Pies

I purchased Ballasts from Radium Lighting in Auckland. The ballast, wired to a 3 pin plug including box, with the 3 pin (round plug) earthed lead cost less than $150.00 incl GST. Add a bulb holder (mogel e39/e40) for about $17.00ea. Bulbs are Radium Blue cost under $150ea. I got a good deal as I purchased 4x, so not sure what the normal list price is. When I had my 5 footer (1600mm long 750mm wide) I had 2x 250watters, It needed 3x. The problem was that I had the center brace made from glass so i couldn't really do 3 bulbs, but the tank suffered for it. My new tank is 7 feet long and has 4 bulbs on it. Piemania

Chimera - I thought I had posted a different picture, i'll post one when I get home, the difference between the blue and the white is quite obvious. Maybee some of the other people where were at my place the other week for the BBQ would care to comment. I currently have 250-10k 250-10k 400-blue 400-blue. Tonight I hope to replace with 400-blue 400-blue 400-blue 400-blue. Will take some photos for you to have a look at, do some comparisons. will also take some photos with the T5s in various states of suplimentation. The blues are less 'intense' in that they output less light, so more may be needed to get the same as from 10ks or 6500ks. As stated am still considering adding in 1 or 3 extra bulbs for 'high noon' type killer light That way I know I will have the whole spectrum covered Piemania

There seems to be some conjecture about what 12k vs. 14k vs. 20k really means. From what i've been reading it really breaks down into 6500k, 10k and 20k (blue). So 12k, 15k and 20k should be called blues as they will be in the 20k spectrum. There is no doubt that many manifactures are using all these different turms, but the colour of a bulb should not be confused with the kelvin (colour tempratue) of the bulb. I've been using 10k for 2 years, am switching to blues (radium) for all 4 MHs. Personal aesthetic reasons for now. I am suplimenting with 2x blue T5s and 2x white T5s. I am also considering adding 1 or 3 white MH 400/250s to do a 'high noon' simulation and just run them for say 2 hours a day. I am also not sure if I will keep the T5s, currently I am 50/50 of their nessessity in my system. Hope that helps and makes sense? NOTE: Blue MHs make the water look so much clearer and crisper than with the 10ks. Less reflection off the bubbles and anything else setteling in the water. If you have a look at the latest pics of my tank you will see 2x Radium Blues at the right and 2x BLV 10ks on the left. Pie

I have been replacing my 250 watt 10k BLV bulbs on 9 month cycles. I run my bulbs for 10hrs a day. The visible difference is noticable, but not huge. The reaction I get from the coral is huge, often starting growth outbreaks and increased colour. I changed my T5s just recently after 11 months of use. The difference here was HUGE is visible difference. The blues are so much brighter than they were, a massive improvement. Pie

Are you sure? I've read that the DSB should be no smaller than 1/4 or 1/3 (can't remember) the size of the display tank to be useful. As for substrate in Europe many people just use 'southdown' sand from a building compnay, not sure what its for, perhapps goes in concrete? In the USA lots of people just use sand 1-2mm (1/16 inch) from the Building Depot. Depth of the sand bed seems to also be a very important factor. Again from what i've read if its less than 2 inches deep its good for aesthetic reasons with little true biological benifit, or if its over 8 inches its a DSB with anerobic areas for Nitrate consumption etc. Anything between 2-8 inches is just a trap for gunge and fish poo. Thasts what i've read, no doubt there are many different opnions. A few months back on reefkeeping online there is some good info (over 2 months I think about DSB written by Eric Bourneman, worth a read. He is 'for' them and uses them himself. I am running 3 sand beds, 2 shallow (1 in tank, 1 in old tank) and 1 DSB in dump (3 foot tank). Not sure if it helps or not, my Nitrates are 0 (again to avoid being flamed, 0 means not detected by Salifert). Good luck

Thanks Chimera - I posted a picture of the whole tank recently, but in 800x[aspect]. The problem is the size of the pics I can post here, I can stitch them to gether, but I have a highres camera so its un-nessessary, its the size (in kb) of the photo thats a problem, I have no-where that will let me post such large pictures 150kb is my max. Pieola

UV filters are on the 'out' for marine tanks now, un-nessessary equipment. UV is great for controling whitespot though. I have heard and read (over 2 year ago since I was looking at it) that it can effect some plant 'fertilisers' and nutrilise them. So may not be a good options for a planted tank if you are dosing. Also don't foget the bulbs only last between 6-9 months, so running costs could be high. Pie

