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steveweast

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    Good Camera Recommendation

    in Out of Bounds

    Posted · Edited by steveweast

    Actually….I shot that video entirely on a GoPro….both inside and outside of the display tank. They are good up to 30 feet….so they are limited for diving, but work great for our aquariums. 

    Anyone have *Immortal Tort*? - Jake Adams

    in SPS

    Posted

    Mine is really too small to frag. It does have several new branches but still needs time to grow out. To tell you the truth, I find it a little ho hum. I think that the Oregon tort is more blue. That could change as it grows out though. For me….Jake’s full grown colony was more interesting in shape rather than color. 

    • Like 2

    And then his RTN happened...

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    It is my understanding that Oxolinic acid is a more targeted antibiotic that targets gram negative bacterial issues (like STN and RTN can be) along with brown jelly issues on LPS. It is similar to cipro (which targets everything)…but less harsh. It has been around a long time but is mostly used on koi fish. The in display tank dosage that I was instructed to use was 1/2 gram per 10 gallons…..three treatments every other day…..then the typical water change and carbon.  Oxolinic can easily be sourced online. It goes for about $1 per gram. There isn’t much information out there on reef use. It’s just now being looked at as a less harsh alternative than cipro. I was having an issue with some base up STN and some brown jelly on a torch…..and this treatment stopped it cold. I learned of it from my conversations with Jake Adams before his fateful Bali trip. He was using it in his studio on similar issues. I believe that he was turned onto it by Chris Meckley. Your mileage may vary…..this is more of a cutting edge treatment. I’m sure that good bacteria could be affected as well….which could open the door to other issues like Dino’s. Much is unknown right now. I rolled the dice and it did work for me on both the SPS and torch though. 

    • Like 1

    Questions on ReefStock

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hey guys, I've noticed that ReefStock '11 just finished up and that it was held in Denver at the Aquarium...

     

    I have 2 questions:

     

    1) Where and when are ReefStock '12 being held?

    2) I wonder what it would take to get ReefStock in Seattle one year, at the Seattle Aquarium?

     

     

    Reefstock is always held in Denver. It is presented by Jake Adams (reefbuilders founder and from Golden, CO) and the local club for the Denver area. I attended Reefstock both this year and last year (I was the aquascaping judge last year). They hold it at the Downtown Aquarium....which is a fantastic local public aquarium. It's a great venue to hold this one day event. I'd say they had 500 folks show up each year. Folks come to see Reefstock....then get a 50% discount on the entrance fee to the Aquarium.Lots of families making a day of it. The reefing scene is quite large there for a metro area similar to Portland. The best part though is a Mexican Restaurant across the street that has 64oz margaritas.....with something like 15 shots in it. One of those....plus the 6000 ft altitude....and you won't have a care in the world......plus the after party which is held at the home of a local guy with one of the best 1200 gal SPS reefs that I've ever seen. His house is at the 9000 ft level. One beer there is like a 12 pack here. I'm just now getting over my hangover. Reefstock will remain a Denver event. It would be hard to copy here.....they have a lot stars aligning there.

     

    http://reefbuilders.com/2010/10/12/rocky-mountain-reef-tank-twoyear-anniversary-update/

    Collecting your own livestock in Oregon.

    in D.I.Y

    Posted

    I noticed no real difference in algae growth after going to LED's from T5's. I went with the LED's to really light up the tank when viewing or photo shooting......but, they are seldom all on at the same time (mostly to control algae and that no critter in the tank cares about light). My tank is mostly lightly lit with a few of the LED's....and has a little ambient light as well.

    Collecting your own livestock in Oregon.

    in D.I.Y

    Posted

    Steve,

     

    Have you ever dripped Ca(OH)2+H2O to offset your CO2? I would think this would have several benefits:

     

    • Raise pH
    • Precipitate PO4
    • Add Ca
    • Polish water

     

    Also, what is the Alk/dKH? And does this also have issues being maintained due to lack of natural buffers?

     

    Lastly, why not use aragonite under you pebbles and create a DSB with an anoxic layer to dissolve the aragonte to buffer the sea water?

