Cookiemunster
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Posts posted by Cookiemunster
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Last I heard, it is coming soon to Singapore.
Hey bro dun hear hear. MAKE IT HAPPEN MAN!!!!
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Bro, you're right. But unfortunately these are very very expensive. And no replacement parts.
I already am using a Tunze stream for circulation. I just want the overflow rate to be much faster.
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tks guys.. so touched.
anyway I buy one pack. not much fish is eating it leh..
it floating ard in my tank n hang over my seafan..
gives my whole tank a ..bushy airy.. look.. haha..
Mark,
dun buy the one AT recommended.
hehehe no offense AT bro.What I mean is you can get it cheaper plus bigger pack from medical shops. They sell the unpreserved made in china stuff for $0.70 and almost 3 times more than NTUC pack. I'm using that for almost 3 months. All my fishes are eating it now. It takes about a week to get them used to it. Starve them enough and they will eat it.
My flame angel,orchid dotty, firefish, 8line wrasse, purple tang, yellow tang and kole tang are all eating it. Even my cleaner shrimp too.
I cut the dried nori into tiny bits, then soak it in alittle tank water together with alot of garlic guard and kent zoecon. Feed the next day and it will not float anymore. Keep refrigerated.
Cheers.
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I trust eheim. I'm using 1262. But I find its still not powerful enough. I wish they sold 1264 in singapore. Sigh.
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Ummm, I think it is about time we snap out of the loop of following the trends of others and develop one of our own culture. Yellow tangs are yucks in US, cool in Europe. Purple tangs are boring in Germany but expensive in US. Just a guess, the americans must be salivating at our yumas although we are ogling at their floridas.
See the trend max? It is all perceived.
Fully agree with pacificbetta, one man's meat is another's poison. Meaning we should keep what we really enjoy and not due to peer pressure or what everyone else is keeping.
However, most of the time what most people consider beautiful generally will be.
I just look for what I like visually and what I find to be attractive to my tank personally.
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Hi All,
I'm currently planning to convert my existing FW tank to marine tank. The dimension of the tank is 51" x 21" x 18 " (LxHxW). Oh ya, did I mentioned that I had been reading up (still reading tot).
My Initiate plan is to start off with FOWLR then proceed to Reef/Coral once I'm comfortable and knowledgable on this hobby. Thus, mean time below are some questions I hope you guys can help out.
Q1) As I'm converting from my FW tank, I'm not able to have internal overflow for the sump. Heard that there is an addon overflow device available. Any comments on it?
Q2) For my tank, how big should the sump be if i intend to get one?
Q3) DSB and LR will definitely be for biological filter. Do I need to get LS for the DSB during the cycling process?
Q4) What other filter is recommended beside sump? Read that wet/dry is no good for reef (future plan). Should I get Cannister or hang-on type?
Q5) On the skimmer? For a 4ft tank, what type or size of the skimmer is needed? Skimmer to be added after the cycling or during cycling?
Q6) Do you guys use S'pore tab water or must go through RO (seems expensive)? ANy other options?
Hope I did not asked un-neccessary questions here. Tried to find the answer from my readings but just doesn't seem to find them.
Hi Welcome to the reef hobby,
to answer your questions.....
Your tank size is good for a beginner tank. Beginners should always go for as big as possible so more room (water) for mistakes and tolerance.
However, considering your tank was FW, please check and ensure your tank glass thickness is at least 10mm. 12mm and higher is better. This is because salt water, sand and live rocks corals can increase the weight of the tank much much more than FW. And of course the stand it is on....wrought iron will rust in a week. Make sure your stand is strong enough. A 4ft tank fully stocked can weigh up to 800kg.
1)Ian is selling an overflow device he made. Can check with him
2)Get as big a sump as possible (whether it can fit below your tank). You will then have more room for return pumps, skimmers etc
3)There is no need for live sand but you will need live rocks.
4)A mechanical filter (cotton/sponge) would be good to remove larger ditritus. You can make that in your sump, just a compartment where the overflow comes down into first.
5)Skimmer is the most important item in your tank next to live rocks and lights. Get the best you can ever afford. Go for H&S, EuroReef, AquaC or Schuran. All these are available from SL, PR, Eaquanature respectively.
