THE OFFICIAL ASK ALBERT THIEL THREAD

[rick12]

Thanks Rick ...

 

I do not know, and have not been able to find any indication that they "damage" anything, or are parasitic on corals or whatever, since they are filter feeders and trap small particles with those tentacles they have, and that seems about all they do besides drawing in water and filter feeding.

 

One article I read seemed to indicate that they may appear when tanks are carbon dosed (Vodka was mentioned), and another stated that overfeeding brings them about, as that would put particulate in the water that they can use - e.g. the tiny particles of Cyclop-eeze - not sure though - , or the fine ones from Continuum "micro-blast".

 

I guess the only issue really may be one of "looks", as if there were many in plain view I think it would distract from the overall appeal of the tank ... but that is very subjective of course.

 

Odd too is that this subject does not come up a whole lot ... in fact I had not seen one until I posted a picture of the large one that I have growing amongst a cluster of Zoas.

 

Thanks for the post and keep us in the loop on what you see in your tank ... I appreciate it.

 

Albert

Albert mine would be due to over feeding if anything. I have never carbon dosed or ran pellets etc. for me these are harmless. And yes I do like them. In fact I find my sumps and refugiums to be more interesting then my display tanks.

R.

[albertthiel]

Albert mine would be due to over feeding if anything. I have never carbon dosed or ran pellets etc. for me these are harmless. And yes I do like them. In fact I find my sumps and refugiums to be more interesting then my display tanks.

R.

 

Thanks Rick, and yes I agree that they are not unsightly as long as they do not overtake the tank's visible areas I guess.

 

Interesting to watch though, even if they do not move and I cannot even see the little tentacles move either even when I look at them with a magnifying glass.

 

I guess we'll see what happens as the days go by ... as we sometimes have to do with oddball growths we find our tanks :-)

 

I wonder how many Hobbyists have them in their tanks and sumps or both ...

 

Thanks

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Caution: Palytoxin-containing Zoanthids can temporarily -

 

or possibly permanently - blind you

 

© By Shane Graber - Posted Oct 04, 2012 - & advancedaquarist.com

 

Another reason why you should always wear proper personal protective equipment when working in and around your aquarium - simply rubbing your eye can infect it with palytoxin from stressed Palythoa spp. zoanthids.

 

Always wear protective gear and good quality gloves especially when dealing with Palythoa and Zoanthids.

 

Link : http://tinyurl.com/8p4sx7t

 

Albert

[jedimasterben]

I love the biodiversity that they add, but as soon as they started to pop up in clear view in the display and on corals, I decided to start pulling them.

[albertthiel]

I love the biodiversity that they add, but as soon as they started to pop up in clear view in the display and on corals, I decided to start pulling them.

 

Yes I understand and feel the same way Ben ... as long as they are not in plain sight in too large numbers I don't have a problem with them, but if they do ... then they have to go and based on what you posted earlier that many not be that easy to do as they seem to re-appear as fast or nearly as you remove them.

 

Thanks

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Coral Pictures from Renaissance Aquatics

 

© Renaissance Aquatics and its Owners and the Owners of the Pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link : http://www.facebook.com/renaissance.aquatics?fref=ts

 

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Using PhosBuster Pro to test Phosphate removal Results

 

As I indicated this morning I decided to test two products that remove phosphate from aquarium water, PhosBuster Pro (CaribSea) and Phosphate-E (Brightwell Aquatics)

 

I will be posting the results for Phosphate-E in a separate post, but below are the results for the PhosBuster Pro Product.

 

I took a separate flask holding 8 fluid ounces of aquarium water and added 1 1/2 capful of the PhosBuster Pro to it ( I will do the same for tap water, and for the other product, and also for prepared salt water using Red Sea Pro and show those results in a separate post).

 

Pictures (as soon as I added the liquid PhosBuster Pro the floc started forming). I put the container down and let the floc settle and then moved it over to a smaller container stirring it up so you could see the actual floc in suspension.

