Lighting Question, Which Anemones can I keep? Possible Mysis Shrimp – 9/30/07
<Hello Brenda here>
I have a two part question. I purchased a Satellite 24-hour lighting system with Dual-Daylight 6700k/10000k and Dual-Actinic 420nm/460nm for a combined 260 watts from my LFS. My tank is 48Lx18Wx21D. The guy that I was talking to said that I would be able to have my pick of anemone and a majority of soft corals.
<Not true with Anemones. You will be fine with soft corals.>
I would just have some troubles with most hard corals.
<I would not attempt SPS corals. You will likely be okay with some LPS corals.
Is this true? It is fine if it is I just want to make sure that I wasn't made to believe otherwise.
<I would only attempt a Bubble Tip Anemone (E. quadricolor). This is also the best beginner anemone, although still considered difficult.>
My second question doesn't have anything to do with lighting; I have roughly 70 lbs of Pohnpei live rock, and after I put it in the tank, I came back several hours later to check if anything had fallen or shifted, and I noticed several "bugs" that were approximately. 3mm long and clear. The best that I can describe them is that they looked similar to ghost shrimp in FW.
<Likely a Mysis Shrimp, good to have. See here: http://www.reed-mariculture.com/mysidshrimp/ >
I called my wife in and showed her them and her response was "How in the world did you see those?”
<HeeHee! You will be finding all sorts of interesting things. Good luck to you! Brenda>

Re: Marine Aquarium Setup, cnid. sel.  7/6/07
Hi again Chris,
<Hello>
Sorry for all the trouble, but I was wondering which corals would best fit my tank as I described earlier if I had gotten rid of my anemone. <There are so many possibilities here it is really impossible to get into much detail. Its probably worth checking out Bob's and Anthony's Book "Reef Invertebrates" for specific information on specific corals.> I found that SPS might be one of the possibilities because large Angels are OK with them. <Can work.> Also, which lighting would best accommodate these corals based on their needs and the tank size. <Tough to generalize about so many different types of corals, but generally they need fairly strong lighting, usually metal halides.>
Thanks again.
<Welcome>
<Chris>

Tentacle Thing... Ignorance, Arrogance and Irresponsibility 6/10/2007
Hey there Wet Web Media crew!
<Jimmy.>
I just got back from a trip to my local fish store. While there, I saw a critter I just had to have. I bought it and brought it home. Later a friend came over and told me it is some kind of jellyfish that swims upside down or something.
<<... likely a Cassiopeia sp.. RMF>>
Well, I got the critter home and pulled my old 5-gallon fish tank out from the garage and set it up. I added the water, dumped the critter in, and then added the salt according to the instructions on the bucket. Now my question is, what do I feed this thing? I used a pair of forceps to put a piece of shrimp in its tentacles but it didn't seem to want it. Thanks in advance for any information.
Jimmy
<Jimmy, I truly hope this is a joke. But I fear it is not. This behavior demonstrates the absolute apex of ignorance, arrogance and irresponsibility. I would be surprised if the Jellyfish is still alive by the time you get this email. I am hard pressed to think of anything you could have done more wrong. Obviously, you have never had a saltwater tank. If you did, you would certainly know better than to place the animal into fresh water and then proceed to add salt directly to the tank with the animal in it!!! This alone is likely enough stress to kill this creature. There is too much to go into in one email to tell you how to care for this creature. Your tank is uncycled and this alone would take weeks. If you keep this creature, it will die. If this animal is still alive, I implore you to return it to the store ASAP!!! Please do not buy any more animals be them finned, winged, or footed until you have done the appropriate research as the their care requirements. It is simply unfair to any living creature. Please, in the future educate yourself before assuming responsibility. Mich>

