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  1. beaslbob

    Overflow not big enough

    +1 The overflow should have no valve and be basically a straight through pipe to the sump. Whatever is returning to the tank should overflow to the sump. no valve/adjustment necessary. perhaps a picture would help.
  2. beaslbob

    New to this, looking for info

    welcome to SWF and feel free to ask anything. Afterall the only dumb question is the one not asked. My recommendations are a little outside the norm but what I recommend is starting your tank with macro algae (best in a refugium which can be a simple partition) or an algae turf scrubber right...
  3. beaslbob

    What else do I need before my wife makes me sell my tank?

    SWF has some. Gulf coast has a variety. Florida aqua farms has a few. Florida pets has some also. That all said, the best source is local like your lfs and even more importantly is fellow hobbyists. No doubt they are tossing some each month. So you can get some that otherwise would go in...
  4. beaslbob

    What else do I need before my wife makes me sell my tank?

    first of all stop using prime. It locks ammonia sure but also locks up oxygen. Plus most ammonia test kits still test positive form ammonia (can't tell the difference between free and locked), so you can add more prime when It is not necessary. the first dose locked up the ammonia for...
  5. beaslbob

    Toxic tank?

    Looks like cyanobacteria (red slime algae) to me. I would do a manual clean up and a 3 day lights out. then resume with less lighting so coralline grows but the cyano doesn't come back. you might also try a refugium (even just a simple in tank partition) with macro algae like chaeto to...
  6. beaslbob

    That cloudy water question again

    sounds to me like you have it under control
  7. beaslbob

    Algae Turf Scrubber in progress

    Keep us posted
  8. beaslbob

    Algae Turf Scrubber in progress

    I predict it will be the best thing added to your tank. PH will rise just before lights out. Nitrates and phosphates will drop to unmeasureable levels. But that's just my prediction and worth at most .02 ps don't worry in nitrates hold on or even bump up during the first few weeks. Could...
  9. beaslbob

    HELP my tank

    FWIW always measure pH just before lights off. Or after the macro algae has been lights on for hours. PH will vary with co2. Under lights, co2 will be consumed by the algae and the pH will rise. With enough algae the tank will become a net consumer of co2 and source of oxygen every 24 hours...
  10. beaslbob

    Totally New

    whatever you do stop adding food until ammonia is .25ppm or less and nitrItes are unmeasurable. Some other suggestions: 1) add some macro algae to your system. Best in a refugium which can be just a tank partition to separate the livestock from the macros. 2) try using male mollies. Yep...
  11. beaslbob

    Fish seem to be "breathing heavily"

    How's you ammonia? If ammonia is up best to get to another tank even if it's another hobbist or LFS tank. then let your tank consume ammonia. And I would add macro algaes protected in a refugium (which can be just a simple partition) to consume ammonia and co2 while returning oxygen. my .02
  12. beaslbob

    New set up

    I think you could do much better if you want to diy. sump can be just a couple of plastic storage containers. $100 or so for pvc pipe. Setup a refugium with macro algae. You could use rocks from the local limestone quarry. Or if you got lotsa time and like mud pies, make your own rock from...
  13. beaslbob

    Automatic Return Pump Shut Off/ Turn On

    IMHO sound like the best is some kind of float switch. One word of caution-- never put 120vac float switch in salt water. Use it with 5 volts DC to remotely fire a relay for the pump AC.
  14. beaslbob

    Well Here We Go!

    Beth and with respect. Again and according to the constitution it is congress and the president who make war. It requires both. The founders did not want one and only one branch of government making war.
  15. beaslbob

    Cycling question

    I would add macro algae in some kind of in-tank refugium/partition. Macro and other algae will consume ammonia first then nitrates. So it is possible to have little to no ammonia spike. Sometimes you even get an initial nitrate spike depending on organics at startup. With sufficient algae...
  16. beaslbob

    Well Here We Go!

    simply he didn't. There was much discussion and debate about congress's declaring war when writing and ratifying the constitution. The debate was whether or not it should be congress makes or declares war. The way it works is war is made by congress funding it and the president acting as...
  17. beaslbob

    Yellow tang (pictures)! Please help

    try feeding him live chaetomorpha or caulerpa prolifera. (macro algaes)
  18. beaslbob

    I know just enough to hurt myself and some fish...

    I thought the ich was clearing up and the fish recovering after you added the chaeto. is that correct? If so I would not treat with copper or anything else. There is always some ich in all tanks. Imho what is important is the environment is such the fish's immune system rejects the ich. FWIW...
  19. beaslbob

    Carbon dosing

    If the only thing you're trying to do is get nitrates down but otherwise fish and corals are fine, I would not carbon dose. But then I don't recommend it anyway. What could be happening is the algae is consuming ammonia directly for nitrogen and foregoing nitrates. Once the tank builds up...
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