coralreefer

the biggest "sudden" change I ever saw in my tank was when I started MB7...I had been dosing vodka for a couple months and started MB7 one night after lights out...the next morning I couldn't believe my eyes...cleanest clearest water I had ever seen I my life...it was like the fish were floating in air...I am at least as big a bacteria advocate as I am vodka... DrMerle

B--I just might have to take some of that xenia off your hands... DrMerle

My sister-in-law was here from Roseburg for Thanksgiving...thank God it is only once a year...looking at the tank, she asks "Why does this wiggly green thing keep moving? Is it trying to swim?" (She asks about GSP everytime she is here...she doesn't get current in the tank makes things wave)...DOH! First Brandon, SPS is a special, high brow addiction...I think it is the top of the coral addictions...not appreciated by as many, more difficult than any...anything that moves must be alive...if it doesn't move, must be dead...few if any, appreciate what we know and see... DrMerle

Welcome...start slowly...learn steadily...ask questions...ENJOY! DrMerle

I too will take frags of top 3...pm me... DrMerle

I know Patrick at FantaSeas carries MB7...yes, Brightwell's My alkalinity runs about 9-9.5...my tank doesn't care for 7 and I feel there is no downside protection if you have an alkalinity drop... The bacteria consumes nitrates/phosphates and is skimmed out...yes, as Byrd said, a good skimmer is a must with this method... You could pull out Chaeto when you start or leave it in to help assess progress.. DrMerle

high alkalinity with vsv dosing causes burnt tips on corals...natural seawater alkalinity runs ~7.5...ULNS with higher alkalinity pushes growth and abnormal calcification takes place... DrMerle

All good questions... I run "hybrid" zeovit system... While I don't run zeolith stones/reactor, I run Elos stones in mesh bag in sump. I dose ZEObac in am and MB7 in pm... I run ca reactor/drip kalk...no fuge...phosban reactor--yes... I dose VSV twice daily...have for 6 months...after years of fighting high nitrates/phosphates, VSV has finally brought them down to zero... I am (today) switching from sugar to dextrose in hopes of bettering coral colors... Biggest points to make are...make sure you know what you hope to accomplish with dosing, are prepared to be patient and are prepared to go slow...I have a similar sized tank and sump and dose (liter bottle) one capful Vodka twice daily and 4cc of vinegar/sugar mixture twice daily. I would initially use the guide in reefcentral..."dosing vodka...distilled" for starting dosage and google vsv in glassbox for vsv dosage... Don't stop any reactors until you have zero parameters and no bad algae and then watch carefully and go slowly. I am sure if I reread your question I didn't answer all of them... DrMerle

The problem with the monitors is that there are 3 places for errors to occur... 1) The calibrating fluids 2) the probe 3) the monitor... The probe can go bad without you knowing. I have also had the same problem with their pH monitor. When I contact the company, they say... replace your fluids first...that was never the problem...you need a new probe...of course I need a new probe (again)... This weekend, corals were looking a little off...checked ca monitor...ca was 325...325!!! Oh no, need to step up with a little Ca dosing...but first, better calibrate and recheck levels...calibrated fine...rechecked...325...dang! Supplement...got it up to 375....better stop there...don't want to flood with ca too quick...rechecked this am...316...316???!!! What the...!! Recalibrate...recheck...289...289!!!??? Went and picked up Red Sea Ca Test Kit...over 700!!!!!!!!! Calibrating fluids practically new...probe 4 months old...have treated it like a precious diamond...this is the 4th probe I've had in 4 years, 2nd monitor...so on... I am dripping kalk as Ca reactor alone pushes pH down to 7.8...I'd prefer 8.1 or 8.2...I tried just dripping kalk at night and Ca reactor during day but tank is getting more sps all the time and I need more ca... Have seriously considered 2 part...and no more American Marine... The pH monitor I use is Milwaukee...great dependable unit...I had great difficulty calibrating American Marine pH monitor... DrMerle

Long story short...I have "used" Pinpoint calcium monitors for 4 years...have gone through 3 of them...take pristine care of the monitor and probes and have difficulty calibrating, even with new fluids, any kind of consistent numbers. I have spent way too much money on what I consider an untrustworthy product. I would be willing to purchase a different calcium monitor if I thought there were any but I don't think there are any. What do you all use to test calcium? DrMerle

