Mississippi Reefers roll call

[L and L]

Name: Layne Logue
age: 35
Civil Engineer - MDOT Vicksburg Project office
Wife, 8 year old son, 2 cats, 2 dogs and 2 saltwater tanks.
Email: loguell@bellsouth.net

Year(s) in hobby: 1.5 years FOwLRLS, 1 year in April for Reef tank.

Tank(s)

30 gallon (36"x12"x18") FOwLRLS inverts: (1) 2.5" Flame Angel, (1) 3.0" Back-saddled Valintini puffer, (2) Brittle starfish, (2) Rock anemones (3", 8"), Lettuce and Green Grape caulerpa, 60 lbs LR, 4" DSB, (2) hagen powerheads. (1) heater, Sumpless, skimmerless. In bedroom. Just got the puffer yesterday! Too cool.

100 gallon (60"x18"x20" Reef tank)
Born: 4-8-02
Live Aquaria
4.0" Yellow tang
3.5" Red Sea Sailfin Tang
1.5" Sixline wrasse
2.0" Madarin Dragonet
2.0" False Percula
1.5" False Percula
1.5" Neon Goby
3/4" Green Chromis
3/4" Green Chromis
4" Electric Crocea clam
Frogspawn coral
Torch coral
Open Brain coral
Xenia spp. Pulsing coral
Leather Coral - Sarcophyton spp.
Zoanthids - Button Polyps coral
2 Cleaner shrimps
20 Astrea turbo snails
15 Cerith snails
20 Nassarius snails
2 Tiger Trochus snails
3 Blue hermit crabs
120 lbs Fiji live rock
4" -6" deep sand bed - Pure Aragonite (0.18 - 1.2mm), live sand (~1mm)

Lighting
(2) URI VHO 60" super blue actinic lights on IceCap 660 ballast (7am- 10:30pm)
(2) Metal Halide lights - 2@175 watt 10,000K (12:00pm-9:30pm)

Sump
30 gallon (36x12x16)
Return pump: Quiet One (724 gph@4')
Euro-Reef CS6-2 skimmer
Two Hagen 200w heaters

Refugium
20 gallon (30x12x12)
Pumped from 100g with Hagen 201 powerhead (125 gph)
Return water feed via gravity lockline flexible hose
20w power-glo NO light (7am-11pm)
10 lbs Fiji Live Rock rubble
Green Grape Caulerpa
Red Grape Caulerpa
Needle Caulerpa
Lettuce Caulerpa

Closed Loop
CSL Velocity T4 (1080 gph @ 4')
Intake: Two 1" bulkheads
Return: Two 3/4" lockline flexible tubes

Evaporation control
Manual method using Thumb roller on IV drip.
5 gallon Kent Aqua drip Doser (Kalkwasser dosing)

20g drip top-off
Reverse Osmosis / De-Ionization filtered water
Aquatic Reef Systems - Home Drinking 5 stage RO + DI
50 gallons / day
5 micron right now. Got 1 micron filters for 6 month filter change.

Books I own and recommend
Natural Reef Aquariums - John Tullock
The Conscientious Marine Aquarist - Robert Fenner
The Reef Aquarium Volume 1 & 2 - Delbeek and Sprung
Aquarium Corals - Eric Borneman

[Skipper]

:wavehand: You already know me, so I ain't saying nuthin. :p

[T Smith]

Looks like a good place for my first post. I've been lurking here and a few other forums for quite a while. I'm a Mississippi Reefer in training I suppose, as I am in Vicksburg and I'm setting up my first reef tank. I've been marine fish keeping for 15 years or so, and freshwater for around 25. I was going to convert my 55, and added a 20 gal. sump/return system, EV 180 skimmer, and a 10 gal. fuge, then went ahead and ordered a 75 for the extra width. I am quickly realizing the "crack pipe" effect of reefing (more is better). I hope to add sand and some live rock soon. I've found a wealth of info searching this site. I'll keep y'all posted, wish me luck........

[Phisher]

Hey I was just poking around.

Skip are yall still meeting in H'burg?

[L and L]

cool! Another Vicksburg reefer. After the local two reefer: John Byrne - had a major crash and now he doesn't have time for it ...so, he's breaking it down. And Tammy had a heater stick on and boiled everything well done. I've been left alone here. :D
T Smith we've got to get in touch!

I have been getting in touch w/ the Jackson LFSs.


Fish Bowl - 853-0106 (Melba- manager, Donald Stengel - new owner (bought it a few weeks ago from Tim and Robbie))
5th Day Creation 932-5659 (Owner - Danny Van Velkinburgh www.5thdaycreations.com )
Quality Pets - 922-7387 ( ? Forgot her name - owner )



And I'm going to make a flyer to put in the stores and point to here and the Yahoo club site.

[GulfCoastAquarian]

Name: Sam Ponjican
Age: 29
Occupation: Mechanical Engineer, New Product Development at Oreck Mfg. - Long Beach, MS
Wife, no children and no furry pets, 1 saltwater tank, 2 freshwater/planted
Email: sponjican@oreck.com

Year(s) in hobby: 15 years general aquaria, 3 years reefkeeper, 3 years FW Planted Tanks

Tank(s)

55 gallon Planted Tank: 4 watts per gallon, Fluval 403 can, CO2 injection, Flourite substrate. Pics at http://sammyxp.tripod.com/html/id3.html

20 gallon (High) FOWLR: Skimmerless, 3" DSB and 30 lbs Fiji Live Rock only filtration. Four 2x ODNO F15T8 bulbs (approximately 100 watts). Automatic Kalk topoff system. Plan on keeping only a small school of Green Chromis and a large colony of Green Star Polyps.

[Skipper]

Hey Phisher. We've just about petered out on the meetings. Haven't had one in several months. There are a core of about three or four of us that would probably meet, but we haven't in the past few months.

BTW... I tried to reply to your email, but the mail came back. It was your WebTV address.

[Phisher]

Sorry Skip, I neglected to update my email. I'm at jjh78@msn.com now. I have joined the land of real pc owners. LOL.

I was looking at the pictures of you tank, it looks awesome. Do you get your stuff locally?

[Skipper]

Well, yeah, more or less. Alot came from Coral Connection or Aquatic Specialties in New Orleans. Crystal Reef in Hattiesburg has a pretty good selection, too. Some from mail order and some from fellow reefers around the country.

[Skipper]

Oh... I moved not too long ago, so I'm still in the process of re-setting up the tank. The livestock I decided to keep is being held at Crystal Reef until the new tank is ready.

[IBASSFSH]

I live in Richland Ms. I have a 75 gallon and just set up a 90 gallon 2 weeks ago. I guess I am in between everyone else. I do almost all my shopping at the Fish Bowl In Ridgeland. 5th Day Creations is out of business. Quality Pet is ok but not nearly as good as Fish Bowl.:rollface:

[Skipper]

Hey IBASSFSH. Nice to meet ya.

[IBASSFSH]

Thanks Skipper, I believe I seen your stuff at the Crystal Reef store this past weekend. I went there to buy some live rock for my 90 gallon new tank. You have some really nice stuff. I have seen your stuff there it seems like since February on and off. Or a sign saying hold for Skip. I like that store alot.

[Skipper]

Yep. That was my stuff. Not much left, though. :(

[L and L]

Hey,

Glad you found us.

Bummer about 5th day... I assumed as much when I saw their webpage gone.

Do you have any coral frags to trade?


layne

[IBASSFSH]

My wife just fragged a gorgonian today, first time ever doing this. Hopefully it will survive the ordeal. Other than that no coral frags yet.

[L and L]

ah. No problem... eventually you'll have them. =)

When you do decide on getting some corals.... don't get any Xenia... I have plenty of it. I also have several Toadstool leather (Sarcophyton spp. Light brown/gold) daughters. Had I known what I know now... I would have ordered a Yellow toadstool species. Nice color. But, my main toadstool is around 9 inches in diameter and nice to look at too.

I also throw away tons of Green grape caulerpa and some Needle caulerpa too when I prune. You're welcome to have some of that too.

cheers,

[IBASSFSH]

L and L my Naso tang would freek out knowing good caulerpa was going to waste !! LOL I have a small aquarium in the back room thats supposed to grow caulerpa. It is not doing really well. My tang loves it though. I bought a piece of liverock and it must have had a piece of xenia on it . I now have about a 3" x 3" area on this rock. I love the way it looks. I do have 2 brain corals, some type of leather. One huge metallic green and pink mushroom, Gorgonian that my wife just fragged a couple of days ago seems to be doing fine. 1 cup coral. 1 sun coral (or thats what I think its called) Its not doing all that great though. Maybe if I can figure out how to do it I will post a picture of my tank.

[Skipper]

Feel free to email the picture to me and I'll post it here.

eattix104@comcast.net

[Skipper]

Here's the pictures...

<img src="http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=1374856">

<img src="http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=1374854">

<img src="http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=1374852">

[Skipper]

next

[Skipper]

last one...

[Skipper]

Nice stuff, man. Love those clown gobies. Here's a cool close-up of one:

<img src="http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/images/765clowngoby.jpg">

[IBASSFSH]

What kind of camera do you use? That picture of your clown is great!! I used a Canon S-20 power shot . Or I believe thats what it is. It has 3.2 Mega pixels. I have tried and tried to take good pictures of the tank. It takes great pictures otherwise, but doesn't do well on the tank for some reason.
On another note, I started dripping Kalk. today. Have never down this before. I have it set to drip every 5-7 seconds. I mixed the kalk with RO water. I hope it doesn't mess my tank up. Does anyone here use Kalkwasser? Any ideas or feedback? I also bought some of the Ball pickling lime and some Mrs. Wages pickling lime. I am going to use the small jar of Kent Kalk first though.

[Skipper]

That picture belongs to Clyde. It's one I just ran in Reefkeeping Magazine.

Yeah, I use Kalk. All my top-off water is Kalkwasser. Mine is set up to replace any evaporated water by means of a LiterMeter dosing pump. Also, I use a Nielsen reactor for the kalk:

<img src="http://reefsite.homestead.com/files/timbokalk1.jpg">

[IBASSFSH]

Did you make that reactor? I have been looking to maybe buy one. I have seen plans to build one but I am not sure I could without seeing one first. Plus I cannot find some of the supplies, especially the Weld- On products. I would prefer to buy one anyway, that way I know it will work. I have been looking at the Litre meter. It seems to be the one of the best dosing systems.

[Skipper]

No, I bought it from EcoTech Marine. They can be reached by emailing Tim at: lateralis33@hotmail.com

[L and L]

Yeah, I'm dosing Kalkwasser too... and this is all I add to my Reef tank. I've been dosing this for 13 months and had great success and stability.

I used Kent turbo Calcium to get my Calcium 450-500. I stopped doing that and kept on dosing kalk.

I keep an Excel file when I mix a new batch of Kalk and when I dripped the 6 gallons (i mix it up in an Instant ocean bucket). I started adding around 30 teaspoons per month and now I'm up to 60 teaspoons per month. I haven't checked my alkalinity or calcium in a couple of months and I'm due. But, my calcium has always read 500-520 and alkalinity 2.4 meq/L - 3.5 meg/L.

Started with Kent Kalk and now switched to ESV (4 lbs). I'll probably check out the pickling lime in the future. Cheaper is better =)

My wal-mart fan on the surface helps blow away the hot air from the MH's and also helps increase my evaporation rate (2.2 gpd).... so, that I can add Kalk as my evap. water. I do have a 20g RO/DI tank behind my main tank in case I'm a little slow to add new Kalk water into the Kent Kalk dosing 5 gallon system (thumb roller / IV type manual drip rate).

As soon as my wife gets a job (just graduate MC law school two fridays ago), I will be buying the litermeter too. .... plus some other stuff..... woo WOO!

