Pies

We got the David Bowie concert tonight, he will be out there at the stadium, in a little boat. It is NASTY here.

Another pic of the same coral. It shows some growth and some better colouration. Interesting so see how much a coral can grow and change is such a short amount of time. A lot of my corals (like this one) have not been 'glued down'. So they are ocasionally moved. I have not started to attach more and more, and I think it does help. Notice the coral in front from the original pictures no longer obsecures the photo, I fragged this branch off and gave to a friend. Pies

Yeah that does sound interesting. I would be curious to see how you get on. What do you use to raise your KH/ALK since your not using a reactor? Do you use a 'buffer' or baking soda or similar? Coral stress sounds kinda 'lame' but I do belive its real. Perhapps also part of the reason for the RTN is that after the corals have been kept in conditions dissimlar to the natural ones (increase KH+CA) they are just stressed out? Although it doesn't seem to stop them growing? Be interested to see how you get on. Like I said I am looking at stability with the conditions I have at the moment, ALL of my coral is growing and everything looks to be healty so I am 'if its not broke don't fix it'. I am tempted to upgrade my lighting though but my coral colour is looking good so not sure its nessessary (check my post tonight on 'i'm back'). Pies

Layton, you don't say what you run yours at? Just tested mine - 3.1 Eric Bourneman is 'da man' as far as I am concerned, anything he sais is worth listening too hes very smart and I like his 'Pro Environment' attitude. It is interesting that he says to keep ALK higher than Natural Seawater though. I have a H U G E calcium reactor so adding calcium & alk is fairly easy for me, but things seem to be doing very well right now, so I am not planing on making any drastic changes to my tanks chemistry (expect for a wate change, GOD PLEASE MAKE IT STOP RAINING HERE! we havn't had 2 days without rain in a month!). Along the same subject lines, any of you test or add Strontium or Iodine? I like to hear your thoughts on these too. Pieola

Thanks Dr Felix I am tempted to use 250 watt Metal Halides on the freshwater tank, as I may end up with some spare soon when I upgrade the lighting on the reef. I already have c02 system which works well. I will probably also use a sump to house the heater, carbon, phosban and to allow addition of iron etc via peristollic pump. Also makes water changes a little easier. Thanks everyone. This project is on hold as my car blew up and the cost has made things a little difficult at the moment. Pies

I have read that there is little nutritional value in the brine shrimp but good ruffage. I am going to try and feed some as live food for coral, which apparantly love them, and its a kind of plankton supliment. I also want to grown them to feed my pest Anemones, which will help them grow, which will make it easier to hunt them down and burn them out... Am interested in growing larger ones mostly out of curiosity, partly out of the value of feeding some live food to my fish too. So the acutally breed in the container without the cyst stage? Pies

I have just made some live brine shrimp up. Using the plastic bottle technique. It would be great to try so larger ones too. Any experance with growing them out to larger size? I want to do this as a small garage project, so please, no systems invloving baths out the back etc Also can they become self sustaining or not? You thoughts please. Also if anyone has some for sale, or is interested in importing large tins let me know I am keen for some. I know there are also different sorts, is one better than the other? I have no idea which I have. Also if anyone has access to any phyto plankton cultures, would they please get in touch with me, I want to start a culture. Cheers Pies

The Tunze Stream pumps are awesome and make my 'best buy' list by far. And even though they are expensive, they are 'by flow' the cheapest on the market to purchase and to run. I assume you are getting the controller too? Did you go for the 6100 or the 6000. Just as a word of advice I run mine at 30%-40% of maximum power, this cuts down their pulse/wave effect as if I do 30%-100% pulse. So 'weaker' pumps would mean more 'variable' pumping. In a lot of ways I wish I had purchased the 6000's. THAT being said, if you are doing JUST sps with no LPS then the 6100s will be fine. I am planing a upgraded tank size one day so wanted them for my larger project. Ideally 4 pumps would provide much better randomness of current. I also use an SCWD and a SEA SWIRL which intersect the Stream flows and actually provide random direction currents and swirling currents. If you can get one buy a sea swirl 9.5/10 these devices provide a great realistic current and look good in the tank as well. Good luck with the streams.

