HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dyson@sunfish.physics.uiowa.edu (Richard L. Dyson)
Subject: Re: Coral safe for Freshwater tanks?
Reply-To: dyson@sunfish.Physics.UIowa.EDU
Organization: Department of Physics & Astronomy
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 18:27:49 GMT

In article <59756@mimsy.umd.edu>, gdrew@cs.umd.edu (Greg Drew) writes:
> In article <1992Aug18.002836.14328@socrates.umd.edu> nick@socrates.umd.edu (Nick Lemberos) writes:
> >Is it safe to add coral to a freshwater tank...assuming that i wash
> >things out very good?
> Generally it is not a really good idea to add coral to a FW tank.  The coral
> will drive the PH and hardness up, and most fish do not like it.  If you 
> happen to be keeping some of those FW fish that need hard, alkaline water, 
> you could be OK.

        There is actually another problem.  FW fish don't know how to
behave around coral and are not protected with the same kind of 'slime'
that M fish have.  Thus, the FW fish will cut themselves and can get a
variety (sp?) of infections.

rick
-- 
Richard L. Dyson               INTERNET:  dyson@sunfish.Physics.UIowa.EDU

                     The days just prior to marriage
                     are like a snappy introduction
                           to a tedious book.
From: bbc@cs.rice.edu (Benjamin Chase)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: Coral Identification Book
Date: 22 Aug 1992 21:27:20 GMT
Reply-To: Benjamin Chase <bbc@rice.edu>
Organization: Center for Research on Parallel Computations

You want a book to help you identify corals?  Try

	 _Corals of Australia and the Indo-Pacific_
	by J. E. N. Veron.
	ISBN 0 207 15116 4

Published 1986 by:
	Angus & Robertson Publishers

	Unit 4, Eden Park,
	31 Waterloo Road,
	North Ryde, NSW,
	Australia 2113
and
	16 Golden Square,
	London W1R4Bn, United Kingdom

The book is somewhere around 650 pp, "thick enough to stun an ox", has
many dazzling color pictures, lots of information, sketches,
geographical info, etc.  I got my copy at a large bookstore in
Toronto, quite by accident, a year ago, for about $75Canadian.  Worth
every loon of that. :-)

	Ben
--
	Ben Chase <bbc@rice.edu>
From: putzolu@toadflax.cs.ucdavis.edu (David Putzolu)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: Aquarium Backings
Date: 14 Aug 92 04:25:39 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of California, Davis

Cliff Watson writes:
>Local stores don't have too much in the way of attractive backings for
>tanks (so you don't see to the boring white wall behind the tank).
>Has anyone come up with ideas for home-made backings that look nice?
>Thanks, Cliff.

Cliff, I tried to email you but your address was rejected by my
mailer. Here is my message:

In response to your question about inexpensive backings, I recently
found a REALLY inexpesive one: Plain black (Hefty, etc.) garbage
bags. No joke. Folded flat behind the tank it is completely innocuous and
gives a nice feeling of depth. It also makes the fish the center of
attention, not the decorations behind them. Finally, it is cheap
and non-permanent, ie, you don't have to spray paint your tank
or anything. Try it! At $2 or so you can't lose.

Tell me if you like it.
 
| David M. A. Putzolu               | putzolu@cs.ucdavis.edu            |
| Senior Undergraduate              | op disclaimer(opinion : ptr mine) |
| Computer Science and Psychology   |       Aiuto! Sono caduto e        |
| University of California at Davis |         non posso alzarmi!        |
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: jle@cfm.brown.edu (Jon Elion)
Subject: Re: top quality discus?
Organization: Brown University / Cardiac Image Processing Lab
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 18:27:04 GMT

In article <1992Aug19.142208.25297@rock.concert.net> whaley@jazz.concert.net (Jonathan Whaley) writes:
>
>Posted for Mark Hortman (hort@ems.cdc.com) 
>
>I am planning on setting up a 90 gallon planted discus tank.  
>I will be using two 4 foot tritons for light, and a wet/dry filter.
>
>  One of the books I have says that one way to start your tank is to plant
>your plants in your new tank and finish filling the tank with water.
>Leave them for a few days, put about 40 other fish in and
>then wait a month to add your discus.  It says about 120 plants for a
>75 gal. tank, so I am going with about the same configuration for my 90.
>
>My question is what should I do to get top quality discus?  I
>have seen several ads for mail order discus.  Should I choose one that
>is close and advertises Watley or Shmitt-Focke discus and just mail order 
>them, or should I get them from a local dealer where I can look at
>them and make sure they look healthy? 
>
>I want to get 6-8 discus in the tank, all the same variety, should I
>get them all at once or in groups of two or what? 
>
>Thanks for any and all advice.
>Mark Hortman
>
>--
>Jonathan Whaley - MCNC Center for Communications
>(919) 248-1165  - PO Box 12889 - 3021 Cornwallis Road
>whaley@concert.net - Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2889
From: carmody@rtsg.mot.com (Ronald P. Carmody)
Subject: Lighting Question?
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 21:03:22 GMT

I did not want to cross post to all *.aquaria groups, but when
I did not receive any help...  My only guess is that my first
post didn't get out.

