Fishfreak

I stumbled upon a DIY overflow 'box' using only PVC pipes. Failed to find any info in RC. In rec.marine.reef, I was told it worked and is a self-priming design. No other info was provided. The designer's email address was invalid too. Does anyone have any info on this? It looks like something that can be done up in less than half a day .... if it works that it ....

My mainly-softies nanoreef has been established for close to 2 years now. Currently the sand bed consists of #1 with depth around 1.5inch. NO3 is a constant problem, so I thought I'll go DSB to try to reduce this problem. My questions: 1) Since #0 is now available, should I 'top-up' with #0? Or should I stick to #1? 2) How do I 'top-up'? Simply lay additional sand onto existing sandbed? I do have patches of dino on the existing sand bed. Thanks FF

I just have to point this out again even though HQX already did. Surgeons, regardless of size, cannot be kept in 2ft tanks! Well, at least they have all the space they want now in water heaven. Let's be responsible aquarists.

TTboy, Yes, water wastage is about 4:1. But the waste water need not and should not go down the drain. They can still be collected to wash the toilet, mop the floor, wash the car, make water balloons etc. Locally sold RO/DI is really costly. If you really want one, check out www.airwaterice.com. US reefers seem not to have negative comments about their products. They have those that are not pump driven - perfect for us. Also have one that has two outlets - one that doesn't do thru a DI section for human consumption and another that goes thru the DI filter for the fish! Problem is bringing it in at a decent price. I almost laid my hands on one (the home/reef use model) except my colleague in the US wasn't keen to help me bring it here when he found out the size. Perhaps on my next business trip there ....

Overfeeding? Silicate sand? Overstocking? Better find out why. I do less than 20% water change once a month, less than 15kg LR, an efficient Prizm and my NO3 peaks at 20ppm. Don't recall it being higher than that. But I d have low stocking of fish - just two tiny clowns and a lawnmower blenny. And, oh yes, a bicolor blenny that I don't know if its still alive or where it is

True - I really don't know. Maybe I should dig out that site and ask the question. Those I see in my nano are evrywhere, but mainly on the glass and on the rocks.

The training may be tough, and if that fails - another poor mandarin dead because of mankind. So live food is the most ideal and failsafe. This is what I'm doing, picked up from another website on 'cultivating' pods: Use small pieces of LR to form a pyramid that is somewhat hollow inside. Periodically, put small pieces of shrimp meat inside. This serves as food and the pyramid keeps fish away and 'protects' the pods. Keep doing it until you can see you have a good size colony. I was told it may take at least 6 months to get enough to sustain one mandarin. Moreover, each mandarin should have at least 2 square feet of real estate to itself, and there is one of this 'pod cultivator' for each mandarin.

You're right. Let see what I can try with an idling 2000lph PH. Because its a nano, I do not plan to use the conventional 13mm/15mm round output. I'm thinking of DIYing rainbars from 13mm PVC tubes and have them on the right and left edge pointing 45 - 60 degrees down. The flow of water will be more even across the width of the tank. What do you think?

I have one, but I'm not sure if there's more harm using it than not using it. Why? Read on... This is what I found out from digging around in the net. I cannot remember specifics, but in general: 1) The type of DI tube we are talking about here is a 'mixed bed' DI tube. Technically, it is possible to regenerate it. But it is a long, costly process. I do not think LFS here can regenerate it and certainly not at the price quoted. In short, I simply don't know what they do with it and say that the tube is regenerated. 2) There are many types of resins in the market. Cheap lousy ones (questionable) and expensive effective ones (Dow Corning's , I think). What I remember is that, based on the price we are paying for in Singapore, we have the cheap lousy ones. 3) Regardless of how clean we think Singapore water is, if tap water is passed through a DI tube without going thru an RO filter, the resins are rendered ineffective very very quickly. So there you go, you can draw your own conclusion or contribute your knowledge. For me, when I have the time, I'm going to dismantle that expensive tube, throw everything inside away and fill it up to make my own filter tube with GAC, phsophate remover, nitrate remover (if there's a good one), polyfilter and others (not sure what they will be yet) Too bad Newater is mixed with reservoir water. Otherwise pure Newater will be perfect for our water pets!

Well, if you can't stand him anymore, tell Miss Piggy where to find him!

Probably pods. Should be alright. I'm trying to get them to multiply in my tank so that I can keep a mandarin.

Perhaps we should : A) Observe certain guidelines when posting about our not-so-pleasant experience with LFS and Take certain 'precautions' ourselves when dealing with ALL LFS. Here are my thoughts: 1) Speak only the truth, state only the facts. I'm sure we all do these. 2) Ask LFS to issue receipts with proper description of items purchased both LS, drygoods or service rendered. (Heck, we'll helping them practise proper accounting practice and the IRAS too!). This, I think, is the best 'precaution' on matters related to price. 3) If we have been quoted prices that are 'questionable', go ahead and post, but phrase your post something like that: "###### LFS quoted $10 for a blue devil damsel. Do you think this is a reasonable price?" But, do bear in mind, that if you bought it then complain about the price, you have yourself to blame and no one else. But of course, you'd be doing a service to the rest of us by asking questions like the above. 4) Service-wise, if you are not happy, why not describe what happened and ask others to judge? Hey, you didn't say you received bad service right? 5) On advices, again, post the advice that the LFS provided and ask others to provide feedback. You don't have to say if the advice is good or bad. Eg: "ABC LFS said I can keep flame angels together with my children's FW angelfish. What do you guys think. It doesn't sound right to me." We'll all be laughing on the floor. If you have something nice to say about the LFS, ask them what's in it for you first before you post FF

Head pressure on my trial setup should be negligible - the SCWD was located 15cm above the pump output.

