Pies

My advice would be to let nature take its course and cycle properly. I've seen a few articles about using amonia to start the cycle, but this doesn't actually cycle it, just starts of the cycle which is initially fueled by amonia. 1 month isn't a long time. Have patience. Good luck. Pie

I do use NSW, I don't use ZEOVIT (currently, but will probably return to it). My Xenia grows fast, as do my mushrooms. Infact when it comes to Mushrooms/Xenia/Clover I would love to be able to retard their growth, as they are growing far to fast. Especially clover, that stuff grows so fast I am trying to not get any into my new tank as I have concerns about it taking over. All I add is kalkwasser, and I use a CA reactor. The reactor has some sort of chips to add Magnesium. (10% of the reactor media). I add no other supliments. Do a search on RC for test kit accuracy or just fire it into google. Lots of test out there. Mereck seem to be the best, Salifert are consistant for the core tests, but the Iodine & Strontium tests are unreliable/inconsistant at best. You could be right about the nutrient content of NSW and xenia, as JetSkiSteve uses NSW and his tank is a Xenia machine. Its growing very well in my tank also, using NSW. If its growing well in your tank with the addition of supliments, maybee you should switch to NSW and save a few bucks and the hastle of adding them An article written this year by Randy Holmes Farley (reefkeeping online or his RC forum) about the addition of strontium. He states that even though strontium is found in coral skelitons, this should't be confused with corals actually needing it, jus tthat when the skelitons are made the will absorb it from the water (through calcification I think?). He sais that the addition of strontium may be detrimental to coral health and a growth retardant and reccomends against its use. RHF has also written a few articles about iodine or info on his fourm on RC. The general concensis is that corals need it, but the addition of it is un-nessessary. Something about there being so many different types of Iodine ions or somesuch, so artifical ballacned addition is impossible. I just took the recomendation to not use it, and don't. I have a bottle of Saifert iodine at home, still unopened. Completely agree with the addition of them in moderation if you are going to use them. Trace element dosing pumps are the way to do it. I would re-stress that you can get fantastic growth speeds & coral colours without the addition of these elements, but I do regular 20% (ish) water changes. At least once per month. If I could find some compelling information about the addition of any elements I would consider it (I used to add iodine, strontium and even tried iron). Now that I don't use them my tank remains healthy and things look great. Pie

Suphew - Need to catchup with you at some stage soon. So busy with work, will try and call today. Lighting. DIY still looks to be the way to go, may look at having a pendant made for me. Found this, looks good. Would consider making it black via powder coating as the nice shiney metal doesn't stay like this when near the tank!

Not true. Lots on RC about the detrimental effects of using Iodine. Also measuring it is a major problem as the test kits available (salifert , JBL etc) are wildly inaccurate. Some people add Iodine because they belive it helps Pulse Xenia grow and not crash or have problems. Many others don't belive it makes any difference. Ever seen JetSkiSteves tank? No iodine in there and his Xenia is going NUTS, infact he has so much its likley that most of us that have some have it from his tank. I would put it to you that just because JBL/SALIFERT/HAGEN sell it, doesn't mean its nessessary. The are usefull things to spend your money on for the tank, Iodine is not one of them. My coral growth, anemone health, and polyp expansion is outstanding. Nothing added. I would strongly advise against the use of Iodine and strontium. Pieman

Your anemone is not happy, hence it is moving. Almost definatly not enough light and not enough random current. 2 of my Anemones at the moment are sitting high (3inchs from the surface) under a 250watt MH light, 4 T5 strips and a 3ft NO fluro. Hammered by 2x Streams throwing 24000 litres an hr at them. So the LOVE light and current. It is VERY VERY dangerous to have power heads with the anemones. The anemones will move around and get caught in the powerhead, then the anemones will get shredded and die, THEN you will probably loose other animals due to the death. Mark

Again I don't bother to dose iodine. Some do, some don't. Personally I don't think its nessessary if your doing water changes. There is lots of info on RC about iodine, but personally I see no value in adding it. If you must add it, you can buy lugols soultion from the chemist, which is the most popular form of iodine added to tanks. Some companies like salifert etc claim there iodine is better or magical, however from what I have read on RC there isn't, just maketing at work. So water changes, add nothing is my motto. Pie

You may find that adding kalkwasser is enough to keep calcium at bay. also check with JetSkiSteve about his 'DIY' calcium 2 part, very popular and cheap as chips. Its only when you have huge calcium drain the reactor becomes more important. Pie

