I've been looking for a canopy that'll fit over my nova fixture on my 55g. ran across a clearance hood with glass tops at a LFS for $80.

Think it's a good deal?

Thanks all!

Went home for lunch and saw a tiny sea star up at the water line. At first, I was excited that there was an inhabitant I hadn't added or seen before...but after looking around I see that it is probably an Asterina!

I had to come back to work and didn't remove it. I've been reading that some can prey on my zoo's!! But, some are reef safe.



It looks kinda like this.

Please advise & comment!!:help:

Could anyone tell me the pros/cons of this RO/DI unit? My husband wants to buy it. I am not very knowledgable about plumbing and stuff, so it's hard for me to figure out what's what. (We do know we don't want to go with one of the less-expensive units that requires taking it apart and taping it up, then putting back together. We'd prefer to just install and go.)

EXTREME TYPHOON III 150 GPD RODI with Gauge & TDS Alarm & Dual TDS Meter
Chloramines guzzling (5) stage 150 GPD R.O.D.I. Pure Water System With TDS ALARM, DUAL PROBE IN-LINE EC and Hand Held digital TDS meters. Fully automatic shut off ASOV and float valve included.

Also, what is this difference between the above unit and this one?

TYPHOON 5 Stage RODI Reefkeeper 75 or 100 GPD
The Typhoon Reefkeeping R.O./D.I.5 stage with ASOV

Thank you!!!

If you skim wet how do you know how much of your water loss if from skimming wet and how much is from evaporation? If you skim wet and just keep adding fresh RO/DI for top off, aren't you slowly lowering your overall salinity?

Alright, much reading and research and I've discovered that most people have no idea what they are talking about. I've read people suggesting that someone put a 125 gallon tank on an upper floor which, to me, seems ludicris. I'm trying to decide if my floor can handle a 75 gallon tank and some seem to think it would be fine while others (who seem to be engineers) think I need to contact a contractor or structural engineer to have the capacity of my floor checked to see if it can handle the 1000+ lbs of extra weight.

Does anyone here have any experience with 75 gallon tanks on first floor houses (on a crawl space) that can give me some guidance. The best advice I have found so far says to put it perpendicular to the floor joists, in an outer corner if possible.

There are also a lot of suggestions as far as bracing the floor using extra joists, concrete blocks, jacks, etc. I'm not really planning on modifying my house to accomodate a fish tank. If necessary I'll find a way to put it on the concrete floor of my garage. It will really limit the visibility of the tank, but if the alternative is having a giant hole in my floor where it fell through then I'll put off starting the tank until I can afford to do the appropriate modifications to my wall to acomodate the tank being placed on the garage floor.

Here's a FTS; close-ups & video to follow:

And here's the Official TRT Chorus® to sing.......

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOOOOOOO YOUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GoodMorning TRT, IT's Friday Finally. There is Coffee in the pot, For Breakfast there is either some oatmeal to go bars, Life Cereal, Fresh Fruit (to include bananas, cherries, strawberries, pinapple, and mellon.) There are also some english muffins with a slice of ham, egg and cheese.

Hopefully a Federal Friday today not tomuch going on. We (the city) swore in four rookies yesterday I came in a little late end up standing next to my cheif an being intorduced as the janitor. it was rather funny.
:lol:

Have a Great day I'll check back later.

Fred

what are your thoughts on bringing the canary into the 120 with a bi color already living in it? Will they use their fangs and poison all the time or is this just a joke?

I have been doing some research on this lights and decided to pick them up. Got them for an ok price but was wondering how is the coral growth on them? Here are the specs 52 36" SunDial T5HO 4x39watt 2-10k/2-460nm actinics 4. 156 Watt total.

This is for my 46 gallon bow front. Color is good. Just not to sure how the coral growth would be on these. I did a test and put my toadstool in there and he has been closed for the last 3 hours. Just was curious if i made a bad purchase. I only planned on keep soft coral in this tank.

