"A Question of Balance"

[subsea]

Thirity five years ago I entered this hobby of keeping marine ornamentals. After four years in the military during the "Vietnam War", I entered the Texas Maritime Academy. One of eleven State Maritime Academy in the USA. At that time, I was married to my present "soul mate" and due to a regulation, that has since bit the dust, I could not perticipate in the cadet option program. In practical terms, I could not accumulate "sea time" to qualify for the maritime license exam for all deep water vessels. During my second semester, I had an option to take a technical elective "Chemical Oceanorgraphy". For the second semester I continued on the Dean's list (the good boy one) and was really puffed up with myself: Pride Before the Fall. Prior to getting married, my roommate and business partner had accumulated several items to be split up. Being practical, I choose the chest freezer before the 55G aquarium. A year later, he broke the side glass and put it up to collect dust. During this four year period at the Maritime Academy, I lived on $175 a month, which was the GI Bill allotment to go to college. Being frugal by nature, I picked up the broke 55G tank for free and repaired it with a $2 piece of glass and some silicone rubber. I set this tank up with an undergravel filter and because of my chemical oceanorgrapy knowledge with calcium carbonate buffers, I purchased crushed up oyster sheels at the "chicken feed" storeat $.05 per pound. I then went to the jetties at the beach in Galveston and collected 50 G of salt water from the surf and allowed the water to clear up after the particulated settled out into the substrate. I then used a $4 minnow siene and collected Galveston Bay habitate. I now had my first marine aquarium with a inland bay theme. My problems started when I tried to play with buffers and additives.

Because I was knowed up with a little bit of school, I trapped myself into a routine of testing and adding chemicals.

Dynaqmic Equilibrium is the process which drives all eco-systems. Without equilibrium we have a schewed take with a mono specific balance of habitate. One terristerial example is the Junipar Ash which is invading the Texas landescape. In the ocean the main players for Dynamic Equilibrium are carbon dioxide and oxygen in the air and calcium carbonate which comprises much substrate in the oceans and many geological formations both subsea and subteranian. With these players chemistry and biology run the game. I sometime get peeved at the fear and doomsday scientist who predict the end of the world as we know it. I read "Earth in the Balance" and felt it was written by a passonate young man with a simplified hypothesis. I also read an "Inconvieniant Truth" and I must say it read like a third grade text book with many loopholes of scientificv documentation. I resent this text being ramed down the throats of our children by the National Teacher Association". I did not mean to get on my soap box. I do agree with the quote of Winston Churchhill, "Not getting involved is the equivalent of agreeing in principal to someting that you know is wrong".

Back to reefkeeping. I think that I have gotten lazy in my reefkeeping husbandry. Less technology, more biology, less equipment, less expense, less work, more time to enjoy the things. We can develope this thread into "The bullet proof reef" or we can let it die.

I thought I would end this post with an Aggie Joke. I am a Cajun. I am born & breed a Cajun and proud of it. After my first semester at the Maritime Academy, my grades were sent to my mothers house, which was my permanaqnt address. At The Christmas gathering of the clan (6 boys and 4 girls), there were many Aggie jokes going around the house and I joined in with the few that I knew. Because the envelope with my grades showed Texas A & M, everyone knew that I was an Aggie but me. That is my Aggie joke.

Keep the peace, spread the faith.

Pat Castille

[Zarathustra2]

I caught the "bulletproof reef" above. Do you use the GARF setup or do you go in a bit of a different way?

[subsea]

Zara,

Yes and no.

Garf recommends no skimmer for 6 months then light skimming. Garf recommends Jaubert plenum which I use. However, I also use remote DSB and vegetable filters as outlines by Anthony Calfo. I also have a mud system refugium. If you want an expert opinion on the pros and cons of all these systems then get the third volume of "The Reef Aquarium, Science, Art and Technology". Without a doubt Charles Delbeek and Julian Sprung are "knowed up". I don't undermind Anthony Calfo as he is more entertaining and he has much to share but the three Volumes of The Reef Aquarium are in my opinion the Bible".

Good to hear from you. Sorry you haven't had a chance to come by. I will be leaving for Singqapore on Tuesday for at leat two weeks. We get together whenever.

Pat