A Carib.Castle: Naughty Nibblers... June '15 pics/vid, Razors, 125g, diy LR

[eitallent]

That's a good idea. My local club is so active that I bet I could get people to go in on shipping with me if I needed to. I'm still hoping to find the food I want locally, but I'm holding off on calling around to the local store until I'm positive the seahorses are going to happen.

 

This food has really good reviews. Good luck with your seahorse project.

 

Great story. And now that I've seen how fast the tide can go in SF Bay, I understand how someone would just disappear, never to be seen again. Kinda scary, especially with the bat rays.

 

I really respect the water. It is beautiful and life giving, but it can be life-taking too. I am glad you have a healthy respect for water too. Some times healthy fear keeps you alive.

 

I've been wanting to try that food Ms. E. Hope you post reviews.

 

Hi, Kat. So far the fish and corals are loving it. I feed it in between the days I feed my simple home-made mix or Cyclop-eeze. It has only been four days and suddenly I am noticing orange feather worms and other filter feeders coming up from under rocks. They are reaching for more food I guess.

I like that it has fine foods included like rotifers and microalgae. I have measured my phosphates daily and so far they are staying around .15 ppm. I think it is a pretty clean food. Time will tell.

 

My good buddy Brain at 3rd Coast Corals gave me a sample pack of the Reef Frenzy and my fishies and corals went nuts! Plus it didn't cloud up my tank at all. Good stuff!

 

I agree with you. It does not cloud up my tank either. I really like the consistency of the food. It is the perfect size even for the smaller fish like my Blue Neon Gobies.

 

The tank is really doing well. Thank goodness!

 

There are a few things that I still need to get a feel for. That is lighting and flow. I am still struggling to find a spot for the purple PS gorgonians. I continue to increase the light for them and I am taking it slow, but maybe too slow. IDK

[BluCrab]

FTS?! & With Lights/Stand, I haven't been on for a few months & about to place my order for a Razor

[eitallent]

FTS?! & With Lights/Stand, I haven't been on for a few months & about to place my order for a Razor

 

FTS is so hard to take for this tank. The dining table is in the way of the stand. One Day I will have to move it to snap a decent all in one picture.

 

To make it up to you here is a new video.

 

You can see how nice and even the light distribution is on the sand and through out the tank. You will really like your Razor.

 

[shanesauce]

Blennies are by a long shot my favorite fish, I had lawnmowers in both of my previous tanks and they had the coolest personality.

[eitallent]

Blennies are by a long shot my favorite fish, I had lawnmowers in both of my previous tanks and they had the coolest personality.

 

Hello, shanesauce. I am glad you enjoyed the Blennies.

 

I agree with you completely. They follow me around the tank when I clean, take pictures or feed. They look at me and tilt their heads like they know I like that motion. They posture their fat bodies like stiff boards one moment and with a flick of their tails they zoom away like a wisp of smoke. I am totally smitten with them.

 

Did you see their fat bellies? I just have to laugh when they swim around pushing those bellies around.

[gena]

 

Did you see their fat bellies? I just have to laugh when they swim around pushing those bellies around.

Great video!!! Molly Millers are my favorite of all your fish. I totally noticed their fat bellies. Too cute when they swim around.

 

So you like the Hannah Phosphate checker? I want to get a phosphate test kit and it seems to have the best reviews.

[eitallent]

Hi, Gena. I am glad you had fun watching the fat Blennies. You should see them squeezing into the barnacle egg chamber together at the same time. I will have to try to catch that on film.

 

I like the Hannah phospate checker. No trying to distinguish shades of color!

 

The little powder packet is the only pain. I am trying to figure out a way to get the powder in the vial without spilling some of it. Clutz!

[Zia]

My son is enjoying doing experiments with the dry ice.

 

I read his thread he posted on this food. it looks so fresh and amazing. Pending your review and results oit i will be ordering some for my behbes.

 

Thanks, SeaMomma. He really is a cutie-pie.

 

I stop my car, annoying drivers all around me, and move them off the road all the time.

 

I have found them in my garden eating my maters! Naughty, naughty!

To funny! Love turtles, always found them in my backyard growing up and seeing your rescued cutie pie brings back great memories

 

Hello, Mr.M.

OMG 100g! Cannot wait for that thread to start!

 

I use two of the Fluval 300W. One would suffice for 100 g but because my tank is 6' long I felt better about quicker heat distribution with two heaters. I also like that it is covered to protect snails and other animals from burns. Animals that may have crawled upon it when it is cycled off may not be able to move off the heater quickly when it cycles on again. The temperature indicator works like a charm. It glows red when the water temp is above the set temp, it glows blue if it is colder.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-E-300-Watt-Electronic-Heater/dp/B001VMSK0I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373552055&sr=8-1&keywords=fluval+aquarium+heater

I need new heaters. Love the design and safety of these. I know what im getting now, Thanks!