[IBASSFSH]

So far my frog spawn and hammer corals are loving it. I have been dripping it in for about three days now. About 1 drop every 6 seconds. I do not reallyy know how much I can drip yet without causing trouble. I still have to manually add my RO water because my drip rate is not fast enough to cover it. I am affraid to turn it up to about three or four drips per ten seconds. To help make up some of the water. Actually I am kind of confused about adding this stuff. It seems that trhe nielson Kalkwasser reactor adds a pretty good bit to the sump when the float allows it to. Seems like it would give you a ph spike? I do not have a reactor yet and I am dripping out of a 2 gallon jug with a IV manual drip. Do you think I could drip more and not hurt anything? My calcium before I started dosing Kalk was 450-500 and alk about 8-9 dkh. That test was done at about 9:00 a.m. before the lights came on also. I do not know if that effects the readings. PH was also ok for the morning reading, if anything it may have been low. But then again the lights were off. I know that will affect the PH. Calcium test kit is Red Sea brand and dkh was american pharmacueticals I believe. Any guidence would be greatly welcomed. I also seemed to notice that I had a slight green algae growing on some of my rocks. It seems to be getting better since starting the Kalk drip three days ago, go figure. I think I read Kalk helps control phosphates. Or helps skimmer be more effiecient.

[Skipper]

Calcium test kit is Red Sea brand and dkh was american pharmacueticals These kits are pretty much plain junk. One of the better brands is Salifert. To determine your pH, I would highly recommend a continuous meter with a probe. Pinpoint makes a nice one for around 80-90 dollars. Yeah, kalkwasser helps to drive out phosphates.Do you think I could drip more and not hurt anything? Sure. I don't see a problem with dripping one drop per second. You can use kalkwasser for ALL your top-off water.

[bobbyt]

hello neighbors(well, kinda)

name : Bobby Thrash
age : 43

loc : Lena Ms
email : bbbyt1@netscape.net

FW fish most of my life, presently studying and saving for first SW
Hoping to get reef setup later this year, no rush, but surfing sites for info and ideas so maybe save some mistakes:rollface:

[Skipper]

:wavehand: Hey, Bobby.

[IBASSFSH]

Welcome Bobby.. Glad to meet you.

[IBASSFSH]

Does anyone use distilled vinegar with their Kalk? What are the benefits? Or disadvantages?

[IBASSFSH]

I just went down to Hattiesburg Saturday, to Crystal Reef. I bought a really big piece of Tonga head/rock covered in green button head polyps. I also bought a Majestic Angel fish ($ 90.00) When I got home and was getting ready to acclimate him/her. I checked the specific gravity of the water in the bag. It was 1.08 on my tester. I do not have a refractometer just a plastic tester. But it has worked fine for my other tanks. Well I keep all of my tanks at about 1.023-1.024. I acclimated this fish for hours trying to bring the salinity up. I am a little mad at Crystal Reef. I guess it is my fault but they should tell you the fish are living in nearly freshwater. If I Would have known I could have maybe lowered my hospital tank down to that specific gravity. Well to make a long story short the fish died Monday morning. It looked well Sunday and was eating ok. The only thing I can think of is the specific gravity. I have spent a few thousand dollars down there. But have bought few fish. The ones bought have a 50/50 survival rate. But I believe now it was due to the salinity level in prior deaths. (I did not check it in the past) Well Dad always told me you got experience when you got something or an outcome you didn't want. He was right as usual.

[Skipper]

Hey. I verified that their specific gravity is 1.008 for myself today. Their fish-only systems are at this level. :(

It's interesting to note that they have had that fish in their system for 6-8 months now. It must have been something in the acclimation or something in your tank, IMO.

[IBASSFSH]

I feel strongly that it was the acclimation. None of my tanks are even close to that salinity. I acclimated the angel very slowly but I feel that kind of change needs to be done over about a week or longer. Bill told us that they had the fish for a long time thats why we had no reservations about buying it. But the salinity level was so low. I know it helps him control ick and other diseases but still should be told or posted. Very simple to do, now I know. But that was some expensive experience. The fish looked very healthy in his tanks and I am sure it was. Just the change in salinity was too much. IMO I appreciate you checking the salinity level at their tanks just to verify my tester. For a plastic tester must be pretty accurate. Just a side note, I really appreciate all of everyones advice and experience they send over all of these threads.

[IBASSFSH]

What would the proper acclimation period and process be in a situation with super low salinity like I had?

[Skipper]

I would think 3-4 hours, at least. Slowly adding small amounts of tank water to the bag over that period of time.

[IBASSFSH]

I acclimated the fish for 4 -5 hours with a air stone in the container. I always empty the bag and contens into a small enough rubbermaid container add air stone and then begin acclimating. How long depends on the difference in salinity.

[Skipper]

Weird! Sounds like you did it long enough. I dunno what happened. Are there other fish thriving in the tank?

[IBASSFSH]

There is a Medium Blonde Naso and a Medium Niger trigger. Also 2 blue and yellow tail damsels that are all doing well.

[Skipper]

So the Majestic never left the hospital tank?

[IBASSFSH]

I put him in my main tank. The tank we use for the hospital tank also had a salinity of about 1.019 - 10.020. I have four damsels in this and a few mushroom rocks at the time. I broke the rule and did not keep seperate in another tank. I run ozone in my tanks and have never had a illness or death since begining use of ozone. I just think the salinity change was too much to soon. If I was set up for low salinity, knowing that the fish I purchase come from that range, then I could prepare for it. The Fish Bowl here in town does not run salinity down that low. So I am kinda set up for their parameters. Since I have not had any illness or diseases in my tanks (knock on wood) I have raised the salinity in my 30 gallon hospital tank so I could keep other things in there. And I always read as ageneral rule, marine systems are best maintained between 1.020 - 1.025, avoiding changes of mor e than a thousandth a day and a commercial fish only systems are generally kept at 1.017 - 1.020. For three reasons 1. costs of salt is less, 2. paraisites and microbial levels are reduced 3. gas solubility or oxygen level is enhanced increasing the carrying capacity of the system. ( Bob Fenner " Conscientious Marine Aquarists") To adapt a new fish from a new fish place you should adjust their salinity over several days. Also from Bob's book page 95 and 96.

[Denzo]

Hello Everyone!!

I am in Biloxi, MS.

Hey Skip, How do you like your kalk reactor? Easy to use?? Let me know what you honestly think.

[IBASSFSH]

Nice to meet you Denzo.

[Skipper]

Hey Denzo! The sump belongs to IBASSFSH. Better ask him about it. As for the kalk reactor... I love it. It made life much simpler for me by not having to make up kalk ahead of time and then empty it into my topoff reservoir. Well worth having, IMO.

[Denzo]

IBassfsh,

Where did you get that sump from? I am so amazed because that was what exactly I envision for my new sump. Please let me know the details and specs if you have it. Thanks in advance.

[IBASSFSH]

Thanks for the comment on the sump. It works great. Its actually a home made model. I bought the Filter socks from Champion Lighting.Com and had the acrylic piece that holds them made at local shop for about $20.00. I then went to local pet shop and bought a 30 gallon long tank I believe is what it was. Measured the inside dimensions and had local glass company cut 1/4" glass to fit. Be sure to have them bevel the bottom corners so it will sit down over the silicone already there. I actually used a salifert test kit box for a spacer between the partitions. I used a VHS cassette tape and a compact disc jewel case on top of it to hold the raised partitions up off of the bottom while siliconing them in place. I also made a little shelf for my Aqua- C EV 120 skimmer to sit on and it gives me a little extra space for live sand etc.
Prior to setting up the 90 gallon on top I had to remove the center brace in my stand to get the sump in the stand. Once in place I put brace back in. I now have a shelf on the right side to hold my wavemaker and ozonizer and air pump. It still needs a little organizing in the stand but is coming along fine. The biggest thing is no air bubbles in the main tank from overflows or skimmer. Oh yeah I also bought some slicone from pet shop for repairing leaks in aquariums. A tube just about did the whole project. I wish I would have made one like this under my 75 gallon tank. It was really easy to do.

[IBASSFSH]

The owner of the Fish Bowl In Rigeland is expanding his store. He leased the space next to his store and is in the process of getting it ready to hold more tanks and supplys. They are already the best in the jackson area this will just solidify them more. As far as I am concerned its just the Fish Bowl and Crystal Reef down in Hattiesburg. Or thats the closest ones I know of that have decent stuff.

[Denzo]

Thanks, IBASFSH! That's great with all the information. I might start on my 75g sump soon given all your information. Thanks again, and hopefully we will all meet someday.

-John

[IBASSFSH]

Man that will be one big sump, I am jealous. Your sump is as big as my tank. LOL. It isn't hard to make. The hardest think is getting the partions spaced like you want it and then siliconing them in place. If I can do it any one can do it. :p

[Denzo]

Ibassfsh, thanks for the confidence booster. I will certainly let you know how it goes. Hopefully you don't mind if I use your sump picture for reference.

[Denzo]

Hey L and L,

Is that a vietnamese name "Liem?" Just wondering.

[L and L]

Hey Denzo,

Welcome.

Sorry I didn't back sooner. Been out of town at the Bonnaroo Music Festival (woo!).


You are absolutely correct. Liem is a Vietnamese name (actually a man's name =)... but, my wife was named after her grandfather. She did get some strange looks when she went over to Vietnam with her mom and was introduced as Liem. hehe

She's half Vietnamese and born in Tennessee.

When we were out of town... I showed my next door neighbor's son (16 year boy) how to keep the manual method of evaporation in control (IV thumb roller drip method).

When we got back.... this Monday... my sump pump was barely sucking in air (:rolleyes: But, I think it just got that way..... but, no harm to my 16 corals, clam or 8 fish. Thank goodness.

He lost his job watching our house when we're away. :) I'm going to get a LiterMiter III and ask my father-in-law (who lives a street over) to keep an eye on it.

[IBASSFSH]

Hey L and L When you trim your caulerpa let me know , Please don't throw away. I am running low on my supply . I have been watching the local pet supplier but they have not got any in that I could purchase. I would like to add some to my sump also. You can e-mail me at Ibassfsh@cs.com. I can drive over.

[L and L]

hmmm Fish Bowl doesn't have any caulerpa? If so, then cool... I could trade it in for some credit. I thought they'd have tons of it.

I did just clean my 30g Fish-only, LR, LS, sumpless, skimmerless and inverts tank last night (puffer, 2 brittle stars and 2 rock anemones). And I did throw away about a gallon jug full of it.

But, no problem.... my 20g refugium is packed full of Needle and Green Grape Caulerpa (possibly some Lettuce caulerpa too) and needs to be pruned.

I'm about to talk to Donald and see about trading 3 Xenia frags for a Lionfish. So, when I come over... which might be this upcoming weekend... I'll email you... or call (if your phone number isn't above in this thread... then email me it please. loguell@bellsouth.net )

[Melody]

Yippy.....I am so excited to have found this forum. I was beginning to think there were hardly any Mississippians in this hobby!! I'm from Central Ms. 10 mintutes from the Silver star casino. Hello Everyone!!:wavehand:

[Melody]

BobbyT,
Do you know where Edinburg is?!? I bet you do, being it's about as big as Lena. :D

BTW my name is Melody (Fedrick) Surber...Hi!!

[IBASSFSH]

Welcome to the site, glad to have you. Alot of good people here!!

[L and L]

Welcome to our little spot on RC Melody.

[Paloo]

Hello all, I live in Hattiesburg nad am coming over to the expinsive light side of fish hobies. Ten + years veterian of breeding Africans. No tank at all atm but learning a lot as I go glad to see others around I can bounce questions off of besides Bill.



