Recent content by roadshow

LFS promote the wetdry because they are easy money. The bioballs are a nitrate factory. That is their intended purpose in a FW tank. FW is what they were designed for, and they work well in that environment. SW is a different animal. However, the wetdry isn't a total loss. You can usually...

I am beginning to wonder if maybe these aren't glass anemone instead of feather dusters. Mine seem to be coming from a polyp instead of a true tube. It just seems weird to me that so many feather dusters would just 'show up' on LR without any prompting. And I guess I'm a bit of a pessimist in...

You should be ok for FO, the coraline algae might be a little light deprived, but as long as you don't get too extravogent in your LR and fish choices, you should be just fine. The skimmer is important, but you can run without one for a while. I would recommend starting with it and a few...

The brown stuff is called diatom, and is a algae that often shows up when you are mostly through the initial cycle. So the answer is yes, it does help indicate you are ready to go to the next step. However, since you added 4 fish, you will have to endure another spike, as the bacteria that...

The tank you are proposing is an impossible build. No way will you be able to make that function in a saltwater environment. Probably not even in a freshwater, unless you are going to fill it with tetras and guppies. Here are some suggs. Be more realistic in your dimensions. 8x4x3 is still...

FYI, dissolving the salt isn't the only thing you have to take care for. There are a ton of chemical reactions that happen when you mix salt into fresh water. It takes about 12 hours for the more violent reactions to complete. The only real problem that you have to be carefull for after that...

Your lighting is really dependant on what kinds of critters you want to keep. If you don't plan on adding any corals, then a nice VHO or PC hood will be more than adequate. You will probably even be okay for some inverts (some softies and LPS)with those types of lighting. URI and Coralife...

I have 20 or 30 of these little buggers popping up in my tank, and was wondering about feeding as well. Mine have been out for about a week now, and seem to be multiplying rapidly. I inherited my tank with a lot of LR and a gold banded maroon clown, so I already am feeding a few flakes and...

BTW ... the brown algae is probably diatom, and is usually a part of the cycle process. It will go away in time if you keep your water parameters in check. You really should take a sample of your water (at least a pint) to the LFS and ask them to do a thorough test battery. They will be able...

If you are serious about setting up a system, the best thing you can do is start deciding what you want to keep. Some fish and corals require more space than others. As a general rule though, the bigger the better. You really are only limited by what you are willing to spend. I can't...

The QT keeps the baddies out of your system, and is a necessary step. Get a cheapo 10 gal tank and an airpump or powerhead from the LFS. After you do your initial setup, anything you buy goes in the QT for 4 weeks. Thats how long it takes most parasites and diseases to die off. They are also...

iv heard that bristle worms can be helpful in a moderate number, but I had thousands and thousands of them and many were 4 and 5 inches long. They had infested the LR and substrate and killed all of the soft corals and snails that the previous owner had put in the tank. It was truly amazing to...

I bought a used 75 gal salt tank almost a week ago. It was in serious need of rehabing due to a complete infestation of bristle worms. I'm sure I've made some rookie mistakes, but hope that I'm not totally destroying everything. One of the small tidbits that I'm not quite sure how to handle...