Pies

My Fungia corals spawned on Saturday. They opened their mouths and expelled what looked like smoke, 2 of the 4 did this. From what I could find online it looks like I have at least 2 make fungias, unknows about the other 2. Very exciting in the tank at the moment with lots of spawning and other encouraging events happening, I take it as a sign that I must be doing something right Pies

Hahahaha your joking right? The president of the USA told me there were Weapons of Mass Distruction in Iraq and he is the "leader" of the "free world", people get things wrong. I don't have a Math degree but I do have Science degree. And my science degree and C+ in school cert maths says your wrong. Pie

As people who have met and delt with you know who the liar is, your reputation takes care of that. I would love to know what my hidden agenda is, why not expose me and my hidden agenda so people, myself included, know what it is? The truth is you try to discredit me because sometimes (rarely I would add) my opnions conflict directly with your comercial interests, so you feel your only option is to attack me (or anyone else) who may damage your sales. As is always the case with you in recent months, you have to resort to personal attacks because you have nothing else to contribute other than the products you sell. Pie

Just because you don't belive me doesn't make me a lier Alois. Now this is a lie, and frankly I am offended. I will restate my comments on this because its obvious you have not read what I have written, pay attention: I am using the Aquamedic phosphate remover because people I know have warned me off it, I switched to the Aquamedic product because its all I could get, as I have stated several times now I would rather be using the ROWA product, which Alois you do sell. How is me saying what i've said promiting Aquamedic, its not my product of choice, I have made no seceret about this. I have even asked for you to sell me some ROWA, but no response from you. As for shop stocking, I live in Wellington, NOTHING is stocked. Do you know what contridiction means Alois, if you don't www.dictionary.com may help you out. Nowhere have I said dont use Salifert because its iron based and the the Aquamedic product isn't. My post if you read it says to check about this risks of using these products before you use them regardless of if you use salifert/aquamedic/ROWA/other. I understand the dangers and potention problems, I think someone considering using a new product should read this information. Well if its not on the Net it can't be true... Bottom line, iron based products can cause problems (read the reefcentral.com article), the salifert product is iron based. Also Alois has stated on this forum that most of the stuff on reefcentral is incorrect anyway, we I guess he knows better than them (in this case Randy Homes Farley). Its hard to know if it is the most expensive tank is NZ or not, because last time we quoted how much you said it cost you attacked me saying I was making it up. Even if it is the most expenive tank in NZ, its certainly not the nicest. Personally i'd rather have the nicest tank, not the most expensive. How do you know its the most expenive Alois? Tell us how much you think its worth/insured for and we can compare. Alois - Why do you continue with these personal attacks and mis-information? Why not put it to rest I am growing tired of your relentless attacks towards me and others just so you can product your comercial interests in what is just a hobby for most of us. I am fairly new to the hobby, and have shared with EVERYONE on this forum my success's and failures. I consider myself and my tank to be successful and belive I know enough to empart what I have learned with others. What I don't have is any comercial interest in any aspect of this hobby whatsoever. I contribute to this hobby because I enjoy it, not because I leech from it. Pie

I'd like to see that because based on what IRA said I would have to say hes right. Doing a 20% water change over a period of time would equate to some of the water being changed it, being removed. I hate to contridict you contridicting IRA but your incorrect and IRA is right (in principle). Pie

Is it purple? Thats the one problem that I have with the aquakneedit, its an off white colour and can stick out for quite some time. I belive some of the others (aquamedic?) are purple which stealths into the tank better. If this is true, do the release into the water? I doubt there would be ANY negitive effect at all. Based on my experance, there isn't. Piemania

I was using Salifert phosphate remover, but people I know had issues with it and stoped. There is some debate on another thread here about weather or not I am a lier about it, and ended with Reef making threats about lawyers and Habib (sp?) talking about defimation. Then it died. I would like to point out the Reef does import and sell both these products in NZ, so be-ware the sales talk, he has a comercial interest in promoting these products. If you want to read about the dangers of Iron based phosphate binders check the reefcentral.com link from the other thread. I am currently using Aquamedic, because I can fluidose it. I have 0 phosphates. Prior to that I was using Salifert "phosphate killer". I would like to use ROWAPHOS but I don't have a source for it. There are some other products out there, phos-sorb etc I have no experance with them, I am sure someone else can share the experances. Not sure if the question about if freshwater products are OK from saltware was answered, so if you are looking at using a freshwater product may pay to do some research first. I belive there are aluminimun based products out there that can be very troublesome in saltware. Good luck. Pies

I suggest getting a plastic box or similar and put the UPS in that as a waterproof/splashproof case. Look foward to seeing some updated pictures. Pie

