tHEcONCH

So, if I ignore common sense and actually have a crack at this, are any local reef-keepers willing to let me collect pods etc from their sumps for the next few months? I guess this would involve sticking coarse sponges into your sump and collecting them every so often. Mr Pedersen and Witt are also keen to see if Mandarins can be hatched and raised using pods etc sieved from temperate (cf tropical) seas, so another option might be collecting seawater and filtering greeblies out. Is anyone keen on getting involved with this project?

They cook best in boiling water.

Great thread with staggeringly good pics of Mandarin fry here: http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1963

As far as I am aware all the RSMs in New Zealand have been retrofitted with the modified (blue ring) skimmer, but they all have the original (bollocks) fans and timers. In my case those bits have been replaced under warranty (along with a few other bits). Although RSMs do have a few reliability problems, the distributors have been very good and have always done the right thing.

Welcome!

I find buckets to be too chewy, even the yellow ones :-?

RS Pro Salt, I tell 'ye, Pro Salt... :lol:

I keep my Calcium at about 420ppm - I don't measure Mg. Flow seems to ba a factor too - more is better (presumably because it allows a greater rate of exchange)

Make sure you alkalinity and Calcium levels are good, and it grows surprisingly fast (for coraline algae) - mine grows about 2-3mm / week.

The only place you will find really good live rock is in other people's tanks, otherwise you have to grow your own by starting with 'dead' rock and letting coraline algae and micro organisms populate it over a few months. It is quite a slow process, but can be speeded up if you can buy a little live rock or sand from someone to kickstart the process and introduce all the little critters you need.

Although there have been rumours of a 250litre version as yet there is only one size - 130litres - and they retail anywhere between $1500 - $2000.

Biggest Red Sea Max?

Further to your idea about some sort of resource / area for this sort of thing, should I take some other photos that show just the overflow before I fit it up?

I think that is probably true and good advice for a normal tank where the intake is inside the main tank, but don't forget that this one is specifically for the RSM and draws water from under the skimmer chamber, which sits behind the 'false back' of the tank behind the intake / overflow grill. In addition to the grill, there are also media bags (and for those running a more standard configuration) mechanical filtration blocks. That said, perhaps cutting the intake on an angle of drilling holes / slots would be cheap insurance, just in case.

:bounce: Bah again! Stupid slow interweb!

Oh Sapphire, I only built one of these - the materials cost nearly $100, so you are welcome to measure it up before I fit it if you want to build one too

They are a freshwater anemone and will sting and kill your fish. They are very difficult to kill - if you mash them, the must will turn into new ones. Take the wood out and pour loads of boiling water over it.

Jebus - has the camera man been on the Sake all afternoon? :-?

I had the airvent/crossmember too high - I set it at water level, now I've dropped it 8mm down to break the surface tension more easily. I'd wondered about the intake too - I might stick an Eheim intake end on it (I think they are 16mm ID cf the 15mm tubing, so they should be able to fit

So, here is the weir-derived overflow and return for the RSM. The intake pipe draws water from the passage under the skimmer, up and out the chiller port, down and up again to the air vent, then across and down to the sump. Return comes up and across the top of the vent, through the chiller port and under intake, and deposits water into the circulation pump intake. It all fits flush against the back of the tank.

I have sent you a link via Private Message. Go into your PMs, and click the link that will take you to another site - pics etc there too

:lol: An infamous Brit rocker once groaned "Anger is an energy"

Executive Summary pages 1-20 In response to accusations of being a troll, some guy posts a few pictures of his RSM and some discussion ensues pages 21-33 More pictures and discussion vaguely related to the RSM 'n stuff pages 34-55 Discussions about RSMs, modifications, Mandarins, frags, and random musings pages 55-56 Thread has a 'mid-life crisis' prompting a retrospective within the thread on itself by various contributors. pages 57- Back to the RSM...

I'll do what I can in between doing what I'm supposed to be doing all day

Please elaborate! What bit of fishkeeping lore did I miss?