Thanks

Ok, just to make sure...t5's (HO & VHO) provide more intense lighting than PC'S , right?
Thanks!

Hello everyone im currently running

2x 54W T5 High Output Daylight 12000K
2x 54W T5 High OutputActinic Blue
4x Dual Bluemoon LED


and I have noticed that my tank has been florishing with more coraline algae when i run the antic & moon lights only however I rarely use the white lights, and when I do I have noticed that some of my corraline algae ends up turning white should I ever use my white lights and if so when is the best time?


I am sorry for posting so poorly atm, but im actually sneaking at work to ask this question hahaha.

is this a KRACKEN

wheres aquawolf!!!

BAD PIC i KNOW but if you ever tried to capture somthing in the rear corner of a TANK. THats what you get. I think its an orange ball nem and it is trying to injest a button polyp:bigeek:

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I realized that I hadn't even given any consideration to where I was going to put this 75 gallon tank. The spot I had picked out for the 55 gallon ended up being too small so now I'm trying to find a home for this tank that I'll be getting in a week or so. I'm adding pictures of my options. The only places in my house that are at least 50" wide (the tank should be about 48.5" long) and are, in my opinion, able to handle the half ton load that the tank promises to offer my floor. Let me know what you think!!!

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Is it best to have 3/4 lock line split into two 3/4inch lines which seems to come in the kits you buy. Or would it be better to have the 3/4 split into two 1/2inch?

Hey,

My wife just called and said that the candy Cane coral does not look good right now.



See the white lining the bottom of the fleshy area?

What do you all think?

Thanks!

I've read that Iodine is as toxic as chlorine and should never be used in a reef system, yet a majority of the supplements available are Iodine and not Iodide. What are your thoughts regarding these two supplements? Is one better/safer than the other?

we have had our tank set up for a little over a year,, 150 gallons!! for the most part we were just playing w/ minnows that we caught in the net..

we are now looking to get some pretty fish,,lol,, hubby likes all the minnows I want the pretty fish,,lol..

here is what we have in the tank right now

1 mandarin blenny

foxface think that is the name

choc chip star

little puffer,, not sure what kind maybe a dwarf of some sort. he has been in the tank for over a year now and is maybe the size of my pinky..

what can i add to the tank that will get along w/ all?

can i add a blue tang?

thanks
irene

I am going to try to get some sea horses any tips coments? Please no negative statements:cool:

I'm reading conflicting things online. Some say that Live sand is just a way to sell sand at a much higher price, some swear by it. Which should I use and how much for a 75 g setup? Also, Will just a bit of LR get the cycling started? Or do I need 50-100 lbs to really get it going? I'm hoping to get it started cheap (15-25 lbs) since Christmas is coming up and my 3-year old son wouldn't appreciate me spending his Christmas present money on rocks.. :P

Ive got two pumps in my sump. id like to find a way to isoloate their vibrations.

What material can is use to put underneath them that is safe for the water/reef system.?

Where can I get it too?


thanks Pete

Alright, unless someone beat me to it, I think I've found my tank. It's a 75 gallon with stand and canopy for $175. It's a freshwater setup so I'll have to buy a skimmer, power heads, etc. but I can get it setup and get the cycle started with live sand and possibly LR (depending on finances). *Fingers crossed* At the very least, at least I've founda tank!

Good morning everyone! Last night before work I dosed kalkwasser for the first time and I am a little worried. I used the ESV brand kalkwasser mixing 1 tbs in a gallon of distilled, shook it up, let the precipitate settle and the slowly dripped overnight while at work. Less than 1 drop a second as I was kind of nervous doing this. When I came home this morning at 8am the drip had stopped (clogged tubing) so only about 1/2 to 3/4 made it in. when I started my perams were 370 calcium, 8.4 pH, dKH 9.6, alk 3.42.

