What is it? (Pods) More?
Hey Ryan,<Hey!>
Thanks for the response below.  Two questions:
1)  The pods that are stuck to the glass (pin head sized) that don't seem to move and are stationary, do I just leave them there?  What will they do?  Do they hatch into something?  Will they always  be there?  Do they need to eat.  More seem to appearing.  These are different than the second critters I describe that are so tiny (lice like) and are running all over the glass surfaces and in the algae fields on my substrate. <No need to worry about them at all.  The population of these colonies will figure itself out.  As they grow, it will be easier to distinguish what they are.>
2)  I have been told that the Nassarius snails I introduced are more meat eaters and not algae eaters.  What do I need to feed these guys and how much?  I added about 10 of them. <Just the sand bed will suffice if it's truly live.>
3)  I also added a brittle star to the tank.  A pretty quiet creature.  Hides most of the time.  What does he eat?  What do I need to feed him and how often? <What kind of brittle star?  You can view him out at night with a red light of some sort.  Eating habits of brittle stars varies, so research here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestars.htm
In all instances keep in mind that there are no fish yet in the tank that would normally be supplying some food via their leftovers.  I am imagining I need to feed these guys.  <Possibly.  Some sinking Hikari type pellets may work well, but be sure to remove them if left uneaten.>
4)  Last, (I am so sorry for all this<No worries!>) what is all the white dusty/powdery stuff that keeps accumulating on all my live rock surfaces?  I blow the stuff of and in a few days its piled up again all over the place.  Someone said it was detritus, but if I have no fish or large animals where would it be coming from?  What the heck is it?  Its also piled around on the substrate of the tank. <Could be detritus, could be die-off from your rock.  Is you tank still cycling?  In any event, try and remove it while doing your water changes.  Do you have proper circulation in your tank?  What kind of filtration are you running?  This stuff should be easily removed with the proper equipment. See ya- Ryan>
Thanks guys!
Louis Rizzo

Micro-managing the Micro-reef :) 6/29/03
<cheers, Brent>
Dear Anthony [Tunze opinion buried within] - proceed to para 1.
Dear Bob - proceed to para 2.
Dear Gang - proceed to para 3.
<Hmmmm... Brent, are you a human resources manager? Read Machiavelli? Coach little league softball? Er... nevermind <G>>
1.  I really like your views and answers, and that’s good enough for me to go buy your two books.
<Hmmm... thanks, and I'm hoping you like our humor too!>
When is Reef Invertebrates hitting the streets (still
is “out” on Amazon)? (please proceed to para 3).
<will be a few weeks before showing up on Amazon... but it is available now from other online and bricks retailers, as well as from us directly if you'd care to have any inscriptions. The new book was released days ago and is trickling down>
2.  I went to buy your The Conscientious Marine Aquarist at the LFS
(reef-oriented), but they didn’t have it! So, I will be buying it with my next Amazon order, and am one of many who obviously appreciate your valuable time on wetwebmedia duty. (please proceed to para 3).
<thanks kindly>
3.  Enjoying these FAQs in an attempt to learn. Still new to aquarium-itis and reef-itis, I would greatly appreciate views and advice on my current and hoped-for setup. I have a 6-month old 12 gallon acrylic nano reef with retrofitted CSL 64W PC lights. It has 4 to 5" DSB with 15 to 20 lbs live rock and lots of soft corals. In a couple of months I’ll probably add two
false percula clownfish - no fish currently, though have lots of snails and crabs. I’d like to add a sump directly below to give me more water for temp & salinity stability, allow me to eliminate the two powerheads [Rio 180 at 117gph  & Micro-Jet MC-450 at 117 gph] by placing a SCWD wave device on a more powerful output from a sump pump to the aquarium, let me relocate the heater to the sump for less clutter, allow me to eliminate the so-so Eclipse
built-in pump/filter unit (rated 150gph), and allow the addition of a sump protein skimmer, a homemade top off unit and a Cool Works Iceprobe chiller (unless I can find something better/quieter).
Distance from the top of the aquarium to the bottom of the shelf for the sump is 4 feet.  Being a 30”Lx12”Wx22”H shelf area, I can fit anything from a 10G (10x20x12) to 20G (24x12x16) sump, depending on whether I use an external or internal pump, try to make my own sump from a standard aquarium, or buy a wet/dry and remove the bio-media area. I’m still trying to get a grip on all of this - never thought a nano would lead to so much!
<does not have to be so involved... do relax and enjoy my fellow control freak <G>>
My LFS recommended drilling a 1.75" hole in my aquarium for a 1" standard threaded bulkhead, drain to sump using 1" flex tube, and return to aquarium using 3/4" flex tube via a sump pump feeding the SCWD device which outputs via 3/4" flex tube to two over-the-side hangers with swivel 3" flare nozzles. I suppose I could later drill aquarium again to make them neater instead of over-the-side if I am satisfied with placement. Since all sides of the aquarium are visible, am leaning towards drilling for bulkhead in upper rear right corner since it is the least visible spot (partial
staircase obfuscation).
<OK>
But, after reading these great FAQs, I am thinking that I should instead drill a 3" hole, add a 2" standard threaded bulkhead fitting, and use 2" flex drain tubing to sump instead, in an effort to better match return pump flow rate with drain rate.
<yes... easily overlooked. Do seek plumbing that can handle 10-20X tank volume flow turnover... and reduce or avoid powerheads>
I am also hoping to eliminate drain noise with less air suckage due to a better match. Was advised by LFS to allow drain tube to go under water for less noise rather than dump above water as they
do in the store, but have read here that under water will still be noisy. How might I best handle this for least noise?  
<vented tee off drilled bulkhead... slow and uncomplicated slope of run from bulkhead... release water just above sump running level... not underwater (trapping air), etc>
Coupled to an elbow outside the sump below water level? Don’t know if this info helps: I intend to provide skimmer with a constant water level in it’s own section, which I guess is as easy as a wall with a hole at the top. Also, rather than using an overflow box, the LFS recommends simply providing drainage the same way they do on most of their tanks, i.e., on the inside of the tank from the bulkhead is a 90 degree tube rising to the water surface.
<very fine>
The top of the tube is used as the overflow, and can be adjusted slightly by tilting either right or left to fine-tune water height level. A strainer basket fits on the top to keep out critters.
<understood>
Although I want to think it will be this easy, I don't want a screw up. I am trying to think of all the reasons why an expensive overflow box is necessary,
<it is not>
and one reason might be because rather than a round 2" dia tube
doing the skimming, you could have a 4" or 6" toothed-box which may be less susceptible to surface wave action causing air gulps. Or, for those with a bottom-drilled bulkhead, it allows surface skimming (and pre-filtering so you don't suck up critters). Or if you have an over-the-top siphon, it allows skimming and prefiltering before transferring water over the top to a
drain box. But other than an increased skimming area, and possibly being less affected by surface wave action, I can't think why an overflow box leading to a side-installed bulkhead is better than a side-installed bulkhead with elbow and strainer basket, especially if I use 2" instead of 1" and have only a small 12G tank.
<the real advantage is stranding/thinning surface overflowing water to concentrate proteins and improve skimmer performance>
I also can't see an advantage to a deep versus a shallow overflow if one uses a side-installed bulkhead.
<little difference>
Would an overflow box be quieter?
<not necessarily>
I can't see how, as it has to pour over the box (noise) and then down a pipe [often, but that also doesn’t see necessary], then to the same flex tube that I would use instead. This all seems to add
more noise!
<yes, quite possibly>
Somehow, even to a newbie, an Iwaki seems laughable on a 12G tank with a 10G or 20G sump fitted with a skimmer and SCWD.
<quite agreed>
I want the best pump I can use, but LFS is steering me towards dinky Rios and I'm looking instead at Eheims, like the 1046 [80 gph, 4' head, 5W) or 1048 [160gph, 5' head, 10W]. Is this
overkill?  Hmm, on the other hand, my system now has a total of 117 + 117 + 350 = 384 gph and I am getting way too much slime algae despite moving powerheads all over to get around all the rock (nitrates 0.25 to .5, nitrites 0, ammonia 0 & ph 8.2 to 8.4). Money is not the issue - most quiet, reliable internal or external pump -
<the Eheim would be a better long-term choice>
don't know what will work best with skimmer yet. Since I have 20" from the bottom shelf the sump will sit on to underside of top shelf, I'm limited on skimmer height since I need a little
bit of room for collection cup removal and possible removing skimmer for maintenance without having to drain sump totally to move it first.
<Tunze makes a very small/excellent model for 40 gallon sized tanks... retails for about $100... outstanding>
Don't want perceived (not witnessed) spray noise of Remora Urchin, so may squeeze an 18” tall AquaC EV-120 in as I understand that it is almost "silent" Alternatively, Tunze prices seem almost reasonable now but so little info on
them.
<really a fine brand>
Am thinking about the 0210/30 (up to 47G but no longer se it on
marinedepot.com) or the 0220/30 (for 39-105G tank), as they are touted as quiet, small and well-built. If Tunze is absolutely the quietest, and understand them to be almost set and forget, as well as being so small, sounds like I’ve convinced myself. Any reason not to get the Tunze?
<would be my first choice in this situation>
OK, I’ve killed way too much of all our time on this. You folks rule! Most appreciative, Brent
<always welcome... and do try to relax/not fuss so much on this very organic hobby. Few things are rigid or fixed in the reef dynamic... much flexibility. Kind regards, Anthony>

A Whole Lot of Reefing Going On!
Dear Crew:
<Scott F. your Crew member today!>
Sorry for the number of questions.. Let's start!
<Let's get bizzzzyyyyy!>
1.  I am having some problem with my devil hand leather and toadstool leather coral. They are rather lying flat. not standing up, the leather should have a shape of a cup, but mine is fallen, and the devil hand is lying flat, what am I doing wrong?? The calcium is 360 and alk is 3.8 meq, and mg are 1250, NO3 is 5ppm and carbon is fresh, all other corals such as finger leather and hammerhead, polyps, and Lemnalia and Galaxea are doing fine. Pls advice.
<Well, there could be a number of reasons. Let's start with the obvious stuff...How is the circulation in your tank? Does the current provide sufficient movement within the system? Sometimes, such as simple thing makes a big difference! What about the proximity of the corals to each other? Remember, you're talking about some corals here that are fairly "toxic", and give off lots of allelopathic compounds; a form of "chemical warfare" that helps individual corals fight for space on the reefs. In captivity, the potential negative effects are enhanced...Something to think about...>  
2. And I am thinking of getting a colt coral, what do I have to look for and are they hard to keep?
<Look for good color, "inflation" of the branches, good polyp extension, and overall health. Avoid specimens that look limp, have lots of mucous and/or slime, and that simply don't look "right"...You'll know an unhealthy specimen when you see it>
3. On the Lemnalia, they require low lighting right?
<I wouldn't say "low"...more like "moderate">
4. The Galaxea require strong lighting?? How about water movement?? Are they hard to keep using fluorescent lighting??
<Moderate, and moderate- in my opinion! And I'd probably go with VHO's or PCs for best results, if you're using fluorescent lighting>
5. If I would like to feed my reef with phytoplankton, is it better to do it at night or daytime?
<I think that nighttime would be better, IMO>
And which type is better? I am using Kent marine Phytoplex. is that a good product??
<I'm not too familiar with this particular product...I've used DT's with good results, and I really like "Coral Heaven" by Indo Pacific Sea Farms/Tropicorium...Not exactly phytoplankton, but an acceptable substitute to some species...Arm yourself with a good book, like Eric Borneman's "Aquarium Corals", or Anthony Calfo's "Book of Coral Propagation" for more information on who gets what, and how!>
6.Is the tiger cowry an algae eater?? Is it a good candidate for cleaning up sand bed debris? Will it eat my starfish?
<I would not worry about it eating starfish; they will eat some detritus and possibly algal films. I've heard a few hobbyists say that they nibble on corals and sessile inverts....I have not experienced this myself, however..>
7. I have the fine sand on the bottom of my tank. and since I have my sand bed I have been trying to eradicate the brown color on sand bed surface. It is not the hairy type. It is like brown in color, not filamentous. How? Is that a type of algae? Will snails or hermit crab work?
<It sounds to me like diatoms, which are a form of algae...The major nutrient that these algae need to thrive is silicate...This nutrient is commonly found in tap water. I'd look into ways to limit this in your system...Try using a reverse osmosis system with a silicate removing membrane...Properly prefiltering source water and limiting future introductions of silicate will really help defeat this algae...You could employ a Ctenochaetus species of tang (like a Kole Tang) to help (assuming that your tank is of sufficient size to accomodate one)- but the real important thing is to get the source of the problem first...try to remove the silicate from the water and keep it from accumulating>
8. Someone in my LFS said if I buy the hermit crabs, they will actually eat some of my nice coralline. Is that true?
<Well, they have been implicated in munching on corals, etc. by lots of hobbyists, but I have not specifically seen this happen in my tank...I would add them with appropriate cautions>
9.Is purple slug hard to keep and what do they eat? Are they bad for corals???
<I'd avoid nudibranchs at this point...Most of them have dietary requirements that cannot be met appropriately in captivity...>
Hope you can answer these questions because I need a lot of info from experts like you guys! You guys rock!!
<Hey- our readers are why we are here in the first place...Thanks for your support! We're all learning together!>
Good news is that I am working in one of my LFS. so hopefully I learn a lot faster this way!!
<Keep reading and learning...soo much to experience in this hobby! we have some wonderful resources on the WWM site, so enjoy them!   
Thanks! Eric
<Good luck, Eric! Regards, Scott F>

