THE OFFICIAL ASK ALBERT THIEL THREAD

[albertthiel]

You could get one here. http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMaxx_onPoint_Coral_Feeder_Coral_Feeders-AquaMaxx-UJ00175-FIFDFECR-vi.html

 

Nice Paul I did not know they were being marketed ...

 

Albert

[Reefwiser]

That's great Paul you need to get that Doryrhamphus dactylophorus (Banded Pipefish)and Synchiropus splendidus (Green Mandarin) feeder out there too.

[albertthiel]

That's great Paul you need to get that Doryrhamphus dactylophorus (Banded Pipefish)and Synchiropus splendidus (Green Mandarin) feeder out there too.

 

Indeed indeed

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

I am loving this new feeder but not as much as the pipefish and mandarins. They think they died and went to fish heaven. They sit on the thing all day and never leave it except for bathroom breaks. The multi banded pipe and dragon face pipe seem to be a couple and apparently don't realize they are from different sides of the tracks. They always hang out together and stare into each other's eyes. It makes me icky all over.

I may have to use this auto feeder forever as I don't know how to get it out of the tank without disturbing them as they even sleep on the thing. I think the mandarins annoy them.

I can design it so that I can flush out the shrimp shells but I have not determined if I want to hatch the eggs in there all the time as some shells do escape. I will have to work on this.

[albertthiel]

I am loving this new feeder but not as much as the pipefish and mandarins. They think they died and went to fish heaven. They sit on the thing all day and never leave it except for bathroom breaks. The multi banded pipe and dragon face pipe seem to be a couple and apparently don't realize they are from different sides of the tracks. They always hang out together and stare into each other's eyes. It makes me icky all over.

I may have to use this auto feeder forever as I don't know how to get it out of the tank without disturbing them as they even sleep on the thing. I think the mandarins annoy them.

I can design it so that I can flush out the shrimp shells but I have not determined if I want to hatch the eggs in there all the time as some shells do escape. I will have to work on this.

 

Well it sound like this new feeder is more successful than you anticipated Paul

 

Good for you and for all those fishes !

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

Yesterday I noticed that my tank was getting dimmer. At first I thought I was getting cataracts, but it was definately the tank. I have perfect vision and can spot a Supermodel a few football fields away.

I raised my DIY LED lighting and noticed that about 8 LEDs were out. So much for them lasting 30 years. I soldered in new ones and now the fish are all applying Coppertone sun screen as it made a big difference.

I think, if I get time, maybe this winter I will build a new fixture. The aluminum one I have is getting corroded looking and the solder joints get crusted in schmutz. I think I will design a plastic fixture because aluminum is just a lousy metal to have over a tank.

Aluminum lights work well over a Lady GaGa concert because you don't notice the white, crusty aluminum flakes that come off them as the people that go to Lady GaGa concerts are a little weird anyway and wouldn't notice if hermit crabs were slithering up their noses.

 

[albertthiel]

Yesterday I noticed that my tank was getting dimmer. At first I thought I was getting cataracts, but it was definately the tank. I have perfect vision and can spot a Supermodel a few football fields away.

I raised my DIY LED lighting and noticed that about 8 LEDs were out. So much for them lasting 30 years. I soldered in new ones and now the fish are all applying Coppertone sun screen as it made a big difference.

I think, if I get time, maybe this winter I will build a new fixture. The aluminum one I have is getting corroded looking and the solder joints get crusted in schmutz. I think I will design a plastic fixture because aluminum is just a lousy metal to have over a tank.

Aluminum lights work well over a Lady GaGa concert because you don't notice the white, crusty aluminum flakes that come off them as the people that go to Lady GaGa concerts are a little weird anyway and wouldn't notice if hermit crabs were slithering up their noses.

 

 

Well I guess you have another task to take care of Paul and improvements to make on your LED set up but then it has probably been running for so long already that is is indeed time for a chance ..

 

Of course plastic and heat sinks may need some thinking about but I am sure you will figure out a way to divert any heat from the plastic so it does not bend or melt or burn and catch fire

 

And of course I should add that since you like projects that will be another one for you to work on

 

Good luck with it

 

Albert

[hypostatic]

Albert,

 

any idea where i can get the oxydator in the US? I've been trying to get my hands on one for awhile now....

