kriswaters

As you can tell...I am definately in the coraline era! Sunday is scrape day! Thanks again. Kris

(cheer)(dancing) It is hard to believe, but I have made it to the one year mark! It has been so rewarding to me. I love watching my tank grow, and I myself have grown in knowledge. I would like to thank everyone who has helped with this process! The tank is mostly soft corals, but I do have a few LPS thrown in for good measures! Everything has done great under the T-5 lighting. I have maintained my diligent husbandry, and it has certainly paid off! I thought I'd through in a few pics of before/now. Enjoy! Kris The beginning-a 10 year old (or older) 55 gallon Acrylic tank. Previously Fresh Water My DIY sump and plumbing First day with rock and water Before any livestock The diatom era! Fishy, fishy, fishy my first two! The start to corals/polyps Some prized pieces! About 4 months ago And today!

(welcome)(To)(P)(N)(W)(M)(A)(S) Your tank is cute! I have a 55 gallon that is mainly softies and I happen to love my Xenia! Good luck and welcome aboard! Kris

I would love to get one or two as well. PM sent! Kris

pm sent Frogspawn a little bigger than softball, 7 heads, thin stalks, greener $25.00 Ricordia light Blue (about 4 or 5 on the rock) polyps about 1 1/2” $30.00

I have a couple of soft frags that I would like to find homes for: Single stalk pulsating xenia on a small rock-$15 Double stalk-$25 Several kenya tree coral-$10 to $15 Devils hand-Single frag $10 Double frag $20 (I will have more of this soon as it is splitting now in several spots). I would be willing to trade for zoas, hairy mushrooms or any rics. Kris

Cyano is a huge battle for me as well...how did this stuff come about?? Anyway. I have new filters for my RO/DI unit on the way along with a new batch of resin. I have tried chem-clean and it broke the cycle down a bit. Lights off for 4 days...didn't work. I have a humongous ball of cheato in my sump...phosphates check out at zero. As for water changes, every time I do one, the stuff gets worse. I skim heavy , feed as little as possible and pull the stuff out after it grows thick like carpet (so far this has been the best method of getting it to die down). The snails or the hermits don't touch it, and the bristle worms use it as an ice rink (LOL). It has been about 3 or 4 months and I am sure that eventually, I will get rid of it. I really hate this stuff. Kris

Good luck with those. Kalk paste does not work. I have yet to try the super glue, but just might. Boiling lemon juice + a insulin syringe = disasterous for these guys. You do have to keep on them though. It is better when they are a little bigger then you can stab them in the stalk! Happy majano hunting! Kris

That whole thing scared me. I have it dialed in on my tank with precise measurements of water volume in my sump. I use two internal overflows with external durso's that feed either side of the sump. I drilled a small hole in the very top of the return line, just immediately below the water line. Should the power fail, this hole supplies enough air to help actually break the siphon. I then have my two loc-line return heads about 2" below the water. By the time the main display gets that low, it sucks in enough air and completely breaks the siphon and all flow stops! Again, took time but I got it down to a science! Good luck with your overflow. Kris

Just to let you know, I didn't drain anything. As for the copper banded butterfly...at 55 gallons, it didn't make since for me. I have myself heard the same about benefits of having them in the sump...definately look that up. Kris

Algea is a fun issue isn't it? I myself have gone through some immense changes in my tank...all of the outbreaks, I think I have had them. Now the brown slime....cyano??? who knows...I peel it off the sand bed, day by day then every 3 to 4 weeks go with a "lights out program". It has cut down the outbreaks tremendously! I use RO/DI and everything is incheck...go figure! Another fun part of REEF keeping! Kris

Beaut! I love all of the softies! I too would be intrested in you success story! Kris

Hello Kevinmc! Boy have I been in you situation. Check the classified section here and you will find lots of frags for sale! I have a 55 gallon with T-5's and have mostly soft and and a few LPS corals...it can be done! Of course mine hasn't grown out much, but if you are interested in some soft stuff PM me!