Next Coral   1/3/07
Hey there crew!
<Hey there Nathan!  Mich here today.>
Just had two quick questions for you guys (and gals).
<Cool!  Thanks for the inclusion!>
I have a forty gallon tank with a rock of mushrooms and a rock of zoanthids, about 28 lbs. of live rock, A Tomato Clown, a Green Chromis, a brittle star, and a two and a half inch sandbed.
<Three to four inches would be better, if you are going the deep sand bed route.>  
I was wondering first, what hardy coral would be good for me to get next?
<There are many options here.  It really depends on what you want to do.  My best suggestion to you would be to try to find a local reef club that sponsors frag swaps.  This will provide you an opportunity to learn, trade, and experiment in a responsible/conscientious manor.>  
And, second, how much live rock is a good amount for biological filtration?
<Some is better than none.  I think you could add more if you wanted. There is a lot of variability with the live rock itself, so there is no hard and fast rule here.>
Anyway, hope you all are having a great weekend,
<Great start to a new year!  Wishing you the same!  -Mich>
Nathan

Red Sea Biotope   12/28/06
Bob,
Thanks for the reply. I will follow up with SeaChallengers.com and would love to dive the Red Sea if possible.
<Is>
The book "Coral Reef Guide - Red Sea" is actually written by Ewald Lieske and Robert F. Myers
<http://www.amazon.com/Coral-Reef-Guide-Red-Sea/dp/0007159862/sr=8-1/qid=1167330330/ref=sr_1_1/002-5564169-9292019?ie=UTF8&s=books>
just in case anyone else wants to find the book. It is an awesome reference for the Red Sea.
<Thank you for this>
I think one of my biggest challenges now will be finding coral that actually comes from the Red Sea.
<In the U.S., yes... you may want to become friendly with folks in the frag/hobby side in W. Europe... they likely can supply you best with the beginnings of pieces>
Most of the coral is also found in other seas throughout the world and most dealers and wholesalers don't list many, if any specimens from the Red Sea.
<Again... not in the U.S., but these can be found in some supply in Europe>
If you have any recommendations where I could find actual Red Sea coral I would greatly appreciate it. I am in the grow-out phase of starting a coral farm and have a few wholesale contacts, so recommendations can be wholesale, or otherwise if need be.
<The hobby groups... the Net...>
I understand that virtually no-one would know the difference if I put an Indonesian, Fiji, etc. coral in place of an actual Red Sea coral, but I would know and I would like to exhaust all avenues to acquire Red Sea specimens before I am forced to go with others.
Thanks again
Todd L.
<Bob Fenner>

Knowledge before possession, coral care requirements   12/27/06
Hi,
<Hi Nick, Mich here.>
I have written to you guys before and you're great!
<Thank you for the kind word, I hope the sentiment continues.>
This time I have a coral related question.
<Alright.>
I have a 54 gallon reef tank with 2 powerheads, one @ 90 gph, and a second at 100 gph. One is a PowerSweep so it goes back and fourth. I have good filtration, and the tank is kept at 78-80 degrees F. I have a question about some coral I recently purchased. I have mainly peaceful coral in my tank,  
except the pearl bubble coral, but he is away from everyone else.
<Good, as you know he's not exactly peaceful.>
I  bought a small, 2-3 inch Pipe Organ Coral, and a 4-5 inch Elephant ear coral. I already have an elephant ear coral and I know they need a lot of room.
<Watch your fish.  These corals have a penchant for engulfing and killing any fish that comes within their grips.  A 4-5 inch elephant ear can easily be hazardous to the health of you fish.>
All of my nitrites and others are fine and Calcium and Alkalinity are fine. And I have a Coralife Lunar Aqualife lighting system. (Blue Actinic and Regular lighting). My tank is over a year  old and I need to know about these new corals. They are sitting in  the sand right now and I need to know where to put them and how to take care of them.
<Always best to know this information before you make a purchase.  Knowledge before possession...The way to being a conscientious aquarist.  Pipe organ (Tubipora musica) is tolerant of various lighting conditions but bright light is always good.  It needs decent water flow, but not so much that it is knock or pushed around.  Tubipora seems to do best in turbid conditions where the water has a somewhat high nutrient content.  Both of these corals could stay on the sandbed as long as they are not inundated with sand.  They may also be elevated in your tank s they do OK under various lighting conditions.>   
Any help is appreciated,
<Help is here today, but in the future please be familiar with the care requirements prior to assuming responsibly for any living creature.>
Thanks again,
<Welcome.  -Mich>
Nick

