Bill B

Keep your eyes open. Twice in like the last 15 months he has gotten some small ones in on the back wall for like 10.95. Both times I have seen what is very like a male or two. I bought one and HE has beautiful red coloring. I've been really lucky with that; course I look all the time. Same thing happened with an Azureus at AquaDome, cept he was $9, Yellow Blaze.....

Yep this is a great opportunity. Everything from fairly basic, but nicely maintained, to ridiculously out of range for normal people.

Hey folks - It's a little bit late for much planning, but thought I'd mention it anyway. The Austin Pond Tour is this weekend. You can get all the details at AustinPondSociety.org, but the short of it is: Saturday (tomorrow 9th) there will be 11 ponds in central and south austin open to the public, to come and see. Sat evening 3 (2 are on the day tour) and Sunday 9 North Austin and up. Some are jaw dropping most are just real nice. It's a self driving tour and there is a fee. $20 this weekend. $15 up untill 8 on the website - like I said sorry about the late notice. Give me a call if you like 784-4475.

Bill

Rats - Just a helpful suggestion to anyone who is going to organize a group BRS buy in the future. It would be very helpful if once the group buy is submitted you post a list THEN of the people in the buy, so they can figure out who they might buddy with.

Bill

I folks - I have been very busy so I just need to write this and dash - till later. I am happy to place an order that could be picked up at my house (near the Lowes in Leander) or with a little luck I could meet you at Highland lanes, or along the 183 corridor. If they are not posted could "10g" post a list of all the people who signed up so we know who we might partner with. I probably will not be ordering that much so if you want to 'buddy' with mean you probably will have to split s&h. This thread is already getting too be long (and repetitious) so please PM me about da Buddy system. I can order as soon as you like. Unlike live orders they do not get here overnite or even close.

Thanks

Bill

Dont hold me to it but if you go onto BRS generally the group buy price is the same as is currently listed 'as low as' or about 20% in many cases.

I forget what that means. I believe it means that you have actually placed an order, (or possibly just been a name submitted with a group buy). It is not as good a discount as group buy pricing.

If you think you even might be interested you should send in pertinent info to 10g. We are not later penalized if you don't order.

Bill

I used to have some kribs in a 29. They set up home under a small piece of driftwood on the right side of the tank and I had some other larger Congo Tetras who hung out on the left side. Eventually most of the babies did get eaten, but a few made it. None of the original inhabitants were injured. I would imagine 10 gallon and lower would definitely be more problematic.

Bill

BRS works a little different than some others, who work a little different than others.... The 'Group Buy' pretty much amounts to getting the 10 names to submit. Then on whatever day the group coordinator (10 gallon) arranges the 'Group Buy' starts and I believe ends a week later. When you go onto BRS and you enter your site entry info the Group Buy prices are shown. That's it. Ordering is up to the individuals. There is no break on shipping per se. So then you either order on your own or get with someone else who orders so that you can split shipping. Usually getting just 2 or 3 people on the order will bring the shipping to about half per person - depending on whether some order really heavy stuff, of course, As mentioned if one or more people (on the same order to be shipped to the same address) exceed $175 there is no shipping charge ON THAT ORDER, for that address. I always entering expecting I am going to get the best price break, but will probably have to pay 4-6 dollars shipping. Unless someone else wants to do it I am happy to place an order for whomever wants to order with me and pickup from my house. Last group buy I ordered, no one came to my house,(although many times they have). I met someone along 183 and then met several other people at Highland Lanes at noon time. It went really easy. Email 10galReef with your name (eg Bill Brister) and the email you used to open your BRS account. If you haven't registered you'll need to do that. - All of this is contingent on us getting 10 names that 10g can send to BRS. To summarize it is possible the even though 10g sets up the group buy, worse case scenerio, there could be a group, from S Austin lets say, who orders and get no postage and he could end up ordering by himself and pay all the postage himself. Let's hope not, but he would have still gotten the benefit of the group buy prices and sometimes they give the coordinator a little something, but not much. fyi Except on some equiptment the group buy price is often very near the same price as the price they show 'as low as' - where you normally have to buy 5 or more of that item. END TUTORIAL

Bill

Can I humbly suggest: Start the group buy as if it is going to happen, otherwise, at this rate it never will. Set a start date - next Monday sounds reasonable to me. Ask for participants to send you their info that their individual BRS account is set up for so you can get the group buy set up. Then while we are waiting for Monday to get here you can post the list of people interested and how much they might be ordering, although it's hard to know for sure without have the discount prices published yet. Hopefully we make it to 10 people. Those of the Fabulous 10 list can work out amongst themselves who they want to go in with and/or if that will qualify for free shipping. Many times the subgroups do not. Also note when you solicit folks all you have to do is ask for those who think they MIGHT be interested in a group order...... which will begin next MOnday? By the time we group the orders together they have no way of knowing how many people actually ordered. Presumably they are just looking for potential and not guarantees. Moving forward the worse case scenerio is it just doesn't happen for lack of sufficient interest. If you wait for all the numbers to be exact, then some back out, cuz it's taking too long, then, then, it probably will never happen - IMHO.

Bill

I would be glad to enter a group buy even though I don't necessarily need much. I would definitely like to ship with someone else as well, at least in the nw austin area, if not lcp. I am in NO hurry.

Bill

I'm not sure what your application is. If you are looking for pond plants I have a night blooming white you could have. Garden plants nyet.

