CARC Update (Central Alabama Reef Club)

[Nitroq2]

Ok folks after a few changes due to very heavy work load Scothew was unable to do the website for us. But that wasn't a problem ICONZ has stepped up and is working on it and the site is up now at for viewing at www.alabamareefers.com He has warned me the site is and will be under heavy construction and will see lots of changes as he settles in and finds what works and what doesn't.
I have a proposition for the club and its members to have an affect on lots of potential upcoming reefers. A school here in Walker County has purchased a 180g reef and it is currently setup (maybe 2 months) with only liverock and fish. (well maybe 1 or two soft corals). I was able to speak with the principal today and she and her students would be more than delighted to have us adopt this tank. Hundreds of students, teachers, and parents will pass by the tank daily, and shw wants it to be calming and eye catching. It would require us to make at least one visit a month (doesn't have to be the actual meeting but it can be) where in we will do a water change, some cleaning, add fish and corals that have been donated, and make any changes we see fit.
I personally think this would be a great thing to do as a club. The school is in Carbon Hill, Alabama, and you may remember that name from the tornado that wiped out that community a couple of years back. The tornado also destroyed the school and just before that the high school there had burned to the ground and they were housed in trailers until this new school was built to house both schools. She said she will open for us on our saturday to hold the meeting and work on the tank. I would like some input from the members we have now and any new members that plan to attend. She has stated that she will buy the items we will need such as salt and supplies. I haven't actually seen the tank yet other than through pictures, but myself and Dobbs have a trip planned to there tomorrow evening to see what she has.
Also please start checking the site for updates. Also if you want a page on the site with your tanks and information about them you can send the page to me via email. If you aren't a web designer and would rather just send the pics and a summary of the tank and your information, we will create the page for you to show off your tank.
Sorry for the long post guys/gals but it was information that needed to get out.
Thanks
Allen

 

[6Speed]

Sweet! Page is looking good! That dang John Doe beat me!

Ok, so on the 180 tank. I'm down to make a visit every once in a while to do water changes and whatnot. I'm curious about RO vs tapwater. My tapwater here is only about 70ppm, so not too bad. I never had bad algae problems even when I used the tapwater, and softies grew fine.

I have no idea what the water quality in Carbon Hill is, but if we proposed to use RO, how would we get it there? I wouldn't mind making the water when it came to my turn, but I have no idea how I'd get 30 gallons of water transported there. Maybe they could invest in, or we could find someone to donate an RO unit & trashcan with float valve. That way we'd always have fresh water to work with, and it would be minimal effort for them to deal with the water. They'd also always have a reservoir for topoffs since it will need to be topped off every few days.

 

[Nitroq2]

Thanks 6speed that is great, and thats at least 4 folks that are willing to work it. Also its not that far from you if you come up the back way. I spoke with her briefly about water, and I think if we cant find a donation that she would be willing to make the purchase. I can make extra if need be until she can get an RO Unit on site. She has currently been topping off buying distilled water from the grocery, so I thought man that would be alot of gallons, but she told me she is only using like 3 gallon a month to top off, I questioned it how so little, so I ask if the folks had put glass lids on it that put it up and she said yes. Topple that with a Wet dry sump and not much water evaps. I myself don't like the glass lids, so we can all discuss that at the meeting if we take the project on. Like I said I will get more information tomorrow evening during our visit, but questions like that will help out. If anyone else has them please let me know so I will know what to look for.

 

[beefarmer]

Hi, my name is Darell, my family and I will be attending the Feb. meeting and joining the club. I have been lurking the message board for a long time and I am delited that a club is forming that is a shorter drive for me than the Huntsville area group (even if you guys are great). I am the past President of the Northeast Alabama Aquarium Society and would love to add my imput in the forming stage of the club.

Looking foward to meeting all of you

Darrell

 

[Nitroq2]

Welcome Darrell, I look foward to meeting you and your family as well. I think you will find us to be a great bunch of guys/gals as well. If the consensus is to adopt the school tank, the feb meeting will be in Carbon Hill which is about 15 minutes more to the west of Jasper, but for the cause it will be worth it. If the state could ever finish the I-22 project it wouldn't take that long at all to get out here. We will be holding more meetings throughout the Central Alabama area as well.

 

[Iconz]

Awesome responses guys! The site, as Allen said, is under strong development since I'm not very busy at work these days. (Shhhhhh! Don't wake the beast!) I'm not an expert in web design, but I learn fast, and have already implemented some newly-learned tricks that have made it better.

As he also said, if you all want, design your own page in frontpage or wherever, and email it (and the pictures) to us, and we can put it up. Or, if you aren't web-design inclined, or just don't want to, just send us the write ups about your systems, its contents, and pics, and we'll put it in for ya!

The school tank sounds great to me, as I've already comitted to helping out on it. I do have a 100GPD 6-stage ro/di unit that I can put to use and bring some 0 TDS water if we need it.

I look forward to seeing everyone in 2 weeks!

And a BIG welcome to Darell and his family!

-JD

 

[skilos1]

I'd be happy to donate a few corals and fish to stock the school tank. We can talk about this a little more next time I see you Allen.