Some pictures for those interested: Bi-Colour Blenny on its pearch, as always. Nothing but love for the clams, surprising how fast they grow though, don't know what I will do with them once they get too big? Tenticles everywhere. Galaxia are such awesomely striking corals, its a shame they are so deadly and release such long tenticles. Just a nice picture of the 'reefscape' with a plain old chromas out the front. Pie

Well we got Eath Quaked. Scarey, almost 1.5 tonns of seawater sitting in our living room Tank survived OK but I think I shaved off a few years! Pie

My new tank is steel framed. The reason I went for frame was for stability more than strength. The steel frame is less likley to be able to twist. Its also lighter and cheaper. Ive seen 500 gallon tanks made from wooden stands. Wood is easier to work with (for me as I don't know how to weld). Pie

I have heard about people claiming that clams grow better with nitrates present. I personally don't belive it to be true, my clams have grown and my nitrates are low to 0. Still maybee they would be higher without the clams? I doubt it. Although this may not be the best indicator. Clams live in the same parts of the reef as SPS corals like Acropora, so it stands to reason they are designed to live in the same conditions (0 nitrate). Thats the theory I am working too and my clams are doing great (3 of em). Pie

? I use a refractometer, hydrometers are much harder to read and get accurate results.

Your tanks writing cheques your wallet can't cash

What about when you do a water change using you 'just turn the tap' system? The litle bit of calurpa floats in the water, ends up in the ocean, and boom, NZs waterways are dead. Nothing but Calurpa Taxifola and linkia starfish everywhere. All bacause of you James, all because of you. You distroyed it all, all our coast GONE, all our dive spots *GONE*, mussel and fishing industry GONE. You ruined it all for the rest of us, you selfish bastard Probably turn out that the painted apple moth eats taxifolia Pie

Chimera - They may do it. They won't take the critters though, just bleech the whole lot, scorched earth policy. MAF are going to protect NZs oceans with the same attitude they have with the painted apple moth in Auckland, Agent Orange everything and everyone. Personally I see no need to advertise the fact that things sneak through, best keept as our own little secrets I think. The same with with Calurpa, if they knew some of us were using taxifola, which is on the noxious pest list I don't think they would cut us much slack. If a piece of rock comes in with Taxifolia the easiest option to ensure it doesn't happen again is to stop the rock. I don't agree with it, but its the probable scenero. Then there is the question on if they were really hitchhikers on rock, or imported/smuggeled ilegally and we just pretend they were hitchhikers, like the bule linkia starfish for example. Pie

Some may say you should remove/edit you own post so as not to highlight this 'loophole' to anyone from MAF... Pie

You really just want to argue and stir don't you? I'll bite. Don't forget the article from Randy Homes Farley saying many reefers have problems with GFO based phosphate binders. I am tired of repeating myself, but I will, people I know have told me the Salifert product has caused them problems, they switched products, problem gone. Thats whats happened, if you don't belive it or don't want to belive it then don't. I belive it. People are entitled to their opnions, if you don't agree with them fine, its the difference between an opnion and fact. This is just funny, silly even. Again, repeating myself, I said 'ive been warned off it', thats all, that is extent of my malicous statement. Just to site the RHF post again, it states quite clearly that GFOs cause many problems to reefers, Salifert use GFO. As for posting links etc, would it really matter. In a previous post where you were being an idiot you said 80% of everything on RC is untrue anyway, so if I did post it would you belive it? Its pointless agrueing the case with you, you won't listen you only motive is to promote (and protect) the products you sell. Hahahahahaha. Do you mean as in they are going to try and take legal action against me? hahahahahahaha. Or do you mean they are looking at what options are available to imporve their product to ensure it can't cause any more problems? hahahaha My one sentence has turned into several pages of posts highlighting problems with the Salifert Phosphate Killer because of your behavior Alois. If you hadn't kept pushing it no-one would have even paid it any attention. If Salifert want to be upset with anything said on this board, they should be upset with you for continuing to bring to the readers attention all the negitivity surrounding their GFO product. One sentance from me. Maybee you should contact the Miracle Mud people and tell them about your statements saying its 'dirt from someones backyard', let the Miracle Mud people look at what options are available hahahahahahhaha Mark