Has anyone on the net rewired an "old non self starting"
flourescent hood to work with a standard timer?  I would rather
not replace the ballast, but if that is the ONLY way to "fix" this
hood, please let me know.

Ron Carmody
From: sh240031@wvnvms.wvnet.edu
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: glass/plexiglass & actinics???
Date: 13 Aug 92 21:14:26 GMT
Organization: West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing

The glass\plexiglass question has me a bit confused.  Many manufacturers
of reef light hoods use some type of enclousure (glass\plexiglass???) on
the bottom of the fixtures.  These same companies, along with various other
types, include actinic lighting in their products.  With the transmittion
percentages offered on a previous posting, is not most of the beneficial
portion of this type of bulb absorbed?  Mine is not so much a question
of the ethics of these companies.  I am in the process of constructing
a light hood containing 2 175W MH and 2 40W Actinics.  After examining
numerous commercial fixtures, I thought I had it figured out.  Guess
again.  I need to cover the bottom of the hood to achieve the circulation,
via flow through air, needed to disapate the heat created.  How can I do this
and still get the benefit of the actinics?

Any light on the subject would help.  Thanks in advance.

				Carl
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Distribution: world
Followup-To: 
From: rick@rh.trg.saic.com (Rick Hobbs)
Organization: SAIC/San Diego
Subject: Wet/Dry Filter and Discus
Keywords: 
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 18:56:22 GMT


I have 25 discus in 100g. They eat 1.5 lbs of beef heart mix every month. I
change 85% of the water weekly. Current filtration with an EHEIM 2217
and extra large sponge is not sufficient for degassing although it does
handle the bio decomposion (at the end of the week:NH3+NH4=0.25ppm,
nitrites=0.0, nitrates=40ppm). I have heard the benefits of wet dry for gas
exchange and organic waste decomposition and would like to purchase one
for my tank. It should be able to handle a 200-400 gallon tank. I will
summarize everyone's comments and my findings in a few weeks.

Questions:
1) What are the best brands
2) Are the least expensive/best brands available through Mail Order Pet Shop
or That Fish Place?
3) What are the most important features? I am interested in the simplest
system that provides the greatest surface area and most efficient filtration.
Also, what options are the least important?
4) Please comment on anything else you think is important to know before
purchasing a wet dry system.
Thanks!!!! Please respond via email "smills@trg.saic.com".







Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria,sci.aquaria
From: Igor Livshits <igorl@uiuc.edu>
Subject: Thiel's KSM
X-Xxdate: Sun, 16 Aug 92 20:35:16 GMT
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d7
Organization: NCSA
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1992 19:42:14 GMT

Since Thiel's KSM has a wonderful disclaimer on the label saying that as
there are no preservatives in the solution, it may go bad...

What are ideal conditions for storing KSM and how may one tell if it did
spoil?  Also, what may the side effect of using spoiled KSM?


Many thanks for your help...

Igor
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 92 20:17:41 EDT
From: "John R. Kender" <jrk@division.cs.columbia.edu>
Subject: Otos in plexiglass

I can't seem to keep an otocinclus alive in a small plexiglass
aquarium.  There is no problem in my 29 gallon glass aquarium.  Do
they scrape off bits of plexi and get sick?  I recall a vague warning
in Baensch about this.  Anyone have any comments?
John
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: lee@coredump.npac.syr.edu (Lee C Brink)
Subject: Using peat to lower pH - How to?
Organization: Northeast Parallel Architectures Center (NPAC)
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 92 10:42:57 EDT


  Thanks to all who responded to my post(s) dealing with my Harlequin Rasboras
dying.  It has been suggested that I use peat to lower the pH to keep everyone
happy.  Here are the questions I ask so that I may try this method:

	1) How much should I use in the Aquaclear 300 (Volume wise) for a
		particular pH?  Is this actually possible to figure out?

