lduncan

Xenia is the one coral I have never had much luck with. I don't know why, it's really mysterious. Maybe your tank is too clean for the xenia's liking Pies. Xenia tends to like dissolved organics, nitrates, and ammonia. Some people have suggested xenia crashing can be related to low alk (don't know if there is any real reasoning behind that), but at 8.1 I wouldn't say that it is low. So beats me, I've never been able to keep xenia for more than a couple of months, it just slowly withers away. Layton

Yes, but which one would have this effect, or are you just guessing one would? How did you test that? Actually, they are proven to be cyclic in nature for some nutrients, most importantly phosphate. Sandbeds have a limit to how much phosphate they can absorb, before they start leaching back into the water column. There are many studies which show this.

What algaes release vitamins, and which vitamins? Which nutrient would have that effect? Depends on your point of view I suppose. Same argument for skimmers. Are you willing not to use one, and risk leaving harmful substances to accumulate, or do you use it, and replace the beneficial things it may remove. Most people would take the latter option. Sandbeds and macroalgae are by no means a complete filtration method. Yip it's me Never had a detectable trace of phosphate ever, either! Layton

As much as you can throw at it. Leathers love flow, they just take a little longer to adapt to new higher flow than stonies. They tend to grow faster, and have better polyp extension, when in high flow. Layton

Pulse start ballasts will run just about any bulb you can screw in. You can get the parts for a 400Watt setup from Lamp Specialists here in ChCh for under $100 (not including bulb). If you're interested in a 400W setup I can give you the part numbers for everything. The downside is that the parts don't come prewired, I believe the ones Pies have are all wired and enclosed in a metal housing? So they may be a better option. Layton

I don't think caps come in very often. Usually just digitas and sometimes some encrusting ones. Layton

If anyone has an orange, red, blue, or purple one, I'd love a frag. Layton

I forgot about getting a photo today. But here is an old photo, the cap is on the left hand side of the tank. (Photo taken just before moving the tank at the end of last year) It must be at least 40 cm wide now. Layton

i find it interesting that a lot of acro's turn green before turning purple.

I have a "medium" sized (as far as cap's go) green one. I'll try and get a full pic sometime. Layton

what sort of frags go for $60?

I think the fish are going to be more of a problem in the future than corals. Virtually all corals can be propagated in captivity. But very few fish have ever been bred in captivity (only about 30 or 40 species I think). Looks like some places are making advances in the fish side of things with pigmy angels and yellow tangs, but it's nowhere near commercially viable for most species. (US$800 for a tank bred angel is out of almost everyone's price range). Layton

This was the site I was looking for. http://english.royal-exclusiv.de/ they build some massive private aquariums

I won't.... again.

ahh zeovit as well. hmm.

True, but some people do have problems when upgrading lighting. I still don't see any reason for corals bleaching due to rapid drops in nutrients. Rapid increases, sure, but not decreases. It doesn't make sense to me. I still think it may be light related Maybe the carbon was contaminated? Layton

Let me know when your down. I may be going to Sydney for a couple of days next week to check out a new machine for work, depends how things work out early on. I have some frags for you, so if i'm not here, i'll organise to get them to someone so you can pick them up. Layton

What are they saying? Do they say that coral bleach due to rapid decreases in food?

Doesn't mean it's true. I think that the sudden drop in whatever the carbon is pulling out is not the cause. It is the result of a sudden increase in intensity of light for the normal photo period, which stresses the corals, not what is removed from the water.

Not really. Depend on what your definition of nutrients. I think of nutrient as coral food. Ever seen a large water change do that. I think it may have more to do with the clarity of the water, and light related bleaching, than corals responding to any drop in levels of their food. Layton

Ok so the correct capacitor should be 0.18uF rated at 440VAC according to the hurst datasheet. It's a synchronous motor which means if the capacitor is not correct it will not operate smoothly, and will loose synchronisation with the mains power frequency, that's when it vibrates and heats up. Probably should just wait till the correct cap arrives. Could save a damaged motor. Layton

if you look on the motor housing there is a label near the bottom which i think is the value capacitor you need. "180mfd" or something like that. You should be able to find one locally easily enough. Do you have the motor manufacturer and model number? I'd be interested to see what type of motor they actually use. I should have written it down when I was at Steve's the other day. Layton

Did you get the right capacitor for the motor? Does it run smoothly? Layton

At 2.5 meters deep, you don't have an option, acrylic is the only material to use. I'll post a link to a german website where you can get some construction ideas for large tanks from the pro's in germany, (once i find it) Layton

Corals are more brownish than brown, there is still some colour in most of them. Still, they're nowhere near up to my high standards yet.