THE OFFICIAL ASK ALBERT THIEL THREAD

[albertthiel]

Where have the Large Coral Colonies Gone ????????????

 

 

https://reefbuilders.com/2016/05/21/where-have-the-large-coral-colonies-gone/

 

 

Albert

[Orangutran]

 

 

The thing is when the room is a lot darker than the light in the tank then the fish can't see movement after a short distance to the tank. What most will see is their own reflection starring back at them. This will have different effects on different species, some might show off to what they see as an intruder, some might attack it, while some might be wary. When the room light is brighter than the tank then the fish can see movement outside the tank and so some might hide while others will think they are about to be fed as they become accustomed to movement resulting in feeding.

 

 

The thing is, they used to swim around when I'm in the room, and knew when it was feeding time. My clown might have bullied them a bit, but makes no sense that they are scared of me!

 

Maybe I should keep the algae on my glass, so they can't see outside!

[atoll]

 

 

The thing is, they used to swim around when I'm in the room, and knew when it was feeding time. My clown might have bullied them a bit, but makes no sense that they are scared of me!

 

Maybe I should keep the algae on my glass, so they can't see outside!

 

Hmmm check your tank water for residue current just in case.

[albertthiel]

 

Hmmm check your tank water for residue current just in case.

 

Good suggestion Les

 

 

Albert

[Orangutran]

 

Hmmm check your tank water for residue current just in case.

 

Residue current like in stray current from equipment? I never thought about that...

[Paul B]

My montipora actually looks a little better so maybe it is just teasing me. The fish are all great, but as I said to big and they seem to like being pregnant.

My arrow crab is still scary and I hope he also stops growing. Another molt and he may break the glass. I can't seem to find my clingfish but he shows up every few weeks and also gets bigger. Tomorrow I have to buy more chowder clams as that is my preferred food that they get almost every day along with the worms and new born brine. If it were not for the bluestripe pipes, mandarins and anthius I wouldn't have to hatch those little suckers every day. But if you want to keep such creatures you need to do that. No, you can't have long term, pregnant mandarins and pipefish by feeding pellets even if they will eat them. Your fish will hate you. I just read some older posts on this and other forums and it seems that a lot of people feel they can't use my methods to keep fish immune or pregnant. I am not sure why because for the first 40 years I had my tank I also had a regular job and still had time to properly feed my fish. Maybe like I keep hearing, I am just lucky.

Yesterday I tuned up my boat. I can't remember the last time I put spark plugs in it and I mentioned that to the mechanic at the marina. He told me that after a few years in salt water you can't get the plugs out any more and they have to pull the engines out for $4,500.00 He must have me mixed up with a Jiboni because if I spend $4,500.00 on anything it better involve Christie Brinkley or any one of the Victoria Secret Supermodels, Hawaii or Tahiti. The plugs came right out because the last time I changed them I put some anti seize compound on the threads. If you do your own work you know what you are getting and won't have any problems the next time. The job cost me $36.00 and took an hour. The actual work was probably 20 minutes and the rest of the time was spent trying to straighten myself up after cramming myself in between those engines.

[Orangutran]

 

Hmmm check your tank water for residue current just in case.

So I checked with a volt meter... reads 1 volt, if I did it correctly. Stuck one end in the ground outlet, and one end in the water.

 

Set the meter to measure 10 AC, and the needle moved to 1.

 

I'm good right?

[albertthiel]

Wow Paul

 

what a diff $ 4500 and then you got it done for $ 36. Good job !

 

Good to read all the updates on the tank

 

Albert

[atoll]

So I checked with a volt meter... reads 1 volt, if I did it correctly. Stuck one end in the ground outlet, and one end in the water.

 

Set the meter to measure 10 AC, and the needle moved to 1.

 

I'm good right?

To be honest.... I can't answer that, maybe Paul B here as an electrician can help. I always thought it best to have no voltage in the aquarium you can measure. I only ever used an electricians screwdriver with the neon light in the handle, if it lights then you have stray current. Do you ever get a tingle or mild shock off your tank?t

[albertthiel]

To be honest.... I can't answer that, maybe Paul B here as an electrician can help. I always thought it best to have no voltage in the aquarium you can measure. I only ever used an electricians screwdriver with the neon light in the handle, if it lights then you have stray current. Do you ever get a tingle or mild shock off your tank?t

Same here.

 

Albert

[Orangutran]

To be honest.... I can't answer that, maybe Paul B here as an electrician can help. I always thought it best to have no voltage in the aquarium you can measure. I only ever used an electricians screwdriver with the neon light in the handle, if it lights then you have stray current. Do you ever get a tingle or mild shock off your tank?t

 

 

I read somewhere that anything under 5volts is ok? I have one of those pens too, let me test with that tonight….

[Paul B]

If you are reading one volt that is the same as nothing. I think you measured something wrong or your meter croaked as you should read more than that. All AC devices in your tank like the heater and AC pumps will induce some slight voltage (not current) in your water. If your pumps are DC they will not produce any voltage in your water and maybe your heater was not on. But even if you read 50 volts, that would not affect anything. If you stick one probe in your ear and the other in your friend's ear, you will probably read more than one volt.