	2) How long is the peat good for in keeping the pH low?  The pH of
		Syracuse water fluctuates from 7.4-7.8 during the year;
		assuming that the higher the pH, the less amount of time
		the peat is good for, is there a point where the peat will
		NOT lower the pH a significant amount before it has to be 
		replaced?

	3) It was mentioned to me by Phil Leith that he boils the peat &
		adds the extract himself.  Is there any benefit of just
		sticking the peat in the filter over boiling the peat
		and adding the extract (or vice versa)?

	4) Activated carbon should not be used when using peat (From
		what I've read here on these groups).  What do people
		do for mechanical friltration (In replacement for the carbon)
		if any [Note:  I do not want to start a flame war concerning
		the necessity/absoulte uselessness of carbon]?

	5) Anything I should know about that I did not think of asking for
		with the above questions?

  Lee

--
+---------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| Lee C Brink	            | Office Support Co-ordinator at NPAC	   |
| lee@nova.npac.syr.edu     | Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-4100 |
|			    | 315-443-1722				   |
+---------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: brian@picasso.icd.teradyne.com (Brian Hunter)
Subject: Re: External Pump Transfers TOO much heat.			
Organization: Teradyne, Inc. Boston MA
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 18:53:31 GMT

In article <1992Aug06.131818.25437@bmerh85.bnr.ca> rivan@bnr.ca writes:
>In rec.aquaria, brian@picasso.icd.teradyne.com (Brian Hunter) writes:
>
>    Recently I changed from an 802 power head to a quiet one pump.
>    I immediately found my tank temp to be much higher.
>
>    I am now considering buying another pump which I hope will
>    avoid this problem.  I am considering either an IWAKI or
>
>
>
>Wait a minute.  I was running a 30 gallon tank with an 802 and found it
>insuficient.  So I bought a bigger eheim.  The tank had a 4.5ft head.
>But my point is - isn't replacing it with a quite one pump an
>a massive overkill.   The differance in straight volume flow alone
>is 3 times.  How big is your tank ?   if its too small you wont
>be able to dissipate the heat of the pump.  Also I suspect that
>you have to throttle the quite one pump quite a bit.  Just curious.

 With the 802 I got about 150 gallons/hour.  I also had 3 penguin
550 powerhead in the tank for cirulation I wanted to be rid of.

With the quiet one I got a measured rate of 400 gallons per hour.
The quiet one is rated for 1150 gallons at 0 ft head and (from memory)
700 at 4 ft head.  Given the plumbing back to the tank  this is
reduced further.  I did not 'throttle' back the pump at all.
I could have used larger plumbing than the 1 inch I used however
I though $130 for PVC fitting, checkvalves, ball valves, etc
was bad enough.  

I also want to be able to divert water into an extrnal skimmer
so I can get the internal one out of the tank.

Brian
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 19:23:36 EDT
From: <ACH2@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Rams and tankmates?

     I am interested in getting a few rams (microgeophagus)
ramirezi), but I'd be putting them in with medium sized angels
and extremely shy synodontis sp. "lace" catfish, in a well-planted
20g tank. I have heard that rams are delicate and shy, so I'm
curious about what tankmates rams will put up with (other than tetras).
     Incidentally, the tank water is alkaline and hard, exact numbers
unknown. Despite the fact that they prefer soft water, Richter in TFH
claims he regularly maintains them in hard water.
     Any info appreciated. Thanks.

Alan Hutson
ach2@psuvm.psu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: mar@athena.mit.edu (Mark A. Rosenstein)
Subject: Re: [M][R]  Small Reef Tanks
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 21:40:47 GMT

I've got a 10 gallon microreef that I've had running for 1.5 years.
First let me say that I had some experience with a larger (30 gallon)
marine tank before attempting a tank this small.  I wouldn't recommend
such a small tank for someone not familiar with salt water
maintenance.

It's a regular 10 gallon glass tank.  Two 15 watt florescents: a
triton and an actinic.  They're on a timer for about 13 hours a day.
However, the tank is in front of a south facing window, so it also
gets some direct sun every day.  I've got a small (2.5" x 16")
external skimmer hooked up which collects only a modest amount of
scum.  I also have an AquaClear 200 with a sponge, polyfilter and
X-phosphate in it.  Finally, there's a powerhead pushing water around
and keeping lots of ripples on the surface.

Next I have 15 pounds of live rock, which I count as part of my
bio-filtration.  Livestock consists of a royal gramma, a percula
clown, and a bicolor blennie; some leather coral, blue mushrooms, and
some pink polyps.  There's an abundant growth of macro-alge (calurpa
and halimeda), and unfortunately some hair alge too, although the
blennie is slowly winning that battle.

