Kevinmc

http://sierrasaltwatersystems.blogspot.com/ This was a great site, with neat information, thought that some might enjoy. (scratch) Thank

Personally, I think a tank tour is a great idea, it just seems as though portland is viewed as the place to live if you are a member. I understand that more people may be members that live in th Portland Metro Area, but just to view members tanks in Portland, I don't believe it makes a very diverse group of members. I am interested in members tanks that are custom to their needs more then someone spending $2000- $5000 and up and keep selling for trading because they always are looking for something better. I think what is more interesting then the money spent, is the DIY of the hobby, and what can you do with what you have or can make. This is a great hobby and one of the things that make it great is the breeding and raising or growing your own food source for your tank, caring for sick tank occupants and fragging corals. This hobby is no different then most others. If I own a classic car and worked on that car for months or years, I don't understand why I would continue to build it and spend money on it, when all I really wanted was one that someone already built....LOL. We all just do thing must differently, that is what makes us all unique. Maybe what we need as a club is an annual swap meet at a park this summer with a BBQ ? Any takers ? Let's plan on a tank tour in the Salem/Corvallis and surrounding areas, one in Eugene and one is Medford Area before the summer is over. RANT, RANT, RANT, Sorry Hey thanks Kevin

Hey Kevin, Sorry that the turn out was so bad, I would have liked to have been their to learn, but it was my weekend home alone with the kids as it was one of two weekends in the month that my wife is working. I have wanted to get a group together to work on a project, but I have had no such luck for the past 4 months. It would be a fun project to build a skimmer, or learn the proper way to make DIY rock for a custom powerhead mount. Many members have attempted to build reactors and such, but it seem like we never see the finished product. Thank you for the posting invite, I would be interested in planning something on the off weekend. Kevin

PM SENT I will be in contact

Very nice looking tank .

I am looking to start over with my 90 GAL after a fatal ammonia spike that nearly wipped out my tank. (flame) (flame) (flame) $ $ $ $ $ Recently purchased (2) 20 GAL tanks and (1) 10 GAL tank, and looking for a second 10 GAL tank and a thrid 20 GAL currently. I also purchased a RO/DI and a UV sterilizer, and have been making new water and using gravel vac to do water changes and fill all of my other tanks. All of my water is being mixed 55 GAL at a time to insure that it is all the same for QT and acclimation for an eaiser transition for all of my upcoming new fish purchases (drooler) oh yah. (laugh) What I am wanting to know is, what are the secrets to a good QT set-up and acclimation system. (scratch) I am looking at starting this set-up in the next 2 days, so, any advise that you can give will be helpful to me, and others as well I'm sure. Thanks Kevin (laugh)

I forgot to mention, that I also installed a UV unit two days ago, and I was not sure if this would help, over time, but I guess that most anything that I do will help in some area or another.

Help With High Ammonia Level I am currently online, and will remain online until midnite or later, and I will be looking for new posts to this thread. If you have experience in this and have corrected it in the past or know someone that has I am open to a cell phone call, just PM me for my cell # Thanks Kevin (scratch)

Water Change, Water Change, Water Change GOT IT ! ! ! ! Well, I have done a water change 48 HRS ago, and and mixed another 40 GAL of salt water with RO/DI water, as I just bought my RO/DI just before mixing this fresh batch of water. (clap) I would like to do another water change ASAP, but I am affraid of it being too soon. How long should I wait between water changes? (scratch) Also, I am setting up (2) 20 GAL QT tanks and (2) 10 GAL QT tanks. I am looking for information on how to clean these tanks as they are used, and I want to make sure that I have nothing lingering in the tanks from before, so I have a totally fresh and clean start. How do I clean these used tanks? (scratch) I still have all of my inverts, and (4) aninomes, and (1) yellow tail blus damsel. My plan was to gravel vac my tank again under my rocks to remove my water, then, add my RO/DI water with salt mix back into my tank. My water test good PH 8.4 and Spc. Grav. 1.025. (scratch) How often can a water change be done safely? I want to correct the high ammonia , but I am affraid to stress my tank with big swings in water quality. (flame) (scary) Can water changes be done every 48-72 HRS. ? (flame) HELP ! ! ! Thanks in advance for all of your help and attention in this. Kevin

I did have some calurpa (grape), but pulled it out when I initially lost a tang a few weeks ago. I have since replaced it with some more chaeto. I have been able to remove all of the fish that I have lost but haven't been able to find a small yellow-tailed damsel that has gone missing. I have used a gravel vac and moved the rocks around but was trying to not disturb the anemones. All the inverts and my limited soft corals appear to be doing ok. I guess that I could have missed the decomposition of a fish, but I truly was trying to keep tabs on everyone. I added an activated carbon filter to my sump today. I guess that I will keep looking and testing and doing WC in hopes of keeping the remaining tank inhabitants happy. Thanks for the ideas

I am looking for information on correcting (HIGH AMMONIA LEVEL). Unknown problem, macro-alge in sump has depleated over the past several weeks, with ammonia level between 1.0-2.5 as a high , and an low of 0.25-0.5. In great need of macro-alge and advice on what members are using as carbon filtration, currently I have about 2 cups of carbon in my return pump filter cap ends. Fish death has been a problem, all have been counter and removed, and gravel vac has been done to tank and with25% water change. Any good ideas ? Thanks in advance Kevin

