nudge me in right direction
 

hi,
First of all---thanks for all the response Ive received on the NG. You have
been VERY helpfull and patient.
But I am SO frustrated.
Here is my situation:
Back in the 80`s, my wife and I enjoyed a great 45 gallon marine tank. It
ran on a cannister filter, and an undergravel filter with powerheads.
Without me being a real scientist type, the tank STILL did great for about 5
years until a summer vacation power-outage disaster.Let`s just say that the
only thing we found alive was the Snowflake Moray.
Now, 20 years later my wife gave me a great 65 gallon tank and wants it to
be a Marine tank like the old days.
I have gotten so much conflicting advice on filters from my local pet shops
that my head is literally swimming.
From what I have seen on the internet---it seems the preffered method to
have a marine aquarium these days is to use Live Rock (in collaboration with
a protein skimmer)as the filtration system. This sounds very intriguing to
me, but is SO outside my paradigm for a fish tank!---
What usually provides the water current in these systems? Hidden powerheads?
Or do Skimmers provide some water Current? Does the rock work so well that
the water quality is high and appears clear?
This Live-Rock angle seems like the right thing to try. What are some
pitfalls?
Please direct me to FAQs, etc.

thanks for your time and patience

nudge me in right direction
 

It's not that you can't do it the way you previously did
it, it's just that it's not the best way.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



StringerBell wrote on 8/24/2006 11:22 PM:
hi,
First of all---thanks for all the response Ive received on the NG. You have
been VERY helpfull and patient.
But I am SO frustrated.
Here is my situation:
Back in the 80`s, my wife and I enjoyed a great 45 gallon marine tank. It
ran on a cannister filter, and an undergravel filter with powerheads.
Without me being a real scientist type, the tank STILL did great for about 5
years until a summer vacation power-outage disaster.Let`s just say that the
only thing we found alive was the Snowflake Moray.
Now, 20 years later my wife gave me a great 65 gallon tank and wants it to
be a Marine tank like the old days.
I have gotten so much conflicting advice on filters from my local pet shops
that my head is literally swimming.
From what I have seen on the internet---it seems the preffered method to
have a marine aquarium these days is to use Live Rock (in collaboration with
a protein skimmer)as the filtration system. This sounds very intriguing to
me, but is SO outside my paradigm for a fish tank!---
What usually provides the water current in these systems? Hidden powerheads?
Or do Skimmers provide some water Current? Does the rock work so well that
the water quality is high and appears clear?
This Live-Rock angle seems like the right thing to try. What are some
pitfalls?
Please direct me to FAQs, etc.

thanks for your time and patience

nudge me in right direction
 

Circulating the water is not that difficult of a problem. The traditional
hidden power head works well. Skimmers don't really move a whole lot of
water, you need something else. I've had in the past as many as 3 smaller
power heads and found I wasn't moving enough water. I got rid of them and
now use a Mag 7 power head in my 7g gal FOWLR, and so far its working just
fine.
Some other ideas http://www.melevsreef.com/closedloop.html If done
correctly, this works real well.

"StringerBell" wrote in message
...
hi,
First of all---thanks for all the response Ive received on the NG. You
have
been VERY helpfull and patient.
But I am SO frustrated.
Here is my situation:
Back in the 80`s, my wife and I enjoyed a great 45 gallon marine tank. It
ran on a cannister filter, and an undergravel filter with powerheads.
Without me being a real scientist type, the tank STILL did great for about
5
years until a summer vacation power-outage disaster.Let`s just say that
the
only thing we found alive was the Snowflake Moray.
Now, 20 years later my wife gave me a great 65 gallon tank and wants it to
be a Marine tank like the old days.
I have gotten so much conflicting advice on filters from my local pet
shops that my head is literally swimming.
From what I have seen on the internet---it seems the preffered method to
have a marine aquarium these days is to use Live Rock (in collaboration
with a protein skimmer)as the filtration system. This sounds very
intriguing to me, but is SO outside my paradigm for a fish tank!---
What usually provides the water current in these systems? Hidden
powerheads? Or do Skimmers provide some water Current? Does the rock work
so well that the water quality is high and appears clear?
This Live-Rock angle seems like the right thing to try. What are some
pitfalls?
Please direct me to FAQs, etc.

thanks for your time and patience

nudge me in right direction
 

StringerBell wrote:

Now, 20 years later my wife gave me a great 65 gallon tank and wants it to
be a Marine tank like the old days.