 

The Product

 

 

 

5 minutes after the test

 

 

Settled in smaller container

 

 

Tapwater Test (Alpharetta GA tapwater)

 

You can clearly see the floc that has settled in the first picture (the larger container) and the floc when stirred up in the smaller container in the third pic, and then the test on my tap water which had no reaction what so ever meaning there is no phosphate in my tap water

 

Now I used a dose that is far larger than what is recommended for an aquarium, but I wanted to remove ALL of the phosphate from the 8 oz container water to make sure that the product worked and that floc would form, and then settle.

 

Interesting ..... as when I post the second set of test results you will be somewhat surprised ....

 

Interestingly also that my tap water is phosphate free.

 

Albert

Edited October 4, 2012 by albertthiel

[albertthiel]

Phosphate-E Test to remove Phosphates from Aquarium Water Results

 

I now ran the same test on the aquarium water, using Phosphate-E from Brightwell and used 1 1/2 capful of the Liquid as I had done in the previous test.

 

Lo and behold .... all tests showed a totally clear liquid!

 

Like this :

 

 

Phosphate-E did not detect and did not bind any phosphate, although it was clear from the test using PhosBuster Pro that there was Phosphate in the water.

 

I performed the same tests and the water remained totally clear ... no floc ... no precipitate.

 

My conclusion is that the concentration of Lanthanum Chloride in PhosBuster Pro has to be much higher than the one in Phosphate-E, and that the latter even at a higher dose (as I doubled it when I did not see a change) still did not bind any Phosphate (which we know there was).

 

Does that mean that Phosphate-E is not removing any phosphate? It would appear to be so, since I used a small sample amount of water and a high dose of the product.

 

Disclaimer: this is a home test and not a laboratory one, but I can only report what I see and comment on it.

 

Next I am going to test freshly prepared saltwater (well it was prepared around 8 pm last night), and use the PhosBuster Pro product to determine whether RO/DI water and Red Sea Pro salt, at 1.025 s.g. contains any phosphate at all.

 

No sense in using Phosphate-E as it was not able to bind PO4 even in a sample that had PO4 in it as we saw in the previous test.

 

I'll post the results in the next message.

 

Albert

[atoll]

I read this article before I had gotten all three of my Vortech pumps (of which I now only use two) and had considered setting up a more laminar approach to my tank instead of the 'random' pulsing flow that these pumps are best known for. I am considering it again since you have brought this up. I will post more to my thread later.

Ben have you considered a Tunze wave box IMO a most under rated piece of kit?

[jedimasterben]

Ben have you considered a Tunze wave box IMO a most under rated piece of kit?

Yeah, that thing is ginormous. I can't see ever using one of those, the form factor is just too large for a shallow rimless display. Also that thing costs as much as my Vortechs did. I have doubts to whether it could replace my powerheads, even if it didn't have such a large footprint. I'm at work so I can't look up any videos of it.

Edited October 4, 2012 by jedimasterben

[albertthiel]

Yeah, that thing is ginormous. I can't see ever using one of those, the form factor is just too large for a shallow rimless display. Also that thing costs as much as my Vortechs did. I have doubts to whether it could replace my powerheads, even if it didn't have such a large footprint. I'm at work so I can't look up any videos of it.

 

Yes Tunze does not come cheap that is for sure, and I looked at their site for it and saw how it works etc... and the price :-(

[atoll]

Am at work as well so cant posts much will do more when I get home.

Yeah, that thing is ginormous. I can't see ever using one of those, the form factor is just too large for a shallow rimless display. Also that thing costs as much as my Vortechs did. I have doubts to whether it could replace my powerheads, even if it didn't have such a large footprint. I'm at work so I can't look up any videos of it.

[albertthiel]

Phosphate test on Freshly Prepared Saltwater from Last Night

 

I tested the same quantity of saltwater that was prepared last night around 8 or so with Red Sea Pro Salt at a s.g. of 1.025 and a temp of 78 which is the same as what the tank runs at.