Thanks Todd

[Melody]

IBASSFISH ~ L and L...Thanks
Glad I found this forum. :dance:

Just wanted to say the lady (Melba) at The Fish Bowl is super nice. I really miss 5th Day Creations. I would like to go to Crystal Reef ~ is it listed that way in the phone book? Every LFS is at least 1 1/2 hr drive for me in either direction. :(

[Melody]

~~~~~ Hi Todd ~~~~~

:wave:

[Erick504]

hello everyone!

Im not from Mississippi, but from Kenner, Louisiana.

:D

[IBASSFSH]

Welcome, how far is that from West Monroe? Are there any salt water dealers there?

[Skipper]

Greetings to all the new people. Glad you found us!

Melody: HI! Yeah, it's listed as Crystal Reef. Phone # (601) 296-0500. It's just off of I-59 on the Hardy Street/Hwy 98 intersection. I work in Philadelphia quite a bit.

Hey Paloo. Glad to answer/help with anything I can. Just post here or email me (eattix104@comcast.net) or phone (268-2725).

Erick504.... I trust you have already discovered Coral Connection in Kenner, eh? It's the best place within a 300 mile radius of Hattiesburg.

[L and L]

Welcome Erik504. What LFS do you work at?

IBASSFSH, I just off the phone with the guy that lives in Monroe. He said there is two LFSs there. The one in West Monroe closes at 5pm and the other is closed on Sundays and Mondays and closes at 6pm. I forgot to ask the store names :/

[jeff967]

hello to all,
I was born and raised in Natchez no lfs ever but still a nice little town. Monroe, La. is home now. hi Layne! there are two lfs here, aquatic solutions, in west monroe nice little shop gets stuff on fridays, open mon/fri till 5 sat till 4. the one in monroe is exotic aquatics open tues/sat till 6 oldest store here but now with new owner is mabe going to rule they are an ora dealer! got a small shipment of sps today, i got there first picked 3, still some nice ones there though.

[Melody]

Hey Skipper ~ Thanks for the info. Time to take a little road trip!! I see no one has mentioned Aquarium Magic in Collinsville. When I first started in sw 2 yrs ago. I did business with him. But.........

[IBASSFSH]

Thanks for the info Layne on shops in Monroe. I go over there every now and then. How is your new lion fish doing? Donald at the fish bowl brought a very large one in this week out of his personal tank. It is awesome. He said he has had it about 5 years.

[IBASSFSH]

To Jeff967, thanks also, I go over to W. Monroe to the paper mill every now and then. I am sure you know where it is, or have smelt it. Its Riverwood Int. and I work for their Clinton MS. based carton plant.

[L and L]

I started a new thread in our Mississippi forum.

Here it is: http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=211907

It has pictures of my lionfish and 30g tank.

I'll get some of my 100g reef tank current pics up soon too. And I've got a bunch of them already in my Photo Gallery here:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showgallery.php?thumb=1&stype=2&si=L%20and%20L&cat=500&sort=1&ppuser=7715

[Denzo]

How do you get to post pics larger than 50 kb? Is that only a privilege to certain RC members?

Hey Layne, does your wife cook asian dishes for you?

[Skipper]

How do you get to post pics larger than 50 kb? You have to upload them somewhere else on the web and then link them with either html code or with the image tags: [ img] & [ /img].

[Phisher]

Been out of the loop for awhile, how is everyone?

I justed wanted to say I have mundo pulsing xenia, chunks to trade or frags for free, if anyone is interested let me know.

Joe

[Denzo]

Originally posted by Skipper
You have to upload them somewhere else on the web and then link them with either html code or with the image tags: [ img] & [ /img].

Hey Skip, I understand the routine for uploading pics from somewhere else procedure, but my question is > When I am browsing through the Reef Central Members Photo Gallery, I see many pictures with file size larger than 50kb. Why is that?

Sorry I was not clear the first time.

[Skipper]

TeamRC members and Moderators get extra benefits. :D

[Denzo]

Thanks for the info, Skipper!!!!

[jeff967]

hi agin to all here,
LandL, we are all home safe and in the tanks, thanks!!!

ibassfsh, yes I have to wash that smell off alot being a local welder/fitter I some times have to fix it

[L and L]

jeff, Good to hear and it was nice meeting you guys yesterday.

Yesterday, Jeff came over from Monroe w/ 3 frags (2 acro's and Turbinaria reniformis(aka scroll coral)) and traded for my Montipora Purple/green edge cap frag and Green Rhodactis spp mushroom rock (4 shrooms). I've traded back some frags for store credit before.... but, this will go down as my real first frag trade. Now this is cool! I can only dream of those HUGE frag trades in other clubs.

Denzo, Yes... just like Skipper said, they up'd our (RC Staff) photo limit to 100kb and 10MB storage. And yes again, my wife does cook some asian dishes. mmm mmmm good.

[jeff967]

things have slowed down here, everybody ok?
Layne, how are they looking? all are doing well here!
any body out there?

[Skipper]

[snores.....] :lol:

[L and L]

hehe zzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZ Just got back in town. :P I was redfishing below New Orleans (Chalmette). This was my first redfishing trip. Awesome! I was trying to think of a way to catch some feeder fish for my Lion. hehe


Yeah, they look great Jeff. Appreciate it again. All of the corals are getting a brighter color to them. How's the green rhodactis spp. looking? That's a cool mushroom, huh?

I do have an interesting story to tell.... I tried to design my 100gRR to be as quiet as possible. And since, I didn't have any experience.... I came down to the CSL Velocity and Lifeguard Quiet One as being very quiet and my top choices... but, does have a heat issue problem. So, I ordered both and put the Quiet One on my sump and Velocity T4 on my closed loop.

After 18 months, it happened just like the other people said. My quiet one seized up and cracked under the motor. :rolleyes: ....ie no flow going to my sump and skimmer.

It didn't leak, thank goodness, but did mean that I needed a new sump pump. I've been really happy w/ the Velocity.... so, I ordered a Velocity T3 (from Marine Depot) for my sump pump (next day delivery <---ouch). It had the same 3/4" MRT inlet/outlet as the quiet one, so only required me to add a little bit longer drain flex. pipe to it.

But, it's been working good for a week and I can't tell the heat difference between the quiet one and T3.

[jeff967]

redfishing is a blast!! I lived in lake charles for almost 2 years back in the late 80's caught my share of them then, tasty too.
man no sump flow, the thought scares me. I dont want to do that agin. I will tell my sump story later.
the "cap" is doing fine in our reef, and the mushrooms are growing well in the seahorse tank.
thanks,
Jeff & Fe

[Melody]

Where did everyone go? :confused:

[IBASSFSH]

I will assume everything is going good for everyone since there has not been many posts latley. I can speak for myself that all is doing fairly well here. Both 75 and 90 gallon still healthy. I hope every one elses tanks are also doing well.

[L and L]

hey hey,

yep, still here too. Just been busy.

Hey Jeff, how's those frags I traded ya. The acro's are doing great and growing like crazy.

My Monitpora Edge Cap is a really bright purple color on the rim now. I bet yours is getting brighter and brighter (had it for 7 months).

I did have my T4 Velocity pump seize up. Don't know what happened. I should have been checking flow everyday...but, got lazy. By the time I noticed... it had probably been stuck for who knows how long. I used muriatic acid on it and it didn't get un-stuck. I thought it had melted metal to metal (bleh). So, I was about to order another T4 pump the next day. Luckily, I picked it up in the morning and it broke free. I cleaned it up and it's working great now.

Lesson learned.

Other than that... everything has been growing great. Hope everyone else is the same way.

Oh yeah... I just got an email from a guy in the Mississippi Reefers club that is moving and selling ALL his stuff. Here it is:

I am moving to DC soon, and unable to set up the tank at our new
place, and am looking to sell all of my livestock... preferably all
to one person.

I have over 200 lbs of live rock... most of it very nice, practically
solid deep purple, with some coral growth, small clams, neat filter
feeders, and lots of fanworms.
Basically my tank is as perfect as I'd ever expect one to get... I
hardly feed it, and never do water changes, and everything has been
doing great for a long time. Sections of the tank are literally
covered in fanworms, and clams, corals, and other filter feeders have
been alive since they came in on my last live rock addition, last
October, with minimal maintenace. My live sand bed (4" deep, 150+lbs)
is full of neat critters, and right now, with all the lights off
there are pods all over the place.

Anyway, here's what I've got:

200+ pounds of dark purple live rock, plus some not as decorative
stuff (still live) in my sump, as well as some in two ten gallon
tanks... overall, well over 300lbs

200+ pounds of very live sand (including the two smaller tanks)

Tons of fanworms... many attached to glass and rocks, but also
COVERING areas of the tank floor

Maroon Clown - Very friendly with all of the fish, will eat anything,
and even nibble on your finger (but won't attack when your arm is in
the tank)

2 Bicolor Blennies - neat, friendly... well, they're blennies!

Nessarius snails - no telling how many there really are, as they love
to burrow in the sand, but they're great to watch when I put squid in
the tank

Some Turbo Snails, Margarita Snails, Red Hermits, Blue Leg Hermit

All of these critters are very healthy, as they have all been in
there well over a year and a half.

So, I've got a tank in normal parameters, with no diseases or pests,
and lots of great rock, sand, fish and critters, that need to go now!
This whole thing is really heartbreaking for me, and my wife, but
maybe some of you can benefit.

We are located in Starkville, Mississippi... An hour south of Tupelo,
and just as far west from Tuscaloosa, AL. If anybody was willing to
buy all of it for enough money, we might be willing to deliver it as
far as New Orleans, Birmingham, or Memphis... All of it, with the
water it has been thriving in, delivered in containers you can keep,
theoretically being out of an aquarium less than twelve hours total
from teardown to setup. There would be little or no cycle at all...
there wasn't last time I added rock, or moved it from one tank to
another. So, this is a chance to buy an entire thriving setup.

If you want a few pics: (the yellow tang in the pic is already gone)

http://www2.msstate.edu/~jon1/01.jpg
http://www2.msstate.edu/~jon1/02.jpg
http://www2.msstate.edu/~jon1/1.jpg
http://www2.msstate.edu/~jon1/1a.jpg
http://www2.msstate.edu/~jon1/1b.jpg
http://www2.msstate.edu/~jon1/1c.jpg

-JoN







Layne

[L and L]

It apprears that Jon is heading to New Orleans this upcoming weekend to sell his stuff.

Here's his next email:

I am heading down to N.O. this coming weekend... so I could deliver
somewhere between Starkville and N.O. :)

For over 500 lbs of rock and sand, in coolers and large rubbermaid
containers in the water they have been thriving in, with whatever
organisms I can catch and bag separately... I was looking to get
about $750... which would be less than a third of what I put into it,
but if someone can pick up the rock by this Friday or meet me
somewhere on the way to New Orleans (Meridian, Hattiesburg, Slidell),
I would let it all go for $500.

Last chance to get it all for $500 (less than 1 dollar per pound)
before the lfs gets it.

Lemme know if you're interested.

Jon O. Noble

jon1@ra.msstate.edu
662 324-5096 (leave message)

[jeff967]

hi yall,
we are still here, working 7 days a week far too long. tanks are are doing well, but I am having 2nd thoughts on the DSB, and will most likely be taking down the 100 to restart as soon as I have a free weekend.
Layne, the cap is growing and has good color

[Melody]

Do you guys ever get together and swap frags? I'm hoping in a few months to have plenty for trading. Frogspawn, Xenia, Anthelia, Mushrooms 'galore'. Orange Monti Cap, & Button Polyps.

[Phisher]

We had a frag swap Saturday at Denzo's house. It was cool, there was a lot of real good stuff there. It was mainly people from mobile (mbrk.com) but a few people were from the coast.
This was my first time going so I'm not sure when meetings are announced but I think they get together twice a month in Mobile.

Joe

[L and L]

Merry Christmas everyone!

Boy, I've been busy these past two months. And I haven't even been able to get on RC (slacker!). I also had computer problems too (excuses!). hehe