Kalkwasser seemed to do the trick, Ca is already 400 after one dose dHK is 10.8, alk 3.88. What worries me is pH is 8.8!!! :doh:Seems bad to me. I do know kalkwasser is 12-13 on the basic end so is this to be expected? Will the pH return to normal? Or am I in trouble? I hope some one can put my mind at ease before I head for bed. Thanks for your help!

Still 50 mins her but for a lot of you it's already here.
Working on puter project but about to head to bed :)

Okay, i'm looking for opinions, especially from those who have actually have or had one in their reef tank. I am considering livestock for a 120g build i'm gonna start next year and i'm compiling a livestock list and plan now...

these are the things that will be coming from the current tank to the 2010 build...

Fish:
Magnificent Rabbitfish
Tomini tang
2 ocellaris clowns
yellow tail damsel
banggai cardinal
fridmani pseudochromis
green mandarin

inverts:
Crocea Clam
4-5 hermits (blue leg & scarlets)
peppermint shrimp
skunk cleaner shrimp
astrea & turbo snails
condy anemone
bubble tip anemone
carpet anemone (living in sump/refuge)

corals:
hairy mushroom
ricordea
trumpet coral
open brain
GSP
yellow polyps
random zoanthids
button polyps
toadstool leathers (x4)
frogspawn
colt coral
green monti cap
purple gorgonia

lighting:
4 x 54w T5HO

so far my reading indicates that the acclimation process is extremely critical to the star's life potential, i have an extremely reliable LFS, that will even bring in livestock and hold for a number of weeks to ensure health before purchase...i will be going for a lot more SPS with a MH upgrade somewhere next spring or early summer

what things need to be considered for this star's health/longevity?
what experiences can you relate?
what feeding recommendations do you have?

thanks all!

Hey everyone, ill be setting up my 55 soon and when i get the marcorock i want to know how im going to do this!
My plan:
I want to build an arch out of the live rock i already have and the new marcorock. I will have 70+ pounds in total so plenty of rock to work with but no idea how i am going to make an arch that looks natural enough. I was thinking of a PVC skeleton but with the angles on PVC I wont be able to get the real arching that im looking for. I am being a huge perfectionist with this, the tank is going to be in the living room and i want it look good. Is there any epoxy i can use that will be fine holding this arch together or will it just crumble under the pressure? Could i use concrete covered in sand and tiny pieces of rubble to keep it nice and sturdy? I want it to be around 30-40 inches long and almost to the top of the 55 so around 18 inches high.
The reason why im doing this is because most people say a 55 is too thin to be a reef tank so im going for the arch to have a nice thin aquascape that still looks great. The leftover rock will go in the biocube and small pieces will go around the ground of the arch to make it look nice and natural.

Also a quick question: Can i run the 55 on an HOB filter with no skimmer and plenty of flow for the first 2 months or less with no coral, just LR and fish?

Thanks for any help!

Okay, real quick, wife wants me to just hurry up and get my livestock in the tank so I can finally clean up my huge mess and be done with it. She's jumping the gun with wanting me to help her with her new venture project. Anyway, water tests last night were Amm 0ppm, Nites 1ppm, Nates ~5ppm. At lunch today, tests were Amm 0ppm, Nites 0.5ppm, Nates ~10pm. Tests about 15 minutes ago were Amm 0ppm, Nites 0.25ppm, and Nates ~15ppm.

I know the Nates are supposed to be 0ppm to consider the cycle safe, but 0.25ppm is really, really close isn't it? I'll test again in a couple hours to see where they're at. But if Nites are <0.25ppm but >0ppm, would you consider it close enough???

HELP!!!!
I am seriously considering of getting a juvenile chevron tang. I have had bad luck with a powder blue in the past with ich. I believe the ich came on the fish and it was just my luck the eggs were planted. From what I have read, the chevron should be more hardy, but would like some more input. I have enough live rock and sand for the fish to find food, plus I will supplement its diet. I really need some more info.

Thanks