Don't let me sink...

[BKT]

Well gang, a Large battle won against the wife! (i still love her) I bargained with her and I will give up my 55 planted tank for the 75 gal saltwater to go in my office. (whewwww, a close one, lol).

This will leave me with a 150 (vieja argentia) and my small 40 breeder of Tetracanthus Nandapsis. I picked up 10 more pounds of live rock, found the price cheaper at another store, 5.00 a lb. I also put in about a 30 lb holey rock as well.

right now the tank is still in the garage and stays at a constant 80 degrees. I will move it soon though after I rearrange a few things in my office.

My next move is to begin researching a decent light for a 75 gal reef tank...

[MikeP]

In my experience it is easier to warm up a cool tank than cool down one that is running hot. The garage thing might be iffy in the summer - I generally never have to use a heater here in texas - it turns on once or twice a year maybe.

You will hear a lot of debate about temperatures but from personal experience I will say higher temps = faster growth on corals, increased metabolism on fish but also less room for error . cooler temps = much nicer colors especially on SPS and a little more room for error and a bit more dissolved oxygen capacity for fishies. A lot of people reccomend 80 - I would say 77 - 78 is about right but opinions will differ - some corals will thrive in cooler water, some in warmer. Below 75 you are getting into subtropical territory. I'd check the temperature at several times during the day and night over a few weeks to see how it's faring - also use more than one thermometer or get an accurate digital one so you can get a mean of the results . I've had the stick on thermal sensitive ones read 2-4 degrees off a standard mercury thermometer - probably due to thick glass , ambient room temp etc.

[BKT]

Thanks Mike, I've been checking the temp just out of curiosity. It seems to stay at or around 80, I'm just about to stick in a digital one now...which sends back to a remote.

Thanks for the head up..I see your in Austin, lots of Texas people in this site, thats GREAT! I live in South Austin. Currently I work K9 for the Travis County Sheriff's Dept, so I have alot of time on my hands during the day when my wifes at work.

Maybe we could chat sometime to give me some pointers...let me know...
Thanks

-Brian

[mathias]

if your going to use your holey rock wait at least 2 weeks before you put any life in the tank so you can watch if your pH spikes...

[BKT]

good point on the rock mathias, I'll check the water levels in a couple of days..

I can't seem to get any of my photos to post? not sure why?

[mathias]

best thing to do is host them somerwhere else like imageshack.com or so then put url here

[Ram_Puppy]

who wants to tell BKT that a 75 gallon is like marijuana... it's a gateway drug... wait till you have to battle your wife over a 280 gallon! fun fun!

[robby]

Brian knows all about it... he's a cichlidiot like me. Total fish addict. Just don't bring up the gateway drug thing around him... don't wanna get internal affairs on his *****.

[Ram_Puppy]

lol... I guess he is one 'reefer' that won't be getting a visit to his home about his halide lights...