 

I was not expecting to find any PO4 using the Phosphate-E product as it did not detect any in the previous test, even though the results using PhosBuster Pro showed that the tank water contained PO4 even though my Salifert test could not detect it because the level was below the minimum it can detect.

 

However the PhosBuster Pro did detect that there was PO4 in the tank water, which of course was to be expected since PO4 never really is 0 ppm.

 

When I started the test on the reserve saltwater I expected that I would find "some" phosphate, but not very high levels, not as high as what was found in the tank water.

 

How much I could not tell of course as my test kit (Salifert) would not read that low a concentration. A visual inspection of the small bowls when all the floc had settled shows that the unused saltwater had about 1/5 of the amount of sediment than what the tank water had, so a very very low amount.

 

RO/DI

 

 

Test when settled

 

 

Test before settling

 

The information provided is informational only, and not done under Lab conditions.

 

The final conclusion is that regardless of what our tests tell us, PO4 will be present in the water in the tank and also in the saltwater we prepare (but in very low quantities).

 

The other conclusion is that the concentration of Lanthanum Chloride in PhosBuster Pro has to be a lot higher than in Phosphate-E as the former can detect and floc phosphate whereas the latter could not.

 

The caution therefore is that if you are going to use the PhosBuster Product that you should be real careful with the amount used so you do not overdose and so you do not end up with floc in the tank that settles to the bottom and that "may" release the bound phosphate due to bacterial action, but that has not been researched as far as I know, and has therefore not been proven. What is also not clear is whether Lanthanum Chloride is set free should that happen, and if so what its effect on the lifeforms is.

 

Does that mean that you should not use it? No really but research its use and effects very carefully and make sure you follow all the directions, including trapping the floc in a filter sock that traps sufficiently fine material and clean the sock as needed.

 

The stronger solution which is sold for Swimming Pool use has been used by Public aquariums with success and no ill effects, and I have posted links to articles about that before.

 

Just do a search for Lanthanum Chloride and all the posts in which it was covered will come up.

 

The Search box is on the bottom left below the screen you see the post in :

 

 

I performed all the tests for my personal edification and decided to share the results here for your information only.

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Corals from Renaissance Aquatics (II)

 

© Renaissance Aquatics and their owners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link : http://www.facebook.com/renaissance.aquatics?fref=ts

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

The Living Ocean: Forest of the Atlantic Ocean

 

© thelivingocean.net

 

 

 

A great Article

 

Link: http://tinyurl.com/9eslugf

 

Albert

[atoll]

I had a Tunze nano wave maker ( there are 2 sizes of Tunze wave makers) and IMO it was well worth the asking price given its performance in my Betta Lifespace 1000. The wave box works like no other type of pump inc the Vortex pumps if you have seen the videos on YouTube of them you will see why. If I ever have a largish tank again one will definitely be on my shopping lists. Expensive yes but you do get what you pay for and I bought mine secondhand and it never let me down all the time I had it. A great piece of kit.

 

Les.

[eitallent]

Hello, Albert.

 

How is your Citron goby? I named mine Skipper. Ha ha ...

I was curious about your goby and your feeding routine for him/her.

What do you feed? How much at a feeding do you give? How often through the day do you feed him/her?

Edited October 4, 2012 by eitallent

[jedimasterben]

I had a Tunze nano wave maker ( there are 2 sizes of Tunze wave makers) and IMO it was well worth the asking price given its performance in my Betta Lifespace 1000. The wave box works like no other type of pump inc the Vortex pumps if you have seen the videos on YouTube of them you will see why. If I ever have a largish tank again one will definitely be on my shopping lists. Expensive yes but you do get what you pay for and I bought mine secondhand and it never let me down all the time I had it. A great piece of kit.

 

Les.

I'm assuming it works like a Carlson surge device, right?

