THE OFFICIAL ASK ALBERT THIEL THREAD

[sunburn]

Hello Albert,

 

It's quite an honor having you on this forum. I just pre-ordered your book, and I look forward to learning from your experiences.

 

Eric

[flypenfly]

Albert, what are your thoughts on nitrate/phosphate absorption by decorative clams?

[metrokat]

 

Indeed, they can smother other corals quite rapidly if not kept under control, and removed or zapped for instance with the Majanowand, which kills/destroys the portions that are hit with it, just like it does kill off Aiptasia and Majanos. Works great

I actually sent a PM to both Paul and his distributor that exhibits at the manhattan frag swap about the success of the majano wand on palys. I have some palys I would rather not have in my tank. They both would not confirm if the wand would kill palys, only commenting that it works on soft tissue so theoretically it should work.

 

I would buy the wand to kill the palys, but not if it is only a theoretical possibility.

 

So I don't believe the usage of the wand should be over stated unless tested for specific species of animal.

[albertthiel]

You seem to have answered the question; I don't think there are two species here, as the mat looks homogeneous. Is there a toxin released when EG's spawn?

 

Off topic; on the issue of eggs and cholesterol: there is a huge amount of ignorance about cholesterol and eggs particularly in The US. As I understand it (coming from a food background) there are two main types of cholesterol LDL & HDL. Simply put the LDL is bad cholesterol and the HDL is good cholesterol, having high levels of HDL in your diet reduces the levels of LDL in the body and eggs are high in HDL; so people that have only egg white omelettes are doing themselves no good as all the HDL "Good Cholesterol" is in the yoke...

 

No toxins released based on what I can determine, in fact that could be counter productive if spawning and toxin release happened at the same time IMO ... However to be sure that 'no" life forms do so I would have to research it some more but EG does not.

 

So how do you plan to handle the eggs you were able to trap ?

 

And on chicken eggs ... thanks for that clarification ... I do eat them once or twice a week, but always eat the yolk and the white. The fact that eating only the white is not recommended is good info ... thanks.

 

Albert

[Subsea]

 

Wow, that is super .... and you need Speakers Patrick ..... and when is this happening ?

 

Albert

 

As I had just taken possession of four outdoor wireless speakers, I wondered at your reference to needing Speakers. The light came on when I realized Speakers was capitalized.

Celebration party for AquacultureRanch is Sunday, April 7. On Saturday, April 6 the Austin Reef Club is hosting there first conference, Capital City Coral Conference. Aside from some local Texans, Charles Delbeek is speaking at this first conference. When I get your new book, I will plug you for next year. This is the third year in a row that I do a Spring fling and crawfish boil. The Texas Hill Country is coloring up with flowers blooming to announce the coming spring. With my new water well, I have ended the 200 year drought at Bear Creek with abundant wildflowers now blooming. I also planted 25 citrus trees along Bear Creek bottom, which are now in full bloom.

Come for the party and seize the day.

Patrick

[albertthiel]

Hello Albert,

 

It's quite an honor having you on this forum. I just pre-ordered your book, and I look forward to learning from your experiences.

 

Eric

 

Thanks you for the kind words, they are appreciated. I got your order as Eric J. and sent you a confirmation a little earlier. Thank you for the support.

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Albert, what are your thoughts on nitrate/phosphate absorption by decorative clams?

 

I guess you mean Tridacnid Clams. They "do" need nitrate and as the expert on this Forum, ZephNYC, has posted on the Clam thread, he actually adds nitrate to his tank to make sure there is enough of it for his clams, but note that some of his are very large.

 

That they absorb nitrate appears to be a fact. How much, however, is another matter, and would more than likely depend on their size, so small ones may not make much of an impact on your Nitrate levels, and as far as I know they do not need large amounts of Phosphate, although every living organism does need P in some form or another, whether it is Po or Pi.

 

Using them however to control nutrient levels will not give you the results you may be looking for because the amount uptaken may be too low, especially since in Nano Reefs you cannot really add large ones.