I would recommend that you pick up a copy of "The Conscientious Marine
Aquarist", by Robert Fenner. Here's a short synopsis of the first section.

There are three basic types of marine tanks these days; fish-only, fish and live
rock, and reef. There are variants of all of these. You had a FO tanks in the
old days, and you can do that again. The old filter designs still work like they
did in the 80s.

With FOWLR tanks, part of the biological filtration function is handled by live
rock and additional circulation in the main tank. One disadvantage is that you
cannot treat the main tank for most diseases without harming your main filter
(the live rock). One advantage is that the rock looks more natural to most
people and brings in lots of interesting critters that you don't see in FO tanks.

Reef tanks attempt to recreate part of the coral reef inside the home. The
equipment is very different from the stuff you used in the 80s. As you can see
from the title of this group, many of the posters here have these tanks.

If you and your wife are really interested in recreating what you had in the
80s, go for that. Or go one better (IMO) and try the FOWLR method. Reef is going
to be a big learning experience and wallet drain.

What I would do in your shoes is to buy an Eheim 2224 wet/dry filter, a good
protein skimmer, crushed coral substrate, about 30 pounds of cured live rock, a
powerhead or two to circulate the water around the rock, basic fluorescent
lighting, and whatever dead coral decorations you like. That will make a decent
FOWLR tank.

Undergravel filters still work as well (and as poorly) as they did back then; a
wet/dry is much better.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

Thanks! Specific follw-Ups:
 

What I would do in your shoes is to buy an Eheim 2224 wet/dry filter, a
good protein skimmer, crushed coral substrate, about 30 pounds of cured
live rock, a powerhead or two to circulate the water around the rock,
basic fluorescent lighting, and whatever dead coral decorations you like.
That will make a decent FOWLR tank.

Thank you Mr. Patterson---this is EXACTLY the type of info I am looking for.
I have that book and "Natural Sea Aquarium" on order. I think FOWLR is right
for me. I feel more comfortable having some kind of external filter aiding
biological filtration. Specific follow-ups:

1) I will be cycling a new tank with Live-Rock. The TONGA rock looks amazing
to me, but also looks like it has more sensitive stuff which should be added
AFTER the initial cycling. Is there an "extra-hearty" type of Live-Rock that
should be used for cycling?

2) Can a FOWLR tank sustain inverts such as feather
dusters,crabs,Stars,urchins, shrimp etc?

3)I have about 25 lbs of dead coral and rock left over from the good-old
days. Just curious---will organisms adopt it and start making it LIVE-ROCK
also, thereby increasing the natural filtration?

4) What is this Bio-Spira stuff? I dont feel comfortable with it. My wife
picked some up when she bought the tank. Will it aid in stabilizing the
tank? Is it "may help,may not, but cant hurt"---or should I just avoid
using it completely?

thanks for your time and patience

eheim 2224 Wet/Dry?
 

What I would do in your shoes is to buy an Eheim 2224 wet/dry filter,

hi---again---thanks for your advice. I searched the `net and the Eheim 2224
doesnt seem to be wet/dry. Did you mean the 2227 or 2229?

nudge me in right direction
 

If you go with an under gravel filter (definitely not
recommended), then use the crushed coral gravel, otherwise
*don't* use crushed coral gravel, but use a calcium based
sand.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



George Patterson wrote on 8/25/2006 10:06 PM:
StringerBell wrote:

Now, 20 years later my wife gave me a great 65 gallon tank and wants
it to
be a Marine tank like the old days.

I would recommend that you pick up a copy of "The Conscientious Marine
Aquarist", by Robert Fenner. Here's a short synopsis of the first section.

There are three basic types of marine tanks these days; fish-only, fish
and live rock, and reef. There are variants of all of these. You had a
FO tanks in the old days, and you can do that again. The old filter
designs still work like they did in the 80s.

With FOWLR tanks, part of the biological filtration function is handled
by live rock and additional circulation in the main tank. One
disadvantage is that you cannot treat the main tank for most diseases
without harming your main filter (the live rock). One advantage is that
the rock looks more natural to most people and brings in lots of
interesting critters that you don't see in FO tanks.

