albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Rare Reef (1 and 2) and Ryan Satterfield (3 and 4) © Rare Reef and Ryan Satterfield Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) Pictures by Aqualine Corals, Jlo Coral, Jasmin Geler and Jas Queen Angel © Aqualine Corals and Jlo Coral and Jas Queen Angel Aqualine Coral Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis - Jas Queen Jlo Jasmin Geler Zebrasoma rostratum Albert Edited October 11, 2012 by albertthiel Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 The Way We Were: Spawning the Jewels of the Reef - Update © Martin Moe and Advanced Aquarist Magazine Breeding pioneer Martin Moe discusses his work spawning the Atlantic Jewelfish AND shares his original article published in Freshwater and Marine Aquarium magazine in May 1981. Now and then .... Link: http://tinyurl.com/9puhj5c Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Ocean Wonderland - A Great Video ! © Leonard Ho - and Advanced Aquarist Magazine Got 40 minutes to spare? Ocean Wonderland is a wondrous coral reef film shot almost entirely under natural light using the 3D large format digital technology. We share the whimsical, beautiful, and enchanting 2D version with you (available in 1080 HD so you can enjoy the film with your family on your HDTV). More than a great Video ! Link : http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/ocean-wonderland Albert Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Albert, I have a question for you. The linked articles you posted yesterday on GFO stated that use of GFO can lower both Alk & Ph in our aquariums. You stated above that you use GFO in your HOB. How is your tank Alk & Ph? Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Thanks Weetabix7, I appreciate it ... see my comments on the tank and on the lighting etc ... in my reply to Brandon ... So when are YOU getting ready to get back into it ? Soon I hope as the tanks you kept looked soooo good! I know you will at some point, it's just a matter of time, you have the " bug " like we all do :-) And if you find some more nice pics of your previous tanks, do post them please. I posted quite a few but I am sure you have many manny more showing some of those great corals and fish you kept.... Thanks Albert Well, you're right when you say I have the "bug", I can't deny that. However, I really feel like I need to get to the root of what caused my previous tank problems before I try to start up a new one. Those problems were consistent across a minimum of 4 different tank setups (prob more like 6 or 7) and it was heartbreaking to me to watch my livestock gradually decline & fail when I had poured so much of myself into keeping it healthy & stable. Please don't take it amiss when I say that I don't think I'm up to another lengthy discussion trying to pinpoint the cause of the problems. I say this because several experienced Reefers and myself attacked this problem at length and from several different angles and were still unsuccessful. That still makes me cringe inside. We put SO much work & effort into it, even up to several friends getting together & paying for me to put all new Live Rock in my tank. Over the last few days I've re-read all of my old tank threads and it seems as if we eliminated every possible source for the problems except for something environmental. I am currently in the process of doing some detective work around my house to see if I can find the source of the problems that way. We'll see what happens. I appreciate your interest in my tank pics, and will see if I can find a couple of my favorite pics from my last tank, which was my 4g Pico Planted Tank. Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Pics as promised, from my 4g Pico. This was my favorite tank & the one I most miss out of everything I've done. It's also the tank that the pics in my Sig are from. Couple of close-ups from front left corner: A few more...... Left Corner Hermit Crab Anemone I never get tired of this veiw. It really is this bright in person. A Starfish, a Snail and a Chiton go into a bar..... Quote Link to comment
eitallent Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Pics as promised, from my 4g Pico. This was my favorite tank & the one I most miss out of everything I've done. That was a beautiful, elegant tank. I am sorry for your losses and that you are grieving so deeply.. It may seem silly to the uninitiated, but I am already very attached to my few corals and especially my little Citron goby, Skipper. I dread the thought of some mysterious circumstance that I cannot fix coming along and killing all the creatures in my tank. That must be every aquarist's nightmare. Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Albert, I have a question for you. The linked articles you posted yesterday on GFO stated that use of GFO can lower both Alk & Ph in our aquariums. You stated above that you use GFO in your HOB. How is your tank Alk & Ph? Well I drip KW 24 hours a day, and my pH stays pretty much at around 8.2, and my dKH around 8 to 9, even though I use the GFO ... the KW seems to make up for any loss in pH and dKH and maintains it at the right levels. I drip at the rate of about 1 drop every 15 or so seconds, but since it is a DIY set-up, that I posted pics of a while ago and that works by gravity, and since I use aquarium plastic needle valves, I do have to keep an eye on the drip as it has a tendency to slow down if the needle valve gets some tiny particles from the KW in it. Not a big deal though, but I need to keep an eye on it and flush the needle valve if needed by opening it up more to flush it, and then re-adjusting the drip. I also use KW to which I first add 45 ml of vinegar when I prepare one gallon. So in essence the KW is also carbon dosing my water. Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Well, you're right when you say I have the "bug", I can't deny that. However, I really feel like I need to get to the root of what caused my previous tank problems before I try to start up a new one. Those problems were consistent across a minimum of 4 different tank setups (prob more like 6 or 7) and it was heartbreaking to me to watch my livestock gradually decline & fail when I had poured so much of myself into keeping it healthy & stable. Please don't take it amiss when I say that I don't think I'm up to another lengthy discussion trying to pinpoint the cause of the problems. I say this because several experienced Reefers and myself attacked this problem at length and from several different angles and were still unsuccessful. That still makes me cringe inside. We put SO much work & effort into it, even up to several friends getting together & paying for me to put all new Live Rock in my tank. Over the last few days I've re-read all of my old tank threads and it seems as if we eliminated every possible source for the problems except for something environmental. I am currently in the process of doing some detective work around my house to see if I can find the source of the problems that way. We'll see what happens. I appreciate your interest in my tank pics, and will see if I can find a couple of my favorite pics from my last tank, which was my 4g Pico Planted Tank. Yes from reading your threads myself I agree that you have just about eliminated anything that could come from the tank itself or the water, rock or whatever else. All that remains now is as you say environmental ... Do you have mold anywhere in the house, or are you spraying anything that eventually gets in the water, as you well know, anything that gets in the air gets in the water eventually and when it accumulates over time it can be the source of problems. Hopefully you'll be able to determine the cause ... and then start up another tank, knowing what it is that you have to pay attention to or avoid. Happy detecteving is that is an English word :-) Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Pics as promised, from my 4g Pico. This was my favorite tank & the one I most miss out of everything I've done. It's also the tank that the pics in my Sig are from. A Starfish, a Snail and a Chiton go into a bar..... Great Pics Weetabix7 and I can understand how you fee about losing corals etc... especially when they look so nice for a goodly amount of time and then for some unknown reason start going downhill. I really do hope that you can figure out what the problem was. Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) That was a beautiful, elegant tank. I am sorry for your losses and that you are grieving so deeply.. It may seem silly to the uninitiated, but I am already very attached to my few corals and especially my little Citron goby, Skipper. I dread the thought of some mysterious circumstance that I cannot fix coming along and killing all the creatures in my tank. That must be every aquarist's nightmare. Yes indeed eitallent we get attached to them. just as we do to pets we may have and losing any of them is always such a pity ... the worst of which is when we know we are doing everything as we should, and cannot figure out why as is the case with Weetabix7's tanks. BTW ... I posted a pic of my Citron yesterday while he was resting inside a Ricordea florida ... what a sight that was ... I had to use the enlarge feature on the iPhone so the pic did not come out too clear, sorry for that. Today, or right now I should say, he is " hugging " the tank's glass, literally attached to it, maybe I should call him " Stickie " :-) He does that a few times a day, no idea why though. Albert Pics as promised, from my 4g Pico. This was my favorite tank & the one I most miss out of everything I've done. It's also the tank that the pics in my Sig are from. I particularly like this shot ... great looking ! Albert Edited October 11, 2012 by albertthiel Quote Link to comment
eitallent Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) BTW ... I posted a pic of my Citron yesterday while he was resting inside a Ricordea florida ... what a sight that was ... I had to use the enlarge feature on the iPhone so the pic did not come out too clear, sorry for that. Today, or right now I should say, he is " hugging " the tank's glass, literally attached to it, maybe I should call him " Stickie " :-) He does that a few times a day, no idea why though. Albert Yes, I saw that picture. His coloring is identical to Skipper's with the blushed cheeks and deep gold fins. I love how their bodies' color deepen at the tail and fins. I could just sit and look at him for hours, but time keeps running out. So I cannot. The name Stickie seems really appropriate. Ha, ha. I love it. I am rinsing out sponges, scrubbing glass and doing a WC this morning. Gotta hop to it. Have a great day everyone! Edited October 11, 2012 by eitallent Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Yes, I