I don't use any trace products from anyone. Most people have a CA Ractor and add calc, not much else. Personally I wouldn't bother YMMV. Pie

I have brought over 150kg of rock from JetSkiSteve. Covered in coraline, mushrooms, crabs, shrimps, algae etc. So it may not be 'straight from the ocean' but looks good in my tank. Pieman

Optimal placement for the streams is to have one running in one direction down the back, and second running down the front in the opisite direction. This creates a whirlwind type of current, moving more water www.tunze.com Looks good Fay. If you notice any bubbles in the tank is from cavitation, where the pump is trying to suck water but can't because its inlets are blocked (say by rock from your photo). If this happens either slow down the pump (controller or the blue box) or remove the obstructions. Go the streams. Pie

Drifty use the calculator. If it was me I would make it from 10mm except the front/back/bottom which I would use 12mm, I am sure 10mm will work, but it depends on the 'sleep at night factor'. You will need a VERY STRONG center brace for such a long tank. The glass calculator assumes the tank is perfectly braced. Take a look at my thread for my new setup, there are some photos of tank bracing. My tank is 2200Lx950Wx730H. Also remember that most of your 'aqua scaping' is provided by withdth, so if you can you may enjoy going wider (750? +) as it will provide more asthetic options. I assume your building it for a saltwater tank. SERIOUSLY consider having the tank drilled for closed loops and returns. My new tank has 7 holes and its worked out better than I had hoped. A laser cut perspecs overflow is best from what I have found from my own experance. Cost less than $100 to get the perspecs, laser cut and folded. Again some pics on my thread. I've spend months planning my tank so if you need some help yell out, I am sure I will be able to help you out. good luck Pieman

Pegasus - Who are these 'others' you speak of? I'd like to know if I am on the list. Pieman

Welcome to the Internet.

Everything I have read puts heating pads above internal heaters for running costs (there is a calculator on RC). Think about it, heat rises, sure, but heat from the pad radiates out, thus heating under the heater as well as above it, this heat created on the stand is wasted energy, and its heater warmer than the tank itself. An internal heater bleeds all of its energy straight into the water, no energy from the heat sorurce is wasted. Ultimatly the difference is probably negligable, the saving from interal heaters vs. pads will be little. The amount of energy required is static, its the efficiency of the heater itself that is the variable. I am having trouble keeping my tank cool. Pie

I think food grade is like 99.995% pure and lab grade is like 99.9999% pure, so not much in it. APS chemicals in Auckland sell it and will deliver. Alois often has a sack and sells it, I think Steve Woods often has a sack too. Not sure of the price from either but its significiantly cheaper than the pet store price. I am running low, need to get some myself. Maybee i'll organise a sack too, anyone in wellington want to split a sack? Doesn't seem to be many down sides to kalkwasser if used correctly, I think most people use it. Brendon said to not use it with Zeovit, so I didn't, but not using Zeovit right now so am using Kalkwasser in my 200 litre DIY stirer Piemania

Try taking the calurpa away from it, some people belive that calurpa excretes something that prohibits coral growth. Maybee try running some carbon. Like I said before, mine comes and goes, infact its looking like that right now, but I am not worried, it just seems to bounce back every time. Good luck.

Xenia comes and goes sometimes too. If its been doing well and all of a sudden is failing, more likley to be water paramaters than anything else. Try a few big water changes, see how it goes. Pie

WASP - I too have these corals in close proximity of other corals and never had a problem, but there is so much written about this coral killing things as per Laytons pictures its hard to argue with it. I suspect so far i've just been lucky. Reef - He was asking for frags, I let him know of one soruce he can get some. I'd be VERY keen on some of those $10 frags. How many different species you have for sale like this? I would like to grab 2 of each species. What say you? Pie

I have frags for about 6-10 different Acropora for sale $25ea. I also have several montiporas for sale $25ea and some hynophora (spelling?) $25ea. Layton is right, hynophora seems to be fairly easy, grows well. However it kills, and it kills quickly. So watch what you sit it next too and what it can fall onto. The montipora caracornia (I think) is easy, but I have sold all mine. Also montipora digita seems easy, I have 2 sorts, brown/purple and red/orange $25ea. Stone corals don't seem to be overly difficult to keep, however they do require 'all the sh#t'. Make sure your ready, as tanks with high nutrients, bad flow, flucuating water params and poor lighting are death for these corals. However if you have a tank ready for them, they don't seem overly difficult. I have yet to loose one to anything other than otehr corals. YMMV. Pie