A Whole Lot More Reefin' Going On!
Dear Crew:
<Scott F. back with you today>
some questions regarding to your comments/answers.
1. About the proximity of corals, they are not touching each others when fully extended, and they were all fine....  water movement wise, I have 5 powerheads, each rating at 295gph, and 1 Quiet One pump, my tank is 125 gallon. with aquamedic Turboflotor 1000. What would be the possible problem then?
<Still, possible allelopathic compounds being released...Yes, it's just a though- but worthy of consideration...These "chemical wars" don't always result in immediate deaths for different animals, but they can result in gradual declines...The animals don't have to touch for this to happen. Even with your very substantial circulation, we're talking about a closed system, so it's a definite possibility...>
2.About Tiger Cowry, will it eat diatoms??
<Yes, diatoms are one of the items this species can eat...How effective they are is a matter of personal interpretation, however!>
3. What brand of silicate remover do you recommend??
<A good RO/DI unit with a silica membrane is really the best way to go, IMO. If you are intending to use one of the removal products, there are a number of them out there...In my opinion, most of them are similar, and I would not really recommend one over another...Check our sponsors' web sites for availability>
4. I am actually fallowing my tank once and for all...I have a lot of mishaps on fish diseases, velvet and white spot... I am fallowing my tank for 6 months this time, and I changed like 80% of my water, run UV... all the stuff... so fish is no option.... any invertebrates?? Eric
<Well, I must say that a fallow tank for 6 months should almost certainly wipe out virtually all the parasites that you are concerned with here. Your extraordinary patience will reward you with a lot of cool animals that would have otherwise been consumed in a tank full of fishes! Yes, you can maintain and even add inverts to a fallow tank. One might even make the (weak) argument that certain corals could even "eat" the free-swimming parasites in the system...This is a real "stretch"...but I suppose it's a theoretical possibility. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Organisms ID - BGA and Sponge (pics attached) 6/15/03
Hey Guys,
<Howdy!>
I have 2 questions,
1. What is this blue/grey stuff growing on my coralline algae?
<tough to say without a closer pic and some details... but if it is slimy/gelatinous... likely a Blue-green Algae (BGA) - AKA Slime Algae. From excess nutrients in the system and/or inadequate water flow (less than 10-20X turnover)>
2. What is this stringy stuff growing at the base of my live rock? It doesn't seem to be hurting anything and looks pretty cool. As you can see its off white in color and grows fairly fast.
<yes... very cool. It is a calcareous sponge. Harmless, easily controlled, but fast growth is yet another indicator of excess nutrients in this system. I'm wondering if your skimmer performs weakly (need dark skimmate full cup 3-5 times weekly minimum)... or perhaps feeding is heavy or water changes are light. Do consider where the "food" is coming from for these quasi-nuisance growths>
Thanks in advance for any help, Jason
<best regards, Anthony>

How does this sound? New tank setup
>So you're saying not to vacuum regularly with the Berlin method? And as far as the protein skimmer, would the Seaclone 150 be sufficient? I plan to skim aggressively. What do you mean by using a refugium?  I have one more question for you and I believe I might be through. I read a little about refugiums and it sounds a little like what I wanted to do. I was originally planning on placing more live rock and sand in my sump to keep free swimming space for my fish. Would it be better to use a wet/dry for my application than the Berlin method?
>>I apologize, as I understand it, the Berlin method relies SOLELY on live rock and aggressive skimming for filtration.  The Jaubert method utilizes live sand, usually in the form of a deep sand bed (DSB), and copious live rock can be incorporated.  I believe that many would agree that a combination (arguments ensue over the question of nixing the plenum in favor of a DSB--I favor this) of methods is a good balance.  In other words, I feel that you might do better to go with a DSB, but not using sugar fine sand, something more on the order of 2mm-4mm substrate.  I'll give you a major link that will give you more links than you'll (initially) know what to do with, focusing on refugiums and DSB's.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/index.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/refugium.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/deepsandbeds.htm
Hope this helps!  Marina

AIPTASIA
>Bob,
>>Marina this morning, friend.
>Peppermint shrimp went to town with Aiptasia, they cleaned up my rock.  I have another question; my reef aquarium is 120 gallons, I have the following equipment on it
1)Red Sea Berlin venturi skimmer rated for 400 gallon tank
2)use ESV carbon 1 cup every 3 weeks
3)dose with B-ionic
4)water changes every 2 weeks
5)3 year old established tank
6)plenty of snails
7)tested water quality with Salifert kits, seems everything is in range.
8)I am using RO/DI for all evaporation and changes.
9) I just upgraded in January to 2 400W 20k bulbs and 2 110W VHO
supplements, and it seems some of the live rock developed a little brown turf algae.  Could you suggest what to do to try to get this algae under control?
>>Without knowing your readings, and what, exactly you have tested for, I can't say that it's due to excess nutrients.  The lights, then, are about six months old?  For most metal-halides life expectancy is somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 hours. For loss of spectral integrity and brightness reasons they should be switched out once a year. Do check your manufacturers figures, and record in two places the inception date, scheduled time for replacement of your lamps.  Other than the nutrient issues (phosphates?), and lighting, I will suggest a tuxedo urchin or similar algal grazer (abalone, possibly) to simply keep on top of the turf.  Best of luck!  Marina

Don't drink the yellow water...
<Hi Shane, PF with you tonight>
Over night my coral/fish tank went real cloudy it was kind of yellowish. I upon noticing it ran every test I have and all par are good. I have a VERY healthy Colt Coral, a gorgonian coral, some Green star polyps, and waiving hands coral. My LFS thinks one of them may have spawned last night. Do you agree with this? Do any of these guys spawn? I did a 15% water change and checked all my filters and everything looks fine just cloudy. No odors either. All of my fish, snails and coral look fine. I am just real worried because I leave for Korea on Tuesday for 2 weeks and my wife knows nothing about the tank so I want to remedy this before I leave. Just so you know I have 1 peppermint shrimp, 1 skunk cleaner, 1 banded coral shrimp, several hermits, turbo snails, 1 melas angel, 1 Coral Beauty, 1 Black Percula clown, 1 Maroon Clown, a flame scallop and a Tridacna maxima as well as the above coral. Also I have some live rock. The tank is almost a year old. Any help would be very appreciated.
<Well Shane, sorry for the delay, allergy season has come with a vengeance to my part of the world, and I wasn't much use to anyone yesterday, myself included. Yes, it's possible one of them spawned, which would be a pretty good achievement in captivity. I'd recommend doing a 30% water change. I didn't see a skimmer mentioned, I do hope you are using one. It's hard to answer your question without knowing more about your setup - size, types of filters, lbs. of LR, depth of sandbed, etc. If you're not using a skimmer, I'd advise getting one now, if not sooner.>
Thanks in advance,
Shane
<You're welcome, have a good trip, PF>

Yellow tang... err... tank problem.
Dear WWM Crew, Thanx for the quick replies to my previous queries!
Anyway, I have 2 more questions...  First one is on Carbon Usage:
Here's some background on my 90g: 3 x 2 x 2, with Trickle Wet Dry and Miracle Mud in sump with Caulerpa... so far not many problems, but my water is SERIOUSLY yellow, and worried that my water might have a Huge amount of dissolved organics. Ammonia and Nitrite are both zero. <I'm a huge fan of using protein skimmers on all tanks, regardless of the refugiums or mud filters employed.>
I was wondering if using Carbon is alright for my system because...
1. I hear that carbon absorbs trace elements and other useful stuff. If I use Miracle Mud, which is supposed to leach out these useful compounds, wouldn't it be really silly to add carbon to absorb them? <I wouldn't worry about it, it's a much bigger problem for photosynthetic organisms in the tank because the yellowness filters out much of the available light.>
2. Would my Caulerpa crash if there is a sudden drop in Iodine/ other Elements if I use the carbon? <Caulerpa can crash at the drop of a hat, that's why I don't grow or recommend it. If the water parameters change drastically, that can spur a crash, hopefully the carbon won't.>
3. I have a couple of inverts in my tank... Shrooms, Star Polyps, Palythoa, Torch... they've been doing pretty okay for the past 2-3 months without any supplemental feedings and under low light - 2 x 36W PL 50/50. I was beginning to believe that these corals are feeding on the organics in the water... Question is, will this sudden removal of organics be detrimental to my corals? <No way, get that yellowness out of there, the little light that they are receiving is being filtered out by it.>
4. My fishes are doing alright... is there any possibility that a sudden change in water conditions can lead to their demise?
<Nope!>
Second Question:
I currently have a Pyjama Cardinal, Lemonpeel Angel, Flame Angel, Bartlett's Anthias 
<My FAVORITE Anthias!> 
Lyretail Hog, Regal Tang, Red Sea 4 Line in my tank.  I was hoping to add 2-3 more fish.  So far I would like to get the Royal Gramma... Any recommendations of other fishes which are 'compatible' with my fishes above and some Shrooms, Polyps and LPS? <The royal Gramma should work out, I'd suggest a pair of tank raised neon gobies as well, read all about them in Bob's articles!> Would love a Desjardinii <Would outgrow your tank faster than Caulerpa can crash!> but its never available in my country (Singapore).
Thanx for the Help! <Good luck!>
PS: Just a bit worried on the matter of carbon because I don't want another system crash... already had 1 minor and 1 major crash... a year ago <Ew, that's no fun, throw in some carbon and let's get this thing clear! -Kevin>