Buying Corals  7/15/06
Hello there!!! I want to buy some coral frags and came upon a site called "www.garf.org".  Have you heard of this site and is it safe to shop here?
<Do know Leroy and Sally... nice, enthusiastic folks>
  I do not want to give away credit card info to false sites.  Please let me know.  Thank you!!!
<As with all such "reviews", prospective purchases, I would ask your question on the large/r BB's like ReefFrontiers, Reefs.org... Bob Fenner>

Newbie Coral Keepers  - 05/13/2006
Crew,
<Mike.>
What corals that are easy to take care of with Power Compact lighting in a 29 gal tank with 130 watts of pc....  
<My three favorite for beginners are 'shrooms and Zoanthus...maybe a small captive reared piece of Sinularia or Sarcophyton.>
  Nothing else in tank except LR and cleaning critters.   will add a few fish but keeping it minimal
<Okay.>
Thoughts I like are mushrooms, leather and brain or maybe some torch.  
<Potentially good choices...do research the exact species as some of these terms are broad.>
Not sure if they are compatible or the small space could cause problems.  
<Long term w/ growth there cold be problems, yes.>
I would just like the shrooms myself but my better half wants something that waves in the water current.  
<Try some green star polyps or clove polyps.>
Any suggestions help.
<See above.>
The more I read the more confused I get as to which ones can do well in a small environment.  If there is some place am missing on your sight to find the answers let me know.....  
<Just keep reading my friend, use the google search feature on out home page.>
Michael
<Adam J.>

Re: Newbie Coral Keepers  - 5/17/2006
Hey thanks for the quick reply.
<Anytime.>
  did not know you guys worked on weekends.  LOL.  
<Well technically we never work….hehe….we are volunteers.>
I do wish I could have better coral names then the generic leather, brain and torch but well most LFS's that's how they list them.
<Well that is why it up to you to research before hand and know what you are up against.>
I will look into the green star polyps or clove polyps for something that waves  along with the others that you mentioned..  But am not rushing to stock it, although am one that once its stocked its  stocked.  
<Okay.>
I do use the google search on your site but most of the time am sifting through other aquarists questions that hmm don't seem to apply although I get some interesting information from the crew as well as some rather amazing  reality checks too.  Which means that no one knows everything there is to know about fish keeping and they are work and sometimes we fall short of maintaining them to there optimal potential and you have to work with what you got.
<…>
I might be a new b to the coral world but not to marine tanks or fish keeping in general.
<Nothing wrong with being new to something…wasn’t mean tot offend.>
  I have a marine tank  for close to 9 years moved up from the 29 to a 55 and now a 92 gallon  fish only corner tank, with 30 years of fresh water tank keeping, and still do, two of them one 70 the other a 29 too. Thought about making the 92 gal a reef tank but lighting stops me from it as well as one of the inhabitants would enjoy the corals as a gourmet meal.  Right now by the FAQ crew standards this tank is over stocked.  
<Yeah….>
With a yellow and blue regal tang getting ready to enter there 6th year under my care and a lunare wrasse and Huma trigger in there 3rd year ( I believe all are pretty much at there full size too. Not sure though as to exactly how to determine exact size? Is it  from the tip of the mouth to the tip of the tail or just before the tail starts).    Its a tight fit but all seem to be happy and healthy.  All though am not sure what happy really is for a fish in captivity other
then the fact that they move around constantly, grazing, and eating all the time when food is given to them.  
<Well what zies are the animals, I doubt they all are at potential size in these quarters.>
I'd like to say am working on not making the tank overstocked but then right now getting a bigger tank, Id love one, just at this time isn't going to happen and with the fish being around as long as they have you cant just get rid of them.  Besides which one(s) would it be all are very entertaining fish.
Thanks for your reply and all the amazing info that is out there on your sight.  
Michael
<Adam J.>