Eating is a good sign...vomiting is not...staggering is not...drooling is not. Make sure that you cannot smell diesel still coming off coat. If so, another bath is in order. Dawn dish soap is the best on these cases. Some people use GOOP prior to bathing if greasey coat. Toxic ingestion level is 18 ml/pound (which is alot!) Doubtful that we've ingested anything close to that amount, but petroleum products get absorbed thru the skin, and cats are very sensitive to that. Canot rule out future issues of liver/kidney damage, but continuing to eat is a huge positive sign...wait and watch! I'll include an article of mine to help answer any other questions... Good luck and one request... I am more than happy to help here however I can with questions and such... I have many times...my peave is nobody bothers to let me know how things turn out... All I ask in return for advice is owner's followup PM eventually...I'd sure like to know how things turn out... Again...good luck... Petroleum Toxicity Gasoline and other petroleum products are not among the top animal poisons, but they can cause illness if ingested or exposed to the skin. The most common petroleum products associated with illness include motor oil, gasoline, kerosene, propane and diesel. Toxicity caused by petroleum products is based on the thinness and lightness of the product. Due to the ease of absorption, the thin, light products, such as gasoline, are more toxic than the thick, heavy products, such as motor oil. Most petroleum products are readily absorbed from the skin and stomach. These products are irritants and cause redness and inflammation to the skin and stomach lining. If inhaled, they also cause irritation to the airways. The primary toxic agents in petroleum products are hydrocarbons, organic compounds that contain hydrogen and carbon only. The more hydrocarbons that are present, the lighter and thinner is the product. The most common illness associated with petroleum product ingestion is burning of the mouth, throat, esophagus and stomach. This burning sensation can cause vomiting in some animals. As the animal vomits some of the petroleum can be inhaled into the airways, resulting in aspiration pneumonia. For this reason, inducing vomiting at home is not recommended. Animals that vomit on their own should be monitored closely for breathing problems. A few animals may develop serious neurologic signs including seizures, coma and death. It is possible that some of the hydrocarbons can be absorbed from the stomach into the airways, causing serious lung damage. The amount of petroleum that needs to be ingested before signs of illness develop varies from product to product. For diesel fuel, about 18 mls (a little over 1 tablespoon) of fuel per pound of body weight needs to be ingested before the signs of diarrhea, vomiting and gastrointestinal upset are seen. For gasoline, 35 mls per pound needs to be ingested. For kerosene, 112 mls per pound needs to be ingested to reach toxic levels. After ingestion, most petroleum products are cleared from the body within 24 to 48 hours. What to Watch For • Drooling • Shaking head • Pawing at mouth • Coughing, gagging • Incoordination • Muscle tremors • Staggering • Difficulty breathing • Gasoline or petroleum smell • Reddened and irritated skin • Cyanosis (blue tinge to tongue and gums) Diagnosis Diagnosing petroleum ingestion can be difficult unless the owner witnessed the ingestion or exposure. If the animal vomits, the vomitus can be mixed with warm water. If petroleum is present, it will often rise to the surface. Chemical analysis of the vomitus is not typically performed due to cost and the length of time it takes to get results. Physical examination may reveal petroleum odor to the breath or to the skin. Burns may be seen in the mouth and throat. If toxicity is from topical exposure, the skin may be red and inflamed. Recommended tests may include: • Complete blood count • Biochemical profile to look for signs of liver or kidney damage. Some animals may develop low blood sugar. • Chest X-rays are recommended to look for signs of aspiration pneumonia or lung damage. Sometimes, the lung abnormalities may not show up on X-rays for 3 to 4 days after ingestion. • An electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG) is recommended for those animals with an abnormal heart rhythm. Treatment • If a small amount of petroleum is ingested, no treatment is needed. The animal should be kept calm and quiet to prevent vomiting. • If a significant amount of petroleum was recently ingested (within the past 2 to 4 hours), activated charcoal or gastric lavage is recommended. Gastric lavage is performed by passing a tube through the mouth into the stomach and introducing an irrigating fluid into the stomach. Then the stomach is emptied of the solution and the rest of the contents. This prevents the animal from vomiting and reduces the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Stomach protectants such as sucralfate (Carafate) and famotidine (Pepcid) may be recommended. • Animals that develop mild aspiration pneumonia need hospitalization, intravenous fluids, antibiotics, oxygen therapy and cage rest. Most affected animals recover quickly, but it may take 3 to 10 days for the breathing to return to normal. Some animals may experience a rapid onset of significant breathing problems. These animals have a guarded to poor prognosis and some may not survive the damage to the lungs. • In cases of topical exposure, bathe the pet in lukewarm water and mild dish soap. This will remove a significant amount of the petroleum from the skin. If the animal has a long thick coat, clipping the hair may be necessary to remove all the petroleum. If skin irritation has occurred, topical ointments may be recommended. Home Care and Prevention There is no home care for ingested petroleum products; call your veterinarian immediately. Do not induce vomiting. Try to determine the amount of petroleum ingested and the type of petroleum product. Watch for vomiting or breathing problems. Animals that do not show signs of illness in the 12 hours following exposure will probably not become ill. If mild breathing problems develop, these usually resolve in 3 to 10 days. For topical exposure, bathing in lukewarm water and mild dish soap can help remove some petroleum from the skin.

