FarmerTy

Adding: -Bayer Advanced Total Insect Killer - tried and tested. Works great as coral dip. -paint shield - best glass algae scraper ever for $3! Works perfect with an aqua glove. Perfectly clean glass without getting your entire arm wet. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202284231/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=paint%20shield&storeId=10051

If they were really smart, they'd stop checking Ofu Island and start checking our tanks at home. http://www.livescience.com/19160-heat-resistant-coral-climate-change.html How many heater malfunctions, overdosing events, power outings, overfeedings, and forgetting to turn the lights off have we subjected our corals to and still some always make it. Who's got the strongest corals? Try your local reef club. -Ty

Oops, sorry, my bad on the units. I do that all the time at work as well!

Hey gang, I recently acquired a piece of SPS that had a red bug infestation on it and I was curious to try out this method discussed on Reefcentral. I figured might as well try it because my alternative was just to throw the frag away. Go to Lowe's or Home Depot and pick up a bottle of Bayer Advanced Complete Insect Killer ($13): You will need to mix 0.5 ml of the insect killer for every 2 cups of tank water. Dip the coral for 5 minutes, some say don't baste, some say to baste. I will probably not baste. Pull the coral out and give it a good rinsing. This stuff is not friendly to invertebrates so a good rinsing will keep it from contaminating the tank water. Remember to rinse your hands as well (I would suggest using gloves if you have them). I will do this twice to ensure that every one of those red bugs is eliminated. The people who have tried this method reported great success, even for AEFW and other pests. The great part is you are only using 0.5 ml each treatment, and the bottle is a 32 oz bottle. For those scrambling to grab a calculator right now, that's 64 1892 (thanks Texasean for the catch) treatments for $13 bucks. I'll snap some pictures this evening of the SPS infested with red bugs, the treatment, then the follow-up after treatment. Wish me luck. -Ty

Lenver, This is the clip-on light I used when I had a refugium. http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fans-Indoor-Lighting-Specialty-Lighting-Clip-Lights/h_d1/N-bvmgZ5yc1v/R-202351658/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051

Ever wonder what other reefers use, such as simple household items, to maintain or tweak their tanks? Well, I do. So I'm asking... what crafty little gadgets or tricks have people used in their tanks that may be beneficial to others? For instance: 1) buying nori sheets at the asian supermarket for $5 a gigantic bag vs. $4 for 6 strips at the LFS. Make sure you get the dried, non-flavored kind. 2) Plastic drywall tape knife set - $4 for 3 different sized blades to scrape your glass in no time flat. 3) Buying random seafood at the asian market and blending it all together to make your own fish food. Then scooping it into a ziplock bag and flattening it out in sheets for nice breakable pieces to feed. 4) Buying a clip-on bulb from Home Depot ($9.99) to use as a refugium light instead of buying a $40 one from JBJ. 5) Buying plusrite metal halide bulbs from 1000bulbs.com for $13.33/bulb to light my tank and swapping out every 6 months. 6) Using spaflex tubing at home depot instead of those expensive vacuum hoses 7) Running your "dirty" water line from your RO out to your garden/lawn to water plants/grass. 8) Modding your skimmer cup by drilling a hole and hooking up a drain line from it to a milk jug so you don't have to empty your cup all the time. 9) Bayer Advanced Total Insect Killer - tried and tested. Works great as coral dip. 10) paint shield - best glass algae scraper ever for $4! Works perfect with an aqua glove. Perfectly clean glass without getting your entire arm wet. http://www.homedepot...d&storeId=10051 That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Please share your tricks of the trade for us all to benefit from! -Ty

Hi Bluemoon, The post is up to date. What I have left is on the first page of the post. Thanks for your interest and hit me up if you want anything. Thanks! -Ty

Last update. If nobody picks up this weekend, they are going to one of the LFS. Thanks for looking! -Ty

No problem Ray. It was nice meeting you guys.

NP, you guys are always welcome to join me as I stare at my tank for hours on end and talk your ear off.

Pecman, it was good meeting you. Remember, don't let those little anemone sting you! Gumbo, PM'ed.

Haha, nice!

Man, I was eye-balling that ice fire big-time when AquaSD posted. That is gorgeous. If a piece ever gets knocked off by some fish or hand in the tank, I want to call dibs! Good find Pat. -Ty

No problem Mike. I'll have to see your tank eventually as well. Don't forget to pass along another useful way that the ARC club card can be used ... on top of all the cool savings and perks you've been getting for us.

You are welcome Teresa. It was nice meeting you. Hope you found a place for the cactus coral. -Ty

bump, updated

Great add PBNJ. I bought the complete 2-part dosing from BRS and picked up their magnesium supplement last year as well.. I've actually toned my Mg down a bit because I was getting so much polyp extension that I was not seeing enough of the color of the base of the SPS. It's more a matter of preference. Currently I keep it at 1350 and happy with what I have. I didn't know about dosing it with the CaCl. That's a pretty cool trick.

Whooops, well, you know what I mean. Haha.

Good talking with you and your wife, Mitch. I appreciate the bathroom advice!

Yeah, be here if you want to swing by. Just text me first. Pm'ed.

Hey Mitch, The color is close to what it is in my tank right now. It was moved into the main display about 2 weeks ago and was under 10k lighting in my sump. The two war corals I have in my main display are more intense red than the frag right now but that should be a function of the lighting it was under, and not the coloration it can achieve under normal lighting. I try to color up the frags before selling them but I posted the picture of the war coral in haste with my other frags. It should turn more red in regular lighting and should eventually glow red under actinic like my other war corals. This frag was the one I expected to go the quickest.

Aww bummer, the little guy looked cool sitting up in that little spot of his. Sorry for the loss Chris.