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THE OFFICIAL ASK ALBERT THIEL THREAD


ZephNYC

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I had to stop half way up the stairs or risk dropping it. I sat on the stairs with my end of the tank resting in my knees. Getting up off the stairs with the tank on my knees was something else. Definatley not good for a 65year old. Good job Sam on the other end was 6'6" built like hulk and only 21 great guy though.

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I had to stop half way up the stairs or risk dropping it. I sat on the stairs with my end of the tank resting in my knees. Getting up off the stairs with the tank on my knees was something else. Definatley not good for a 65year old. Good job Sam on the other end was 6'6" built like hulk and only 21 great guy though.

 

Good you had a young "stud" to help you :)

 

Albert

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A jelly tank Albert? Mesmerising, though as an amateur photographer it is both a blessing and a curse if I have my camera on me :)

 

My little amateur tank is slowly evolving tho and I wanted to thank you again for the book, it has been a great help. I even received a compliment from my uncle Albert when he saw the pico for the first time :D

Now to get in shape so I can blow him away next time I invite the family ;)

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A jelly tank Albert? Mesmerising, though as an amateur photographer it is both a blessing and a curse if I have my camera on me :)

 

My little amateur tank is slowly evolving tho and I wanted to thank you again for the book, it has been a great help. I even received a compliment from my uncle Albert when he saw the pico for the first time :D

Now to get in shape so I can blow him away next time I invite the family ;)

 

Yes Jelly tanks are indeed mesmerizing and taking videos of them is a pleasure and of course watching the Jellies go around and around and pulsing as they do every few seconds or faster is very gratifying.

 

Not sure why it is a curse though :)

 

And glad to read that my book was of help to you in getting your Pico in great shape. It is nice of you to point out that the book was indeed of help to you in accomplishing a great look mini reef.

 

Thanks

 

Albert

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Les we are not Young anymore. I do maintenance and I can fell those heavy motors now when I have to pick one up. :)

 

I'll second that Reefwiser .... we are indeed getting a day older and things tend to get a little more difficult to do :)

 

Albert

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PAGE 666! THE NUMBA OF THE BEAST (cue Iron Maiden)

 

Ok guys, I need your expertise on ID-ing some things I saw while snorkeling in Curaçao.

 

First of all, this guy:

sQDqthA.jpg

This guy was HANGING UPSIDE DOWN OUTSIDE THE WATER on the underside of a cliff edge. It was moving around and didn't care to be out of the water. It's next to some sort of chiton. Any ideas??

 

Is this black thing a sponge?

cbsqqcN.jpg

 

And these guys, cuttles or squid? Any idea what species? Are they different species?

lC1x9tT.jpg

A8FiaXZ.jpg

 

OH and what kinda blenny is this?

Kh21dud.jpg

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Yesterday I took possession of a Santa Monica HOB2 algae scrubber. I have been interested in algae scrubbers for sometime and in the past have grown both Caulerpa and Cheato in sumps and years ago in the main tank. SM algae scrubbers are not available here in the UK and the guy I got it from had to import it from the US. I got it for a good price but I don't know how SM can justify the new price of his scrubbers. The price new for his HOB2 is £240 and IMO that's a crazy price and of course I paid a lot less than that for my secondhand one. Anybody any experience with them? Albert do you have an opinion on them?

http://www.santa-monica.cc/

 

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Yesterday I took possession of a Santa Monica HOB2 algae scrubber. I have been interested in algae scrubbers for sometime and in the past have grown both Caulerpa and Cheato in sumps and years ago in the main tank. SM algae scrubbers are not available here in the UK and the guy I got it from had to import it from the US. I got it for a good price but I don't know how SM can justify the new price of his scrubbers. The price new for his HOB2 is £240 and IMO that's a crazy price and of course I paid a lot less than that for my secondhand one. Anybody any experience with them? Albert do you have an opinion on them?

http://www.santa-monica.cc/

 

I have seen them and saw their Kickstarter pages quite some time ago but I have not seen any commentary on them to be honest and have not tried one myself

 

And yes that price is absurd Les

 

I hope you got it real cheap

 

Supposedly based on the description they gave it works really well but I have not seen anyone raving about it or making very positive comments about it

 

Sorry I cannot help

 

Albert

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Hi Albert,

 

I just saw your thread and I hope you can spare some time to consider my questions below and provide your thoughts.

