Truckin

I'll take a frag of the green birdsnest. Are you ever in the NW Austin area? Otherwise, PM me on the best way to meet up.

I've been adding some new softie corals to my tank, and I just learned about using a dip to avoid pests. Do any of you folks have experience, both good and/or bad? It seems that dipping soft corals might be more of a problem than stony corals. Can anyone recommend a good product especially for zoas and mushrooms? Thanks, Roy

Hi Mark, I'll take frag #2 of the 2 polyps for $10. PM sent. Roy

Interested in the multiple-head frog spawn, small anemone, something in upper-left corner of photo (maybe blue candy canes?). PM sent.

If we can meet up somewhere north of downtown sometime, I can take five at $3. I'm not in a rush. Send me a PM if this works. Roy

I don't want to criticize, and I would like to increase my understanding - so what is the explanation for sterilizing dead rock? I can't think of a good reason, and it does add one more hassle. Just because it does not cause obvious harm, let's not elevate it to a "best practice" unless there is a good reason for it. And, by the way, there are plenty of microorganisms floating in the air, so things don't stay sterile for long.

Why do anything to it, except maybe brush off any loose debris? Dead is dead. What are you folks trying to kill? Any way you go, it will have to cycle. Adding some live rock will help.

PayPal payment made (probably in the name of Judy J [wife]) for: Red Montipora Capricornus $ 12.99 (green w/) Purple Rim Montipora Capricornus $ 34.99 subtotal: $ 47.98 10% discount $ 4.80 less 10% $ 43.18 box fee $ 2.00 new subtotal: $ 45.18 3% PayPal fee $ 1.36 Grand Total: $ 46.54 Let me know if I made any errors. Thanks, Roy

Here's my order: Red Montipora Capricornus $12.99 Purple Rim Montipora Capricornus $ 34.99 Total: $47.98 Are we up to the 10% discount?

I think that the focus is on fish, with maybe no corals.

As soon as I hear back from Vivid about the clove polyps, I will finalize my order. In my PayPal payment, should I deduct the 10% discount? Thanks.

I was wanting the Yellow Snow Clove Polyps at last week's sale for $ 15.99. Did Vivid respond? Thanks.

Hi Laura, I'll take one of your $5 "frizzly" green mushrooms. About 4:00 tomorrow at RCA? Thanks, Roy

I'm not an expert, but I will offer my two cents. I have to assume that you have a good supply of quality salt water. I would use two or three 5 gallon buckets, or similar plastic containers, and put salt water in the first two, maybe half full. I would wash the sand and rocks, separately, starting with the first bucket for the "dirty" wash. Move them to the second bucket to wash again, for slightly cleaner wash. If needed do the same in a third bucket. As the first bucket becomes really dirty, pour that water out, and this becomes the new third bucket. The original second bucket now becomes the first dirty wash, and so on. Basically you are using the water until it is too dirty to continue. After cleanup by washing in salt water, put the sand and rocks back in the aquarium with fresh salt water. Then watch the protein skimmer and set it for vigorous skimming. Having said all of that, I doubt that major damage was done to the rocks and sand by the food items in the tank, and I would not worry about "bad bacteria." In other words, I doubt that long recycling will be necessary. But the sooner you start to get the crud out, the better for the good critters on the rocks and sand. Maybe someone else on the bulletin board has more expertise. Good luck.

I'm in for $20-30. Waiting to see what the next sale shows.

Some of the "dollar stores" carry the superglue gel pretty cheap. (Don't be surprised if the tube has some air bubbles.)

Hi Mark Vivid has Yellow Snow Clove Polyps on sale for $ 15.99. Also they have Red Montipora Capricornus (not on sale) for $ 12.99. Can you ask them to hold those two items at those prices until the order goes in next week? And next week, after seeing what is on sale, I will add at least one more item to my order. As with last time I will send you the payment + 3% by PayPal. Thanks. Roy

Here is a link to a discussion about making aquarium rocks from concrete: http://saltaquarium....CementRock.html

PM sent.

I was reading Anthony Calfo's Book of Coral Propagation this morning, and I remembered that he made a strong statement (page 103) that horizontal is the way to go.

Take two: After playing around a bit more, it occurred to me that the bottom part of the golf tee might be more useful for this because it could fit into smaller holes and cracks. Haven't tried it, but plastic pics (party style?) might work as well.

I've come at the topic from a slightly different direction. Any way, in the past couple days, I have used super glue gel to attach an old-fashioned, plastic golf tee (most seem to be wood) to the bottom of a mount. I use side cutters to cut off the bottom of the tee leaving about an inch (or whatever fits the location). Depending on whether this is an existing mounted coral, or a new mount ready to receive a frag, the tee could be cut before or after gluing. Many of my live rocks have holes or cracks that the remaining tee fits into. Then if I want to move the mount, it just lifts out. So far, this seems to work. Hope this helps. Roy Buchanan

PM sent.

PM sent.

If Mark doesn't take them today, I'm up for $20 , and I can make it by late this afternoon or early evening. (I will be away from the computer for a while, but I will check back around 2:00 this afternoon.) Thanks.