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Also, you can use cheap Chinese bulbs from eBay. They are OK. Some of them will die an early death. Don't try and mix bulbs from different batches because the colors could be slightly different. Seems that if you get some that are unbroken and can get them into the fixtures unbroken, then...

Just AquaBright and ReefBrite for DE stuff. You always have to use the fixture glass with DE stuff since they have no shield for the harmful UV. I never use the glass with SE stuff since it cuts down on output, but you can if you want.

Does it come with an Oscar and Arrowana?

I also find it fine to use DE bulbs for 2 years. Most SE bulbs are fine to use for 2 years too, but for some reason Radium 20k seem to fade and shift a lot.

The only difference is that DE bulbs are made to HQI spec, so you need true HQI magnetic ballasts to run them to full potential at around 330w. Electronic ballasts (250w), or EB on HQI setting (~280w) will fire them and run them just fine, but they are underpowered. Lately, there are a lack of...

I just shut down a tank that was 30 years old. Oceanic 210 made in 1988. Here are my tips: No controllers or electronics on major components EVER - return pumps or heaters. Italian (askol block) or German return pumps - nothing made in China. Multiple heaters on a Ranco - no inkbirds or...

You can use hydroponics ballasts for standard 250w or 400w stuff - most are better than the typical reef hobby stuff outside of some German or older US stock. If you want HQI, I have 25 or 30 ballasts and will sell you some... you can find them around if you look for a bit, but people hoard...

Something like 250w Radium 20k on real HQI ballasts have about the same output as a standard 400w system. They are about 330w though. What you will need to consider is 250w, HQI (about 330w) or 400w setups. Electronic ballasts with HQI settings are not the same as real HQI ballasts, but they...

I have a bunch too. Just took it down a few weeks go. Longmont.

With the Red Dragon, you have to take the restrictor plate off and give it a little more juice, but gotta keep it on the down-low since it is not street legal. Seriously, one of the best skimmers ever made.

They can live as little as 2 years. If they were big when you got them, they could have been near end-of-life. In any case, always have to have more coming along.

You could fillet him/her. That one really hurt me to see it go. :( I am sure that you can handle the names, but the Galapagos Sawtail and the Bahianus are the ones that most people do not recognize. Sawtail was the size of a quarter when I got it.

If you ever seen them again, treat ASAP. They are easy to get rid of when there is few - it is the toxins from a plethora that are an issue. No predator will get them all since they can hide in the smallest places.

Red Planaria. I have written extensively on treating them, but here is the short. Levamisole is a dry powder that treats worms in livestock - this is the same stuff that is in Salifert Flatworm Exit - 1 tsp in a 500ml water bottle and then start at 1ml per gallon of tank water. The...

You want Wurdmanni (sp?). There are many different types. The Wurdemanni just destroy the aiptasia, most the others are hit or miss and some just don't touch them at all since they come from parts of the gulf where aiptasia do not live. At the store, you have no idea what you are getting...

Peppermint shrimp from the Florida Keys crush them. You need to order direct since you have no idea where most shrimp come from, but you can identify them after you buy them. They live like three years, so you have to replace them over time. You sometimes have to kalk paste the big ones, but...

I don't want to sound defeatist, but when most people change tank parameters, a different kind of dinos moves in right after they think that they conquered the issue. There are all kinds of dinos that will still take over if you don't get diverse. I am all for fuges. I doubt that removing...

If you are anywhere near longmont, you can come by for a few scoops of live sand and I probably have some rubble with tons of pods, coralline, sponge and all kids of other good stuff. I am shutting down a larger tank.

For the co2, the only thing that you need to do is to air out your house. pH always falls in line unless you are adding a strong acid to your tank. Windows open when it is warm outside. If you need to, buy a co2 meter from Amazon with a NDIR sensor and keep the ambient co2 below 600... under...

Those look like diatoms or dinos to me... but photos are not super clear. Compare with some photos. I would guess dinos. The normal dino treatments work, like sucking them out, water quality, etc. They key is to get diverse and hearty things growing on those rocks so that things cannot grow...