[albertthiel]

Albert,

 

any idea where i can get the oxydator in the US? I've been trying to get my hands on one for awhile now....

 

Unless you can find one on eBay there is no one who sells them in the US or in Canada and so the only place you can get one from is from the UK from http://seahorsebreeder.co.uk/store/index.php?id_category=133&controller=category

 

In fact although there is a supposed distributor, they have not have had any stock for months and months and months, probably over a year and a half

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

I just noticed something in my tank that is never discussed. No one thinks of the benefits, or detriments. No one has used these things for any reason that I know of and if your tank is a new one of only a few years you probably don't have any.

What am I talking about? I better write it before I forget as my mind often wanders into the realm of Supermodels, inventions or Jello.

I am talking about tiny tube worms. For some silly reason that is foreign to me, my tank seems very stable. I think a fully grown moose could stumble into my tank after passing out from doing the Macarana and rot in there without having a mini cycle (whatever that is) I am not sure if that is because the bacteria in my tank is so good or that mooses just rot very quickly but I do know that a few years ago, maybe 5 or 10, I forget, I installed an algae trough to control algae cycles in my tank. It worked better than my wildest dreams. Well not all my dreams but you get the picture. That algae trough stopped growing algae a few years ago and now just grows tube worms. The water in it is about 3/4" deep and it is fully covered all the way out of the water with tube worms. Tube worms, brittle stars and amphipods. A tiny tube worm is basically an Electro Lux vacuum cleaner and I am sure they are cleaning the water in some way that it is not just as clean as a "Sham Wow" cloth would clean, but very clean. Could they also possibly be adding something beneficial to the water? I have no idea and I don't have another Moose to test my idea. But as I look at that trough which is fed from my skimmer, the left side is where the water feeds into it. The left side is fully packed with tiny tube worms

(and pieces of Moose) but as I look to the right to where the water exits the through, the tube worms get less to where the water goes back into the tank and there are hardly any tube worms. Like everything else, this is just a theory and also like everything else, the theory is probably wrong or just fantasy. Like the idea that Christie Brinkley is about to come knocking at my door. When I get time I will try to get a picture but in the meantime just picture a trough filled with tube worms (and moose hair)

[albertthiel]

I just noticed something in my tank that is never discussed. No one thinks of the benefits, or detriments. No one has used these things for any reason that I know of and if your tank is a new one of only a few years you probably don't have any.

What am I talking about? I better write it before I forget as my mind often wanders into the realm of Supermodels, inventions or Jello.

I am talking about tiny tube worms. For some silly reason that is foreign to me, my tank seems very stable. I think a fully grown moose could stumble into my tank after passing out from doing the Macarana and rot in there without having a mini cycle (whatever that is) I am not sure if that is because the bacteria in my tank is so good or that mooses just rot very quickly but I do know that a few years ago, maybe 5 or 10, I forget, I installed an algae trough to control algae cycles in my tank. It worked better than my wildest dreams. Well not all my dreams but you get the picture. That algae trough stopped growing algae a few years ago and now just grows tube worms. The water in it is about 3/4" deep and it is fully covered all the way out of the water with tube worms. Tube worms, brittle stars and amphipods. A tiny tube worm is basically an Electro Lux vacuum cleaner and I am sure they are cleaning the water in some way that it is not just as clean as a "Sham Wow" cloth would clean, but very clean. Could they also possibly be adding something beneficial to the water? I have no idea and I don't have another Moose to test my idea. But as I look at that trough which is fed from my skimmer, the left side is where the water feeds into it. The left side is fully packed with tiny tube worms

(and pieces of Moose) but as I look to the right to where the water exits the through, the tube worms get less to where the water goes back into the tank and there are hardly any tube worms. Like everything else, this is just a theory and also like everything else, the theory is probably wrong or just fantasy. Like the idea that Christie Brinkley is about to come knocking at my door. When I get time I will try to get a picture but in the meantime just picture a trough filled with tube worms (and moose hair)

 

Yes indeed Paul, they are good for sure and as you say they show up in well aged tanks only (at least they survive and thrive in them) whereas in younger tanks they may show up but not last for very long. I gather that you have so many in your skimmer because the water going in stream is laden with nutrients of which they can uptake some to feed on ... Good stuff ..