Looks like we could go back and forth like this forever. Here is a link to, in my opnion, the nicest SPS tank I've ever seen. He uses fuidised ROWA: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-04/totm/index.htm Alois - We all have to make up our minds on our own products and technology choices. I have chosed to abandon the Salifert Phosphate Killer product because of negative feedback i've had about it from people I trust. I would like to start using the ROWA product because I believe it will work better and be safer, I also like the idea of fluidising it. I could be wrong, I could be back to using the Salfert product next week, who knows whats going to happen. As for the ROWA product distroying my tank, i am willing to take that chance, I've already survived Zeovit and Natural Sea Water. How about sorting me out with a bucket or 2 of ROWA so we can find out? Pie

Layton is right .025 is the 'mean average' not nessessarly correct value. Lots of polls on RC etc with people typically ranging from .022 - .028. There is a 'conspiracy theory' that many run theirs lower (.022) because they use salt mix and it uses less salt and thus saves money. I run .025, am going with the 'average crowd' on this one. As stated the ocean SG changes depending on location, time of year, proximity to land, temprature and depth. Stability is probably more important than the actual value you choose. good luck Pie

*gulp*

Well an MASSIVE week for the reef and some pretty big changes. Started off with planing to get rid of the 'spare' sump, which was my sumpfish tank. Its a drilled purpose built marine tank of approximatly 235 litres. This tank is going to fellow reefer Suphew as an upgrade to his small 3 footer. He has limited space the the tank fits perfectly into his spot. I also setup my old Zeovit reactor with Aquamedic phosban and fludised it. I am looking for some ROWAPHOS but am experimenting with the Aquamedic stuff. So far it appears to be working very well. Sunday was to be the day, we were adding some beams to the floor to level the tank and remove some creeks, also Suphew was picking up the tank and we had someone visiting us to drill another hole in the tank. Jane came and woke me up 'Water Everwhere!' she said. Now when you have over 2500 litres of saltwater in your house, these are truely scarey words. Woke up in .043 seconds flat, got down the stairs in under a second. approx 250 litres of water on the garage floor. Phew, thank god it wasn't serious. Got the mess cleaned up in less than 30 minutes, thank god for remote sumps. The cause of the problem? Bad temporary plumbing by me in preperation to the tank being removed. To be honest couldn't have cared less, at least upstairs was OK. No losses or problems caused by the flood. So next we packed up the floor, easy and peasy. Much less spring in the floor now, and less noise when walking in front of the tank. Next drill hole in the bottom of the tank. Well couldn't have been any easier, I suspect it took less than 10 minutes from start to finish, even got the dremal in there to hone it out Perfect and easy. Time to deliver the tank to Suphew. Got it to his place and fits perfectly. Off to the ocean, collected over 550 litres of salt water! Phew, hard work thats for sure. Got Suphews tank full, then back to my place for a 200 litre water change. All done, tidy the garage now that one tank and all the plumbing is gone! So lots of things on in the weekend, so happy to have the tank gone and cleaned up the garage. Moving the tank means I can access more of the sump and make some changes that need to be made. Pie

Very exciting, sounds good. Happy new year, glad to see your still at it. Piemania

Wasp - Agree. If your read my post all I said was 'i'd been warned off it', wasn't saying anybody should or shouldn't use, just why I had changed recently myself. I've even said that I have had no problems with it myself. Use it or don't use it, doesn't bother me in the slightest, i'm not using it. The reason i'm not using it is because i've been warned off it. Layton - It was this comment from you that earned your place in my rant: If I have my wires crossed or are being unfair , I'm sorry and please disregard. To expand on this further, Brendon actually told me to avoid GFO based phospate binders, not the Salifert product specifically, sorry to give that impression, poor descriptive on my part. Bye-gones? Group hug? Any chance of returning to the 'good old days'? Pies

Cheers B, good to finally meet you and put a face to the name. Glad you liked the tank, always rewarding to hear positive things from people who may a little more attention than the casual visitor. See you again soon I hope, Pie

Layton is right, I didn't want to splash out the case on the Peri pump, but afer much research and a few 'ghetto' systems of my own I finally gave it and purchased an IKS dosing pump. On of my better investments. The other other really reliable way is to use a solinoid and timer or flat switch from a resivour, but its not as relaible and may be more expensive than the Peri. YMMV. Pie