Hope everybody and their tanks have been doing great. Everything has been consistent and steady growth here. I could frag some of my corals (Yellow porite, Montipora green/purple rim edge cap, acropora yongei, acropora teal spp.) if you guys wanted a trade.

Skip, you have your tank up and running yet?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family (and of course your tank =)


Layne

[Skipper]

Hey Layne. Merry Christmas to you, my friend!

Yeah, the tank has been up and running since May 31. Here's a few pictures for your enjoyment:

<img src="http://reefkeeping.com/issues/skip/rosey.jpg">

<img src="http://reefkeeping.com/issues/skip/dwaynecap.jpg">

<img src="http://reefkeeping.com/issues/skip/goby.jpg">

<img src="http://reefkeeping.com/issues/skip/scripps.jpg">


Here's the rose shorty after I added it to the tank about 6 months ago:
<img src="http://reefkeeping.com/issues/skip/bocellarisrose.jpg">

Wish I had something to trade, but at this point, I'm trying to save frags to pay back to all the reefkeepers that were so kind enough to help me get started with frags.

[IBASSFSH]

Hope evryone out there has a Merry Christmas!!! That goes out to everyones tanks also. Things are going good here, heading to the Fish Bowl today to see what they got in for after Christmas sales.

[Phisher]

Hey guys. The mbrk is having a meeting on Jan 17 in Mobile if anyone can make it. I have been to a few meetings and they are good. Beer, food and frags and usually in that order. If anyone interested Denzo and I will be leaving from Biloxi (I hope) Saturday afternoon, let me know if you want to come.

Joe

[MJT36]

anyone ever check this forum anymore? i'd love to get it going again... sometimes i feel like all of the reefers on RC are from states away from here! it would be nice to have some local support (although im from meridian) !

[IBASSFSH]

I still check it but it has been idle for a while. Your right we need more communication. Glad to hear from you.

[Denzo]

I share your thoughts...

[jeff967]

I still try to come by, but I have been without a computer for a few mounths but am back now
Jeff

[Skipper]

Originally posted by MJT36
anyone ever check this forum anymore? i'd love to get it going again... sometimes i feel like all of the reefers on RC are from states away from here! it would be nice to have some local support (although im from meridian) ! Hey MJT36. Welcome! I'm here. :D I spend quite a bit of time in Meridian as I work that area too. I'd be glad to meet up with ya one day either in Meridian or H'burg.

[Skipper]

Phisher: please keep me informed of the Mobile Bay Reef Club meetings. I'd like to attend one. When's the next one? What's the LFS scene like there in Mobile these days? It's been quite a while since I've done any reef shopping over there.

[Denzo]

Hey Skipper, this is John from Biloxi, also a member of the Mobile Bay Reef Club. The meeting is this Saturday at 5:00 PM. let me know if you are interested in attending. Here is the thread : http://mbrk.com/viewtopic.php?t=953

[Skipper]

Hey John. Thanks! I'm planning on going to Coral Connection in New Orleans this Saturday, though, to pick up some live sand and rock for the new cube I'm setting up. :( Perhaps next time.

[L and L]

jeff967 is going to be coming over to Vicksburg in a few weeks and we're going to trade some frags.

Everybody is invited to come over here. Even if you don't have anything to trade... I'm sure I could get something from my tank and give you something for free or towards a future trade.

This is what I can frag:

1. Green body Blue/Purple rim Montipora Edge cap
2. Yellow Porite (jeweled finger coral) - Porites cylindrica
3. Orange Digitata - Montipora digitata (growing like crazy right now... 1" in one month... including the 6 new growths)
4. Acropora Yongei
5. Acropora (teal)
6. Frogspawn coral - Euphyllia paradivisa (maybe)
7. Torch coral - Euphyllia glabrescens


8. Xenia spp. pulsing.
9. Finger (ultra green) Leather - Palau Sinularia
10. Toadstool Leather coral - Sarcophyton sp.


Misc stuff:
11. Green Grape Caulerpa (mixed with needle caulerpa... and tons of amphipods, mysid shrimp and bristle worms... and i'm sure copepods... but, i can only see them on the glass)
12. Halimeda sp. (two types.. both green. One has big "leaves" and the other small.

cheers,


Layne

[IBASSFSH]

Let us now when you are getting together in Vicksburg. We'll try to attend. My wife and I were just talking today about driving over to Monroe one weekend, to check out their stores.

[jeff967]

this sounds like we might jest have a club meet in the works!!! this is too cool.
Jeff

[IBASSFSH]

I am about ready (well in a month or so) to set up the 180 I bought from Wayne Pierce down in Hattiesburg. I am waiting on my LifeReef sump to come in. I am in the process of trying to find some southdown sand. Has anyone in the area seen any? Then I have to figure out how to hook up the lifereef calcium reactor. Shouldn't be to hard, I do have the instructions, but that will take all of the fun out of it. LOL.

[jeff967]

southdown will be hard to find in the south. I went with pure caribbean aragonite they are sponsors here on RC price & shipping was not to bad, but not as good as southdouwn if you can find it, good luck,
Jeff

[Skipper]

IBASSFSH: suggestion... go to Coral Connection in New Orleans and get Florida live sand. If you need help with the calcium reactor, drop me a line. Mine is just like Wayne's.

[IBASSFSH]

Thanks for the help and info Skipper. I really would like to go down to the Coral Connection. I have heard alot about it.

[Scuba Dog]

IBASSFSH
Monroe has some great lfs exotic aquatics and aquatic solutions are some of the best salt water shops i have seen outside of houston texas....

[Scuba Dog]

L and L
im about an hour out of monroe and vicksburg isnt that far away from me perhaps a lil over two hours one way, and i have a few things to trade. besides never been to vicksburg i think my wife would enjoy seeing the plantations there also...

[L and L]

Hey Scuba Dog... wow, my wife just had me look up where your town was located. Too funny. "Lab Tech". Where do you work?

I'd hate to see you drive that far. Maybe if you could drop off your frags to Jeff in Monroe. Then when he comes over I can give him your frags and then you could pick them up whenever (assuming Jeff says OK since I'm already volunteering him for it hehe). That still is 4 hours driving time... but, split up over two days.

Whatever you want is cool with me. We do have the Vicksburg National Military park (kinda cool to drive thru and check out the sites and monuments). Would be very cool on your Harley!

What Jeff and I did last time is this: he brought his frags over and dropped them off. Him and his girlfriend went to eat crab legs ...etc at the casino. Then came by later that night to pickup his frags.

Well, really since IBassfsh would like to check out the Monroe store (me too).... maybe the best option would be to meet at the store in Monroe for the frag swaps.

[Scuba Dog]

L and L
I work for great lakes chemical corporation at the west plant facility we produce bromine. Yeah that sounds good, all the options will be fine with me...Just let me know what kind of frags you like and ill see what i can do.
At the moment here is a list of what is ready to frag at the moment.

1 I have pink nepthea tree coral cutting
2 some pink xwnia or anthiea not shure exactly
3 purple and some green stripe shrooms
4 a cutting off a lether toad stool
5 some monti digitata lite brownish color.
6 a green pavona cactus or potato chip coral

I also have a buddy here in town that got me in the hobby e has some green nepthea and devils hand ,lots of softies .....notshure if is digitatas are ready.

7 and a coper colored zoo frag about 1.5 - 2 inch frag.....
can post or email pics if you like.....

[Phisher]

Hey Skip did you find anything cool at Coral Connection? I need to ride over there one day and check it out.

It looks like the next mbrk meeting will be Saturday, March 13, if you can make it. It will be in Mobile, you can pool me and Denzo if you want; I'm sure he won't care.

Joe

[L and L]

Hey IBASSFSH,

Looks like Jeff is coming over this Saturday night. I know it's a little last minute....

Unless you don't mind driving at night, he'll probably be here at my house around 7-9pm (? is that right Jeff?).

Otherwise you could come over anytime that weekend or wait for whenever.... I don't know when I'll make it back over to the Fish Bowl. Whatever you want to do is cool with me.

Layne

[IBASSFSH]

I am not sure if I can make it this weekend or not, jsut got a promotion at work and things are a little hectic right now. I will do my best though, would really like to.

[jeff967]

Hi Layne,
maybe 4 or 5 in the afternoon, I'll get in touch with you to make shure it's ok, but we are go on this end for saturday.
IBASSFSH, I whould like to meet you but, do'nt press your self, I'll leave a frag with Layne for you.
Jeff

[IBASSFSH]

I am going to try and make it, no guarantees. I would really like to meet you also, and see Layne's Tank. ANyway, I appreciate your gesture Jeff.:D

[Skipper]

Hey Joe. Yeah, got what I was looking for at Coral Connection: Florida live sand and some live rock. Also found a purdee white coco worm. Here's a picture of the new cube after I put in the rock and sand:

<img src="http://reefkeeping.com/issues/skip/rocksand2.jpg">

<img src="http://reefkeeping.com/issues/skip/rocksand.jpg">

The rock doesn't have quite the amount of coralline coverage I was hoping for, but the shapes were fantastic for aquascaping. Nine-tenths of the rock is Haitian.

[jeff967]

no problem, I think that Layne will hold for you.
Jeff

[Phisher]

Wow, cool cube Skip. What size? I just started a little nano myself-20x10x20. I used southdown and dead rock for the base, plan to get a little live stuff in there this weekend.

Small tanks are fun, I'll get some pics up tomorrow.

Joe

[Skipper]

It's an Ocean View 24"x24"x25" 60 gallon cube. I'm really liking it alot. George at Coral Connection really fixed me up with a fine canopy and stand.

<img src="http://reefkeeping.com/issues/skip/canopyon.jpg">

And to top it off... it's right here next to my computer where I spend ALOT of my time. :D

[Phisher]

Looks good. What do you plan to put in there? I'm running pc's so I'm just going softies and lps. My false perc is going in there he gets picked on a little in the main tank. Also maybe a pair of jawfish or something else cool and small.

I put mine in the puter room too, the main tank is in the dining room and its just not relaxing to sit in there and look at it.

Joe

[Phisher]

Heres an early shot of mine, I need to add a few pounds of liverock to this base to round it out.

http://www.reefcrazed.com/albums/Anemone/nano.sized.jpg

Joe

[L and L]

cube and nano looking good guys.

My 100gRR is right by my computer too.... but, it's also it the same room as our pool table (yikes) and dart board (and guitars and amps) =)

No problem IBASSFSH, maybe I can meet you over in Jackson sometime. What lighting do you have in your reef tank(s)?

That's cool Jeff. I'll be at home. Just call me when you leave to make sure.

[Scuba Dog]

Just to let yall know Ill be heading down to monroe with dogofwar.....the guy heading up the arkansas and neighboring states reef club......Ill show him around both shops and what not...

[IBASSFSH]

LAyne I have 2 175 watt mh and 2 110 watt vho actinics on my 75. On my 180 I will have two 250 watt mh and 2 72"vho actinics. The 90 gallon I have just has four vho 2 actinic and two actinic white.

[jeff967]

Layne, we are home and all in tank, looking good. whould say more but 4am comes early.
thanks for taking time,
Jeff

[L and L]

Ralph (IBASSFSH): pffft, yep, you certainly can support SPSs or anything for that matter =) Jeff brought over your Orange Montipora Edge Cap frag and it's in my tank.... I'll sell it to you for a few dollars (haha jk).

Whenever I come over, I'll bring you that frag and Orange Digitata and this from my corals: Yellow Porites, Purple/Green Montipora Edge Cap and Acropora (teal) spp (plus if you want some of my softies). No biggie if you don't have anything to trade back... You'll eventually get something. Or you can grow my frags and trade'em to the folks over there in Jackson.

What's the scoop over at the Fish Bowl? Have they opened up the other side yet? I know BJ and Donald were talking about wanting to get LPS and SPS stuff. Awhile back, I was making a Miss. Reefers Club flyer that we could put in the LFSs. I'll try to get that finished. That would be good for the club and frag swaps.

Jeff: Hey, thank you for coming over here (again). Ralph and I will definitely have to come over there sometime and meet up w/ Scuba Dog and DogofWar. I got the frags all glued to LR and glued in place. Everything is looking good.

