Pies

What sort of coral is it? Ask Ira! haahahahaha. Sorry its a Sacrophyton coral, often called a 'toadstool leather'. The fact that its polyps come out is good. Mine disapear about once a week, otherwise always out. It should be getting quite a bit of current to keep it happy. They shed a waxy layer from their surface and need current to flush it away. Up the current on it, it will respond with longer polyps and more 'bloated' apperance. Good luck

OK first off its not alge, its bacterria. Infact its cynobacterria. And its bad. Not super bad, but bad all the same. What causes it? No one knows. How to get rid of it? No one knows. The best cure seems to be heavy skimming and water flow. The good news? Its common, and not a sign of bad health or any real problem. It can smother coral sometimes but usually it just looks bad. You can syphon it out. Piebola

Ira - I find your advice comical considering you don't have, nor have you ever kept either. Do you even know what a sacrophyton coral looks like? I have provided a picture for you. The only thing this coral and an anemone have in common is that they are both slimey, wet and live in saltwater... Pies

Anal Fin - This is the big challenge with livestock for marines. There are many stages for many animals other than initial introduction. For example it can take a Mandarin fish over 6 months to starve to death. My Cleaner Wrassee took over 3 months to die. Leapord Wrasse don't seem to live over 9 months in captivity. Anemones can live over 100 years in the wild, yet survival is less than 3 months of many anemones in captivity. There is a way to increase your chance of have a long lived anemones (JetskiSteve has one in his tank over 12 years old!, his friend has one about the same age). Perfect water quality, a very mature aquairum, lots of current, lots of light. Some anemones H.Magnificia require many clowns to live in them to 'groom and feed' themselfs. These anemones have almost 0 survival in captivity without clownfish. This doesn't apply for all other anemones though. If its still alive maybee you can find someone with a marine tank (and an anemone already?) who would take it for a while, giving it a chance to become stronger before re-introducing back into your tank. I really hope it lives. I suggest in the future you research your live stock before you buy it. One of the best things to do is to build a 'stock list' and stock to it, dont buy anything not on your list. I am doing this now, which I had done it from the start. when I setup the new tank their are a few fish that are not going into my new tank. good luck Pies

Thanks Ira, that makes more sense to me Now 3 more questions... a. how does the safter factor work? e.g. for a tank of the size I am planing I can only have a saftey factor of 2 for the front and back. is that enough? what is the difference between 2 and 3. b. The base needs to be thicker. Can I have 2 pieces of glass glued together making it double thick? if so 2x 10mm as oposed to 2x 12mm? c. Is the tank of the size I am planing going to be safe at 12mm for the front and back? Or am I going to need thicker glass? ACK! Anyone out there with a tank this size or bigger? Pies

Alan don't quite follow you. Why would you care if the other shops didn't deal with you?

The only place I have found the bits you are looking for is from 'Mico Plumbing'. Not all plumbing stores carry it, best to go one that does 'irrigation' as thats what they are for. I think they are called 'tank valves' or something. They are BLACK and made by a compnay called 'HANSEN'. If you have trouble I can get you the Mico part number next time I am out there. Remember if you are using a 'stand pipe' system, the top stand pipe should be larger than the hole, so you will need an adapter e.g. from 25mm-30mm. Thats what I use 25mm hole, 30mm stand pipe. Pies

IRA - sarcophyton sp. are corals and not anemones. They also look nothing like anemones. They are failry easy to keep, but they get massive. The problem with clownfish living in corals is that the coral does't like it. An anemone has tenticles, with a mouth in the center, a coral has polyps with mouths on the end. Also when 1 polyp retracts in a colony, all polyps retract. I added the anemone to my tank to save my Sacrophyton coral. Some people belive there are problems keeping leather corals and stoney corals together, I belive this to be true. A clown fish will eventually find something to live in, but often to the detriment of that animal. No anemones are considered 'easy', because they walk around and get killed by pumps. Only add an anemone is you can provide the conditions it requires, which should start with a positive ID before you start. Many people think that bubble tip anemones are easier to keep than the others, some belive the LTA are easy. Check the links I posted in the original post for details on care and suitability. Pies

Thank Warren I see the link from the page. I am still not certain I am reading it correctly. Why doesn't it ask for all 3 paramaters, not just 2 of them? Bottom line, is 12mm OK? Also I am looking at 'dimante' glass for the front and 1 side. This is the SUPER CLEAR glass with no lead in it. Will this be strong enough? Anyone else used the glass? Pies

