened while I was in New Mexico for two weeks. All I found was an unidentifiable part of the poor fish. I agree with Noodle, was the rock 'cured'? Where did you buy it? Die-off from ne rock can certainly cause another cycle, especially since your first cycle wasn't finished.

Be prepared for the long-haul with these shrimp! They will decimate your star population fairly quickly. They need ALOT of food. I feed mine about two 4inch chocolate chip stars a month as well as small Fromia's from time to time. These little guys need alot of attention so ask yourself if you're up for the task... it's major.

If your tank is 4 months old and your nitrates never reached zero then your tank has not yet cycled completely. Anemones need better conditions, some will say a year-old, matured tank. They are VERY sensitive to nitrates. I would bet your nitrate problem stems from the fact that your tank didnt cycle and as you add animals, the tank can't keep up... so nitrates, etc. etc. all rise. You really need to get your nitrogen cycle completed before adding any more animals. Do you have someone with a mature tank who can hold your animals while your tank matures? You're just going to keep fighting this problem unless you take care of it now. Don't add anything until your nitrates are zero. This is how you know the cycle is complete. It will take months so patience is vital.

Exactly, captain bob. When I heard the spots on the base I figured it was prob an LTA

Hmm can you get a photo of the base? The green dots are interesting and that could help id it. My first guess was Macrodactyla Sp. but it does look like a Condy too. The base should give clues.

How old is this tank btw?

Tropic Marin here too. I've used Red Sea and IO in the past with fine results. I'll stick with TM for a while.

It does look like a Condy. And if it costs 6 bucks, it's prob a Haitian condy. I hope you don't have any red-leg hermits! They're a natural predator of these anemones. Condys are form the Atlantic and clownfish are from the Pacific and Indian oceans. Condys don't host clowns. But that's not to say a clown won't take a liking to it. The issue is whether the anemone will accept it or eat it. There's a chance for either. It's really important to research your clownfish / anemone pair, as in the wild there are very specific natural pairings. They also love to roll around the tank, so be sure to watch it as it will kill any coral it touches.