Anemone lighting... other cnid. choices - 04/16/06
Dear Bob (or whoever else might receive this FAQ),
<Jodie here on this beautiful afternoon>
My tank has been fully cycled (for the 2nd time) for about three weeks.  It is 40 gallons and the current inhabitants include a yellow tang, goby, and domino clownfish/damsel.
<This is a domino damsel (not clown) who, I hope you understand, will likely grow up to be a holy terror.>
I upgraded my lighting to 175 watt power compacts with built in fans by JBJ. I want to add photosynthetic inverts such as corals or an anemone.
<I cannot/will not recommend an anemone to you with this lighting.>
In your opinion, which species of coral or anemone would you recommend for my relatively immature system?
<No anemones, as they require stable systems and very intense lighting.  Some good beginner softies would be 'shrooms (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corallim.htm) or the ever-popular zoanthids (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zoanthid.htm).  Both of these are pretty hardy, come in a variety of colors and sizes, and would give you some good (and needed) experience before moving on to more advanced-needs corals.>
Thank you in advance.
<And thank you for letting me flex my spell-checking muscles.  Cheerio,  Jodie>
J. Ferrante

Re: Anemone lighting... other cnid. choices - 04/16/06
Thank you Jodie and just two more brief questions): Isn't that enough light that I have- according to my calculations, that's almost 5 watts per gallon? (well-- almost). To be exact - 4. 44444.  Really, that isn't enough for an anemone?
<This is a matter of personal opinion/experience for me.  I was advised that 3-5 watts per gallon was needed, and yet both BTA and Condy failed to thrive.  Added MH and voila!  Happy anemone.  You could try it, but be prepared in case of a similar scenario.  You didn't mention the depth of your tank -- and yes, this can make a difference.>
Well thanks for making me aware of that then. I guess you need halides for them.
<Again, some may not but in my experience I would recommend it wholeheartedly.>
And another thing- I read the pages you directed me to and is it ok to keep polyps in high nitrate levels ( about 35 ppm). How can I get them down if not?
<Discussed at length on WWM.  Read re: nitrates at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nitratesmar.htm >
Thanks again in advance,
JF
<John, if you want anemones then you should experiment with some hardy soft corals first, learn how to get/keep your nitrates down, and read-read-read.  Be aware that they have a tendency to wander, stinging things along the way, and sometimes getting sucked into powerheads (yes, killing everything in the tank).  They are beautiful and interesting, but also a huge commitment.  Cheers,  Jodie>
(ahha - used spell check this time-- sorry)
<Much appreciated!  jb>

Cleaning Coral Skeletons, 4/6/06
Aloha WWM crew.
Great site you have here.  I actually have two questions
I am hoping you can answer for me.  Question number one:  Can I use the bleach cleaning process on colorful dead coral skeletons without affecting the natural color?  The second question:  I live in Hawaii and here it is illegal to import live coral.  Unfortunately (but understandably), it is also illegal to take any live corals out of the ocean.  Do you guys happen to know of any other way to obtain coral legally for a hobbyist that wants to learn more about it?  Thanks very much, and again GREAT site!
-Mark
<Aloha Mark, Ryan with you today.  I would use a 1/10 Bleach, 9/10 water solution with a brush of sorts on the coral skeletons.  That should do the trick without too much color loss or damage.  As far as the coral situation, I'd give Indo-Pacific Sea Farms a try.  They have an excellent stock of aquacultured soft corals, but I'm not sure if you can purchase without shipping.  Not sure which island they're on, but they're in Hawaii!  Thank you for the kind words, Ryan> <<Are on the Big Island... call Gerald Heslinga re... RMF>>

Re: coral ID - 03/18/2006
Hi Ted,
<<Hello Mohamed. Sorry for the tardy response>>
You mention "here is a list of MAC certified wholesale operations in Fiji and Indonesia", but where is the list?
<<Refer your fish store(s) to the Marine Aquarium Council (http://www.aquariumcouncil.org) to contact wholesale operators in Fiji.>> <This scam outfit has gotten the Fijian gov't to impose a tariff on all... RMF>
To date, not one fish store (8 in total) managed to get me the coral.<<Sorry to hear that.>>
Thanks
Mohamed.