Skipper: I know I've said this before... But, as soon as you get your cube going and get all "owed" frags clear... I do want to drive down there and meet ya / maybe get some frags swapped. Maybe Ralph will drive down with me =) This Acro "blue Tort" spp is a really cool coral. Maybe by then I'll have some frags of it.

happy reef'n everybody,

[Scuba Dog]

L and L
Dogofwar and I and my wife will be in monroe this comint weekend the 13th.....going to talk shop and show him the LFS there maybe eat some mudd buggs over at cypress inn....

[IBASSFSH]

Jeff and Layne , I would like to thank you both. I wish I could have made it over there this weekend, schedule would not permit though. Layne the new addittion at the Fish Bowl is coming along fine, slow but fine. Donald had a main pump go out on the new side this week. Luckily there was no stock in the tanks yet. It will be nice when he gets it all set up I believe. They have not been getting much in latley though, waiting for the other side to get ready. You will have to come by and see my tanks when your over here, if you get the time. I hope to start setting up my 180 next month. I am waiting on my LifeReef sump right now. I can't wait to see the frags. We don't get stuff like that over here really, Most of the stuff at the Fish Bowl is softies. I can't thank you both enough though, it nice to start and see people in this hobby (at least in this area) pull together.:rollface:

[jeff967]

sorry I have not replied, working 7 days a week.
well Layne, thank you agin, hope the little ones are ok, is the tort showing poylps? all looks great here!
ibassfsh, no thanks, but maybe a frag in time?
Jeff

[jeff967]

I hope that all is well with yall.
Jeff

[L and L]

Yes, the acro tort polyps are extended and looking good. The candycane and orange caps are the same.

I just found an email that other guy in Vicksburg (not John Byrne). It's dated 2-3-03 (hehe). I'll call him and see what's up w/ his reef tanks.

[jeff967]

Hi guys,
Layne 2/3/03 wow did you miss your mail?:rollface:
the torch is looking good in its new home very happy here. I am seeing growth in all. my pink birdsnest is really taking off, I have also got my hands on a green birdsnest it's one sweet piece.
IBASSFSH, have you got with Layne yet?
Jeff

[IBASSFSH]

Jeff, no Layne and I haven't hooked up yet, I can't wait. Work has been crazy lately. I did just get my LifeReef sump today, I now have to order a return pump or two. I am not sure if I want to order a iwaki 70 or two smaller return pumps. I was thinking of the two in case one stopped working. Either way I think they will be Iwaki pumps. Then if I ever get enough time I need to go to New Orleans and get live sand. I need to get with Layne though before, I hope. I can't wait to get the 180 going but work is cutting into my tank time. Oh well it will help finance the addiction.

[jeff967]

yep work'll do it, yes I think that two little ones is better than one big one . I have two return pumps on my Rose's little 30
jeff

[IBASSFSH]

Thats the way I am leaning. I will have to buy three pumps. I will use Iwaki japanese pumps probably. Two return and one for the skimmer. I am going to order tomorrow probably. Either Champion lighting or Marine Depot. Marine Depot has free shipping over a certain amount $ spent. Not sure if Champion will do that. Will probably spend close to 1,000.00. I am going to buy another ozone unit from Red Sea. Some new m/h bulbs and VHO bulbs for all my tanks. The are about a year old as is my 175 M/H's on my 75 gallon.

[jeff967]

go with japan wish that I did

[Abynum1]

hey guys! I'm from Laurel and work In H'burg. New to the hobby.(well I had a FOWLR several years back.) I've got a 6ft 110 gallon sitting at my cousin's house waiting on me to set it up.The problem is that my office in H'burg will be closing in a few months and I'll be moving to either Jackson or Mccomb.

So I cant set it up till I get moved :(
I do have a 10 gallon FOWLR right now that has a false Percula,cleaner shrimp,1 turbo snail, and a hermit crab.
The only things I have w/my big tank is the stand and wet/dry(I'm not going to use the bio balls)
So,needless to say I've been doing a LOT of reading so that I might be prepared when it's time to start buying and setting up.

Skip; I just want you to know that I think you are the reef king!!!
I taught SCUBA for years,lived in Tahati,Cancun,Bahamas, California,and the Keys and some of your pics are as beautiful as anything I've seen in the ocean. Well....very close anyway:)

I'm the guy that e-mailed you the other day asking if the club was still up and I am still interested if you get it going again.
Thanks to all of you for all of the intersting pics and posts.
I'm learning a lot!!!

[Abynum1]

Dang...Did I run everyone off?

[Phisher]

I don't think anyone uses this thread very much. A few of us on the coast are involved with MBRK out of Mobile. You can check out the forum at MBRK.com for the local "scene." The forum is very active and the club meets very month but usually in Mobile. I think there will be some meetings here on the coast later in summer and fall.

Joe

[Abynum1]

Thanks for the info!

[Phisher]

MBRK meeting Sat 24 if anyone interested. We will be leaving Gprt about 3.

Joe

[L and L]

I posted this on the Mississippi Reefers & Friends on Yahoo... and here it is again:

March 19, 2004 6:50am
I get out of bed and hear a weird sound like a pump noise. As I get closer I realize that it's electricity! The 20w NO light that is
over my 20g fuge is submerged and is shocking the fuge (which is
connected to the main tank... so, it's shocking it too). I quickly
turn off the fuge light.

There is a bar chair next to the main tank and it appears that during the night one of our new kittens jumped on the chair and onto the fuge or main tank canopy. The 20w NO fuge light is on two acrylic strips I cut. The cat must have walked on the 20w fuge light and knocked it into the tank (1/2 of the light was submerged in the fuge).

Then in the morning when my fuge light comes on (6:00am), bam! It started shocking the tank.

Yes, I do know about GFI and didn't install it. I read about it and
saw where some people left for the weekend and the GFI tripped and turned off the whole tank and suffocated the entire tank.

But, up until now… I was thinking ALL GFI or NO GFI. … and chose NO. But now I'm going to add GFI on everything but my two main pumps.

Damage control:
SPS and Xenia looked like it was bleached. Very light to white. No color. No polyp extension either.

LPS polyps retracted

Mushrooms all shriveled up. 1/10 the size they normally are.

Softies all retracted.

Fish seemed ok.

Next problem. My skimmer was turned off at the time of this. So, I turn it on to start skimming. The skimmer collection cup is ¾ full, but I can go maybe 3 more days…. So, I watch it for around a minute and make sure the foam is going crazy. Looks fine.

I leave and come back an hour later. The skimmer foam is going
crazy and emptied the collection cup into my tank (around 7 days
worth of scum!). Argh!!

But, that has happened once before. The collection cup was almost full and then one day w/o any reason (nothing changed in my tank and I hadn't feed it yet)… the skimmer foam went crazy and dumped the scum into the tank.

So, since it happened before, I decided not to make any water change saltwater. I probably should have made some change water…. As I was kinda freakin' over the next few days when nothing was expanding and colorless corals.

April 27 update:
It's been 5 weeks since the shock and now everything has gotten back to normal w/ color and polyps extension. It appears that the only thing the shock killed was a cleaner shrimp. Out of all the corals…
the xenia looked the worse and I thought I was going to lose the
whole colony. But, it rebounded and looks healthy. Even though I lost one of my cleaner shrimps… I definitely feel lucky.

And don't worry Ralph... your orange edge cap montipora looks
fine :P hehe.

Layne
Vicksburg

[Scuba Dog]

man Im glad every thing is back to normal for ya, I feel for you on that one.........

[L and L]

hey jeff, finally taking that orange edge cap to Ralph today. Gonna check out his tanks too.

I met Nancy, at the Fish Bowl on Wed. ... and she does aquarium maintenance. I think she said she has 15 saltwater clients. woo! She's going to break off some of her birdnest coral and I'll give her an Orange Digitata frag (maybe an acro yongei piece). I'm also going over to her house and check out her tanks.

Speaking of the Fish Bowl: They finally have the Coral side open (well, extremely close). They have 4 coral tanks (approx 200g each). They're full of zoanthids, star polyps, leathers, mushrooms, LPSs and some SPSs (yellow porites is the only thing I saw... but, it was a very brief look). They have some very nice stuff. I don't know if they are ready to sell them... but, I'm heading over there today and will post later.

[jeff967]

Hi Layne, started to think you fell off the earth, zzapped you on ms reef the other day, glad all is good.
hay ibassfish how much is Layne going to charge you in storage?
Jeff

[IBASSFSH]

Not sure yet, I will probably be shocked though. LOL. I have found a guy on RC that makes Maxi-jet powerhead mounts if any one is interested. My powerheads keep fall off of the glass (suction cups). They look really good seem to work pretty well also. The site to see them on is www.nicksreef.com. Jeff, Layne could not make it to Jackson today. :( . So my wife and I went to the FishBowl to check out the new shipment of corals. The are finally starting to get stuff into those new tanks. If they could just get the micro air bubbles out of the tank now. We ended up buying a flourescent green brain and a toadstool leather I believe it was.:D

[L and L]

Fish Bowl: yeah, I really liked the red/green open brain (i already have a green one. It finally split a few months ago... so, now I it has 3 mouths. Only took it 1.5 years to do that.).

Yeah, I was bummed too about not making it over to Jackson to see Ralph and Nancy. But it'll happen soon. I know Liem has a doctor appointment in Jackson this Tuesday.

[T Smith]

Originally posted by L and L
Fish Bowl: yeah, I really liked the red/green open brain

I bought it today, thank you!! Along with some blue, purple, and green shrooms and some nice green polyps. My very first corals, shrooms, polyps, or anything other than fish. Wish me luck!!

Thomas

[IBASSFSH]

I may have read over earlier post T Smith, but welcome. Were are you located? My wife and I live in Richland. Its good to see the board adding new people. I think with all of the good things The Fish bowl is doing, there will be alot of people in the Jackson area with tanks. Some people will end up having more than one (like my wife and I) . Its an addiction.
The Fishbowl has grown alot in the past few months. A great store getting better. I saw that brain a few weeks ago, it was really nice. Hope it is doing well for you. The brain I purchased is looking great so far. So is the other piece. I need to take some pictures and post. It just seems by the time you reduce them down so the will post, they don't look as good.
Layne I hope Liem is doing better. I have an anenome if you or Jeff are interested. I believe they are long tentacle and the others are bubble. I am not for sure. I bought them from the Fishbowl and they have both split. SO instead of two we have 6 anenomes. :eek1: The clowns love it!!!:D

[IBASSFSH]

Heres a pic of a couple of the anenomes, if you look hard you can see the other behind the one on the right.

[IBASSFSH]

Here is my Naso and the right side of my 75.

[T Smith]

Thanks for the welcome IBASSFISH, I live over in Vicksburg.

I am afraid the brain is not doing well at all. I noticed on Sunday (I bought it Saturday) there was a small black fungus looking spot on the edge, but it was still looking good, It was puffed up and the little polyps or whatever they are were out Sunday morning before the lights came on. Then this morning it was also looking fair, but I could see where the "skin" was wasting away from a spot and the skeleton was exposed. This afternoon/evening it looks hopeless. What have I done wrong??? What could have gone wrong so quickly??? I called myself acclimating properly, and my parameters seem well, although I can't check everything. Ammonia 0.0, PH 8.6, nitrate 0.0, nitrite 0.0, 1.025 and the temp is 80ish. The shrooms and polyps are really looking fine.

I am very frustrated, I hate losing animals.....

[jeff967]

T Smith, I am late on a welcome too, sorry. but I have to ask how long has your tank been set up and running? and tell us more about your system. btw I'm in Monroe,La. but I am from Natchez.

Layne and Liem I hope all is well with yall?

IBASSFSH yes I am most interested.
Jeff

[T Smith]

Thanks for another welcome Jeff.

