Sharks are not the top of the food chain!!!

Take a look at this video posted by a friend of mine on the Delaware Valley Reef Club site.

Seattle Aquairum After Hours

Hitchhikers... Very Cool!

So, I bought a very large pink birdsnest a couple weeks back.  The thing is the size of my fist, though the bottom 1/3 is most likely dead and the top is a little bleached, it has decent polyp extension.  Well, the second day I had it, I thought I noticed something moving within the branches when the lights went off.  The next day, I saw it again and sure enough, I found 2 hitchhikers. 

The first is an acro crab.  Acro crabs are harmless commensals, apparently living in harmony with their associated coral.  It is unknown what they feed on, but presumably the mucus secreted by the coral or perhaps particles trapped by the coral polyps.

The second was either a pistol shrimp or a small lobster.  The jury is still out, but I am leaning towards a pistol shrimp.  turns out it may be commensal as well, but I was concerned, so I moved him to the fuge for now.  I have not seen him since, but I think he is still in there.  He was very very small.

Phosphates, Phosphates... nowhere?

So, I have been battling hair algae as you already know, so a friend of mine came over with a Hanna Phosphate meter to get an accurate reading and to test my other parameters.  Turns out my phosphates were at .4ppm!  Not too bad. 

The problem it seems is my Alkalinity.  My dKh was at 7 and should be around 9-10.  So, I am working to get that up.  I put in an additional Phospan reactor and filled it with carbon and made some minor changes to my sump set-up. 

It looks like it is now just a waiting game.  Now that my flow is up significantly and I am getting a lot of water down to the sump and fuge, I just have to wait it out. 

Patience is key in reefkeeping and this is no exception.

I am in BIG trouble

As I mentioned previously, the deal with my wife was, quit smoking and you can get your big tank.  Well, I did quit and a month after quitting, I got my current tank. 

But, I was not able to stay "quit" and started smoking here and there around the holidays.  For any of you who have tried to quit, you know how that goes.  Just one.  Well, one a day.  Only when I am at work.  Then, before you know it, you are a smoker again. 

Worst part, I didn't tell her.  I thought I could get it under control and stop again.  I was wrong and this weekend, she confronted me.  Not much I can say here, really.  I broke my promise.  I then hid it.  I am in BIG trouble.  So, I have to really dedicate myself to quitting again before she decides to sell the tank right out from under me.  And, I wouldn't blame her, honestly.  I didn't keep up my side of the bargain.

Needless to say this wasn't a pleasant weekend.  There were a lot of "discussions" and I going to try to break this habit once and for all.  It seems ridiculous to me that something like smoking could cause so much trouble in a marriage.  Or, what I mean is, that I could let it get to that point. 

I will keep you updated.  But, for now, the tank is still around and I am trying not to smoke. 

I did get a few new things on Friday (which also added to her frustration).  I will post some pics of those and talk about my VERY cool hitchhikers as well when I get a few minutes.

Pump problem solved.

Took about 15 minutes.  Unscrew pump, remove macro algae, re-attach. Turn on.

But, I will have to get some guards on the inlets so it doesn't happen again!