     

    Thanks Steve, and nice to hear from you.

     

    In a cold tank, evaporation is very low from the lack of lights and heating. Dripping kalk would be OK for the short term....but, I feel that the Ca/alk/pH balance over time might get out of balance. There is really very little uptake of Ca in these tanks. It's no where near what goes on in a warm reef tank. Except for some very small blanophyllia (and a little coralline).....there's nothing depositing Ca in my system.

     

    The removal of PO4 through kalk would be minuscule compared what is added through the massive, automated multiple times per day feedings. Large water changes and GFO are still required regardless if kalk is used or not.

     

    It is also less maintenance for me to just set up a CO2 scrubber than a Kalk reactor. Mixing up and manually adding kalk is a deal killer for me. I need a more.... set it....and forget it....solution. I keep my alk at 9dkh.

     

    As for the aragonite.....yes, it could be used.....but, not in the way you mentioned. I keep a natural Puget Sound (thin layer) rubble bottom. It simulates much of the Sound well.....and allows me to vigorously stir up the bottom to remove uneaten food, debris, detritus, etc. A DSB in a highly fed cold tank really doesn't work that well. I do drip the effluent from my NO3 reactors through aragonite though.

     

    The problem is that folks tend to think that running a cold tank as just the same as running a tropical reef tank with a lower temp. It really is more kin to running an extremely stocked and overfed fish only system. A DSB would do little to effectively reduce NO3 in either system (especially at 50 F).

    CO2 Scrubber

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    One more thing....I just use an old large media reactor that the skimmer sucks air through. I limit the media's depth to about 6 inches (in a 8" diameter reactor).....which last about a month before it turns purple (and the tank's pH begins to drop). The media can be re-activated ....I think in the oven with washing soda.....or something like that. My skimmer also used to suck outside air.....but, the tank still ran a low pH. Since the skimmer is the delivery system, the skimmer size and airflow determines how quickly you will exhaust the media......and how much of a bump in pH you will realize. The media is more commonly used for medical purposes and for re-breathers in Scuba diving.

    CO2 Scrubber

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I've been using a scrubber on my cold system for about 3 months now. Cold systems tend to run a low pH since nothing is photosynthetic. My tank ran consistently at 7.8 to 7.9. I get a .3 bump when I set up the scrubber.....I now run 8.1 to 8.2. It is not snake oil....quite a few folks use it. Your best buy is through Airgas who sells it in 5 gal buckets for $75.......but, the only Airgas stores that regularly carry it is their Corvallis and Newport stores (because of the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport and some veterinarian outfit in Corvallis). A 5 gal bucket lasts me about 5 months (estimated) on a 400 gal tank through a large skimmer (Bubble King SM300). You will see a pH increase within minutes of setting it up.

    Collecting your own livestock in Oregon.

    in D.I.Y

    Posted

    Shaun,

     

    You are correct in that low pH is a problem with running a cold tank. They tend to run in 7.7 - 7.9 range.....which is on the low side....especially if you are trying to keep critters that do lay down calcium (Orange cup corals, clams, oysters, etc). Low pH hinders calcification. Chronic low pH will kill these guys off. I run a CO2 scrubber on the intake of my skimmer which bumps my pH up by .3. I tend to run in the 8.1 -8.2 range until the media exhausts.

    Getting tired of paying Comcast is there a better choice?

    in Out of Bounds

    Posted

    Randy....I think you're stuck....just like me. I want live TV, news channels, etc.....so, it's Comcast , Dish, or Direct TV. Beware of Frontier, they're probably surrendering to Comcast (in fact, their install fee was just raised to $500). I just upgraded to triple play. Mine is 149/mo and I get Starz, HBO, and Showtime......price fixed for 2 years. Of course, my whole business still revolves around a fax line, so, it's worth it for me.

     

    http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/01/frontier_plans_massive_fios_ca.html

     

     

    http://www.telecompetitor.com/frontier-wants-out-of-fios-tv-quickly/

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