somebody help me please AGAIN
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Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=23418
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Topic: somebody help me please AGAIN
Posted By: fishman90G
Subject: somebody help me please AGAIN
Date Posted: January 31 2008 at 2:47am
| well i seriously messed up this time. so im sittin at the computer desk checking fish stuff out when i checked my first topic "somebody help me please" i had another reply ok cool i check it and mark about knocked me off the chair. the crab i was so anxious to get back in my tank (freebie from the LFS i thought) may not be too good for my upcoming reef in this tank, so about now im just freakin out i start yelling for my wife to grab the buckets. i know now that i was really over reacting and im sure there is going to be a better way to get him out. but i took every single rock out of my aqauarium i even hand sifted the sand , well now i cant get the suspended to stay suspended i ran out of ties i dont have any glue so i just set it up traditional wall which is fine but just not what im looking for in my new 90G. i want a really cool reef. i would even like a mountain but dont have the depth front to back for a cool mountain. i know im asking a lot out of all who replied to my last post and all who want to reply to this post but i could use some help my wife knows what i want but when it comes to advice from the sidelines she is of no help. everytime i put it together i just looked like a pile of stacked rocks not like a bunch of rocks arranged to form what looks like one big rock fused over thousands of years. am i too picky? |
Replies:
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: January 31 2008 at 7:50am
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no, I don't think that you are being "picky" you just need to arrange the rocks when you have plenty of time, don't be in a rush, also I have never been able to put a rock back the same way twice, it just never goes back in the same way. the crab may be a bad guy, but it is always best to get a photo of it here on line so that those that know can ID it, that way you are sure that it is safe or not. I lost a really nice piece of rock trying to get rid of a rock crab, I ended up with three pieces of smaller rock, some rock rubble and a dead rock crab. with the rock crab gone I stopped loosing crabs, shrimp, and fish. |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: January 31 2008 at 7:57am
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I'm picky about my rockwork too. I frequently takes me a couple days to get it right. If you want a suspended reef then get the zip ties together and anything else you need and in a day or two try again.
Mike -------------  |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: January 31 2008 at 8:00am
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you could try to get some eggcrate and cable tie it to the pvc frame, that way you would have a better surface to place the rock onto. |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: January 31 2008 at 8:02am
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Great idea Brian.
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: bbeck4x4
Date Posted: January 31 2008 at 8:16am
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thanks, Mike, one other thought, if you ever want a mandrian goby make sure that you have a rock rubble pile somewhere in the tank, and to make caves for the fish to hide in. |
Posted By: fishman90G
Date Posted: January 31 2008 at 12:13pm
i will try and keep an eye out for this crab but i checked every nook and cranny on every single rock i have, i didnt see him anywhere. can they bury themselves in the sand? if i remember correctly it looked almost like an emerald crab but was white with brown stripes i believe but it also didnt have the bumpy body like emerald it was smooth. well my wife is going out of town today and should be back sunday so im not sure if im gonna get another chance untile monday. i got 3 mini me's that are more than a handfull. i will keep you guys posted. after breaking up all those rocks it is so hard to believe i have over 100lbs. cause i barely was able to make a wall halfway up the tank lol. it looks ok though, but what i really want to do is the suspended and have rock seem to come down to the sand on one side and that same side go up the overflow like this but a little nicer formed and way more sturdy but i wish i had a deeper tank front to back like the 120G at aquatica but it cosst to much right now. that will be my next project or maybe a 210G like the one that was for sale for $200. but i dont want a 6ft'r i like the 4ft tanks with more volume. this is the last time i worked on the suspended reef it dont look like this anymore
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Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: January 31 2008 at 12:21pm
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I know others have used egg crate and it works great. However it is only my opinion that I wouldn't do it. My fish can access anywhere in/on the suspended reef from any where in/on the reef. If there was egg crate then the fish could not go from the underside to the top side through the reef. Don't stack your rock tight . Make it open for the fish to have a more natural habitat.
Personally I would zip tie/glue your base rock together on the kitchen table get it the way you want it to look and then put it back in the tank. Then you can stack the rest of the rock at will with out worrying about the lower rock moving. ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: fishman90G
Date Posted: January 31 2008 at 1:29pm
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thats a really good idea thank you dion i might give it a shot sat or sun night |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 31 2008 at 9:57pm
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I'm so sorry that you tore the tank apart. I don't want to hurt your feelings but there is a very easy way to catch the crab and it does not involve moving a single rock or anything. Next time, please ask a simple question...