Learning From Mistakes!
Hi again crew,
<Hi there! Scott F. at the keyboard tonight!>
I e-mailed you about 2 months ago concerning my potter angel (which didn't make it).  I think I figured out the problem, namely I changed the filter, removed LR from the QT, which blew the biological filter, caused ammonia to go off the scale, etc.
<A nasty chain of events...But, I suppose that you can take some comfort from this tragedy knowing that you've learned from it>
I think I've learned from my mistakes.
<See? Cool!>
I've added 2 little Hagen sponge filters, and let the QT run for 2 months using the angel food (which I have no use for) as starter for the nitrogen cycle.
<Okay...But remember, in the future- a quarantine tank is really not a permanent feature. You break it down when you're done with it, rinse the sponge filter out, and place it in your main system's sump to "re-colonize" with bacteria>
So, now I'm up to getting my second fish.  I've ordered a Foxface, which will come in direct from the distributor (I'm thinking that I should tell the LFS to keep it separate from it's tanks, and just take it on shipment to reduce stress/disease).
<Well, this is a noble thought, but you need to operate on the assumption that stress will be incurred by the fish...Hence the need for quarantine!>
Some background information about my setup: Display tank is 120 gallons, wet/dry, skimmer, 100+ lbs live rock.  Tank has been fallow with only live rock since the first of the year. I'm getting some interesting algae/worm growth.
< In the absence of predators, it's amazing what can arise!>
I have a twin bulb canopy (48", 80 watts total) with a blue actinic and a regular GE 40 watt (going to upgrade to Vitalites, but 50/50, since I've already paid for the GE's, replace with all
Vitalites once all the GE's go).
<Unfortunately, the "true" Vitalite is no longer made...It was a great fluorescent bulb, however!>
I also have just added a tri tube canopy (3x32), and have a second on order. Going to put Vitalites in these too, replace the remaining white in the dual canopy with an actinic.  So, in total, I'll have 80 watts actinic, 200 (ok, 192) white.
QT is 15 gallons, Skilter, 2 Hagen little air driven sponge filters (not sure of the model).
<Sounds like a perfect QT setup>
The display tank has a ton of macroalgae, some, I'm not sure aren't rare. There's also a decent amount of bubble algae, and some grape like algae.
<Some folks see bubble large as a pest.  Glad to see you embrace it as "diversity!" It is interesting, although an excessive amount of it could signal potential nutrient problems>
need a digital camera to send pics :)
<Yep!>
My questions:
1) Mr. Fenner advocates *not* quarantining Rabbitfishes, yet the FAQs say otherwise.  What gives?
<Well, I think that Bob was alluding to the possible stress that the quarantine process could cause these fishes...For most of us, without 100% certainty as to where the fishes were obtained from, and how they were handled- I'd err on the side of caution and quarantine them!>
2) Is the lighting too much?
<Nope!>
3)I have a billion little creatures on the glass feeding off the
macro/micro algae. They have 12 legs and a pair of antennae. They are whitish and look like larvae. What the heck are these things?
<Sounds like amphipods or copepods...Excellent, harmless natural scavengers, and a favored supplemental food for fishes like Mandarins...No doubt they are really taking off in your tank because there are no predators present to reduce their numbers.>
4)I have a couple little spiral things with small red stripes (also look larval) also clinging to the walls.  are these baby snails?
<Need a pic to make an ID on those guys>
Should I save them in the sump before the Foxface arrives?  convert the wet/dry to a refugium (unlighted)?
<I like the idea of a lighted refugium. And I am not too fond of bio-balls in most systems...>
5) What about the algae?  Which should I save? Having lived in Florida, I know how rare grape algae is.
<Well, I'd consider reducing the bubble algae population. If you have lot of Caulerpa growth, you may want to carefully harvest some, as it can get out of control really quickly!>
Thanks in advance, Rob
<Well, Rob- sounds like you're on you way to a successful tank...Keep reading and learning- and keep up the good work! Regards, Scott F>

Steady As He Goes (Coping With Problems In a Growing Tank)
Hi there- I'll try my best to make this short.....  but I'm sure I will fail.
<Hey, no problem...Scott F. with you today>
First off:
80 Gallon Tank cycled since March 2003
W/D
10 Gal Refugium
No skimmer (yet- its next on my wish list)
Contents
30 pounds live rock (50 pounds dead paradise rock slowly becoming alive)
2 Regal Blue Tangs (2")
2 Skunk Shrimp
1 Peppermint shrimp
1 Caribbean Blood Shrimp
2 small horseshoe crabs (who will be leaving the tank soon)
Several snails
Water:
81-82 Degree temp
pH 8.2-8.3
Alkalinity 15 dKH (I'm trying mercilessly to bring it down)
Calcium 300 (Trying to bring it up)
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Salinity 1.024
Came home today to my two tangs with about 10-20 small white spots like powdered sugar.  I assumed ich, as it is prevalent in tangs.  Originally, I quarantined the LR/Shrimp by adding them to the tank and waiting a month before adding fish.  I've had the tangs for a little over a week, but had them dipped before I even left the store per the suggestions on the Tang page.  I guess this was insufficient, and went out today and got a 10 Gallon
QT tank where my tangs are currently cowering behind some coffee mugs.
<A good step...I know that next time you're going to quarantine the new fishes for 3- weeks BEFORE you add them to the display, right?>
As far as the QT goes, I threw in two coffee mugs for cover, and since it is in a sort of high-traffic area, I've covered the outside (not the hood) with a towel so I don't bother them as much when I walk by.
<Good idea!>
I used water from the main tank to fill the QT, and dosed it with the suggested dosage of Formalin after I let the fish calm down for a couple hours.  The temp is about 84, and I think I am going to leave it there.  I am assuming that I'll need to do 25% water changes every other day in the QT to control nitrites and ammonia, since the Formalin will kill any and all bacteria in the
filter.
<Good ideas. My preferred medicine for ich is copper sulphate, but, as you are aware, there are some down sides to its use with fishes like tangs...Just follow the manufacturer's instructions to the letter, and you should be okay>
Also, I'll be cranking the temperature up on the main tank to about 84-85 to speed up the life cycle and get rid of the little guys faster.  I've read about hyposalinity, but I'm still a little new, and I know my shrimp are susceptible to major changes in salinity, so I'm shying away from that for their benefit.
<Another good move on your part! Make sure that the tank runs without fishes for a month, at least, okay?>
I am planning on keeping the tangs out for three weeks under
the assumption that the Formalin will have killed the ich after the first week, and after three weeks at 84/85, the main tank should be ich-free.
<I'd keep 'em out for a full month; medicating should cease after the first week or so...The remainder of the time is just for "recovery"...You should VERY gradually reduce the hospital tank temp to "normal" range during this "post-medication" phase.>

Question one: is this a sound approach?
<Sounds fine to me...Just give the tank a month of "fallow" time to really make sure that you disrupt the parasites' life cycle. Remember, no cure is 100%, but this "two front" approach to battling ich has worked for many hobbyists for years...>
Question two: is there anything else I can do?
<Just be patient, observe your fishes carefully, and stay the course on the treatment. And, of course, always remember to quarantine ALL new fishes for 3-4 weeks before introducing them into the display tank. You certainly don't want to go through this again, huh?>
Tag-on concerns...
I just save up my questions for you guys- what can I say :-)
When I looked at fish, the research I did said a 70 was big enough for regal Blues, but reading around elsewhere and especially on your site, I see where there has been some interesting differences of opinion on this point.  There was a question about a Regal in a 55 gallon tank and the crew said nothing, but elsewhere one of the crew said a 90 was too small.  I think they are gorgeous fish, and they will be the largest in the tank, but I don't want to
torture these poor fish when they get older.  Should I get rid of one, or both?
<Well, in my personal opinion (which is not too popular), I would not house an adult tang in anything less than 100 gallons (5 -6 foot tank length, ideally). Two of these tangs would need a 150 and up. They do get quite large. I think that your concern is valid...If you will be getting a larger tank in the future, these two fishes should be okay for a while, provided you do not overcrowd them and pay meticulous attention to water quality and husbandry practices>
I would really hate to, but I know my LFS would take them back in a
heartbeat now or in a year- they are incredibly popular fish, and wouldn't be at the store three days before someone else got them.
<...And places them in a 40 gallon tank! I trust your care and developing husbandry skills more than I do an uncertain fate at the LFS...Just make an effort to provide these guys with the best care possible, and know that they will need a much larger tank in a year or so...They can live very long live spans in captivity if well-cared for.>
If it helps, I'm looking at a bicolor angel, a smaller Pseudochromis, one (or more) red Fairy wrasse(s), and a couple of Percula clowns as future tankmates.
<I'd limit your choice to the Pseudochromis and a pygmy angel. I love the Bicolor, but it would not be my first choice...Try a Flame Angel or a Coral Beauty instead...Both are great fishes!>
Also, the LFS here sells 1-1.5" conchs.  I'm intrigued by these guys, but have been hesitant because I know they can get big- they put them in the reef tanks at the store, and swear by them as a great algae eater.
<They are interesting, and can really stir up the sand bed...They do become large, however>
I've noticed that they (unlike my current snails) can actually flip back over when they fall in sand, and this really makes me like them.
<Yep- they are neat to watch. I like 'em>
Would they be happy in my tank?  Would they eat anything other than algae?  How big will they get?  The LFS said there was no way I could put enough calcium in my tank for them to outgrow it; is this true?
<Well, I wouldn't say "no way"- but it is unlikely that they could get huge in a medium sized tank...Should be okay, IMO>
Lastly, the truly hot topic- skimmers. I don't have one now, but with three or four inches of fish, three shrimp and two horseshoe crabs, I feel pretty safe with the bio load currently, but
looking into the future, the LFS has agreed to acclimate clowns with an anemone in one of their small display tanks for me, and I would eventually like to add some mushroom coral, too.  Before either of these things happens, I need to get some more light, and a protein skimmer.
<Absolutely...and possibly, a larger tank, as outlined above>
Since all I want are hardy mushroom corals, I am planning on buying a 150 gallon style Sealife system protein skimmer.  I know its not the best, but I'm a poor graduate student, and need to buy books, too.
<If it cranks out a couple of cups of dark, yucky skimmate per week- it's good enough for me!>
For the livestock I want, would this be sufficient?
<I think it will do the job...But I really think that you should understock the tank, if you want to keep those tangs happy for the long run...This conservative approach doesn't endear me to a lot of people- but it works well, trust me.>
That's about all I've got right now- Thanks for your time
-Brendan
<Any time, Brendan- you're doing really well...Keep up the good work- and good luck in your studies! Regards, Scott F>

