Seriously bummed about the triggers. :(

As for the pyramids - manual removal will deal with it. Also, what wrasses do you have? You might want to consider a canary aka yellow coris or a radiant wrasse..

sorry about your fish that's terrible news. the video really shows how sweet your scape is. fill that rock with coral and it's going to be breath-taking.

Thanks guys. I'm still pretty upset over the death of the triggers. I hmm and haw all the time over trying a second pair or not.

I don't have any wrasses, but I will definitely look into one or two especially given the number of clams I'll (inevitably?) end up with.

I'll soon be ready to start adding more and more SPS. I am dying to add colonies and start to see some measurable change from month to month. Any suggestions on where or what to start with?

Photos and a video with a camera that doesn't do justice.

The digi is pretty much a neon orange in person, much brighter

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps708925be.jpg


http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps7f887ac2.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps464d5cc0.jpg

Wow you've got some nice pieces in that tank!

I picked up 4 pieces from Wai's.Bit of a sticker shock but man he's got some nice stuff.Sure wish Concept was open so I can stop bleeding $.

That really sucks to hear about the Triggers Catherine. :(

I think this tank would look amazing with a huge collection of wrasses and Tangs. :wink:

It's coming along well last time I was there.

"I'm losing money because my favourite LFS is closed" :lol:


Oh the irony! Yet, so true.. so true..

Thank you.

I do want wrasses, but have no idea what to get. Suggestions?

Cirrhilabrus rubrimarginatus do like 3 females and 1 male. great personally!
i have always been a big fan of the Cirrhilabrus lubbocki. if you get a harm of 5 or so females one well turn into a super male.
any of the Cirrhilabrus family tree! stay with females if possible.
just my two cents of the day.

Multiple schools of Anthias?

A few different Pygmy Angels (Flame, Bi-Color, Golden, Coral Beauty)... The tank is 10ft.. you should be safe. ;)

School of Bannerfish?

Did the clam make it?

The clam above didnt make it, it died on Thursday. :sad: It wasnt the one I got from you.

I must have been half (or completely) asleep when I answered your previous post. I read that you "don't want wrasses". :lol:

Ocean Creations has a couple very nice Blue Sided Fairy Wrasses in stock. I've got one on hold but you can have the other 2. :wink: I think they are actually Blue Head Fairies, but Han called them Blue Side.

I would always recommend a Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon meleagris) as I think they are one of the coolest fish around.

Scotts Fairy Wrasses are pretty awesome too if you can find a good specimen. I personally like the ones from the Cook Islands.

Or a Lineatus if you want to spend a bit more of your hard earned simoleans. :razz:

I may have to go shopping after work today.

I badly need chemicals though. Magnesium mostly, but also Soda Ash. Hurry up and open already Concept. I have money to spend and I'd rather not spend half of it on shipping from BRS.

This is the colour of the left overs when I mx up soda ash. It does great for dKH maintenance, but I am grossed out by the remainders every time.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps6db58474.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps927e87d4.jpg

Another video from last week that I forgot to link. You can see lots of cyano in the front of the tank here, its all gone now.

From Friday
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ps07ac4e55.jpg

The cyano is finally receeding. I tried to help it along out of the tank with a 65g water change yesterday. I am hoping I have finally beat this, cyano is so unsightly.

That is a very nice Naso Tang!

Your water change is bigger than my display tank at home. :lol:

Catherine the rocks are coloring up really nice too. and you dont have any Red Turf lets hope it stays clear of your tank.

Thanks guys.

There is actually a male and a female naso in the tank! They like to trick you though by only showing one of themselves at a time.

Mini update;
- bought a second Diablo Octopus skimmer for the system for redudancy purposes and so I can start feeding me.
- Put Kalk reactor online to help suppliment 2-part dosing. Reactor decided to form a leak and now needs repairs. But it has made quite a difference already in keeping my dKH levels even more stable and consistent.
- One naso died on Friday evening, no obvious signs of illness or stress.

Now we're just in the process of getting things ready for fall. I'm hoping to find some airtight rolling bins that I can use for bulk product storage under my water mixing station. I've successfully gone through all my fish stuff and cleaned out and organized what survived my annual purging. Good organization systems make all the difference in the world.

Both chugging along side by side.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psbf05fc85.jpg

Damn! That's some dark looking skimmate!

Those skimmers seem to be performing as promised.

Not Gonna lie, I have to say these are the best skimmers i have ever had.... the one on the right is after 3 days!!!

My tank woke me up at 3:45am this morning after having fallen asleep on the couch, the skimmers pronounced in a very oderous fashion that they required emptying.

As wonderful and excellent as these skimmers are, I am a bit concerned about what will happen come winter when I can't just throw open every window in the house to air our the foulness that is skimmate.

time to make a carbon filter to sit on top of your lid i guess.

Yup!

And I need a more frequent alarm on my phone for emptying the collection cups. Every 3 days is too long.

Perhaps every 3 hours? :lol:

Something like that!

Pump on my new skimmer seized up last night. Vinegar bath for both it and I ensued. Foul skimmate production is back on track again this morning.


I started 3D printing new probe holders as well for the tank. This is my first foray into this so its been a interesting ride so far.

Movie link to 3D printing in action.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psb7a6d6ad.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psbe99bf48.jpg

Am I the only one confused? 3D printing...that movie was awesome but what are you using to do that?

They're getting pretty cheap now. Great for making plastic parts and soon metal alloys, too. Just scan and "print".
http://arstechnica.com/business/2013...-and-scanners/

The actual machine itself is called a Reprap. I picked it up for about $650 all in, and then another $150 or so for materials (PLA, PVC, Nylon spools).

I'll post some more videos soon. There is plenty more being printed, but my phone has no storage space left. :sad:

Those things are so frikin cool! I kinda want to buy one.

Did you find yours locally?

No, out of Montreal for the printer and Ottawa I think for the spools.

However, if you're serious about wanting one, send me a PM. I can print you a nearly complete kit for probably cheaper than I paid.

Right now the whole thing is at the tail end of the calibration process. At first it had some issues printing circles and then getting the nozzle temperature right but I think it's all hammered out now. Essentially I am going to have my machine print a couple of copies of itself for safekeeping/just in case. I'd be happy to add a set for you if you're interested.

Wait so your 3D Printer is going to print a copy of itself...??

I'd like you to print me a few nice big colonies of the most sought after SPS please. :mrgreen:

So if I am to understand this, you bought a used printer that had issues, and now you have solved most of them?
Nice work!

Its a brand new printer but since it uses timing belts to move the nozzle and bed around you need to adjust the tension for it to print properly, it can be a bit time consuming trying to get it 100% calibrated but once its finished you just scan an object with a 3d scanner which is easy to build yourself with a camera and 2 laser pens, or you can use free cad software like google sketch up and design your own parts...all the software and firmware for the printer is open source which is awesome...

the printer can print all the plastic parts you need to build the machine...the rest is threaded rod, smooth rod some bearings nuts and washers....the electronics and motor's can be bought off ebay for pretty cheap!!

sounds awesome, where can you get info on these?

http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap here

The more I read the more I want to build it...I can think of so many things to make.

First stop...frag racks...lol