i will copy all of my log entries here if however you wish to see the entire threads and or conversations around this tank please visit

my thread here at TFK

my thread at NR

or

at BRS.org

log will get posted later as i am at work and do not have the time just now ...

Very interesting read, Bear. Some of the terms are a little unclear (eg what's a 30 breeder? ...er how many feet is that? ), but generally a good record and seems like your tank is coming on very well.

I know how I felt when my gold fish all died for not apparent reason...the 'crashing' of a whole marine tank must be devastating, apart from the time and cost invested.

Heaps of good luck with this new one... looks like you wont need it as you are taking your time and checking each step.

thank you sir!!

as for terms if you are unsure please ask i will be all to happy to share...

a 30 breeder is a tank that holds 30 gallons of water when empty the dimensions are 36 inches from right to left 18 inches from front to back and 12 inches from top to bottom.. a standard 30 gallon tank is 36 x 12 x 18.. i like to size of a 30 breeder for its depth which creates more opportunity to have the lay out look better and also permits livestock that may need more side to side space (fish need to turn around or corals that grow wide rather than tall)..

as for the tank that crashed yes it really reallllllly sucked... i had worked really hard on that tank and while a lot of the mistakes were my own it still hurt to fail... this tank is working out quite well at this time and moving slow seems to be keeping things on track for success..

this Friday i am getting a pair of Clarkie clown fish and i am very excited... in a few more weeks i hope to get a few more corals and then its just watching everything grow and continuing to watch for new life and interesting behaviors..

so here is a really nice update....
i have the new pumps in they are 1300GPH each and create a great amount of flow...




i have built the fixture so i can move the lights easier when needed



the refugium is built




and set up , running for 2 days now






all i need to do is take it off line and paint it this week end (i wanted to run it first to be sure it worked the way i wanted it too)
Friday i am getting a pair of Clarkies for this tank and in time a few more corals ... i think i am just about done !!! so very excited

exactly!!! at this time no for a number of reasons.. tank raised ones do not require it so i can wait and my tank needs a few months more to mature before it can support an anemone (they are far more delicate than you wold imagine)

It says in the article that they may adopt another invertebrate as a host; I know what invertebrates are but, what do they mean? Something like a snail or crab?

they could host another type of coral (invertebrate) like a mushroom, zoanathid, palythoa, toad stool, Frog spawn, hammer, or a number of others... in some tanks i have seen they hosted pumps or even a certain rock..

I see...almost anything that does not move!

yeah that is generally true.. as of today they have 19 more corals to chose from!!! pix to come when they settle in and open.... all baby's right now but they will grow...

The pair of clarkies are here as of last night....



tonight i got a great surprise and have a LOT of new frags in my tank.. pix will come once everyone is open and the lights are back on...

Are they male and female...and how can one tell?

Frags?

they are both male at this moment.... one will become dominant and grow larger this will become the female... clowns are born able to be either sex..

frags = a fragment of a larger colony of corals.. you buy them small and the are 1 cheaper 2 you get to see them grow and spread... the best of this deal is they were free!!! i have palythoas, zoanathids, green star polyp, and few toad stools ...

I see, like Barramundi and dinosaurs in Jurassic Park!



I have a few frags in my stamp collection...but they don't grow!

i wish they would in mine as well mister!!