saw that picture. His coloring is identical to Skipper's with the blushed cheeks and deep gold fins. I love how their bodies' color deepen at the tail and fins. I could just sit and look at him for hours, but time keeps running out. So I cannot. The name Stickie seems really appropriate. Ha, ha. I love it. I am rinsing out sponges, scrubbing glass and doing a WC this morning. Gotta hop to it. Have a great day everyone! Yes they are indeed very cute little fish ... and behave sometimes in the strangest ways indeed .... Happy cleaning etc ... and have a great day Stickie hey ... may be that is a good name for mine ! Albert Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 That was a beautiful, elegant tank. I am sorry for your losses and that you are grieving so deeply.. It may seem silly to the uninitiated, but I am already very attached to my few corals and especially my little Citron goby, Skipper. I dread the thought of some mysterious circumstance that I cannot fix coming along and killing all the creatures in my tank. That must be every aquarist's nightmare. Thank you. There's a large part of me that feels utterly ridiculous for feeling so strongly about this. My family and their well-being is more important to me. My health is more important to me. My home is more important to me. But you were correct in what you said, the loss- and my failure- has grieved me. Yes from reading your threads myself I agree that you have just about eliminated anything that could come from the tank itself or the water, rock or whatever else. All that remains now is as you say environmental ... Do you have mold anywhere in the house, or are you spraying anything that eventually gets in the water, as you well know, anything that gets in the air gets in the water eventually and when it accumulates over time it can be the source of problems. Hopefully you'll be able to determine the cause ... and then start up another tank, knowing what it is that you have to pay attention to or avoid. Happy detecteving is that is an English word :-) Albert Detecting would be the correct word. You were close. I am super paranoid about never spraying anything even a room away from my aquariums. I also don't burn candles, incense, or wood in a fireplace. Mold-- well, I hope not, cause I'm not at all sure I could afford to fix it if it is a problem. I'll keep it in mind though. Thank you. Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Detecting would be the correct word. You were close. I am super paranoid about never spraying anything even a room away from my aquariums. I also don't burn candles, incense, or wood in a fireplace. Mold-- well, I hope not, cause I'm not at all sure I could afford to fix it if it is a problem. I'll keep it in mind though. Thank you. I meant playing detective and turned it into a verb :-) Yes I do hope it is not mold as that is not just a problem for tanks but for everyone in the house. Well I sure hope you can figure it out, so you can start another tank. I know it is difficult after the fact but you may want to make a list of anything in the house that could get into the water somehow and then work by process of elimination ... Pet sprays ? Carpet cleaning chemicals? ... just some thoughts Albert Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I can't think of any chemicals at all, I am super paranoid about not using them. I forgot to mention though, the other day I had a friend suggest the possibility of trying a Home Ionizer, and I thought that might actually not be a bad idea. Do you know anything about how a Home Ionizer would interact w/a SW tank? Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FGNTY...=A2GUMCXR7HBXM2 We do also have problems w/it being constantly dusty in the house and my husband has problems w/allergies, both of which would be addressed by the ionizer unit. Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I can't think of any chemicals at all, I am super paranoid about not using them. I forgot to mention though, the other day I had a friend suggest the possibility of trying a Home Ionizer, and I thought that might actually not be a bad idea. Do you know anything about how a Home Ionizer would interact w/a SW tank? Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FGNTY...=A2GUMCXR7HBXM2 We do also have problems w/it being constantly dusty in the house and my husband has problems w/allergies, both of which would be addressed by the ionizer unit. Yes a good reliable unit would be an idea especially for your husband as it would purify the air, and I doubt that if it is far enough away from the tank that any ozone would get into the water as it would have been neutralized before it even got close to the tank, if any got in the air but I would look for a higher end unit as I know those, having used one myself a few years back, and I had a lot of problems with them as they require a good deal of maintenance if I remember correctly. I even had one that burned out ... something went wrong on the inside and a good thing we were home and smelled a funny smoke like smell. There are better and safer units IMO that you can find, they may cost more but I would look into it. I am not saying that the one you linked to is not good, they may have improved them so they may be safe and reliable now ... just relating what happened to mine. Exactly the same it was. Dust depending on what