Most reefkeepers are looking at about 25-40x tank volume in water turnover to keep these corals. Thats 12,000,000 gallons an hr of water movement... HAHAHAHaahahahahahaaaa hrmmm

I think DSBs are best left to the experts, but more of an option in .au than herein NZ (access to dsb cirtter kits). Main display tank is the best place for the DSB, as its the largest surface area. They can also look much better then just sand coating by providing a real 3d environment, other than the 'perfect flat' sand bed. The ocean is not dead flat. Requires a little more thought before you start though as will want to hide some of the substrate too, this makes it looks more natural. Next time I setup I would like to use an in-tank DSB. I will see how the remote one goes first though. Another problem is if you are going to use STREAM pumps. The sheer volume of water flow from these pumps may make a DSB impractical in all but the largest tanks and I suspect I would not ever want a tank much bigger than the one I have now. OK thats a lie, my next tank will be 'slightly' larger (1600 x 1600 L-Shape 800 front to back, 800 high). Just go to decide were. I do have 3 spare rooms... Bangaii will eat anything, as will the clowns. Feed frozen brine, live brine if you can get it, frozen mysis, live mysis, flake, planton, dried plankton etc etc. Vary the diet, you will be sweet. Feeding is the easy bit Pies

How long have you had the tank running? My No3 has crept up to somewhere between 2.5-5 over the last month. I have a few more fish than before, and been feeding more since the arival of my Anemone which may have an effect. The only other thing I can think of is that I am cycling about 30kg of rock for someone, so I suspect there is so cycle happening. I am desprate to do a water change, but the weather here has been obscene and unless it stops raining for more than 1 day in a row I am going to wait. I would like to do 3 - 4 10% water change over the next week if I can (Flatworm Exit next water change). I know a few people with the sulfur denitrifiers, several of them have removed them and looked at other soultions. I think for me its a bit too much of a gimmick and just another 'thing'. Larger sump (I have purchased a 650 litre sump) and remote DSB (possilby even with plenum) is my current plan. There is little doubt that for stoney corals, 0 nitrate is required for good colour and fast growth. I purchased some Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate a few months back. $150.00 for 5kg delivered. This is 99.96% pure lab grade. Its the same stuff that Salifert sell as 'Magnesium Salts'. I can give you the companies contact details if required. Beware of the cheaper grades and Magnesium salts (should be slightly finer than normal table salt) often sold in non-refined 'chip' form as they contain phosphate and nitrate. Also watch you levels, anything over 1500 and you are in 'algae city' aparatly. Also you can just use Epsom salt. Contains some phosphate and nitrate (less than 1%) but needs to be added carefully as it effect sg. More information on Andy Hipkiss site etc. Looks good. 1 more question. Only a 900G in wall? You planing on living in a small house?

Cheers, why didn't you post it in the TANK PICTURES thread though?

4 weeks aint long, wait as long as you can. The cycle is real in marines, not weak or non existant like in freshwater. Patience is more important here. ALSO. It is possilbe your tank has not cycled at all yet. The cycle requires amonia to start. So if your rock is as clean and good as you say, your tank hasn't had a chance to cycle yet, as nothing has fed the cycle. Rotten fish or crab mean is a common starter, some peopke add Amonia (Andy Hipkiss / Eric Borunemans forum have info). So all is not rosey. Feel free to add corals now though. Find a reef club and get some cheap / free leathers, any sort will do, mushrooms, toadstools whatever you can find thats cheap. This will keep you entertained and make waiting easier. Star polyps, pulse Xenia etc are all good starters too. Add some snails or hermits too. Add 1 or 2 clowns, then W A I T. Test your water often. Be ready to change out any Amonia spikes or Nitrite spikes and sit back. The clowns will be find without an Anemone, so leave it for now. Maybee never add one, but if so don't throw one in yet. Thats it. 70kg is a lot of rock, you will be fine, don't feel you need lots more. Mandarins are great, wait as long as you can. I waited about 6 months for mine and its doing great. I do have a feeder refugium though. Good luck and a wish you the best. Marine keeping is a great hobby and its lots of fun. Look foward to seeing some photos. Also supply some more info. Tank size, amount of rock, water paramaters, circulation, sump?, heater?, temp, skimmer? (what sort?), Refugium (size and type), DSB?, lighting type and photo period, chemical filteration?, physical filteration? See ya

Thats a much nicer photo than the last one. Tank is looking good. What are the Dimensions? Is that a porcelen crab is the sacrophiton on the left? I can see PVC pipes on the left and right, whats going on with them? Do you run a sump? Looks like you are going to need to multiply your water circulation by about 100x! Any more thoughts on the STREAM system or other upgraded circulation yet? Keep the pics rolling in, a pic speaks a 1000 words etc. Ohhh feel like posting your tank paramaters? Calcium/alk/temp/sg/mg/no3 Pies PS: Post your tank pics in the 'tank pics' thread dood. Try and keep the thread together, great place to see everyones tanks, and see updates to peoples tanks. We don't need a seperate thread for each photo

