puttputt

Have a look at the deepblue site, it has a good range and they ship. If you fancy high end deltec skimmers - ask Hollywood for a price, they ship also. and as above, there are much better skimmers for less cost than a berlin.

+1 to what they said, dont touch an aqua one or redsea, they really don't stack up against some of these other newer brands.

Thats ok, but you need to find the source of the nutrients your tank obviously has. Snails and phosphate remover are like the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, you need to stop the jumpers! You are putting too much food and additives etc into the tank and you filtration is not coping - you need to limit the food your adding - use rodi water - make sure your skimmer is working or find a better one - and do more water changes - maybe 10 -20% a week rather than 50% every 3. Its a matter of balancing what you are putting in to what you are taking out.

easily a month. If you keep a pump in it - much longer.

Hang on the back are a compromise, deltec are good, but look at the Bubble Magnus - trick skimmers at a very good price - if you can fit them in the sump. Tunze, ecotech are again great brands, but again look around depending on budget. Not too long ago, i would have agreed, but I have had and know of issues with these "high end" brands and the rise in the quality and technology of other brands have definitely made them a viable option.

Yes, but if you have nice water dont bother "filtering or cleaning? it", it will be much better than the water in your tank. Your idea is simply not necessary. Simply dilute slightly and use. Alot collect from takapuna boatramp on a high tide, plenty of other places. Collect after a week or so of no rain (downpours) and just use it, lots do, and regardless on what some might say, i've heard of no-one having issues using nsw. If the water is murky or dirty, dont collect it, go back another time.

That was me , haven't seen any this year up here, they sort of show up in numbers at certain times, but not this year. They like cyno and detritus more than hair algae. You really need to look at what you are adding in the way of food and additives compared to what you are removing via skimmers/live rock etc. To have the amount of algae issues you have tends to suggest you are feeding too much, adding water with high nutrient (tap water??) or your skimmer/liverock isn't up to the job. The seahares we have had available do not eat apitasia, and i dont think anyone is bringing in trop ones? Have a good look at what you are adding, hair algae needs excess nutrients to thrive. You say you water is perfect?, maybe because the hair algae is consuming all your phosphates before you test for them, also, whats your nitrate level, nitarte is a great plant food.

and if thats a spray bar, probably not a good idea with salt, you'll get salt creep everywhere!!!!!

10-20% a week is pretty normal.

great to hear, patience makes a big difference to the finished product.

mmmm, coraline algae is a great indicator of your tank maturing, much waited for and wanted by marine aquarists. lack of it generally means you have a incorrect water parameters, or its a new immature tank.

Should have searched your name, would seen your old tanks, nice to see, look forward to the tank maturing,

No offence meant, just giving some help. Know what you mean about the oomph, gets hard to mantain... :yaw2:

mmm, we all did things in "the old days" like that BUT (sorry Caryl), you should not even try that in a marine tank. I hope this tank is mature (at least 8 weeks for just part of the cycle) before anything inclding weed has been added, and like someone else said, you are doing daily water changes, if no filtration. How long has your tank been set up?? If recently, those seaweeds are going to die, then pollute your tank. Could be wrong but i think you need to do some more research. You certainly do not, repeat do not, top up a marine tank with seawater, water changes yes, topping up no - salt does not evaporate and all you will do is slowly increase your salinity until everything dies.

Judging from the flash nem, tropical

I think they are the lights of the near future, but need time to be proven, esp with hardcore sps type tanks. Huge pros are the cost of running and the long life of the bulbs.

Thats a juv NZ black angel, stunning when young, slowing changes to jet black, grows to 12" or so in time. These ones were found as fry in rockpools, raised 3 out of 4 to adolencence, gave 2 away and keep one.

Anthony, on the 1.2m tank have 6 t5s, 3 white/3 blue. Watch if your weed is breaking down, will pollute the tank pretty quick. Good water, and good lighting needed to grow seaweeds, maybe look at a few more lights.

Some interesting local fish in my tank.... Specticled Triplefin - very fat after a feed of bloods Leaffish Smaller of the 2 crested weeds, fat on bloodworm again.. and the big crested demanding food.... and one of 3 little blue eyes

The only accurate way is to use a refractometer, one that adjusts automatically for temp variations. They aren't too expensive - $80 - $100, something like that and they last forever.

over a year ago, hence someone asking for any updates

:facepalm: , probably best to state what your using it for, water changes in a reef tank is a little different from raising brine shrimp. hardly need to filter at all for bbs.

Tip it out, get some more when its clean, really not worth adding dirty water to tour tank.

Onto glass?, if so it doesn't really bond well to glass and you will be able to force it off pretty easy, either with a scraper or your hand.

mmm, settle on a rock and digest there brains - reminds me of a few people.........