New to the Nano reef

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McGyver would be proud :)

Did I really just spell McGyver wrong, who cares it's late and I was to young when that show came out to even remember much about it. Most of my McGyver knowledge comes from The Simpsons (Marge's Sisters are McGyver fans)
 
MacGuyver...the man that could turn a booger in to a bomb!! :lmao:

Might be dating myself here, but I remember watching that show... ;)
 
Hey folks -
I read all 37 pages of this thread and have really been enjoying the updates, pics, & discussion. Several pages back there was discussion on kalk dosing systems you're using, auto-top offs for H20 replacement, etc. But, I can't get any of you to chime in on what you're using on your tanks featured in this post, and I am really interested, as I think you're doing great and I'm about to start my 30g cube very soon, would like to learn from whatever equipment pros/cons you can share. I'll try this again...hopefully you can help. I can post it in another forum if it doesn't work here. Thanks in advance, Matt

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

RE-re-posting Q's if someone could comment pls:

hi...few pgs back talking about kalk dosing, auto topoffs, etc

1) can anyone post pics and info about off-the-shelf systems people are using that they are having good success with? same for DIY type setups?

2) also, same for O-T-S or DIY h20 topoff systems?

3) either of these usually on either timers, continuous slow drips, or auto/float valves?

sorry, hope this thread is OK for these topics...seems the discussion bounces to lots of things. i like this post...just read about 10 pgs of it for the first time.


starting mine very very soon...need to make some choices on things i've never bought/incorporated before. my last tank was fishonly/liverock and just filters & skimmer... need some assistance on starting reef.

thx
 
Matt, I thought I answered a few pages back. I am using a DIY kalk doser. It is a water bottle with some rigid tubing, some air line tubing and a plastic valve. I connect this to the venturi on the maxi jet and set the valve to requlate how much is coming out. I dose only at night. There was some discussion on this with Jason (hopefulreefer), you can dose continious with the top off water, I choose a night becuase of a pH swing, not much but some.

I top off the water mixed with Randy Holmes-Farley two part mixed in with the top off in a 1 gallon water jug. I only lose about a gallon a week, my tank is open on top. I might be wrong but the others with the all in ones do not have much evaporation.

I also supplement with iodine and strontium if needed. Twice weekly water changes eliminate that, but being that I have been undergoing medical treatment I can only change once a week. So I have been dosing more. I only dose for what I can test for.

I use mainly DIY for two reasons, money and for fun.

HTH,

Tom
 
The wife bought me two firefish on Sunday, like all the gobies I ahve added to the tanks they are in hiding. Why is that? I have only seen the cudgeon at night and only the tail. The firefish were out for awhile and have gone into hiding. I will be moving the clowns to the frag tank, as the are bullies.

The Bio Cube is on a stand now sitting empty. I ordered some Haitian live rock will be here on Thursday. A clean up crew as well, will be here tommorrow and will be housed in the ten until it is time. I got some astrea and vibex snails, blue and red leg hermits, mirthax and sallyfoot crabs, some shrimp can't remember what kind. Will be splitting them up with the frag tank. The heater, hydor and filter media will be here tommorrow. Got the salt mixing. The live rock is uncured so it will have to cycle. Wanted to try a different kind and liked the look of the haitian.

I will try and connect the rock with acrylic or plastic rods to make it more open for the fish, something I have wanted to do. I will start posting pics this coming weekend.

Tom
 
Big srew up guys, I was just about to do another water change. When I noticed the water seemed cold. Looked at the thermometer and it was 70 degrees . What a shock!
I am such an idiot I must have somehow knocked the plug out for the heater during the water change 2 days ago . Everything still looks good But I did notice a dead hermit this morning .
Could have been the cause of my nitrate prob or it was from the temp drop. Iwill try to raise it gradually over several hours .
Hopefully everything will be alright! wish me luck!
 
There is someone here near me that recently lost power and their heater was off for some time...their temp got down to about 70 as well and when they warmed the tank back up everything was fine...take your time and all will be well...
 
Whoops.

No way that caused the nitrates.

I would raise it slowly over a day, not hours. Maybe get it up to 74-75 tonight and raise it back to where ever you had it by tomorrow midday.
If you fish are alive at this temp then they are o.k., raising it to fast can shock them more than they are.

Good luck
 
We all have accidents KF...thank god your's wasn't irreversible. Imagine if livestock started to float to the top of the tank!!!!!!!

I may be the only one but, I have my hand in my tank almost daily (cleaning crew knocks something over, I am moving something around, wiping the glass down, etc.) Was there any way to notice the temp dropping? What type of thermom. do you have? I probably would have felt it....but even 78.8 seems cool when I stick my hand in.

As long as things are fine, its all good.

On another subject...on the sea life florida website...they have mini octopuses for sale for $25. It says they are naturally short-lived, so I thought about getting 2. I figure, even if they last for a few months, its still pretty cool having nano octos in the tank.

Feelings?? Concerns?? Downright objections to the short life span/animal cruelty factor???????
 
Octopi are very smart and incredible escape artist and I have seen a video of one leaving it's tank eating all the crabs in another tank and then returning to it's own tank. I would love to have one myself but feel they are best left to experts. I also believe they need pristeen water conditions.

There was a great show on them "national geographic or nova", I wish I could find it on dvd!
check out video below

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/octopus/media_players_blue/shark_hi.html

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4007016107763801953&q=octopus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQWxIrSRDQQ
 
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Steve,

Resist the temptation :)

Maybe if you had a dedicated tank for them it would be one thing but if they died due to their short lifespan and you didn't catch it quick enough it would reek havoc on your setup.


On another note I think we lost Greg like 5 pages back, who wants to go back for him :)
 
Temptation resisted!!!

I figured that it would be cool for about 4 months and then that would be that. But I didn't figure in the problems of a dead octopus rotting behind a rock and wreaking havoc on my params.

Ugh...some day...down the road...in the 40 gal octo species tank...next to the species specific seahorse tank....next to my 800 gal reef tank... yeah..someday
 
Steve you like your fish, the octopus like them clownfish. It sounds like you are hooked! I want a 1000 gallon reef, a 800 gallon FOWLR for eels and puffer and trigger oh my. I want a seahorse tank, a zoa tank, an anemone tank.............................

And I will win the lottery someday too!

HAPPY BIRHTDAY COLIN!

Great video links King!
 
Got the clean up crew today! Awesome! The coral banded shrimp is very animated! Got them from etropicals, build your own cleaner package and got free shipping.
The drygoods came today as well. Just waiting the live rock which is suppose to come either tommorrow or thursday.

Kinda put the cart before the horse with the cleaner crew, but since I have room in the other tanks and the wife was loose with the credit card, what the heck.

Tom
 
What happens when a co-worker has to much free time



Cake0021.jpg




My friend and a fellow reefer Jenny did this for me today. Crazy girl.
 
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