If you ever read something like 108 volts, Don't put your hand in there as that is not induced voltage. That normally would come from a cracked heater or pump and that will kill you. But only once.

[albertthiel]

If you are reading one volt that is the same as nothing. I think you measured something wrong or your meter croaked as you should read more than that. All AC devices in your tank like the heater and AC pumps will induce some slight voltage (not current) in your water. If your pumps are DC they will not produce any voltage in your water and maybe your heater was not on. But even if you read 50 volts, that would not affect anything. If you stick one probe in your ear and the other in your friend's ear, you will probably read more than one volt.

If you ever read something like 108 volts, Don't put your hand in there as that is not induced voltage. That normally would come from a cracked heater or pump and that will kill you. But only once.

 

Great info Paul

 

Albert

[Orangutran]

If you are reading one volt that is the same as nothing. I think you measured something wrong or your meter croaked as you should read more than that. All AC devices in your tank like the heater and AC pumps will induce some slight voltage (not current) in your water. If your pumps are DC they will not produce any voltage in your water and maybe your heater was not on. But even if you read 50 volts, that would not affect anything. If you stick one probe in your ear and the other in your friend's ear, you will probably read more than one volt.

If you ever read something like 108 volts, Don't put your hand in there as that is not induced voltage. That normally would come from a cracked heater or pump and that will kill you. But only once.

So maybe my meter isn't the best, or could be operator error!

 

I just used a test pen, and it did beep. And that measures 100-1000v? I should be dead by now if the pen really goes off in that range. I don't feel any tingles when I stick my hand in the water. I turned off all the equipment (all AC), and it still beeped! Confused.

[Paul B]

The next time you want to use that test pen, gently remove it from the box, walk over to your garbage can and place the pen inside.

[albertthiel]

The next time you want to use that test pen, gently remove it from the box, walk over to your garbage can and place the pen inside.

 

Guess those test pens are :(

 

 

Albert

[Hammerstone]

The next time you want to use that test pen, gently remove it from the box, walk over to your garbage can and place the pen inside.

You're so funny!!!?

[albertthiel]

Yes he is for sure .. love his writings and musings

Albert

[Orangutran]

The next time you want to use that test pen, gently remove it from the box, walk over to your garbage can and place the pen inside.

 

LMAO! Now tell me how you REALLY feel about the test pen...

[Paul B]

For testing "induced" voltage in a tank. Which is actually as important as knowing who the Libertarian candidate is, use a multi meter.

But induced voltage doesn't mean anything. Voltage is induced through anything that is near an AC power source. If you walk under those transformers on the street you will induce a little voltage in your head. Those weirdo's with the pink Mohawk hairstyles walk under a lot of transformers. If induced voltage bothers you, you can do one of two things. Throw out the multimeter so you can't test it, or use a ground probe which you should be using anyway.

[albertthiel]

For testing "induced" voltage in a tank. Which is actually as important as knowing who the Libertarian candidate is, use a multi meter.

But induced voltage doesn't mean anything. Voltage is induced through anything that is near an AC power source. If you walk under those transformers on the street you will induce a little voltage in your head. Those weirdo's with the pink Mohawk hairstyles walk under a lot of transformers. If induced voltage bothers you, you can do one of two things. Throw out the multimeter so you can't test it, or use a ground probe which you should be using anyway.

 

 

Thanks Paul

 

 

Albert

[Funtom]

i could not find any answer online so was hoping to get some info here. today i saw little hitchhiking crab carrying zoanthus on his back, now i have one quite big zoanthus rock that is a size of a fist and today i saw little crab going around the aquarium carrying peace of it, some 8 pieces of zoas together...

 

my question is should i live him carrying that around or what? :-o

[CronicReefer]

i could not find any answer online so was hoping to get some info here. today i saw little hitchhiking crab carrying zoanthus on his back, now i have one quite big zoanthus rock that is a size of a fist and today i saw little crab going around the aquarium carrying peace of it, some 8 pieces of zoas together...

my question is should i live him carrying that around or what? :-o

Sounds like a decorator crab to me. They are known to use soft corals for making their shells look fancy.

[Hammerstone]

That's cool, albeit annoying to move your Zoas around, but cute as hell ?

[Paul B]

That montipora that was bleaching seems to be almost fully recovered. That is weird but I think I figured out what was making it fail to thrive. I tested my Alk, something I rarely do, and it was high. Higher than my test kit goes which was 13.
So I just dosed calcium maybe 6 or 7 times with no alk and the thing looks much better and almost back to normal. I didn't test the alk again but I assume it came down.
I once lost a very large monti by bleaching and was wondering what the alk was then. I think in a few days it will be as good as new.
My fish don't seem to care and continue to smile, and spawn.
The white parts were very white a week ago and I was sure it would croak.