I quickly grow tired of tabloid dribble...from celebrities, to sports figures and rock stars...few are equipped to make consistently good decisions throughout their career and are able to maintain any kind of healthy balance...however, I am truly blown away by Tiger Woods' "secret" life. Let me start by saying that his actions have erased whatever marvel I held for his golf talents...and I am not easily impressed. I do not accept that he wasn't a role model...I do not accept that "what he does in his personal life is his own business." People who sell image have no personal life. 1) How he was able to juggle all these women, commit weekly "infidelity" and play golf (think--MENTAL) at his level is beyond me. It really does speak to his golf talents. Could his wife and family have meant that little to him? 2) If these relationships have been ongoing, was he surrounded by "yes" men? Who was scheduling private flights and meetings and rooms and meals? Where was his caddie? Where was the manager who should have stepped up and said "This will destroy you!"? 3) How does one assume that "she will never tell anyone".? Does he just assume all his whores will stay silent? 4) Where do these women come from? I understand the large number of women willing to throw themselves at athletes, but is their coming out party all about money, book deals, Oprah? Alas, these type of trainwrecks will probably increase as anymore, people are paid handsomely for causing trainwrecks... Lastly, I'd like to see Elin take the kids, 1/2 his money and disappear... I am waiting for the "love child" to surface... He is lucky he was pulling away when she swung that club... DrMerle

Despite you not seeing spots on his body, that looks like ich...unfortunately, I've seen it too many times to not know the signs... If his body was crystal clear, like his fins, you would see his whole body has that... Not fully broken out means that he is controlling the situation... DrMerle

That's cause some buddies are better than others... DrMerle

huh? DrMerle

Expect the unexpected...I would plan on it taking a couple days to pull off...have some extra water made up... I would have big plastic tubs with heaters and powerheads...without them, if you hit a problem or snag, you risk losing your livestock...don't worry about lights... Transfer water/rock/corals into one tub--transfer rock/sand/water into second tub...breakdown first tank...setup second tank...add second tub contents....almost fill with water...LET SETTLE....add contents of first tub... Voila!! DrMerle

I've got a skimmer I could donate... DrMerle

Count me in to help...however, we will stand by as we wait to hear from "tft" reps on this board... DrMerle

I would say worrying about doing too many things is good but this looks like it is quickly going to consume your tank...and yes, I was nervous, real nervous to start dosing vodka...but it works for nutrient competition. Google coral snow for cyano/dino treatment... Google zeobac for cyano/dino treatment... I wouldn't recommend it on a pristine tank, just jumping right in...but still starting slowly may save you a teardown and lost frags and corals... How about starting here... http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php Doc

While you don't have hair algae, it definitely looks like dinos...you have got to find something to out compete the dinos for nutrients...I know they are testing virtually zero but the nutrients are tied up in the dinos...why not try vodka/mb7? You are threatening to tear things down, so what could it hurt? I dose vodka/sugar/vinegar and mb7/zeobac daily...just now tested nitrates--zero...last remnants of hair algae dying...the majority of that treatment is cheap, fast, requires no equipment and it would be the next thing I would try...just an idea, I think a good idea... What kind/size skimmer are you running? Doc

Yes, Sohol's look fantastic...I had one for a couple years and recently gave it to my friend for his big FO tank...Sohols get aggressive and he started to bully my other fish...about feeding time he would start jetting through the tank and everyone would have to run for cover...beautiful but bullified.. DrMerle

Wal-mart, Home Depot, or The Trash Can Lid Outlet(laugh) DrMerle

Miles--you've been paid! I am going to not split with Eric as logistics of getting frags hurt my head...just easier to pay $5 and have you ship mine to me... Porites/Leng Sy/Valida Merle Marks 18110 SE Division St. Portland, OR 97236 Thanks, man!(rock2)

I am down with split also but is it worth the $5 to try and hook up...I live in Damascus and work in Gresham...time + gas + traffic = more than $5...but I don't want to be deal breaker for you... With my schedule, directly mailing my frags to me makes more sense (for me)...would that ruin something frag wise for you? DrMerle

I have been running Elos Filtra M, which is zeolith similar to Brightwell's. I have been running it in filter bag in sump but this weekend will stick it in TLF reactor...also dosing VSV, MB7 and Zeobac. I also run GFO/carbon in TLF reactor in sump. Recently put powerhead in sump and powerhead in overflow to agitate and stir things up so they could get filtered out. All of these things have FINALLY gotten my nitrates down to zero and phosphates down to .06... Corals are showing appreciation. I chose Elos as smaller rock size means increased surface area...I don't have enough room in sump for zeovit reactor and while can't deny the beauty of zeovit tanks, I have trouble with seeing large stones proviing much surface area. There is more than one way to skin a cat...(OMG, I'm a veterinarian) DrMerle