You should really continue from your original post 'my first Anemone'. As per my reply, Anemones are VERY HARD to keep, and should not be attempted unless you can provide adiquite water flow, light and prestine water conditions. If its turning itself inside out, then its a sign of agitation. Basically its very unhappy. A common problem with anemones and poor/inadiquite conditions. Did you get a positive ID? If its a H. Magnificia you have about a 1 in 100 chance of keeping it for over a year. Pies

I don't see why a store that imports and retails can't also wholesale anyway? The importer could sell the stock for slightly more, as it would still appear cheap to people who are used to paying retail in Auckland, EVERYONE WINS! (except the current retailers who have had it to easy for to long...). My friend Cliff in Invercargil started his own quarantine and imported his own stock to populate his 2 tanks as it was cheaper than stocking the tanks retail, even after all of the drama of dealing with maf/customs etc. Maybee that is what we should do, build a 'conglomerate' of reefkeeprs, import our own live stock, then sell the excess off on the Internet? hrmmmm maybee i'll look into this, I will have a 7 footer to stock very soon. Maybee we could even charge access to it, say as part of being a reef club member you get the right to order stuff at 'cost' for an anual fee or similar? Food for thought, not that expensive to setup the quarantine etc. Pies

Reef is right, the stores in Christchurch bring in their own stock, so not having several people in the queue getting paid. As for the quality of stock, I have been to and brought stock from Redwoods (chch), Petworld (chch), Northland (Whangeraie?), Jansens (Auck) and Holywoods (Auck). Northland is good and Richard is a nice bloke, Jansens. Not much truth to that I don't think Reef. Not sure if this is true either... The stock all comes from the same place (the ocean , some imports are good, some are bad, shipments vary, markups don't. Clownfish in Christchurch $35.00, Clownfish in Auckland $70.00. Why? 100% markup. Yellow Tang in Christchurch $130.00, Yellow Tank is Auckland $190.00. etc etc etc. I have seen the stock in Hollywoods, and personally I don't think I would EVER pruchase from them, I think they are rogues and the 'quality' of their stock is often apauling. Jansens are by far the most expensive, but the staff seem pretty good (better than most), their tanks are at least clean. Petworld, maybee the dodgest, Eddie was a complete rip-off mirchant, however everthing I have brought from him is still alive! Northland is pretty good, shame its so far away. Richard is fairly genuine and honest, is doing his best to support marines is the smallest of cities, and his tanks all looked about as good as anywhere else. Prices were 'fair' (thats between Auckland and Chch prices). I buy my equipment through wholesale or internet only from now, I REFUSE to give any of my money to the retailers (or as little as possilbe). I buy my live stock through members of the Auckland Reef Club who have always been good enough to find me livestock at reasonable prices and in good condition. What I would like to see in a shop? Fair prices (not the 100% - 200% over wholesale prices they currently use), clean fish tanks. Jansens in 3 Kings is a pretty good shop, its just that the prices are about twice as expensive as they should be. I would like to see someone open a pet store, but sell at wholesale prices. Imagine how much more people would buy, and how many others would get into this hobbie if Brooklands sold direct to the public. Ehiem pumps and filters would be less than half the price they are now. A yellow tang would cost you less than $90.00. You could buy coral for under $50ea. WOW! JMO Pies

Glass shop...

More planing. Closed loop circulation for the tank. Holes drilled through the bottom of the tank, using 1262 ehiem pumps. The loops exits will be 20mm pressure piping, with small holes drilled through like a spray bar. Additional circulation will be provided by at least 2x 6100 Tunze Stream pumps. Return from the sump will come from a large pump (not got it yet) and will be returned through 2x Sea Swirls. I may look at adding 1 more Stream, or something, not sure yet. Pies

OK I can't figure out how to use the thickness calculator. Tank is 2200Lx700Hx850W. I am going to use 12mm glass, this should be OK? For the tank base can I use doubble thickness 12 or 10 mm? If so is it easy to glue the 2 together? The tank will have braces accross the bottom, connecting the bottom to the front, back and sides. The top will have several center braces, larger ones on each end glued from front to back, and then 2 smaller ones 100mm wide accross the top. I might have glued additional strips accross the inside front, and outside back accross the top. Helping strengthen the top and give more glass for the braces to attach too. The tank will only be filled to the 670mm high line. There will be about 200kg or rock, which much displace the water and reduce pressure? Ohhh and there will be holes drilled everywhere (bottom, back and sides). What say you? Pies