Re: Wanting to try coral  - 01/03/2006
Thanks for the reply.
<That's my job.>
I will be sure to research more thoroughly.
<Awesome.>
I'm so excited to get into the coral area of the marine aquarium hobby.
<Be warned, it is very addictive.>
Thanks for taking the time to list the genera of the corals.
<No problem.>
It will help a lot when I am shopping for corals.
<Yes best to have a "list" rather than buy on impulse. Adam J.>

Advice on coral stocking. 12-19-05
OK, here's what I was offered for a REALLY good price (<$200) from a local hobbyist who's moving:
Hydnophora
1 large green finger leather
5 yellow toadstools
chili coral
pipe organ coral
zoo rocks
2 large clumps of frogspawn
2 large clumps of hammer
Yellow Scroll Coral
Green pagoda cup
Open Brain coral
2 large leather corals
Star polyps
Montipora digita green
Montipora plate green
Grooved brain
whip coral
various large and small mushrooms
  These came out of a 135 system and I have no idea how big they are, other than the pictures sent to me. The part I'm not sure if it would be wise for me to get them as I only have a standard 55 gal. w/60lbs. LR and 4"DSB. My lighting is 250W 10000K MH and 130W super actinic. 300gph return from sump and MiniJet900 for flow, currently, though I'm planning on adding a 600gph return w/SQUID (sp?). The only things in the system are,2" ocellaris clown, 2" domino damsel, 1" 4-line damsel; a few frags of: button polyps, zoos, xenia, anthelia; 2 Med. Kenya tree; and one 8" rock covered in Palythoa. I don't currently have a fuge setup, though that's been in the works as well. Is this just too much for my system? If so, are there any particular pieces you could recommend. If I do this I'll wind up giving up my plans to do an anemone/clown setup. Your advice is as invaluable as always. Thank you. Branon.
<My advice would be to purchase the lot of it, as it is a great price, and share with your local reefers. How much will fit in your tank is really dependent on the true size of the pieces so I really can't venture a guess as to how much will fit in your tank. Heck, I have seen frogspawn so big they had to break it to fit it out the top of a 90 gallon. Travis>

Coral Selection and Placement in the Nano Tank  12/7/05
Dear Mr. Fenner, 
<Actually you get Adam J tonight, Bob is still out having lots of fun diving and hopefully getting some cool new pictures.>
I have a 20gal.long nano reef. I have just started adding corals, so far I have a very small clump of green star polyps (about .5") I'm hoping that they will spread fast.
<Oh yes they do, to the point o being a weed at times.>
One fist sized clump of clove polyps (Clavularia sp.) That I added two weeks ago and are looking great (polyps fully extended
and appears to be spreading already).
<Cool.>
One unidentified type of hairy mushroom that is about 3" in diameter and appears to be splitting.
<I would attempt to identify it, some mushrooms get quite large and are ”fish traps” ….yes they eat fish.>
And three small Ocellaris clowns.
<You’re at your limit for fish already.>
I also have about 30lbs. of live rock and some Blueleg hermit crabs.  The filtration consists of one Aquaclear 200, (200 gph.) and one CPR BakPak 2 Protein Skimmer with a Rio 600 and preskimmer.
<Watch the Rio pump they aren’t of the best quality in my opinion, I would consider witching this one out for another brand, such as a Maxijet. I believe the Maxijet 900 or 1200 is compatible wit this skimmer.>
The BakPak is working great and consistently getting about 1/3 cup of skimmate. I have a rotating powerhead that circulates 160gph. The lighting is a Coralife compact fluorescent lighting fixture (130 watts 2, 65 watt bulbs one actinic and one daylight).
Okay now to the question. My LFS has a beautiful and healthy Lobophyllia and a beautiful and healthy bubble coral (Plerogyra sp.) I was wondering if it would be possible for me to have either one of these (not both).
<With your lighting either one is an okay choice, however I would lean toward the Lobophyllia as the bubble has sweeper tentacles that can measure up to 6”, and these will sting anything they touch. So the Lobophyllia would drastically limit your future sessile inverts in such a small tank. As for placement the bubble can be placed anywhere in your tank with moderate current, the Lobophyllia is best placed in the substrate.>
If it would be possible were should I place them in the tank. My water is near perfect. And the live rock is teeming with invertebrate life. This would be my first stony coral. Thanks for your help
<Welcome.>
MDM
<Adam J.> 

