jsr

Most likely the bulbs need to be replaced. I run 4 VHO 12k bulbs (50/50) and after time they will give off a pink tint. Personally, I would replace the whites with 10k AquaSun bulbs.

When you use the table saw and router do you get any melting on the plexi? Are you using a fixed speed router or variable speed? I have used a jig saw in the past and found that if you use a higher RPM, it starts melting. I also found that melted plexi that falls on bare skin HURTS!

Funny! I was in there today hoping that more stock had arrived. Not so. They still have some nice fish/corals, but the CUC was pretty much gone. Same as Saturday.

What are you cutting the material with? Table saw, router?

Thanks Gabriel. I was thinking of getting a small 5 pound rock as well. I wanted a rock with both good algae and a few hitch-hikers and so far I have not seen any at the local stores. I may resort to begging on the ARC boards.

Hello everyone. I have an Oceanic BC14 that I want to start up. I have some dry rock and sand in there now. I wanted to know how everyone suggest starting the tank. Should I just add some saltwater and wait out the cycle? How will the cycle start without live rock/sand? I have never started a tank from all dry rock/sand. I dont want to pull any sand or rock from my larger tank due to a hair algae problem I am fighting in there. So my question is should I go ahead and add the water, or wait to get some live rock/sand before I fill it up? Thanks, James

I went in late thinking that I could get some good snails. I was wrong, everything was gone! So I walked away empty handed. So sad...

I tested the TDS in Cedar Park and got a 286 reading. This was about a month ago.

I try to stay around 80. I have my heater set to kick on once the tank drops to 78. Anything above 81 and I start manually bringing it down using fozen water bottles, but that is very rare that I get above 81.

Yeah, I did notice the $10 processing fee.

Have you guys checked out http://saltwaterfish.com/ They have FREE SHIPPING on all "live" orders over $80. I have a friend that has used them and said they were really good. Just a thought... James

Thanks John for hosting the meeting today. I was great to meet everyone and put a face with a screen name. I too look forward to attending more meetings in the future. And again, thanks to everyone for answering all my algae questions. Sorry for being the newbi amongst all you knowledgable folks. And by the way, I usually dont eat sweets, but those darn M&M cookies were good!!!! Thanks to James for bringing the list together and doing all the talking.

Is the skimmer in a sump or hanging on the back?

Yes, I agree the CUC is very limited. I do plan on adding about 50 additional snails in the very near future. Additional rock should be in sometime after Christmas as well. Thanks for everyones reply.

As of last week it was reading at 2. I have tested my fresh water and salt mix and both read 0 on the tests.

My tank has been running since April. What gets me is that even during the cycle I had 0 readings on everything. I cycled the tank with 70 pounds of uncured rock and 140 pounds of sand. I have a small clean up crew consisting of about 30 crabs (blue and red) and 10 snails. They seem to be eating the algae, but not fast enought. Again, I want to find out what is causing the Phosphate before I add anything else. I just dont know what is causing the phosphate in my tank.

Here is the link... http://www.austinreefclub.com/index.php?showtopic=2660 This month, we are talking about the 10 things that everyone should have.

Welcome to the club. We have a meeting this weekend if you want to attend.

Yes, I thought about the Sea Hare and River City sugessted that as well. I really want to find a source and fix that before I start adding stock to fix the problem. Does that make sense? However, I guess if I want to pull the skimmer to add chaeto that is the same as adding a sea hare to eat the algae.

I will not be bringing the wife and little girl. My mother-in-law is coming in town so they will be shopping all day. Spending money I could use on the tank. :-(

Hello everyone. As some of you know, I have been fighting algae from day one. I thought I did everything right. I use ONLY RO/DI and used it from the start, run a PhosBan reactor, even used some drops help with the phosphate with no success. All it did was turn the algae from green to brown. I assume this killed it somehow. However, no matter what I do I cannot get the hair algae to stop growing on the rocks. So here is my problem. I have a 29G aquarium setup as a sump. Due to the size of my skimmer (Octopus NW200) I dont have room for a fuge. My options are to get a bigger sump, which I am working on trying to get, or pull the skimmer out and use the sump as a fuge. If you were in this situation, whaat would you do? Is it better to have a skimmer or a fuge? I have no corals, only three small fish. I am also thinking about moving the fish to a small Bio-Cube 14 and draining the big tank to do some work on it. I fear that I may shock the fish by moving them from a 135G tank into a 14G tank. The fish are a 4" watchman goby, 2" lawnmower blenny, and a 1" pseudochromis. Please give me some information before I just sell the fish and retire the tank!! Thanks, James

Well, I had to make an emergency trip to Dallas yesterday and have not had time to work on it. I just got in a few hours ago. I can tell you that the viruses and malware are gone from the system drive. I just need to reload everything and get it back to you. Sorry for the delay. James

The only time I see my Goby is at feeding time. Sometimes, I have to turn the lights out for her to come out from her rocks.

Personally, I would use a 55G or 75G for that. I have a 135G tank with a 29G sump and dont have room to do what I need to do. My skimmer takes up 1/2 the sump. If you use a 55 or 75, be sure to put it in the stand before you put the tank on there (if you have a stand). If not, you may not get it through the stand doors.

Yes. I get as much out of the sump as I can. I then clean all the junk that has settled on the bottom of the sump. If I need more water, I go the the tank.