 

I started a Nuvo 16 that is modeled after Jake Adams' "Ecoreef One". Google search Ecoreef One if you are not familiar or try http://www.advanceda...010/4/aquarium. His theory works.

 

I use ESV's seawater mix and do 100% water changes every week that are matched by temp and pH, and when I mix the seawater I use a digital scale for accuracy. I have no fish and all of my coral frags are happy and open.

 

I ordered a custom rock piece from Cerameco and also experienced high silicate readings like Ecoreef One so I soaked it for 6 months in RODI water then for a month in saltwater to cure it and drop the silicate levels. I then added it to the tank with no sand. I use a tunze osmolator for my ATO, and I have an Apex Jr running everything from my probes to my Hydra light.

 

Now, here comes my question. I want to upgrade my tank size since I fell in love with the CADlights 34g mini II tank. I want the tank size so I can host more corals. In the past I have run nano tanks and a 55g tank, so the 34g will be a fun mid size tank.

 

What I want some feedback on is how to transition tanks.

 

1. Would you keep the 16g running for several more months, and in tandem start the 34g tank with some live rock, add a heater, turn on the light and return pump included in the setup and let the new tank cycle for 1-2 months, then do a decent size water change and switch everything over?

 

Or

 

2a. Switch everything over now into the 34g tank, using ESV seawater(which has component A and B already in it for calcium, pH, etc)

2b. Do weekly 100% water changes in the 34g tank for a couple of months to keep nitrite and ammonia levels super low and establish a bacteria colony in the 34g tank

2c. Over time start reducing the volume of water changes systematically to get to the traditional reef care of weekly 10-20% water changes.

2d. Test for nitrites,ammonia and nitrates.

 

3. Do you have any other ideas besides what I listed?

 

My goal is to determine the safest method to bring my acans, zoas, Palys, toadstool, finger coral, and ricordias into the new tank, and transition from a "dosing free, zero cycling nano tank like Ecoreef One" that has limited size for coral growth, to a larger tank. However, knowing that the larger tank tradeoff is the inability to do the 100% water change, no testing, no additives method.

 

Please share your thoughts.

 

Thanks!

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Hi Albert,

 

I just saw your thread and I hope you can spare some time to consider my questions below and provide your thoughts.

 

I started a Nuvo 16 that is modeled after Jake Adams' "Ecoreef One". Google search Ecoreef One if you are not familiar or try http://www.advanceda...010/4/aquarium. His theory works.

 

I use ESV's seawater mix and do 100% water changes every week that are matched by temp and pH, and when I mix the seawater I use a digital scale for accuracy. I have no fish and all of my coral frags are happy and open.

 

I ordered a custom rock piece from Cerameco and also experienced high silicate readings like Ecoreef One so I soaked it for 6 months in RODI water then for a month in saltwater to cure it and drop the silicate levels. I then added it to the tank with no sand. I use a tunze osmolator for my ATO, and I have an Apex Jr running everything from my probes to my Hydra light.

 

Now, here comes my question. I want to upgrade my tank size since I fell in love with the CADlights 34g mini II tank. I want the tank size so I can host more corals. In the past I have run nano tanks and a 55g tank, so the 34g will be a fun mid size tank.

 

What I want some feedback on is how to transition tanks.

 

1. Would you keep the 16g running for several more months, and in tandem start the 34g tank with some live rock, add a heater, turn on the light and return pump included in the setup and let the new tank cycle for 1-2 months, then do a decent size water change and switch everything over?