I have some questions concerning my lighting.
<Kevin here, ready for brain picking.>
I have a 55 gallon tank. It's just a coral only. I want to add one fish for show.
<Got something against fish? There's nothing wrong with a few nice fish in a reef tank, it is even beneficial to the coral!>
Thinking of a blue tang (Hippo Tang) supposed to be reef safe.
<That they are, but be aware that they get fairly large and will eventually require a tank larger than a 55>
My Scott's fairy got thin and died. He may have been chased a little by the one pair of maroon clowns.
<Oh, so you do have fish in there. It is possible that the maroons tormented it into not eating but many other possibilities exist>
No torn fins but maybe he didn't get his share of food. I did feed formula one and sweet water plankton. Any good recommendations are welcome.
<My favorite frozen foods for marine carnivores are Piscine Energetics mysis shrimp and prime reef, the ones you are using are fine as well>
OK I have a colt coral, a pearl bubble (This one is part light green and part white). I know that means part of it was in more intense light than the other part in the ocean.
<Hmmm... Never heard that one before.>
An open brain (Beautiful fluorescent green and purple). I haven't seen many here in Colorado that color. Last I have a Green Daisy Polyp. Eight ya know leaves with a white center.
<Those "leaves" are called polyps, FWIW>
I was considering a torch coral for my last thing and maybe a few mushrooms. I have live rock, and live sand. My calcium is 400ppm per my Seachem test kit. My lighting is a Power Compact Smart Lite by Custom Sea Life. It's 2 65 watt bulbs 130 watts total. That's 2.3 watts per gallon.
<I'm not a big fan of the watts per gallon rule, but even so you have low lighting. A torch may suffer from light deficiency after a while under that set-up, I would suggest at least doubling your lighting.>
I have 2 402 powerheads, One 280 emperor, One CPR with the Rio 600 RVH pump and a Filstar canister filter. I consider my tank medium flow. At the store my pearl bubble was blown up pretty big covering most of it's base rock. It was like that the first day or so in my tank. I moved it and I saw the thing shrink before my eyes. I guess I stressed it but I was careful not to cut the bubble on the sharp septa.
<Closing up quick is a normal healthy reaction, and you were right to be careful not to move it too fast or remove it from the water even partially 'inflated' because the septa are very sharp>
It ate a piece of formula one today and it's open but the bubbles don't cover the septa the way they did before I moved it. I did this just yesterday. At the store they told me compacts were stronger than standard lighting and 2.3 watts in a compact is plenty of light for these corals.
<Bubble coral will do fine under this lighting. I would suspect that the store you are dealing with had them under less light than you have it and it is simply acclimating itself to your power compacts.>
Even the people at custom sea life thought so when they sold me my light. The pearl bubble is 11 inches from the light. I measured it with my ruler. Is my lighting ok for the corals I have?
<Should be fine for what you have but I would suggest at least doubling what you have on there>
Why do you think the bubbles shrunk? Is it not enough light or stress? It looks ok just not as fully blown up. At one point a side even shrank down completely then came up later on.
<Likely just acclimating>
Is 12 hours a day ok for this light?
<Sure, just don't push it over 12 hours, they weren't collected at the north pole you know>
I do have a fluorescent one bulb fixture that came with my tank. It's 40 watts. I don't know what kind of bulb to get. That would give me 170 watts 3.0 per gallon but it's just the standard oceanic plastic fixture that comes with the tank.
<The more light the merrier>
I just want your opinion. Thanks for you advice and hope your enjoying your weekend..............Chet
<Hope this helps! -Kevin>

- Reef System Questions -
Hi! <Hello, my name is also Jason... perhaps today is a doppleganger day.> My name is Jason, I have a few questions to ask. Here is my setup:
18gal. ViaAqua
PC 2x32watt Daylight/Blue
Amiracle sl-5 w/skimmer
under gravel filter power head modified for just circulation in tank
23 lbs. Fiji Live rock
20 lbs. Bio-Active Live Sand
10 lbs. Crushed Coral
2 Sebae Clownfish
1 Spotted Watchman Goby
2 Large Turbo Snails
3 Astraea Snails
4 Nerites (spelling) Snails
3 Blue-legged Hermits
1 Red-legged Hermit
1 Fighting Conch
2 Maiden's Hair Rocks
Some Green Hair Algae, Red Algae and Diatoms
All of the readings (ph, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, etc.) are where they should be. Everyone looks happy in the tank. The only thing that happened was my blue-legged hermit, moved into the conch shell. I add reef solution every other day and Kent calcium and strontium once a week. I purchased the Kent starter packs, should I dose the iodine, ph buffer/coralline enhancer and if so how many times. I do a 10% water change every week and top off everyday. I started using filtered tap water but noticed a lot of hair algae growing, so now I'm buying
distilled water until I can afford a RO/DI system. Lights are on from 9:00am to 6:30pm on timer, then I turn on just the blue lights for three more hours. Like I mentioned above, I have a Amiracle sl-5, my skimmer
is not skimming. It is using a Rio 600 and produces lots of bubbles, but there is no dry skimmate in the cup. How can I modify that problem without buying another skimmer? <You may have to make some extreme modifications to the skimmer - the design is not the best, and that's what you have to overcome.> I have a power head 400 with flow adjustment, should I use that, for less water flow and more air? I also tried putting a wooden air stone with pump inside the skimmer for added air bubbles, but nothing works. <Only other thought here is that you have something quite short of 18 gallons of water here... with all that rock and sand... it may just be that you have no appreciable bioload.> My next question, my Amiracle has bio-balls, I've read that you should remove the bio-balls and have it replaced with live rock and sand. <Well... the perceived need to replace the bioballs may or may not exist. The 'issue' is that wet/dry filters are very efficient, and as such produce a lot of nitrates. This may or may not be a problem for you and your tank. Test the nitrates... if they are too high then you have a problem, if not, I wouldn't change anything.> How would I modify the Amiracle sl-5 into doing that and will it work for filtration and do I need a separate lighting for that? <Not familiar enough with this filtration system - light is not required.> The Amiracle SL-5 has three chambers, one for the skimmer, second for the bio balls(1.drip plate 2.bioballs on top of egg crate 3.Rio 600 for return with tube into third chamber) and third for foam block and return to tank. Last but not least, I have a lot of small white spots floating or swimming in the tank. One landed on the tank wall and started moving, is it plankton? <More likely zooplankton, which is a size you can see - normal plankton is much smaller.> How do I get amphipods and copepods in the tank? <Be patient... with that amount of live rock, I think they will show up eventually.> I know they are beneficial for aquarium life so that's why I ask. Please, you answers to these questions will be greatly appreciated, not only to me but the life inside the tank.
Thank you.
<Cheers, J -- >

Water Parameters
>Hi crew,
>>Greetings, Amir.  Marina to assist you this morning.
>After few  months of preparation and equipment gathering, I finally have my 75G Reef to be aquarium up and awaiting my cured live rock, which I should get in a week.  I did an initial water quality test to have an idea of where things are at before I add anything live to the tank, and the value of water hardness is bothering me.  
>>Excellent, excellent, excellent, let's hear it.
>Here is what the setup is like if it matters at all with respect to this problem.  I used Salifert test kits to measure the following value.  Specific gravity and pH are measured using a Pinpoint monitor.  I did the water hardness test on pure RO water, and the result was 1.6dKH.  75G with a sump holding another 20G of aged salt water (RO water, mixed with IO salt.  The water runs through a water softener first, before going to the RO unit)
Euro-Reef skimmer
1 inch of Aragonite sand
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate:0 to 1.0 mg/L (most likely 0, but a very slight color toward 1.0 on the chart)
Temp.: 75F
Specific Grav.: 1.022
KH: 11.2 dKH (I thought it should have been close to 8)
>>Between 7-12 is what we strive for.  See Anthony's article here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alkalinity.htm
>Alkalinity: 4.0 mg/L
Silicate Oxide: 0.1
Phosphate: 0 mg/L
Does this make sense?  Do I need to worry about the 11.2dKH value, or is that alright?
>>It's fine, and remember, once you place demands upon the system when you add hermatypic invertebrates and those with calcareous shells this value may indeed drop.  I think you're doing just fine, and it's great to see another hobbyist really planning out their display.  Best of luck!  Marina>

For starters...I love your site.
Here is my question though...I have had a well established reef system for about 5 years.  For the most part, nothing has changed, corals, fish, additions, deaths...lol, we do not have filtration on this tank, but I do have 2-1140 powerheads, and 150 pounds of rock in a 120 gallon aquarium, I only have three fish and a large number of blue legs.  Water quality has never been an issue.  
I randomly give the tank calcium treatments.  I think that "less is more" when it comes to a reef.  The more natural, the better.  It seems to be working, nothing has died in about 4 years.  However, here is where my question comes in.  In the last 3 months, my fan worms have doubled in number.  All fan worms,
my Hawaiians, Christmas tree worms, and various brightly colored "regular" ones.  I was wondering if you might know what might be causing them to be that happy that I might sprout this many additions...(roughly 40 new ones.) <Well, obviously there's favorable conditions in your tank. Wish you could bottle and sell it.> I noticed that the new ones are located somewhat near the "established worms" and are just a different color than the larger versions. <Well, many kinds of worms can not only reproduce sexually (more difficult in an aquarium with the pumps and all) but asexually as well. I'd guess that's what could be going on.> I enjoy studying my rocks weekly for "new growths" and have been documenting how many are appearing.  Any clue about how they are reproducing that much?  I do not spot feed them.  
Heck, the only food they get is what is extra from feeding the crabs and the clownfish.  I am at a loss as to what may have prompted the sudden changes.  I'm not complaining, but if I can contribute to helping others by giving away some of mine...I'm all for it. <Well, if you can find them good homes, sure, why not. As to the why's, that is a puzzler. I suspect though from the age of your tank that you may have a planktonic population that can support these worms. > any information would be a great help.
thanks
Denise
<Well Denise, I hope that helped, have a good night, PF>

Reef specific gravity
1. What should the salinity be for my reef tank. I have a 55 gallon with
75 lbs of Fiji rock and live sand. I have a few soft and hard corals, a
few anemones and many different invertebrates.
<I keep my reef tank's specific gravity as close to 1.025 as possible.
Make sure the water temperature is correct for your hydrometer as
temperature affects the reading. You can find this answer and many
others by reading the articles here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm
and beyond. Hope this helps Don>

Tank update and coral reproduction - 5/19/03
Good day (Paul), <Hey you. How you doing?>
This is just an update on what is happening with my tank. I decided to kind of make my own mini refugium. I took this container I had purchased from FFExpress a while back that I used to acclimate fish in and separate
aggressors. It was a hang on plastic container with a lid with long slits on the lid. <Wow, they sent their fish in that? Cool!> I took that and drilled holes all in the sides, and put some Chlorodesmis (Maiden's Hair) in it with some of the tank's sand and created an in-tank refugium. <A nice idea> It seems to be working well, as I can see small
crustaceans all in the container. <Very cool> I have seen a bit more growth in my corals, although I can't necessarily attribute it to the refugium. <Not yet, but will help in the long run. Better to have it than not in my opinion> I have had a problem with one of my Sinularia's, called a "Speckled Leather". It was a bit too close to the Lobophytum and I think the Lobophytum didn't appreciate it and declared chemical warfare and the Sinularia is losing. <As often is the case, corals placed too close to one another will result in chemical warfare. It is important to note, though, some corals are always releasing terpenoids to reduce growth in other corals. Water changes and carbon use can help alleviate the problem> It used to extend it's bristle-like polyps during the day and retract and shrink up like a pile of Jell-O at night. Recently it has been doing this during the day. So I moved it to the bottom on the sand since I have no room anywhere else for it. Right before the move, I noticed it kind of "melted" a little bit. Now that it is moved, I have discovered a layer of "flesh" that seems to be growing in the spot where it used to be. <How did you remove it?> The Sinularia's flesh is rubbery with a light purple color, yet the patch of flesh on the rock is a dull white color with an unusual texture. <Understand. Very likely will result in a new Sinularia. It is white probably due to the lack of zooxanthellae at the moment.> It is kind of like overlapping layers of flesh, kind of like the top layer of a baked apple pie, or like a weave almost. I first saw this layer of flesh actually developing from one of the coral's branches that was melting. <I believe Sinularia is one of a few corals that employs a "sloughing" method for reproduction. I'll tell you what, if you don't have it already, I highly recommend Anthony's book on coral propagation. It specifically mentions reproduction methods in various corals (where it is known and witnessed) I feel this is a very beneficial book for all coral keepers regardless if you plan to propagate them. I don't have mine in front of me as I am at work but I remember reading about the many methods of reproduction these corals use in the face of adversity in aquarium life>  When I moved it, the layer of flesh kind of stuck to the rock and was left behind. <I believe this may result in a new Sinularia. Keep track of its growth> That was about two weeks ago and it looks like the patch of flesh is actually growing. Is this dead tissue or is this some kind of reproduction? <Very likely reproduction. Note your methods and the growth rate in a journal. Nice to hear from you and keep me in the loop. I am very interested in your findings. =) Paul>
Thanks for any insight
Charlie