 

That's a good idea. My local club is so active that I bet I could get people to go in on shipping with me if I needed to. I'm still hoping to find the food I want locally, but I'm holding off on calling around to the local store until I'm positive the seahorses are going to happen.

I think i remember reading on LRS thread if you buy 6 packs it's free shipping?

 

LOVE luv the new video! I just started making some myself and its purdy tricky for me. You have skillz! Your footage is so still and crystal clear and your transitions are seamless and on and on! I'm going to rewatch it a few times and take notes. Plus all the eye candy in there makes it easy on the eyes.

Also, i to need a 'Zig' in my life.

[gena]

Hi, Gena. I am glad you had fun watching the fat Blennies. You should see them squeezing into the barnacle egg chamber together at the same time. I will have to try to catch that on film.

 

I like the Hannah phospate checker. No trying to distinguish shades of color!

 

The little powder packet is the only pain. I am trying to figure out a way to get the powder in the vial without spilling some of it. Clutz!

There weren't many complaints, but a few mentioned the difficulty of getting the powder in the vial. You aren't the only one.

 

Oh...you definitely have to get those two squeezing into the barnacle on film. LOL

[eitallent]

Thanks, Zia. I feel so happy when I get complements. I got a fat head right now!

 

I am so glad you like the videos. I really enjoyed your latest videos. My tank is so bare compared to yours. I am working on filling it up though.

 

The heaters are great. I hope you will like them as much as I do.

 

The LRS food is working out well. Everyone is loving it so far. I fed it this morning and every scrap was eaten. Larry recommends you rinse it every other time you feed it. I have not found a reason to do so however. I think the cloudy food water is good for the filter feeders.

There weren't many complaints, but a few mentioned the difficulty of getting the powder in the vial. You aren't the only one.

Oh...you definitely have to get those two squeezing into the barnacle on film. LOL

 

Well, I am glad to know I am not the only one! LOL Misery loves company!

 

It will be hard to catch them in the act. Seba usually shoos Scuttle away from her nest. Every once in a while she allows him a visit, but not a long one.

[jedimasterben]

Larry recommends you rinse it every other time you feed it. I have not found a reason to do so however. I think the cloudy food water is good for the filter feeders.

This! I don't know why people get so uppity about a food clouding their water for a few minutes or an hour after they feed it. Not only does it get skimmed out, but it also feeds the bottom of the food chain, which then works its way up.

[eitallent]

Thanks for confirming my thought JMB.

 

I like the idea of feeding the things I cannot see, pods and bacteria, as well as the things I can see.

[BluCrab]

This! I don't know why people get so uppity about a food clouding their water for a few minutes or an hour after they feed it. Not only does it get skimmed out, but it also feeds the bottom of the food chain, which then works its way up.

I was told a lot of the frozen stuff has preservatives and that's why we're told to strain or rinse it.

Well those damn zombie snails (Nassarius Snail) love the stuff...I never see them until I fed them. OR when something dies in my tank.

[jedimasterben]

Nope. Never strain or rinse any food you put into your tank. If you think it has any preservatives in it, rinsing won't help any and it'll all still make it into the tank, and just don't use that food.

[eitallent]

I was told a lot of the frozen stuff has preservatives and that's why we're told to strain or rinse it.

Well those damn zombie snails (Nassarius Snail) love the stuff...I never see them until I fed them. OR when something dies in my tank.

 

Why would they put preservatives in frozen? I thought that the freezing is the preservative. No? I looked at some of the room temp foods and they contain preservatives, i.e. Kent Marine Zooplex has Sodium Bisulfate, Sorbic acid and Sodium Benzoate.

 

Nope. Never strain or rinse any food you put into your tank. If you think it has any preservatives in it, rinsing won't help any and it'll all still make it into the tank, and just don't use that food.

 

Sounds reasonable, JMB.

 

~_o~o~^o~~O~^oo~~~_o~~^oo_oO^oOo |_><((((_<('_>**^*

 

My tank paramaters as of 8 am today are pH 7.6, Alk 8.7 (3.1 meq/L), temp 81 F, salinity 1.025.

 

I do not have much in the way of SPS in this tank so I am not concerned about Ca levels yet. However, I did dose the Alk according to the alk calculator to bring up and maintain my alkalinity to around 9 dKH so that perhaps the pH would go up a bit.

 

IDK what do you all think?

[eitallent]

Oops. Forgot to mention that the PO₄ dropped to .10 ppm from .17 ppm. Poly Bio Filter to the rescue!