 

[Nitroq2]

Most Excellent once again we would like to thank you for all you have done to help us get started. Today Dobbs and I made a visit to the school and I must say the tank has alot of great potential, and was better than I had pictured it to be. Everyone please check our site later tonight or in the morning and I will have the official page up on our site for the tank, including the current inhabitants, stats, equiptment, and information about the first visit along with the pictures to boot.

 

[cichlid nutz]

Looking forward to seeing the tank guys. Don't know that i have anything to donate other than time.... my tank is only 2 - 3 weeks old right now. Who was it that had the Chaetomorpha??? I would definately like some if you still have it. Let me know if we still trying to carpool from B'ham area.

 

[Nitroq2]

ATTENTION ALL CARC MEMBERS:
Please refer to the website, we have had a change the meeting will be in Carbon Hill at 3:30pm instead of Jasper at 3pm. The meeting will be at the school in Carbon Hill look on the site directions will be posted soon. Its about 15 minutes from Jasper to Carbon Hill. Also if you haven't looked the tank can be seen on our website http://www.alabamareefers.com
Mark I got some Chaeto I can give you at the meeting, you a cup of starter sand/mud for your fuge as well?

 

[cichlid nutz]

Does the chaeto have to go in a refugium?? maybe i was thinking Gracilaria? Just something to help with the nitrates until I get my reef well on its feet, that will do well just in the sump. My setup is kind of strange that I use my sump as a holding area and it is lighted. Thanks Allen

 

[Nitroq2]

It doesn't have to go into a fuge, it can go in the sump as long as its lighted. It doesn't spread like most macros and stays in a ball. You can try a quart and see how it does, just put it down in that sump holding area with the light. The fuge area is the best place for it with a clamp light fixture with 5500-6500 watts flourecent curly q light bulb. running opposite your display this assists with keeping ph stable and allow the macro to grow, its also good to have some rubble in the fuge along with a deep sandbed. This allows for lots of food to be generated in the fuge and the export of nutrients. If you have room you could setup a 10g fuge off your display and holding tank (sump). Just put it above the holding tank, by drilling the ten on the side putting in a bulkhead with a strainer about 2 inches from the top, use what ever length you need to get back over the sump then elbow it back down into the sump. This would allow overflow back to the sump, then to get water to it you can T-off your return and put in a gate valve or Ball valve to control the flow as to not overflow the fuge. The other option would be not to have a t in the return and just use a small pump or powerhead to push water up into the fuge. Thats all here nor there, just a thought for an easy fuge for you. I will bring you a quart bag of it.

 

[bruffin]

I'm looking forward to the meeting guys . . . I read about where you planned to take out the bio-balls in the system and add the rock and macros.
I could bring a rubbermaid tub to use as a sump - to increase the water volume; and some extra aragocrete rocks that I have. The rocks are called "biorocks" and are from www.reefrocksrus.com .

-- Brian

 

[Nitroq2]

I think we can still use the sump that is there just without the bioballs we will look at it and see. But if you want to bring it that might not hurt, as we may have to go that route. On the reef rocks you didn't like them? I was thinking about something like that for my tank.

 

[bruffin]

They're alright, I just ordered too much . . .
The biorocks are really porous, but they don't look that great. I use them in my sump, maybe one or two will go in the main display. Extremely porous, though -
I'll bring you some if you want . . . (?)

 

[kraftyforu]

i wouldnt mind having some

 

[Nitroq2]

Dobbs if you wouldn't mind do you think you could give directions? As you could probably guess I can't remember what the exit was for the school. Also if you would go ahead and catch up 10 gallons RO and I will catch up 10, for the water change saturday, and we will try to get up around thursday to aerate it and mix the salt. If anyone is bringing corals to donate please make sure there bug free. I will be bringing several, I know of some Button polyps, greenstar polyps. Also Walbertt has donated some corals not sure what all he has available. I also have a blue green chromis that will go in saturday. Dobbs and I were talking and a school of chromis would look nice and always be out for viewing. I may get with Chris over at Sarris they have offered some items and see if we can get a school of those from him. I will be bringing some chaeto for Mark. If I was supposed to bring something for someone else please remind me now.

 

[Iconz]

Do you need any ro/di water from me? It comes out at 0 (zero) TDS . Might could use it for an ato ststem or just for them to top off with if they have a container to keep it in. Just lemme know.

 

[Nitroq2]

Yes Iconz that would be good will save her money on buying it. If you can put it in a water container that would be great. An RO/DI will be one of the first things I will ask her to purchase, right behind some timers for the lights.

 

[Iconz]

K. I'll go by wally world before i come and buy a 15ish gallon rubbermaid. I've got 2 - 5gal water jugs that I can transport it in...

As long as I don't flood my laundry room while filling them up again like I did last night... I left the jug on top of the washer (to catch excess water incase I forgot about it for an hour) and turned on the ro/di to fill it up. I forgot about it and went to bed. Woke up, went to work. My wife called about 2 hours later sayin the cat came out drenched and whining... (LOL) It overflowed the 5 gal jug, and the washer and then into the floor about an inch deep!... So, I've had an eventful morning....

I'll try to bring 10-15 gals.