Recent content by JeffK

Hi imsqueak, Isn't 1 tbs kind of a high dose for adding kalk as a slurry? Wouldn't it cause a substantial pH spike? The reason I ask is, everything you read about adding kalk empasizes the importance of dosing it slowly to prevent excessive pH increases. Jeff

Tangboy, I would tend to discourage adding another tang in the hope that the aggressive behavior you're observing would diminish. I'd be concerned that doing so would be like "throwing another log on the fire." Regarding the dealer tanks with 20 or 30 conspecifics, I wouldn't use that as a...

Thanks for your comments, Taikonaut, Shane and Seamaiden. I think I'll proceed with caution--i.e., while keeping a watchful eye on pH, calcium and alkalinity--and see how it works out. Jeff

Is anyone currently using Anthony Calfo's suggested method of dosing kalkwasser - i.e., mixing a very small quantity of kalk powder (approx. 1/16 of a teaspoon per 100 gallons of tank capacity) into chilled, purified water (approximately 1 cup) and pouring the slurry directly into the tank? I'm...

Hello all. After my metal halides shut off tonight, I was observing the tank with just actinic illumination when I noticed what appears to be a small piece of rock on my bubble coral (almost fully retracted in response to the diminished light level). After directing a gentle current from a...

Sally, the zoanthids must be the cause. I've got them by the bushel in my tank, and Matt_Wandell's photos confirm it. That's exactly how my clown looks. Should I stop worrying then? Jeff

I forgot to mention that I haven't seen any of the other fish harrassing the clownfish. Every once in a while, there will be some very mild displaying between the clownfish and the damsel, but it lasts only seconds and then they go about their business. As I've mentioned, these fish have been...

Hi Laura. I don't have a host anemone for the clownfish. It tends to seek refuge around and beneath an open brain coral. The spots don't resemble pepper sprinkled on the skin. They remind me of dark moles that sometimes appear on people's skin--not raised, however, and irregular at the...

Hello all. I just recently moved a common clownfish that I've had since 1997 from my 55-gallon fish-only aquarium into my 75-gallon reef (established for two years). Approximately 1 week after the move, the fish began to exhibit black spots on its flanks. The spots almost appear to be pigment...

Hello all. I just recently moved a common clownfish that I've had since 1997 from my 55-gallon fish-only aquarium into my 75-gallon reef (established for two years). Approximately 1 week after the move, the fish began to exhibit black spots on its flanks. The spots almost appear to be pigment...

DanConner, The Holmes-Farley articles were most informative (though I'll likely go back and read them again to make sure I understood it all). Thanks for the suggestion. Reefnutz, I think there might be some truth to your admonition about scrubbing the rocks. The algae does seem to grow back...

Thanks so much for the info and suggestions, MediaOne and Seamaiden. I hadn't thought about the phosphate being present, albeit contained within the algae itself and, thus, undetectable. I've currently got some red-legged hermits that I purchased for algae control when I first set the tank up...

Thanks for the tip, Seamaiden. How are abalone from the standpoint of longevity? Will they consume all of the algae and then starve as some molluscs tend to do? Jeff

Hello all. I'm battling a fairly substantial hair algae outbreak in my 2-year-old 75-gallon reef. About 3 months ago, I switched from PC lighting to a metal halide/fluorescent combo (2 175-watt, 10,000K MH and 2 NO actinic tubes). Corals are loving the new light, but so is the hair algae...

Thanks for the input. I hadn't considered using both. Also, good pointer on the salinity, Marco. Jeff