Reef tanks attempt to recreate part of the coral reef inside the home.
The equipment is very different from the stuff you used in the 80s. As
you can see from the title of this group, many of the posters here have
these tanks.

If you and your wife are really interested in recreating what you had in
the 80s, go for that. Or go one better (IMO) and try the FOWLR method.
Reef is going to be a big learning experience and wallet drain.

What I would do in your shoes is to buy an Eheim 2224 wet/dry filter, a
good protein skimmer, crushed coral substrate, about 30 pounds of cured
live rock, a powerhead or two to circulate the water around the rock,
basic fluorescent lighting, and whatever dead coral decorations you
like. That will make a decent FOWLR tank.

Undergravel filters still work as well (and as poorly) as they did back
then; a wet/dry is much better.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

eheim 2224 Wet/Dry?
 

StringerBell wrote:

hi---again---thanks for your advice. I searched the `net and the Eheim 2224
doesnt seem to be wet/dry. Did you mean the 2227 or 2229?

Sorry. I meant the 2227. That's quite adequate for a tank the size of yours.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

Thanks! Specific follw-Ups:
 

StringerBell wrote:

1) I will be cycling a new tank with Live-Rock. The TONGA rock looks amazing
to me, but also looks like it has more sensitive stuff which should be added
AFTER the initial cycling. Is there an "extra-hearty" type of Live-Rock that
should be used for cycling?

I don't know. Mine came from a local retailer and is probably originally from
Fiji. I like the looks of the Carribean rock that Foster & Smith sells, but
don't actually have any and don't have the facilities to cure it.

2) Can a FOWLR tank sustain inverts such as feather
dusters,crabs,Stars,urchins, shrimp etc?

Yes, to a certain extent. You will want to read up on these in the books you
have ordered. You will also have to be careful what fish you mix with what. From
what Fenner says about urchins, I would avoid them.

3)I have about 25 lbs of dead coral and rock left over from the good-old
days. Just curious---will organisms adopt it and start making it LIVE-ROCK
also, thereby increasing the natural filtration?

At least to some extent, yes.

4) What is this Bio-Spira stuff? I dont feel comfortable with it. My wife
picked some up when she bought the tank. Will it aid in stabilizing the
tank? Is it "may help,may not, but cant hurt"---or should I just avoid
using it completely?

From what I've read, it's a live culture of nitrifying bacteria. Some people
swear by it. If you use it, you need to provide a source of food for it. If you
remember the cycle, food turns to urine, which goes to ammonia, which goes to
nitrites, which goes to nitrates. You could buy a few fish and add the Bio-Spira
in a day or two as the ammonia level starts to come up, or you could add food to
the tank just as if there were fish in there. If the ammonia level hasn't
started to rise, the bacteria will die off.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

nudge me in right direction
 

Thanks for all info people. I`m gonna go with a combo of
Live-Rock,Skimmer,powerheads, and probably a 2227.

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
nk.net...
If you go with an under gravel filter (definitely not recommended), then
use the crushed coral gravel, otherwise *don't* use crushed coral gravel,
but use a calcium based sand.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



George Patterson wrote on 8/25/2006 10:06 PM:
StringerBell wrote:

Now, 20 years later my wife gave me a great 65 gallon tank and wants it
to
be a Marine tank like the old days.

I would recommend that you pick up a copy of "The Conscientious Marine
Aquarist", by Robert Fenner. Here's a short synopsis of the first
section.

There are three basic types of marine tanks these days; fish-only, fish
and live rock, and reef. There are variants of all of these. You had a FO
tanks in the old days, and you can do that again. The old filter designs
still work like they did in the 80s.

With FOWLR tanks, part of the biological filtration function is handled
by live rock and additional circulation in the main tank. One
disadvantage is that you cannot treat the main tank for most diseases
without harming your main filter (the live rock). One advantage is that
the rock looks more natural to most people and brings in lots of
interesting critters that you don't see in FO tanks.

Reef tanks attempt to recreate part of the coral reef inside the home.
The equipment is very different from the stuff you used in the 80s. As
you can see from the title of this group, many of the posters here have
these tanks.