I second Zerocool's comments. Mine has been running about a year and is set exactly like how zerocool described - water just below the o-ring. In one week, I get about 3mm of wet skimmate in the collection cup only. But in the funnel (the part that narrows), I get really thick, smelly, dark gunk coating the sides. I think this is what you really want from a skimmer. I believe how much wet skimmate you get in the collection cup is not so important. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong.

Doesn't this sound like they do have something to hide???

OH yes, the Rio is manufactured in Taiwan ....

Bawater, I did a quick test this evening by connecting it to my Eheim 1262 (rated for 3400lph/900gph - well within the recommended flow rate). It switched only once and then always stayed with one end (end A). I turned it back to front. Again, it switched just once and end up with the water exiting from the same end A again. Also, I used flexible hoses throughout. Not sure if this is an issue. The instructions also stated that the pump's pressure should not exceed 5psi. I'm not sure what is this pump pressure. Do you know? Did I overlook something or did something wrong? Thanks FF

First of all, I would lke to thank Tigerkayu for sharing his experience with us. I lost a bannerfish, a swallowtail angel and this morning, my favourite regal blue, all in 10 days. My juvenile Unicorn Tang started 'trembling' very frequently and my foxface started developing small black patches on its beautiful yellow body. I checked all the crucial water parameters but found nothing out of place - until I read tigerkayu's post. I tested the water this morning and sure enough, I managed to single out the #@%$>?%$# Rio 2500 pump leaking stray voltage - the needle on the multimeter just jumped! Disconnected and removed the Rio before I left for work. Returned this evening and observed my really empty tank - I didn't see the Unicorn 'tremble' anymore and the black patches on the Foxface are all gone. That's right, ALL GONE! Now, I have to figure out how to handle this with the LFS that sold me the Rio. So lessons learned here: 1) get a ground probe - really good advice from the other reefers 2) STAY AWAY FROM RIOs - and I'm not afraid of the manufacturer or the retailer coming after me. If you need more convincing, search for Rio pumps at Google. A fellow reefer here did caution me about this brand but I decided to take my chance and paid dearly for it. Now, I have to convince my father and wife that this is a safe hobby .... and their son/husband isn't about to be fried.

I look forward to this. I long to throw dead fish, faulty equipment, unsuitable equipment back at LFSs who failed to give me what I paid for. I'm no legal expert, but I think if you are simply speaking the truth, then there is nothing to fear. Innocent until proven guilty - and the onus is on the plaintiff to prove the guilt!

I have not seen any peppermint shrimp in LFS before. But there is the camelback shrimp that is quite similar to the peppermint and readily available. I've asked LFS before for the name and they all said peppermint shrimp! The camelback is not reefsafe, by the way. I've lost an entire colony of yellow polyps to these animals before I realise they are the culprits! Based on what I've read, peppermints may eat aiptasia. Copperbands may too, but if they don't (or if the aiptasia's gone), pretty good chance they will turn on your other corals or starve to death. I had a small aiptasia problem before on one piece of LR. I just took it out, scrubbed it clean, bleach it in the sun and use it as base rock. Problem 100% eradicated, never to come back. Do a google search and there will be lots for you to read ...

OK. After considering all your feedback, I've decided to skip the emperor because I may not be able to provide for it and the feeding difficulty worries me. Maybe if there's no war/recession, I will upgrade the FOWLR to my second reef tank later this year and the emperor will have no home. $20 vs $30 - sure pays to shop around or ask around huh? Thanks again, for taking the time to reply. FF

Good points, Wei. Come to think of it, I don't recall seeing the mouth So, assuming I am able and willing to provide for it, can you tell me if $30 for 2cm is reasonable? You see, the most expensive fish/coral I've ever bought is $18!!!

Saw a few juvenile emperor angel in the LFS today. Really small ones - about 2 cm. Was quoted $30. Would appreciate your comments/feedback to these questions: 1) Is it advisable to buy such small ones (personally, I prefer to buy small and watch them grow)? 2) Since they are small, I want to put it in my 80 litre reef with shrooms, softies, LPS and two even smaller common clowns - is this OK? This tank has been running 1.5 years. I have a 320 litre FOWLR to house it when its time for it to move 3) I know these are not hardy species, may be difficult to keep. How difficult? 4) Finally, $30.00 for 2 cm. Is the price OK? Thanks.

I talked about the price but not about the 'experience' liverock wanted. Mine lives together with softies, shrooms and LPS. No problem that I can see. Then again, I hardly see it too as it has decided the best hole's at the back of the tank .... I did see it munch on algae though. Hope this helps.