NonSequitur

That looks a lot like the galaxia I got from BillB. If that's what it is, it's a great looking, hardy coral, just keep an eye out for sweeper tentacles.

This sounds like fun... I missed the last Port A collection trip on "the other forum," not sure when it is this year, but I'd rather go with ARC people, and the family loves the coast, so win-win. I'll run it by the wife and see what she thinks, but hopefully I can make this one.

He's right, it definitely looks better in person.. mine is gorgeous, though at the moment it's hiding behind a rock of I'd post a photo.

I've noticed that the smaller emeralds are better for bubble control than the big ones, and then they prefer the smaller bubbles. As Bill said, they're better to keep the bubbles in check rather than try to eradicate a large infestation, not only because of the spores (which can indeed be a problem) but also because of the damage that a large number of crabs can do once they run out of bubble algae (snacking on fish, decorative macro, hermits, etc)

Very nice!

Thanks! The anemone is in the tank and looking good. I'll post pics later once it gets settled in.

If you still have it, I want it! I tried to send you a pm, but it wouldn't go through. Jeremy 512-818-5076

Thanks, will do!

I'm interested if this is still available.. looks like it will work much better than my homemade gatorade bottle reactor.

Interesting.. I don't think I've ever gone more than a day or so without reaching into the tank in some form.. I've been meaning to get some of those gloves as well (man, does that saltwater sting if you get it in a fresh cut), so it'll be worth seeing if I get similar results.

I really like the pavona frag I got last time he listed them for sale.. it's growing surprisingly fast (way faster than the LPS i've been keeping up to this point), already starting to encrust the rock that I put the frag plug onto.

Upgrading to electronic ballasts might be a good idea.. I know I've heard the name innova before, but I can't remember much else. I know that you can get an ARO electronic 150w ballast for around $100, which has a good reputation, but is still a good bit more than the $50 import ballast.

I should add that if the ballast is indeed aging, you don't necessarily have to replace the entire unit. If you're reasonably skilled electrically you can replace the internal components for much less than the cost of replacing the ballast unit: hellolights has an m58 (250w) bare ballast for $70, and you can often find them cheaper than that at the habitat for humanity store downtown, though since those are used you run the risk of getting another loud one.

Bill is likely right. As magnetic ballasts age the plates in the transformer start to get looser, causing a hum. To the best of my knowledge there really isn't a way to fix this, short of replacing the ballast (or at least the transformer), but it's often possible to find compatible ballasts for a reasonable cost, depending on wattage and such.

I've wondered the same thing (particularly in the case of branching corals like frogspawn), it'll really be interesting to see what responses this question brings.

Oh yeah, I forgot about finger leathers.. could be that one too.. I'll change my vote to *shrug*.

The bottom one looks like either a kenya tree or a colt coral.. looks more like a colt coral to me, but I can't get the full size view to load.

He's doing really well.. and doing a really good job of keeping the coralline off of the glass.. right now he has a couple of shells and a lot of caulerpa (he's in my small tank at the moment because the coralline was getting out of control), but he's carried xenia, zoas, snails and hermits, small rocks.. you name it, if he can lift it, he's carried it. It'll be a lot of fun to watch once I move him back into the big tank and the rabbitfish decides it wants to eat his camouflage.

Unfortunately your experience matches with mine.. my urchins (I have a royal urchin that has been carrying around a stalk of xenia for well over a month and a pink pincushion urchin that prefers to carry hermit crabs) really love coralline and the short brown algae that grows on the rocks that the blennies seem to love as well, but won't touch derbesia. They seem to keep the tanks free of most other microalgae, and will usually eat nori if nothing else appealing is available, but half the time they don't eat it and just carry it around instead. If you've never watched a rabbitfish try to eat nori off of the back of an urchin you're missing out.

Sounds like either diatoms or possibly the very beginnings of a cyanobacteria bloom. Have you tested your water parameters?

I've had good success with aiptasia-x not only for aiptasia, but for majanos as well.. from what I've read it's primarily sodium hydroxide (NaOH, AKA lye), which is very effective when applied directly over the nuisance anemone (it exhibits an intense localized heating reaction, plus is very strongly basic), but you have to be careful about overspray, as it can be irritating to other animals if you get it on them, plus large quantities of it can affect SG, as it releases sodium as it reacts . It's definitely something to use with care, but in my experience works very well as a last resort when used according to the label directions.

Is this a fighting conch, or a queen conch? I've been contemplating getting a fighting conch to add to my clean up crew.

Not a great FTS, but I just had to post it.. the cats discovered the warm spots on top of the canopy.

I think I would be in on the 19th as well.. not sure how much I'd be in for yet (depends on if I get my tax refund by then).