Jun Hong

My CL-280 just enough to cool my 2X1.5X1.5 tank and 2X1.5x1.5 sump to 27.5C. I am only using PL light. So I think you should go for CL-650 since you are using MH also

If I were you, I will do so too. By the way, it seems that your sea squirts are doing well Any update photo to show? growing bigger? Any extra frag to sell to me?

Slow flow rate will result in your chiller turn on and off more frequently which may shorten the life span. If I remember correctly, the manufacturer recommended >1200 l/h.

Thanks Fuel for your suggestion After a search from Internet, I think I know the reason why my top layer of sand cement together. The "clumping' of sand substrate is actually calcite deposits caused by precipitation. My mistake is I added another layer of New Grade 0 sand onto the existing sand bed. The new sand has basically ZERO bacteria in it in the begining so there is NO bacterial biofilm form in it. The daily Kalk drip cause calcite to precipitate from solution, forming crystals. Beside Fuel's suggestion, there are also some possible solution to prevent it: 1) Slowing reduce Kalkwasser input. 2) Maintain optimal Magnesium level to inhibits the chemical precipitation of calcite. 3) Before add new sand into your tank, soak them in water that has bacteria in it. Use water change water from an existing tank. This is chock full of bacteria. Soak them in it for a few weeks if possible. Add flake food or apple juice or SOMETHING to support bacterial growth. You need to get that biofilm established. Don't do water changes- maintain salinity, but don't add new salt water. You want to minimize any calcite formation. Then add them into your tank. 4) Use chopstick to break the sand manually.

I discovered that part of my grade 0 sand are clumped together and it is as hard as rock. Do you guys encounter the problem also? What is the reason of it and how to prevent clumping sand? FYI, I dosed Kalkwasser water(night time) and Reef builder(day time) daily. Could Kalk drip the cause of sand clumping. But the KH is only 7~8 and I didn't measure the Ca level. Will clumping sand affect the healthy of the DSB???

I don't think this is the sand shifting black sea cuke that you guys are looking for. I see one LFS in Sugei tengah sell a lot of it. It has filter feeding tentecles that similar to sea apple.

At first, I though those are black cuke. After taking close look, I believe those aren't sand shifting black cuke that your guys are looking for. I think they belong to filter feeding invert since I see their filter feeding tentacles that similar to sea apple.

The red one I keep for 6 months already. The last spawning was occured during chinese new year. The white one I keep for 3 months only. Those white dots on the glass are the baby coco worms resulted from last spawning. It seems that their grow rate are very slow.

This white coco worm seem can't "tahan" the mating call from the red on, it also spawn! Will their spawn mix and produce PINK coco worm

Just like to share with you this is my second time to witness my red coco worm spawn. The action last for 15 mins I quickly asked my wife to see this amazing action. My wife then prompted me a question, "What is this white smoke?" I answered, "It is either egg or sperm" My wife said, " Can't imagine that a small coco can eject sperm for so long, you man definitely can't beat it!" I keep quite after hearing this

How long has it been not open up? If you notice it keeps shrinking smaller and smaller, then it died soon. Mine was doing well but it just died within few days

You are using a air driven skimmer for your big tank??? BTW, you mention that you don't have chiller yet, so what is your tank water temp?

Just to take note america like to state the date in mm/dd/yy So may 6/1/04 means 1st of June?

I think maybe you bought the cousin of Xenia, the so-called "Waving hand" coral, this coral looks similar to Xenia but not the pulsing type

From DT' website "The various species contained in DT's phytoplankton blend produce some odor, some more then others" But it is really stinks then it may spoiled already I assume your DT is still not expired yet! DT needs to keep cool during shipment and storage. So I will only buy DT from LFS that I trusted. FYI, Henry from ML will shake all bottles of DT in his fridge daily since Phytoplankton settles out of suspension and will die if left packed down on the bottom. So you know where I buy my DT from.

If you want to see the pulsing action of your Xenia, put is further away from your power head. BTW, yours is brown or white one? I keep both but I observe that brown one tends to crash easily! So watch out

Hi, Eric, I think you have somehow short circuit the water to be chilled. Just imagine the amount of water in the sump compartment 2 is much smaller than the whole tank water volumn, so you chiller take very short time (you mention 3 mins) to bring the temp down by 1 deg and cut off. When hotter water flow into the sump will again bring out the temp quite quickly by 1 deg so the chiller will start again! And the cycle never stop. So I suggest you connect the output of the chiller to the main tank.

Nice clam you guys have. Here come my heart shape Derasa and crocea

Mohamed, Ya, bubble created will dissappear as it reach the water surface but new bubble still keep on coming out from the skimmer! Maximike, I suggest you add a sponge at the output of the skimmer to trap the bubble! It is similar to those sponge for Weipo skimmer.

But am I right to said that "Deeper region inside LR has oxygen depleted area where can covert NO3 to harmless N2" ?

This article is regarding adding vinegar to increase the solubility of the Ca in Kalk. I also added 5ml of vinegar for 2 L of Kalk. But, it is still safer to drip it slowly in the tank instead of pouring the whole kalk directly.

Is it the picture clear enough. Just drill a hole slightly higher than the bottom on the side of the container. I mix the kalk water with the plastic valve closed. One hours later, I open the value slightly and start dripping (1 drop per second). Can't understand why you air tube doesn't drip??? Any water higher than the air tube will leak out from the tube, isn't it?

May be this one is a better version since it has cover and the valve is made of plastic and it is higher in position!

BTW, don't you feel cool if you set your air-con at 22 deg. I only set my air con at 26 deg and I feel quite comfortable at this temp May be you are rich guy and don't mind the high electric bill

5 deg changed in temp will stress your fish and coral Try to put a heater with temp control to maintain the temp when your air con is on.