Recent content by JKurtz

Oops! Sorry about misspelling your name, Les. Jeff

Hi Less. I had an identical experience with my Fiji live rock. About a year ago, I noticed one particular rock had a few holes in it, and occasionally some powdered rock would pour out of the holes. As it turns out, there was a crab in the rock, which, by the way, is still present in my tank...

Hi Scott. Most leather corals make fairly hardy aquarium specimens and are generally considered good beginner corals. It will occasionally close up and develop a waxy coating, which it will shed within a few days. This is normal behavior for leather corals and no reason for concern unless it...

Okay, since they say the only stupid question is the one left unasked, what exactly do the 50GPD, 100GPD, etc. ratings signify? I know GPD stands for gallons per day, but I'm not sure what to make of that. Does it mean the unit is capable of producing that many gallons of purified water per day...

It makes sense now. Thanks! Jeff

I was just checking out the Aquatic Reef Systems website, too. The Triton 3-stage seems pretty reasonable, though I wonder how much it differs from the 3-stage value RO. For the small difference in price, it seems logical to go with the Triton. I'm going to do a little more checking around...

Thanks for the info! I'm not aware of a Costco around here, but maybe the online shop is the way to go. Jeff

Can anyone recommend a decent RO unit for a reasonable price? No one in my neck of the woods knows diddly about them. In fact, the LFS I deal with doesn't even recommend their use. He claims RO isn't necessary for our local water. I have been getting by fairly well with regular tap water for...

That's a good point. Of course, there's probably nothing on the label to indicate whether copper coils were used or not. I think I'll take the "better safe than sorry" approach on this one. And perhaps I'd better advise my friend to do the same. By the way, can anyone suggest a reasonable RO...

What are people's opinions about using distilled water for topoff and water changes instead of RO/DI? I've got a friend who stocks up on gallons once a month (when they're on sale for about 69 cents at Kmart). Prior to that, he was just using tap water. Now he claims his corals have never looked...

Hi Squeezix! I'd have to agree with Seven Ephors on this. Flame scallops have an abysmal survival rate in captivity. From what I understand, the biggest problem in keeping these filter-feeders alive is providing the constant supply of suspended particulate food that they need. If I'm wrong, I...

Can anyone help me identify a crab that stowed away into my tank in some Fiji rock? I noticed it several months back when a pile of rock dust was suddenly pushed out of a hole in one particularly craggy piece of rock. Using a flashlight, I could see that there was a crab inside the hole, but it...

I appreciate the info! I'm trying to get away from the "a teaspoon of this and a teaspoon of that" approach to reefkeeping. Coming from a non-scientific background, it's sometime hard to know whether you're on the right track or not. Am I correct in assuming that kalkwasser is the ideal method...

I've noticed a worm identical to the one in Michelle50's photo in my tank for several months, and it does exactly what you describe,i.e., retracting into itself. It's really quite fascinating and apparently harmless as it hasn't caused any problems that I'm aware of. I'd leave it in peace. Jeff

Got it! Thanks everyone. By the way, Ty. If she weighs the same as a duck, she's made out of wood, and, therefore, a witch! (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Jeff