Reefcast.com is online!

[Marc]

Fellow reefkeepers, perhaps you've been to my website in the past. Well, I wanted to take it to another level with the podcast technology we have today. So I got some help from another DFWMAS member, and we are going to do 'reefcasts' once a week. Simply, it is a pre-recorded internet radio show about the hobby. We are keeping it fun & entertaining, and hopefully informative as well.

The first episode is available for download. It is an .mp3 file, just like music files you listen to on your computer or mp3 player. We recommend you download it as a file to your computer (Right Click, Save As) rather than streaming it. That way you can rewind or listen to it again later if you missed a portion. The first episode is 37 minutes long (33 meg download).

www.reefcast.com

We plan to do interviews, product reviews, cover topic after topic about the hobby, and more. Perhaps even podcasts from MACNA this year, to give people a small update of what happened that day for those that couldn't attend. Or maybe just let you hear what reefers sound like at the bar each night. :lol If you email us your question, it may get used "on the air".

Our desire with reefcast is to give you a little more information. We already read books and use the net to read all we can. Now you can listen, and more readily tell when something stated was meant humorously or not. That's gotta help, right? :)

So check out the site an the first podcast, and let us know what you think. Even if you think we should cease and desist immediately. ^_^

I'll leave you with some eye candy. :)

http://melevsreef.com/pics/06/01/suncoral_polyp.jpg

[GaryP]

IUf you have never been to Marc's website I encourage you to do so. Its very informative and educational. Looking at his tank is just a bonus.

[Marc]

Thanks Gary. :)

[Marc]

The next edition of reefcast is online for your downloading pleasure.

And here's a picture of my branching hammer coral.
http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/06/01/td_hammer.jpg

[lhoy]

Marc's website is one of the best of all personal reef websites. I learned a lot from it and as a result, am taking my time setting up my large tanks.

Lee

[Isis]

The podcasts were great!

[Marc]

Kim, we need to figure out how to skype so we can talk about MACNA in a future episode.

[gjuarez]

listening to it now, good info on phosphates. DO you have any experience with the Deltec Test kit which tests for metaphosphates?

[gjuarez]

Marc, just one quick question. You mention that you use the carib sea product for phosphate control. You also mention that it could kill yellow tangs and that the alkalinity must be elevated a couple of minutes before because this product will decrease it a little. You also mention that this could be the culprit for the death of the yellow tangs. If this is dangerous for a yellow tang, wouldnt it also be dangerous for corals especially sps? How do you elevate it, what do you use? BTW, I like of how smooth it is. Very informative, you could be on to something big. Selling stock?

[Marc]

Evan is a master editor, and makes the show sound much better than it is when we record. I do hope that as we get more comfortable, it will be easier to assemble the reefcast and have less stuff to clip out.

CaribSea has already altered the recipe somewhat, so that it shouldn't be unsafe for Yellow Tangs. They are quite aware of the death of Yellow Tangs from a number of sources. Since I don't have one, I wasn't worried. I dosed the product in my reef at the recommended dosage (1.5 bottles per session) and none of my SPS were affected. Keep in mind, my PO4 was so high I was losing some SPS pieces anyway, so at that point I was going to either lose them to toxins or to the chemicals. Fortunately for me, they bigger colonies survived the PO4 and the Phosbuster Pro.

Here's a picture of one of the colonies that has grown quietly through all of those issues:
http://melevsreef.com/pics/06/01/blue_milli_012906.jpg

And here is a baby that grew from a dime-sized puddle of SPS tissue over the past 12 months:
http://melevsreef.com/pics/06/01/blue_milli_fraglet.jpg

To raise alkalinity in my tank, I take a few teaspoons of baked baking soda, and mix it up in a cup of RO/DI water thoroughly. This is added to my tank slowly over a minute or two. pH will rise as well. 10 minutes later, I'll dose the Phosbuster Pro via a piece of PVC pipe that is resting on the intake screen of my return pump. As I very slowly add the product, tank water is constantly being sucked in at the same time so that it is mixing gradually rather than pouring a chemical cloud into my tank that will sweep over corals and fish in higher concentrations.

I choose to dose products like this late at night while the fish are sleeping to avoid stressing them. By morning the water is clear again.

[gjuarez]

Cool, great info on the podcast. I finished listening to it a couple of minutes ago. I was impressed. I didnt notice any editing, it sounded like you guys talked non stop from the beggining to the end.