Christmas Pilgramidge

Wy Renegade · Dec 14, 2009

Anybody interested in doing another tank pilgramidge over the holidays? Its been almost a year since the last one (March of '09), so it would be nice to get around and see how everybodies tanks are doing. If you folks are interested email or post here and we'll try and come up with a time that fits everybodies schedules.

str8salt · Dec 18, 2009

Im in. Its been awhile and tanks have changed. sounds fun to me.

bamachamp92 · Dec 18, 2009

You're welcome to stop by my house, I have a large sps dominated aquarium just a little southeast of you.

Wy Renegade · Dec 18, 2009

bamachamp92 said:
You're welcome to stop by my house, I have a large sps dominated aquarium just a little southeast of you.

Cool - you come on over and show us where to go, and we'll come check it out - the more the merrier.

Natclanwy · Dec 19, 2009

I might be game depending on the day, I'll be in Gillette over Christmas but I should be home for New Years. Maybe this will give me the motivation to get my aquascaping done.

str8salt · Dec 19, 2009

If yoe biuld it they will come. lol.

str8salt · Dec 19, 2009

If you build it they will come. I wonder if I can still spell.? lol

Trandall · Dec 19, 2009

Just pick a date that's best for most and I will def. try to be there this time. Missed the last one and don't want to miss another.

Wy Renegade · Dec 20, 2009

I'm off from yesterday through the 4th of January, but will probably be out of town the 2nd and 3rd. Anybody interested in trying for the 27th of December or should we wait till later in January?

Trandall · Dec 20, 2009

Either way works for me so whatever works best for the most people would be fine.
AND.... since you have so much time off from work, you can come over and clean up my tanks and make them presentable so I'm not embarrassed for others to see them! LOL! ;0)

Natclanwy · Dec 20, 2009

Okay I'm on my second stacking of rock and I still can't figure out how I had this much rock in a 55g and had any room to stick my hand in the tank or for fish to swim for that matter. I thought I was going to have more room in a 75g. It doesn't help that every time I pick up a rock my tank clouds over, I forgot how miserable it is to do aquascaping with my sand it took me two years to get my aquascaping the way I wanted in my 55g and now trying to aquascape around several large coral colonies really sucks. I suppose its time to get back to work and maybe by the time we do the pilgramage I'll be somewhat happy with the rockwork.

Wy Renegade · Dec 20, 2009

Trandall said:
Either way works for me so whatever works best for the most people would be fine.
AND.... since you have so much time off from work, you can come over and clean up my tanks and make them presentable so I'm not embarrassed for others to see them! LOL! ;0)

Hhhhmmm . . . said I was off from work, but I don't know about time LOL!

Natclanwy said:
Okay I'm on my second stacking of rock and I still can't figure out how I had this much rock in a 55g and had any room to stick my hand in the tank or for fish to swim for that matter. I thought I was going to have more room in a 75g. It doesn't help that every time I pick up a rock my tank clouds over, I forgot how miserable it is to do aquascaping with my sand it took me two years to get my aquascaping the way I wanted in my 55g and now trying to aquascape around several large coral colonies really sucks. I suppose its time to get back to work and maybe by the time we do the pilgramage I'll be somewhat happy with the rockwork.

Good luck with that - did you get your api problem taken care of? Gotta get the recipe from you for more kalk paste - I'm about out again.

Natclanwy · Dec 20, 2009

I have gotten it under control but I still have plenty to kill, my focus has been on the GSP though. GSP may actually be tougher to kill than aiptasia.

Recipe is easy mix 1 part lime to 2 parts boiling saltwater. Can't remember if I told you or not but I found a source for bulk lime that is almost as cheap as dirt. Shiptons has a 50lb bag for about $12, that should be enough to last the average reefer for several years. I bought a bag to cover up a deer carcass at the old house (long story) and I still I have two 2.5 gallon pails of lime left so if you need some let me know.

Wy Renegade · Dec 21, 2009

Natclanwy said:
I have gotten it under control but I still have plenty to kill, my focus has been on the GSP though. GSP may actually be tougher to kill than aiptasia.

Recipe is easy mix 1 part lime to 2 parts boiling saltwater. Can't remember if I told you or not but I found a source for bulk lime that is almost as cheap as dirt. Shiptons has a 50lb bag for about $12, that should be enough to last the average reefer for several years. I bought a bag to cover up a deer carcass at the old house (long story) and I still I have two 2.5 gallon pails of lime left so if you need some let me know.

Wow - sounds good. I'll be happy to take some of that off your hands if you're willing to part with it. Let me know what you want for it. I'll have to check and see if Shiptons has any more bags. If/when I get the tanks in school in good enough shape to dose, I'll probably be going through it faster than most of you - except maybe Dennis. Speaking of, you got any free time in the next few weeks? I'd like to get you and Dennis together and do a formal plan with prices on the multiple tank build for the school. LMK

Natclanwy · Dec 21, 2009

I don't need anything for the lime just let me know what day you want to meet up and I'll bring you some or if I'm able to make the pilgramage I can get it to you then.

As far as time if you pick a day I will plan for it and schedule around it otherwise I'll never have time. My new job has definetly challenged my ability to juggle multiple projects at the same time, fits well with my ADD though.

Trandall · Dec 21, 2009

So john.... since I will be doing a re-scape of the LR in my big tank soon, what have you found to be the best/easiest way to do it? do you actually remove the rock from your tank and then start the re-build one piece at a time? Or... just move the rock to one side and start re-building.
If you take the rock out of the tank, do you just put it in a rubbermaid container with SW? how long can it safely remain before it starts to degrade or the critters start to die off?

I *still* need to get the Mantis out of my 67g. I've come to the conclusion that the only way to get rid of this particularily intelligent little bugger is to remove all the rock and put each piece in a separate bucket and wait and watch. I've tried every trap concievable and he won't fall for it. all I catch is stupid snails and crabs.

Natclanwy · Dec 21, 2009

Its easiest to take all of the rock out of the tank so you can see what you have to work with, plus you can play with the rocks outside of your tank then reassemble inside the tank. Whether you use buckets or not depends on the length of time it will take you to redo your rock work. Your corals and such can survive out of the water for a few hours, but I would say that if its going to be longer than couple of hours I would place them in a bucket until you are ready to work with them. That being said there are certain critters don't do well if exposed to air particularly large sponges, some sea stars, and I have read that some gorgonians don't do well either but I'm not sure on that one.

Did you try the fridmani psuedochromi? Mine is a peppermint shrimp killing machine and mantis are supposed to be part of their natural diet.

Trandall · Dec 21, 2009

I got a Fridmani for that very purpose but he doesn't touch the mantis. He's also < the Fridmani> a scaredy cat! LOL! Hides all the time. My 6-line wrasse chases him under a rock everytime he comes out at all. Maybe I got a defective one. ;0)

Natclanwy · Dec 21, 2009

Mine is pretty skittish as well, rarely saw him for the first few months I had it which is one of the reasons I never suspected him as my shrimp killer. Could be that the mantis is too big too or maybe there is plenty of easier to obtain food so it doesn't feel the need to hunt.