If you and your wife are really interested in recreating what you had in
the 80s, go for that. Or go one better (IMO) and try the FOWLR method.
Reef is going to be a big learning experience and wallet drain.

What I would do in your shoes is to buy an Eheim 2224 wet/dry filter, a
good protein skimmer, crushed coral substrate, about 30 pounds of cured
live rock, a powerhead or two to circulate the water around the rock,
basic fluorescent lighting, and whatever dead coral decorations you like.
That will make a decent FOWLR tank.

Undergravel filters still work as well (and as poorly) as they did back
then; a wet/dry is much better.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong
to
your slightly older self.

Thanks! Specific follw-Ups:
 

hi --we moved the location of the tank. It will now be conducive to hang-off
items. Would a hang-off Sump be prefferable to using the Eheim 2227?

What I would do in your shoes is to buy an Eheim 2224 wet/dry filter, a
good
protein skimmer, crushed coral substrate, about 30 pounds of cured live
rock, a powerhead or two to circulate the water around the rock, basic
fluorescent lighting, and whatever dead coral decorations you like. That
will make a decent FOWLR tank.

Thanks! Specific follw-Ups:
 

StringerBell wrote:
hi --we moved the location of the tank. It will now be conducive to hang-off
items. Would a hang-off Sump be prefferable to using the Eheim 2227?

You might want to consider the CPR refugium/protein skimmer.

What I would do in your shoes is to buy an Eheim 2224 wet/dry filter, a
good
protein skimmer, crushed coral substrate, about 30 pounds of cured live
rock, a powerhead or two to circulate the water around the rock, basic
fluorescent lighting, and whatever dead coral decorations you like. That
will make a decent FOWLR tank.

Mike

Thanks! Specific follw-Ups:
 

StringerBell wrote:
hi --we moved the location of the tank. It will now be conducive to hang-off
items. Would a hang-off Sump be prefferable to using the Eheim 2227?

If you follow Mike's suggestion of buying a CPR, you will be in a better
position to move towards a full reef system if you want to do that later. The
Eheim is closer to the filtration systems used in the 80s. That might be more
familiar to you.

The Eheim is just a fancy wet/dry filter. If you want to stick with that sort of
technology, you might be able to find another wet/dry that hangs on the back of
the tank.

With a refugium, you're going more to a living filtration system. It's a bit
harder to get everything into balance and keep it there.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

Looking at BakPak Dual
 

Thanks again.
Ive stumbled acroos the BakPak Dual Skimmer/Filter while bleary eyed on the
internet.
This seems like something I`d be comfortable with . I`ll have Live-Rock in
the Aquarium also.

Let me know if there any concerns about this model. I`m gonna make a move in
the near future.

"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:Pg8Ig.747$4O4.80@trnddc02...
StringerBell wrote:
hi --we moved the location of the tank. It will now be conducive to
hang-off
items. Would a hang-off Sump be prefferable to using the Eheim 2227?

If you follow Mike's suggestion of buying a CPR, you will be in a better
position to move towards a full reef system if you want to do that later.
The Eheim is closer to the filtration systems used in the 80s. That might
be more familiar to you.

The Eheim is just a fancy wet/dry filter. If you want to stick with that
sort of technology, you might be able to find another wet/dry that hangs
on the back of the tank.

With a refugium, you're going more to a living filtration system. It's a
bit harder to get everything into balance and keep it there.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

nudge me in right direction
 

Hey Stringer,

In your reading, look up the Emperor 400 filter. It was shown to me by a guy
who has been doing this for years. He manages a shop and has two on his
100+ gallon tank with all his corals, etc for sale. It looked great. After
doing lots of reading I picked up two for my 90g and they're great. It's
all I use for any filtration for now.

After several months now, I'm thinking of adding a skimmer just so I won't
have to clean green algae off the glass as often (I have MH lights that feed
the green algae for now until the corraline picks up); but as far as current
water quality, coral and fish health, the Emperor 400 is awesome. Don't do
a canister on a reef tank. Don't do underwater gravel filter on the reef
tank either. Keep reading and you'll see those opinions throughout.