6)If you are rich and got money to spare, RO would be best. But tap water will do just as well. Anyway ML is selling a damn good prefilter for $290 plus. I just use tap water, dun even bother with antichlorine. However my top up fresh water I use antichlorine (seachem prime).
7) You forgot about point 7. Which is lighting. Get the most powerful lights you can afford too. brightness is from lowest to highest.....FL, PL, T5, MH. For corals, its best to get as bright as possible. Fishes however can do with just PL.
8) You also forgot about point 8. Which is cooling. If using MH, best is to get a chiller. Water temp for corals should be optimum around 25 degrees plus minus 2 degrees. If not using MH, just use fans to blow across the water. However evaporation rate would be high. Then a auto top up device for fresh water can be gotten from yours truly too.
Cheers
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Pmed you. I'm interested in the powder blue. Pls call me.
Cheers
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Something you might want to consider:
The moonlight should not exceed 200 lumen due to the fact that the symbiosis algae needs some “rest” at night to regenerate and grow properly.
Especially the super bright LED’s might exceed this threshold and you will get negative results when used
.Hey WOW! You've just given me another idea!
I wonder. If I want to kill aiptasia or bubble algae, I should just attach a high intensity ultraviolet LED or infrared LED to radiate the bugger and its pin point accuracy too...I mean well a radius of about 4cm or less. Thats cool. I wonder if it will work.
Just connect one of these LED to a plastic pipe and lower into position then turn on and leave for 1hr. FRY THEM Smart bomb style.
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Dang....that's all sounding pretty complicated, i wasn't planning on adding a relay to the float switch, which one of them doesn't require for me to connect one to it? Or is that highly recommended? See, i've been doing alot of reading on Nano-reef.com and i guess the problem there is that their voltage is not rated at 200 over so most of them just connect their float switches directly to their connection points etc....and i figured it was applicable to those of us in Malaysia and Singapore as well.....am i wrong to assume this?
And are float switches really that expensive? Anyone know where else i can find a float switch? The model you quoted me is going for about RM 85....that's pretty costly i thought....any other alternative places where i can find one o these?
oh and thanx again for all the useful info Crab.
Bro please becareful. Are you sure you know what you are doing?
Reason being, to directly connect a float switch to 220Vac is super dangerous. Thats like waiting for an accident to happen. I know its cheap to DIY but pls do it only when you are very sure of electrical safety etc.
Never dip anything that has a 220Vac into the water when its a DIY equipment unless you really know what you are doing.
The float switch wires are only epoxy sealed to prevent leaks. In due time, that can possibly leak and stray current will escape into the tank. Imagine if thats 220Vac stray current!!!
Unless you get the very expensive type of float switches meant for AC voltages, a cheap less than $20 float switch should never never be connected in this way.
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i'm sure u think thats the same Xenia species that u bought.
maybe if u see it in person, then u'll know why i say yours can't be the same species. the photo was of poor QLTY
or perhaps i'm wrong
whatever it is, I LOVE THEM N i'm sure u will too
Hmmm bro ,
perhaps you may be right. I will have to take a closer look one day. I hope you are right too as I am always looking for beautiful looking xenias. (they move hehehe)
I've been looking for green pumping xenias for a long time but it seems its never imported to Singapore.
I prefer the pumping xenia types as their pumping action really amazes me. Just like a soft bio motor. Imagine if engines of the future were built of genetic material which only needed sunlight to run.
And best of all, they grow more powerful the longer they are used and they self repair. -
Thanks bro,
but seriously when you have kids running around, everything is a potential danger.
Especially that nicely decorated top of the end fish tank with nice cabinet. Nothing is safe from a kid's hands. Your water pumps, chiller, lights, chairs where they can climb to take a look from the top, electrical wirings, cabinet corners and edges, etc etc.
There are a million things to becareful of when there are kids around. Those with kids will surely agree. I mean even a wall socket is a danger as they can be tempted to poke something into it.
And yes it is a big setup. Especially with the kalk reactor and container of freshwater. But I manage to keep most of it except the reactor in my cabinet. Then again I arrange my tank in an unobtrusive area where people do not walk into it. So its safe. Its really all about planning and layout. For those who have a calcium reactor with a CO2 cylinder its even worse. And believe it or not, I have both a calcium reactor with CO2 and a alvy kalk reactor. But they are neatly tucked away beside my tank.