PM sent re: tanks. Thanks, Kevin

Thanks John, I am happy to be a very small part of the group, PNWMAS is another small part of the whole group that will make a difference. The Involvement of members along with groups at the national level can and should apply the necessary pressure to improve standards in regions that divers and wholesalers provide fish. There also should be improved standards for shops to that handle livestock fresh from wholesale suppliers. More on this in a new thread to come. I am finished with my rant, sorry. Thanks Kevin

What a once in a lifetime experience it was to go behind the scenes at the OCA/HMSC, this is truely our future. A big thanks goes out to all of the staff at both facilities for a great tour, and for providing such and intense level of support and care for marine live. My favorite part of the tour was the research facility a HMSC, it was a real lesson in what it take to be one of the best research facilities in the counrty. I am very pround to live in a state that has a facility such as this to offer the research, training and care for all of the services that it provides. My hope in the future is that we at PNWMAS can work together with both HMSC and OCA to raise the standard of care during harvest of marine life that are being captured for all reasons. We owe it to ourselves and eachother to provide the best treatment and care for whatever marine life that it is we remove, and purchase from the wild. It takes a much more pro-active stand to ensure that suppliers know what is expected of them in capturing and selling to wholesalers. I believe shops should know who that are buying from and how life is cared for, and ensure that marine life is care for properly before ever making it availible for sale. As we know, some shops provide different levels of service we product is received, as consumers this is in our control. We must all request changes is handling practices prior to making any live marine product availible for sale to the public, we have the voice, lets use it. First, my hope is that we as consumers apply enough pressure as the consumer to force changes in the handling and shipping practices of divers, handlers, wholesalers and shops to provide a better product. Secondly, the consumer needs to have a good resource to contact for help and information as to caring for live purchases. Would it be possible to provide member support in the way of donation to pay for the membership for anyone that is an employee of HMSC/OCA, or OSU student of Bio, or Marine Bio to become an active club member in PNWMAS? We are missing the vast knowledge base from these employees and staff. What better way to assist them then to include them in our membership in PNWMAS. I would like to sponsor two members to our group. We have something here guys and gals, lets gather these Knowledgeable people so we can help them, so in turn they can help themselves to make this better for all of us. I would like to propose that PNWMAS schedule an annual tour of both HMSC and OCA and follow it with a BBQ for all members, staff, employees and volunteers in Newport. This would be a great place to have a gest speaker or two and a way to promote our club. With permission, this could be done right at the end of the parking lot of HMSC with my new travel trailer. Thanks again to Jay and John for their hard work in setting this up, and thanks to HMSC/OCA for a great job in all that you have done, and will do in the future. Kevin

Will UV Kill ich ?

Looking for a 20 QT tank, any leads. Or anything that could work glass or acyrlic tank wise. Thanks Kevin

I am finished buying fish for now, I have lost 1 yellow tang, two blue hippo tangs and 2 royal grammas in the last month. $$$$, what hurts when I am not as much into the "fish" as my wife. I currently have 4 clowns and 2 yellow tail blue dams, and a man. goby, that is all that is left. Everything else is doing great, if there is such a word...LOL. no spots, no slim, healthy and eating and all very active. I know now, that it you don't see them swimming, they are most likely in the rocks waiting to die. Nothing else is going on. As for the temp of the tank it ranges from 78-79 at night and 80-82 with all of my lights on in the day. Could I be missing something? Thanks Kevin

Well, not reall sure as to the health, because I bought them still in the bag from the wholesaler to the shop, and everything seemed to be fine for about two week. I started feeding them both Sally's seaweed salad, (green Alge) twice a day, hanging the it on an alge clip. They did not show signs of being sick, but, the last two days they would hide more in the rocks. Can you tell me, are they temp sensitive, is 78-80 degrees okay for them? Thank Kevin

In the past month I have lost 1 yellow tang and 2 blue hippo tangs. Why? Complete water testing has been done, + all params are good. These fish were purchased in bags and not in tanks, they lasted only about two weeks. Any Ideas? (scratch)

Frags PM Sent - Interested in frags for my 5 month old tank. Thanks Jay, they look great, NO ! ! ! Fantastic....LOL (rock2)

Well, I think that there are so many opinions that a beginner may get confused or even quit if give too much information from too many hobbiest that either don't agree or have not had proven +++ history. I learned a very valuable lesson, that being, start with a good clean-up crew. You can basiclly take most of what you here with a grain of salt. I started with a large clean-up crew consisting of blue leg hermits, emerald crab, several different types of snails and left it alone for about two weeks. The key is a good clean-up crew to stay ahead of the game. In my experience, snails and hermit crab were the best in my new tank. My advice is buy what you think you need, and keep your mouth shut as to how much or how many.

http://www.modernplastics.com/index.htm (scratch) (laugh)

Hey Scott, Yep, everythig looks great, the tank is crammed full of beautiful rock. I am the happiest reefer in the board. Sorry that I took so long to post back, I have been building a QT/ frag tank and I am stoked with what it is looking like. One thing that I have gotten from this hobby is if the first tanks is taking too long for you, start another to curb your addiction. Thanks Kevin

I have not added any photos as of yet, I have photos, I just need to find out what is used to be able to post them to this site. I here photo bucket, I'm not a techy in that area, my wife is the queen, she can do it this weekend. I bought 120-130 pounds of rock with my sand three months ago, and just bought 20-25 pounds from Scott, and about the same from another connection that I have. I think in my 90 GAL I have close to 150-160 pounds of rock, it looks sweet. Thanks Kevin

(Addition) I have added snails, a few blue leg hermits, and 1 emerald crab to the tote to start doing their job. Clean-up crew has been added. I will watch and see what happens in the next few days to a week and test water for any changes. Thanks a million Andy for your advise. Kevin