B


"StringerBell" wrote in message
...
hi,
First of all---thanks for all the response Ive received on the NG. You
have
been VERY helpfull and patient.
But I am SO frustrated.
Here is my situation:
Back in the 80`s, my wife and I enjoyed a great 45 gallon marine tank. It
ran on a cannister filter, and an undergravel filter with powerheads.
Without me being a real scientist type, the tank STILL did great for about
5
years until a summer vacation power-outage disaster.Let`s just say that
the
only thing we found alive was the Snowflake Moray.
Now, 20 years later my wife gave me a great 65 gallon tank and wants it to
be a Marine tank like the old days.
I have gotten so much conflicting advice on filters from my local pet
shops that my head is literally swimming.
From what I have seen on the internet---it seems the preffered method to
have a marine aquarium these days is to use Live Rock (in collaboration
with a protein skimmer)as the filtration system. This sounds very
intriguing to me, but is SO outside my paradigm for a fish tank!---
What usually provides the water current in these systems? Hidden
powerheads? Or do Skimmers provide some water Current? Does the rock work
so well that the water quality is high and appears clear?
This Live-Rock angle seems like the right thing to try. What are some
pitfalls?
Please direct me to FAQs, etc.

thanks for your time and patience

nudge me in right direction
 

"Bryan" wrote in message
...
Hey Stringer,

In your reading, look up the Emperor 400 filter.


thanks man

Looking at BakPak Dual
 

StringerBell wrote:
Thanks again.
Ive stumbled acroos the BakPak Dual Skimmer/Filter while bleary eyed on the
internet.
This seems like something I`d be comfortable with . I`ll have Live-Rock in
the Aquarium also.

Let me know if there any concerns about this model. I`m gonna make a move in
the near future.

The skimmer/filter is nice. It's not the greatest skimmer, but it's
good. Refugiums are also nice if you plan on keeping such fish as
mandarin/psychedelic gobies, 4 wheel drive gobies, etc.

Mike
"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:Pg8Ig.747$4O4.80@trnddc02...
StringerBell wrote:
hi --we moved the location of the tank. It will now be conducive to
hang-off
items. Would a hang-off Sump be prefferable to using the Eheim 2227?

If you follow Mike's suggestion of buying a CPR, you will be in a better
position to move towards a full reef system if you want to do that later.
The Eheim is closer to the filtration systems used in the 80s. That might
be more familiar to you.

The Eheim is just a fancy wet/dry filter. If you want to stick with that
sort of technology, you might be able to find another wet/dry that hangs
on the back of the tank.

With a refugium, you're going more to a living filtration system. It's a
bit harder to get everything into balance and keep it there.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

CPR Refugium=Filter?
 

wrote in message
You might want to consider the CPR refugium/protein skimmer.

Yes---its almost 3:30 A.M. where I am. At least I`m researching this
project!

This HOB Refugium looks awesome. We took down a section of facade wall
today---so now the tank will be about 1/2 in the living room,1/2 in the
kitchen.Thats what is allowing me to HOB now. If the Refugium is acceptable
as a filter, then it adds something a lot more interesting to look at in the
kitchen than a tank-back!

Can I use a Skimmerless Aquafuge as a filter with a seperate protein
skimmer? The AquaC Remora HOB has been highly reccomended to me.
Also---it seems that the Aquafuge is a living filter that you can use as a
display---like a super nano tank. I think it would be better to keep
something like a mechanical Protein Skimmer seperate from it. So---in case
I had a hassle with the skimmer I wouldnt have to mess with whole refugium.

thanks for all!

CPR Refugium=Filter?
 

StringerBell wrote:

wrote in message
You might want to consider the CPR refugium/protein skimmer.

This HOB Refugium looks awesome. We took down a section of facade wall
today---so now the tank will be about 1/2 in the living room,1/2 in the
kitchen.Thats what is allowing me to HOB now. If the Refugium is acceptable
as a filter, then it adds something a lot more interesting to look at in the
kitchen than a tank-back!

The CPR unit I'm talking about is a combination filter AND refugium,
with a little bit of a sump at the tank return for dosing, etc.

