darrellw

Those look very nice! They need a 12-18" version for us nano guys, though. -Darrell

Are you running Mac or Windows?

Does anyone know where I can pick up a very long (12-20") pipette? I'd like to use one for some target feeding, and a turkey baster is just too big for what I need. This is the closest I've found: http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~HL1311~tab~0.html But I'd like something even longer and thinner if possible. This is another possibility, but may be overkill for what I need: http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~KM2711.html -Darrell

Quick update, the dKH is finally falling to normal levels, 12 or 13 now. Ca is up to 440, had a hard time getting it above 400 until the dKH came down a bit (I believe that is to be expected). Nitrates continue to test out at 0. Shouldn't I be seeing them rise? I'm not complaining, just want to understand. I've only changed about 5 gallons total since my initial fill. Just a few strands of green hair algae left. Many patches of reddish/purpleish coraline growing, and either some lime green coraline or just regular algae. Clowns and the goby seem happy. The coral shimp likes to hang out in the back, patrolling back and forth. Hopefully it will become a little bolder. -Darrell

I know not everyone here is a fan of LED lighting, but it is sad to hear that there might not be any commercial fixtures available, and that it may be having a local impact: http://www.reefbuilders.com/2009/02/03/big-trouble-brewing-future-aquarium-leds -Darrell

You might also check out Multi-Craft, since you are in Tigard. Don't know if they will cut to order like Tap, but worth asking: http://www.multicraftplastics.com/ -Darrell

BTW, if you have not built with acrylic before, Tap has some videos that help: http://www.tapplastics.com/info/video.php The "How to build a Box with Plastic" and "How to glue Acrylic" are towards the bottom. -Darrell

For acrylic you are going to be using a solvent, and except for the thick bodied kind it all ends up evaporating. You are essentially welding the material together, using the solvent to melt it. Weld-on is one brand name, Tap carries their own product. I believe MEK is he major (perhaps only) ingredient. -Darrell

Yes, but: 1. That's a fair bit of work. 2. I want to glue small tabs of acrylic to hang it over the tank. Not sure that I could glue to the painted surface, and if I glue the tabs first, then I have to paint them, too. 3. I don't have to worry about chipping/scratching the black (well, I do, but it will still be black). I can be more aggressive in cleaning any salt creep off.

I wonder if my wife would notice it in the garage....

When I check with them, they said they may have some odds and ends around, but it wasn't something they stocked. I needed about 1/2 of a sheet to make a cover for my cube, and I think the black will look better than white. I know it will probably pick up some salt, that's what the over 1/2 sheet will be for, I guess! The 1/4" acrylic cover I made is already warping, and the condensation is really cutting down on the light, in particular the shimmer. I was surprised how different it looked when I had the top off doing some maintenance. I also found that Weld-on #16 will bond the eggcrate to acrylic and lexan. I'll be making some tabs to suspend the eggcrate inside the tank. -Darrell

A few new pictures. Friday I picked up two new zoas and a GSP from Waves, then on Saturday I got two clowns (forgot to ask if they were percs or ocellaris), a yellow clown goby and a banded coral shrimp, all from Upscales. All parameters remain stable, with dKH still on the high side (13). The clean up crew is making good progress on the hair algae, just a few bits still around.

Thanks everyone!

I saw this guy crawling across my rocks today. Any ideas what it is? Good or bad? I hope good, because I don't know if I can find it again. It is about 3/8" across.

You can get it on iTunes, but it cost $2.99. -Darrell

Just a correction, the price is actually $13.08. You know, just in case the 12 cents was a deal breaker...

Yes, your overflow need to be rated at least as high as your return. If it is undersized, then the return will overwhelm it, and it could flood your display (ask me how I know, one of my snails decided to de-rate my overflow this week!). There isn't any problem in having your overflow over-sized, it will only flow what your return supplies. -Darrell

Thanks! It is Nature's Ocean Bio-Activ Live® Aragonite Black Beach Sand. -Darrell

Hi Andy, I'm not interested in buying it, but I'd like to see some pictures. Always looking for ideas of what people are doing in their nanos. -Darrell

Epic! Always nice to get another source on this side of the river! -Darrell

Another possibility, if you are just trying to shift the color and not increase the light level, is to look at adding a few blue LEDs. -Darrell

I don't know if I could sleep at night with that in my house!

FYI, if you are looking for black eggcrate, Multi-Craft Plastic carries it for $13.20 a sheet: http://www.multicraftplastics.com/ Gee, looks like I'll need to take a trip down to visit Upscales and Waves while I'm there . -Darrell

Thanks again to Andy for the idea and material, I installed the grate last night. I'm glad I made the change, as the plastic mesh I was using had already caught several pieces of algae, and would certainly need weekly cleaning. And being inside the baffle, it wasn't easily visible. First shot is the grate cut to size, notice the water pooling over the top of the baffle. In the next shot I cut some of the cross pieces out over the baffle, but didn't go far enough. See the nasty snail foiled from getting in, though! Last shot shows the water flowing off of the top of the baffle better. And a bonus, an out of focus shot of my new rics under the moonlights. I'm using the rock that the blue ones came on to hold the orange one in place (it wasn't attached to anything), once it attaches I'll move the blue ones further away.