I am using Aquaneedit from the wherehouse, great stuff. Reccomended. Pie

So thats $900.00 approx with the controller? Is it the same controller as the Stream? I suspect my rockwork would make it no use either. I have seen a few videos and pics and most of the tanks have had the island/bommie setup, not large rock/reef structures. Does look cool though. Most of the reviews i've seen have had very positive things to say OTHER than the extreme price. Cool. Pie

A few things done to the tank today. First off it was re-plumb the return pump. I had a bit of 'ghetto' plumbing happening down stairs and really needed to do it. I wasn't particualry motivated though as I also needed to level the floor with the tank on it! Long story, but basicaly the level accross the from of the tank was about 1cm off along the lengh of the tank (2140mm) and at one end the water would rise high enough to touch the brace bar. So Suphew poped over with his handly bag of tools, including a 2 ton jack, and we got to packing up the floor and fixing the plumbing. This shows how things are now. Part of the plan was always for 'clear and tidy', so this is no fuss plumbing. All plumbing depicted is 40mm with an IWAKI 100 powering the tank. Eventually the sump will sit in this corner of the garage and I won't have to pump accross the whole garage, but that is 6+ months away, so have to make do with what I have. Same pic different angle. Some people have asked why the tap is half way up the pipe, not down at the pump. Ita a good question and the taps position requires me to use a few more fittings, so more dollar and small degration to the pumps performance. The reason its half way up also has nothing to do with convieniance, although it is easy to reach! It because to get the pipe upstairs through the hole in the floor, I couldn't get it up there if it was any longer! So I had cut it and thread it though and then join it, so I thought, well might as well join it with a tap! Extra strength floors. This pic showing the extra beams put into place, and the packers (a big deal to those of us who worked on it) helping level the floor. Strong as an Ox So some big tasks out of the way. I am stoked with the results. The tank is almost perfectly level. Also now the extra flow from the pump has killed my dead spot in the front left of the tank! This was my biggest dissapointment so far, and its good to know that I don't have to do anything about it! I also added the extra 15kg of sand into the tank a few days ago. The sand coverage is much more cosistant now, with now 'bald spots' visible. I may still add another 5-10kg yet, but no need right now. I suspect it will become nessessary as the sand is pushed towards the back of the tank though. I also recived my 5th 400 ballast and lead. So need to find a bulb and get the extra light running on the tank. The standpipe is making a little more noise now that the water volume has increased, so I need to get that sorted at some stage. Probably wait until the next time I have the lights off. Also took the opertunity today to do a 105 litre water change with my reserve water during the days activities. Thanks very much to Suphew and Ralph for helping out, I appreciate your time and efforts. Cheers. Pies

Mitre 10/placemakers do not stock the plumbing you need. Bunnings have most of it, can order all of it. I have been using Mico Plumbing & Pipelines. Most of the plumbing you will need will be 20/25/32 pressure piping. Plumbing is its own challenge. My hints, ignore at your own pearl: * Glue NOT push fit * Pressure pipe NOT down pipe * For threaded fittings estimate how much thread tape to use, doubble it, then doubble it again. Thread tape is cheap, leaks are not. * THINK before you cut, measure before you think. Plumbing is VERY expensive, do it once, do it right. * If you have read my thread you will have picked up on 'pipesize'. The bottom line is go bigger, jusr because you pump only has a 15mm outlet doesn't mean you should plumb the lot with 15mm, GO LARAGE! Electricy is expensive, get the most out of it, narrow pipes will slow the pump. * Every join, tap, union, T and elbow restricts water flow (and costs money), design is smartly, bit don't go nuts. Just the bare minimum. * Draw a plan and ask for input, things don't always work the way you think they might. Good luck

I think maybee the webshots work ONLY for you. I can't see it, tried from 2 or more PCs. Cost on the wavebox? Approx? Are you going to use them in your own tank? Pie

How much? You webshots link still doesn't work. Pie

Idealy the hole will be through the bottom of the tank. Look on the internet for 'overflow' boxes and durso stand-pipes. If you don't know what they are, don't understand what they do you will run into problems. There is a reason 95% of all sump driven tanks use these systesm (or variants on them). Its really the 'only' way to do it. Pie