 

Or

 

2a. Switch everything over now into the 34g tank, using ESV seawater(which has component A and B already in it for calcium, pH, etc)

2b. Do weekly 100% water changes in the 34g tank for a couple of months to keep nitrite and ammonia levels super low and establish a bacteria colony in the 34g tank

2c. Over time start reducing the volume of water changes systematically to get to the traditional reef care of weekly 10-20% water changes.

2d. Test for nitrites,ammonia and nitrates.

 

3. Do you have any other ideas besides what I listed?

 

My goal is to determine the safest method to bring my acans, zoas, Palys, toadstool, finger coral, and ricordias into the new tank, and transition from a "dosing free, zero cycling nano tank like Ecoreef One" that has limited size for coral growth, to a larger tank. However, knowing that the larger tank tradeoff is the inability to do the 100% water change, no testing, no additives method.

 

Please share your thoughts.

 

Thanks!

 

What I would do is get the new tank ready and remove the corals from the old one and store them in large enough container for the time it takes to make the switch over. In that vat just put an airstone powered by an air pump to keep circulation going in there.

 

Take all the rock and sand out of the old tank and put it in the new tank, and scape the tank the way you want it to look

 

Add more water to make up for the missing amount

 

Let that run for maybe 30 min or so so all the water and the new water mixes well.

 

Once that is done move the corals from the vat or container into the new tank

 

Then monitor for ammonia and nitrite every day for a few days and make water changes as needed if any mini cycle shows up. It may or it may not, but in all likelihood you will have a mini cycle that can be dealt with with water changes. Not 100 % though. you should be able to control any ammonia and nitrite levels with 25 to max 50% IME

 

If you do that for a few days (monitoring) you should be ok and the new tank will be running just fine

 

Monitor ammonia and nitrite levels for a few more days and when they are down to zero reduce water changes to maybe 10% - 15% a week

 

I think that will do it for you\

 

Should you have more questions let me know

 

Albert

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What I would do is get the new tank ready and remove the corals from the old one and store them in large enough container for the time it takes to make the switch over. In that vat just put an airstone powered by an air pump to keep circulation going in there.

 

Take all the rock and sand out of the old tank and put it in the new tank, and scape the tank the way you want it to look

 

Add more water to make up for the missing amount

 

Let that run for maybe 30 min or so so all the water and the new water mixes well.

 

Once that is done move the corals from the vat or container into the new tank

 

Then monitor for ammonia and nitrite every day for a few days and make water changes as needed if any mini cycle shows up. It may or it may not, but in all likelihood you will have a mini cycle that can be dealt with with water changes. Not 100 % though. you should be able to control any ammonia and nitrite levels with 25 to max 50% IME

 

If you do that for a few days (monitoring) you should be ok and the new tank will be running just fine

 

Monitor ammonia and nitrite levels for a few more days and when they are down to zero reduce water changes to maybe 10% - 15% a week

 

I think that will do it for you\

 

Should you have more questions let me know

 

Albert

 

Yes that method worked wonderfully for me 2 years ago when I downsized a 90 to a 36 bowfront. I needed the bowfront to go in the same spot as that is where my dedicated aquarium circuit is. I added biospira also when I finished. The tank had a small mini cycle and all my livestock sailed through with no problems. I still have most of the animals and corals to this day.

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Yes that method worked wonderfully for me 2 years ago when I downsized a 90 to a 36 bowfront. I needed the bowfront to go in the same spot as that is where my dedicated aquarium circuit is. I added biospira also when I finished. The tank had a small mini cycle and all my livestock sailed through with no problems. I still have most of the animals and corals to this day.

 

Glad to read that worked for you and it should work again ...and adding some biospira or a similar product should help as well

 

Keep us posted will you on how things went once you make the change-over

 

Thanks

 

Albert

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