Jeremevans

I have been watching too many reefing youtube videos lately and I saw a few about culturing phytoplankton. So, is anyone here currently culturing their own? I remember a few books saying that bottled versions have limited viability, especially if it is not refrigerated. I'm not sure if that is proven, but a fresh culture surely seems better. Right now I'm looking at Florida Aqua Farms culture and thinking about getting some F/2 from Fritz. Tell me how you culture and what you would recommend.

Thanks for sharing. I looked up that model and it seems like it might a good option for me. I've had good experiences in the past with Briggs and Stratton engines.

I'm considering buying a generator. The problem is I don't know anything about them. How do you figure out what size would be needed? I have a large system that is plumbed to the garage so there is a substantial pump and other accessory pumps as well a big heater (and some fail safe heaters that might be needed if the house temp starts dropping).

Adding float sensors with a breakout box sounds like a good plan. That ATO looks pretty decent too. Thanks for the good ideas! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That worm has been eating well Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm using a smart ATO and it failed. I've had a buggy experience with it periodically being resets. I've looked at the apex topoff kit but it seems to be getting mixed reviews. A second temp probe and a second topoff at a lower level might be what I need. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So... I'm on vacation and I spent the wee hours of morning teaching my father in law about my setup over the phone. I woke up at 4 am local time (Maui) thanks to my little monster (son)...And then I looked at my phone to find a string of Apex alarm emails. The temp in my tank was falling and falling and falling. I have backup heaters and a second controller so I started to get concerned something catastrophic was happening. My setup is plumbed from the garage so lots of problems are possible. After getting my father in law up and to my house I started to get him oriented. He used a meat thermometer from the kitchen to double check the temp. The reading was 84. Now my concerns switched to a running too high malfunction. Back in the garage he checks the sump and it is also high. I send him to the bin of QT equipment and pull a different thermometer. It reads 77. Phew! I now know my kitchen meat thermometer isn't accurate. Next thing he notices is that my Apex screen is blank...Yikes. trace the wire to the bus and disconnect and reconnect. Ok...It's fine now. Now he's searching for probes to check because I can only figure the ATO has failed. I then remember I drew sharpie lines for high and low water on the sump. He looks and we are low and the temp probe is almost entirely out of the water. Luckily I keep a brute garbage can full of rodi water for emergencies. He topped up the tank and the alarms turned off. But then the leak detector alarm went off. Not a big deal though just a spill while topping up. So, there was no real crisis in the end. Why do these things always pop up when you go on vacation? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm a big fan of that that article. Figuring out which zone you are in is a big step in understanding the right action to take. Something that I think is mentioned in the article, but might be worth reiterating is that magnesium levels can be important. If you have low magnesium and try to raise calcium you might have some frustration. I think the rule of thumb is that you need about 3:1 magnesium to calcium or the calcium can precipitate out as calcium carbonate.

I've got a birds nest problem on the horizon. I might be in your situation at some point. For now I've got space but I already know I'm not crazy about a tank full of birds nest. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

That is a good representation of a birds of paradise (@KenH). Mine looks just like that.

I stopped a few months ago. I'm testing more often and dosing trace elements and sugar as needed for nitrates. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I came home from camping to find something on my algae scraper blade. The tank is fallow right now (to eliminate ich) so maybe these are snail eggs? Should I be concerned? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have some salmon and razor clams in my freezer and now I'm curious about blending a little up for fish food. But then again maybe I'll just eat those myself... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

After you eliminate the nutrient source you will need to be patient and wait out the algae. Get your toothbrush (mechanical removal) out and make sure your export schedule is excellent (socks every few days, water changes). If you haven't reduced feeding and nutrients coming in then the algae could be uptaking them quickly and leading to low readings in tests. If algae is a problem then either to much nutrients are and / or are continually entering. I would consider eliminating any non frozen foods as they are much more nutrient dense than frozen. An algae living fish isn't a bad idea as a second piece of algae control but nutrient in control and export are the first line. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How did you get the floor under the tank? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What kind of coal is that growing out of the water? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do duncan's need to be fed? I have one and never feed it. I have had it for a couple of months and it seems healthy... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm brining a couple frags too. Ora spongodes a green tip bridsnest and a chalice if anyone's interested Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I ended up going out in the ocean yesterday and now I have more Dungeness crab than I can eat. I'll bringing some along today. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It worked for me earlier today too!

Are they a problem or just unsightly?

Super nice morning here! Not even windy and already warming up.

I guess we need to wear Hawaiian shirts and Leis. Maybe @HigherThinking could bring some back for us.

The photography was amazing. The message is frightening. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

There has been more encrusting of the plug and the color is about the same. Some days the polyp extension is better than other.