10 G Nano New kid on the block

[chex]

very nice tow-up. You are pretty close on the african tank. But they are kept in a range of 7.8- 8.2. Which is very similar to salt, yes? Thats for lake Malawi. tans, and Victorians are up in the 8.4 range. You are right on the overcrowding thing though,but none the less ###### loads of ammonia are being produced, especially with a seven inch south american midas cichlid in the tank. Also did you know one of the ways to make a cichlid buffer includes marine salt. If you are doing regular water changes once a week you don't haft to worry about the trace elements being depleated.

I understand the issues with the bio wheel, the thing is if you don't have enough live rock like myself. (unemployed currently)the bio-wheel as a very efficent tool and is needed. There are pros and cons to everything. But im not going to beafraid to put one or two fish over my "bio-load" fearing everything is going to go to hell on me. Because i take very well care of my fish tanks, because it is a passion and awesome hobby of mine. Basically ut all depends on how lazy you are when it comes to your tanks. /with the mandrins you know as well as i or any one else does most will not take brine. they are very finiky fish. So have a refugium producing copepods and having them being released in the tank is the best idea. Isn't the mandrins main source of food copepods. At least thats what I have been told. Don't get me wrong i agree withyou on the most part. I respect your opinon. But that and this is my opinon. As is everyone elses on this whole forum, unless we have some marine biologists here that all they do is study reefs.

[tow-up]

i see where your comming from. true that the buffers use salt. i agree but on the overcrowding. marine animals need alot of room. they were caught from the ocean and are not used to having 4 glass walls restrict their swimming. and yes overcrowding can lead a reeftank to Sh1t. and yes mandarins will accept live brine. sure they will choose copepods over brine, but they will also accept brine.