Nutrient Control!
Hi crew!
<Hello! Scott F. your Crew member tonight>
This past week my Pachyclavularia and Tubipora have retracted into themselves. My once thriving Pterogorgia (sea whip) retracted a month or so ago, my first hint. The corals were vibrant and thriving for the 18+ months or so I've had them.
3 things I can think that would have spurred the down turn is the fact that I have had a covered  tub of make-up salt water circulating for about a month. At the time of the water change using this water (R/O and Tropic Marin) I noticed a slight sour smell. I used it anyhow as the sour smell was very slight.
<I wonder what the smell was...Bacterial decomposition, hydrogen sulfide...? I wonder...>
I have since made a new batch.  The second possible problem was my calcium reactor had reduced its medium to about half before I replaced it. None of my other corals or inhabitants are adversely affected (that I can see). In fact, my acroporas, Montipora, Pulsing Xenia, are growing like crazy. Euphyllias (torch & hammer) are doing just ok (nothing to write home about). Bubble tip anemones are thriving and splitting. My clowns are laying eggs regularly.
<Sounds like you're having a good run at it!>
I have also been making a dent (I think) in my prolific hair algae problem ( 3rd possible problem) by more frequent water changes (5 gallons every other day).
<Aggressive- but obviously effective...>
I'm not sure though, as when I come home from work an appreciable accumulation of what looks like a hybrid of Cyano and disintegrating hair algae with tiny air bubbles is on glass and outcroppings. I'm hoping it's the hair algae dying ( what do you think?).
<Certainly a possibility. Keep up the aggressive nutrient export processes (water changes, protein skimming, etc.) and you'll definitely see the algae diminish!>
I really think I am stingy with the food BUT my algae problems are telling me something (what I don't know).
<Yep...but you're listening! Keep up the good work....Don't give up>
My setup is a 110 gal oceanic with about 125lbs of live rock in main display and 30 gallon sump with an Aqua-C 180 skimmer (which collects a "nice" accumulation of gunk daily).
<Excellent!>
I run a calcium reactor with ARM media. A couple times a week I add Kalk. (1/4 teaspoon in a cup of cold R/O water) in a.m. well before lights come on. Alkalinity tests out to 15 dkh (a little high-I'm working on it), Calcium is 368 (a little low) Ammonia, nitrite and nitrates are fine (0,0,<10, respectively). My lights are 2-250 watt 10,000k AquaLine (installed in December) on an eleven hour cycle 12 inches above the water line. Temp varies between 78-81 degrees. PH varies 8.2-8.4.
Inhabitants are 2 clowns, 1 fire fish, 1 Heniochus, 1 hippo tang,1 yellow tang, 1 six line wrasse, 1 mandarin dragonet, and the above mentioned corals.
<Not a bad bioload for this sized tank.>
Anyhow, any light you can shine on my problems would be greatly appreciated as I always get my advice from your website and IT WORKS. Thanks again!!!!!
<Glad to hear that you enjoy the site. I work with some amazingly dedicated and talented people here who love this hobby more than you can imagine- and we love bringing this site to you! I think that you're on the right track here...You just need to keep up what you've started, in terms of nutrient export processes. I am a big believer in nutrient export...I wrote a piece that's on the WWM site, called "Nutrient Control And Export", which outlines many techniques that you can use to solve some of these problems- I think it might provide a bit of inspiration for you...Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Makeover Story...
Hi Gents
<Scott F. here today!>
I current have an 85 US Gallon (115cm x 55cm x 45cm - 285Litres) tank with the following setup:
Undergravel filter run by two 500Ltr powerheads
2.5" layer of crushed marble substrate (1-2mm)
Eheim 2026 Pro II Canister
Weipro protein skimmer
2 x 38w 5000K Fluoro's
Approx 40lbs Live Rock
My current tank inhabitants are:
2 x Ocellaris Clowns
2 x Rainford Gobies
2 x Fire Gobies
1 x Blue Chromis
1 x Blue Starfish
Assorted snails (and one nasty little Mantis Shrimp)
My predicament is that IMO my tank will neither support delicate fish or any Corals which I wish to now keep, although my water quality appears to be good (Ammonia=0 Nitrite=0, Nitrate=0, Calcium=420, SG=1.0245).
<Certainly does sound good...Seems like proper lighting and your continued good husbandry are the only factors that will come into play here...>
What I would like some advice on is building a Plenum or Deep Sand Bed however I see the two terms almost used interchangeably. I take it the only difference between a plenum & a DSB is the plate on the base of the tank??
<Well, that's the only "mechanical" difference. However, plenum proponents will argue that the plenum is designed in such a way as to have greater ability to process and export nitrogenous wastes in closed systems. I, myself, like to keep it simple, and favor "static" (non-plenum) deep sand beds, but I certainly don't dispute the value of the plenum.>
And I also presume that the sand depth is the most crucial part
of denitrification, but what confuses me is why use a Plenum or plate, if the DSB does the exact same thing??
<Check out plenum expert Bob Goemans' site, www.saltcorner.com for tons of information and advice from a true plenum expert!>
Also what steps would you take to convert my current tank to a system keeping hardy corals and some more delicate fish??  Should do it in the following steps:
1)Buy a very large Rubbermaid container (or two) and make this my
fish's new home for a day or two moving all the live rock into it, some of the gravel, and using the canister for water movement.
<Not bad technique>
2)Empty the current tank, leave the undergravel plate in which is
already covered with mesh (or remove it), clean the current gravel, and then leave only a 1.5" - 2" layer of the crush marble.
<If you are employing a DSB, or a plenum, you're going to need to employ a much finer grain of substrate material, like "oolithic" aragonite. >
3)Screen off the crushed marble and then place another layer of
fine aragonite sand, or fine crushed coral 1.5" - 2" over the top or the marble.
<Well, the screen is employed in plenum based systems to keep "diggers" and "sand stirrers" out of the lower portion of the sand bed, to avoid interfering with the natural processes occurring there. Also, a "true" DSB should be at least 4 inches, possible 6 inches>
4)Add another 40Lbs of Live Rock bring the total to about 80Lbs
(or should I use more)
<All depends on your aesthetic preferences...With a good layer of sand, the rock is secondary, as far as a "filtration" influence, IMO>
5)Fill tank back up and let it run until the water becomes clear.
<Clarity is good, yes!>
6)Place my fish back into their new home.
<Before you repatriate the fishes, you should monitor the water chemistry parameters for about a  week or so. Expect that there may be some measurable ammonia. nitrite, or nitrate during the "settling in period". Keep an eye on things>
7)Upgrade my lighting and get some nice corals
<Base your lighting choice on the animals you wish to keep...>
Is this a recipe for disaster??  What sort of lighting would you
recommend for a tank that is 22.5" deep (or 18" deep if you take into consideration the DSB) considering I don't have limitless funds. I was think Metal Halide but think heat might be a problem considering the tank location.  I have also looked at Power Compact Fluor but don't with to replace the globes every 6-8months.
<Well, again, it depends on the types of animals you will keep. For all-around versatility, I'd go with MH and/or PC's. PC's would be my second choice, because, people being what they are- we always decide down the line that we are going to "specialize" in SPS, anemones, clams, or other high-light-dependant animals that need the energy supplied by halides...You will need to deal with the potential heat issues, though. Just a word of advice, from my own experience: PC's tend to burn quite warm, too...BTW, PC's do last around a year...>
Cheers and keep up the invaluable service, love the book.
Glen
<Glen, sounds like you have the whole process well thought out, in terms of mechanics. Just consider the animals that you are planning on keeping, and the ability to provide high quality water through protein skimming, filtration, and good husbandry technique. Most of all- have fun! You're system should do fine! Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

An Evolving Reef!
Hello crew,
<Howzit? Scott F. with you today!>
Well I've made some substantial changes from my FOWLR tank to gear up for the big move to a reef tank.   My system setup is as follows:
45 gallon tank (36" L x 12" W x 24" H)
AquaC Remora Protein skimmer
<A fine choice!>
Upgraded from a 1" sand bed to a 4.5" DSB with sugar size aragonite.
<Awesome>
Upgraded from 35lbs live rock to 70 lbs.
New 4 x 55W power compacts: 2 x 10,000K 2 x actinic 03 (about 2.5 inches off the water)
<Nice system>
Whisper Power filter 3 for the use of carbon and for additional
circulation (removed bio sponge)
<Nice! Just change out the carbon regularly>
2 powerheads (200 gph each)
My inhabitants currently are:
1 yellow tang
1 coral beauty
1 skunk cleaner shrimp
10 Scarlet reef hermits
10 Blue leg hermits
<They should all be fine in a reef. However, the tang will ultimately need larger quarters. Also, the Coral Beauty may be a problem with some corals. In my experience, this is one of the least risky Centropyge angels for reef tanks. However, there is no guarantee here...Just keep an eye on your corals, and be ready to accept some possible losses>
The fish and shrimp are currently in my quarantine tank because I want to wait for my new sand bed and live rock to settle in for a week or 2 as my nitrates are up to about 20 mg/l from 0.  It was not a fun job upgrading to the DSB, and I kind of made a mess of things.  The process I used was to simply put the unopened bags into the tank and cut a hole in the bottom.  This was dry sand which I did not rinse, and needless to say my tank was cloudy for about 2 days.  I stirred my old sand in with the new, the grain size being very similar.  I'm not sure if this was the
appropriate thing to do as I may have destroyed most of the "live" in my existing substrate by doing so, however I suspect in time it will begin to function properly.
<I probably would have done things in a similar fashion. In a relatively short time, the inert sand will become "live", and the benefits of lower nitrate and increased biodiversity will become evident>
The live rock was cured in a Rubbermaid container with
a powerhead, an air stone, a small filter, and a heater.  I did 100% water changes 2 x weekly, and after 5 weeks my ammonia finally started going down, however nitrites remained high.  So I decided to move the fish out of the display tank, and put the LR in hoping that the mature water /filter / skimmer would help speed up the final leg of the process....which I think it did, as three days later my ammonia is 0  and nitrites are about 0.3 mg/l.
<I think you're doing it right, braddah! Good technique!>
However as I mentioned my nitrates are a little high. I
plan on adding a couple more small fish such as a Lineatus fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus Lineatus) , and perhaps a watchman goby, with his shrimp companion.
<Well, I think that you'd be pushing it at that point. If you re-patriate the fishes that you mentioned already, you'll probably need to refrain from adding more fishes to this tank. Part of the discipline of reef-keeping is to strike a balance...So consider your animal additions carefully.>
I test regularly for ammonia / nitrites / PH / KH / nitrates. I believe I will also need to start testing for Calcium when I begin caring for corals and possibly using supplements such as Iodine.
<Well, the testing is important. I am not as big a fan of supplements...I like to "supplement" via water changes. If you are going to use additives, be sure to test for their concentration, so that you can make sure that it's actually necessary to dose>
Any other recommendations for testing / supplementing would be helpful.  I have never added any supplements to the tank to date, thinking that my regular water changes can provide many if not all the elements needed.
<That's what I'm talking about! Good thinking!>
I am good about water changes, as I do a 5 gallon change weekly with aged / aerated water. I do, however use tap water which I know may not be my best choice, however I'm not ready to invest in an expensive RO/DI unit and with weekly water changes, it is not convenient for me to go to the LFS every time to purchase the water.
<Well, in the long run- an RO/DI unit will prove less expensive and more efficient>
I plan on purchasing Anthony's book
<Trust me- just get that book! It's an invaluable resource for all reefers!>
(already have Bob's CMA which along with this site have been invaluable resources) before I make any coral purchases, however with the new upgrades to my tank, I can't help starting my wish list.
<Hey- nothing wrong with that! Just consider the needs of your "target" animals, and your ability to maintain them. Proceed slowly, and don't forget to have fun in the process!>
Here is what I am considering so far.  I realize that you recommend against placing corals from different origins in the same tank however I'm unclear as to whether this applies to corals from Indonesia vs. Indo-Pacific origins.
<Well, that is not quite as important as the admonitions that we make to not mix SPS/soft corals/LPS in small systems, due to potential chemical interactions (allelopathy)>
I want all my inhabitants to coexist in as peaceful and comfortable way possible, considering they will be in a 45 gallon
glass box.
<That's an important consideration!>
Red mushroom coral (Actinodiscus) - Indonesia
Bullseye Mushroom Coral (Rhodactis) - South Pacific
Orange / Red colony polyp (Zoanthus) - Indo-Pacific
Clove / Glove Polyp (Clavularia) - Indonesia
Brain coral (Wellsophyllia) - Indo Pacific
Brain coral (Trachyphyllia) - Indonesia.
<Well, these can work together, but you need to provide the animals with the proper space and placement>
So, will these animals be comfortable under my power compacts and setup? I realize that some of them require higher levels of light, so halides may be necessary.  Any additional suggestions as to some relatively hardy aesthetically pleasing corals that would be appropriate for my set-up would be much appreciated.  Your personal favorites etc....
<I think that your choices seem okay. I would probably keep only one kind of mushroom coral, however...I like Trachyphyllia, but this coral may become a snack for the Coral Beauty...>
Thanks again for the awesome job you guys and gals do.  One day perhaps I can return the favor.
<I think that you're doing a great job! Just keep reading, learning, and sharing your experiences with your fellow hobbyists! Good luck!>
Best Regards, Jesse Canizio
Boca Raton, FL
<I see success on the horizon for your tank, Jesse! Just take it slow, and you'll be fine! Regards, Scott F>