Midas & Warren - I agree you are both correct. IRA - A DSB does work in freshwater. I use a 10cm base in my existing tank, nitrates =0 and my freshwater is OVERSTOCKED and OVERFED. It is heavly planted. Water changes are done every 6weeks, 30%. It has no alge, water is crystal clear and health of all fish and plants is excellent. VERY HEAVY LIGHTING. Pies

That tank is huge and the skimmer is way small. You mentioned that money was not an object, thats great! In fact I would say thats about the only way to run a reef tank here in NZ. So before you start stocking the tank any more, lets see a nice big skimmer on there. DelTec 902 or bigger, but whatever you use make sure its up to the task. Water movement is going to be very important, for the reasons mentioned above and because of the high dimentions of the tank, maintaining o2 levels may be an issues. Tunze streams are my pic but would look ugly in a tank like that, you should have planed a little more and used closed loops through the floor of the tank, 'stealthing' all plumbing. However use whatever you have and try and stealth the pumps as best as possible. Stocking levels. You tank is full of dead (was dead, looks to be covered in brown diatom algae now) rock. Mandarins need to be 12 months or further away or they will die. Shoals of purple tangs or yellow tangs look awesome. If its a reef, I personally belive that 'less is more' on the fish front. 1 big fish (rabbit fish, large shoal tang or something cool) and a few odities, 1 small shoal of antheas or chromas. Blue tangs get very large, as do sailfin tangs, so be carefull adding more than 1. Hawk fish are awesome and by far the best personality of most fish. They will eat shrimp and can be a bit aggressive, but I like that in a fish! Lighting. Reefs comments are good regarding 250 vs. 400 but the 400s will penetrate better than the 250s, now much better, but better, and with a tank that deep you are going to need all the light you can get. FORGET fluros (this includes T5s) the tanks just too deep. Money is no object? 4x 1000watt MHs is what I would use (2x blue, 2x 6500k) and a blue PC for nightime viewing. Corals. SPS is where it is at. Without 1000watt MHs (and that big skimmer) I don't think you will have too much success. I would look at lower light corals, mushrooms and leathers. SPS is where the 'buzz' is, but they need more 'care' and getting into that tank is going to be a hastle. I would add 'fire and forget' corals. Soft coral tanks can look stunning, and are a little easier than SPS tanks. Also a bad SPS tank looks shite, and I think you will find it to difficult to maintain an SPS tank (+ the lighting issue). Anemones. Not much light for them in a tank that depth. I suspect they will just roam around and be unhappy? Again 1000watt MH will help. I suspect (based on the 'dead rock' you have used) that the tank will need to cycle for at least 6 months. Just a guess. Thats lots of time to do the rock work, get the skimmer and lights upgraded. Let the copepod population build (you will need to see the tank, lots of mushroom rock would help). I would love to see some higher res photos, email me them if you have no-where to post them. Good luck with the tank. Most (all?) display tanks I have seen in pet shops are shocking, so you have a real chance to make yours stand out. However its size and un-usual shape are going to make that more difficult than ever. I hope it works out as it could be a real stunner. All the best Pies

Anal Fin When taking photos make sure all room lights are off, close the curtains etc. Cuts out all the reflections. http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/anemonecare/ http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemoneidfaqs.htm If you purchased it from Auckland, chances are that Aquanet brought it into the country. This means Reef may be able to ID it for you. Anemones can be a real problem, infact they can be a MAJOR problem! - They can and will walk around the tank, stinging and knocking over corals. - NEVER use a powerhead if there it a chance that an Anemone can get to it. The powehead will suck in ans shred the anemone, killing it and poisoning everything else. Lots of examples of anemones wiping out whole tanks on RC/UR etc. - Anemones can sting and kill fish. Examples of them eating yellow tangs, blue tangs, copperbands, grouper etc. The can get LARGE! They require good water conditions for long life, otherwise they may just die. They also require HIGH light and lots of wate flow. All the negatives aside they are very cool, and great watching clownfish zoom in and out of them. Remeber not all clownfish go in all anemones, so you need to ID your Anemone before adding clowns or the other way around. Check out pics of my tank for the location of my H.Magnificia anemone, he stings acropora, burns my hand when I touch him, has walked half way around the tank. EVIL! But cool. He gets his own spot in the new tank! Good luck, try and give us some better photos and let me know when you get it ID. Pies

Snap my skimmer cup is twice that big. That is sad...

