91 ZERO

We have had two Toshibas, and had no probs with either. One word of advise is don't cheap out and get a less powerful unit just because it cost's less. Once you have found out what size heatpump you need (according to house size etc etc), get the next one up again. Might be more expensive but being gruntier means it doesn't have to work as hard to get up to temp and doesn't have to work as hard to maintain that temp.

Yup RO water to top up if some has evaporated. You may find you don't have to top up the tank at all, time will tell. 1. Select the salinity constant you want to keep your tank at and try and keep it at that. I aim to keep ours at 1.025. Try not to keep a "range" as your constant, as it can make it more difficult to gauge what your tank is doing in terms of salinity changes and the constant varying salinity could stress livestock. 2. Once your tank is at your desired salinity level (and you have your right amount of water in the sump with tank operating normally), make a little mark on the sump at the water level. If it drops below this level, top up only with RO water. Don't use tap water, unless you are really stuck. However don't stress if you have to use tap water, just definately do not make a habit of it. 3. Prior to doing a water change, check both your tank salinity and also the salinity of the replacement water. If your salinity has gone above your desired level you can either top up to your mark with RO water and then do your water change (this can be wasteful as you will then be draining water), or you can adjust the salinity of the replacement water prior to doing the water change. For example, my very un-scientific method (based on my 1.025 constant) Tank salinity 1.025. Replacement water salinity 1.025 = no adjustments, just do water change. Tank salinity 1.027. Replacement water salinity around 1.022 = this should help drag tank salinity down. Tank salinity 1.023. Replacement water salinity around 1.027 = This should help pull tank salinity back up. This takes practice but you get the idea.

Eek, just noticed a few white dots on my Foxface. Nothing else in the tank has any (yet). The net is just over loaded with stuff and I'm confused. This is the deal: * I don't have a Quarantine Tank. I do have an old 40L aquarium, heater, and power head. I don't have a second skimmer. * Water parameters normal. * Have never had white spot in the tank before. We introduced a rose tipped anemone from a friend, and two clown fish from a pet shop a couple months ago. Maybe where it started. We have had the Foxface over a year. After read this, I was thinking: 1. Put warmed salt water and H020 into a bucket and bathe the Foxface in there for 30-45min. 2. Put salt water, heater, and small power head in QT, and leave Foxface in there. 3. Repeat each day with a fresh bath. Questions: 1. Where the heck do you buy food grade H020? 2. Will the Foxface be ok in a tank with no skimmer? 3. Do I have to change the water in the QT everyday? 4. Can the H020 solution be added straight into the main tank instead? - I can vacuum up sand and increase water changes if that will help. Thanks in advance Kris

Hmm good point. I've just re-arranged it so have most of the softies down low and a large flat topped bit of rock right at the top (about 25cm from the lights) where I can place some acro frags etc. I'll start with 3 or 4 of those little $10-$15 ones on Trade Me first to see how they go. I'll try that first, might turn out I don't need the LEDs at all. Try the cheapest option first! Thanks

Cheers for that. It's a 70cmx70cmx77cm, cube. My main thought would be that it wouldn't be bright enough to get to the sand bed, but surely these LEDs would put out more light than the T5 tubes?

I have been looking at growing some SPS corals, and also increase the colouration of the softies which the tank is predominatly made up of currently. I keep reading conflicting info on spectrums etc etc. The tank is a Aqua 275L cube with the standard T5 tubes. Would something like this be an improvement and suit the size of tank 77x70x70? Right budget too and very good reviews. - Note I would need to get the 20.5" version., 120W, 16,000k. http://www.marinedepot.com/Maxspect_27_ ... 33-vi.html Thanks

I didn't think coral rock stayed white? That amount of algae looks normal to me.

Ended up removing most of the coral rock today for a "clean", and did a big mushroom/polyp fragging session while I was at it so once the frags have settled I will trademe them. Used gloves etc when dealing with those polyps and gently poured boiling water over the stumps. Thanks for your help.

Holy sh*t that pic is the exact polyps I'm dealing with. I did know they need to be handled carefully, and have always been relatively careful - but didn't know they were that dangerous. Luckily I haven't tried fragging those particular ones yet. I will cut the mushrooms off and glue over the stumps but those polyps - I may just remove those from the tank completely. Appreciate the help!

Yes. The first instalment of that movie was good, the sequel was rubbish. :lol:

Yeah the first Decent was good - nearly soiled myself when that first monster was sitting there in the dark right beside them. Don't bother with the second one though, not scary and they use really stupid looking monsters.

That's a good point, I'll try Aiptasia-X first. I might even smothering it with a bit of Kneed-It.