Quite a few marine aquarium questions...
Hi, sorry about all the emails.  <No Problem!>
I'm so glad that you guys are so knowledgeable and so helpful.
I started my aquarium about a month ago. I still have some misconceptions about marine life.
I'd really appreciate if you could help me out.
- Does the Banded Coral Shrimp get rid of all parasites on all fish (always) so no meds have to be used? E.g. will 'eat' the ich or velvet?  <They do not remove all parasites and in some cases medication will be necessary.>
- Do you recommend using activated carbon?
<It depends on the situation, I usually run carbon for a few days every couple of weeks.>
- I used tap water, is it ok, or should I only use RO water to setup the tank?
- Is the light important (color spectrum)? I currently have Marine-Glo light bulb.
<Depending on what you want to keep lighting can play a huge roll or be unimportant.>
- I have no invertebrates now. I'm wondering what are the calcium reactor for and do I need one? <Calcium reactors are used to keep the calcium at desired levels.  Many aquarists with a lot of corals, with a high demand for calcium use them.>
- Do I need to supplement water with iodine, Kalkwasser (whatever you spell it) or strontium?< You can find this and many other answers to these questions at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm >
- Should I put any black powder in the tank?
- When I vacuum the tank, is it ok to put my hands in the tank?
- What are the advantages of Tonga rock over just the regular 'cheap' live rock?
- Will the skimmer also remove nitrates and phosphates?
- Is it ok to use baking soda to bring the pH up and what pH will it buffer at?
<All of these questions can be answered at the link above.>
OK, sorry about all the questions... I really did some research and can't find any conclusive answers...
some people say this, others that etc..
BTW, do you know of any good online Marine/Reef aquarium forums?
<Reef Central, www.reefcentral.com and Wet Web Media’s are both excellent.  Cody>
Thank you so much for your help....
Luke

- New Marine Setup -
Hello
<Good day, JasonC here...>
Thanks for replying to my previous emails.
I'd like your opinion on my new marine tank setup before I start adding anything that may suffer and die.
I have a 75 gallon glass tank with a 20 gallon sump/refugium.
I'm using 4 65W PC lights, 2 8800, 1 10000 and 1 actinic. Also a 28 W 50/50 on my sump.
I have a mag 9.5 return pump but think that I should get some power heads to increase flow in the tank.
I have about 100 lbs of live rock, about 20 in the sump the rest in display, 200 lbs of Southdown sand, I plan on adding another 100 lbs to make a 4" DSB evenly across my display tank. Does a DSB have to be even or can it go from about 5" on one end to 1" on the other? <Well - for a 'deep' sand bed you need an average depth across the tank of 4-6" and more wouldn't hurt. An uneven bed would not yield the same benefits.>
My ammonia level has dropped to 0 in the past two days from being off the scale while the rock is curing.
The nitrite is still off the scale.
Have not tested for nitrates yet, waiting for cycle to finish.
ph is about 8.2,
Alkalinity is 10 dkh
specific gravity is about 1.024.
Ca is about 380 though the kit I have is very hard to read. There is no sharp color change point.
One problem I am having is that some of the coralline algae on my live rock is turning white, it doesn't seem to be the same white decomposing stuff as on some of the other things which I scrub off. Is it dying? <Perhaps.> Can I try to recover it? <It should recover on its own in time - I wouldn't be to concerned right now.>
The rock I purchased has a lot of green coralline which I would really like to save. <Give it time.>
I do not have my lights on a regular cycle yet as I was waiting for the cycle to finish, could this be harming it or the nitrite levels? <Nah... is fine.>
I plan on having mainly lps and soft corals such as mushrooms, elegance, bubble, frogspawn, star polyps etc. Do you see any problems keeping these? <No.>
When should I start purchasing snails and hermit crabs to keep the tank clean? <After it starts getting dirty... I'd definitely wait until the cycle is complete.> I do not see much algae growth yet. <All the more reason to wait.>
I would like to start growing some Gracilaria when my LFS has it in, I changed my plan from Caulerpa to this after reading your great forums. <I think some of that business is overstated, Caulerpa is fine.>
This email has gotten a lot longer than I planned, any advice would be appreciated. <Just be patient.>
thanks
<Cheers, J -- >

Re: What are your thought on ViaAqua Multi-skimmer?
<Hi Luke, PF here tonight>
<Snipped for brevity's sake>
Few more things I'm not getting here (sorry...)
1) so nitrites convert to nitrates with a filter, but live rock converts them without converting to nitrates? or does it 'use up' nitrates? <LR holds vastly more bacteria than bioballs do. Also, LR does not catch and hold large pieces of food which decompose into (10 guesses and the first nine don't count) nitrates. Said food pieces get eaten by the critters living inside the LR.
2) by 'de-nitrification' do you mean removing nitrate? <Yes> Fluidized sand filters will  do that? <No - see below> I thought they were only for ammonia and nitrites... <A deep sand bed is not a sand filter. Two very different animals. A DSB is 4+ inches of sand. Read here to find out more: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/deepsandbeds.htm >
3) What do you mean by cleaning 'sponges' ?
<Whatever sponges (not live sponges, the kind you put over powerhead intakes, etc) need to be taken out, put in a container of clean saltwater and cleaned out. Dump the saltwater when you're done, it'll be full of debris from the aquarium and pretty nasty.>
Thank you Craig and sorry about the trivial questions...
Luke
<Hopefully this clears things up, if not, we'll thrash this out. Have a good night, PF>

Live rock supplementing
Hi Guys and Gals,
<Hi Bryan, PF here with you this AM>
    I have a 55 gal corner bowfront with 20 gal high sump, Aqua C Remora Skimmer, Magnum 350 Canister filter <Canister's become nitrate factories over time, unless cleaned out everyday. With your skimmer (Do you use the Maxijet-1200 upgrade? Please do consider it, it really improves its performance.>, 4" DSB, and about 60 lbs live rock.  Next week I will be adding a detritivore kit. <Have you thought about a refugium? Always worthwhile IMO.> For lighting I just have the two 20 watt Aqualife fluorescent bulbs that came with the tank. <I see that you're running a FOWLR (I peaked and read ahead. ; )  If you happen to like the look of deeper reef/low light fish, sounds like a nice setup.>
    My question is what do I have to do to keep the Live rock live and covered in coralline algae? <Well, different kinds of coralline prefer different levels of light. Given that most LR comes from relatively shallow areas I think your existing coralline will probably die off, but in time will be replaced by a lower light variety. A 2 part additive wouldn't be out of line either, say B-Ionic or one of the others. The coralline needs calcium to grow. IMO, a CA Reactor would be overkill for this setup.> I only have one brittle star in there at present and we are waiting until the DSB is well seeded before adding any fish. <Give your detritivores some time to adjust to their new home, if you can be patient, a month or so would help them establish themselves. Even longer would help establish breeding populations. Do remember to feed the tank while your waiting for the detritivores to get going, they need to eat too.> There are tons of little pods crawling around in there.  <Always a good thing, but those fish will take care of that PDQ.>
    My tests are Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, ph 8.0, Nitrite 5 down from 10, and salinity on its way to 1.025. <I assume you mean Nitrates at 5? Not bad for a FOWLR>. The Nitrates have been coming down ever since I added the live rock and the salinity is being raised by replacing the evaporated water with aged saltwater instead of fresh.  I had kept the salinity at 1.022, but read on this site that I should have it at 1.025. <Well, the higher end is better for corals and other invertebrates. 1.022 is ok for fish.>
    Since this is to be a FOWLR tank and we will not be housing corals, anemones, or any other invertebrates besides the starfish, what other things should I test for and supplement.
<Well, I'd say just test for the big 5: Ammonia, Nitrite/ate, salinity, and pH. Keep the canister on hand for the occasional water polishing (remember to clean it out after each use, nothing worse than the rude shock of shooting your tank full of dead and decaying organisms). All in all ,this sounds like a nice setup.>
Thank you for any input and a great website
<You're very welcome, and a tip 'o the hat to our website people who make this all possible. They have my thanks too for all their hard work and effort. Have a good day, PF>
Bryan Flanigan

Re: live rock supplementing
Hi PF,
<Hello again Bryan>
A couple of replies to your comments,
    The Canister filter is being used with micron filters.  I have three and they are used on a rotating basis.  I am planning on a 5 day rotation with them, 1 in use, 1 being cleaned, and 1 ready to use.  Sound alright? <Well, I've avoided using canisters for the reason I mentioned. In talking to others who've used them, I hear the same thing over and over again: eventually it becomes a nitrate factory. The choice is yours though, and as you're testing, just keep an eye on it.>
    I have carbon in the sump in a bag, that is being changed out once a month, if my tests show deteriorating conditions I will up that to twice a month. <You're better off using a small amount and changing it weekly. The carbon quickly fills, and probably isn't doing much after a few days. By using a small amount and changing it often, you'll also be stabilizing the chemistry of the tank.>
    The skimmer is a Remora Po, it currently has a Rio pump, but after reading all the horror stories online about that pump I talked with Jason at Aqua C and he told me the best pump for that skimmer is in fact the Maxi Jet 1200.  I am going to purchase one as soon as I get some money saved. <Look around, you can get some good deals. It pays to shop around.>
    The Detritivore kit will be purchased next week and it will be at least one month later that we add fish, maybe longer depending on how long it takes to locate what we want.
    Since you said something about deeper reef/low light fish, here is the list we eventually want to keep:
    3 Carpenter Flasher wrasses (2 female and 1 male) <I once had five of these fish, they jumped through the egg crate cover. Be very careful with these fish. You might want to consider 4 females, or just getting 5 and the dominant one will become male.>
    2 PJ Cardinals or black and white Cardinals <Sounds good.>
    1 Fire Goby <Ditto>
    1 Crowned Pearlscale Butterflyfish <Ditto>
    1 Longnosed Hawkfish <Well, don't plan on using cleaner shrimp>
    1 Flame Angel (really undecided on this one as they can be feisty) <Have you thought about the Pygmy angel instead?>
    1 Green Mandarinfish <Had me worried till I read ahead>
    We will be adding each specie of fish at least a month apart as we quarantine and also as it takes time to find healthy specimens. <Good plan> The Mandarinfish will be the last and only if our tank is capable of keeping him alive and healthy.
    The refugium idea is currently unworkable on this tank due to the fact that the wife does not want anything above the main tank so as a compromise the sump is full of live rock. <I'd skip the Mandarin without the refugium, sorry to say.> I forgot to ask will it be any benefit to light the sump on a reverse cycle from the main or is that overkill? <Unless the sump is full of algae, it's not going to make much of a difference. It's the respiration of the algae that alters the tanks pH.>
    Finally, you mentioned adding calcium, should I test for that as well as the big 5? <I should have mentioned that one, good catch.> Last of all if you wonder why the nitrates are so low it is
probably because of the small bioload (1 brittle star) <Ok>
Thanks once again
Bryan
<You're welcome, it sounds like you've got a well thought out plan and are sticking to it. Good luck, and let us know how it all turns out. PF>