International shipping query  11/11/05
Hi guys
<Salud!>
I am from Africa, South Africa to be exact (so excuse the English)
<Okay>
and spend most of my free time browsing your site. I have a quick question that I hope you would be able to answer. We have a really large support for the hobby of reefkeeping. 
The only problem is that we cannot find quality livestock. We are especially looking for frags that we can grow and one day propagate in order to supply fellow hobbyists, clams are also high on the list of demands. My question is if you know of any company that will ship internationally as this seems to be a major problem. Please assist if it is at all possible.
Keep up the great work
regards
Robert
<Mmm, likely some of the larger wholesalers, marine clubs in Europe are where you should look... Are there regular flights from Germany to "Jo-burg?" or other large town near you? Is there enough demand there so you can have a bunch sent to you/all at one time? This will greatly reduce costs. I would check with your local stores to see if they will co-op a shipment with you, others. Bob Fenner>

Coral selection & lighting 10/12/05
Dear Crew:
I have a 54 gallon corner setup - FOWLR. I have about 8 fish - 2 tangs and some clowns and chromis, & cleaner shrimp. It's been running about 8 months. I'd like to add some corals. The lighting is a basic 30" twin tube Fluorescent - 17 watts each bulb (34 watts total). Could you recommend some easy to care for corals? Also, would you recommend upgrading the lighting to a 55 watt power compact or something different? <Mitch, please read here first. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/growingcorals.htm  James (Salty Dog)> 

Anemones And Sessile Inverts... Never A Good Mix - 07/29/05
My BTA has decided to attach himself to the bottom of my button polyp rock so that when he inflates he brushes against some of them.
<<This is why most here don't advocate placing motile invertebrates in the same system with sessile invertebrates.>>
They are turning white and I'm assuming that they are being stung.
<<They are>>
I only have a few corals in a 105 gallon tank and there are plenty of other rocks for him to choose from.
<<This is not the fault of the anemone.>>
Is there any way to get him off this particular rock?  I have  moved the polyp rock from the top of the tank where it was getting maximum light  and current to the bottom shadier part of the tank to see if this gets him to move.
<<This may or may not work, but you are now stressing both animals.>>  
So far, it's not working.  I don't want to pry him off or hurt  him.
<<No, prying will likely damage/kill the anemone.  They can sometimes be "gently" coaxed from smooth surfaces with a carefully applied thumbnail, but trying to forcefully remove them from rock is ill advised.>>
Any solutions?
<<Mmm...place the rock back where the anemone will be/was happy and accept the demise of the polyps...learn from the experience and treat the (any) anemone accordingly.>>
Thanks!  I've been reading your sight for hours and can't find the answer, so far.
<<The "answer" is not to mix these critters in the first place my friend.  Regards, EricR>>

Coral Selection
Hi crew, hopefully this is just a quick question for
you to answer.
My setup is basically 150g tank, sump/fuge 50g, 2 x
250W HQI, 2 x 30W Actinic, tank dims are 60" x 24" x
24", 135lbs Fiji LR, 4" sandbed, livestock currently
false percula, purple Dottyback, Turbos, cerith, red
leg hermits.
Question is I'm looking to go reef, which coral type
are best suited for this setup - Soft corals, SPS or
LPS, I'm a big fan of all coral types I am not going
to mix but am unsure which my setup best suits?  <Dave, I think you will find useful info here.
http://www.google.com/custom?q=Coral+selection&sa=Google+Search&sitesearch=wetwebmedia.com
James (Salty Dog)
Cheers,
Dave