 

And yes I have plenty of them too growing on the rocks all over the tank in little clusters usually ..

 

Thanks for sharing

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

I feed my tank live worms and clams every day. The clams are also associated with a good amount of clam juice that I imagine these things would go nuts over.

 

Hard to get a picture of the trough because there is a light right over it. This is from the side of the algae trough. The hard bodied tube worms are all over the place and I thinned them out yesterday

 

[albertthiel]

I feed my tank live worms and clams every day. The clams are also associated with a good amount of clam juice that I imagine these things would go nuts over.

 

Hard to get a picture of the trough because there is a light right over it. This is from the side of the algae trough. The hard bodied tube worms are all over the place and I thinned them out yesterday

 

 

I would imagine so indeed Paul ... a real good food source for sure

 

Albert

 

PS I posted a picture on the FB group of the small ones in my tanks ... I have plenty but I just posted one pic ..

[hypostatic]

Unless you can find one on eBay there is no one who sells them in the US or in Canada and so the only place you can get one from is from the UK from http://seahorsebreeder.co.uk/store/index.php?id_category=133&controller=category

 

In fact although there is a supposed distributor, they have not have had any stock for months and months and months, probably over a year and a half

 

Albert

 

So I found someone on ebay who will ship from the UK. Let's see how this pans out

[albertthiel]

So I found someone on ebay who will ship from the UK. Let's see how this pans out

 

Yes that is actually the one I indicated in my previous message. That is his eBay listing ... it is seahorsebreeder.co.uk and is a totally reliable source.

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

 

This is my vacation feeder, (almost) When I go on vacation I get a girl to fish sit. I don't want her to hatch shrimp, deal with worms or cut clams so I freeze individual, daily portions of food in old film containers. Film was like Scotch tape but pictures stick to it. Any small containers will work. Ask your Grand Mother for the cup she puts her teeth into.

Anyway, my fish sitter just takes one of the pre packaged food containers and dumps it into this device that thaws it and disperses it to all parts of the tank. It is just a tiny powerhead that pumps into a small plastic container that has holes in it. The food thaws and goes out the holes to the tank. If I didn't do this, the copperband would eat all the food or it would just go under a rock. I have always done this but I figured it may be interesting for anyone that lives under a rock

[Lynaea]

I feed my tank live worms and clams every day. The clams are also associated with a good amount of clam juice that I imagine these things would go nuts over.Hard to get a picture of the trough because there is a light right over it. This is from the side of the algae trough. The hard bodied tube worms are all over the place and I thinned them out yesterday

It's hard to tell from the pic, are these like feather dusters or are they something that stays in the tube? I have a piece of live rock with lots of tiny feather duster type things on it, they seem to be doing well in my fairly new tank but I have gorgs and a sponge too so I feed a lot of micro foods.

 

This is my vacation feeder, (almost) When I go on vacation I get a girl to fish sit. I don't want her to hatch shrimp, deal with worms or cut clams so I freeze individual, daily portions of food in old film containers. Film was like Scotch tape but pictures stick to it. Any small containers will work. Ask your Grand Mother for the cup she puts her teeth into.Anyway, my fish sitter just takes one of the pre packaged food containers and dumps it into this device that thaws it and disperses it to all parts of the tank. It is just a tiny powerhead that pumps into a small plastic container that has holes in it. The food thaws and goes out the holes to the tank. If I didn't do this, the copperband would eat all the food or it would just go under a rock. I have always done this but I figured it may be interesting for anyone that lives under a rock

I like this idea, its hard to tell the scale though, do you know the gph of the pump? Are the holes in the bottom or slits along the sides of the cup? I might have to try this.

[Paul.b]

That is a tiny powerhead, it must be small enough so that the water does not overflow the tiny container. The holes in the container arew 3/8", anything smaller and the mysis won't come out.

 

Those tube worms are just hard bodied tube worms that grow all over the place. They grow so thick that they form a reef structure that I can break pieces off and plant in different places. It is hard to tell from that picture because that is from the side of the trough as there is a light a couple of inches over it and I can't get the camera in there. The rest of it is coraline algae.

