Derry

PM'd for Red Planet.

I've got a couple of extra bulkheads floating around that I'd like to get rid of. One is a standard tank bulkhead. I'm not real conversant with how these are sized, so I took pictures next to a ruler. I can break out the calipers if anyone needs the hyper-specifics. Both sides of the bulkhead are slip. The other is a probe bulkhead designed to hold a 1/2" probe. I was going to use this to hold my pH propbe on my Ca rx until I discovered that the lid of the reactor is too small to accomodate the bulkhead. Warning: the threads on this bulkhead appear to be metric, fwiw. I'm MORE than happy to trade for these - I just want them gone. Free, trades welcome.

I recently changed out all of the bulbs in my light fixture (two 250W MH and four T5 actinics), and I'm in the process of acclimating the tank to the new lights. However, it's always bothered me that I've only been able to "eyeball" the light intensity, which I know isn't real reliable, so I bought a $20 lux meter off of Amazon and have been playing around with it. I prefer to use layers of screen when acclimating new lights instead of messing with the photoperiod, mainly because I find it easier than dorking with my light timers. Below are some numbers I pulled using various common screening materials. The percentage is the reduction in light caused by each screening material, using incandescent light sources directly overhead. I make no claim to these numbers being uber-scientific, but I got roughly the same percentages using two different overhead lights of different intensities. All numbers are rounded approximations. window/solar screen - 40% 1/2" white egg crate - 15-20%, increasing as the angle of incidence of the light increases 1/2" deer/bird screen - 5% The number that surprised me was the egg crate - I wasn't expecting it to block quite that much light. My plan at this point is to figure out a way to run layers of deer screen across the top of the tank without using egg crate as a support. Then, the next time I change out some bulbs, I'll take a reading with the lux meter using both the old bulbs and the new ones. From there, I can calculate the percent increase in light from the new bulbs, and therefore how many layers of deer screen I need to reduce the light from the new bulbs to the level of the old bulbs. Once the screens are in place, it's just a matter of removing a layer every five to seven days until all of the screens are gone. Now, before I get pounced on, I do understand the differences between lux, foot candles and PAR. Basic lux meters are easily afforable; PAR meters are not. I was simply looking for an inexpensive way of determining a rule of thumb that would help me more effectively reduce the risk of light shock to my corals when I replaced bulbs. Hopefully this provides some ideas for others to chew on and generates some interesting dialog regarding light management strategies.

Tim, is a 5' tank big enough for a naso?

My beloved blue-jaw trigger went carpet-surfing on me a few weeks ago, and I'm trying to think of a suitable replacement of comparable size (6" to 9") that's not another blue-jaw. My tank is a 140-gal mixed reef, with the dimensions 60Lx20Wx30H. The fish currently in the tank are: 2 chromis 3 lyretail anthias 2 onyx clowns 2 mandarins 1 yellow tang (5") 1 kole tang (5") 1 coral beauty 1 royal gramma 1 starry blenny If I don't get another fish, it wouldn't exactly be the end of the world, but I miss having that one bigger fish cruising around the tank. At the moment, I'm leaning toward a Lamark's angel, but I thought I'd ask the peanut gallery for suggestions to see what new ideas might come up. Remember, it's GOTTA be reef-safe! Thanks! Derry

Oof... Painful in more ways than one!

My beloved 6" male blue jaw trigger tried to go amphibious on me about two months ago with negative results.

Sorry, what's "Rhizos" short for?

I'm switching to a calcium reactor, so I no longer need these dispensing jugs. They're from BRS and were used when I was supplementing with their two-part system for maintaining calcium and alkalinity. They're only worth $5 each when new, so throw a small livestock trade offer my way, and let's see what we can work out. I don't need any algae or kenya trees, but I'm open to almost anything else, particularly zoas. GONE

You're right, Mike - on the re-read, that was definitely NOT my clearest piece of writing! Looking like replacement's my only option. Thanks for the input!

MIke, you've had too much caffeine again... I'm not talking about the fittings under the stand, which I agree should be either glued or threaded, lest one invite disaster. I'm talking about the return standpipe in my overflow box. Cost has nothing to do with this conversation - I never mentioned it, and I've already got enough spare PVC in the garage to rebuild the standpipe assembly if I have to. I'd rather not drain the overflow box and remove the standpipe along with its connecting bulkhead unless I absolutely have to because draining the overflow box would kill all of the critters currently living in there. My question was whether anyone knew any tricks for getting dry-fit PVC unstuck, under the assumption that it was just dry-fit together and not glued together. Got any suggestions there?

It's a standard corner overflow with a Durso drain pipe and a return that exits from a Loc-Line nozzle. I took the Loc-Line off today, and it's clear. I tried using the channel locks with some vise grips to hold the return pipe still, but no luck there, either. I might not have a choice but to drain the overflow and remove the bulkhead...

Yep, and all that does is make the bulkhead spin.

I think I've got too much calcium buildup in the return pipe from my sump, which is restricting flow and therefore turnover from the tank to the sump. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get the frikkin' 90-degree elbow off of the return pipe, much less get the pipe out of the bulkhead at the bottom of the overflow. I can't see any visible glue residue (which I know only counts for so much), and gluing the overflow pipes together seems to be less than the smartest thing for the tank constructor to do. However, I can't get anything to come loose. I know I can always drain the overflow and unscrew the bulkhead, but my overflow operates as a pseudo-cryptic zone, and I don't want to kill off everything living in there. Anybody got some clever ideas for me?

A yellow tang is going to outgrow a 40g breeder in fairly short order, so you might reconsider that one. There are a handful of dwarf angels that would work in a tank that size, with the flame angel and coral beauty generally considered the "most" reef-safe. If you're looking specifically for a reef-safe yellow fish, you might take a look at a midas blenny. Any of the clowns would be good choices, and there are a number of beautiful reef-safe wrasses to choose from (there are also lots of NOT-reef-safe wrasses, so do your homework! ; ). Dottybacks and basslets are colorful and a good size match for your tank. Just be aware that some can be fairly bossy, and some won't co-exist with shrimp very well. Hope that gets you started! Derry

If all you're actively growing in there is algae, I've got a cheapo HD clip-on lamp with a grow bulb from The Light Bulb Shop on mine.

Does anyone know where I can find a high-powered magnifying glass? My 3x-5x doesn't really magnify enough to do a thorough inspection of new frags. The teacher supply stores don't have anything stronger than what I already have.

Oh, Chrissie, the betrayal... ; )

So I've had my tank for about three years now. You'd THINK that after all this time, I'd have a pretty good idea of what's in it, right? Well, I was having trouble falling asleep, so I headed downstairs and figured I'd check out the tank at night, which I don't do very often. What to my wondering eyes should appear but a gorilla crab, calmly breaking off bits of rock to chew through. I had NO IDEA he was in there - no molts, no missing fish, nuthin'. Guess I'm going crabbing for awhile...

I'll take the 3" red planet!

I think Mark has control issues...

Hey, there! The turbo snail I "borrowed" from Mark Callahan has done an excellent job of ridding my fuge of red turf algae and is now in need of a new home/food source. However, be warned - to quote Senor Mark, "He is the club's community snail tho so if someone kills him or sells him, they are in deep s---!"

Thanks for the edit, James - didn't think to embed the video myself!

I've seen pics, but I've never seen before. The video mentions the size of the adults. For the metrically-challenged among us, 2.5cm is just under an inch.

Sounds like a plan, Steve!