Recent content by Fishbreath

I put a threadfin butterfly in my tank 2 years ago and my aptasia disappeared. Didn't come back except maybe 1 or 2 popped up again last year, but then they disappeared in a couple of days. She's also one of my favorite fish. Always moving and showing off.

I'd like to get some snails to help clean up the sand and some algae in my tank but I'm reluctant to add them without a quarantine. Does anyone know how to quarantine snails? I plan on holding them in a separate tank for 30 days in case they might be carrying ich. I know not to use copper but...

Just installed a new skimmer and would like to dampen the pump vibration. Pump is submerged in the sump. Search results show some folks use a mouse pad under external pumps and some apparently use them in the sump. I was curious if those mouse pads are safe to put in the water. Anyone doing this...

It sure sounds to me like your quarantine tank is cycling. Check the ammonia and nitrites. When the fish goes to the surface and the gills move rapidly that can indicate a nitrite spike. That happened to me when I moved my tank and I had all of my fish in a temporary 20 gal tank. My first clue...

For those of us who live in earthquake country (CA) arcylic is a good choice. My tank survived the 1994 quake in LA without even a leak. Neighbors glass tanks were out on the curb. And if you have kids.... can be similar to earthquakes.

Thanks!

Just tried to glue flex drain hose to schedule 40 PVC using PVC cement. Well, it doesn't work. :( After curing it for several days and trying it in the system the joint leaked badly. I pulled the pieces apart (first bad sign) and there was evidence the solvent had "melted" the schedule 40 PVC...

I just had a similar experience with a new Iwaki MD30RXT. Many on the board report this pump to be quiet but mine was not. I discovered the noise was coming from the intake, transferring through the water to the sump where it then resonated like crazy. Way too loud. The distance from the pump...

Thanks for replying about the SCWDs. Wish I had that 1" input now since I'm moving and setting up the tank again. Oh well, maybe I can upgrade later. Your comment about the wet/dry made me laugh. I'm actually adding a new wet/dry to my set-up. Lots of opinions out there and you have to go with...

Awesome tank and photos. Thanks for posting them. Your tangs look fat and happy and they don't seem to be camera shy. I'm curious about the 2 SCWDs. How did you plumb them? I see 3 bulkheads. Did you have any trouble with the hose fittings leaking like others have reported? I'm adding a SCWD to...

Thanks very much for the fast reply! I removed the bolts and rotated the outlet. I like the contruction of the Iwaki pump. Very solid and simple. Today is test-for-leaks day in the plumbing.

Is the orientation of the outlet adjustable on these pumps? I bought an Iwaki MD-30RXT and it looks like the white plastic portion with the outlet can be removed (by removing the 6 bolts) and rotated. Any replies would be appreciated. This is my July 4th weekend project. :P

I am running a Mag 9.5 on my 60 gal. My tank also uses a single 1 inch drain and a 3/4-inch return and the drain works fine. In fact I started out with a Mag 12 on this tank and changed it to a Mag 9.5 to make the tank less noisy. Even the Mag 12 worked with the 1 inch drain. I just saw your...

Thanks everyone for the replies. I don't think I want to restrict the output if doing so could affect the pump's operation and reliability. Sounds like if I go with the MD30RLXT I should change out the 3/4-inch plumbing. I actually have an opportunity to do this since I'm moving the tank in...

I would like to replace my internal pump with an external pump. Lots of good pump suggestions on this forum and I settled on the Iwaki MD30RLXT. Problem is it has a 1-inch output fitting and my return plumbing is 3/4-inch. Can I use an adapter? I'd like to keep the flow between 700 and 900 GPH...