Can I use a Skimmerless Aquafuge as a filter with a seperate protein
skimmer? The AquaC Remora HOB has been highly reccomended to me.
Also---it seems that the Aquafuge is a living filter that you can use as a
display---like a super nano tank. I think it would be better to keep
something like a mechanical Protein Skimmer seperate from it. So---in case
I had a hassle with the skimmer I wouldnt have to mess with whole refugium.

You could do all those. A seperate skimmer and refugium would allow
you to upgrade one or the other seperately. The combo is cheaper.

If money is not a show stopper, and space isn't an issue, I'd go with
seperate units.

Mike

CPR Refugium=Filter?
 

wrote in message
The CPR unit I'm talking about is a combination filter AND refugium,
with a little bit of a sump at the tank return for dosing, etc.

OK---I get it, its a particular model. Not ALL Aquafuges are filters?
I think you are talking about the Aquafuge MP.
here is a link. Let me know if this is the right model.
http://www.cpraquatic.com/products/afmp.html
It doesnt look like a HOB though---so it looks like it would still be an
underneath type of sump that I might not want to deal with. Is there a HOB
refugium that has the features you are mentioning?

thanks!

CPR Refugium=Filter?
 

StringerBell wrote:

wrote in message
The CPR unit I'm talking about is a combination filter AND refugium,
with a little bit of a sump at the tank return for dosing, etc.

OK---I get it, its a particular model. Not ALL Aquafuges are filters?
I think you are talking about the Aquafuge MP.
here is a link. Let me know if this is the right model.
http://www.cpraquatic.com/products/afmp.html
It doesnt look like a HOB though---so it looks like it would still be an
underneath type of sump that I might not want to deal with. Is there a HOB
refugium that has the features you are mentioning?

http://www.cpraquatic.com/products/aquafugeps.html

Mike

CPR Refugium=Filter?
 

Just don't confuse the skimmate with percolated ice tea. :-)

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



StringerBell wrote on 8/27/2006 3:42 AM:
wrote in message
You might want to consider the CPR refugium/protein skimmer.

Yes---its almost 3:30 A.M. where I am. At least I`m researching this
project!

This HOB Refugium looks awesome. We took down a section of facade wall
today---so now the tank will be about 1/2 in the living room,1/2 in the
kitchen.Thats what is allowing me to HOB now. If the Refugium is acceptable
as a filter, then it adds something a lot more interesting to look at in the
kitchen than a tank-back!

Can I use a Skimmerless Aquafuge as a filter with a seperate protein
skimmer? The AquaC Remora HOB has been highly reccomended to me.
Also---it seems that the Aquafuge is a living filter that you can use as a
display---like a super nano tank. I think it would be better to keep
something like a mechanical Protein Skimmer seperate from it. So---in case
I had a hassle with the skimmer I wouldnt have to mess with whole refugium.

thanks for all!

Not only will you find the Live Rock great for your tank's health, but the life that comes from it
is incredible! As your tank ages & the conditions become right, you will find all kinds of creatures inhabiting your tank! Feather dusters, pods, stomella's, and lots more. I am setting up a 30 gc with about 45 lbs. of LR, and have 2 small starfish crawling around now. On the flip side, the rock also contains life that is NOT good for your tank, Mantis Shrimp, Zoanthid Eating Nudibranches, Sea Spiders etc. Another creature that comes with live rock are Bristle Worms. There is debate on these being good or bad for a tank. Mostly, I think it depends on what you stock your tank with so do some research. I leave mine in the tank. They are NOT good to human fingers if touched, the bristles can be painful. I would advise that when you handle your LR, wear gloves to prevent getting bitten or stung by a number of dangerous sea life. The Mantis Shrimp are nicknamed "thumb splitters" which should give you an indication of why "handling with care" is important. Also watch out for Aiptasia that comes with LR. This is a pest anemone that can reproduce rapidly, take over a tank, and even sting some corals and fishes. Most of the LR life comes out at night so you'll want to invest in a good flashlight and lots of batteries too, lol! I've set an alarm to get up at 2-3am several times to check out my tank! You will also want to bookmark this site: http://melevsreef.com/id/ It Id's over 200 reef creatures & tells you if they are safe or not.

It's moving day today, my new 30 gc Reef has cycled and all the creatures, except the Sebae Anemone, in my 10 gc nano will be moved. The new tank is not established enough for the SA,
that will be 2-3 months (at least) down the road.