A year ago the tank was in very good shape with more corals, but I've
had to move it several times and these days am too busy at work to
give it the proper care it deserves.  So I took home the clam and some
of the other corals, and these days am leaving it as a mostly
fish/calerpa tank which requires (relatively) little maintenance.

It runs with no measurable nitrates (LaMotte test kit).  I change
about 10% of the water every two weeks, and add kalkwasser, iron, KSM,
and iodine.  I completely ignore the tank on weekends, with no ill
effect.

I'm glad I set up this tank at my office, since I spend more time here
in front of it than I do with my big tank at home.
					-Mark
From: jimh@ultra.com (Jim Hurley)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: Stands
Date: 14 Aug 92 21:22:01 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Ultra Network Technologies

In <1992Aug11.122809.6299@kong.gsfc.nasa.gov> mstephens.520@postman.gsfc.nasa.gov (mark stephens) writes:

>I've only seen three types of stand in stores: metal, 2x4 and cabnet.
>I've been underwhelmed by all although the metal stands have a certain
>historical charm about them (for me at least!).  

>I would try to contact a custom cabnet maker in your area.  It could be 
>that they are already familiar with the structural needs of aquarium
>and can tailor that to fit the decor.  It may not even be as expensive
>as I'm thinking, but then again...

>          mark

I had a cabinet maker design our racks. He did a VERY nice job,
and it WAS rather expensive. I wanted it to look nice, be
earthquake resistant, and be usable for something else should we
ever sell our house.
-- 
Jim Hurley --> jimh@ultra.com  ...!ames!ultra!jimh  (408) 922-0100
Ultra Network Technologies / 101 Daggett Drive / San Jose CA 95134
From: oleg@Veritas.COM (Oleg Kiselev)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: "misc.fish" Re: Jesus Christ!
Date: 20 Aug 92 06:24:15 GMT
Reply-To: oleg@veritas.com (Oleg Kiselev)
Organization: Palo Alto Killifish Loft
X-Disclaimer: I speak for myself only unless explicitly indicated otherwise

brian@picasso.icd.teradyne.com (Brian Hunter) writes:
>What is misc.fish?  Is this another group I don`t get, is it new?

It doesn't exist. 
-- 
"Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and 
child." -- Dan Quayle
 
Oleg Kiselev                                             oleg@veritas.com
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
From: ancona@wpi.WPI.EDU (James P Ancona)
Subject: [M] Adding live rock to existing tank
Keywords: marine live rock
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 03:55:37 GMT

I have a 20 gallon fish only marine tank that has been established for a 
couple of years. I has a trickle filter and protein skimmer, with four 
small fish. (A blue damsel, a Coral Beauty, a Percula Clown and a 
red lipped blenny.)  I would like to add live rock to this tank.

I plan on buying a box of 40 lbs. or so mail order, but the question is how
to add it to the tank withou killing the current inhabitants.  I see two 
possibilities:

1. Dump it all in there, monitor ammonia and nitrites and be prepared to 
change water like crazy if the current bio filter is overwhelmed.

2. Put the rock in a plastic garbage pail with lots of aeration, monitor
the ammonia and nitrites there, and change water as necessary.

Option 1 would be easier, but is it a big risk? 

Obviously option 2 is safer for the current tank inhabitants, but since the
garbage can won't have an established biofilter, it may be tough to control
the water quality there ( which could be tough for the inhabitants of the 
live rock ).  If I go that route, how high is too high for ammonia & nitrites?

The books I've read (Moe & Theil) talk a lot more about setting up new tanks 
thank about adding rock to existing ones.  I'm sure other people have done
this.  Please let me know what your experience was. 

Thanks!


-- 
Jim Ancona                       |   I used to get disgusted,
ancona@wpi.wpi.edu               |      Now I try to be amused...
Opinions expressed are my own!   |         -- Elvis Costello
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: pprior@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Paul A Prior)
Subject: Re: Coral safe for Freshwater tanks?
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 13:47:45 GMT