Being a parent, one has to be responsible to plan for accidents as best you can. And having a fish tank in the house is a real risk too. Hence always try to anticipate what can go wrong.
I'm not married yet but I can already anticipate all the dangers of having a kid running around in the house. Actually the tank is the least of my worries. Its the windows and kitchen and toilets that are danger zones. Anyway we are
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Blood Red Mushrooms~
cookie ur frag is ready .. a small one ...
Thanks bro,
and great tank you have. You are actually the person who inspired me to keep a mushroom tank when I started my own tank. I have been going around collecting all kinds of mushies and rics.
Cheers and hope one day I got something worthy to frag and share with you too.
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hehehe finally this time i'm the first one on the list. Hey bro dun forget about the other one you promised me ok?
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the xenia that Cookiemunster got can't be the same species from LCK.
this white xenia may cost more but its not something u'll find anywhere.
anyway, xenia's are not beginners coral, so do some reading up B4 buying them.
they can stun growth of SPS if placed too close so think twice if anybody wants to keep them.
XENIAs are really BEAUTIFUL n i looovvvv them......MMMmmmm.
Dude,
why not ask marinebetta, Rumour or anyone who has been to my place to see it.
I even had a blue one. But that didn't make it.
I have seen his photo and its the same one. I did not get more cos I was looking for green and silver pumping xenias.
And I would agree xenias are not easy to keep corals so anyone keeping them should read up.
Xenias require a stable temp of max 28 degrees. A ph lower than 8.3 will cause them to pump irregularly. Iodine additions are important to their continuity. They love strong MH lights and will grow super fast under it. Medium current flow is also preferred.
And xenias will stunt sps growth. According to Julian Sprung, they release chemicals into the water to inhibit other corals nearby to prevent them from growing, and sometimes causing death. However they do not sting.
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I had problems balancing my calc and dkh.
I was using Tropic Marine salt and after stocking my tank 1 month later, my dkh was 5 and calcium was 350.
My dkh was not ionically balanced so I used seachem reef builder to up the dkh to 7.
Now I installed a DIY calcium reactor and Alvy's kalk reactor, my dkh is now 9.8kdh and calcium is 440 using salifert.
I place 30 teaspoons of reefez kalk into the kalk reactor and leave it to top up the tank. Never touched it for a month already.
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I'm using tropic marine. Damn expensive. And needed so much!!!!
I think it is less concentrated somehow. Thats why need more to get the ideal sg. Perhaps also this is the reason why it dissolves easier.
But I am now beginning to think salt makes no god damn difference. As long as its marine salt get the cheapest of the lot. Taiwan brands even.
To me it makes no difference cos I still does all the trace elements and calcium and carbonates too.
Any comments on this?
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Wow,
impressive skimmer H&S skimmer.
CookieMonster : what is the size of your tank ?
Yes but I always dread washing it. It really really stinks very bad. And my parents always complain of the smell when I'm washing it.
My dad even worries its very very toxic and full of bacteria. Which begins to get me worried too. I wouldn't touch it with an open wound.
My tank is a 4x2.25x2ft tank.
Hotsoup: You really won't regret it. Show us the skimmate once it breaks in. Should take only 3 days max to break in.
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Are these Yumas or Florida Ricordias? How come they look so alike?
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Actually I wanted the LED lights for artinic supplement. Night mode just need 1 LED per 2 ft is sufficient already.
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Alright! Let's have a competition... may the best DIYer win!
Joking! But it'll be great to put your heads together... and come up with a 'made in SRC product'... hahaha... I'll help you market it overseas!
Bro I've got alot alot of other stuff and DIY ideas. I just don't have the time....reason you already know. Sigh Damn. If only I had more time on hand.
I'm hoping someone here will be successful with the LED moonlight phase concept too. And hopefully available cheaply. I'd really rather buy off the shelf than spend so much time fabricating one.
Personally I would just want to use 1 or 2 1W LED of 470nm to act as moonlight. Its alot cheaper than replacing my T5 artinics and probably will last longer too. Not to mention save alot of electricity too.
However, 430nm LEDs are only 5V 3mm ones and will need more of these.
Gabriel hope to see you make something out soon. By the way, all the LED specs are easily available from RS components catalogues. The pricing are all there too. Try to go for the 430nm ones as these are reported to be more beneficial to corals.