[albertthiel]

I had a Tunze nano wave maker ( there are 2 sizes of Tunze wave makers) and IMO it was well worth the asking price given its performance in my Betta Lifespace 1000. The wave box works like no other type of pump inc the Vortex pumps if you have seen the videos on YouTube of them you will see why. If I ever have a largish tank again one will definitely be on my shopping lists. Expensive yes but you do get what you pay for and I bought mine secondhand and it never let me down all the time I had it. A great piece of kit.

 

Les.

 

And yes, Tunze products tend to be expensive, but the Company has always been at the forefront of development of new products and techniques (and I used their skimmers in the 90's) and has a reputation of excellent customer service, and keeping parts for even very old equipment available, even equipment that they no longer make and sell.

 

As you say ... you get what you pay for ... As a comparison many spend $$$ on Radion lights (like over 1K and more when the new upgraded ones come out I hear) so there are times when one just has to bite the bullet to get what "does the job".

 

Tanks Les. I agree with you that Tunze is a top level Manufacturer and just about a commodity for aquariums in Europe. So many people use their products that the Company can invest a lot of money in R&D.

 

I guess Eheim is in that same league, but I have heard a few remarks lately about lesser quality, but I am not sure whether they are legit or just " talk " by some.

 

The other one that was tops was Dupla, but I guess they are no longer around, or Horst Kipper sold the Company and their line is now no longer what it used to be, or so it seems.

 

Maybe you can fill me in on that one as I used to be the exclusive importer for the US for their products for quite a few years in the late 80's.

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Hello, Albert.

 

How is your Citron goby? I named mine Skipper. Ha ha ...

I was curious about your goby and your feeding routine for him/her.

What do you feed? How much at a feeding do you give? How often through the day do you feed him/her?

 

My Citron Goby is doing great and has become a tank glass magnet of sorts as he swims to the front glass and then just "hangs" there for a while, right against the glass.

 

I have not named him but he is a piece of work for sure. Sits and rests on anything in the tank including all "stingers" and does not seem to be affected by them at all. Must be immune to all of the stings I guess.

 

Sometimes I find him inside my Cabbage coral the top of which is like a Vase opening and he just rests on the Cabbage's tissue for a while and may then move on to one of my Leather corals, or a cluster of Zoas, or maybe my Candy Cane or even my Duncan ... He sure is a fun fish to watch ...

 

The real funny thing is that sometimes he goes and rests in the stop where my Banggai Cardinal hangs out most of the day, and the Banggai will then swim to him, and nudge him away from that spot, and I mean nudge. The Banggai literally swims up to him and pushes him out of that spot ... no aggression .. just "hey get out of there, that's my spot". It's funny to watch when that happens.

 

Now food-wise :

 

Morning an hour or so after the lights come on around 10:00 am : some flake food (Cobalt Spirulina) which the other fish do not like so he gets most of the little amount I put in the tank close to where he is at that time

 

Late afternoon: some pellets (Hikari Micro pellets) which I have to soak and get the liquid off. If I do not soak them they float. Those get some interest from the Lantern Basslet and the Bi-Color but not from the Banggai.

 

And then I guess he gets some of the food that is given to the Corals after the lights are out ...

 

So he eats "a lot". But given that he is small a lot is not really all that much and twice a day seems to be enough although I am sure he would eat more if I gave him more food.

 

Real funny fish for sure.

 

What do you feed yours ?

 

Albert

[Spirofucci]

Hey Albert! About 3 months after my tank started I had hundreds of those pineapple sponges in my back chambers. The research I did said not to worry so I left them there. They eventually just went away. I still see a few in the DT now and then.

 

I read similar accounts for the vermatid snails and hyoids, both of which "infested" my tank. I didn't do anything to remove them and now I only have a few of those. I have no idea why this happens, lol.

[albertthiel]

Hey Albert! About 3 months after my tank started I had hundreds of those pineapple sponges in my back chambers. The research I did said not to worry so I left them there. They eventually just went away. I still see a few in the DT now and then.

 

I read similar accounts for the vermatid snails and hyoids, both of which "infested" my tank. I didn't do anything to remove them and now I only have a few of those. I have no idea why this happens, lol.

