BobcatReefer

Seems to have worked. Cut about 1/4" off of each standpipe and was able to tune both overflows down to no bubbles/noise. Now, let's diagnose my tank - let's hear from the peanut gallery! Most everything in the tank is all kinds of happy...except 2 pieces. Only thing I can think of was a ChemiClean treatment a month or so ago (complete w/ water change 48hrs later). Same time span for both. This was a Tyree Undata that had been looking really good, and on the upswing, over the past couple of months. Within a week/10 days, he bleached out and is donezo (algae starting to try and grow on him). Blue Digitata are supposed to be super hearty, no? This guy was jamming along and then the bottom side of many branches started bleaching a bit, more and more polyps pulled in/disappeared, and now it's about 90% gone. Red Digi directly below the blue, happy as all get out. Had a touch of STN on this Rainbow Stylo, so got some superglue on it w/o taking it out of the tank...hopefully that works. Garf Bonsai looks happy, even if slow growing... Nice little surprise, these 2 spots of Superman Montipora that I thought had completely died (removed the frag months ago!): This Purple Stylo is fixin' to go bonkers: Rainbow shroom finally split in two: Not sure what this is, but have had it almost as long as the tank has been going. Never grew a bit in the 2 other spots I had it, but it seems to like this placement. Want to see it grow out into the mouth of the cave it's under - will look awesome! Alk and Cal have been pretty stable over the last couple of months.

So I did a bigtime cleaning a couple of weeks back, including the return pump and replacing the silicone tubing from the return pump to the hard plumbing. Both were in need. Unintended consequence: Too much flow! Not bugging the corals, but can't get the overflow quiet at the right height in the display. To get the gurgling eliminated, the water in the display is almost to the top of the tank, and the motion from the waves and the creep from the spray is no bueno, so I've been dealing w/ the noise, which is irritating. Also, the creep in the sump/fuge area is terrible because of all the bubbles. My thought is to lower the holes in the drainpipe, and that will bring the water level in the display down as well. Is my math correct on this? Or should I pull the pipe and add more holes between/above the current ones?

Dude, your ich treatment made reefing unenjoyable for me, and I was just reading about it online! (Juice's trials are a close second!)

I put in rock first to build the scape solid, then sand, then water. You could use some newspaper and basting to keep it wet. I wouldn't worry a whole lot about it, because you're still going to have cycling time in the tank anyway.

Either should work on wet rock. Both work/cure underwater, so you shouldn't have to wait at all. The big difference is the final bond - if you use epoxy you'll be able to tear it apart later, but superglue is about as permanent as it gets. You don't really have a 6x8 contact point, you have multiple contact points w/i that 6x8 area. Find the actual 3 or 4 spots where the rock is going to meet and put the balls of epoxy there, then just do your best to get it on target and smoothed in and out of sight. I'll say again to use more than you think you should - it just doesn't go very far, and so much gets smooshed back into the rock. You can always scrape off excess.

If you need the bond to help hold/suspend that overhang, it needs to be superglue, not epoxy. If the need is just to stabilize, epoxy will be fine. As far as a glob vs hand spreading, a bit of both. Squish up a bigger ball than you think is appropriate and put it where you think the contact point is, place the top rock on and then spread as desired. Diggin' the scape v.2!

Also, my suggestion on the scape would be to go higher on at least one of the front 2 islands, and/or add some bridges and overhangs.

Walt Smith Int’l lays off 75% of Staff Following Fiji Rock & Coral Ban It’s been less than a week since the Fiji Ministry of Fisheries & Forests abruptly announced an immediate and complete ban on all live coral and live rock exports from the small island nation. The immediate result has been the loss of employment by three quarters of the staff at Walt Smith International, surely not a great way to start the new year for the families who depend on that income.

*Daniel-san

https://reefbuilders.com/2017/12/29/fiji-coral-live-rock-banned-by-ministry-of-fisheries/ The Ministry of Fisheries has banned all harvesting, purchasing, sales and export of live coral and aquarium rock (also known as live rock, coral rock or fossil coral) from the 28th of December, 2017.All companies are to adhere to the following:1. All harvesting, purchasing and sales of live rocks and live coral are now banned, and no export permits would be processed by the ministry.2. The Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Scientific Committee (SC) will be submitting to the Management Authority (MA) on 7th January 2018 that Live Coral and Live Rock is given a zero quota for 2018.3. The Ministry of Fisheries and both the CITES MA and SC would be supporting the development of other sustainable options, particularly the development of farmed or cultured coral.

You've forgotten more than I'll ever learn about corals, but I have a hard time believing those are both the same coral.

I think that's the standard for K/CC.

Wow Sascha, I had wondered what was going on w/ your tank as we got our build threads going around the same time. We also both had disease issues from not QTing - I lost my entire tank to Brook. Glad to see you back at it w/ a vengeance! Just read the review (dude - that's the longest, most in-depth review that wasn't an Amazon spoof!) and am not surprised. Just looking at the Glass Cages website was enough for me to cross them off my list of potential builders. That stand made me nervous for you from the instant I saw it as well.

Yup - the new kid on the block and so far has been happy as all get out!

This is why I can't have nice things...like Peppermint Shrimps... (Notice the carcass at the murderer's feet. Didn't make it 24hrs.)

Love that idea! Hope to steal it someday!

Love that inverted aquascpape double island situation! Can you talk about how you did that? I don't see a third support at the bottom - is it leaning on the back glass? Plumbing and control panel look SHARP! Well done!

When I'm starting a new tank and getting salinity right, I just aim low and add incrementally. I don't care what the total volume to salt ratio (for mixing), because I'm never going to make 100% of the water again.

Current plan is to try and CUC it away, especially since I just added a bunch of macro to the fuge, but I'll let you know if I decide to go chemical.

That's what I was thinking. Thanks!

Juice - do you have a refugium? Will that treatment eat up macroalgae as well? Love the results! My algae issue isn't as bad, but it's bad enough it's bugging me.

Man, that sucks. Sorry to hear that Hula. (also, this board needs a sad emoji)

Really pretty fish - hope he gets better soon!