 

Also note that it is generally accepted that the smaller they are the more difficult they will be to keep alive. I had a long conversation about small clams with an expert at the recent Coral Con and he too agreed that small ones definitely are not for the beginner, and are best kept in tanks where there are not many other types of corals, and where water quality is adjusted to what clams do better in, e.g. low iron etc ...

 

My suggestion is that you check the Clam thread and read what is there and ask Zeph, and also read the section on Clam pests and parasites in my new book.

 

Unfortunately I do not think that a "general" answer can be given as too much depends on the size of the Clam, the size of the tank, and what else is in that same aquarium.

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

I have some palys I would rather not have in my tank. They both would not confirm if the wand would kill palys, only commenting that it works on soft tissue so theoretically it should work.

 

I would buy the wand to kill the palys, but not if it is only a theoretical possibility.

 

So I don't believe the usage of the wand should be over stated unless tested for specific species of animal.

We only "guarantee" that it will work on majano's, not paly's, Grand Mothers, duck billed platypusses, leatherback sea turtles, Emu's or Paris Hiltons dog (although we are working on that one)

People buy the thing all the time to try to kill something in which it was not designed to kill, then want to return it because it didn't kill such a thing. Nitroglycerine, TNT or plastic explosives work on most lifeforms, but the Majano Wand has a few limitations.

[albertthiel]

I actually sent a PM to both Paul and his distributor that exhibits at the manhattan frag swap about the success of the majano wand on palys. I have some palys I would rather not have in my tank. They both would not confirm if the wand would kill palys, only commenting that it works on soft tissue so theoretically it should work.

 

I would buy the wand to kill the palys, but not if it is only a theoretical possibility.

 

So I don't believe the usage of the wand should be over stated unless tested for specific species of animal.

 

Kat, difficult question to answer as in my case when I used it, i wanted to get rid of a few zoas on a rock that had a small Sinularia on it and I used the Majanowand, and it worked well for me.

 

Does that mean that it will for everyone ? That is a question I cannot answer. All I can say is that it did kill off the ones on that small piece of rock, and that they have not regrown, and the Sinularia is doing just fine and has grown.

 

Now as to Palys .. I have not tried it on them, but would you not be concerned about killing Palys and getting them to release toxins in the water more so than Zoas ... as their demise did not affect anything in my tank. I did increase the GAC right after zapping them and changed it 2 days later.

 

So I guess I will let Paul give you some more advice if he wishes to do so here.

 

Albert

[Subsea]

Paul,

Check your PM folder. I sent you a message a week ago. You have not read it yet. Do you like crawfish? I will have a crawfish boil with 200 lbs in two weeks. It is to celebrate sustainable mariculture operations at my Bear Creek facility. You and Albert both have personnel invites. There is a thread with links to ejammers and other music performers that will be there on Sunday April 7.

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

[albertthiel]

We only "guarantee" that it will work on majano's, not paly's, Grand Mothers, duck billed platypusses, leatherback sea turtles, Emu's or Paris Hiltons dog (although we are working on that one)

People buy the thing all the time to try to kill something in which it was not designed to kill, then want to return it because it didn't kill such a thing. Nitroglycerine, TNT or plastic explosives work on most lifeforms, but the Majano Wand has a few limitations.

 

Thanks Paul for the clarification and you probably saw what I wrote but as i added that was my experience ... For me it has worked on Aiptasias and Zoas, but as I pointed out that does not mean that it will for everyone ... just reporting what I experienced using the Majanawand.

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

Paul,

Check your PM folder. I sent you a message a week ago. You have not read it yet. Do you like crawfish? I will have a crawfish boil with 200 lbs in two weeks. It is to celebrate sustainable mariculture operations at my Bear Creek facility. You and Albert both have personnel invites. There is a thread with links to ejammers and other music performers that will be there on Sunday April 7.

La bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

I didn't get a PM from you that I can find. I don't normally eat crawfish as here in NY we usually get lobsters and only very rarely see crawfish. Long Island is surrounded by salt water so most of our seafood is from salt water.

So I have to go to Austin Texas on Sunday? I will check my schedule and see if Texas is on there.

