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I may have missed this, but have you tried running a phosphate reactor with some GFO? Total investment is about $50 for the reactor, GFO, and a small pump.

Yeah, I put two nice chunks in there, banded them to some rocks, and they were pulsing within 30 minutes. I will keep an eye on them to see if they start stressing.

Cool. Thanks guys. I just wanted to make sure they will make in my setup. Sounds like they will. James

I just got two huge frags of Xenia and want to know what, if any, special care they need. From what I read about them they don't require any special care. Is it safe to say that water changes and trace element supplementation should be sufficient? It seems the more I read about them the more contradicting opinions I see. James

PM sent on heaters

I use the Aqua Lifter, but I dont think it will work on 3 1/2 feet of head. I could be wrong.

Can you use a maxi-jet? Maybe a 900, or 1200 depending on the distance.

I have a 1" slip x slip bulkhead that has about 2" of PVC coming from the bottom. You're welcome to get it, but its a long drive to Cedar Park. Are there no stores up there that sells them or are they overpriced?

Thanks guys. I do have anti siphon holes on both returns. I find it odd that both returns blow bubbles at the same time. I tried plugging them with golf tee's and had no success. Since the bubbles enter the tank at the same time I am thinking is has something to do with the plumbing (between the pump, union, and tee) or the pump. I may take you up on borrowing that Mag 9.5 Gabriel. May be a little too much flow, but I guess it would blow all the crud from the return lines. I will PM you when I get some free time. Thanks again for the suggestion and pump offer. James

Interesting. I wonder if rust would start forming over time?

Folks, I have been fighting periodic micro bubbles in my tank. I have ruled out the skimmer and there are no bubbles going into the return section of my sump. Its not constant, but every 5 seconds or so I get a burst of bubbles from both returns. So before I rip out all the PVC I would like to test a new pump. Also, I did not have any problems until I hard plumbed the returns. I have checked all the joints and there is no salt creep on anything. It could be a pin hole, but I would like to rule out the pump as its easier. If anyone has a 3/4 inch output punt between 700 and 900 GPH that I could borrow for a few days I would greatly appreciate it. I am in Cedar Park so the closer the better! Thanks in advance. James

They are pretty hard to keep unless you have LOTS of pods in the tank. That is their natural food source.

If you end up buying one, get a Hydor K4. I use one secured to the bottom of a brute and it works great!

Very cool. I have asked Andrew if we could use the logo and wording from this site and add that to the FB page. Still waiting for his consent.

Guys/Gals, I created a group on Facebook called Austin Reef Club. I invite all members to join this group!! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. James

I have an old Tsunami unit that you can have for free. I could never get it working right and gave up. It works, just not the way I wanted it to. James

You bet. Just send me a PM and let me know when you need it. James

Agree with fishypets. I use a top off from http://autotopoff.com/ and it works great! James

Have you tested all the water perms? I know this is not an answer but it may be signify something.

Glad that everything is going well. It was great meeting everyone and seeing some old faces. I appreciate the opportunity to help out. I learned a lot about corals that really sparked my interest to start keeping them. Thanks for the frags as well. Remember, I am right down the road from you, don't hesitate to call if you need anything. James

Thanks Gabriel. In this economy I am going to need a lot of help.

I can still help out. I must say that I am fighting a nasty cold, so if I am too bad I will just drop off the Brute can and other tote. That is, if you still need them. If I am feeling better I will help out best I can.

Well, I found out tonight that I am being let go. If anyone knows of a company seeking a systems/network administrator, please let me know. P.S. - I may be selling my setup if I don't find something in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for a nice tank and all the fixin's. James

Hey everyone. I would really like some help on my plumbing. Is there anyone in the Cedar Park area that could stop by and give suggestions? I am currently running with a filter sock and I don’t want to keep using it. My problem is that I cannot stop the micro bubbles without it. My sump is a 30g tank that has an Octopus NW-200. I am thinking of moving the sump into the garage and running the drains/return through the wall but want options before I start cutting holes. PM if you have some time to stop by and give advice. Any input is greatly appreciated. James

Yeah, I dont know what to think. I find it hard to believe that changing two bulbs would have killed the coraline. There was 70 pounds of good rock, mixed with 100+ pounds of Gabes old rock in the tank when it went south. The only thing that I can think is the KH drop had something to do with it. I just dont know what to do at this point. I dont have/plan for a reef, but I want the coraline.