puttputt

Chillers are sometimes necessary, certainly where i live, and dependant on how many pumps, both stream type and return, and particularly if running halides. My last big setup barely used the heaters all summer, mainly the chiller to keep it under 28 degrees. Reef tanks thrive an stability - temps that range from 25 up to 29 on a daily basis is not good. Small chillers can be had second hand for very reasonable prices. But yes, not core but maybe on the wish list.....

HOB skimmers are never as good as a fullsize one, external or internal, are you having a sump? That said, if you are restricted to a HOB, deltec are the way to go. As to a canister filter, save it for your next fresh water tank, really not needed. They tend to raise nitrate levels but for a fish only thats not such a biggie, but if you have a reasonable amount of live rock in the display/sump it pointless.

All good points, but Nick, i wasn't talking about a "huge display", just as big as you can get. 470l is a nice size, far from huge though, just look at Fays

but....., saltwater is all about volume, the more the better. Stability is the key and this is achieved easier the bigger the volume. Get the biggest one you can afford, light one side only if money is an issue, (isn't it always :roll: ) and save up for the other side.

yes, both, squid are escape artists and will try to go through any small gap, over baffles, into holes etc and really aren't suitable for home aquaria, the baby cuttles were in a large rock pool with there mum, who was huge and followed me around flashing different colours etc. Also swam with dozens of small ones at Matai bay this year. The 1 baby i took home didn't survive the trip unfortunately. Having said that, both need specialist tanks, large, and both will eat any fish or invert they can get there suckers on to. Some peeps overseas are sucessfully keeping tropical cuttlefish - try reef central.

Plenty of cuttlefish in NZ, find them with there babies in rockpools certain times of the year.

Gotta love those zoo's.

Its coming Caryl, its coming.........

Yep, thats highly polluted, diluted water, that would struggle to keep anything alive in it, and i doubt you'd find it in a city harbour let along the coast in Hawkes bay. Not sure why and how you got that result, but plainly far from indicative of our coastal water.

ok, unusual but if it's working for ya.........................

Marine tanks need open surface areas for gas exchange, evaporation also reduces heat in summer, and the lid will soon get salt baked into it, significantly reducing light, the poly will already be doing this now. Suggest you remove it and buy a cheap auto top up unit to keep the tank topped up. IMO.

I still wouldn't, unless you can get inside to inspect, there will be corrosion inside, and when the humidy is high it will continue to corrode and will be dangerous. But, if you can look inside and saltwater hasn't got in, may be ok.

Ouch, drying it after a dip in saltwater will probably be a waste of time, a new one needed me thinks......

Keep up the water changes, daily, til it's back to 0.

Find out where it is coming from, new kit, retest etc before adding any unneccesary additives. Watch what you are told elsewhere, some should stick to facebook.

Get a new test kit, never had nsw with ammonia, fresh or after weeks storage, esp from takapuna ramp .

Nice to see you back rosco, hard to prevent the algae/diatom outbreaks. I recall on my big tank setup, cooked the rocks for months and months, nice and white, but as soon as they get a bit of sun/light, away go the diatoms.

+1, there is no way you should be adding anything to kill alage at this stage of your cycle - it is all normal, goodness knows what else is in it that you are adding to a new tank!! LFS will sell you all sorts of crap, thats what they do and how they make money - most of these ____rid, or exit___ etc etc are crap, expensive and unneeded.

Leave the mussell, doing what you want it do - decomposing. No, you dont need to add anything.

Just wait, and be patient, another week or 2 and you'll see ammonia, and nitrite. Another month after that and all your readings should be zero. Nothing good happens fast in a salt tank.

12 months would be fine if your water is perfect as you state, who told you 2 years? Some else is up, in good water and light, anenomes are quite hardy.

pic?

+1, 10% a week is ideal.

Once again, you can buy a very nice Bubble magnus for $300 that will be twice the skimmer that thing is - do you not wonder why they are trying so hard to get rid of it. Everyone keeps telling you this, yet you keep coming up with the above. My last word on skimmers for you.

Cheap should be replaced by poor or old fashioned. Some of the Berlin or redsea aint cheap!