The tank has been going now a little over a year. I have 200 lbs of aragonite sand and around 75 lbs live rock that I have bought piece by piece. Inhabitants are a coral beauty, lawnmower blenny, coral banded shrimp, about 20 blue legs, nassarious and cerith snails, and I see a couple of spaghetti worms. I have caulerpa and halmeda (sp) growing in the fuge and have a 20 gallon sump with a good bit of live rock rubble in it. Aqua C EV-180 skimmer and 440 watts of VHO for lighting. I use RO/DI water.

Thanks in advance for any advice.....

Thomas

[jeff967]

T Smith,
sounds like you have a good set up. a little weak on lighting for my taste, but should be fine for a brain. is it holding on?
Jeff

[IBASSFSH]

Did you have the brain on the bottom of the tank? I am not sure VHO's are enough for that depth and a brain coral?
Some people may have luck with that, I don't know. I would recommend metal halides at least 175 watts. Especially if its over ninty gallons. 250 watts if bigger. The VHO's I don't believe will penetrate far enough.
It works for the FishBowl because their tanks are shallower, and not supposed to keep coral in them for a long time. In that I mean the lights will adequately sustain them for a while, but the bottom line is they are meant to be sold quickly. This is just my opinion and I am not an expert by any means.
VHO's are good for the soft stuff, but not as useful for main lighting on the harder skelaton corals. You could probably use your VHO's for supplemental lighting (actinic).
I also recommend an ozone unit. The Red Sea Deluxe is a good model, plus you can hook it directly to your Aqua-C skimmer. I use a Aqua-C EV-120 with ozone. Ozone is not a requirement, but it will make the water clearer than you have ever seen it. This will allow the lights you do have to penetrate deeper into the tank with the right spectrum.
Also isn't your ph kinda high? At what point of the day did you check it? You may want to consider using a buffer (Seachem buffer 8.3). Do you add two part alkalinty and calcium (ESV- B- Ionic). Maybe it was not enough to sustain it self. Also I also use Kent's lugol solution.
Everyone has different ideas on a succesful tank. This is just what works for me. I might add, I believe in chemicals, (Marc Weiss, Kent, Sea-Chem) Spectra-Vital, Ammino Vital (which is great for mushrooms) are proven to help. Ask Donald at the Fish bowl he has some good advise on corals, read forums on this site.
There is an abundance of information on this site and alot of really great people who are willing to help.. You just have to decide which way you want to go.
Do you know Layne? He also live in Vicksburg.

[T Smith]

Thanks for the help and suggestions. The brain has wasted away and is hopeless, I have thrown it out for fear of causing damage to the rest of the tank. I was under the impression that a brain did not need that much lighting, my bad. You guys know far more about this stuff than I do, but do you really think lighting would kill it off in just a couple of days? I mean, what do they do when the weather is bad and the sun doesn't shine for a couple of days?

I think I'll stick with mushrooms, zoos, and stuff.........

IBASSFISH, Layne and I have swapped a few emails and talked on the phone a couple of times but have not actually met. I am looking forward to eventually meeting him and the rest of you guys. Life is just busy.

Thomas

[L and L]

hey guys,

"life is just busy" I'm there.

I don't know about your GOB. I think that would be fine under your lights.

It doesn't like sand or substrate on it (mine is on the bottom too), nor does it like some sinularia soft coral species (i have one of these too =).

It does like moderate flow (which washes away debris). Although mine is in low/moderate flow.


Eric Borneman does note:

"though strangely hardy in some aquariums, are relentlessly finicky in others" and " trachyphyllia do not tolerate stress well, and the combination of collection, shipping, handling, and changes in water chemistry are likely responsible for their oft-reported demise."

I haven't tested the Fish Bowl coral tanks yet... but, all of the other saltwater tanks are around 1.022/1.023 salinity. And I would guess the coral tanks are too.

It could be just one of those things.

Watch your new red/GOB. It should expand it's polyps after the lights go off. You can feed even before it's polyps come out. I place some shrimp pellets at it's mouth and it slowly takes them in. Fish will try to eat it... so, I battle them for awhile till it gets it in.

I'm thinking about coming over this Saturday. Whatcha got going on Ralph?

Hey everyone else.

[IBASSFSH]

Layne,
I don't have any plans this weekend. Maybe a trip to the fishBowl. Yard work sometime this weekend, after it dries up some. Come on over if you get the chance. You can pick up an anenome if you like. Jeff If you come this way you can get one also. Or maybe Layne could bring it to Vicksburg, and you could meet up with him.

[L and L]

cool. Do you want to meet at the Fish Bowl? Anytime is fine for me.

I picked up my Orange Digitata last week to add some super glue on the bottom and glue it back in place... when it slipped off my hand and bumped the front glass.

Instant frag maker there (hehe). Broke off 3 nice size frags(2" w/ branches) and 2 half inch ones.

[jeff967]

This saturday is out for me, got to be at work in the am. I am wanting one of your clones, and do have some stuff to swap.
Jeff

[IBASSFSH]

What ever time is good for you Layne. Just let me know. Do you want to come buy and check out my tanks? Or would you like me to bring you an anenome up to the Fish Bowl? No problem Jeff, I will keep one for you. Jeff, over in Monroe, do any of the Fish stores sell Oceanic? I am looking to get an 180 or a 215 reef ready tank with the brick style bracing. It does not have that big glass center divider. Donald at the Fish Bowl has been looking but has not gotten back to me on the Brick style tank. He has given me a price on the regular tank though. The coral connection in Kenner can get them for $916.00 for the 180 and $1033.00 for the 215. Monroe would be closer I believe though. Then I could bring an anenome to you.

[jeff967]

yes both of the lfs handle oceanic, I'll talk with them and see what they can do
jeff

[IBASSFSH]

Thanks Jeff, I really appreciate it!!

[jeff967]

ibassfsh,
I called both lfs here this am and got them to get price's on the tanks I did not have time to get back to one of them today before they closed, but the one that was open when I got off from work, had a price that I am shure that you do not want to hear. I will get back with the other lfs on monday.
jeff

[IBASSFSH]

Thanks for taking the time Jeff. I sent home a long tentacle anenome with Layne today. Well two actually, one for you and one for Layne. I figured it was closer for you to go to Layne and Liem's house. One day you will have to make it over. Layne brought over the coral you sent for me and some other really cool stuff. Thanks I really appreciate what you sent over for me. I love the orange edge cap. My wife has been wanting one of those for a long time. Now we have to read up on their specific needs, any advice is welcome. Layne all of the ones you brought also seem to be doing well. I have seen the polyps open on them, and they look really cool. I love the green slimer frag, the yellow porite frag, the teal acro frag, the orange digita frag. I may have forgot one or mis named one, sorry. Hope the anenomes and the galaxia made it ok. Thanks again.

[L and L]

Ralph: After we saw you guys at the Fish Bowl, we left and went to Nancy's house. I gave her those same frags (minus the orange edge cap).

She gave me a huge (~10" dia rust/orangish & white tip) birdnest coral, large button polyp (very cool... I'll post a picture of it), discosoma mushroom (red), and some type of Porite boulder coral (guess).

Plus the stuff that you (Ralph) gave me: Long tentacle anemone (2), and galaxea coral. Everything looks good. Just fed the LTA a sec ago.

Boy, I had to move stuff around to make room... but, looks really good.

btw... Ralph has some very nice looking saltwater tanks. Their fish and corals are stunning. Good job Ralph!

Ditto w/ Nancy's tanks. She's got a leather toadstool that has got to be around 2-3 FEET diameter ... it's folded up like a taco. It's HUGE. She has a 130, 75, couple of approx 65g and several 30 and less tanks. And they're all full of corals. Under the huge toadstool ... cause there is lots of shade ... she's growing sun corals (tubastraea. bright yellow). very nice.

[IBASSFSH]

Glad all is doing well. The corals you brought over are still looking good. Someday, my wife and I would like to see Nancy's tanks also. I heard that they are incredible. I bet you really have to make some room!! Thats alot of stuff.. Maybe Jeff can get by and pick his anenome up. Its a good excuse to swap some more stuff anyway (lol).

[jeff967]

ibassfsh,
sorry so long to get back with you, but I got back with the other lfs on saturady, ouch!!!!! you have a great price at coral con. these guys dont come close.
Layne,
any problums?
Jeff

[IBASSFSH]

Well they mis quoted me I guess. They gave me a price with out being drilled and reef ready. I will just order it here local, it is going to cost me about $1,200. At least 6 months form now I won't be saying "I wish I would have bought a new tank" when I am looking at the scratches. Jeff the frag you sent over via Layne is doing great. As well as all the ones that Layne brought for us. It was like Christmas. Layne has a anenome for you also. I hope you can get it soon say a clown fish may benefit. The anenome in my 75 has split again. We now have four in there I believe.

[L and L]

The LTA's are doing great. Either one has already split or there was two on one rock. ....cause, there are three of them. Or either this anemone is reproducing like a rabbit. =)

I've been feeding them shrimp, krill and silver sides and they seem to be happy (and staying where they are).

Right after I put the LTA's in the tank... the dumb false perculas started getting really friendly with my 8" diameter toadstool leather. doH! And now, they are pretty much hosting the leather. hehe But, the leather is staying expanded... so, I guess it's not annoying the leather.

I did have and skimmer foam go crazy a few days ago... Do LTAs cause skimmer foam to freak out every now and then?

It could be just one of those things (i've had it happen twice in two years). And it's not caulerpa going sexual.

Ralph and Jeff, I will be out of town June 9-13 (Bonnaroo music festival 4 days of camping and music. 80,000 people.)... and I'm going to get my father-in-law watching the evaporation level. If it's ok, I'm going to write down your phone numbers... for a "just in case" scenerio.

[jeff967]

Layne,
We hope to see you before you leave for bonnaroo. and yes give me a call "jest in case" hope not but we will come if need be.
skimmer? maybe jest the extra food and then the anemone "poo" in the system? jest my guess.
btw where is that music fest. at?
Jeff

[IBASSFSH]

No problem Layne,I will help if I can. I hope you have a great time. Jeff you need to try and come over some time, I could give you a few things if interested. It would be softie stuff, but looks good. I can't believe I didn't see the third anenome!! All of those plus two more has come from the one I bought from the FishBowl.

[L and L]

www.bonnaroo.com is the music festival we are going to.


thanks...

[IBASSFSH]

We have not heard from anyone in a while, hope all is well. Layne and Jeff the corals you sent and brought over appear to be doing well. I hope the anenomes are doing well for the both of you. I am still waiting for my 215 gallon Oceanic to come in. It ought ot be anyday now, we ordered it from the Fish Bowl about 6 weeks ago. If you guys get the time, keep us up to date with your systems.

[L and L]

yep... still here... but, so busy it's not even funny.

Those "two" LTAs are now "four" LTAs =) They're not bothering the corals... but, I'm keeping an eye on them.

Everything is doing good. Had a weird "something" and the corals were stressed. Lost the blue tort acro and the scroll coral. :(((( Sorry Jeff....

But, everything else is growing nicely.

Here's a picture of my most current tank shot:

http://bellsouthpwp.net/l/o/loguell/Saltwater/100gRR/100g_Full_Tank_6-21-04.jpg

[IBASSFSH]

Glad to here from you!! Its been a long time. Glad your tank is doing well and the anenomes. The picture looks fantastic. My 90 gallon is doomed, I bought a powder blue tang from our local lfs and it carried the oodinium disease. They are slowly all dying. Lost my 1 1/2 year old blonde naso today. Clown trigger that was a year old died yesterday. Yellow tang the day before. About a week prior, we lost our fat head anthias due to it. Will probably loose the huge sailfin tomorrow or the next day. The queen angel will probably last a couple three more days. That will just leave the niger trigger. Over three hundred dollars in fish..gone. Money is not the point, but losing that part of my wife and I 's life for the last 1 1/2 years. I knew better than to buy that fish. I told my wife when I bought it that it would probably wipe out the tank. Guess I don't need to make predictions like that. Or at least the jokes. I used Revive that is supposed to kill the disease, and antibiotics for the secondary infections.