Bill

LOL - Sometimes maybe I create a leeetttle disruption in pushing for courtesy in 'I want it' requests so here I'm doing my penance and just trying to help everyone get along and at the same time point out what a fine, fine person Chris is - of course, you are possibly the finest personess in the group

Well unfortunately I think there is a lesson to be learned here: Be a little less forthcoming and a little more discrete about such matters. "Hey guys I have a number of Peppermint shrimp I would be happy to pass on for $3." will probably get you much praise and fewer 'they should be even cheaper' buyers. For my part I think you are a great American and a credit to the Austin Reef Club

Bill

I just picked this up from Chris as we live pretty close and I have the room. I do not normally keep Tanganyikan fish though, so if anyone else has a home for him I am happy to pass him on. I haven't even finished floating the bag, but yes I do think it's a brichardi.

Bill

784-4475

oops, wrong category. My bad.

Michael's syringe sounds safer, but the anecdotal stories I read actually submerged their rock for 5 minutes in a 50/50 solution of water and hydrogen peroxide (as did I, hence only 1 frag so far). I guess this would have the side benefit of being a prophylaxis dip as well ?? Frankly I also read one story that a sea hare had worked in their instance. My 29 has waaay too many little frags in it for that kind of problem solving.

Just to be clear it is definitely not a 'was' approach on the bryopsis. I still have it. In fact, it may be common knowledge to some but I am developing an opportunistic theory about nuisance algae. = namely that removing one or more types of algae may clear the way/competition for others to take a better hold. In my 29 I had some pretty bad hair algae, the bryopsis and some cyano starting in. The hair and cyano are pretty much gone but the bryopsis seems to be getting worse faster. In my 75 I had some hair, some dino and a little cyano. I think all of those are gone but I have some cotton candy which is getting really happy in my sump. I was really shotgunning both tanks including extra turbos and a small amount of hermits. Of all my critters possibly the best eater was the algae urchin in my 75 but they move slowly. They move much faster but It's hard to tell how much the sea hare helped. Frankly he didn't seem night and day effective in my sight, but I didn't see him for about 10 days right after I got him, so he may have been eating up bunches of stuff on the back and underside of my tank and reducing the spore making population. If he was eating something. As I understand it if he wasn't eating pretty good he would likely be dead after 10 days. He still would be at least 2nd as far as being able to see before and after effects. As Steven A Smith sez HOWEVA - I really think what helped the most was my vodka and vinegar dosing. I have read that vinegar dosing in particularly can lead to more cyano outbreaks if you overdo it. I may have overdone the vinegar and that may have been the biggest seed for the cotton candy algae.

As far as the bryopsis I had really elevated my Magnesium to about 2000 but with little effect. It was only recently that I read that it might be some unknown trace element in Tech M that might be doing the damage and flake Mg wouldn't do it. I just got some today from RCA, but will have to reduce my Mg levels before I can add more. I was just using epsom salt. I recently read 2 people purporting that 50/50 on H2O2 would fry it. I am dubious by I did try this on a single frag yesterday. It did not seem to have much effect and it definitely did not 'fry' it on the spot. But today it seems to be gone. So I will probably proceed with trying both methods, unless anyone has other suggestions. As I understand it, there are over 50 varieties of bryopsis so what has or has not worked for others may not do the same for you and I. I do admit my manual removal has been less than stellar at times. Any other suggestions?

btw the Sea Hare and Tuxedo are pending.

Thanks

Bill

After quite a period of neglect, I was trying everything to get my tanks cleaned up. Except for a bad case of bryopsis I think they are pretty much back, so it's time to get rid of some of my cleaners. I will probably keep one of the urchins but I'll let your choices decide which I keep. So up for offer are:

1 Sea Hare - medium size - GONE

1 Black Spine Urchin - getting up there. Some of it's spines are around 4"

1 Tuxedo Pink Urchin - 1"-1 1/2" (not very pink) - GONE

1 Algae Eating Urchin? - 1 1/2" - 2" Looks similar to a tuxedo but its rows of spines are not quite a neat as tuxedo and are multicolored tans

I am asking $10 for each except the 'Algae' @ $5.

I respectfully reserve the right to choose the buyers, if there is more than one - friends, acquaintances and fast pickups will be given first consideration. Please PM or call 784-4475.

Thanks

Bill Brister

lol This hobby even provides us with humor

I was really surprised at the size of those starfish. The hermits were tinsy, but at two for 1?

Hey guys

It turns out today is a bad day for Mitch to be receiving an order. Can anyone acclimate and take his order for him? He just has 3 frags and 10 hermits. I can do it I'm just the farthest from him.

Bill

btw - THE ORDER IS IN. Have only looked at the packing list but apparently everything is there. So MIke tab is 29.97, Zane 22.97, Mitch 34.92, Gilbert 19.95 and Joe 114.80. You can just pay me when I see you or paypal (as personal/gift) [email protected]

Sorry for the pooor communications but their communications with me has been the same as mine with you - none. However I did get a message from FedEx that sez the order s/b here by 10:30 am. I don't know what will be best for you. I need to make a delivery to N Austin by about noontime at Braker and Metric. If anyone wants to meet along the 183 corridor, around my delivery, or at Highland Lanes (183/Burnet) I would be happy to do that. Phone calls or txt msgs would probably be easiest to keep track of. Thanks

Bill

512/ 784-4475

IIRC I only got 1 of the rock anemones for SiFuentes and Woods 3 things were in stock, at least when I ordered. I won't know for sure till they get here.

I will let you know your totals when I know for sure what we got.

Hi Andrew

I have 2 ph 301's abd a ph 402 - these are both aquaclear power heads. I'm not sure of the head, but you might be able to find it. One of the 301's is obviously a little older - if it's appropriate for your use, you could have it. The other two just name your price, and I'm not talking a lot. Unfortunately my normal travels do not bring me very close to RR or SA. I am going to Metric and Braker tomorrow. Just a thought.

Bill

Man - If I wouldn't have to buy a new tank to do it, I'd buy all of those. I'm a LPS lover. Great prices!!