wasp

Didn't know so many guys up this time of night! Maybe all the futzing with the tank gets done during lights on, and once lights go out, the truely dedicated reefer must content himself sitting at the computer talking about it

Quote "Don't have any biological filteration (filter wool, old carbon etc). " end quote. I think you mean to much aerobic filtration. It is the anearobic, or at least low earobic filtration that actually reduces the nitrate.

IMHO a common cause of insufficient nitrate reduction is not enough flow to get the liverock working to full capacity.

Cos they grow comparatively slowly, they don't do a whole lot. It's an idea that was dreamed up in the US because it is "natural", but it has fallen out of favour now. When mangroves were being used, people had large purpose built shallow refugiums with a large number of mangroves, and good lighting. Some people had "rafts" floating, with the mangroves growing on it and roots dangling in the water. Because young mangroves would in nature be submerged at each high tide, the exposed leaves have to be sprayed with water daily. Only adult mangroves can withstand dry leaves 24/7. Mangroves are an interesting idea, nothing wrong with having some, but will not produce miracles.

Dan is onto it, put it at the bottom of a u bend. This worked for me for a very similar problem, although not with an iwaki. What would happen is the impellor would cavitate in the air bubbles, but the lack of directional water movement in the pipe would allow the bubbles on the intake side to move up the pipe, and enough water would then get into the impellor to allow some pumping. This would then result in some more bubbles rushing down to the impellor with some getting spat out the other side, until the impelor was again cavitating. this whole thing would repeat several times for maybe 30 seconds or so until all bubbles were gone and things were normal. Also, good attitude Chimera planning for this possibility. When designing this stuff and allowing for things such as 20 second power cuts that may or may never happen, it's best to say if it might, it will. That way you've got all possibilities catered for and can rest easy.

$65.00 for 15 kg! Who are you dealing with? Is that deal available in these parts?

I'm just a learner at this, but so far I think that for most species the particular technique for dividing is not that important, the main thing is the aftercare, giving the frag an environment suitable for it to recover in. To me it seems the biggest killer of new frags including anemones is infection, if that can be dealt to success is very likely, so a clean environment with better than normal current is good, to blow away slime etc. Second in line is securing the frag well or allowing it to secure itself, so it will not fall off and otherwise have to be handled more than once or generally jerked around with. Each time that happens the chances of losing it are increased. Course, non of this really applies to SPS, which are too easy, just break off, stick somewhere else, watch it grow.

If you are going to Takapuna and want shrimps, go towards Milford and hang a right just before you get there down one of those streets like Saltburn that take you to the beach. There is some rock pools there, at night with a torch they are swarming with shrimp. Trouble is, you will want high tide to get water, and low tide to get shrimp.

Just a comment about the low calcium mentioned by Iduncan, I've done a lot of testing of NSW myself, and found that where I collect, which is the Takapuna boat ramp, the calcium content can vary depending on conditions. With an onshore wind, calcium can be down to 280. However with a good offshore wind, crystal clear water collected just before high tide, calcium will be 400, and MG will also be good. Might be wrong, but my theory is that surface water is not as good quality as deeper water. So, with a good offshore wind on an incoming tide, the surface water is moved seawards, and deeper water is moved landwards, for collection at the ramp. That's my THEORY only, however, calcium and other levels will be good, at Takapuna boatramp anyway, if the following conditions apply - Strong offshore wind and water flat, water crystal clear, just before high tide. Some people will disagree, but I've found modest rain to have little effect on measureable parameters, including salinity, if the above conditions are met.

Hey Steve, if somethin fishy doesn't want that iron, I'll take it if that's OK. Which iron is it?

