Flashy Fins

Btw, I didn't culture my own phyto. Even though it's relatively easy, I didn't want to deal with it when I could buy the dead stuff in a bottle cheap enough. Tisbe pods feed on detritus in nature and can be fed many things, including crushed fish food. I fed a mix of that and phyto (sometimes live, sometimes dead; whatever I found for a good price that month). If pods were cheap enough, I would've bought them instead of culturing, but a mandarin can take out a $20 bottle in 2 days, so nope on that!

Super high-tech setup of tisbe pod cultures! The color of the water should be a little darker once the cultures are going, so this was probably taken as I was setting up. I used individual air pumps designed for fish bowls, because I already had them, but a single 10-gal air pump with a gang valve would work well. No need for airstones.

I’ve always done it using gallon jugs, a few of them going at a time. Just slide an airline down the handle for aeration, feed phyto and crushed fish flakes, and harvest them on a rotating basis. Let me dig up a picture of an old setup...

I'm assuming you are setting up dedicated cultures outside your tank?

I've always ordered them from LiveAquaria. You'll want to get sterile cultures of tisbe pods, which no one local sells (that I know of). Mandarins will sometimes eat other pods, but the tisbe is their natural diet and what will sustain them long term.

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I got mine at Home Depot, but that's probably not the most cost effective. If I had any left, I'd share, but it seems I threw the leftover pieces out.

I'm in Oregon City and have API tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and high pH, but I see their expiration dates range from 5/17 to 7/17. Not sure how accurate they'd be, considering, but you're welcome to them if you want. They're just collecting dust with me.

We're excited with you! Looking forward to seeing the tank progress.

All of these are good topics for the club! I could see members being really into the pest/hitchhiker discussion, and I agree inverts don't get the attention they deserve, so those are my picks.

Link for anyone wishing to prearrange trades/sales (separate from the raffled frag swap).

Not a frag, but does anyone have a use for 24W 10K T5 bulbs? I have a few unused that are collecting dust.

Nope, just be present. Since we may have more interest in one coral over the other, I'll draw letters raffle style and have everyone with a first name beginning with a drawn letter select their frag, then draw another letter, and so on. Bring your good luck charms!

Fellow fish lovers and coral enthusiasts, now is the time to clear the date on your calendar for February's PNWMAS meeting! February 10th at 2 pm Held in @stylaster's home in Kelso, Washington 244 Sparks Drive, Kelso WA 98626 Owner of Pacific Corals and keeper of a spectacular 312 gallon reef tank, Roy is one of the club's coolest! He's happy to have us all geek out with him this month with some coralicious activities, including an organized frag swap raffle (details below) and a fragging demonstration on an LPS chalice coral and an SPS acropora coral. Attendees will learn some tricks and walk away with a free frag! To participate in the frag swap raffle, just bring a labeled frag or two. All frags will be separated into one of three tiers: beginner, mid level, or high end. This primarily relates to the value, so we can keep things fair. You'll be given a raffle ticket per frag, and when your number is called, it's your turn to choose from the level matching what you brought. Be generous with your cuts, do your best to keep from bringing pests with you, and enjoy trading for something new! If you have more than 2 frags or other livestock you'd like to trade, prearranged trading/selling is always encouraged. Appetizers and beverages will be provided by our host, with all attending welcome to bring something to add to the mix. We'll also be raffling off gift certificates to the best shops around, so don't miss your chance to win! Paid members of the club receive one free raffle ticket just for showing up, and all attendees will have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets. See you there!

I’m especially glad I took it now. I think we’ve all had fish or other livestock lost or traded off that we never did get a nice picture of, so it’s good to have something to remember him by. If only all my pictures came out as nice! Takes snapping quite a few to get a winner. Helps when the subject is as nice as your tank!

I'm in shock! Not that he likes acans, but that he's gone from your tank now. Hopefully Jeff keeps him in a display tank, where his beauty can be appreciated by all.

Super fun meeting! I'm kicking myself for leaving my camera at home, because the male squareback anthias for sale were show stoppers I wish I had pictures of now. If only my tank were large enough! True beauties of the sea. Thanks so much for having us, Garrett! I know we all appreciate the hookup with that paid club member discount. Love my new acans and starfish! Robert, it's always so nice of you to take pictures and post them up. I'll have to bring my camera next month and make sure you're in a few!

Hey, don't talk about my friend Bert like that! Who remembers tie-dye badxgillen?

Coral Rx dip in a 50/50 mix of source water and my QT tank water, usually for 8 minutes (cut short if coral reacts poorly or longer if something icky comes off). Rinse off with QT tank water (separate container) and then a long dip in an overdose of Flatworm Exit, a dozen or so drops in a small container for 30 minutes, longer if I catch any red planaria, which are the main reason I do this dip. It’s rare I see anything come off my corals, but I don’t do much SPS. I did get a decent size euphyllia eating flatworm off a hammer coral recently during a Coral Rx dip.

I have that one. I’ll PM you to sort out a time to meet up.

Welcome! Would love to see pics of your setup.

Great! Sean (albertareef) is helping me out and will work out the details with you.

@pdxmonkeyboy I saw your DIY thread and wondered if you want to take your turn with the handheld meter to compare? It’s available now. Or you could hold out for the USB model with a couple of people ahead of you.

@Willapa - ready to borrow the USB meter? @Emerald525 - I have the handheld meter back, so let's plan a time to meetup.

Fantastic! There’s no official frag swap with holding tanks, but members usually trade amongst themselves out of coolers at all our meetings. If you have anything to trade or stuff you’re looking for, feel free to start a thread to prearrange trades.