Don't know if this is unusal or not but it certainly left me astounded! About 3 1/2 months ago we introduced a rather large Foxface Rabbitfish to the tank, and within a day our Six Line Wrasse disappeared. We thought he may have been spooked and was simply hiding as they do. A couple days after that and lots of searching with a torch in the coral rock etc revealed nothing, nor on the off chance in the sump (its a Aqua One 275 Cube). I even went as far as removing all the coral and rock in the tank to search. We suspected he may have been attacked by the other fish and nipped at until he was no more. Which sucked as he was a beautiful little fish with real character. Fast foward 3 1/2 MONTHS to last weekend and while vacuuming up the dirt in the bottom of the sump as part of the weekly water change I spot movement behind the return pump - the Wrasse! Albeit somewhat discoloured and very skinny. What must have happened was he somehow got over the grille in the tank, went down though all the piping which spills out onto a very large bit of semi-submerged coral rock in the sump (sits in the segregated spot in the sump where bioballs/foam usually sit), flipped over the rock until he fell into the sump water and subsequently made the rock his home and feeding on any scraps that may have fallen his way. He's very good at hiding so in the 18 odd water changes I have done since he went missing (nearly full drainage of water in sump each time which would have left him high and dry at times!), I never once saw him. Crazy! (and yes I have now put some plastic over the grille).

I guess this a "good" problem to have, however it's now getting out of hand! I have some polyps and red mushrooms in particular that seperate and spread like wildfire taking over other corals. I have fragged them and given them to other people - but of course the "stump" always grows into another within a week or two. I've read up and apparently the best solution is to remove the rock, and physically chip off what is left - which is fine if you don't have a display of coral/coral rock all propped up against each other (which I do which means I would have to disassemble all the rock/coral in the tank). Is there a way of cutting it back and then sticking a glue or something over the stump to stop it growing back? Thanks

I imagine it is because the tank hasn't cycled long enough. Mine cycled for a month (heaps of live rock) and even then the corals didn't like it, only one survived. As Godly3vil said, patience is the key mate.

The amount you would spend on test kits for testing for all those chemicals in tap/rain water would just be better spent on buying an RO system. Once confirmed those chemicals are in there (which they will be), you will need to buy an RO system regardless. Marine tank upkeep and maintenance can be expensive, it's just not worth the risk. Use tap water as a last resort/interim measure only. I try and use Natural Sea Water where possible, but in winter the sea tends to be a bit stirred up with gunk so I have to use RO/Salt mix at the moment.

That's reassuring, thanks for that! It seems these units have quite good reviews all round so now I know what to save my pennies up for

Hmmm this is true!

Yeah most places selling them for USD$509 plus shipping. There is one on TM for $899, so will still be a heap cheaper ordering in from the US if this is indeed suitable?

I have pretty much had a gutsful of the original lighting system in our 275L cube marine tank. I've never been overly happy with them after seeing some pretty amazing lighting systems out there, and seeing how much better corals respond with better set ups. All our corals are growing so I have just left it, but I have grown tired of replacing the tubes (uses 4 x T5 fluoros), not to mention one has a slightly cracked contact so that particular bulb will either flicker or not be at full brightness. So I'm looking at replacement options, I'd like to go down the LED route, without going too fancy. Has anyone used this particular model I am looking at? Will this be a good upgrade? Maxspect Razor LED 160W 27" 16,000k R420R model http://www.maxspect.com/index.php?optio ... &Itemid=21 Thanks Kris

Welcome Great little town Ashhurst, I lived there from when I was born up to 17 years old. Went for a visit a few months ago, it seems a lot smaller than I remember ha.

Well should really post in members tank forum as no longer a seahorse tank (well down the track anyway once its settled a bit more). Photo not the best as taken with cell phone and needs a bit of a clean, but this is how it looks. Getting there. Numerous corals in there, all thriving. Got a fair bit of coralline algae growing around now too. 1 x Banded Shrimp (awesome!) 1 x Bangai Cardinal 1 x Jewelled Rockskipper 1 x Fire Goby 2 x Blue yellow tailed damsels 1 x blue starfish Got all the levels pretty steady, everything seems to be growing and healthy so must be doing something right ha. Kh - 9.5 Phos - .16 Nit - 1.0 Ca - 410 Mg - 1300 Temp - 24 Salinity - 1.025 I do a 60L water change once a week, got it down to around 20min now. Clean the glass, skimmer, and sump at each change too. Funnily enough I find it quite relaxing and look forward to it :roll:

Oh nice That cage is a good idea. I used mesh around the outflow nozzle to limit the high speed water coming out of that and it worked a treat, don't know why I didn't think of it for the wave maker to for a protection for them. Yeah he was a happy camper, was very sociable and would wrap his tail around your finger and would chase the magnet cleaner around.

This one did. Lesson learnt - put mesh over front of wavemaker. Even had the wave intensity turned right down - current didn't bother them.

Our last Seahorse died last night It appears he got a bit too curious of the wavemaker and during its "pause" cycle poked his head in the grate - When it turned back on it pressed him against it and couldn't free himself