On a up note, the orange cap appears to be growing like a weed, and the other corals seem to be doing alright also.

[yanasina]

Hi,

I'm back. My tank overheated due to a stuck thermostat on a heater. When I got up one morning, everything was dead. I broke down the tank, and since I was planning on moving, didn't get started back until this summer. I am still in MS, just changed from Vicksburg to Byram.

I just wanted to say hi to everyone and that it is good to be back.

Tammy

[IBASSFSH]

Welcome back Tammy. Sorry to hear about your tank disaster, glad you did not give up on the hobby. My wife and I will be moving to Arkansas in April. I have to figure out how to move all livestock from here to there succesfully. This board hasbeen kinda dead for a while, hopefully it will pick back up.

[Napoleon_K]

Hey Ibassfish

I'm new to this thread. Glad I found it!

Tell me about the overflows on your new Oceanic 215. They look like All-Glass's Megaflows. Are they just the standard overflows that came with your 215

[IBASSFSH]

They are indeed the ones that came with the tank. I beleive they are also the same as AGA's mega overflows, since All-Glass owns Oceanic or visa versa. I have not set it up yet (and it killing me) due to a relocation my iwfe and I are making in March or April. I have everything I need to set it up too. Welcome to our little thread, it has been dead for a little while though. What kind of tank and equipment do you have?

[Napoleon_K]

I have a SW 40Gal FO that I've had for about 13 years. nothing exciting, very simple. I just finished college, so there was no point in upgrading untill after i graduated.

I'm currently planning my next tank. 60X24X25 150 Gal. Reef. I think I'll either order an Ocean View Aquarium from Fish Bowl, or give Glasscages.com a call. I'm waiting untill I have the money to move forward.

I've always liked the way the megaflow overflows look. I think the rounded look is less of an eye sore.

[johntbyrne]

Hi,

John Byrne here. Well I'm getting the tank back up. Actually never tore it down. Ran it FOWLR for about 2 years. Now have nitrates out the roof. Putting in Refugium to get this under control. Lost my maroon clown awhile back but sophis tang and jewel damsel are fine. upgrading MH to Icecap 660 setup. Love the look but tired of the heat.

Tammy, sorry to see you moved away but glad you are still close. Jeff (Monroe), I'm building a plant in Winnsboro. I plan on stopping by your LFS soon.

Talk with you guys more soon with (fingers crossed) good luck stories for the new refugium.

John
Happy New Years to all.

[L and L]

hey Tammy,

Thanks for stopping by to say "hey" =)

Glad to hear from everyone else too. Everything is still doing great except for a few corals that got stung by Ralph's BTA's (thanks :P) hehe

Man.... it's been forever since I've posted here.

Hope everyone has a great new year....


layne
vicksburg

[IBASSFSH]

John,

What kind of skimmer do you use? A good skimmer will help remove organics, and other nasty stuff from the water column and help with your nitrates. Nothing beats a routine water change once a week. I change some water out weekly to help combat the build up of nitrates.
Are you over feeding your fish also, this is the number one cause of nitrates. What size tank do you have again? A refugium may help some but not like the other two options mentioned above. It will give you an area to grow caulerpa which will compete with the bad algaes for food. That is good also.
You probably already know this all, just my .02 cents.

[IBASSFSH]

Layne, its like the old snake story, when the snake bites the person who's holding him, the snake simply says " You knew I was a snake when you picked me up". LOL

I thought that Jeff was going to pick up one of the BTAs. The corals you brought are all doing well except for the green slimer. The orange cap and the green montipora ( I believe) are doing well.

[L and L]

"snake story" hehe. funny ....er sorta.

I'll have to take some pictures of my orange edge cap.... it's about tripled since the orginal frag. I can't remember if Jeff came by and got a BTA (i think so?). I gave a friend here in Vicksburg (Keith Paxton) who started up his 150g FOwLR a BTA and still have 3 other ones in my reef tank.

I'm SO glad you have a green / purple rim edge cap montipora! My 7" dia. green / purple cap is what got stung including the 2" frag that was sitting next to it. rats. I definitely need to get a small piece of that.

I probably would have had a ton more growth out of my corals.... but, I haven't been adding kalkwasser for ~ 6 months ....nor doing water changes. Last water change was about a year ago. "slaps hand and says bad saltwater aquarist". I just started dripping kalk today as a matter of fact. Besides the BTA stings on the Montipora and 2 acroporas ... oh yeah... my 12" dia birdsnest (but I saved a few frags of it before it got toasted)... the rest of my corals did fine with the lack of water changes and kalkwasser (which is all I do anyways).

It was a kinda science experiment. I should has tested my water parameters before I started adding kalk today. oh well.

Sorry to hear that you guys are moving in April. If there is anything I can do to help.... just let me know.

[IBASSFSH]

Was not being sarcastic, please don't take it like that. You may need to be reported to the aquarium police for being a negligent parent. LOL. I may need to give some stuff away when we move or have someone hold them for me until we get situated. I know I know not the BTA though. LOL

[johntbyrne]

I guess I can say I knew what you said Ibass. I thought I knew more than I did I now know. Oh well. Here is the run down.

75g display, drilled
15g sump
Berlin skimmer with Rio 3100 (I think it does better with this yet larger pump than the often recommened 2500 .... lots of foam and works fine for the most part)
Can't recall what size Rio the return pump is
about 1" crush coral subsrate
I think about 130 lbs rock. I've been thinking about this recently and remembered that I've added rock so I am not totally sure.
Tank and Damsel. Few snails. Thats about it. I see now that I didn't include a way to remove nitrates. Guess I've been "fat and dumb" so to speak.

For about a year my wife has been feeding the fish during the day. Tank has been over feed. I'm going to use Refugium with Chaetomorpha and DSB to reduce nitrates along with weekly water changes. I want to bring it down slow. I really don't know how high it is. I get conflicting tests when I do dilutions. Safe to say higher than 160 and lower than 1000. Given it is this high and fish are not showing signs of stress and few snails have been with me for a long time I think I'll bring it down slow. Heck, I still have some purple rock where snails eat and some tube worms here and there. Guess they adapt.

Oh yea,
Ph 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Calcium ??? don't have a kit but its FOWLR soooo
Water RO (0 ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)
Salt Instant Ocean (not reef crystals)
Lights two 250watt MH Sumburst 12k bulbs soon to be replaced with Icecap 660, two 50/50s, two Actinics (with this said may go with MH and actinic FL. Anyone want to trade a couple of tar 175s for tar 250s?)

On a final note, I cleaned the skimmer for the first time in maybe a year a few weeks back and found junk in the venturi. Bubbles were large and not enough of them. Basically skimmer wasn't doing much. After cleaning it took out a bunch and then stopped taking it out. However, two fish and almost no food going in ... I think this is normal. Algea is growing in tank but not like you would expect.

Have plexiglass for sump and now need some Weld on. Any sources in Jackson other than that Acrylic shop on 80 near Clinton? Actually they have Methylene Chloride. I'm going to Winnsobor tomarrow (thursday) and may jump up to Monroe (lfs). Maybe I can find some Weld on in Monroe. Can't build refugium this weekend. Got a consulting job in Canada. Hey, got to pay for those new lights somehow (grin).

[IBASSFSH]

I do not know of any other acrylic stores in this area. I personally used a 20-30 gallon tall glass tank, and then had glass cut for the inside baffles. I then siliconed them in place and looks great and works good as well. Sounds like you have a good plan going. L and L (Layne ) usually has a lot of caulerpa that he has to harvest on his tanks. He gave me a bunch of it a while back, my tangs thank him everyday for it.

[johntbyrne]

I'm going with Chaeto only because it seems to be the macro of choice these days. There have been an abundance of convincing arguments that Chaeto is better. I think it is relative given the success of caulerpa. Still, since I'm starting fresh I think I'll give it a shot. I suspect either way I'd be ok but at least this way I will have something to give away in our area other than caulerpa. This was enough to convince me if nothing else.

I would go glass too (sump is glass) but I have a serious problem, cabinet door isn't big enough. I'm going to assemble the refugium inside the cabinet. It isn't large so I honestly believe I can do it. Refugium will be 15" by 15" by 20" tall with an overflow box on one top edge. Doors on cabinet are only 12" wide, three of them. The cabinet was made by a cabinet maker so he used "standard" sized doors. I bought it used in Jackson from a Contractor who got married and tank had to go before water was ever put into it. His finish carpenter made the cabinet. Got drilled tank, sump (with bio ball box that isn't being used), two 250 MHs with sumburst 12k bulbs (new), hood, and some extras for $350 so 12" doors I can live with. Gotta love it.

[jackief1]

Hi, Mississippi! I just wanted to drop in and say Hello! I was born and raised in Meridian and still have some family there. I married a guy from Louisiana who joined the US Coast Guard when the bottom fell out of the oil business in the '80's! We have lived all over, Washington, California, Texas and many places in Florida. We live in Oregon now and while I love it here, I still feel the pull from Mississippi!

I have been in saltwater for over 5 years. My tank is not set up right now because the movers broke my 65 Gal. Oceanic RR and it takes forever to get the claims completed. I am going nuts without a tank, as I am sure you can all imagine, and can't wait to get this resolved.

Also, I am a site Moderator at Hard Rock Forums/Ocean Reef Saltwater Forums! http://reef.3.forumer.com/ Feel free to stop in anytime. We need all the knowledgable aquarists we can find and from what I have read here, you guys all know your stuff!

I hope it is ok to drop in like this, I hope to talk to some of you either here or at the HR Forum!

Jackie

:wavehand:

[Clownfishman101277]

Well nice to see some Mississippi folks that have reef tanks..

Here are my tank specs..

29G AGA
20 LBS of LR
25 LBS of LS
Aqua C Remora HOB skimmer
CPR HOB refugium
2 Ebo Jager 50W Heater
Sweeper 228, Maxijet 400 for flow

Livestock:

Fish-

2 Clownfish
1 Clown Goby
1 Kaudern's Kardinal

Corals:

Green Sinularia
Green Star Polyps
Toadstool Coral
Torch
Green Mushrooms
Red Mushrooms
Hairy Mushrooms
Squamosa Clam

[Clownfishman101277]

If anyone in hattiesburg has a spare generator for sale 120V/220V 20A, 500 W minimum or maybe has one they can rent to me or something could you email me.... I luckily didn't loose any livestock during the 4 day power outage during the hurricane but I don't want to take that chance again..

rhan101277@direcway.com

[AlphaPhiReefer]

I would like to join...

[AlphaPhiReefer]

I am new to MS (Jackson) and would like to join...

[Phisher]

I don't think MACH meets anymore. Mississippians just use this forum as a point of contact here on RC.

Joe

[IBASSFSH]

Welcome, What size tank do you have and where about do you live?

[Phisher]

I am looking for a 125-150g tank if anyone has one for sale.

I'm on the coast.

Joe

[IBASSFSH]

I have a virtually full bucket of Oceanic Salt, if anyone wants it. I live in Richland which is close to Jackson. You must pick it up, I will not ship. I used some to make a partial water change, and I feel it did more harm than good. I have been using Instant Ocean since tanks set up, and I switched.
Looking back I should not have done it. Some of you may be using Oceanic already, and it would probably be fine, your call.
I just did not have good results, and that is all that had changed in my tanks prior to the problems I had experienced. So naturally I am blaming the salt. It could not have been anything I had done to cause it (LOL).