Coral Stocking 6/15/05
I have a hundred gallon (60x 18x 22) reef tank that has been set up for awhile. It circulates at 4200gph and has 940w of light (500w=MH 14k and 440w=VHO actinic). I use carbon and a phosphate remover in my sump, along with an AquaC 180 and a denitrator. Everything is very stable in the aquarium, with nitrates always under 5ppm, 0 nitrite, 0 ammonia, 0 phosphate, pH at 8.3, alkalinity around 11, and calcium at 430. I also have about 200lbs of LR and a little over 20" of fish in the aquarium.
<All sounds great, although counting fish by the inch is a very poor estimate of actual bioload.  Consider twenty 1" damsels vs. two 10" panther groupers.  Quite a difference!>
Now with all that said, I have only a few corals (a mushroom colony, zooanthids colony, and a green open brain coral). I set up the tank so I could house some SPS corals and some clams. I have taken it slow so far but am ready for some corals. My question is how many SPS colonies can I put in at once and still be safe. I have an opportunity to hand pick corals and clams from a distributor but the thing is I will only have this one opportunity. Since I have this change to hand select from a large stock and get it at a low price, I want to take full advantage of it. <This is a great opportunity!  The risk does not lie in bioload.  The bioload of corals is pretty trivial since they don't feed heavily and because the zooxanthellae process most of the nitrogenous wastes.  The real risk is in putting so many stressed and probably wild colonies together.  It is not uncommon to for one dying colony to take out several.  Also, the more corals you introduce at once, the greater the likelihood of introducing pests or predators.>
I would like to purchase about 30 colonies of SPS corals, three clams, and maybe a half dozen LPS corals. Would this just be too much? <Yowza!!  In my opinion, this would be way too much.  If you don't suffer losses as described above, you will quickly have problems with corals growing into each other.  Do consider how all of these colonies will fit when they are all two, three, five times their current size!>
I monitor the tank very closely and I feel that I would be able to catch something before it turned catastrophic. I also planned to use a very large amount of carbon in the filter and changing it every three days. What do you think? <If you do get a large number of corals at once, I agree with the use of carbon and would also perform very frequent small water changes (perhaps 10-15% twice a week) for a couple of weeks.  It may also be worth considering setting up a separate holding system so that you can better observe each colony for poor health, pests, etc.  This way, each colony could be moved to the display based on it's individual appearance.  Best Regards.  AdamC.>

Corals for light
Hey guys, How are you all?
<Can't speak for anyone else, but I feel like a truck hit me... too much physical labor the last few weeks, and those beers and hot wings last night... yikes!>
I have a question for you. I have a 30 gallon reef tank (or trying to be reef) right now its just one mushroom and a shrimp+ 40 lbs live rock. I have a PC fixture of 1-55w daylight and 1-55w actinic. I was wondering if you would be so
kind as to put together a small list of corals that would be ok for my lighting situation. :).........I was thinking of xenia because they require moderate light and are mostly feeding corals. Anything would be appreciated. 
- Thanks for taking the time to read this
-Aaron
<Mmm, no. Please take the time to read through the "coral" (soft, hard, what have you) sections on selection, compatibility... posted on WWM: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/index.htm.  There's more, much more, to this process than light consideration. Bob Fenner> 

Stocking A Small World!
Dear Sirs,
<No "sir" needed... Just Scott F. here today!>
Hello. I have a few questions for you guys that I hope you can help me with. First, I have a 30 gallon saltwater aquarium set up and functioning. The stats are as follows; 10 gallon sump (on its way to being an algae scrubber), 42 lbs. Caribbean live rock and 10 lbs. of Fiji. I have 192 watt compact fluorescent fixture (a 96 watt actinic and a 96 watt double daylight) a good skimmer and Penguin bio wheel. So far all I have in the tank is 2 Turbo snails and about 25-30 blue leg hermit crabs. My question is about stocking. I definitely want to have some True Percula clowns (I was thinking 2) and maybe one other fish. If you could help me select those that would be great.
<I think a great fish for a tank like this would be either the colorful and hardy Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto) or some type of Blenny, like the Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor). Both are colorful, interesting fishes that do well in smaller tanks.>
Next is my big question. I want to turn it into a reef aquarium and have some soft corals and maybe a few hard corals. What would your professional staff recommend? 
(P.S. I'm not a total newbie so feel free to recommend what ever species you'd like. I have just dealt with Nano size reefs and don't know as much about larger setups.) 
Thanks, Andrew S.
<Well, Andrew, I'd probably avoid mixing hard and soft corals in this sized aquarium, because the possible "chemical warfare" that can occur between the two would be magnified in this limited space. I'd start off with some very hardy corals, such as the "Mushroom Corals" or perhaps some Ricordea, both of which are colorful, interesting, and easy to care for. Other possible candidates would be Xenia or perhaps Green Star Polyps (although they can be a rather "aggressive" coral, overgrowing many other species. Do look into any of these types and make your selections from those. Hopefully, this will give you a good start for corals for your system. Good luck and have fun with your system! Regards, Scott F.>  

