pledosophy

IME more flow through refugiums is better. There was a rule of thumb awhile back that your refugium should run your tank volume 3-5x though it per hour, some people were up to ten. That wasn't meant to dictate the overall current of the refugium though. Many people myself included find benefit to adding powerheads into the refugium. IME adding more flow will help things not to settle and seems to make certain algaes like chaetomorpha and ochotodes grow a lot faster. I have a 25g refugium on my 34g system, it's cool, the 34g is my planted tank so there is a lot of algae. IME there seems to really be a difference in the growth rate of LPS as well. All of those pods releasing there eggs and fry are a good food source for the system. It's like having a constant supply of food instead of being fed a couple times a day. In the ocean these corals have a ridiculous supply of food going over them. JMO Just wait until that 55g fills up, you'll be able to feed your 29g anything.

Can you post pictures of your plumbing design. The rumor is seahorses need low flow tanks, my experience differs, I have run tanks up to 50x turnover and the horses were fine. They do need the flow broken up where it is not a jet stream style and it is effeicent at keeping build up out of the rocks IME. Seahorses are messy but if you get the flow right you can eliminate the hair algae thing that so many seahorse keepers go through. Rock and aquascaping wise, look for things that are branchy, seahorses will move around more if there next hitch is in site, I try to have a branch or hitch every couple of inches JME

Taxifloria, it is one of the most invasive species int he world. It is outlawed in most states (not Oregon) and many countries. The one on the right corner is prolifera, which is also illegal many places. It was thought that hobbyists released this algae into the ocean and it's widespread growth caused major havok with the ecosystem and also with commercial applications like shipping. Cost a few billion dollars around the world so far. They now think that it's spread could have been natural, we'll never really know. It would definetly make the women swoon.

I've never grown macro algae for that purpose, so I don't really know. My Kole does not eat any of the macros besides the halymenia I have offered, the halymenia grows to slow and is to expensive for this purpose IMO.

If you have questions about seahorses you should ask me. I've been keeping them for about 9 years, have tried many different setups. We kinda helped pushed the bar past live foods and 3x turnover from when I started. I have also bred many species. I'm sure I can help you.

I have never gotten one to work long term so I have taen to drilling the rock and using plastic rods (plastic hangars) to keep the rocks in place. JME

Thanks to everyone for coming out. Definetly a fun time.

Sean is just to popular now.

Try covering the area where it is growing with something to block the light. Trash bags can work well. You could also sump those rocks if there is no light on your sump. If your keeping a reef tank it might not be a good idea to include it in your display, if you want to go a planted route, it's a good means of nutrient control IME. HTH

My bad I didn't send you a reminder because you live so far away. I'm sorry, completely my fault. This is not a meeting, it's just some local guys meeting up, talking shop, and having some fun. I'll try harder to get you next time.

Apparently my sarcasim wasn't think enough, or my post wasn't clear enough, the pictures I posted above where greatly altered to help prove a point. It was fun in the begininng to know what you were getting like Jason stated, but I agree anymore the name doesn't mean anything. IF I know it is a real Tyree I do expect something above ordinary, but IMO people use his name to often to describe look a likes. There are look alikes for many of his corals being sold at high dollars but when held next to the real thing don't quite compare. For example I purchased a fake tyree green leather, whose polyps came out about 1/2". Later I purchased a real Tyree leather from Jason coincidently whose polyps extract over 2" and that grows crazy fast. There is definetly a difference IMO. JMO Sorry I confused people with the fake coral pictures, jsut goes to show how easy that is to do. Here are some pics a little closer to what those really look like. For the record Frenzel is my last name.

The smallest seahorse available that does not require daily hatching of live food would be a fuscus. You might be able to do a pair in a 15g, but it would limit your other stocking choices. For a tank of that size it would really have to lean towards a planted tank, or have a super sump with filtration as a pair of fuscus need about two cubes of mysis a day, which is heavy on the biolaod side. The best place to purchase these would be from Seahorsesource.com so you know what you are getting. I have never seen this species carried at an LFS in Oregon in my recolection, although Joel did try to order some for me once from ORA before seahorse source started there program. If you need any help with seahorses, I'm always up for it. You can PM me here or email me at Kevin@seahorse.org. For some further reading about seahorse tank inhabitants here is something a friend and I put together http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/tankmates/tankmates.shtml HTH

And if I could only photoshop corals like those guys I could call the Frenzel LE corals. . . Who wants this one? Thisone I'll let go for only a grand! A Frenzel LE Saturns Ring Dust Ricordia is a steal at $750 My point is many of those images, inclunding the ones above have been altered in or out of camera for contrast and color saturation. If you like a coral and you want it you will pay for it depending on how much you want it. I have a Tyree Long polyp green leather that used to go for $125 for a piece the size of your pinky nail, now that same piece is about $25 and I have quite a few small ones no one wants to buy, so what is it really worth. If you like it get it, if your caught up on the name, I really do have some nice Frenzel LE corals for sale, they have lost a bit of color but I'm sure they'll do better in your tank, or if I ship them then maybe something is wrong with your system because they looked just like that in my tanks. Either way you could be the first person in Oregon to purchase a Frenzel Le. JMO,

Yes, I currently keep caulerpa in my display, 3 varieties. I also keep a psuedo variety of red grape, although it is not really a caulerpra. There are ways to keep all of it from going sexual at once, the easiest is to clip the runners every couple of inches. If a segment goes sexual, you will just loose a segment. I also keep halmedia, sargasum, red kelp, halymenai, codium, and ochotodes, all of which are macro algaes. Pics worth a 1000 words right? What the tank looks like now A few months back before all the growth (june) Oct of 08 Just to show it's been around a bit. There are many keepers that go towards the planted marine tanks, just not to many. If you have any questions on macro, I can probably help you, or point you at someone who can. HTH

I have talked to a few people who are coming? Anyone else planning on showing up? If we are going to be a lot of people again we should warn the bar.

You might have some aggression/territory issues mixing two blennies in the same tank. IME they do not do well with conspecifics in smaller systems like your 72g. For tanks I would go with any of the bristle tooths like a kole or a tomini. JMO

I am always up to help out the classrooms in way of tank maintence, setup, advice or donating stock in the Portland area. Just let me know what you need.

Pics? Just curious as to the model and switch length, until upgrade the sump, I'm low on room in there.

If I grow out the frags well I am all up for swapping them around, my track record is kinda iffy with SPS, so I don't want you to plan to much for that. I have done well for the last 6 months, but that doesn't make up for the last 8 years. I'm all up for sharing, don't get me wrong, just want to be upfront. I think there are pictures of me on some reef somewhere with a "Most Wanted SPS Killer" headline. Look forward to the PM.

Oh, invite your friends, we don't always get a personal invite to everyone, so pass the word along!

Your not an idiot, your just tired. I wouldn't ahve a clue how to do what you do for this site. Thanks.

I'm in for Acro D. Are the frags $37.50 a piece or something else? I'll come up there to pick up too, depending on shipping I might not be able to pick up until after the 24th, we're going on a trip. If you we are just splitting between the two of us, acro B would be my second choice. Let me know what's up. You want me to paypal it to you now?

We're doing it again. These events are all about fun, so come out and have some fun! I think the coffee sucks, but the beer is good! So are the Scooby Snacks (mini breaded corn dogs).