Mike M.

Here's another photo:

$45 for the piece in the top photo that has the red ruler behind it. The two lower photos are of the same coral in another location in the tank.

SOLD This was a John G acro. I haven't done quite as well, but still, it does grow out with nice green/blue tips. This colony has been too high up in the tank and is a little tanish in color. I have a larger colony down low that has nice coloration. I'll put a photo of it below too. Big, multibranch colony. Nice piece to fill some space in your SPS tank. $45

I have a 7096 controller I'd like to sell...interested? If so, PM me. Mike

Hi, I might like to have this pump as a back up. Would you take $40 for it and where are you located in Austin? When could I pick it up today? Thanks. Mike

Folks, the first paragraph of that information is the most critical in having good colors. You MUST get your phosphates below .04 mg/L to stand any chance of having nice colors in your SPS. If you don't meet this very basic criteria, you can dose all the potassium and iron and buy all the 420nm and Radium lamps you want and you will still be disappointed. This is one of the few things that I have become very convinced of as I have wrestled my old tank into what it is now. I am still not a SPS guru, but I do believe the nitrate/phosphate thing to be gospel. All that said, when you do get them down, Pohl's Xtra Special is good for reds and purples and a little iron goes a long way! Everyone be safe New Year's Eve, Mike PS. This is my tank at .03mg/L phosphate. I'm still not to zero, but getting it down under .04 really helped the tank turn the corner.

I received a Vortech MP60 for my tank for Christmas. I now have both Tunzes and this big Vortech. Accolades aside, I really like this Vortech. The flow on it is very broad and generalized. It moves a ton of water but doesn't rip the SPS off the live rock. Like Will said, I want one and so should you. I'll tell you, I have one and think you should want one too! Hope you all got some cool toys for your holiday celebration! Mike

You are welcome to visit. I am around most weekend days and usually all day Friday too!

Maricultured Pink Millie December 2010 Maricultured Pink Millie June 2010 FHA Red Hot Lava Millie December 2010 FHA Red Hot Lava Millie June 2010

Purple Millie December 2010 Purple Millie June 2010 ORA Pearlberry December 2010 ORA Pearlberry June 2010 Purple Meridiana December 2010 Purple Meridiana August 2010

Strawberry Shortcake December 2010 Strawberry Shortcake June 2010 A. Sarmentosa December 2010 A. Sarmentosa August 2010

Happy Holidays everybody! I had some time off from work to play around with my tank and I remembered that I had not updated my thread in quite some time. So anyway, no problems to report, the system is running pretty well under its current protocol. I have included some comparisons so you all can see how the tank has evolved. Best regards, Mike June 2010 December 2010

A quick search showed that at 4' of head loss, you are getting right at 500 gph of turnover with the Rio 2500 running as return by itself on your tank. If you follow Toxic Reef's advice, you are spot on with 5x turnover. Id Eel Keeper is your advisor, you would need to add a second pump or go with a larger pump. I think you are okay with 5x turnover personally. That's right where I have been running my display for right at a year now and it has worked just fine. In addition, higher turnover increases sump noise which I am not a fan of at all. So there you have it, depending on whose advice you follow, you either have the right equipment or need to buy a new pump! Model Dimensions Outlet Watts Gal/Hour @ 115V. 60Hz Max Lift in Ft. 0 ` 1` 2` 3` 4` 6` 8` 10` Rio 2500 5.1" x 2.7" x 3.7" 3/4" I.D. Hose 782 720 666 580 529 375 - - 10`

I don't disagree about the issues with DA. That's why I'm an Apex user.

I am a big BLue Zoo Aquatics fan for fish. They have a nice inventory and I have had good luck with fish on three orders from them. I also like their maricultured coral offerings. I got a fantastic metallic pink millie from them and a few other choice pieces over the last year. Hardware...big fan of Premium Aquatics because they ship same day, have a huge inventory, customer service is great, and shipping to Austin via UPS ground is TWO DAYS. Too bad they don't carry Profilux. AquaCave does though and I have had good service from them also. Good etailer in my mind. Vivid is also another great place for corals.

So when I go to h-ll in a hand basket, we agree that I'll probably be greeted by ARC's very own! Jeff, all that being said, you do need an auto top off and heck while you are at it, put the controller on your system. It really cleans up your electrical infrastructure. I love my APEX system even with the hiccups in expanding the outlets that I experienced. LED lighting...hard to resist that technology. Wished we were more certain about large scale application of led's.

I am a big Neptune fan and user. That being said, it has not been an entirely smooth road with this highly regarded controller for me. I added an HD4 recently and had to send it to Neptune not once, but twice to get address conflicts or hardware issues resolved. Don't get me wrong, they were gracious and helpful, but I purchased a brand new HD4 unit and had to pay shipping and insurance on it TWICE to get a new piece of equipment to integrate with my head unit and system. Addition of a second EB8 was flawless, easy, and without event and same with a second pH probe, but bottom line is Neptune has hiccups along the way also. I wouldn't switch brands, but nonetheless, they are not without an occasional issue. I added this not to bad mouth Neptune, but to temper some the the Neptune cheerleading that might go on int the face of the disappointment with Digital Aquatics. I am happy with my APex controller, but it has caused me some stress along the way as I have worked to expand the hardware and learn intermediate and advanced programming of the unit. Mike

So I stopped by Mark's to pickup a ballast from him last week and he had to take me in and show me the Vortech demo in his reef tank. All I can say is that I am impressed and that I am certain that Mark is Lucifer Incarnate with those things silently pumping away in his 90 gallon. I was perfectly happy with my circulation pumps until I was able to put my ear up to the MP40 running on his tank and NOT hear the buzzing racket that has been reported on the internet in many posts across the wide world of the internet. So Lucifer, thanks for creating another irrational want and desire for my addiction that sits in my living room! Seriously, if any of you are considering a Vortech, take a minute to talk to Mark and maybe he'll open the gates to Hades and let you take a look at these cool pumps. Have a great holiday everyone! Mike

If you don't dose iron, then your yellow's have a green hue to them due to excess NO3 or PO4. I find this happens with my yellow millie when I overfeed. Work to lower excess nutrients and that'll bring your yellows back up out of Greenland!

I have enjoyed the same result. I use a variety of the frozen's available from the LFS's. Usually buy from Aquatec and PE mysis is a perenial favorite.

I run controlled 6105's on my 120. The tank is 4feet wide x 2 feet deep front to back. I have to run these pumps at like 60% to not rip tissue off my SPS. If the 92 corner is much smaller in dimension, you may not want to go with the LARGE 6105 chassis in your tank. It could be way too much horsepower. That being said they will certainly mix it up and with a programmable 7096 controller, you can customize/randomize to your hearts content. The MP40/MP60's would also be a good choice. They will blow the substrate right off the bottom of your tank just as well!

I have updated all quantities. Still some good frags left, but low numbers. Next available time for pickup after 6:00pm today would be Tuesday or Thursday evening before 7:00pm. Thanks everyone! Mike

Okay everyone, the quantities shown as available above are as of 5:00pm on Saturday night, the 20th. You can still come out and go home with a nice selection of frags. I am available for pickup most all day Sunday as I will be home serving my Home Improvement Punishment sentence...taping and floating the sheetrock in my garage. Come on out while the traffic is no big deal on the weekend. Weeknights are a big pain in the rear for making it out here to Anderson Mill. To all of you that have visited, thank you for helping me clear the racks!

Pham, Brett...you fellas are welcome back anytime!

Ask and you shall receive!