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coralreefer

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Posts posted by coralreefer

    Why is Ice Dancing an Olympic Sport?

    in Out of Bounds

    Posted

    Really, I can't believe I'm taking the other side on this but none of us know how hard ice dancing really is...can any of us skate, doing revolutions, while holding a woman over your head with one arm? Didn't think so...

     

    You'll yell at me for this but I don't believe half pipe is in the Olympics...one, give most kids on a snow board 2 months and 1/2 would be able to do most those "tricks"...2) the majority of stunts I watched failed...I don't think it is that hard, I don't think they are in that good of shape (like curling?) and they aren't that good at it considering that it is "all" they do...

     

    DrMerle

    Salt settled - drove up Mg level

    in Classified Threads

    Posted

    I think this is a bigger problem than most people realize...we have no idea how much "shaking" occurred in manufacturing, shipping, handling...I believe the cost of irradic levels needs to be measured in not what you paid for an inconsistent bucket but what you paid for the tank inhabitants you currently have...I have too much invested in time and money with my tank to "settle" for "I hope parameters are close"! That is why I use gettanked salt...I was uncompensated for this pitch...

     

    DrMerle

    Skimmers?? Budget $400

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I just bought a bubble blaster 3000 for my MSX200--I wanted to dump the Sicce, and go for an Askoll...I even called Marine Solutions and discussed my plan...they told me I'd be happier putting a Bubble Blaster on a 200 over an Askoll...he could have had a sale but opted for customer service!!!

     

    I haven't tried the blaster out yet as I am tearing down my tank next weekend and putting in a new sump and figured why deal with adjustments twice...I'll let you know...cone skimmers may be all the rage but I'm not sold entirely on them yet....a well built skimmer with a dynamite pulling pump is what you want...I think you will be happy Miles...

     

    DrMerle

    Need drill for wooden floor

    in D.I.Y

    Posted

    I am tearing down my tank February 21st (Sunday)...I am clearing out live rock (persistent hair algae), removing sand, replacing fried chiller, replumbing clogged overflow pipes, installing bigger chambered sump...I've got to move return pipes which require drilling about 2" holes through my wooden floor and subfloor...

     

    I am hoping to borrow a "man" sized drill which won't balk at the problem...a

    2" bit would come in handy but I could buy that if necessary...

     

    I'm just looking at not wanting to rent a drill if someone has got one they could lend for just one day...I only need to drill about 4 holes...

     

    Can anyone lend?

     

    DrMerle

    new tank plans, opinions wanted

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I humbly beg to differ...if any of you have ever snorkled in clear reefs, although they are clear, where the corals lie is not "400w" bright...I personally feel that it is totally unnatural to blast corals with "400w"...at least in a tank that isn't over 32-34 tall...

     

    I've had 400w in my 135 and felt they were way too bright...almost too difficult to look at...I am always amazed at how well many "bright" light corals do in moderate to lower light...

     

    I know it is a matter of personal opinion, but coral reefs are often overcast or rainy and corals don't get near as much light as we think they do...I personally think for shallower tanks, 400 is overkill...I'd humbly submit a request for 250 w Brandon.

     

    DrMerle

    Help!! What am I overlooking?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    This is crazy but lights out for 3 days does nothing...my hair algae grows best in dark...it is "heaviest" in am when lights first come on...right now it is very easy to pull out...so I am close to where I should be...it is not bryopsis! I luckily have never had bryopsis...I have been reluctant to pull any additional methods (denitrator) offline due to the fact that I have finally reached one gola of reduction of nitrates...

    Tear down coming...

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    That's all I's can stand and I's can't stands no more...

     

    My seven year old tank 135g is in need of an overhaul...the first 2 years it was fish only with live rock...I abused nitrate/phosphate/feeding rules and am paying the price...my reef/sps is prospering...corals are coloring and growing...but despite vodka dosing, zeovit aiming, bacteria adding, denitrator pumping, powerhead pushing, --my nitrates/phosphates have dropped to zero...hair algae continues to prosper and takes too much of my time and mental energy...I can spend hours a day working with only modest progress...there is obviously too much contamination in the rock...

     

    My kids need my time--my guitar needs my lessons--I rarely read anymore and most importantly, the algae ruins my feelings about this hobby...

     

    My overflow pipes need replacing...I am adding a new, bigger sump...upgrading my skimmer...replacing fried chiller under the house...bulkheads will have to be attacked...makes perfect sense to pull out corals/fish...replace all live rock and sand while things are in motion...shouldn't need help...appreciate the offer Brandon...hoping for 24 hour marathon turn around time...will be lurking but not much frag salvaging for the next 6 weeks until momentum built up and weekend free to dive in...

