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Recently bought a reef cleaner pack with a bunch of snails and small hermits. Lo and behold a couple of days later, these white dots start showing up on the overflow. Then, they seem to multiply. They don't seem to move, but then how do they get there? I plucked a couple out and they don't...

OK, so after some serious investigative testing, I think I've figured out where my phosphates are coming from. It's my BUFFER! Using the API test kit, I've tested my water every step of the way. tap water: deep blue, full of phosphates after running through RO: clear, no phosphates testing...

On the marine depot site, if you search for "Beware Rubbermaid" there's an 8-page dialog about using trash cans for water collection. It's pretty scary. I think I'm going to have to stop using this solution as it's likely this is a big possible source of my phosphate control problems.

Quote: Originally Posted by beaslbob Get some macro algae growing in the garbage can. The macros (and pods) can also feed your fish in the display. Shhhhhhhhh super secret hints not popular in our mechanical filtered environment: (hint if you just top off the display then you don't need all...

I've been testing like crazy, and here's what I've determined: New RO unit yields 0-minimal phosphates New RO water in garbage can: off the charts! Something about the garbage can is raising my phosphates. Where can I get a food-grade garbage can? I looked at Home Depot and Lowe's and they...

Regarding the garbage can idea, is there a specific way to "prep" the can? I have a sneaking suspicion that the can may have some residual chemicals from the manufacturing process. Do you guys clean it out somehow without tainting it? I'm sure that detergent is a horrible idea. Bleach would...

Ooh, the garbage can idea is killer! Hadn't thought of that. I've had more than a couple of instances where I forgot about the RODI unit running, only to find a small flood in the kitchen. Damn 5 gallon buckets!

Flower, if the API test kit is unreliable, what would you recommend as a better test kit? The inverts all seem to be doing fine. Recently I lost an LPS coral and maybe that should've been a warning. But the zoos and shrooms seem to be doing OK. Maybe not spreading and flourishing like a...

Need some hardcore advice from those in the know. I've been trying to bring my nitrates down but I can't seem to do it. For the past 3 weeks, my nitrates have been sitting at 100+. Here's my setup that's been running 2 yrs: 75G reef tank 9 small - medium size fish (1 rabbit, 1 blenny, 1...

If that's what it is, I think I'm ok with it. I already have a fairly large carpet anemone and a mini-maxi anemone in the tank, so a couple of strawberries aren't going to worry me. The carpet ate my new cherub angel a couple of weeks ago. That was distressing. Thanks for the insight.

Moved some rock around the tank and my wife exclaims 'What's THAT?' I have no clue. I'm thinking it might be a young anemone of some sort, but I don't know. It's about 1cm in diameter, whitish, with some short tentacles. The foot is a bit "stumpy". Pretty sure it's not aptasia as I've dealt with...

We had 1 to start. Then, as time went on, we had 2, then 3, then 4. They do seem to multiply at a slow pace. The original is now almost 2 inches long. The youngest is less than 1cm. I've had no problems with them. Algae eaters all the way.

Quote: Originally Posted by Flower So a question begs to be answered.....did you pay for half? Flower, No!.... At least not yet. At some point I'll probably cave and pay for half. He doesn't generally ask for a lot, and I know this means a lot to him. Mark.

Here's a quick non-existent story that is about no tank in particular. Having had a freshwater tank at home now for 7 years, and having embarked on the journey that is saltwater for 3 years, my 8 yr old son has naturally fallen in love with the hobby. He often explains to staff at LFS's what's...

salinity: 1.026 pH: 8.2 Nitrates: 10 kH: 7 So after checking my parameters, I'm feeling like I'm a little off in numerous places. The funny thing is that a couple of days later, most of the symptoms on both fish have almost disappeared. The rabbitfish has no signs of any white stuff on his...

Need some assistance identifying what this is. Just noticed it today, pretty sure it wasn't on them yesterday. The pics aren't great, but the best I can do since they move so fast. The rabbitfish has a touch of frayed dorsal fin and tail, with some white-ish stuff. The damsel has a lot of...

Thanks for the compliments, tirtza, Limpid, and SipTang. Regarding owning a LFS, I was just chatting with my local LFS a couple of days ago about running a store. I've been going to this LFS since my childhood (see my first story), and so we talked a little bit about the history of the store...

Since I won the story contest last month, I'm taking myself out of the running for this month. Please don't consider this a submission to the contest. This just happened a couple of days ago, and I think I'm just ready to write about it now. Noticed that Ms. Clown (polynmus/saddleback) had...

Wow! Didn't really expect to win, but am humbled by the honor. Big thank you to everyone at Saltwaterfish.com. That includes the mods and all the contibutors too. I don't know how I would survive this hobby without the wealth of knowledge and expertise provided by the board. The tank is...

Journeys to Reefkeeping are Fraught with Mistakes I've kept fish for most of my life, but it wasn't until the recent forays into the SW world that I really invested in the process. I started the journey at 10 years old with a 10 gallon tropical tank. It's almost funny when you put all...