I agree stocking looks fine, infact for a 400L tank you will be able to throw a few more fish in there I would think. Agree with Desh on corals. Since your a 1st time coral keeper, try soft corals 1st, avoid corals referred to as LPS corals and without all the technology the SPS corals will also be a challenge. Add stock slowly, each new item goes through a 'mini cycle'. Clows are a good first choice as are the tangs. But only do 1 of them! I too would like to know how long the tank has been 'wet'. If its less than 6 weeks I would still say wait, I know its hard but success hinges on patience. Add some softie corals or snails though so you have something to watch. Also how much rock in in there? I have over 150kg in mine, and its teaming with bugs (mandarin, scooter blenny, sixline). I feed the tank with a refugium too. MANDARIN FISH - W A R N I N G - So many of these fish die because of a lack of food. Most of these fish starve, often because they are put into tanks without enough life (e.g. too early) or a tank not bigenough to support the population of food required to keep them alive. DO NOT STARVE THIS FISH TO DEATH. Wait at least 6 months or longer. Let your little pods and bugs establish themself and begin breeding. Get some more corals in there (corals attached to rocks) which will help with 'bio diversity'. They are a great fish and very friendly when well fed, but I have seen many VERY skinny ones and its awefull to see. The fish you have in your list will not be competing with the Mandarins food source. Its good that you have a 'NEMO' fish list ;p A stocking plan is good. NOW STICK TO IT. Don't let the LFS twist your arm, stick to the plan. You have a lot to learn, so take it easy. Patience is the key. How about posting some pictures, if you have access to a digital camera take zillions of photos. Great for later day comparsions and the best way to gague if something is growing or not. LAYTON: How about some more pics of your tank (in focus!) DESH: More pics of your tank would be nice too. NICK: Hows yours going? IRA: Lets see how its going, why not a few pics 'zoomed out' so we can see your plumbing etc too. Might be able to offer more help if we could see what your talking about. Good luck

And Papua New Guinea where this one was found I guess? Remember that 'rarity' is relative. Americans are more likley to think that stuff from the carabian is 'common' than we would. Things from Asia are VERY common here and less common to the US. Also try and find some carabian species here, especially post Sep 11, good luck 'ULTRA RARE'. Often pretty coloured corals are sold as 'rare' too, as people see less of them around. More often than not its the tank that kills the colour, and the reason why you purchase a 'rare' blue coral is becuase there is none in your tank, it won't stay blue in your tank of course... Anyway you know what I mean. That seriatopora looks nice and has blunt tips so no problem transporting it in a bag I have a hystrix colonly and its SUPER sharp. Fijian reefs are more famous for their soft corals more than for their diversity. More diverse reefs exist a little further north (malysia, bourneo, maldives etc). I had some pics of seriatopora in the wild I took in Vanautu but I can't seem to find them. Never saw any other colour other than pink/brown. Pies

Aye another great looking tank. Nice to see a mixed comunity tank with some softies and still great acro colour. Photo quality of the article is the worst i've ever seen from reefkeeping magizine online though His grow out tank and breeding tanks looked 'neat' Its funny how there seem to be 2 differnt sumps out there. Nice tidy ones, and complete nightmares of messy wire, plugs and hoses. Which is yours... Good link. Reef Central remains the ultimate reefkeeping site on the net.

Reef, remember this one? Its doing great, nice green colour, no more recession and looking good. Its on the sand bed, down with the trach.

Here is a pic of mine, zoomed out for a change. Bad wall paper and all. Thought it may be of interest to any of you who havn't been around home to have a look. Lets see yours! Zoomed out.

There is none in my sump, thank god! They look pretty in the photo. Remember they are only about 2mm long, so the photo is an ULTRA closeup.

On Wednesday Reef said this: Same day Ira said this: The following day Ira then said this: What part about wait 3-4 days was unclear? And just because it made me laugh Layton then said this:

The more I look the more I see...

phototropic? as long as they be deadotrpoic soon is all I care about

Here is a much better photo of the above coral from today. Since its ne location its colour has impoved although its size has not. It seems to be growing very slowly. I am going to break it soon and move half to a different location. I guess its also possilbe that the acro in front is affecting its growth or maybee its just a bad spot?

Interfecus - Photosynthetic may be the wrong word. They exibt behavior that means they are most obvious in the light, not the shade. If there wa say 1 on a rock, it would always be in the light. At night I only ever see a small number and they are much smaller and never move. As soon as there is light, out they come. Like I said its not that they are a problem now, but they can get out of control. They can also kill coral by smothering it and out competing it for light. Cheers everyone Pies