"Okay Mark, how do I do that?"
Hey, I'm glad you asked.
 Watch the tank and find the crab's home, the rock hole it lives in. This can be a nightime activity with a small flashlight. It may not show up for weeks but eventually it will show up. Sometimes a little pile of empty snail shells forms near the crabs home. When you know approximately where it lives, take a clear bottle, a canning bottle works good and place it on an angle up aginst the rock near the crabs home. Place a piece of store bought green shrimp in the bottle at night before the lights go out. Then watch carefully or just wait till morning. The crab goes in after the chunk of shrimp but cannot crawl back up the smooth inside of the bottle.
BTW, patience is the most valuable character trait in this hobby. It's extremely valuable because it is so useful and because it is so dear.
 (In Australia "dear" means rare and/or expensive.) Don't feel bad, we have all made these kinds of mistakes.------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: fishman90G
Date Posted: February 01 2008 at 12:15am
| thank you for the sound advice mark i dont feel to terrible about it it was after all a learning experience and i was planning on re-doing the suspend in a couple days anyways. i hav'nt seen him since(the crab) my hope is that when i could fit no more rocks on the suspend i took them out and put them in my curing tub(clean water) i hope it found a home down there in the rock rubble from all the smashing. i keep a count on the hermits and astreas and all accounted for so far. i have forgotten my patience since my last tank. i think because my last one i could'nt really afford to go all out with i was more patient to see it take shape on its own. i just wanna get through this stage of the tank. |
Posted By: GARFVolunteer
Date Posted: February 01 2008 at 10:10am
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Mark,
What is a green shrimp? Here in Boise they label all the shrimp in the frozen seafood section "Prawns". Nothing says green...
Thanks,
Scott ------------- President Idaho Marine Aquarium Society A fair and biased reef hobbyist "How do you make poor people rich by making rich people poor" Rush Limbaugh on Obama taxes |
Posted By: fishman90G
Date Posted: February 01 2008 at 2:23pm
| i think theyre talking about a raw shrimp cause when its cooked it turns red if not then ive never heard of a green shrimp |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 01 2008 at 5:12pm
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Scott, you are so right! All my Aussie friends call them Prawns. Does anyone else think that raw shrimp look kind of green? ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: February 01 2008 at 6:06pm
Not really. Mine kind of looks red with a white stripe.
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: GARFVolunteer
Date Posted: February 01 2008 at 8:21pm
So you were just talking about the standard uncooked prawn or shrimp for the bait? I did not know if you meant a "special" green shrimp.
Thanks,
Scott ------------- President Idaho Marine Aquarium Society A fair and biased reef hobbyist "How do you make poor people rich by making rich people poor" Rush Limbaugh on Obama taxes |
Mark Peterson wrote:Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: February 01 2008 at 8:42pm
Green=rotten ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: hairmonkey
Date Posted: February 02 2008 at 1:15am
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http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20617&KW=hairmonkey&PN=1 - http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20617&KW=hairmonkey&PN=1
i did this with pvc a drill and zip ties. ------------- "Logic is your friend" west side salon 250-5314 8370w 3500s magna. |
Posted By: LordMaximo
Date Posted: February 03 2008 at 7:19am
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Green shrimp........must have a nice order to it by now......think the birds would like it? ------------- Trigger Master |
Posted By: fishman90G
Date Posted: February 03 2008 at 9:58am
| still havent seen him kids are out of control have to wait until wife gets back from vacation tuesday before i can suspensd it again will keep you posted with info and pics. yesterday i had to exchange my ASM G2 skimmer pump at aquatica because i only bought 2 weeks ago and it keeps overheating and shutting down. shawn was so good about he didnt even hesitate on making it right for me wil continue to do business with him forever and ever. and his advice is always sound. thank you shawn! |
Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: February 03 2008 at 10:05am
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i'm a fan of aquatica. I got my yellow belly from there along with my two bangaiis and they are all still doing amazing. ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: Shane H
Date Posted: February 03 2008 at 11:12am
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i'm a fan of aquatica
Me too! I just wish the store wasn't 100 miles from my house!
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