Setup decisions
<Hi Peggy, PF here tonight>
I have a 55 gal. set up that was moved from a 38 gal w/ U.G. filter about 1 month ago and I need some help deciding which way to go please. Current tank info: 55 gal with aprox. 25 lbs of Fiji & Tonga branch live rock <you could easily double this>, 15 lbs of calcium carbonate , & 20 lbs. of natures ocean sand <Have you given any thought to a DSB? Pls do a search and look into them. The larger substrates don't provide nearly as much buffering, and are more likely to contribute to nitrates - a DSB will remove nitrates>. My damsels are constantly mixing the two.  Yellow tail damsel, three spot damsel, percula clown, Yellow tang, 2 peppermint shrimp, 10-12 blue legged hermit crabs, 3 turbo snails, & 1 large  feather duster. 1 marine land Emperor 280 w/ bio wheel <BioWheels are notorious for eventually becoming nitrate factories>, 1 aquaclear power filter, 1 Bak Pak 2 skimmer w/ bio bale <biobale and BioWheels, peas in a pod>, & 3 power heads 2 in the back corners facing to middle front of tank <try having 1 in each corner facing each other, more variety of current that way> & 1 dead center back rotating. Lighting is 1 24" 2x 36 10,000k & actinic Coralife pc. Everything is going fine, all water measures are good except a small nitrite problem 0.2.<nitrites are never a good sign> ( currently working at lowering.) nitrates seem to stay around 0.5 & ammonia is 0. I would like to add a few soft leather corals & a couple more fish <given the aggressiveness of your fish already present, I'd say no, esp. the tang. Tangs tend not to get along with other tangs, esp. given the small size (yes, 55g is small) of your tank> , neon goby & another tang if I can find one compatible. So is this a workable situation? What would you do to improve? <Remove the BioWheel and biomedia. Add a DSB and more LR. Just the way I do things, don't commandments written in stone. > Should I be working on  adding more live rock and do away with the bio filtration or leave as is. <Think I answered that one.> I don't like the look of tanks jammed with live rock <Neither do I, balance what the tank needs with what you like. Consider flatter pieces that can be stacked to make caves> , and also the bio wheel comes in handy for Q.T. tank <If it's attached to your tank, it's not a QT> . I know I will need more light & plan on adding a duplicate for total 144 watts, but I noticed that the sand under where the light sits always has a light brown algae coat & either side where the light is less intense the sand is white. <The brown is due more to nutrients (i.e. nitrates) than to light.> When I add another light to then cover the entire length of tank I am sure all will turn brown, and don't seem to be able to get rid of this. The crabs & snails keep busy but is still there.  Please help As I am lost in the sea of information.
<Well Peggy, my advice is to read, read some more, and keep reading (I know I do). There's lots of good books out there, magazines as well, and many websites as well (may I recommend Wetwebmedia.com? ;) . Also remember, my opinions are just that, mine. Do some research and make up your own minds from the conclusions you draw. Hope this helps, and have a good evening, PF>

What did I do wrong/stocking questions.
Hi again, PF (or whomever is manning the lines today),<Hi again Rob, yep, it's PF here.>
In response to your response, <reminds me of some of my letters to Bob. : ) > I have a couple of observations/questions. <S'okay>
I originally had 10 lbs of LR in the QT.  Upon asking a question to the crew, I was told to never put LR in a QT.  Why is that? <Well, the LR could be harboring infectious organisms when it's brought in, it could also harbor something that comes in off the fish you are QTing. In addition, if you have to medicate, then you'll kill the LR off, spike ammonia and cause all kinds of havoc. Better safe than sorry.> Anyway, I removed the LR <Good.>, and forgotten I had changed the filter on the skilter not too long before.  I think that's what caused the system to crash so badly. <Ah, it does sound like the bacterial population didn't have a chance to rebound.>
Also, is the PolyFilter on the skilter enough to sustain the bacterial colonies on a 15 gal, or should I add something else? (I think I know the answer, add a sponge filter).<Wow! You read my mind. Any lottery tips? ; )  >
In regards to stocking, if I replace the puffer with a Toby, do Chromis have a fighting chance? <I would think, though you might be careful with any shrimp.>  I'm also concerned about combining a hawkfish with inverts (which I was thinking of getting to stir the substrate).<As far as I know, Hawkfish's aren't really a threat to hermits or snails. Shrimp, OTOH, are tasty treats.>
Finally, in regards to the wet/dry, I was wondering if wet/drys get a bad rap as nitrate factories because of the way they are typically set up.  They tend to go tank -> wet/dry -> skimmer -> tank.  In my mind, skimming before putting the water through a wet/dry would eliminate detritus from building up on the bio-balls. <Sound reasonable to me, but a skimmer really only removes smaller particles, larger particles would be a problem.> It seems the bio-balls are more efficient at harboring bacterial colonies than LR <Not from what I understand (though I could be wrong, could you please point me at the source of your information?), LR has a very high surface area because it's full of nooks and crannies on the inside (makes me hungry for an English muffin just thinking about it), said nooks and crannies also act as an anaerobic processing area for nitrates>, so skimming before hitting the wet dry might be a better mechanism.  <Well, I'd say give it a go, and keep us apprised of your results.>
If that is the case, wouldn't it make sense to take the top off the wet/dry, use it to feed a second sump (i.e. a Rubbermaid tub) which contains the skimmer, having the output of the skimmer go to the top of the wet/dry? <In effect, re-skimming a portion of the water, sounds like a plan to me. Watch your levels, and record them, and keep us in the loop. Would you be willing to post your results over on the forum?>  This would increase the water volume of the system (cheaply) <Always a good thing>, and reduce the problem of detritus being built up on the bioballs.<Hopefully>
I guess what I'm asking here, is why go through the bother of a refugium (LR isn't cheap <You could also use base rock, or lace rock> , plus, I'm not sure if you need additional lighting/heaters <no you don't, but a backup heater is never a bad idea> ), when you can do it this way instead? <IMO, it's worth a try. Do watch your results closely.>
Thanks in advance,
Rob
<You're welcome, PF>

To Sump or Not To Sump?
Well, with the sump, I might opt for it, I just don't want to drill holes in the tank... but I've noticed that CPR Aquatics and Marineland make outside overflows, that seem to work just like the drilled tanks, if not better.
<Well, over-the-side overflows tend to be more problematic, actually, in many cases, becuase they can break siphon at times, causing potential problems, or even disasters! Some of the better over-the-side overflows are the CPR units, as they are siphon "tubeless", and tend to be more reliable>
That means that indeed, I'd try the sump setup.
I've looked at the Marineland Tidepool and CPR Aquatics solutions, which one would you recommend? I need something that is good, but not super expensive :-)
<Both are just fine, IMO. However, for maximum flexibility, you could remove the bioballs or other plastic media used in the "off-the-shelf" models. In fact, you could even build your own with an aquarium and some acrylic pieces for partitioning sections off for media, skimmers, etc. It may be a less expensive alternative, and there are lots of DIY sump plans out there on the 'net>
Two more questions if you don't mind:
<Sure>
Are there any links or info on your web site about keeping brine shrimp for marine fish (adult brine shrimp)?
<There are literally dozens and dozens of 'em. Use the Google search feature on the site, and use a phrase like "culturing brine shrimp" or "brine shrimp culture"...You'll find tons of stuff!>
Are you aware of any good mail order breeders/sellers of marine livestock in Canada?
<There are a number of them, and once again, I'd use the Web to do a search. Also, don't forget that companies like Marine Center do ship to Canada all the time...You may want to post on the WWM Chat forum to see if any of your fellow Canadian hobbyists can recommend some Canada-based etailers...OR, better yet, try to hook up with a local aquarium club and see who members recommend...>
Thank you for all you help. Luke
<A pleasure, Luke. You'll have a lot of fun researching, developing, and constructing a sump system for your tank. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Old tank syndrome, refugium lighting
>wwm crew,
>>Crewmate Marina here.
>I'm perplexed, when getting into this hobby my readings suggested that once the live rock, reef type tank was set up and thriving, not disturbing or constant fiddling with the aquascaping was the best policy.  Some authors experiences seemed to be that tanks kept improving as they aged,8-10-12 plus years with new creatures popping up from time to time.  
>>Quite true.
Now I'm hearing of old tank syndrome after 5-6 years and suggestions are to tear apart tank, acid wash entire system, Dump!
>>Egads!  Almost enough to make you lose your lunch, isn't it?  I believe that this is not necessary (as well as exceedingly expensive, yes?), as long as live rock and calcareous substrate are occasionally replenished.  Of course, this is assuming a dutiful regimen of regular, small, frequent water changes as well.
>your live rock and sand [easily several thousand dollars in large tanks like mine] and start from scratch. Totally opposing views which I'm beginning to accept as the norm in this hobby.
>>It is easily as much art as science.  It's why we end up with rather heated debates, as well.  ;)
>Have you guys experienced this o.t. syndrome in your own tanks?
>>I have not, but I never ran a tank for ten+ years, either.  However, there is a growing volume of information from folks who I, personally, have more faith in that says that a large, well cared for system should be able to be sustained indefinitely.  Of course, those who experience real success will actually have to consistently thin out stock.
>Also, I  have a 300 gal refugium in line with a 450 and 500 gal
tank, all in one continuous circulation.
>>Sounds great.  So, you essentially have a 1250gal system?
>System is up and running to perfection.  D.S.B. and live rock in refugium, no macroalgae. It has been lit on reverse cycle of tank, thinking of leaving lights off!
>>The main reason for utilizing this reverse cycle is, when in conjunction with culturing macro algae, one can help prevent the rather large pH changes commonly experienced in well-stocked systems when going from day to night cycles.
>permanently, is this a bad idea. Refugium is basically a bug factory.
>>If you're not culturing macros, I don't think you need to worry about this reverse lighting cycle.
>Thanks as always.  
>>You're quite welcome.  Marina