[jedimasterben]

All looks good to me. Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about phosphate levels unless you start seeing algae growth. Even Acropora can grow like weeds in immense phosphate levels (see kgoldy's tank lol).

[eitallent]

All looks good to me. Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about phosphate levels unless you start seeing algae growth. Even Acropora can grow like weeds in immense phosphate levels (see kgoldy's tank lol).

 

Thanks for your input. I am a worrywart!

[Felicia]

Sounds like your levels are pretty good right now. You sure got your alk up faster than I have. Mines still at like 7. I just don't want to add more than B-Ionic's recommended daily dose. Your pH is a little low, but its still in the ok range I think. As long as everything seems happy, I wouldn't worry too much about the pH (as long as it doesn't drop more).

[eitallent]

Sounds like your levels are pretty good right now. You sure got your alk up faster than I have. Mines still at like 7. I just don't want to add more than B-Ionic's recommended daily dose. Your pH is a little low, but its still in the ok range I think. As long as everything seems happy, I wouldn't worry too much about the pH (as long as it doesn't drop more).

 

Thanks for your comment, Felicia.

 

The pH is consistently low. I added a CO₂ scrubber on the nano and it helps it from dropping below the 7.6 boundary. I just recieved the canister and will be adding a CO₂ scrubber to this tank also.

 

The alk in this tank was low (at 7.0 dKH at the lowest) but not as low as the low really low alkalinity (6.4 dKH) in the nano. I raised it .5 dKH per day and holding at 8.1 in the Nano.

 

I have pictures of your Undata making a fast recovery in the nano thread!

[eitallent]

We had a storm blow through yesterday. I have battery operated airstones. They came in handy. After a few hours we were notified that the power outage was going to be prolonged so we turned on our generator and hooked up the aquariums and fridge. After all that work the power came back on half an hour later. Tra-la-la-la-laaa troll.

 

We also had minor wind damage to our roof, trees and fences so I will be MIA from NR this weekend.

Have a good one everyone!

[oldSWseamomma]

We had a storm blow through yesterday. I have battery operated airstones. They came in handy. After a few hours we were notified that the power outage was going to be prolonged so we turned on our generator and hooked up the aquariums and fridge. After all that work the power came back on half an hour later. Tra-la-la-la-laaa troll.

 

We also had minor wind damage to our roof, trees and fences so I will be MIA from NR this weekend.

Have a good one everyone!

Sorry to hear about the storm damage but soooo very glad no one was hurt and your power is back on. Be careful working in this heat and on a roof ! Yikes ! Hope all goes well and you get it all fixed good as new.

[Felicia]

We had a storm blow through yesterday. I have battery operated airstones. They came in handy. After a few hours we were notified that the power outage was going to be prolonged so we turned on our generator and hooked up the aquariums and fridge. After all that work the power came back on half an hour later. Tra-la-la-la-laaa troll.

 

We also had minor wind damage to our roof, trees and fences so I will be MIA from NR this weekend.

Have a good one everyone!

Sorry to hear that! I'm glad to hear how well prepared you were with the tanks and that they were fine. Good luck with fixing the storm damage!

[Felicia]

Did you get all the damage repaired? I hope it went well. I'm ready to have you back on NR!

 

Quick question...

I ordered that same dry sand that you used. Did you rinse it at all? If so, how did you do it? I've always bought live sand and don't know the best way to go about rinsing sand.

[eitallent]

Sorry to hear about the storm damage but soooo very glad no one was hurt and your power is back on. Be careful working in this heat and on a roof ! Yikes ! Hope all goes well and you get it all fixed good as new.

 

Thanks. It all went well. Chain saw use was supervised by me so that no one did anything risky. My menfolk are risk takers!

 

Sorry to hear that! I'm glad to hear how well prepared you were with the tanks and that they were fine. Good luck with fixing the storm damage!

 

Thanks. The battery operated airstones really worked out very well.

 

Did you get all the damage repaired? I hope it went well. I'm ready to have you back on NR!

 

Quick question...

I ordered that same dry sand that you used. Did you rinse it at all? If so, how did you do it? I've always bought live sand and don't know the best way to go about rinsing sand.

 

Thanks, Felicia.

 

The clean up went well. All repairs have been made. There is a burn ban in our county so the tree limbs are all waiting in a tidy pile. We will probably have a bonfire before the kids leave to go off to school.

 

Yes I rinsed it a lot. The water ran a little cloudy not milky and then I stopped rinsing. I used a large tub to rinse the sand. I filled the tub with water while agitating the sand and dumping the water out. It took six fill ups. It really made a difference in how fast the water cleared up and it was not too cloudy. I did not rinse the sand for the nano and it was thick with sediment. Lesson learned.