Yep! It's a jungle out there

You will still benefit from iron. Here is a useful read http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/chem.htm

Flourish is not suitable for marine, because the iron in it is in a form that will precipitate out with your carbonate alkalinity as soon as you add it to the water. However, Somethin Fishy, you are correct that iron addition will be big benefit to plant growth in a marine tank. The reason is that iron occurs in trace amounts that are quickly depleted in aquaria with a good amount of plant growth, and it can in fact be iron, rather than nitrates, etc. that will become limiting. The best locally available product to supplement iron in marine aquaria is Seachem Reef Plus. However, this product is not really ideal because it is not primarily a iron supplement, and you may end up overdosing other trace elements. The best way to do it right, would be to purchase a proper marine iron supplement from an e - vendor such as Marine Depot. If you have a lot of plant growth, it is virtually garuanteed you will see a good improvement upon adding iron. And of course this will assist in removal of other nasties from your water that the plants will absorb. You then harvest the surplus plant growth and will aid your water quality.

Quote from Chimera - "they do need careful importing and ultimately deserve a higher price. They also are typically a long term purchase (assuming your tank parameters are good) most living for many many years (well, most live reasonably long). " end quote. Just thought I'd throw this in as an interesting aside, saw a real interesting post on Reef Central by a guy who had just turned 70, saying he realised it was now time to look for a new person to look after his clownfish pair. But, here's the interesting part, he got this pair when he was aged 48, had kept them for 22 years, they had survived several near disasters during that time, and he now thought they may outlive him and wanted to ensure their care by finding a suitable new owner / carer. Kind of puts a focus on being sure to get the right fish in the first place huh!

Well yeah. But it's a comment about the reality of business including the pet marine business. I put out feelers trying to get a wrasse, hoping for a good deal. Eventually end up having to go through the LFS.

800 pieces ?! Got to ask - Reef, you said you think there is about 100 reefers in NZ. How can you reasonably sell 800 pieces this time around, that's 8 for everybody, doesn't seem likely, what's the story?

Where did I get the wrasse from? Well actually I have not got it yet, it's maybe the first internet purchase from Aquanet, and will be coming via Hollywood North Shore. Are there any more? I've been told anything at all (that's legal) can be ordered. No the dottyback is still faded, I'm starting to get resigned to this being permanent.

If anyone wants to discuss it, just do it. I don't think the moderators have much issues really other than the personal attacks, insinuations, profanity, and attacking someones business etc. If price discussions had been done nicely, it would not have become an issue. To prove that, several prices have recently been discussed without moderator interferance, including my own discussion of the 6 line wrasse price. It depends where somebodies coming from how they see moderator interferance, but if I had been a "target" of some of the recent vitriole, I probably would have approved of the moderators moderating. All depends what side of the fence you're on, but end of the day, the moderators own the board. Another point, I have recently introduced a few new people to the board, and had no sooner done so than all this nasty stuff came up, made me ashamed to think they might read it. I'd have liked them to think most reefers were better than that.

Here's a quote from Randy Holmes Farley - "There are some things that will precipitate and not redissolve from dried seawater. Most notable among these are calcium and alkalinity, and possiby magnesium, but it may also include many trace elements. If the cost of artificial seawater is a big burden, then it is reasonable to try the dried salt plus calcium and alkalinity. "

I think a 6 line will eat a few only. Therefore, if you got thousands of them, the wrasse will not do the job. But if there is just a few of them the wrasse will either keep them under control, or exterminate totally. My flatworms dissapeared when I put a 6 line in, although I never saw him eat any, I thought they must have just died or something. However, later, I put a new piece in the tank and saw the wrasse taking a lot of interest in it. When I took a closer look, there was a heap of flatworms on it. However the wrasse was having such a good time as I watched him eating them I left them in for him. But once he had enough he lost interest. It took maybe a couple of weeks for him to get them all.

The brown things are likely flatworms, They are a pain in the butt and can be controlled with Salifert Flatworm exit. The flatworms are not directly harmful, but just look bad, and can shade corals if they build up to plague proportions. When they die they release a very powerful toxin so if killing them en masse with Salifert FE, make sure to follow the instructions to avoid any fish death. The shrimpy things are likely mysis, good to have in the tank. But the red with white dot sounds like baby lysmata, not sure if you have any adults of these that could have spawned them. If so they will probably not survive to adulthood.

How much? I was loosely quoted $55.00 - $60.00, sounds a bit cheap though, perhaps it will be more when the chips are down.

That's a heckuva big wrasse selection Brian! Who are you dealing with?

LFS will get one.

I got a wrasse, have to count me out.