Are you ready for questions
Yeppers... fire away
What types of macro algae are you
using, and how do you control takeover?
I basically use any kind that I can find. Takeover is prevented by monthly harvests.� I get in and just rip it out.
What kind of demand does all this
equipment have on the electrical wiring in the apartment?
Good question. Because the apt is wired with 15 amp breakers, I have tapped out 3
breakers we have to watch what devices (such as the vacuum sweeper, blenders,
hair dryers) get plugged in where. It
took some experimentation to find what was going to do what the electric bill
is about $30 extra to run all this stuff.
Have you done a cost analysis on coral
revenue as against the power bill?
I think that's about one night where we stay home
a month, and neither of us mind that.�
I�m starting to work on that we're trying to recoup things such as RO
filter replacements and lamps electricity will be next. Well, you're not
going to get rich at this
Typically frozen brine is considered to
be very low in nutrition (for fish). Is the brine just a source of nutrients,
and would there be any advantage to feeding varied or more nutritious foods
despite the intended lack of fish in the systems?
The initial investment will never be recouped but
it was nice to get a bunch of stuff today as byproduct from farming.
� Yes, I�m only using it as a nutrient source
for the entire ecosystem."mso-spacerun: yes">� I do dump in
things like formula now and then, but the brine seems to be doing the trick
A couple of question for Todd: what
lighting does the 125 gallon use also what does he use for water circulation?
Ah I think I left that out.. sorry.
� The 125 has 2 400 watt Iwasaki and 1 250
watt Iwasaki. Dual 6' VHO�s are used
for fluorescence and warming up "the boys" in the morning and
evening.� I have a SEN 700 for a return,
a 2100 blowing across the top of the reef, and a maxi 1200 recirculating the
Heavy feeding, how often do you do that
'heavy' feeding in your tank?
The big feedings have gone to twice a week now that
I�m feeding daily.� I used to do it 3
times a week minimum. Daily feeding is
probably about an ounce per day
Do you have any problems mixing SPS and
Soft Coral together in the 125.� And do
the brain corals cause many problems due to large sweepers?
The soft coral present no problem, however, as I
mentioned I would never put a new cut in the system. I move it to the
multi sweepers are always a definite problem and that is why I set up
the multi system trying to
accomplish all these coral types in one system is just asking for
Can you explain the reasoning behind
returning the skimmate back into the system?
I was finding that I wasn't keeping enough
nutrients in the system.� The algae
absorb the nutrients so quickly, that I would have to feed new food.
� I don't think I want a $20 a week brine
shrimp habit, so I dump the skimmate back in it's the equivalent of running a
skimmerless system with the added benefit of pulling outside air in via the venturi
What are the variety of common problems
that disappeared when adding a calcium reactor?
Mainly trouble with red cyano algae, and what I
think is a byproduct of that.. flatworms.
I find at an elevated alkalinity (11-13 dkh) the populations are
Your method of attaching the colt frag
is interesting. So you just pierce the frag and shove the toothpick in a
hole?� My experience would have my frag
slide off the toothpick and blow around.
I lose half my colt frags and I've tried both toothpicks and rubber
Yes, I just cram it in... I wonder how big the
cuttings are that you're taking? Perhaps there isn't enough tissue?
I think we will have to leave that to
Hmmm I�ve only ever lost cutting with
What are the benefits of using the "rose pick" to hold cuttings?
Mainly convenience... a lot of times a smallish
acro frag can get lost in the fray as well, a nice base forms to glue or epoxy
onto the rock. Give it a shot, I think
you'll like it.
When do u pull the toothpick out? (for
Most of the time, I don't pull them out, the coral
will just grow over it.� However with
some sinularia like coral, it makes more sense to get it out after the cutting
has completely attached. If it is giving resistance though, I�d just let it
grow over it
Can you explain more about the multi
stand I'm a little confused?
What part of the stand? I know those pics are
Well, I guess the questioner has left.
Perhaps how it was constructed?
We kind of played that one by ear I�ll try to get
the dimensions and everything... like a real building plan in the next week
think that would help?
We had multiple questions about the
OK why I don't do that... it's not like I�m hard
to find most evenings
Well folks, that is all the questions
we have for Todd. Well, that is it for
the questions and the formal part of the meeting. Thank you very much Todd for
taking the time out to talk to us tonight. Great talk!!!
Thanks all for joining