But in case I don't make it. Thank you for the invite.

 

Thanks Paul for the clarification and you probably saw what I wrote but as i added that was my experience ... For me it has worked on Aiptasias and Zoas, but as I pointed out that does not mean that it will for everyone ... just reporting what I experienced using the Majanawand.

 

Albert

Albert thank you for your apprasal of the Wand. We only guarantee it to work on Majano's and that is why we picked the name. It works on all sorts of watery creatures but there are to many to name or test so we don't dwell on those or guarantee it for them

[albertthiel]

As I had just taken possession of four outdoor wireless speakers, I wondered at your reference to needing Speakers. The light came on when I realized Speakers was capitalized.

Celebration party for AquacultureRanch is Sunday, April 7. On Saturday, April 6 the Austin Reef Club is hosting there first conference, Capital City Coral Conference. Aside from some local Texans, Charles Delbeek is speaking at this first conference. When I get your new book, I will plug you for next year. This is the third year in a row that I do a Spring fling and crawfish boil. The Texas Hill Country is coloring up with flowers blooming to announce the coming spring. With my new water well, I have ended the 200 year drought at Bear Creek with abundant wildflowers now blooming. I also planted 25 citrus trees along Bear Creek bottom, which are now in full bloom.

Come for the party and seize the day.

Patrick

 

Wish I could make it but this year unfortunately not Patrick but wishing you all the best of success .. and say hi to all and Charles or me will you ...

 

Sorry I cannot make it ...

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Albert thank you for your appraisal of the Wand. We only guarantee it to work on Majano's and that is why we picked the name. It works on all sorts of watery creatures but there are to many to name or test so we don't dwell on those or guarantee it for them

 

Worked for me as I described ... so +1 for sure. And, yes, I understand why you market it the way you do ...

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Discoveries off Bali ...

 

Link :

 

http://www.marinehabitatmagazine.com/archives/4838

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

If you don't believe in the power of blackworms, look at these two pictures

This one is today and the second one is from about 3 days ago. She is almost completely healed from the beating she received from my older copperband.

 

 

[albertthiel]

Gunther Eheim passes away at the age of 93

 

Not sure when this happened as the article is not dated but he did make a significant impact on the Hobby with the Eheim Filters and Canisters for sure

 

Link :

 

http://www.marinehabitatmagazine.com/archives/7758

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

If you don't believe in the power of blackworms, look at these two pictures

This one is today and the second one is from about 3 days ago. She is almost completely healed from the beating she received from my older copperband.

 

 

 

Wow Paul that IS some difference indeed and in that short a period of time ! That is super, that Copperband looks in super shape now.

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

Amazing isn't it? All I did was feed her live worms 3 or 4 times a day and now she is almost 100% perfect. That is why I am so adamant about feeding these things but no one seems to believe me. So many people can't even keep a copperband alive but if you know this big secret, it is simple. Maybe it's me.

 

And that is also why I don't have to quarantine and had not had an episode of ich in 35 or so years.

It is also why I can add mud and amphipods from the sea.

Try that if you only feed flakes to your fish.

 

It is hard to see but her fins are almost perfect.

 

[albertthiel]

Amazing isn't it? All I did was feed her live worms 3 or 4 times a day and now she is almost 100% perfect. That is why I am so adamant about feeding these things but no one seems to believe me. So many people can't even keep a copperband alive but if you know this big secret, it is simple. Maybe it's me.

 

And that is also why I don't have to quarantine and had not had an episode of ich in 35 or so years.

It is also why I can add mud and amphipods from the sea.

Try that if you only feed flakes to your fish.

 

I think many more people would feed them Paul if they could get them ... but many of us cannot .. I checked around here in Atlanta and no store found that carries them ... so that could be one of the issues ... I keep feeding Clam and Mussel meat and some Cyclop-eeze from time to time and have good success with those. Wish I could find the worms and I know the other problem is that the live ones do not ship well at all ... Maybe you need to ship them in small bags with only 1 Worm in each bag so if they die they don't pollute the water and the remaining ones die off as well ... so one to a bag :-) would be nice but ain't gonna happen :-) for obvious reasons.