Cheers
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"20 to 40 LEDs already cost $200 to $300 at $1 each"
i dun understand the above
sorry
i dun see why the brightest led should ALWAYS be used
maybe as a personal preferene, moonlight should not be that bright
if u want it soo bright might as well use a FL covered with blue "chelphane"(dunno how to spell) paper
i believe dat those brighter and more expensive leds should be used only when the tank is really deep and u wish to penetrate till the bottom
but as per above, it varies from a case-case basis : )
1) proper water/splash proof housing
i dun think its dat expensive
2) proper plastic clip on or similar attachment
can be done using acrylic with glue
3) 430nm superbright LEDs each $1
as per above
4)Micro controller
cost wise varies i believe
5)timer and counter
i believe a crystal oscilator might do fine
6) resister array
not expensive
7)circuit housing and PCB fabrication
normal ready made boards can be used, but ofcos if u wanna do ur own neater and more tedious method is to use CAD, then etch : )
too much work for me
8)programming costs and time involved
dunno how much i'm worth
"But then again there are many ways of doing it and perhaps you have simpler and easier less complicated methods. And thats the fun of DIY. "
ya perhaps
we are all learning everyday : )
cheers have fun!
Bro its the wavelength that matters. Not the brightness. If I wanted bright, I would just use a 5W LED instead of 20 to 40 LEDs.
Oh yeah oops I made a mistake with the maths.
Mind is too boggled. 20 to 40 is only $20 to $40. Oops. Ok Sigh no wonder I was thinking $200 to $500. Sorry dude. No wonder you are saying its too ex. I must have been thinking 200 to 400 LEDs. hahahahaBut the rest of the things I've stated will cost. Then again I am thinking nicely fabricated stuff not super glue and rubber band DIYs. So of course prices will vary.
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Liverock and cookiemonter,
One question on LED. Can their output be varies??
I need a moonbar that can either be vary from 0v to 10v or a moonbar that can be vary through phrase angel control...
Currently I'm only using a tangsten bulb of 5w hook up to the phrase angel control to varies the frequency of the current and hence varies the output of the light.
If LED can be done, that will be cool
Hey bro thats CookieMunster not monter,
LEDs can be varied. Usually LEDs sold are rated for max of 5V. Most are 1.5 or 3V LEDs.
Varying the voltage will change the brightness just like a variable light in the house.
If you have a signal generating a sine wave of peak 5V and valley of 1V over a time period, you can get a slowly changing light intensity. Do not let it turn off completely however as this will shorten the lifespan of your LED.
A simpler method would be manual adjustments. You just need to use a voltage divider on resister and potentiometer in parallel to vary the voltage across the LEDs.
However, I think using a 1W or 5W LED would have more significant effect.
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but even so 400-500 is way off
i'm talking about $50 is the chip bro including the programming
maybe i'm cheap labour loh
Have you really considered all the costs carefully? I don't even know if $300 to $500 can cover costs.
Heres why but perhaps I am wrong:
1) proper water/splash proof housing
2) proper plastic clip on or similar attachment
3) 430nm superbright LEDs each $1
4)Micro controller
5)timer and counter
6) resister array
7)circuit housing and PCB fabrication
8)programming costs and time involved
I could have missed out a few more items but these alone I calculated would cost about $300 to $500 alone. 20 to 40 LEDs already cost $200 to $300 at $1 each. Unless you use the cheapo $0.30 blue LEDs which are not much use in the first place since they are mostly 490nm to 500 plus nm wavelength.
I even wanted to build 5W LEDs of 470nm but do you know how much each of these cost???? $80 and min order of 5 pieces.
So please do proper calculations before you give false quotations.
But then again there are many ways of doing it and perhaps you have simpler and easier less complicated methods. And thats the fun of DIY.
Nori
in Product Reviews
Posted
We have AT to thank for this wonderful idea!!! I really really appreciate this cos this is the main thing I feed to my fishes now.
And it was only after knowing this method of feeding with garlic soaked nori, that I developed the courage to keep ich infested tangs. Its the big difference between knowing what to give them to eat to prevent or reduce ich. And this method really really rocks!!!
And best of all its SO SO CHEAP!!!! One pack of 70cent nori can last me 1 month at least. No more paying $$$ to famous amos branded foodstuff.
Thanks AT.