     

    God, I wish I didn't love this hobby so much...it would be so easy to walk away...

     

    Be back soon...DrMerle

    Salt questions

    in Reef Chemistry

    Posted

    with the amount of money and effort we all put into our tanks, I switched from Reef Crystals in 2009 to gettanked salt...hand mixed, hand packed and packaged...mixes crystal clear and after 9 months, there is zero scum or residue in my 50 gallon reservoir tank...absolutely pristine, dead on parameters...my tank is benefitting...

     

    I just got tired of skewed buckets...

     

    DrMerle

    Help!! What am I overlooking?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Well, since you seem to have done everything right, I would say to just keep trimming by hand as much as possible and wait it out.

    I do think #5 and #7-8 are counter productive. With Zeovit they do not recommend using GFO with their system. Theory would be that bacteria need PO4, Nitrate, and Carbon source to grow. You are dosing carbon source (vodka, sugar, etc) to grow the bacteria (and also adding additional bacteria), but limiting their growth by using GFO and denitrator. I would think either stop reactors, or stop adding carbon-bacteria. I may be wrong...why not ask the Zeovit or Brightwell guys about combining the two different systems for nutrient reduction (reactors vs carbon).

     

    All good points...I've run a "hybrid" system, following example of others I've read posts from stating that they've had better results running GFO in combo with zeovit...I've been reluctant to pull denitrator offline (I know I could always put it back on) and GFO as my parameters have never been so pristine...I have literally spent years trying to reach nitrate/phosphate of zero and while corals have "finally" stated to show life and growth, stinkin' hair algae won't abate...

     

    I've used 3 or 4 sea hares with poor results...they died after week or so with hair algae in front of their face...yet my crabs, snails and shrimp thrive...

     

    I could pull "accessories" offline, add to my cleaning crew, drop in some algae picking fish, continue to weed...how about an urchin?

     

    DrMerle

    Help!! What am I overlooking?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    OK, guys and gals...I've got a persistent hair algae problem that just shouldn't exist...

     

    1) 3 month old RO-DI filters on zero TDS water...never had anything other than this for 3+ years...

    2) gettanked salt with spot on parameters

    Ca 480

    alk 9

    sp gr 1.026

    pH 8.1

    TEMP 78-80

    BULBS changed every 6 months mh 20k 250w 6 hours daily

    pc actinic 8 hours daily

    mag 1350

    drip kalk 24/7

     

    3) sump filters changed out every 3 days

    4) nitrates zero on pinpoint monitor been that way for 3 months

    5) dosing vodka/dextrose/vinegar/bacteria for ~5 months

    6) phosphates zero on hanna meter

    7) running GFO/ carbon in 2 little fishes reactor with media changed every 3-4 weeks

    8) Aquaripure denitrator

    9) flow is 2 korallia 4s and 2 korallia 3s in 135 gallon

    10) a powerhead in sump to keep detritus stirred up as well as one in overflow

    11) new MSX200 skimmer--4 months old

    12) one hippo tang, a maroon clown, a Klein's butterfly fish, a neon dottyback and 4 green chromis--feeding pinch of flakes daily with quarter sized piece of Rods 3x weekly

    13) 15% water change weekly like clockwork

    14) do a lights out 3 consecutive days per month...

    15) cleanup crew--snails and crabs

     

    I am at a loss for why hair algae won't fade back...I am well versed at reasons and treatment...I even tried ALGAEFIX but started losing snails and stopped...

     

    These live rocks have been in tank for average 5 years...I am sure, due to past that there are trapped phosphates leaching but one would think at some point that would exhaust out...

     

    What am I missing here?

     

    DrMerle

    Kalk Questions

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I used to use Ca reactor and drip kalk at night....with MY tank, the Ca reactor drove the Ph down below 8 pushing 7.7 sometimes...I would aggressively supplement kalk to bring it back--no consistent Ca levels...swinging ALK...I unplugged Ca reactor and went to dripping kalk with dosing pump 24/7...my corals have responded nicely with the higher pH (8.1-8.2) AND alk and Ca stability...

     

    Mrs. Wages is pickling lime...it is the same as kalk...I mix up a 5 gallon bucket of kalk in the garage and pump it under the house to drip in sump...I then mix up a second bucket awaiting the first bucket to empty...the I can switch "drip lids" with tube attachments...

     

    DrMerle

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