Low pH, etc.
Bob,
<Actually JasonC here, but let's see what we can do...>
I'll start off with the basic 125 gallon reef with 20 gal refuge. running wetdry with skimmer. 400 watts of PC lighting on reef and 26watts of PC lighting on refuge. About 80 pounds of live rock another 50 of live sand. Critters of interest: Mushroom frags, several closed brains (came with rock), Condylactis anemone, Ritteri anemone, 2 flame fish, 2 damsels, Dogface Puffer (by itself in the refuge until the fish only is setup), several oysters (came with rock), spiny urchin, flame scallop, several small stars (came with rock), large orange brittle star (serpent?), humpback cleaner shrimp, snails, hermits, small emerald crabs.
1st question - By looking at the attached data sheets you'll see that my pH remains very low (7.7 - 8.1) I've tried Kent A&B then switched to Restore A&B and now I'm also dosing Kalk. How Do I get the Ph and Ca stable?
<Are you taking pH measurements throughout the day, or is this just a one-time measurement? pH shifts all day with its value being lowest before the lights come on, and highest before the lights go off. It sounds to me like there may be a problem with your buffers. You could try using a ph/alk additive like Super Reef Builder, or perhaps save a buck or two and use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. Add this to a glass of fresh water and then add this mix to the tank. Test and add again if needed... remember that you don't want to move more than a tenth of a point per day.>
2nd question - I had one cleaner shrimp and two percula clowns disappear. I was told by LFS that the shrimp fell to the large brittle and that the clowns were eaten by the Ritteri anemone. Does that sound right?
<Well, if this large brittle star is green, then chances are that it went three-for-three. Green brittle stars are known fish predators, and most certainly opportunistic. I'm guessing you also looked behind the tank to make sure the fish didn't jump out.>
3rd question - The Ritteri sometimes doesn't look so hot.
<You may need more intense lighting.>
It has found a home on the back glass high near the surface. It has two mouths (getting ready to split?)
<perhaps>
and sometimes they open up to extremes. It looks as if it's about to turn itself inside out and it discharges long stringy waste. After about 12 - 24 hours it looks great again. Is this normal?
<on the quick description, no, it doesn't sound 'right'.>
4th question - I was trying to keep seahorses in the refugium but they all (4) died. I assume it was the diet. I was trying to feed them ghost shrimp and frozen brine. I've since then found silversides and krill for the puffer and anemones. Am I on the right track for keeping these wonderful but delicate critters?
<The seahorses... no. They need live foods to stimulate their interest. There is a company, Ocean Rider, who specializes in seahorses, and their specimens are trained to eat frozen mysis. These are probably your best bet.>
Any advice?
<Read up... http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tube-mfi.htm>
I apologize for asking so many questions at one shot. You have helped me out in the past and hopefully you can educate me again.
<I hope I've been helpful.>
Tom Peterson
<Cheers, J -- >

Nutrient Control and Lighting...
Hello, I hope all of you are fine.
<Doing fine! Scott F. with you today!>
I have a couple of questions, first I tried converting an old wet/dry filter into a refugium. I know from reading entries on your site that you lean towards the refugium coming first feeding the tank, but mine is fed from the tank to the refugium & then pumped back into the main tank. I hope this is not a big problem.
<Personally, I don't mind this configuration, myself...>
I took the sponge pre-filter out of the pump feeding the main tank.
<Yeah! Sponge prefilters are "victims of their own success", in my opinion...They do such a great job at trapping debris- but they must be cleaned very often (like every other day!) to avoid becoming nutrient "traps", which can degrade water quality rapidly>
Should I leave the bottom free of any substrate? (The refugium). Or can I just use live rock?
<No set "rules" really.. I like a very thin layer of coarse substrate, such as Carib Sea "Aruba Puka", which has larger particles, which are amphipod haunts! Of course, you can use just live rock if you want...Whatever works for you>
I had fine sand in it ,but removed it. It's to hard to clean.
<Well, you could utilize the services of a brittle star or two...>
Help please!!! Trying to  get nitrates under control. 90 Gal. tank - 1 snowflake eel,1 yellow tang,1 coral beauty,1 damsel,2 clowns,1 fire fish,1 naso,1 moon wrasse,2 brittle stars.
<That's a lot of life in that tank- particularly the tangs and the eel...these fishes release a large quantity of metabolic products as a result of their ravenous appetites. Unfortunately, they also require high quality water, which creates a real challenge. I am a big fan of frequent (like 2 times a week) small (5% 0f tank volume) water changes, which really help dilute organics before they can accumulate and degrade water quality. Also, you may want to invest in a better protein skimmer, and make sure that it yanks out a couple of cups of dark, yucky skimmate twice a week. You could also utilize a good "purposeful" macroalgae, such as Chaetomorpha, in your refugium, and harvest it regularly as a means of nutrient export >
I also have a 4 inch fine sand bed with about 25 Nassarius snails and a cucumber. Last but not least, is 4 VHO's 440 watts 2 actinic & 2 50/ 50 with 1 175 watt halide(10,000)enough lighting or should I change this combination. I have leathers, Favia, button polyps, open brain, fox coral and frog spawn. I like to thank you for your help.
<The lighting sounds about right to me...Sure, you could "kick it up a bit with another halide...But that's your call...Sounds like your tank is lit okay...Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

LIGHTING ON 90GAL. REEF
Hello, I hope all of you are fine. <Hi Derek, PF here.> I have a couple of questions , first I
tried converting an old wet/dry filter into a refugium.<A good move, I've done the same thing with my system.> I know from reading
entries on your site that you lean towards the refugium coming first feeding
the tank, but mine is fed from the tank to the refugium & then pumped back
into the main tank. I hope this is not a big problem. <Depends on what you are using your refugium for, for nitrate reduction, that's fine. If you are trying to get 'pods, mysis, and other critters into the tank, then you want a gravity fed return. Be that as it may, back to your questions.>  I took the sponge
pre-filter out of the pump feeding the main tank. Should I leave the bottom
free of any substrate? The refugium)<Sure, I've seen it done that way. I light mine and grow Chaetomorpha in it, I've seen other people growing Caulerpa.>. Or can I just use live rock? <That would work well also.> I had
fine sand in it ,but removed it. It's to hard to clean.  Help please!!! <I hope that helps.>
Trying to  get nitrates under control. 90 Gal. tank - 1 snowflake eel,1
yellow tang,1 coral beauty,1 damsel,2 clowns,1 fire fish,1 naso,1 moon
wrasse,2 brittle stars. <In my opinion, that's a lot of fish for that volume of tank.> I also have a 4 inch fine sand bed with about 25
Nassarius snails and a cucumber. <What are you using as a skimmer?>Last but not least, is 4 VHO's 440 watts 2
actinic & 2 50/ 50 with 1 175 watt halide(10,000)enough lighting or should I
change this combination. <Looks good to me, as long as your corals are growing well, and you like the look of it, don't mess with success.> I have leathers <Well, I am not a fan of leather corals mixed with LPS's. Leather corals often produce highly noxious chemicals to others corals (allelopathy) and cause growth problems. Eric Borneman (author of Aquarium Corals) has a policy of not mixing them. My LPS's have done better since I removed my leathers, something you might want to think about and/or research further>, Favia, button polyps, open brain,
fox coral and frog spawn. I'd like to thank you for your help.
<You're welcome, hope I helped.>

Re: Live Rock
>As already told I am going to start a new marine aquarium, and I would like to try my first reef.  I have some questions, which still exist after I have read a lot of your FAQs sessions.
1. I have the possibility to get live rock directly from the sea, which is located just one hour driving from my house. The water is very clear but the first samples I have selected and still keeping in my quarantine tanks (full of life: snails, sea urchin, red and green algae plus some unidentified creatures) seem to be plain stones covered with life and they are not calcareous rock. Can I use such live rock for my reef, or should I only use the pieces of live rock that I will buy from my LFS?
>>My main concern with using such non-calcareous rock is the possibility of mineral leach.  Other than that, if you can reproduce the conditions found where the rock is collected, you'll give whatever life resides therein its best chance at survival.
>Maybe a combination of both? I intend anyway to buy some live rock from my LFS but it would save me a lot of cost if I started my system with the live rock I collect from the sea.
>>That is certainly a possibility.  With either source, be sure to cure it *before* you put it in the display.
>2. After I have read a lot of things about starting a new 200-liters reef, I would like to start mine as follows:
- Get natural sea water and fill the tank. Start the skimmer (AquaC Remora ordered and received from USA)
- Add base rock (dead corals) + fresh (cured) live rock on top along with all the life creatures on it and let the nutrient cycle be done until there is no indication of ammonia and nitrite.
- Add substrate (aragonite oolithic of Red Sea about 1,5 mm diameter) 5cm deep. I would prefer not to use a plenum (???). Let the substrate be seeded by the live rock and add some more snails on it.
>>If the rock is cured before it goes into the display, then put the substrate in at the same time.  No need to add steps where they aren't warranted.
>-Add a couple of small reef fish.
-Add invertebrates as soon as the nitrate levels drop due to deep live sand bed.  How does it sound?
>>Perfect!
>Question 1: I have already two biological external filters: EHEIM 2224 and EHEIM 2229 wet-dry. The 2224 is still running supporting my quarantine tank and has a lot of bacteria in it. In which part of the starting plan should I use them, if use them at all?
>>If you are using well-cured, good quality live rock, then I wouldn't worry a whole lot about using those bacteria.  I would let the cycle begin in the tank without adding anything other than the specimens from quarantine.
>Question 2: Will the snails and all the life creatures on the live rock die during the cycling process because of ammonia and nitrite? If yes, than how can I avoid the loss of these forms of live, which exist on the live rock?
>>Yes, and you can use the most aggressive skimming you can muster (good interim use for that AquaC), and copious water changes.  It's a pain, but it definitely can be done.
>Question 3: I am thinking of having a sump for the first time, but it scares me a little bit. My LFS is not very experienced in building sumps and connecting them (plumping, etc.) and I think it might be risky to make the plumping by myself. How can I get specific info on creating a sump?
>>You've come to the right place, and since you're online, you have the world at your fingertips.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/lgmartkfaqs.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/diytksfaqs.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sumpusefaq3.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bestfaqmarsetup.htm
http://www.reefs.org/library/members/d_levitt_062302.html
http://www.garf.org/
>Question 4: I am thinking of using one metal halide 175 Watts and two fluorescent actinic blues. I have not yet decided how they will fit on the tank cover, but I surely do not want the metal halide hanging from my ceiling. I have found in a site some metal halides which are integrated with their ballast, please see http://www.shopsolution.nl/shop/home.asp?shopid=seameec&prodid=system230eco1x70  and http://www.shopsolution.nl/shop/home.asp?shopid=seameec&prodid=Nova312
>>Sorry, product not found?
>What do you think of these? Can you suggest something better? I need some help here because my knowledge about lighting is still very poor.
>>Then read these two articles by Anthony Calfo here--> http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marlgtganthony.htm
and here--> http://www.wetwebmedia.com/acclimcoralslight.htm
>Question 5: I am thinking of having an open tank with some glass nerves at the top of the tank as a support for the metal halide bulb. I would of course prefer to have a cover, but I can not find a way to have a metal halide and still have a closed cover. Is it possible and how? Sorry, but here in my city there is a little experience from the LFS. They can not help you very much.
>>I'm not sure what you mean by "glass nerves" (though I have my own ideas), so I believe you mean glass bracing or covers.  Because one must take great care when using metal halide lighting, I cannot recommend using any glass supports for metal halide lighting.  It may be easier for you to begin with power compact fluorescents, keeping the animals that will do well with that type of lighting (and believe me, that would encompass a HUGE group of animals) until *you* feel more comfortable, both with your own knowledge of the equipment, and in your skills with the tank in the first place.  One of the big issues with metal halide, for instance, is keeping the tank from overheating.  It is for this reason, and many others, that I'll suggest you do more research/reading on the subject before proceeding with this aspect of your project.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/fixtures.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/mhltgmar.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/