Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)
Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
My New Marine Tank :-)
- tony 301 (Tony O'Doherty)
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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- jeff (Jeff Scully)
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Where the tongue slips, it speaks the truth.
A life making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing at all.
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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I will be doing a big update in the next few days with photos and that as it came came on a lot added a lot more corals and more controllers looks very well now
Sean
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- jeff (Jeff Scully)
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Where the tongue slips, it speaks the truth.
A life making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing at all.
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- mech1 (pat bell)
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Pat.
Knocklyon 2 min from J12 M50
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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A few photos is a lot to do i have added a lot off corals still waiting on my replaced fish but no rushing so i don't mind the wait
I was having a very big issue with ALK as it was using a lot i was getting readings off 5 and 6 which was very low
So i went out and got a full dosing unit and controller and have it set up to dose alk cal and mag although at the min i don't have to dose cal and mag and the levels are stable in the tank without dosing it so just alk now
I was dosing about 120ml a day but now i have it stable at 10 and dosing 60ml a day
I have also added a 8 way Aquaray controller for the lighting have to say this bit off kit is unreal how it fads in and out and also the storm function is pretty neat when doing water changes
I have went with the Full Red Sea range now so using the NOPOX and for corals i'm using the Red Sea coral food foundation A and B and also using the Red Sea salt and getting great results from it
I add a smart wave controller but was not a fa off it so im upgrading to MP40s soon these look to be great so cant wait to get the on to the tank
I also got another pon box for wiring so have 2 now to still haven't added to the tank taking my time on this
I have mostly LPS corals in the tank now with still come softies but have to say growth is great i think ill stay like this as i dont want to go to SPS as im not really a fan off them but sure that is just my taste
I think there is more but can not remember now ha but when i do ill update
Thanks
Sean
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- ghart (Greg Hart)
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OMG The Marine setup looks great.
You have me thinking again for a marine setup.
I may have missed the tread but what are the dimensions of the new tank and the sump.
I am relooking at my 5 foot freshwater setup and thinking.
Can a good marine setup be done without a sump but just using external filters.
My five foot is not plummed for a sump setup and anyway is only 15" wide.
Do put up a video and any first time setup experience/advice.
Greg
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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Sean,
OMG The Marine setup looks great.
You have me thinking again for a marine setup.
I may have missed the tread but what are the dimensions of the new tank and the sump.
I am relooking at my 5 foot freshwater setup and thinking.
Can a good marine setup be done without a sump but just using external filters.
My five foot is not plummed for a sump setup and anyway is only 15" wide.
Do put up a video and any first time setup experience/advice.
Greg
I hope i do have you thinking Marine as the more Salties on here the better
it is a 4 and a foot tank 450L all in
Tank size: 1400mm x 500mm x 600mm
Sump size: 900mm x 400mm x 400mm. (is divided into 4 sections)
You could go without a sump and use a ex filter some everyone marine tanks done this way just would need more live rock in the tank
But best would be that if you could change around the stand to add a sump you could do that without drilling the tank just use a overflow and you will be sorted
I get a video up in a few days mate
Sean
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- jwm (sean sean)
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john
A person who surrenders when he is WRONG, is HONEST. A person who SURRENDERS when not SURE, is WISE. A person who surrenders even if he is RIGHT, is a HUSBAND.
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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I will be upgrading this soon to a 6 or 7 foot tank just wanting for something good to pop up
After that i think that will be it as i couldnt go much more but ill try and add all the top off the range stuff to it
If i ever upgrade from it it will only when i win the lotto and get a 30 foot shark tank for a 30 foor reef tank ha we can only wish some times
Thanks again mate
Sean
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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I went out and got a MP40 yesterday and added to the tank today
I love this bit off kits not only does it look very well in the tank but the flow from it is crazy i have it on very low and my corals are loving it
i would say a must for anyone wanting to keep a nice reef tank
Ill add photo in the next few days
Now have to think what else would to good to add to the tank
Sean
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- jimmy L (James Lynch)
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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The green shine in some off the photos is off the Red Sean A and B but still looks good
@ CK1 not really mate just once you keep on top off cleaning and dosing and testing levels that's it really i had more work with my planted tank as i was pruning plants a lot but other then that the same i would say
Sean
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- dubdero (derek kearns)
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- jimmy L (James Lynch)
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cut back on it for a week or two see what happens!
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- ghart (Greg Hart)
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The live rock you are using . Is it the lighter type or the heavy type.
I was in Seahorse the other day and the new big tank is using the heavey live rock but the 3 foot one the other side of the room is using the lighter. The guy in Seahorse said that the lighter type is more popular as it more colourful. I also suppose you get more rock per Kilo with the lighter stuff.
Greg
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- stretnik (stretnik)
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Kev.
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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Yeah man i think that is deffinitly from red sea a+b i got that slime from over dosing,
cut back on it for a week or two see what happens!
No mate im only dosing 2ml per 100L off each and doing it every 2nd to 3rd day which you are meant to do every day.
I was just talking about the green shine off the water as when i put it in and it mixs with the water it turns green as that's the A and B.
@Kev i really haven't a clue as are you talking about electricity if so im not sure at all as the LEDs are very low then i have the return and a pump for my UV and a pump for my Carbon in my rector then my heaters 2 x 300w and My Aquaray controller and my dosing pump and the controller off that and that's it mate so wouldn't say it is that much at all.
As for me spending money on the tank that's a different story ha i always want something new for the tank
but in saying that i but in bulk when it comes to the Red Sea range like Salt and NOPOX and Foundation A and B so that saves me a good bit but im also getting different supplements and different types off food and that's with out more equipment and livestock i want to add.
Sean
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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SEan,
The live rock you are using . Is it the lighter type or the heavy type.
I was in Seahorse the other day and the new big tank is using the heavey live rock but the 3 foot one the other side of the room is using the lighter. The guy in Seahorse said that the lighter type is more popular as it more colourful. I also suppose you get more rock per Kilo with the lighter stuff.
Greg
Sorry i forgot to say thanks to all those who have left comments so thanks a mill lads means a lot
@Greg yeah that is the Fiji live rock that i have this is the lighter rock
The heavy rock you are talking about is well im not to sure but think it is man made live rock
I love the Coraline algae on the rock so this is why i have the Fiji rock in it and also i dose Coralline Gro it is from the Red Sea range and its great for adding Coraline algae to the rock i also stay away from live stock that will strip this from the rock as in Black longspine Sea Urchins
Sean
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- ghart (Greg Hart)
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So Figi rock is the way to go.
Kev talking on costs.
The live rock is 15 euro a kg.
I am told my five foot tank if converting to a marine would need approx 30kg of live rock. That is already 450 euro initial cost to go marine before anything else is considered
I will have to wait until my finances are in better shape before looking to go marine
Greg
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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I think you would be crazy to pay 15euro/kg for it its going on the forums for 5 and 6/kg and is just as good if not better as being 2nd hand as being in a well setup tank just make sure there no pest on it and you will be laughing.
As for 30kg that will be no where near enough as i have in and around the 55 to 60kg mark in mine now and mine is only 450L 4 and a half foot.
As with yours as i was telling you if you are just using an ex filter and no sump you would be better with a bit more live rock then you would if you where to have a sump.
Go and get it 2nd hand for sure as this will get you up and running and that way you will have more money to spend on other things.
Sean
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- ghart (Greg Hart)
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I would obviously be looking for cured live rock.
My tank is only just over 380L as it is 15" wide 60" length and 26" height.
What is the recommended live rock amount . Someone said 1kg of rock per 10 litres water.
Greg
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- BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
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Its hard to say about how much live rock as some say 1KG per 10L but others wouldn't.
If i was you id start off with say 30KG and then you can add to it each week till you have enough that you want or even if you wanted to start with getting say 5 or 10kg a week and then build up so that you are not getting it all in one go and that way will feel better on the pocket
But as i said 2nd hand rock is the way to go.
Sean
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- ghart (Greg Hart)
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I will be sending off my Santa letter soon.
So hopefully I will get a nice suprise this Christmas..
Greg
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