 

Mark, you are right, after posting the message and then getting some replies I went to look at some posts on other forums and on the Net and basically found what you are pointing out and that is that they come and multiply and then apparently the number stabilizes and a lot of them just disappear, but then maybe weeks or months later they start to come back and the cycle appears to start over again.

 

I still have not figured out whether the white "hard" spots I have on my rocks are the beginning of new ones but since they are silicate consumers that could very well be the case, but based on what you wrote and what I read I am not going to worry about it and I am just going to let things run their course and see what happens.

 

I have not had hydroids (yet) but who knows whether that is the next thing that will suddenly appear just as the sponge did.

 

No snail outbreak yet either ... my CUC crew has gone down quite a bit as a lot of the Ceriths seem to be dying off maybe for lack of food but maybe that is the same thing, their population adjusting to food sources available.

 

Other than that the tank is going well and all corals look in great shape (touch wood) and the fish are doing fine.

 

My only problem is that I see is some green bubble algae here and there, but they are in areas where I can not get to them, so I will have to figure out how to deal with it. I'll come up with something as I think about it for a few days.

 

Thanks for your post on the Sponges etc ...

 

And ... Your tank is looking super ... !

 

Albert

[Weetabix7]

A Tunze Nano Wave Box is one of those pieces of equipment that I would really love to get my hands on someday, and I'm not one to spend a lot of money on equipment.

I always feel like crying on the few rare occasions I see one listed for sale secondhand, since I invariably don't have the money for it at the time.

[albertthiel]

A Tunze Nano Wave Box is one of those pieces of equipment that I would really love to get my hands on someday, and I'm not one to spend a lot of money on equipment.

I always feel like crying on the few rare occasions I see one listed for sale secondhand, since I invariably don't have the money for it at the time.

 

I know how you feel Weetabix7 ... After having set up the 20 High with HOB stuff now I regret it as I am now dealing with the constraints that a tall and narrow tank brings about ....

 

I should have gone for a long and a little wider tank, and drilled it and added a sump etc ...

 

But I just can't see me starting all over again and spending a bunch on getting everything that would be needed.

 

Being retired does have its drawbacks .... oh well we'll make the best of the 20 H and maybe down the line get a hang-on overflow and a sump ... I actually have one but it is of the old type and small so I am not sure I can use that one ...

 

Thanks for the comments and I agree that those Tunze wave boxes are indeed something I can understand you would want.

 

Thanks for the post

 

Albert

[Spirofucci]

Mark, you are right, after posting the message and then getting some replies I went to look at some posts on other forums and on the Net and basically found what you are pointing out and that is that they come and multiply and then apparently the number stabilizes and a lot of them just disappear, but then maybe weeks or months later they start to come back and the cycle appears to start over again.

 

I still have not figured out whether the white "hard" spots I have on my rocks are the beginning of new ones but since they are silicate consumers that could very well be the case, but based on what you wrote and what I read I am not going to worry about it and I am just going to let things run their course and see what happens.

 

I have not had hydroids (yet) but who knows whether that is the next thing that will suddenly appear just as the sponge did.

 

No snail outbreak yet either ... my CUC crew has gone down quite a bit as a lot of the Ceriths seem to be dying off maybe for lack of food but maybe that is the same thing, their population adjusting to food sources available.

 

Other than that the tank is going well and all corals look in great shape (touch wood) and the fish are doing fine.

 

My only problem is that I see is some green bubble algae here and there, but they are in areas where I can not get to them, so I will have to figure out how to deal with it. I'll come up with something as I think about it for a few days.

 

Thanks for your post on the Sponges etc ...

 

And ... Your tank is looking super ... !

 

Albert

 

Thanks Albert!

 

Mr. Saltwater Tank TV has a great method of removing hard to get bubble algae. Check him out! Have you seen his site? I really like him, he's funny and always has great little tips even for the reef veterans, imo.

 

http://www.mrsaltwatertank.com/