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Aaarrrggg

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Posts posted by Aaarrrggg

    Links to FTS in signatures

    in Photography Discussion

    Posted

    Like the idea of thumbnails and links but please nobody use big FTS in their actual sig! It sounds like a good idea in theory, but I've been to forums where people do that and it's awful. Really hard to scroll though and see the actual thread pics... esp if it's someones build thread and almost every post has the same picture.

    Back wall of tank - To scrape or not to scrape

    in Reef Keeping

    Posted

    Never scrape the back. I equate scraping the back to wearing a tophat around your house alone. Sure it may be fancy and refined, but.there is noone to appreciate it and will likely go un-noticed and seems like a ton of work. Also...kinda like rings on a tree, it gives an idea of how established the tank is.

    Ah yes, but when people do happen to stop by they'll be so impressed ...and you'll always look top notch in photos! :lol:

    red algae?

    in Reef Keeping

    Posted

    That looks more like a fuzzy red algae to me. I had something similar looking on the end of a cocoa worm I bought from Fishy Business. I didn't notice my stuff spreading and then the worm died (unrelated) so I just took the whole thing out before the algae had the potential to cause a problem.

    If it doesn't wipe off like cyano you could try adding something that might enjoy eating algae, like an emerald crab? Or frag the zoas and chuck the plug & algae away?

    Aaarrrggg's 144g Half Circle

    in Tank Builds

    Posted

    I love this thread... Really one of the most fun build threads I've ever come across.

    Awww thanks! You guys... you're making me blush! blush.png

    Sorry it's been so long since my last update. We've had some mates from the UK over to visit so we've been spending most of the last 2 weeks showing off Austin.

    Well it seems I might have spoken too soon about my "happy" Jawfish. A few hours after posting last, I heard a loud "plop" come from the tank. I went over to find Kululu sitting on the sand looking agitated after presumably jumping out and bumping his head on the plastic edging at the top of the tank. Well at least my jawfish defenses seem good enough to prevent carpet surfing!

    The next day he was nowhere to be found in the tank. Growing increasingly panicked, I searched the floor... nope, not there either (whew!) Then I took a flashlight and checked the sump... nope. Finally, I shone the flashlight into the top of one of the overflows and there was a tell-tale splash. My procrastination at covering the overflows had finally caught up with me and the little sod had decided to take advantage of it and jump on in.

    There's an idiot in there somewhere...

    bsj-overflow.jpg

    He had made his grievances clear. He wasn't happy with the burrows (or lack thereof) he could make in my tank. Be it the fine sand or the swirling flow of the Vortechs... something wasn't working for him and he needed help to build a home.

    I found some excellent jawfish condo designs from this doughnut one to this long one. Inspired, I started to plan a crazy complicated burrow network with pipes and holes everywhere! ...But then I realized if the burrow was "complete" then Kululu would probably just sit in it all day and be bored (and boring!) No... he didn't need the whole thing made for him. He was a great digger, he just needed some help stopping the doorway from collapsing in.

    I ended up using a 45° 3/4" elbow for the door and inserted it into a slightly larger pipe (I can't recall the width, but it fit inside snugly without glue.)

    bsj-pipe.jpg

    The back of the burrow will be left open so that sand can pour in and will have to be maintained by it's jawfish tenant... thus promoting his natural behavior.

    I used some of my left over E-Marco 400 mortar to disguise the tube. I was originally just going to coat the entrance, but I decided to cover the whole thing (minus the inside and base) just in case it happens to get dug up.

    bsj-pipe2.jpg

    Ta da!

    bsj-pipe3.jpgbsj-pipe4-1.jpg

    After burying the new faux burrow in the sand, the next step was to liberate Kululu from the overflow.

    Husband's weapons of choice for this battle: Tiny nets taped to long pipes...

    long-nets.jpg

    After a lot of swearing, splashing and tripping the GFCI (oops!) ...Kululu was back in the DT!

    Now you're probably wondering why I didn't include a picture of the completed jawfish condo buried in the sand earlier. Well the reason is, I didn't get a chance to take one before Kululu claimed it!!

    bsj-condo-close.jpg

    Since moving in, he's opted to completely uncover the other end of the tube, so now he can pop out of either end...

    bsj-condo1.jpgbsj-condo2.jpg

    I found this behavior curious because I'd expected him to be worried about something sneaking in the unguarded exit. I've provided him plenty of rock rubble so he can cover up either end if he likes, but he usually decides to keep them both open, suggesting he prefers having 2 bolt holes.

    Another odd thing is that despite having enough room in the burrow to completely hide, he always peaks out. Even at night or when I stick my hand in the tank. Such a fascinating fish!!

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