 

But your fish sure looks like a Star again !

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

I think many more people would feed them Paul if they could get them ... but many of us cannot .. I checked around here in Atlanta and no store found that carries them ... so that could be one of the issues ... I keep feeding Clam and Mussel meat and some Cyclop-eeze from time to time and have good success with those. Wish I could find the worms and I know the other problem is that the live ones do not ship well at all ... Maybe you need to ship them in small bags with only 1 Worm in each bag so if they die they don't pollute the water and the remaining ones die off as well ... so one to a bag :-) would be nice but ain't gonna happen :-) for obvious reasons.

 

But your fish sure looks like a Star again !

 

Albert

Albert go to your aquarium store and chain yourself to their front door until they order live worms. Tell them it is a no brainer and they can make a small fortune selling them. I don't know how they ship but here in NY plenty of places stock them and I would assume they sell out because they always run out of them. Most people use them in freshwater but few people know their worth in salt water. There are those silly articles that say they should only be used sparingly or that they carry paracites but there is something I like to refer to those people as, and that is "wrong". I know you can buy them by the pound online but that would be to many unless you have a spare 20 gallon tank or a big tub. I was thinking of setting up a tub for them because I use so many but here I can easily get them. I know many people don't want to go through the bother of doing this for a bunch of stupid worms but it is a lot easier than worrying if parameters killed their fish, or if ich is rampant. I know it is impossible for a lot of people and that is a shame. Maybe a few people could share a pound of worms or maybe the LFS would order them if enough people requested them. They keep them in the refrigerator.

[albertthiel]

Amazing isn't it? All I did was feed her live worms 3 or 4 times a day and now she is almost 100% perfect. That is why I am so adamant about feeding these things but no one seems to believe me. So many people can't even keep a copperband alive but if you know this big secret, it is simple. Maybe it's me.

 

And that is also why I don't have to quarantine and had not had an episode of ich in 35 or so years.

It is also why I can add mud and amphipods from the sea.

Try that if you only feed flakes to your fish.

 

It is hard to see but her fins are almost perfect.

 

 

Super indeed .. fins look near perfect indeed Paul ... see my other message though on availability ...

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Repost of the Link to the Tough New Wildlife Import proposed Legislation

 

Read the definition of what the Black List is all about and basically it can include just about anything

.

 

http://www.reef2rainforest.com/2013/03/19/tough-new-wildlife-import-regulations-proposed-for-us/

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

Wow, I think they should ban that representative, We may all have to start keeping blackworms as a hobby.

I got one of these.

[albertthiel]

Albert go to your aquarium store and chain yourself to their front door until they order live worms. Tell them it is a no brainer and they can make a small fortune selling them. I don't know how they ship but here in NY plenty of places stock them and I would assume they sell out because they always run out of them. Most people use them in freshwater but few people know their worth in salt water. There are those silly articles that say they should only be used sparingly or that they carry paracites but there is something I like to refer to those people as, and that is "wrong". I know you can buy them by the pound online but that would be to many unless you have a spare 20 gallon tank or a big tub. I was thinking of setting up a tub for them because I use so many but here I can easily get them. I know many people don't want to go through the bother of doing this for a bunch of stupid worms but it is a lot easier than worrying if parameters killed their fish, or if ich is rampant. I know it is impossible for a lot of people and that is a shame. Maybe a few people could share a pound of worms or maybe the LFS would order them if enough people requested them. They keep them in the refrigerator.

 

I am heading for Home Depot to buy a chain and a lock ! :-) and am going to do so :-)

 

I have suggested it to my LFS a few times but he has still not done it yet .. not sure why but the next time I go there I am going to ask.

 

I suppose people do not want to set up cultures and are afraid of ordering live ones online as they may all come in dead ! Not too sure how well they ship overnight from California where I think the vendor is.

 

When you say buy a pound online do you mean live or frozen ? And if one gets frozen will the fish still eat them as they will not wiggle ... and die quickly and sink ... so not to sure if that is a good idea.

 

Albert