Not particulary good advice. Something you will learn about drilling the tank is the noise. Drilling a hole at the top is not as 'useful' as drilling one lower down. Also you can put a bung in it no matter where it is. For quiet operation check out DURSO STAND PIPES. Everyone I know who uses a DURSO is very happy with it (including myself), everyone i know who didn't impliment such a system wishes they did. Again pictures on my thread if you can be bothered reading it. It is difficult to drill a pre-made tank, but not impossible. Check Chimeras thread in saltwater "sump room" who has just gone through this and had several holes drilled in his tank while is was half full of water and all his livestock. We have also done a hoke for 'suphew' on this site, although the tank was empty was pretty straight foward in the end. There is risk of course. Sumps are great, and we may do one for out new freshwater setup too. But it does require some planing to get it right. Everything diverjohn has said is correct (cept the last thing, see above). Much better value for money, better filteration, less pumps (1 or 2), better bioligical filteration if setup right, easier maintenance if setup right. What you should also consider is the downsides: * A poorly designed system (without stand pipes, oveflows, baffeled sump design) can easily overflow. Floods are comming with sumps, espeically ones not designed well or not well thought out. * Noise. Because its an open system there is a lot of noise, again easy to deal with but be ready for it and think about what your doing first. The noise will drive anyone nuts. * Light/algae. Do your best to keep light away from the sump, if you don't much algae will make it ugly and harder to maintain. * Evaporation. Because its open evaporation may increase. Tight fitting lids for freshwater or an auto-top-off system is a must. * Single point of failure THE PUMP - The pump fails, the tank is no longer heated, filtered or oxygenated etc. Choose a good quality pump, or design a system that uses 2 pumps. * Small fish may get sucked into a sump inlet, make sure you 'combs' for the overflow box are the correct size. Beware! Algae, leafs etc will block these combs and attempt to flood the tank. Phew. Bottom line = Sumps are great, but have problems. You have been warned. Pie

I think the number of eggs as about the same, maybee slightly more hard to tell. I did notice that over time they slowly dissapear, and at hatching time there were maybee 1/3 less than what started out. I would love to bring some up, but it sounds like such hard work. Once I read that book I will borrow of Pete i'll re-assess. Anyone want to buy some clowns on 2006? Pie

Things continue to do well. Another surprise is the clownfish have spawned again today. I actually watched her lay the egg/babies on the rocks. UBER. Pies

Then why do the specs on the RADIUM packaging say they are 20k? I had a quick search around the net, everyone who sells them calls them 20k and all the tests (like advanced aquairust) call them 20k. They must have kelvin rating, according to what they say (on there packaging, can't find a Radium web site) and what everyone else says they are 20k. So if they are not 20k what is the correct kelvin rating, can't be 0 kelvins (unless they are off). Pie

Wrong. They are marketed by Osram/Radium as 20,000 kelvin 'crisp blue hue'. The kelvin rating is stamped on the box for all too see. Pie

Be thankfull its not a saltwater tank. I woke up once to over 300 litres of saltwater on my carpet. Pies

Sounds good. Why though would you make the tank from plywood, why not all glass? I can't image it making much difference if not being cheaper for a tank this size? Pie

As I said above, the actual amount of waterflow through the filter is of little concequence. If for example your actual filter is the size of and ice cream container, than 1000 litres an hr will not be enough. If the filter is the size of a 44 gallon drum, then 1000 litres will be more the enough for a 500 litre tank. Hope that makes more sense. Pie

There will be no equation to provide an answer. Different types of media, fish/bio load and oxygenation will have significient impacts on any equation. 1000 litres an hour is a term used on filters but its often meaningless, to many factors can have an impact on it (how full the filter, how high the tank/length of tubing used, type of strainer etc). The xtra 'strain' on the motor will not have an impact on its life or create un-nessessary wear and tear. Motors will spin the same regardless. Just make sure you restrict the 'output' not the 'input'. Restricting the input can have a negitive effect on the motor. The important factor in filteration is the amount of filteration media. This is very true for biological filteration, not quite so true for mechinacial filteration (smaller mechnical filteration with more turn over will provide the same effect as more media with lower turnover). On my 4 foot bow front there are 4 canister filters runningm rated at 800, 1200, 1200, 1000 and the tank is fairly quiet, certainly no raging currents in there. Hope that helps. Pie

Thanks Peter, looking foward to seeing you again, when will you next be down? It is starting to look good, am slowly becomming more and more happy with it. Slowly tweaking things out, but overall the effect is great and hard to belive how great its starting to look. Acros are growing, softies are growing and the fish are happy. One thing I don't like is the bird nose wrasse in my sump that was given to me from an unwanted home. If anyone wants one of these fish, please come visit and take it, free to a good home. Great fish, excellent personality, just not part of my plan. I am also really happy about my decision to feed little. I have recieved a few raised eyebrows over it and have had second thoughts myself. Especially given that others feed so much more than I do. So its been good to see the shrimps spawn, clownfish spawn and all the fish looking so healthy and active. I am now more confident than ever that my feeding routine is OK, if it wasn't I assume I would see a negitive effect on the animals in the tank, which I dont. I also added the extra 15kg of sand the other day, I think the sand volume is about right now (2inch deep) and looks good. Can't image adding much more, but hard to know until its all setteled. Pie