Doch - I am in Wellington though bro... I can get the stand weilded for free including material so no drama there. I will just prime and paint/seal it I think. Its making it look good from their I am worried about. Its going in a prodominant place in my home, so I want it to look good, hence the need to do something like clad it in timber. Pieman

Thanks for the offer Layton, I may well cash in on it. I have found a supplier of ballasts, 250watt HQI, pulse start. Wired for 230 watt in sealed box with 3pin power attached and external 2m lead (apparantly any longer than 2m and they can have problems starting the bulbs). Ballasts are designed for BLV and like, which means should be fine for all HQI type bulbs. Have decided on 250 watters, simple a case of better value for power consumption. 5 of them should light the tank better than 3 400s, which is a similar wattage. I had a good talk with Alois last night who has a similar size tank to the one I am planing, and had some good advice (thanks Al), but ultimalty money is a factor too and I just can't afford to run as many bulbs as I would like (8), so 5 will have to do. So now I am just waiting to take possession of the house so I can get the tank, stand etc built and delivered. Also looking into floor strentgthing, and a dedicated 30amp circut with RCD to avoid power issues like I have now (power being tripped). Have also found a 2200va UPS which I hope to have reconed and connected soon too, this will simply run the return pump. Return pump. May have a line on a half horsepower pump (JetSkiSteve) otherwise I hope my exisitng Iwaki (RDLT30) wil lbe enough for the short term. IF ANYONE has a large pump (Iwaki or grunfos prefurred) please let me know, I am in the market to move some water. Piemania

Thanks for the offer Layton, I may well cash in on it. I have found a supplier of ballasts, 250watt HQI, pulse start. Wired for 230 watt in sealed box with 3pin power attached and external 2m lead (apparantly any longer than 2m and they can have problems starting the bulbs). Ballasts are designed for BLV and like, which means should be fine for all HQI type bulbs. Have decided on 250 watters, simple a case of better value for power consumption. 5 of them should light the tank better than 3 400s, which is a similar wattage. I had a good talk with Alois last night who has a similar size tank to the one I am planing, and had some good advice (thanks Al), but ultimalty money is a factor too and I just can't afford to run as many bulbs as I would like (8), so 5 will have to do. So now I am just waiting to take possession of the house so I can get the tank, stand etc built and delivered. Also looking into floor strentgthing, and a dedicated 30amp circut with RCD to avoid power issues like I have now (power being tripped). Have also found a 2200va UPS which I hope to have reconed and connected soon too, this will simply run the return pump. Return pump. May have a line on a half horsepower pump (JetSkiSteve) otherwise I hope my exisitng Iwaki (RDLT30) wil lbe enough for the short term. IF ANYONE has a large pump (Iwaki or grunfos prefurred) please let me know, I am in the market to move some water. Piemania

I would use white vinigar. Soak it overnight then clean with a pipe cleaner etc. Calcium gets everywhre and does build up. I get calcium buildup on my heaters and inside my pumps so I assume it can get in you skimmer too. I have got into the habbit of cleaning out my skimmer every 3 months. Disconnect it, and give it a good scrub inside and out, saves all the problems of neglect over time. Also gets worst the more light gets on it. Good luck Pie

They also spell 'Halide' wrong... Chimera - Your right about saltwater and rust. HOWEVER I am planing a metal stand for my new tank, a 7 footer. Sometimes its just easier to have someone weild one up than it is to have a wooden one built. I will just prime it to seal it and hope for the best. It will be clad in wood though (I think). If anyone knows a cabinet maker in Wellington looking for a 'cashie' please sing out, I got a 7 footer I need built. Pies

How is my 'theory'. My current tank is 5ft and uses 2x 250watt, I get good results buy know the tank would benifit from more light. So if I go to 7ft (only 2 ft longer) but add 3 more halides, I am in effect increasing the amount of light I have based on what I currently have? My tank is currently 700 front to back, so only 200 more, which I was hoping would benifit from the staggered bulb array. The tank will be 100% stoney coral, aiming for the shallow lagoon 'look'. Reef - I think your are right about the lighting (needing some more) but I just can't afford to run any more light than that, simple case of money. If I can find a sponser I would change my mind. Why do you think 2 reflector/hood thingies would be better than 1? I would have done 2 but the tank being 7ft is an awkward size for 2. What bulb config would you use? 2x2 in each reflector? I have 4x 5ft T5s, which I was planing on using just for 'blue'. Does anyone know where I can get wiring diagrams for my DEs? Does anyone know where to buy cheap/reasonable ballasts, ignighters and lamp holders? Piemania