madmac

ARe you referring to a hang-on-back(HOB) skimmer or an out-sump skimmer. For HOB skimmers, AquaC's Remora Pro comes to mind, and even a Deltec MCE 600... but they are not under $100. You could consider the Weipro series of skimmers, they'll fall within your budget. For out-sump skimmers, I think most skimmers can be applied out of sump as they are leak-proof, the question is more about a reliable external powerhead/pump.

They are use for essentially two things: • Creating a zone for aerobic bacteria to colonise, to reduce your toxic NH4 and NO2 to a less NO3(nitrates) • They act as a mechanical filter, cleaning your water from particulate matter. Those should be treated like all mechanical filter materials for best results–They require regular periodic cleaning. The word "nitrate factory" is often a misnomer applied unfairly to coral chips. Where the real issue is actually the husbandry of the reefkeeper. A value of 100 PPM NO3 tells that your tank is very dirty and nothing else. The concept is better understood as a debt. If you think of your NO3 as a tank debt, then asking everyone, "Hey, I owe $100. How can I reduce this $100?" If you can understand the question, you'll be closer to a finding the right solution to NO3 problems.

No firewall, no cookies disabled.. still happens. Its is a recent occurrence for me, since about 10 days ago. I've tried flushing my cache, using opera n firefox, and its still persistent. I sometimes have to move new PMs to the 'sent' folder before I can read them... lots of quirkiness... could it be something you did to the forum settings

Can post a tank pic?. Do you have a sump running? Thats quite a lot of nice fish you have and yes 3 weeks is a long time to leave things all automated. It takes one fish to die in your absence and it could avalanche...

Is it jus me who's been having this login trouble? Real odd, like I know I'm logged in to the forum, but on my post/add topic/reply sets me to a page login page? And I can't seem to read my PM with ease... Anyone else have this trouble? It started about a week ago... same with my work computer(using a mac there as well)... the problem appears to be browser independent.

Sorry friend, I'm no expert. You best bet in finding an answer is in the LPS section

Thnx everyone. I'd like to close this thread, baring anything unforseeable.

Chrisz, There is a xenia there, a encrusting (accidently left for too long on the floor bed) and some green humilis frags on blue caps(trying to rescue them, they're gone now) ... And thank you, I hope you'd like my sandbed.

I can't get the birdnest closeup... I had to crop it quite a few time as it can't balanced and is often toppled by snails. It a very dense piece, its growth tips is whitish , the under side vibrant baby pink, small purple polyps.. it is larger than an open man's palm. This is the close up of the baige acro. I like its shape very much... the bluish buds reminds me a lighted christmas tree. The No. 3 is green, left most piece touching the left end glass wall is, with bluish white growth tips. It is the mother of this piece in the centre, shown here : BTW, for those who have PMed me, I need a courtesy reply to confirm if you'll like it. I'm letting it go on a first PM, first confirm, first go basis... thnx

PM you.

Hv to put up the following for sale as I'm in need of space. 1. pink birdnest, palm size... located at the top centre of the pic 2. beige acro colony, pink polyps, blue tips, ... located above the giant sun coral 3. Green acro colony, at the extreme left side on the pic 4. Teal polyp-ed millie, blue/purple growth tips. (partially shown above the pink stylo) Priced: 1. $50 2. $40 3. $25 4. $25 Thnx

how much water is that?

Read this article. It covers the case for ur senario, i.e. zone 1. The advise there is to do nothing. Which is quite sensible. If you allow for some evaporation to take place, ur SG will go up too. 1.019 is quite low, try to target for Natural Sea levels of 1.26. Solving alk and Ca problems.

Wow. Thats high. You'll want to keep your pH low in the meantime. Whats ur SG at?

Jervis, All algae leak. If you do a search on google on 'algae leak' and you can find out what they leak. Besides that, they also trap detritus and cause them to decompose, releasing nutrients, fueling their own needs to grow further....+ a whole lot more reasons too long to explain.... in short, they're are not good. Not for a reef-tank with corals, esp sensitive corals.

How bad is it? Some ppl don't mind some algae, some do.. depends on your liking. Depending on what you keep too, if FO algae is ok, if not then not so good. If you don't like it, you could 'cook' your rocks... do a search on rock cooking in RC.

u say only...

Hmmm interesting... so what happens each day at around 9:00 am? does the lights come on? Its seems pretty stable for the most part of the nite... so it could be something you do... any auto dosing pumps... What about the redox chart? showing the same occurrence?

hey thats good to know. in no time, you'll be back where you left off. replacement seawater comes from Iwarna. I have a ro/di unit... abit underutilise, producing about 1l/day for the the additives solution.

you answer for him lah... think he in a state of shock now.

lyz77, I was looking at the charts. Its pretty cool stuff you got there. Are the pics there like auto exported to a computer or did you take a shot from the camera.? I was wondering on the Redox chart, why there was the cliff drop there at somewhere after 6:00 am? and the subsequent recovery after. Can you print out for us a conductivity chart too? Is the time sync to our time and does Aquatronica allow calibration of the probes or are they pre-calibrated non-calibarted probes? Thnx

hammy, I can relate to that... they are doing their best to get everyone to play it safe... and you are right . It is always best practice to play safe, by dosing one, one day after the other.

Hi Ian, thnx. I use to pour them in the sump and go away, but I'm now dripping them. I've not noticed any detriment to the corals either way. Not water changes, but sometimes when I feel like it needs done, then syphoning of detritus in the dead spots of the tank, about a 2l each time. This can go for twice a week sometimes. The water is thrown out. How's your tank getting on?

Thnx Limpc, I use Magnesium Chloride once every two weeks. I dose baking soda(from the market) and Calcium chloride(Aquaz sell them), as IanToh correctly stated above. I test for Mg, Ca and dKH. The results ranges btw, forr Ca 330 to 460, dKH btw 7 - 9, Mg from 1080 to 1250. I don't do other test. Lately, because of Tin's corals in my tank, testing on the above is done once every week but before its once every month at month-end. I skim very wet, can easily lose 25l of water per week from skimming alone. There is an auto topup (triggered on by a float switch in the sump) thatt tops up NSW(buys from Iwarna) to replace the loss water from skimming. I lose about 1l of water from evaporation each day, and I replace the loss water by dissolving the additives in water and drip them using an old-seachem 1l container. Not using kalk anymore. Thats all thats used. All the best in your SPS endeavours. I hope you'll jump in soon, always good to have company.

Thnx Chris. How are you going, man.? And how's Jessie doing?