THE OFFICIAL ASK ALBERT THIEL THREAD

[Nano sapiens]

2 hours ago, Paul.b said:

I use a swing arm hydrometer that is so old it probably came in a wooden box.  Wood is the stuff we make trees out of.  We all know swing arm hydrometers are vastly inaccurate so to calibrate it I pack it up and hail a cab to the airport, get on a plane to a tropical location where my last fish came from.  Get off the plane and rent a car.  Drive to a boat rental place and rent something with a motor.  Power out to a coral reef or mangrove Island, jump out of the boat with the swing arm hydrometer and fill it with water.  Bring it back to the boat and ask your wife for a towel that doesn't have Coppertone all over it and dry off the hydrometer.  Then draw a line on it exactly where the pointer is floating.  Take the boat back and get your deposit back, take the car to the airport and get your deposit back, get on the plane to your home and test your water. 

It's simple and accurate so that's what I do whenever I get a new fish.

 

 

 

...or you could just head on over to your local aquarium store and check it against their (possibly digital) refractometer.  I know it's not as much fun, though

 

Speaking of swing arms, the one I use is the original rectangular SeaTest model that is the only piece of original SW equipment that I still have from the 70's.  Its accurately inaccurate (if that makes any sense) every year that I have it checked

[Paul.b]

I like the inaccuracy of the swing arms, this way it is a challenge.

[atoll]

Some years ago not that long after the swinging sixties....I mean needles but I remember them both well, well the swinging needles ...OH! and the swinging blue jeans but I digress.

I invited 5 mates over who all had hydrometers of the swinging things and asked them to bring them with them. I dipped all them in my tank and lined them up along the side of each other. You have never seen such a difference in readings. One of the lads was so far out he found it was affecting his corals and reading far too low . When he slowly reduced is SG his tank improved. I wouldn't trust a swinging needle anymore than I would trying to go back to the swinging sixties blue jeans and all. Thankfully we have far more accurate equipment to measure salinity now.    

[Paul.b]

That's why I brought the thing to the Florida Keys and drew a line on it where the arm was floating.  I don't really care what the actual number measurement is, I just bring it to that level and forget it.

[atoll]

13 minutes ago, Paul.b said:

That's why I brought the thing to the Florida Keys and drew a line on it where the arm was floating.  I don't really care what the actual number measurement is, I just bring it to that level and forget it.

Fine Paul but just remember what is the right line now might not be in a year or few months but it's a good excuse to go the keys every now and again to ermmm re calibrate it 

[atoll]

This hobby is nothing if but fascinating and an education. Some people jump to conclusions and just pass misinformation around. You have to ask yourself why, how come and what if. I have been keeping marines for around 36 years (Paul beats me by some margin) and the more I learn the more I find I have to learn. However somethings are just banded around as fact when in fact often they are only half truths or not true at all. I have an open mind to this hobby and have a saying "if it ain't broken fix it anyway" I discover things and as long as I am not hurting my animals then I like to experiment and try alternatives. I have been using algae scrubbers for a couple of years, used Oxydators for around 25 years (most in the hobby don't even know what they are) I make much of my own food and use fish oils and do a fair bit of DIY with my tanks. I could go on but you get my drift and what do I know, am just a beginner who has much to learn and discover. We are all learning stuff in this hobby every day and if you aren't then perhaps the hobby is not for you and you may become bored with it after a year or two. Discovery keeps your enthusiasm alive, failure opens new opportunities, successes will give you pride and satisfaction. Here is to the next 36 years.... I wish lol.

[Paul.b]

I think that bangai cardinal is making a fool out of me as he is eating well and looks better than he ever did.  He is well past his supposed lifespan so maybe he is taking suppliments. 

My copperband also had this dark mark on his side and now it is almost gone.  This is how he looked a few months ago.

 

Then a few weeks ago it faded.

 

Now it faded even more which leads me to believe he drew that black mark on his side with magic marker.

[Nano sapiens]

On 3/7/2017 at 1:47 PM, atoll said:

Fine Paul but just remember what is the right line now might not be in a year or few months but it's a good excuse to go the keys every now and again to ermmm re calibrate it 

 

IME, that is true for new swing arms, but not for the old seasoned ones.  I've checked my oldie every year for the last 10 years at the LFS and it has been rock solid (1.022 reading = 1.026 SG).  That's 'accurately inaccurate' in my book

[atoll]

Not set up my BS hatchery for a while so thought I would give the fish and some corals a treat. The fish go mad for them. here's a short video, sorry about the lighting and focus as my lights had not yet ramped up and the video was taken on my phone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qRqqd9ZaVA

[RayWhisperer]

Just wondering here. Anybody have a status update on Albert?  Is he getting better, worse? Hope all is well. I know he was pretty sick.

[atoll]

1 hour ago, RayWhisperer said:

Just wondering here. Anybody have a status update on Albert?  Is he getting better, worse? Hope all is well. I know he was pretty sick.

NOT HEARD FROM HIM FOR A WHILE ALTHOUGH HE DOES PUT THE ODD LINK UP ON FACEBOOK NANO REEFS BUT HAVE NOT SEEN ANY PENNED POSTS. . 

[RayWhisperer]

Ok, thanks. 

No need to yell at me, though. 

[atoll]

7 minutes ago, RayWhisperer said:

Ok, thanks. 

No need to yell at me, though. 