I am getting ready to move to Arkansas, and we really don't need to move extra stuff. Our move will take place in mid April.

I also may have a real nice looking clown tang I may be selling.

[IBASSFSH]

On the day that we move I will also have four damsels I will need to get rid of.
1 Large domino
2 Blue and yellow tail damsels
1 black and white damsel

also one mature engineer goby. He is approx. 5-7 long.

I am not going to try and catch them until I tear down the tank though.

I will give these away to anyone willing to give them a good home on moving day.

[Napoleon_K]

Does Quality Pet off of Robinson Rd. carry salt water livestock

[IBASSFSH]

Yes they do carry some, but if you are traveling you should call first to see how much they have. They have not been carrying much lately, but are working on getting more in. They had a turn over in their work force that slowed them down some. The Fish Bowl on Highway 51 has more to offer usually.

[IBASSFSH]

Man where is everyone at? Did you all sell your tanks or move off (LOL).

[L and L]

hey hey hey,

Still up and running w/ my tanks. Been working nights on I-20 w/ my job (civil engineer w/ MDOT). It's an 8.2 million dollar project and has plenty of work going on.

layne

[IBASSFSH]

Glad to see you are still with it!! I got my 215 gallon set up going, and hooked up to the two rubbermaid stock tanks. Its the best system I have had so far!! I love the way it has turned out.
There is a approx. total of 400 gallons, minus rock and sand displacement.
My tangs wish I had more caulerpa growing, but its starting to grow well in my 100 gallon refugium.
Well don't be a stranger.

[bad habit]

Hello everyone....we live in Magee MS. I just found this forum...nice to know there are other reefers on here who are close by. The Fish Bowl is the best we have found in this area. Donald is super nice to talk to and will help with anything he can...
We are looking for some very bright zoos or blastos if anyone has some to sell/trade.

[IBASSFSH]

Welcome, I just moved from Mississippi back in April to Arkansas. There are some good people on this board. It has not been active very much lately. The FishBowl is good, and Donald is really nice. I obviously have not been there since April, but he had started working there fulltime. The place probably looks good now.
Another good place is Crystal Reef in Hattiesburg, which I really enjoyed going to. They are/were probably the nicest place to shop in that area. Always a good variety of stuff to choose from.
LandL is really cool on this site. He has given me a few things in the past.

[ariel47]

Hi everybody, glad to see so many mississippi reefers.

[bad habit]

By the way, we are looking for some zoos and bastos if anyone has any they would like to sell/trade. But, right now the only frags we have are green tree, finger leather and a colt. David is just trying to get started in sps too but we have not had very good luck with that for some reason.

Thanks!

[nossalucard]

Hi all I'm located down in Biloxi, MS.(Near Keesler AFB). I'm a MCSA/MCP for a certain company located here. I currently have:

1 - 125 gal AGA African Cichlid Tank (Was originally first attempt at Reef originally(although fowlr), but due to lack of funds at the time (I was unemployed) I switched it over to fresh

1- 29gal reef. 1 LM blenny, 1 needlenose hawk, 1 tomato clown, 1 bi-color blenny, 1 royal gramma, 3 hawiian featherdusters, 1 huge colony of zoanthids, 1 colony of green mushrooms, 1 large colony of Anthelia, 10 turbo snails, 3 cleaner shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, 3 emerald crabs, and bought my first clam yesterday (crocea).

Currently researching oceanic 58gal Reef Ready setup to replace the 29 gal, and then use the 29gal as a sump(will be my first system with a sump).

I've been here in MS for just over a year, and have been hoping to run into some fellow reefers. If anyone has any xenia to part with frag, let me know, as the LFS around here are having a hard time getting any, and i'd like to try some out. :rollface:
Here's my pics so far (clam not in these pics tho)
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/nossalucard/Picture010.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/nossalucard/Picture009.jpg

[nossalucard]

and these:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/nossalucard/Picture008.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/nossalucard/Picture007.jpg

[nossalucard]

and these:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/nossalucard/Picture006.jpg

[bad habit]

We have some zenia but I'm not really sure what kind it is.....we went from a 150 gallon to a 300 gallon tank and it is in the back of the tank. It is spreading down the rock in the back and it a little hard to reach but I will see if I can get a picture of it. Maybe you can tell me the type. We are only 2 hours from Biloxi. We come down there to go to Crystal Reef and another shop I can't remember the name of at the moment.

[nossalucard]

The only shops here are crystal reef, pass road pets, and Butlers pet. Only pass road pets and crystal reef stock corals. I'm actually open to the pulsing type of xenia(obviously I've never had any before) that takes over the tank (I want to see my tank full of stuff since I bought a $450.00 skimmer, I wanna see how good it is.....LOL). Seriously tho, I'm not picky. Send me a PM if ya wanna chat on the phone.

[bonesnreb]

hi... i live in biloxi.. my current tank is 55g.. i have been into salt water now for almost 3yrs.. love this addiction.. any ways if anyone has larger tank for sale let me know.. aslo looking for mh and ballast..

[nossalucard]

Hey bone, where in biloxi are you located?

[bonesnreb]

north biloxi off popps ferry bridge and u?

[bad habit]

Well, I thought it was zenia, but my husband says it is Clove Polyps. But, I am posting the picture anyway in case you are interested.

Thankshttp://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/17975Clove_Polyps.jpg

[IBASSFSH]

It odes look like Zenia to me, but I could be wrong.

[russell_wiley]

hi, i'm new here.
russell wiley
72bf reef

[johntbyrne]

Figure its time to kick this off again.

I'm in the aquisition phase of a rebuild. The old 75 is getting a face lift.

Present:
75 drilled, 20g sump, Berlin skimmer (argh) with Rio 3100 I think, Rio 2500 return (again I think), twin 12k sunburst bulbs, 120 lbs rock, crushed coral.

Last fish recently passed on so the tank is fishless.

Plans:
New stand, oak with 1' or side side cabinets that wrap sides of tank to hide corner overflows (access inside of cabinet to hidden side of tank for magnet cleaning), new 10k XM bulbs, new VHO ballast, new URI actinic VHO bulbs, new VHO end caps, new ground probe, new Sequence dart on closed loop (picked up one that had a couple of weeks run only at a good price, looks brand new), T4 pump picked up used for great price but not sure what to use it for, new holes to be drilled in tank for closed loop running through ocean motion with a SCWD on one pipe, DIY streams on wavemaker, DIY calcium reactor (have the bottle already) controlled via I hope an aquacontroller jr, and a soon to purchase skimmer which I think will be an ASM G3. Under the stand will be the 20g for the sump/skimmer and another 29 made into a refugium. The main tank will be bare bottom with lots of flow for SPS while the refugium will have deep sand, Cheato, pods, etc.

Plan is to load it with SPS with as much color as possible. For fish I think I'm going minimal. One tang TBD, clown or two, and maybe a small school of chromis. I have a couple of good leads to get the SPS frags. I found a guy in Monroe selling out of his house. He has agreed to let me come by and pick what I want from his frag tank at about $10 a frag. His pics look great. Also, I hope to make a frag swap in Baton Rouge this summer. I hope to setup a frag tank at the end of the summer too but I have no clue where to put it in my house.

[msman825]

yall really like the g-3 skimmer, johnt byrne. just wanted to say hello. desided to check out the Miss reefers. Planning on going to petal in a few, to see my fam. Been almost a year sense been home, Really looking forward to seeing good ole MS, You guys keep it going down there. and send some of that nice weather this way. :beer: beer

[johntbyrne]

Ok, it did rain almost all day today .... I'll push that up to ya LOL

[msman825]

were gettin it to, at least snow ant as- deep

[johntbyrne]

LOL, snow ... whats that?

Ahhhh, did a google search. Snow is when someone buys a bunch of white paint and goes crazy on your house, car, trees, and eveything else near by. LOL Those crazy artists. LOL

I use to go to petal given my father owned a store down there. Sold now and he moved on down south to Diamondhead. Hattiesburg is a neat place. I lived there during my early years (till maybe 5th grade that is).

Cheers
John

BTW, been to main once, it wasn't that cold ... of course it was August LOL

[L and L]

hey,

Thought I'd bring back this old thread and see who is around. Chime in and say hey if you're still here.

[Phisher]

I have just got my first batch of tank re-interest post Katrina. We lost most everything being without power after the storm for several weeks and it's just been tough getting going again.

I haven't decieded if I want to get into corals again or just fish and LR. Our reef club sort of evaperated after the storm and fragging buddys are few and very far between. I have always wanted to try some "no-no" fish anyway.

Joe

[L and L]

Yeah, I was curious about all the Gulf Coast people after Katrina. Sorry to hear that.

But, it is good to hear from you.

[jeff967]

still hangin in monroe

[johnny1]

I live in meridian and I work in H'burg some. My tank has been down for awhile since I got a job with the railroad,,,, not alot of free time. I plan to get started trying to get my tank up and running again and it is good to know there are some people around to trade with when the time comes.

[Abynum1]

Andy from Laurel checking in.
I'm in the process of setting up my 110 long (6ft)
I'm in the fun plumbing stage.
Once my ro/di unit gets in I'll be ready to fill it.
I bought some cool diy rocks from reefrocks on the coast.
I'm just going to get get 50 or so pounds of live rock to seed it with.
I cant wait until I can actually see the water moving in this thing!!

[johnny1]

andy do you do all of your shopping online or do you go to crystal reef in h'burg some?

[Abynum1]

Both. As for as equipment,mostly online due to the price.
I'll probably get the livestovk from Bill at crystal reef.

[msman825]

I'm still livin in Maine but my heads in MS. :) I come down by this forum too read up on you local reefers, Yaw keep it a live down there. Just wanted to say hello I'll leave ya few pic's http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f175/msman825/90atitsfullest.jpg http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f175/msman825/90GalwWrasseTheGuardDog.jpg http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f175/msman825/90GalwGeorgeWatchDog.jpg

[msman825]

another tank i have, http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f175/msman825/FrancesYella.jpg http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f175/msman825/Francesheadedhome.jpg http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f175/msman825/Clownes22-19-07.jpg reef on my freinds :beer:

[lukinrats]

Nathan from Laurel... I lost my own post for a while!!, but when I pulled it back up it directed me here. What up?

[msman825]

hope everyone is recovering for the storm ok

[ariel47]

still trying to get things back the way it was or better. Had to move to Purvis after katrina, but we're happy.

[HCJohn]

I never noticed this forum at RC. First time to post in here.

Im from Gulfport, MS. Im just now getting back into this after Katrina took all of my livestock.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi. Hopefully some more MS guys/gals around still.

[ariel47]

any good shops in gulfport?

[HCJohn]

Sadly, no. We have Crystal Reef which is honestly a joke, and PassRoad Pets in Biloxi. While the owner there is nice and seems to know what hes talking about, they dont keep very much in stock at all.

[ariel47]

coral connection in kenner lousianna has nice stuff. Fishbowl in ridgeland has nice stu ff I've heard. I've been ordering a lot on line from reefhotspot and liveaquaria.

[Phisher]

Saltwater universe in D'Iberville is coming along. Other than that Progressive Marine just this side of Mobile is where I get most of my goodies.

[bluetmax]

Fat Fish in Mobile is fairly decent...The one in Kenner (Coral Connection) is by far the nicest store I have ever set foot in. Its worth the two hour drive for me, and I've got a feeling that is where most of my livestock will be coming from in the future.