1000 deep is VERY deep. The general consensus is 650-750 is about as deep as is practical (depending on your arm length!). Also getting light to penetrate to this depth can be an issue if you are wanting to keep plants/coral. I just setup a large tank, and put my volume in the width (front to back) insted of height. 2200Lx950Wx730H. Even this size its VERY hard to reach the back of the tank, even standing on a ladder leaning accross. Note my tank doesn't have any lids either, which I suspect would make it even harder. Good luck though, big tank projects are always exciting! Pie

How could you not take Pegasus advice there? Juicy Fruit? Hahahha o-well made me smile anyway Get the leak sorted ASAP, surley chewing gum will bio-degrade over time? I have fixed a leak with water in the tank before using FOSROCK RTV, no problemo. Pie

Fay - Having a band? I am pretty happy with the way the bommie is looking, if I didn't have so much on i'd consider moving the anemone, fungias and clams up ASAP. However this weekend is pretty booked, and work is busy. Hope I can find some time during the evening this week. Don't suppose anyone found any more information on winches or similar to life lights? Am looking seriously at car arial motors, but need someone whos a bit more mechnically minded then me, I don't really have any knowledge or skill in this kind of area. Piemania

Steve 5k of coral, i'd build my own facility spend the change on a shipment or 2 I should also say that Peter from Port Nichloson Glass included the cost of a custom collar in the price of the tank and stand, so as soon as I know what I want, Peter will build it for me Pie

Thanks IRA the is VERY interesting. I will be using a collar around the top of the tank, as I think a tank where you can see the water line and above looks horrid. You need to hide the water line. Also I want the collar to make sure as little light as possible escapes from the tank, nothing worse than seeing a tank with handing pendants and all the light comming out from above the water line. Looks terrible. I also hate that ugly pig tail, windy power cable thing they use, UGLY. I have an Arcadia Series 3 pendant for my frag tank, built in timers etc, looks 'OK', but I wouldn't buy another. FAY - Your kididng right? Do you really think I would have done what I have done so far and then put up manky lighting? HOWEVER the Arcadia lights are no different to anything else, just come in a nicely presented box. Not worth the extra $5,000.00, not even remotley. I also want the ballasts remote (under the tank), not hanging above it. Another problem with pendants is the standard size. My tank is 7 foot, which means 2x 2bulb pendants are going to be 8 foot, so they won't fit. I will need to get custom made pendants. Which I am sure will add even more to the cost. Ultimatly the lighting will be DIY, DIY reflectors will also be used. They will be hidden behind the collar, which serves 4 purposes. 1: Hides the water level 2: stops light from spilling out above the tank and distroying the cool effect 3: Hides the lighting pendants 4: Adds extra protection from jumping fish. Anyway its all stated early in this post, a collar will be used, it will be made of recycled Rimu. DIY lighting will be used, as there is no way I will spend more than 1k on lights (4x 400w or 5x 400w). Thanks for the research IRA makes me even more certain that DIY is the only way to go. I can take the 5k saving and buy something else (like 2 more tanks and stands!). Pie

Lighting is still an issue. I really need to buy lighting, but am just considering my options. 4x400 or 5x400 is the choice, it just how to build them. Not really 100% on anything yet. Was hoping for some 2nd hand action, but still no joy. I am almost certain I will copy Laytons lighting, seems to work well for him and be fairly priced. Still hoping something else will turn up 2nd hand / bargin priced. Got the left hand bommie built. Looking good, with 3 pinicles to attach corals/anemones too. Also put 20kg of sand in there. The sand made a huge difference and makes it look more like a tank than the bare bottom did. I put 1x Stream in there, + 1x Terbelle powerhead. Water is moving VERY agressivly about the tank, be interesting to see how it looks when the other 2 streams are running. This won't happen until the tank has been filled though. A few corals are in there, I will probable move the fungias and clams next week, once I get the base rock done for the right hand side. Clownfish will enter the tank when the Anemone goes in, no other fish for quite some time. The copepod population has started to breed, and I hope that by christmas it will look like my sump, LOADED with life. I am very keen to move everything out of my frag tank and get it disconnected. Suphew wants the tank, and I am keen to stop paying to light it/heat it/circulate it. I have too do a few other things first though. So its moving along well. No leaks or problems, and am enjoying have a completely open lid without the centre brace. Started to tidy up the under tank wiring. Closed loops and streams etc. All of the controll gear will be running under the tank, screwed to the bottom of the base. I will try and get some photos done very soon. Piemania