Happy Simmering

[Viv]

Well, I finally got ball valves! They're glued on and the skimmer is "simmering"!! Couldn't be happier, it's been a long haul. PM said it would take 24-48 hours for the skimmer to "break-in", sooooo it's properly simmering. From the base to the top it is loaded with bubbles..never saw such beauty Just very happy-no leaks---so far, at least this time around, although I did have to cut off elbows and redo the dang thing as I hadn't fully thought out the added length the ball valves and already had glued the whole thing together But right now things are looking much, much better and I finally feel the filtering system is good enough for the tank! to you all, I received a lot of help along the way and am very grateful. Next, !!!

[gman0526]

Congrats, hope it works great for you.

[gwaco]

good deal vince !

[Viv]

Can't believe what proper skimming can do! The water is clearer than it has ever been-even my kids noticed a difference! But I got a question: I have some bryopsis that has grown along the glass edge (now removed) and one or two strands that I can see just beginning on some rock. The rock has algae (really only 1 small rock has pink coralline on it) some of the others have a deep purple color but not raised coralline algae. Baby aptista near the base of the rock have shown up as well as some sponges (white). I had been running the tank for a long time without a properly working skimmer. Do you think the skimmer will take care of the algae as long as I keep on top of what is currently there? I don't think more will grow, now that it is properly set up, I just don't know...and any idea on how to take care of the aptista near the base of the rock? Everything I've read to get rid of them says to inject them with a small syringe of stuff-but I can't do that without taking the rockwork apart. Is there something that the tank could be dosed with, without affecting fish, corals, or clams? Do you think maybe with the purer water they will just die off? Any idea's or thoughts to offer?

[verde_ad]

If you can't get them with kalk paste then you will need to find something to eat them. They don't live off of dirty water. They will continue to thrive even in the purest water. I would suggest starting with pepperment shrimp, then maybe a bergia nudibranch (sp). There are some fish that will eat them, but they don't have a great survival rate, so I wouldn't suggest those.

[Wiskey]

Pepermint shrimp will often eat Apista. Cleaning up the water will not kill them, they may not grow as fast, but you will never get your water clean enough to kill them.

The algae is another matter, cleaning up the water will get rid of that, but I do reccomend going in there from time to time with a powerhead and blasting off the live rock, this will help to ensure the rock stays clean too and doesn't harbor algae.

You will love that skimmer

Whiskey

[Mike O'Brien]

the skimmer is "simmering"!!

That's about the best description of wet skimming I've heard.

[Viv]

Thanks