In article <Bt921D.I62@space.physics.uiowa.edu> dyson@sunfish.Physics.UIowa.EDU writes:
>In article <1992Aug19.173146.1353@socrates.umd.edu>, you write:
>> In article <Bt798B.J85@space.physics.uiowa.edu> dyson@sunfish.Physics.UIowa.EDU writes:
>> >In article <22929@hacgate.SCG.HAC.COM>, frazier@maxwell (Greg Frazier) writes:
>> >> nick@socrates.umd.edu (Nick Lemberos) writes:
>> >> : subject says it all.  found some nice coral while down in the florida
>> >> : keys (some I bought, others I found in the water).  
>> >> 
>> >> Coral is not good for freshwater tanks.  It will cause
>> >> your water to harden.  Also, it is considered in poor taste
>> >> to purchase coral, and only an asshole removes it from the
>> >> ocean.  Yes, that was a flame.
>> >
>> >
>> >Not only an asshole, but a CRIMINAL one.  It is a federal offense to
>> >evne TOUCH coral in the ocean inside the US waters!
>> I wanna thank you guys for all the name calling.  It is nice to know
>> someone can ask a question, get answers and insults all at once.
>> 
>> I didnt harvest any LIVE coral.  I picked up 4 dead coral rocks from a
>> rock beach down at Key West.  We are talking rocks, white and abundant,
>> like what all the Keys are made of.  Very very dead and useless.  
>>
>> While there are some protected areas (John Pennecamp State Park), I 
>> find it VERY hard to believe it is a crime to "TOUCH" coral every-
>> where in the US.  You are not supposed to touch anything when diving 
>> but there are no indications that touching coral was illegal.
>> 
>> I stand politically corrected.
>> 
>> nick
>
>       Well, I do apologize for the insult.  BUT, I just came of a
>snorkeling trip to the Florida Keys a week ago and I know what I was
>told (and have read in the past) that it is against the law (federal, I
>believe) to even touch coral in North America if it is in the ocean.
>THIS APPLIES TO LIVING AND DEAD.  IF IT IS IN THE OCEAN IT IS NOT TO BE
>TOUCHED.  While I was on the water, our boat captain even called in to
>the Coast Guard to complain about another boat's snorklers standing.
>I heard (from later radio traffic that the CG did arrive and give the
>boat captain a citation.  (I believe it is several hundred $$, but don't
>know for sure.)

I agree most vehemently with the anti-touch laws, and I found it very
sad that a friend of mine recently came back from a scuba trip to
Australia (Great Barrier Reef) and told me that their guides actually
-=encouraged=- them to touch all the corals and other critters.  I
couldn't believe it.
-- 
--------pprior@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu----(614) 621-8240----------------
Paul A. Prior    Ban anchors, not reef tanks   "With friends like this,   
3rd year medical student		          who needs anemones?"
The Ohio State U. College of Medicine   Tobacco Kills- Please don't smoke!
From: raible@cbmvax.commodore.com (Bob Raible - LSI Design)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: General Questions
Date: 12 Aug 92 19:42:57 GMT
Organization: Commodore

In article <1992Aug10.144804.18338@watson.ibm.com> cliff@watson.ibm.com writes:
>Just about everyone, including the fish store owner, advises a cannister filter
>over the AquaClear 500 for a 110 gallon fish tank.  My reason for shying
>away from the cannister type is that the big can sitting on the carpet
>by the fish tank stand is unsightly, whereas a hanging filter is pretty
>much hidden.  Also, it's so easy to replace the foam and carbon on the
>AquaClear.  Also, if a tube slips off the cannister, the entire tank
>could drain onto the carpet whereas this is not possible with a filter
>that hangs off the side.  Any merit to these ideas?

1.) At least one make offers a hanger for their canister filters, I forget
	which one. I built a small shelf in the back of my stand for my
	Fluval 303 to sit on. I wouldn't one sitting on the carpet either!
2.) A canister has a lot more media capacity and therefore doesn't need to
	be cleaned very often(maybe every 2 months). I use a sponge 
	prefilter, this keeps the canister from clogging too often. In order
	for a biological filter to be effective, it must remain undisturbed,
	and regular cleaning of EPF media inhibits growth of nitrifying
	bacteria. IMHO canisters are the best bio filters on the market, with
	the possible exception of a wet/dry. 

3.) If properly installed, it's very unlikely a tube will become disconnected
	from the filter. Keep in mind it's possible for EPF's including 
	Aquaclear to overflow if their output chute becomes blocked by 
	debris or displaced media, a very messy proposition! Another factor is
	that Aquaclear EPFs will back siphon and not re-prime after a power
	failure if you let the water drop more than an inch or so. I don't own
	a 2000, but do own a 150 and a 300. If the impeller is not covered by an 	inch or so of water it will cavitate and youll be lucky if the motor
	doesn't overheat.

4.)	If your really worried about emptying the tank on the carpet, you
	can bore a small hole in the intake a few inches below the water line.

	Hope this helps.