chimera

I think the important factor here is when the "continuous" water change is performed. You are both right but arguing over different "time periods". If water is "continuously" changed during the week (eg: 24x7) then Warren is right, the "effective" water change OVER ONE WEEK would be a little over 20% However, if 20% of the water was changed continuously ONCE per week (ie: water goes in at same time water comes out) the effective water change would equate to LESS than an a 20% change because of some water going in going back out again. From how I've read the above, it is a misinterpretation or misreading of how the water would actually be changed by the two of you!

I think most know about coral placement and stringers stinging other nearby corals but thought I'd share incase anyone wasnt aware or wanted to know a bit more about it. Written by Mike Paletta who does "the new aquarium" and "ultimate marine aquarium" magazines. a long but interesting read i thought...

good idea pies, however i was thinking about creating a shelf/box and mounting the unit just outside the sump room. that way its well away from saltwater splashes and evaporation etc. question about my skimmer: when i power it on, its almost as though there is water in the airlines going to the pumps. the pump groans and gurgles and cant suck air/start producing bubbles. i have to manually "blow" into the 2 air intake lines to "prime" it. i would imagine this is not normal. i have taken it to bits and flushed with white vinegar before but it did not fix it. my work around was to hook it up to ups or have an airpump "blow" into the lines when it starts up. dont like the latter and the ups will mean less battery time for the return pump. any ideas on how to clean so it automatically primes itself when starting? its an "in-sump" deltec ts1060.

well dont i feel like an idiot... the ups had been sitting under my mates place for quite sometime so the batteries were dead. the unit doesnt go to battery until it has a high enough charge - so tested it today and it works sweet, yah! now all i need to do is find a safe place to put it as its sitting near the return pump at the moment, gulp! i bought all plumbing required for closed loops on friday ($140, ouch!) and am just waiting on the OM-4-way to start my "pipe spaghetti" hopefully should be here by the end of this week so not too long and i'll get stuck in and put some pics up.

steve just bought shares in selleys

Radium website, halide's for aquarium use: http://www.radium.de/e/produkte_overview.html?pe_id=14&pcon_list=1854,1855,2498,2569 As I said earlier in my post, when speaking to guy at Radium, I mentioned Radium 20k's and he said, no, they are Radium Blues - but 20k is the closest measurable kelvin rating we can give them. I guess they dont like to call them "20k's" because they vary from that rating between individual bulbs. I have also heard it becomes more and more difficult to 'K' rate bulbs over 10k?

yeah the guy at radium says he doesnt like to call them 20k's as its not a valid kelvin rating for them hence why they're just called "blues". he says people call them 20k's coz that is the closest kelvin rating they can guesstimate based on colour emitted. different brands vary greatly. all down to personal taste i guess i was just intrigued that iwasaki had 50k bulbs, couldnt imagine how they can get any "bluer/whiter" than 20k's. marketing? i have read alot that iwasaki 250W 6.5k's and 10k's are the best you can buy (or rather people rate them very highly in regards to their actual kelvin rating being close and longer lasting) or is this just another rumour? i got sold NARVA 14k's by the guy at radium. happy with them, but i havent see enough tanks in this k range to compare properly.

has anyone ever tried 50,000k bulbs?!

http://www.aquarium-lighting-guide.com http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/bcorsettingup/a/aa101397.htm

"hole" being the dog house,... if im lucky

sounds like me and the wife. if i feel her getting angry, I can feel her body language and dash back into my hole

great to see even dudes this age are hard into their fish hobby. sounds like he's doing it wrong (from above), but nonetheless, good on him!

i hope so they are way cool!!!

what did they say the point of doing it was? (no sarcasm, serious question) If just to raise alk, why not just add to your topup water like everyone else?! to me it makes more sense running calcium reactor during day then top up with kalk at night. basing that on logic rather than theory.

both. my tank is 5'x2'x2' as well, but also saltwater. of course, you dont need the water movement like you do in a saltwater tank but as pies says, 1250 is still a pretty small pump. i use it to do water changes! i would opt for the next one up, maybe a 1060 - but i guess that depends on the rate of filtration from devices in the sump. just remember the 'per litre' always sounds more than it looks coming out your plumbing!

well, conveniently the battery in the UPS doesnt work... tends to be what happens when you get mates rates. will either get my money back and buy another or see if my sparky mate can fix/source another. i bought 2 x NARVA 250W SE 14K halide bulbs today. wow what a difference over the 10K (warranted that the 10k's are a little older too) alot bluer - even than pictures i've seen on the net suggest. still, it looks WAY cooler than the yellower looking 10k's, very crisp and more specifically, the sand alot whiter. the wife says the 14k's look "deep sea looking". Im very happy with them, the more i look at it the more i dislike the 10k's. a few months down the track (or whenever the acro population gets to larger levels) I'll add a 3rd 400W into the tank. not sure if i'll go 10k or 20k for this though. i guess once my eyes adjust to the difference with 14k's i'll opt for a 20k!

fish geeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkksssssssssssssssssssss!

count me in too

1.6amps was read from here: http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_pumps_iwaki_japanese_american_md5570100_information.asp?CartId= but thats at 115 volts Perhaps half this then? 0.8 amps? Will check tonight. If it is, then about 184VA. I thought Watts = VA??? I will check tonight and re-post, thanks.

Just back to the UPS question again, I got the UPS yesterday, it's 2kVA. If the UPS will only run the return pump, how long should I expect to get out of it on battery? The return pump is an Iwaki 55RLT, 1.6 amps and 82 watts i think?? Not sure on other details etc, can get that info tonight. Whats the formula?!

initial cycle is a one-off thing - ie: ammonia-nitrite-nitrate-nitrogen (unless you get old tank syndrome?) except: http://www.reefcorner.com/Manual/nitrogen_cycle.htm

I agree, and hence why I took your recommendation to keep my old 4 foot tank from day one Pies. Best recommendation you gave me I reckon - mainly because if Im slack and forget a water change/maintenance, the sheer volume of water keeps the tank ticking over nicely eg: 6-8 weeks without water change and not even a sniff of PO4 or NO3 (salifert). My LR is currently in the refugium purely as Im waiting to finish closed loops (waiting OM-4-way should be here soon) Once done, I'll move most of the LR to the main tank and only have a minimal amount in the fuge too, maybe 20kg or so? Eventually, Im going to section off the refugium (single baffle, with space at bottom) to stop caleurpa accidentally floating into overflow, blocking it and flooding floor. I will then have macroalgae in left side and LR in right. Can you see any problems with doing this?

i thought that was only important when going through the nitrogen cycle?

in mine, just caluerpa, pods, snails, LR etc. no frags so water movement prob not so important?

:lol: