Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread - Page 5

rjwilson37 · 04/01/2006, 01:10 PM

Marc, is this good growth in a month and a half, I am still new to acro's and the tank is just now over 6 months old and getting a bit more stable.

Here is a month and a half ago.

Here it is as of yesterday.

Electrobes · 04/01/2006, 01:32 PM

Hey Marc I am wondering if you know what these snails are, I have no idea if they are parasitic or not. One of them (The slightly larger and not-rounded one) I have only seen once but the other (slightly smaller and rounded) I see a lot more of. They also seem to be breeding (Slightly smaller and rounded ones).

Thanks!

21Reefman · 04/01/2006, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by agarza
No kidding I did the Google search, and there it is, amazing!

Not anymore? I tried and did not even see you on the 1st page?

Cprowler · 04/01/2006, 02:17 PM

Click on the pic in the middle at the top.

melev · 04/01/2006, 11:28 PM

RJ - that's excellent growth. Keep up the good work.

Christian - The smaller one looks like a nerite snail, which is fine. Of course, I'm just guessing looking at an empty shell, but it looks right to me. The other is similar to a Cerith snail. Neither would be of concern if I foudn them in my tank.

21reefman - if you do a Google search, selecting IMAGES, it does (or did) link it as the first picture. I need to add more meta tags to my site.

Spiffyguy · 04/01/2006, 11:40 PM

Marc do use quite a bit of meta tags? I just moved my ste as you know but I haven't put in any meta tags yet. I was under the impression that they are on the way out and google and the like use content now.

melev · 04/01/2006, 11:55 PM

Beats me. I've used meta tags for a while, and to be honest only some pages on my site have them included, but I'm pretty sure it would help. Like my ID page. I think each item should have a meta tag so they'd come up more readily, don't you think?

Spiffyguy · 04/02/2006, 12:22 AM

yeah that would make sense. I never messed too much with the search engines since my site isn't that usefull yet lol but yours is extremely useful. Is there a way to point to a file that would have key words so you didn't have to update every page? much like a css file. that would certainly make it easier on you with as many pages as you have.

melev · 04/02/2006, 12:32 AM

Probably if/when I redo my site it would. For now, I have a real project on my hands. Keywords really make a difference, but as you pointed out content is also being analysed and stored in search engine databases.

Electrobes · 04/02/2006, 07:29 AM

Thank you Marc! I tried looking around for desceiptions and pictures but I think you are on the money about the nerite. The other I am still trying to find only because the shell is more checkerboard than a cerinth snail. I thought I remembered that raised a flag but I can't remember why. I do feel somewhat secure in that I removed it and haven't seen any others in about 2 weeks.

Stile2 · 04/02/2006, 08:57 AM

Marc,

Here is a link to a Google page. It is a sitemap generator and it helps google crawl your site, so that google 'knows' your site better and provides better search results.

You may give that a try, way easier than keywords.

Keith

barleychown · 04/02/2006, 09:49 AM

Marc, just a few quick questions for you, or anyone really.

RE: Sundial snails. Do they get bigger than those pictured on your site, or could the ones I am seeing in my tank be another type entirely? They were spotted in a part of the tank far from any zoas.

RE: Pyrimid snails. Are they only white? After adding 125 new snials last night, I suddenly noticed several tiny cone-shaped snails, but only a few were solid white.

On another note, my gallon glass jars of phyto are doing awesome! Thank you so much of the idea.

Stile2 · 04/02/2006, 09:52 AM

here is a link to the google search for your page. Really easy to set up and its free. I know you already have a search on the hidden treasures page, but you might take a look.

link

Keith

agarza · 04/02/2006, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mmaise
Marc, I happened to be browsing your thread and Noticed that I can answer agarza's question, I hope you don't mind.
Agarza, on Ebay a seller's specifications says "Dimensions: 19" x 2" x 5", although those may not be exact.
Matt

Thank you very much Matt, Could you please post the link to the page where you found that info?

Mark could you please check if the 19"x2" info is the size of the face plate including the space where the screws go? Sorry to bother you with this, but it will help me a lot.

Thanks in advance.

rottface4 · 04/03/2006, 05:49 AM

Christian - I think you got the checkboard pattern idea from sundial snails. Marc's ID page But my questions is how do you tell the difference between sundial snails which are not reef safe and the Collonista amakusaensis which is reef-safe? Is it the way the shells are carried? It appears that sundial snails carry their shell with the spiral coming out horizontally, while the other has a vertical spiral more like an astrea.

kmacartney · 04/03/2006, 11:19 AM

I finally caught one of the reefcasts and I have to say that it was awesome. Thanks for the time and effort you put in. It was worth it!

melev · 04/04/2006, 11:51 PM

Keith, thanks for the Google suggestions. I'm awaiting verification before I can check it out further. The simple Google Search looks tempting and most people would recognize and use it I bet. I'll have to see if that is a good option.

Shawn - The Collonista you mentioned are rounded like a small bb (pellet), where the Sundial tend to be more like a flat disk. Here's a bunch more pictures of it: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...01#post5245201

barleychown - I've never had to deal with pyramid snails, so I can't help you on that one. I know they look like baby ceriths, and I've even found tiny ones in my tank, but Dr Ron told me they were the good ones. Scary!

kmacartney - Thanks. We hope each one will be better than the previous one. I'm really looking forward (or actually hearing) how the next one turns out.

agarza - I don't know what you are wanting measured, nor what we discussed. I've been offline for a few days.

agarza · 04/05/2006, 08:33 AM

Thanks Mark I was asking if you could please measure your American DJ's LxWxH as well as the dimensions of it's face-plate including the area where the screws for fixing it to the frame go.

mmaise posted they are 19"x2"x5", but might not be accurate cause got the dimensions from e-bay.

Thanks again in advance

melev · 04/05/2006, 10:53 AM

Okay, the front plate is 19" long, but the actual unit is 17" long. The unit is 1.75" tall, and it is 4" front to back, not including the rocker switches on the front. If you measure the unit from front to back, including the rocker switches and the plastic that protrudes from the back where the plugs go in, it is 4.5" wide.

chrisd4421 · 04/05/2006, 11:53 AM

Melev,
I was wondering if you would have any suggestions for a sump to go under a 92G corner tank?

Thanks
Chris

melev · 04/05/2006, 06:19 PM

Hi Chris. No, not really. Due to the shape, it is very hard to get anything underneath. I know kwl1763 made a two part sump, where the taller one was his refugium. It was difficult to work under the tank even to access the skimmer. If you think it plausible, you might consider the "side sump" listed on my site. The person made a matching stand next to the tank to hide the sump, and it opened both in the front as well as allowing the top to be flipped back to gain full access.

In other news...

Today I drove to the other end of the metroplex and beyond, and picked up two 150w Aqua Medic pendant fixtures from a club member that recently upgraded. So I can finally set a nice light fixture over the propagation section of my sump. I need to figure out how to use the wire hanging system and make sure I can get to the frags once that light is in place. The other fixture will probably be used in a future project or be kept as a backup.

Each pendant has a 14,000K XM DE bulb. One is 8 months used, the other 4 months used.

I noticed how two of the wire cable retaining pins are missing some ballbearings. If anyone knows what size I need to get, or a source for the ball bearings or perhaps the pins themselves, please let me know.

melev · 04/05/2006, 06:34 PM

I dosed a few vials of Prodibio seven days ago. The water is quite clear. The algae that grows on the glass was 'thin', enough of an eye sore that I used a cleaning magnet to scrub it off. It was a little harder to remove than usual, but I don't think I've cleaned the glass in a week.

Coral-wise, the livestock looks good and even areas that Tucker has chewed up are regrowing tissue. Some nuisance algae that was growing on one Scripps acro is now receeding, to maybe 25% of what it was. Other corals look good to me. The fish seem the same. No diatoms on the sand; it looks clean. The skimmer isn't pulling out as much skimmate as it has in the past.

No further dosing is required until a week from tomorrow according to my spreadsheet.

agarza · 04/05/2006, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
Okay, the front plate is 19" long, but the actual unit is 17" long. The unit is 1.75" tall, and it is 4" front to back, not including the rocker switches on the front. If you measure the unit from front to back, including the rocker switches and the plastic that protrudes from the back where the plugs go in, it is 4.5" wide.

Thank you very much, that's exactly what I needed.

Cheers!!

melev · 04/05/2006, 09:40 PM

For those of you that would like to see the nightly feeding, here is a 1 meg animated image. Click when ready.

http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/04/feeding.gif

And for those that would just like to see a full tank shot, here it is with the center 400w 20,000K MH bulb turned off. What you see is lit with two 160w actinic VHO and two 250w 10,000K ReefLux bulbs.

melev · 04/05/2006, 09:49 PM

Here is the new lighting setup I got. Due to their small size, I might even put both over the propagation section. I've not decided yet. So far, I'm really happy with what I purchased.

The fixture is around 9" long (by looking at this image).

It uses a Double Ended (DE) Metal Halide (MH) 150w bulb. This particular bulb is a 14,000K (Kelvin) spectrum bulb.

The ballast has a cooling fan just like a computer case uses, and the pendant cord plugs into it. The on/off switch is available, but typically it is set to on and the timer turns it on and off as needed.

A couple of small reflector fits slide in, to help keep the light directed into the tank and out of the eyes.

Here it is after it was burning for a few minutes, taken with flash. It was very bright.

And this is the part I need to fix. The one in the back is perfect, but the one in front is missing two ball bearings. If you know how to fix this, please let me know.

And one last image for tonight, at feeding time. You can see the three BTAs (Bubble Tip Anemone - for those of you learning acronyms in my thread) more readily.

04/01/2006, 01:10 PM	#101
rjwilson37 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: West Michigan Posts: 7,104	Marc, is this good growth in a month and a half, I am still new to acro's and the tank is just now over 6 months old and getting a bit more stable. Here is a month and a half ago. Here it is as of yesterday. __________________ Isn't life just wonderful. 29g Biocube Standard Pump Standard 72w PC Lighting Current Tank Info: 29g Biocube Reef Tank

04/01/2006, 01:32 PM	#102
Electrobes Montipora type guy Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Fort Myers, FL Posts: 2,945	Hey Marc I am wondering if you know what these snails are, I have no idea if they are parasitic or not. One of them (The slightly larger and not-rounded one) I have only seen once but the other (slightly smaller and rounded) I see a lot more of. They also seem to be breeding (Slightly smaller and rounded ones). Thanks! __________________ Christian Current Tank Info: 100G Half Cylinder

04/01/2006, 11:40 PM	#106
Spiffyguy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: St Charles, Mo Posts: 1,633	Marc do use quite a bit of meta tags? I just moved my ste as you know but I haven't put in any meta tags yet. I was under the impression that they are on the way out and google and the like use content now. __________________ Spiffyguy Ain't life spiffy!! Click the little red house to see my fish tank. "The cheese stands alone." Current Tank Info: 55 with in tank sump and TBS rock, Aquactinics TX5, Remora HOB oh my. 10 gallon AGA with custom overflow and Aquaclear HOB, Black sand rubble zone.

04/02/2006, 12:22 AM	#108
Spiffyguy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: St Charles, Mo Posts: 1,633	yeah that would make sense. I never messed too much with the search engines since my site isn't that usefull yet lol but yours is extremely useful. Is there a way to point to a file that would have key words so you didn't have to update every page? much like a css file. that would certainly make it easier on you with as many pages as you have. __________________ Spiffyguy Ain't life spiffy!! Click the little red house to see my fish tank. "The cheese stands alone." Current Tank Info: 55 with in tank sump and TBS rock, Aquactinics TX5, Remora HOB oh my. 10 gallon AGA with custom overflow and Aquaclear HOB, Black sand rubble zone.

04/02/2006, 07:29 AM	#110
Electrobes Montipora type guy Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Fort Myers, FL Posts: 2,945	Thank you Marc! I tried looking around for desceiptions and pictures but I think you are on the money about the nerite. The other I am still trying to find only because the shell is more checkerboard than a cerinth snail. I thought I remembered that raised a flag but I can't remember why. I do feel somewhat secure in that I removed it and haven't seen any others in about 2 weeks. __________________ Christian Current Tank Info: 100G Half Cylinder

04/01/2006, 02:17 PM	#104
Cprowler Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,758	Click on the pic in the middle at the top.

04/01/2006, 11:28 PM	#105
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	RJ - that's excellent growth. Keep up the good work. Christian - The smaller one looks like a nerite snail, which is fine. Of course, I'm just guessing looking at an empty shell, but it looks right to me. The other is similar to a Cerith snail. Neither would be of concern if I foudn them in my tank. 21reefman - if you do a Google search, selecting IMAGES, it does (or did) link it as the first picture. I need to add more meta tags to my site.

04/01/2006, 11:55 PM	#107
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Beats me. I've used meta tags for a while, and to be honest only some pages on my site have them included, but I'm pretty sure it would help. Like my ID page. I think each item should have a meta tag so they'd come up more readily, don't you think?

04/02/2006, 12:32 AM	#109
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Probably if/when I redo my site it would. For now, I have a real project on my hands. Keywords really make a difference, but as you pointed out content is also being analysed and stored in search engine databases.

04/02/2006, 08:57 AM	#111
Stile2 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Yucaipa, California (some little town you've never heard of) Posts: 1,624	Marc, Here is a link to a Google page. It is a sitemap generator and it helps google crawl your site, so that google 'knows' your site better and provides better search results. You may give that a try, way easier than keywords. Keith __________________ If you have a college degree, you can be sure of one thing. You have a college degree! Superman owns Chuck Norris Pajamas!! Current Tank Info: 77 Gallon Custom peninsula 3 sides viewable, DIY Steel Stand, OM Squirt, 2 x 250 w MH, 2 x 95 w VHO, DIY Skimmer

04/02/2006, 09:49 AM	#112
barleychown Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 53	Marc, just a few quick questions for you, or anyone really. RE: Sundial snails. Do they get bigger than those pictured on your site, or could the ones I am seeing in my tank be another type entirely? They were spotted in a part of the tank far from any zoas. RE: Pyrimid snails. Are they only white? After adding 125 new snials last night, I suddenly noticed several tiny cone-shaped snails, but only a few were solid white. On another note, my gallon glass jars of phyto are doing awesome! Thank you so much of the idea.

04/02/2006, 09:52 AM	#113
Stile2 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Yucaipa, California (some little town you've never heard of) Posts: 1,624	here is a link to the google search for your page. Really easy to set up and its free. I know you already have a search on the hidden treasures page, but you might take a look. link Keith __________________ If you have a college degree, you can be sure of one thing. You have a college degree! Superman owns Chuck Norris Pajamas!! Current Tank Info: 77 Gallon Custom peninsula 3 sides viewable, DIY Steel Stand, OM Squirt, 2 x 250 w MH, 2 x 95 w VHO, DIY Skimmer

04/03/2006, 05:49 AM	#115
rottface4 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: West Melbourne, Fl Posts: 192	Christian - I think you got the checkboard pattern idea from sundial snails. Marc's ID page But my questions is how do you tell the difference between sundial snails which are not reef safe and the Collonista amakusaensis which is reef-safe? Is it the way the shells are carried? It appears that sundial snails carry their shell with the spiral coming out horizontally, while the other has a vertical spiral more like an astrea. __________________ -Shawn- Current Tank Info: 45 g (30"x24"x15"), 250 w 12k reeflux in a lumenarc, 2 6025 streams, etc

04/03/2006, 11:19 AM	#116
kmacartney Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Athens, OH Posts: 1,444	I finally caught one of the reefcasts and I have to say that it was awesome. Thanks for the time and effort you put in. It was worth it! __________________ <--That's my boy! To see my tank, click the...Oh wait! Where did it go? Current Tank Info: 75 gallon display, 20 gallon sump/refugium, 6X54W T5, ASM G2, Mag 9.5 return, 2X Gulf Stream II Maxi-Jet Mods

04/04/2006, 11:51 PM	#117
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Keith, thanks for the Google suggestions. I'm awaiting verification before I can check it out further. The simple Google Search looks tempting and most people would recognize and use it I bet. I'll have to see if that is a good option. Shawn - The Collonista you mentioned are rounded like a small bb (pellet), where the Sundial tend to be more like a flat disk. Here's a bunch more pictures of it: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...01#post5245201 barleychown - I've never had to deal with pyramid snails, so I can't help you on that one. I know they look like baby ceriths, and I've even found tiny ones in my tank, but Dr Ron told me they were the good ones. Scary! kmacartney - Thanks. We hope each one will be better than the previous one. I'm really looking forward (or actually hearing) how the next one turns out. agarza - I don't know what you are wanting measured, nor what we discussed. I've been offline for a few days.

04/05/2006, 08:33 AM	#118
agarza Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Monterrey, Mexico Posts: 323	Thanks Mark I was asking if you could please measure your American DJ's LxWxH as well as the dimensions of it's face-plate including the area where the screws for fixing it to the frame go. mmaise posted they are 19"x2"x5", but might not be accurate cause got the dimensions from e-bay. Thanks again in advance __________________ Alfonso Garza "Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight." -- Phyllis Diller Current Tank Info: 135 galon reef system, EuroReef RS-180, Mag 12, Seios 1500, MH 250-14k Hamilton, Actinic VHO URI, 1/3 HP Chiller.

04/05/2006, 10:53 AM	#119
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Okay, the front plate is 19" long, but the actual unit is 17" long. The unit is 1.75" tall, and it is 4" front to back, not including the rocker switches on the front. If you measure the unit from front to back, including the rocker switches and the plastic that protrudes from the back where the plugs go in, it is 4.5" wide.

04/05/2006, 11:53 AM	#120
chrisd4421 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Plainfield, NJ Posts: 290	Melev, I was wondering if you would have any suggestions for a sump to go under a 92G corner tank? Thanks Chris __________________ "Discontent is the first necessity of progress" ~T.A. Edison

04/05/2006, 06:19 PM	#121
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Hi Chris. No, not really. Due to the shape, it is very hard to get anything underneath. I know kwl1763 made a two part sump, where the taller one was his refugium. It was difficult to work under the tank even to access the skimmer. If you think it plausible, you might consider the "side sump" listed on my site. The person made a matching stand next to the tank to hide the sump, and it opened both in the front as well as allowing the top to be flipped back to gain full access. In other news... Today I drove to the other end of the metroplex and beyond, and picked up two 150w Aqua Medic pendant fixtures from a club member that recently upgraded. So I can finally set a nice light fixture over the propagation section of my sump. I need to figure out how to use the wire hanging system and make sure I can get to the frags once that light is in place. The other fixture will probably be used in a future project or be kept as a backup. Each pendant has a 14,000K XM DE bulb. One is 8 months used, the other 4 months used. I noticed how two of the wire cable retaining pins are missing some ballbearings. If anyone knows what size I need to get, or a source for the ball bearings or perhaps the pins themselves, please let me know. Last edited by melev; 04/05/2006 at 06:40 PM.

04/05/2006, 06:34 PM	#122
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Observation - Day 7 I dosed a few vials of Prodibio seven days ago. The water is quite clear. The algae that grows on the glass was 'thin', enough of an eye sore that I used a cleaning magnet to scrub it off. It was a little harder to remove than usual, but I don't think I've cleaned the glass in a week. Coral-wise, the livestock looks good and even areas that Tucker has chewed up are regrowing tissue. Some nuisance algae that was growing on one Scripps acro is now receeding, to maybe 25% of what it was. Other corals look good to me. The fish seem the same. No diatoms on the sand; it looks clean. The skimmer isn't pulling out as much skimmate as it has in the past. No further dosing is required until a week from tomorrow according to my spreadsheet.

04/05/2006, 09:40 PM	#124
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	For those of you that would like to see the nightly feeding, here is a 1 meg animated image. Click when ready. http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/04/feeding.gif And for those that would just like to see a full tank shot, here it is with the center 400w 20,000K MH bulb turned off. What you see is lit with two 160w actinic VHO and two 250w 10,000K ReefLux bulbs.

04/05/2006, 09:49 PM	#125
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Here is the new lighting setup I got. Due to their small size, I might even put both over the propagation section. I've not decided yet. So far, I'm really happy with what I purchased. The fixture is around 9" long (by looking at this image). It uses a Double Ended (DE) Metal Halide (MH) 150w bulb. This particular bulb is a 14,000K (Kelvin) spectrum bulb. The ballast has a cooling fan just like a computer case uses, and the pendant cord plugs into it. The on/off switch is available, but typically it is set to on and the timer turns it on and off as needed. A couple of small reflector fits slide in, to help keep the light directed into the tank and out of the eyes. Here it is after it was burning for a few minutes, taken with flash. It was very bright. And this is the part I need to fix. The one in the back is perfect, but the one in front is missing two ball bearings. If you know how to fix this, please let me know. And one last image for tonight, at feeding time. You can see the three BTAs (Bubble Tip Anemone - for those of you learning acronyms in my thread) more readily.