[GHill762]

I just noticed something in my tank that is never discussed. No one thinks of the benefits, or detriments. No one has used these things for any reason that I know of and if your tank is a new one of only a few years you probably don't have any.

What am I talking about? I better write it before I forget as my mind often wanders into the realm of Supermodels, inventions or Jello.

I am talking about tiny tube worms. For some silly reason that is foreign to me, my tank seems very stable. I think a fully grown moose could stumble into my tank after passing out from doing the Macarana and rot in there without having a mini cycle (whatever that is) I am not sure if that is because the bacteria in my tank is so good or that mooses just rot very quickly but I do know that a few years ago, maybe 5 or 10, I forget, I installed an algae trough to control algae cycles in my tank. It worked better than my wildest dreams. Well not all my dreams but you get the picture. That algae trough stopped growing algae a few years ago and now just grows tube worms. The water in it is about 3/4" deep and it is fully covered all the way out of the water with tube worms. Tube worms, brittle stars and amphipods. A tiny tube worm is basically an Electro Lux vacuum cleaner and I am sure they are cleaning the water in some way that it is not just as clean as a "Sham Wow" cloth would clean, but very clean. Could they also possibly be adding something beneficial to the water? I have no idea and I don't have another Moose to test my idea. But as I look at that trough which is fed from my skimmer, the left side is where the water feeds into it. The left side is fully packed with tiny tube worms

(and pieces of Moose) but as I look to the right to where the water exits the through, the tube worms get less to where the water goes back into the tank and there are hardly any tube worms. Like everything else, this is just a theory and also like everything else, the theory is probably wrong or just fantasy. Like the idea that Christie Brinkley is about to come knocking at my door. When I get time I will try to get a picture but in the meantime just picture a trough filled with tube worms (and moose hair)

 

your posts are always so entertaining.. I never regret taking the time to read them..

[albertthiel]

 

your posts are always so entertaining.. I never regret taking the time to read them..

 

Indeed they are and I do appreciate them as much as you and other do ...

 

Thank you so much Paul for sharing your experiences, inventions, and doing so with humor each time ....

 

Albert

[Mr. Microscope]

Hey Albert,

 

Gotta question for you. I used muriatic acid on some rock yesterday. Some of the pieces were really not rock, but straight up coral skeleton. After removing them from the acid, they had a brownish red coating on them that doesn't scrub off. Looking at the places where the skeleton is broken you can see layers where the rock is white and the same red/brown color. Is this rock safe to use? Is the brown/red an indication of iron or something that will leach phosphates into the water? Here's a pic. Thanks!

[hypostatic]

Ok, so I finally got the oxydator! Delivered by the ROYAL MAIL.

 

It started bubbling within seconds of being placed in the tank.

 

So I've got a small cyano problem (from what I realize, probably stemming from my shitty lights). Let's see it this helps out at all

[atoll]

If new you will still have got it off Seahorse breeder (Adrian) off his eBay shop.

OK a few questions.

1/ What size tank and gallonage do you have?

2/ Which Oxydator model did you buy?

3/ Whats your stocking level?

4/What % peroxide are you using?

5/ How many catalysts are you using?

 

 

Ok, so I finally got the oxydator! Delivered by the ROYAL MAIL.

 

It started bubbling within seconds of being placed in the tank.

 

So I've got a small cyano problem (from what I realize, probably stemming from my shitty lights). Let's see it this helps out at all

[hypostatic]

If new you will still have got it off Seahorse breeder (Adrian) off his eBay shop.

OK a few questions.

1/ What size tank and gallonage do you have?

2/ Which Oxydator model did you buy?

3/ Whats your stocking level?

4/What % peroxide are you using?

5/ How many catalysts are you using?

 

Yep, that's where I got it from!

 

1) 16G

2) The mini (the smallest one)

3) 2 clowns

4) 4.9% (came with the kit)

5) 2 catalysts

 

Is this sufficient for my size tank?

[Reefwiser]

Les here is a question I have about using the Oxydator I still have one from a previous tank. I had always placed it in the rear of the display. I wondered if it would make any difference to place it in the sump? I would not think so but wanted your opinion on placement of the Oxydator.