kind, would IMO not be the cause of your issues unless the dust was toxic for some reason and got into the water and accumulated and then started to cause problems ... could be but hard to tell not knowing what kind of dust it was. Albert Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Yes a good reliable unit would be an idea especially for your husband as it would purify the air, and I doubt that if it is far enough away from the tank that any ozone would get into the water as it would have been neutralized before it even got close to the tank, if any got in the air but I would look for a higher end unit as I know those, having used one myself a few years back, and I had a lot of problems with them as they require a good deal of maintenance if I remember correctly. I even had one that burned out ... something went wrong on the inside and a good thing we were home and smelled a funny smoke like smell. There are better and safer units IMO that you can find, they may cost more but I would look into it. I am not saying that the one you linked to is not good, they may have improved them so they may be safe and reliable now ... just relating what happened to mine. Exactly the same it was. Dust depending on what kind, would IMO not be the cause of your issues unless the dust was toxic for some reason and got into the water and accumulated and then started to cause problems ... could be but hard to tell not knowing what kind of dust it was. Albert Well TBH, I would have to save up to even get that unit. I picked that particular one because it had a large number of positive reviews on Amazon, many of which I read through. Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) Apex Ready, Apex Ready plus and new configurable dashboard demoed by Neptune Systems Apex Ready and Apex Ready plus are part of a new initiative by Neptune Systems to turbocharge its interoperability with existing electronic aquarium devices. There already exists a wide range of accessories and functional modules for the Apex aquarium controller system and with Apex Ready a whole lot more products will plug and play with the Apex, especially LED lights. Aquarium products that are certified Apex Ready will have a basic cable plugged directly into them, such as the AcanLighting units or Tunze controllable pumps, and basic functions of those devices will be recognized and accessible right within the Apex status and control dashboard. Read more: http://reefbuilders.com/2012/10/09/apex-re.../#ixzz290QZIzUX Link : http://reefbuilders.com/2012/10/09/apex-ready-dashboard/ Albert Edited October 11, 2012 by albertthiel Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Well TBH, I would have to save up to even get that unit. I picked that particular one because it had a large number of positive reviews on Amazon, many of which I read through. Well if they are getting such good reviews then I have to assume that they improved their units and eliminated the issues it had. In that case ... I guess save, save, save, and maybe that is what you should try indeed. It sure will help with the air quality in the house for sure, and that may be a first step in getting the environment for a tank in shape. Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 A new Cave-Dwelling reef coral discovered in the Indo-Pacific © By Shane Graber - Oct 11, 2012 - and Advanced Aquarist A coral named Leptoseris troglodyta sheds light on coral-algal symbiosis. Coral specialist Dr. Bert W. Hoeksema of Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, The Netherlands, recently published the description of a new coral species that lives on the ceilings of caves in Indo-Pacific coral reefs. It differs from its closest relatives by its small polyp size and by the absence of symbiotic algae, so-called zooxanthellae. Its distribution range overlaps with theCoral Triangle, an area that is famous for its high marine species richness. Marine zoologists of Naturalis visit this area frequently to explore its marine biodiversity. Link: http://tinyurl.com/9lvrrmc Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 "Hug hormone" therapy to help fish socialize? © By Leonard Ho - Oct 11, 2012 - and © Advanced Aquarist Oxytocin is a chemical found in mammals. It's affectionately (albeit misleadingly) known as the “hug hormone" for its alleged ability to increase trust, generosity, cooperation and empathy. Scientists tested the piscine equivalent of oxytocin on fish's behavior ... and discovered interesting Link: http://tinyurl.com/8au2eto Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Tank of the Month Feb 2012 Brad Syphus on Reefkeeping.com © Brad Syphus (BradleyJ) Full History of the Tank with lots and lots of Pictures Link: http://tinyurl.com/9g2tawj Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 An "Insider's" Guide to Reef Aquaria © Eric Borneman and reefkeeping.com The present article will be based on the "how-to" concept, but with a different tack. I offer here some of my personal tips and tricks and suggestions for reef aquarists in 2004. What I write is certainly not to be taken as gospel, but rather as personal experience that I hope will be valuable. Great Info still applicable today ... lots of methods and how-to's and equipment ... Link: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-02/eb/index.php Albert Quote Link to comment
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