4R00P3R

I'm willing to let someone keep them on loan for up to a month if you can't afford them immediately. They need a new home with a larger tank ASAP. Please feel free to make an offer.

I also have a couple hair algae pics. I don't know what you all have against it. I think it looks cool and I don't have to buy as much food or feed on schedule.

if we all wait for used stuff to become available then we won't get new stuff now. if no one gets new stuff now there won't be any used stuff for sale. what's gonna happen? I'm asking for new speakers and a detachable showerhead. No new reef stuff. Sorry.

what kind of lights? what wattage? how close was the birdsnest? when was your last waterchange? there are too many factors to answer the question. please give more details.

most tanks cannot be drilled through the bottom because it's made of tempered glass. if it's not tempered you will need to build an internal overflow box or use sloted PVC that goes all the way to the surface of the water. fish proteins and oils rise to the top of the water and that's why overflow boxes are used. they skim the dirty water from the surface. I'm not sure what you mean by "'spit' out over/right on the top of the overflow box into my tank". the pvc stays within the overflow box, and the return pipe doesn't go inside the overflow box. you will want your return pipe and overflow pipe on opposite sides of the tank if possible. to calculate the size of the holes, you need to know the size of the pvc fittings. you find out the size of the pvc by...oh my physics class isn't going well...calculating the force of gravity on the water minus the force of friction due to the pipe. then based on force you can get velocity. after you know velocity you can calculate how many GPH your return pump provides and use the same GPH(velocity) as the amount that goes in the overflow.

you need a skimmer, a return pump, a heater, and preferably a bubble trap. there was a recent thread about bubble traps. if you look it will tell you exactly what that is. some people will also use the sump to keep a UV sterilizer, extra live rock, plants, sand, and a secure area for breeding pods. like they said, the bigger the better, as long as you can afford it(that's where i have problems ). just make sure you get a sump that's not too tall. to check height requirements place your skimmer under the tank as elevated as possible off the floor accounting for clearance necessary while removing the skimmate cup. then measure from the floor up to the recommended water level of the skimmer. some water will drain to the sump when your pump turns off, so you need to know how much cu. ft. of water will drain. add the determined height of drained water to the height of water during normal use,then you will know the maximum water height and how tall of a sump to buy.

I would just siphon it in Karen. Then you don't have to buy a pump. As far as cleaning the overflow box goes, I would take it off next time you turn off the return pump during a water change. Then you can use the water you took out during the water change to rinse the overflow box and other things that need rinsing like sponges(smallest to largest).

I have used Binswanger Glass Co 1416 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX (512) 472-2421 It's going to be expensive for that much glass; you're still buying new and not used. You also need a brace across the top like most large tanks have. I don't know where you got the 1/2" quote, but thickness depends on shape as much as gallonage. Where did you see 1/2"?

The only thing I can think of that wasn't mentioned is that your skimmer needs to be submerged within a certain range. I think the Euro-Reef is 6", but you should check the manual or customer service. Then you will know how much to fill your sump.

I planned to put these in my reef tank, but decided to go with different fish. They have been in my quarantine tank for about a month and they love to eat. Unfortunately the quarantine tank is not size appropriate for long term fish keeping so they need and deserve a new loving home. They are both about 4-5 inches. I paid $150 for the pair about one month ago, so I think that it's fair to ask $145. PM for pictures.

If you're considering those fish I would make sure you plan to have an aggressive tank. Despite the advertising, they are not typically considered "reef safe".

You should be able to pump the water out from next to the return pump. The pods typically stay away from that area anyway because of the high flow. If you have a bubble trap it will keep your pods, cheato, and impeller safer. I have sand in my sump which filters any settled detritus, etc. But, I used to use a towel and wipe the crud out of the bottom of the sump. I think that works better than trying to vacuum it with a pump or siphon.

I would almost bet that the previous owner had actinics inside and halides on top. I think you are doing the right thing by getting either four T5 actinics or 2 VHO actinics for a retrofit. I also recommend the 250w halides. There probably aren't lots out there right now because used 250s are popular and it's holiday season. You'll find some.

Depending on the cost of the replacement bulbs, it could be worth the $ to purchase a luxmeter. If you're replacing 8 $30 bulbs at 6 instead of 9 months, then you're spending $120 that you could have saved if the bulbs would have lasted that long. Oh yeah, the bulbs will start to loose intensity before they need to be replaced. Decide how much you're willing to let them loose and then measure every month or 2 weeks as needed. If you decide they can loose a significant amount then plan to change the bulbs progressively so you don't shock your corals(of course this option only applies when using multiple seperate bulbs).

I would certainly not trust that source. If it was such a good solution we would have probably heard of it. Also, the writer can't even spell some simple words. The article was clearly written by an amature who is spouting off some second hand folklore. Anyone who writes an article about denitratation should probably be qualified enough to spell it as denitration if they want anyone to listen.

It's not only the nm that shifts, it's the intensity. I wouldn't worry about the spectrum too much, but your lumens will be MUCH lower than necessary. I have an old used 24" 50/50 PC bulb you are welcome to compare. If someone can bring a newer 50/50 (strait pin design) to the December meeting we can all see the difference.

All guests are welcome. Looking forward to having the three of you.

Time, address, directions, etc. moved to this thread: December Meeting

Okay everyone. Here's a link to the thread about the upcoming meeting. http://www.austinreefclub.com/index.php?showtopic=2660

Now I remember. GARLIC. There are suplements that have garlic which entice appetite. He should be eating all the hair and film and even brown algae. Mine is fat and I don't have to feed him at all in my 105g even with other herbivores. I don't know if it will work, but it's probably worth a shot.

Oh bless you Karen. Good move. I hear they usually go on it at school or friends' houses though. The most effective security measure is to make sure she always travels in a group. It's statistically proven that creeps usually get cold feet if their date isn't alone and vulnerable. Sorry, a bit off topic, that's just my 2¢.

A few of us are looking for a sweet deal on some LR. (ex. -We figure if there is 100 lbs for a few hundred we could split it.) Who would be interested in a group order of some LR?

Good news Karen. I decided to pass on the goby to make room for the mandarin as long as you promise to let me come see it sometime.