Oh the fun of plumbing...two ball/gate valves on my external durso's....I can't remember how much I paid now...do I use them...NO. One side...perfect...one side...not so. I have learned to live with it! Kris

I am glad you have had success with kalk paste. To me, most of it bubbles away before I can get it in a syringe or the likes. The lemon juice was by far the easiest...no mixing, no waste and 1st time killer! I use it on the majanos I have lingering around as well. Again...pick up a 10 pack of insulin syringes, a plastic lemon from the grocery store and bada bang....I fill the cap of the syringe (from the plunger side) half full of juice...pop it in the micro for 10 secs, draw it up and inject away...I have NOT one of those little buggers left. Kris

I bought mine from Dr Foster and Smith...it is in the blue box and works great. I calibrate it with distilled water (to acheive a perfect Zero reading) monthly. I think it was around $50.00 Oh and as for the hydometers...hehehehehe...I have both the swing arm and the glass tube...amazing enough both fairly acurate, but not specific (forgive the pun) enough. Kris

It is fairly easy. I just created a user name and password (which can be the same as PNWMAS) and then log in. From there, choose your catagory and click upload. I was more successful uploading from my own files than urls or other web based files. I did open the picture I wanted to post with MSpaint and used the "stretch/skew" function under the "edit" tab. From there, I reduced 50 % both ways and attained the proper "pixel" and "file" size. Save the file, and then from the upload button, browse, find and wah lah! You all have done this before I am sure! Kris

Added a few of mine too!

Inject them will boiling lemon juice. It will kill them right quick! Kris

Hmmm apparently i missed something. Not as if I am overly concerned, as usual I am just wondering the best for my tank. Thanks Spectra, I would really like to get my rocks secured. Kris.

Needed to get on this wagon. Bought some PC marine epoxy...the kind that comes in a roll of clay like substance-green on the outside and white on the inside. I have been battling an exterior leak in one of my bulk heads since I put the tank up...it cracked and even an immense supply of silicon did not hold back the tiny drip, drip. I stripped all of the old stuff off and put this junk around it. It sealed the leak instantly, but it kind of stinks while it is being molded. I want to use something to stick my rocks together but worry about the marine life. Brandon once told me of something he used, but I can't remember now... Let me know. Kris

A few peppermints live in my tank, and the just watch the stuff get bigger...perhaps they (the pests) were a little big in the first place. Joe's Juice is quite spendy. I had read before about injecting the stalks with boiling lemon juice. The aiptasia was easy. The majonos really retract quickly. I have the lights off in the tank right now...1st of 3 days in an attempt to get rid of some red carpet type algae. A little thick for cyano...but who knows. Any how, will see how those little guys faired! People always ask me "Arn't salt water tanks a lot of work". My response, "Yes and dang if it ain't worth it"! Kris PS...I was going to hit the meeting up this weekend...but with so few (weekends) off lately, the Packers doth prevail. Have fun!

Well lets hope they aren't all bad. After trying kalk paste several times (with no luck mind ye), I picked up a 10 pack of insulin syringes and one of those cute little plastic lemons full of yummy (100%) juice. I stabbed (which was an attempt to "gently" inject) the 10 or so majono and 3 aiptasia that have sprouted in my tank. Oh what fun it was to watch those little buggers shrivel up almost immediately! With such a fine gauge needle, I don't think they ever new what hit them!!! I am hoping that this will do the trick....now on to the vermitid snails that are cropping up everywhere! Happy reefing! Kris

I have the Octopus NW150....love it! Next time I will take pics of my skimmate to compare with Impur's! Nice thing is that it was right for the price and works great! I really like the ease of adjusting the skimming...up with the tube and it is wet, down with the tube, and its dry...no problem with restarts either. Kris

55 gallon. The mini-blinds are extremely RARE!!! I have almost lost them a time or two, especially when they jumped! LOL...still waiting to find some more zoas and am looking into some shrooms now. Kris