Ooops sorry ...damn caps lock  

[RayWhisperer]

I figured. I was just messing with ya.

[StinkyBunny]

My swing arm with a mark from The Keys is from the 80's, even has a parachute pants box I keep it in. I also use a floating hydrometer. Refractometers drift too much for my liking and I've had 3 of them from expensive to el cheapo.

[RayWhisperer]

That's why you spend $7 for a bottle of calibration fluid that'll last you a lifetime.

[Paul.b]

Queen anthius eating clams, worms and Mysis.  Lousy video and colors are washed out so I will also add a better video just eating baby brine shrimp.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxQaV01x_M8&feature=youtu.be

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frNlgC3GN3c

[Paul.b]

 

For a few days I couldn't find any of my anemone crabs,  and I have 5 of them.  I searched behind rocks with a flashlight, crawled under and to the back of the tank with a mirror, called out their name etc.  Not one.

But this morning before the lights came on I see four of them on the same montipora like they were checking out each other's cell phones.  I can't find the fifth one but he may be shedding someplace or just enjoying his quiet time.

 

[Paul.b]

I just took this video which came out pretty good.  The mandarins won't let me take closeups so they are not in it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7dKzh6ZOYs&feature=youtu.be

[sekunda]

Just pulled out my Nano Reef Aquariums book by Albert to reread before I build another tank up. Love this book! 

[Paul.b]

We as aquarists normally feed our fish something that we can buy commercially.

We normally buy some food that has a nice picture of a healthy, colorful fish on the package.  I also use some commercially available food but besides that I feed something else at every meal.  Most commercial frozen food is fine and provides a nice assortment of vitamins, minerals and trace elements that our fish need but they can't provide one very important part of the fishes diet.  Maybe the most important part of it's diet.

That thing is living bacteria.  Fish in the sea eat whole, fresh foods every day which contains the gut bacteria of it's meal.   The living gut bacteria is very important for the fishes immune system and has been studied extensively in humans "and" now in fish.  Virtually all commercially available frozen food would normally be devoid of this bacteria because the food needs to be sterile so it lasts long enough to sell and ship it.

Probiotics are added to some foods in the hope of replenishing some of this bacteria and I assume that would qualify as a better food than food without it.  But IMO, that is not enough.  Every day I also feed, along with a commercial food, live worms, clams and new born brine shrimp.  My fish are immune from just about every disease and have been for decades but that is for another thread because I am tired of people calling me "lucky" as that is not my name.

I didn't make this up as I have been linking articles about it for a couple of years.  My wife came upon this just today and it is about this subject.  About half way through this short video they mention fish tanks.  I think it is interesting.

 

http://www.openbiome.org/about-fmt/

[atoll]

3 hours ago, Paul.b said:

We as aquarists normally feed our fish something that we can buy commercially.

We normally buy some food that has a nice picture of a healthy, colorful fish on the package.  I also use some commercially available food but besides that I feed something else at every meal.  Most commercial frozen food is fine and provides a nice assortment of vitamins, minerals and trace elements that our fish need but they can't provide one very important part of the fishes diet.  Maybe the most important part of it's diet.

That thing is living bacteria.  Fish in the sea eat whole, fresh foods every day which contains the gut bacteria of it's meal.   The living gut bacteria is very important for the fishes immune system and has been studied extensively in humans "and" now in fish.  Virtually all commercially available frozen food would normally be devoid of this bacteria because the food needs to be sterile so it lasts long enough to sell and ship it.

Probiotics are added to some foods in the hope of replenishing some of this bacteria and I assume that would qualify as a better food than food without it.  But IMO, that is not enough.  Every day I also feed, along with a commercial food, live worms, clams and new born brine shrimp.  My fish are immune from just about every disease and have been for decades but that is for another thread because I am tired of people calling me "lucky" as that is not my name.

I didn't make this up as I have been linking articles about it for a couple of years.  My wife came upon this just today and it is about this subject.  About half way through this short video they mention fish tanks.  I think it is interesting.

 

http://www.openbiome.org/about-fmt/

 

That's geat Paul, do you mind if I copy your post above and share it with my Facebook group giving you the credit of course? 

[atoll]

New addition today Multibar Angelfish (Paracentropyge multifasciata) Bit of a challenge but it's been in the LFS 4weeks and I watched it for 20mins and saw it eating brine shrimp. The pic is a library pic as it's only just gone it and even though it is out and about within minutes it is obviously still nervous while it explores it's now home. So far although the other fish have shown an interest in it there has been no aggression towards not even from my Regal Angel apart from a little chasing but nothing serious at all, so, so far so good. Fingers crossed now.

 

[Paul.b]

Atoll, anything I post or make up you can copy and paste any place you like and give credit to me, Kermit the Frog, Lady GaGa or Copernicus.  Just not Nancy Pelosi.

[Paul.b]

Today as I was feeding the fish, this guy, the stripped wrasse got so excited, he jumped out of the tank, hit me in the nose and fell on the floor.  Then as I was trying to catch him he slid under the couch.  I moved the couch and shoved him into a plastic container, but before I threw him back into the tank, I explained to him that what he did was very stupid and I hoped that he learned his lesson.

I am not sure if he wanted to punch me in the nose or kiss me for feeding him blackworms.

I have not seen him for an hour so I don't know if he is sulking, embarrassed or croaked.