Coral Stocking 5/17/05
Good Morning Crew! I would not be bothering you again, but after tons of research, I still feel clueless on what to do with the corals that I bought (on the advice of the 
LFS).
<A QT tank was the first stop before entering your display tank, I hope!>
I was very new to reefkeeping and bought everything they recommended, only to find out later that many of the corals are not good choices at all. Here is the scenario: I have a 55 gallon reef tank, around 80 lbs of Fiji live rock, dual BakPak skimmer, very large (not sure of size exactly) Skilter filter,
<Please do consider a skimmer upgrade... Aqua C Remora is you prefer hang-on-the-back skimmers... or and ASM G2 or G 3 for sump models>
live sand, reef supplements, no problems with water parameters, currently, have power compacts for lighting at 2.5 watts per gallon (I purchased the orbit metal halide reef lighting system for this tank but it is on back order until the end of this month) I also have a 20 gallon tank that I am preparing for sea horses in the future.
<Do get your live food cultures well established many months before you even dream of doing seahorses. And plumb a refugium inline to the seahorse tank long before as well>
Once my lighting system for the 55 gallon tank arrives, I can use my power compacts on the 20 gallon. The 55 gallon inhabitants include: 3 leather corals, 1 chili coral, 1 toadstool leather, 1 colony of button polyps, 1 flower pot coral, 1 maxima clam, 2 feather duster colonies, 8 small damsels & 1 false percula clown.
<The Chili coral can be target fed baby brine shrimp or live rotifers several times weekly if you will help it survive/thrive. The Goniopora however is a dreadfully difficult coral. Needing deep beds of fine sand, etc.>
It is my recent understanding that stony & soft corals should not be placed in the same tank
<It's a bad habit long term, yes>
....should I place the soft corals (leather & chili) into the 20 gallon sea horse tank & keep the 55 gallon for stony corals only?
<Hmmm... it depends. If you can/will maintain superb water quality via weekly water exchanges are weekly changes of carbon, etc... then you can get away with the mix>
Are leathers compatible with sea horses?
<Compatible yes... natural, no>
Which tank would be best suited for the button polyps? ( all corals / clam have 6 - 8 inches between them and are fully open)
<Any tank in this case>
I currently have the clam placed high on the reef in the most light intensive spot & he also receives some stray sunlight from a window in the room (awaiting the arrival of the metal halides), the flower pot is on the sand,
<All positions are quite excellent>
(should I be placing the phytoplankton in a blender first before I feed this creature?)
<It is helpful... especially with Phyto products that have shipped warm>
& the chili coral is upside down, near the bottom of the tank with his base supported between 2 rocks (is this the correct positioning?).
<Upside down... yes!!>
I have learned a very valuable lesson about researching compatibility, husbandry, quarantine & selection PRIOR to purchase & I will not repeat these mistakes.
<Kudos to you my friend>
Can you please assist me in determining the best home/care/placement (20 gallon sea horse tank or 55 gallon reef) for these specimens, as I do not trust the advice of the LFS anymore. I know this is quite a great deal of information that I am requesting (I apologize), I promise no more questions for at least 2 months. =) Thank you kindly, Julie
<no worries... specific questions are very welcome. Anthony :) >  

Anemone + coral - who will win? - 4/25/05
Should I remove my sea anemone from my reef tank? I
have a 90 gallon reef system that has been working
quite well (thanks mainly to the information that I've
read on this website). On a recent trip to my LFS, I
was convinced to buy a sea anemone - they told me my
clown would love it and it would keep the clown from
bothering the xenia. From the little I've read on
anemones, I've summarized that maybe an anemone in a
reef tank is not 100% ok. I echoed these concerns to
the LFS, but they told me that the LT that I'm getting
would not move around and is quite reef friendly.
<Not really any such things.  It's completely unnatural to mix anemones with coral, as they are found in completely different habitats.  Plus, the motility of anemones leads to the downfall of your coral, or vice versa>
The
first 2 days were fine...I fed it and it pretty much
stayed within a small area of the tank. This morning
however it decided to relocate...and looks like it
burned a brain that it was up against.
<Case in point :)>
I moved the
brain away and also moved the anemone to a safe area
(i.e.. no corals around). My first reaction has been,
lets return the anemone to my LFS, but wanted to get
some thoughts from you before making this decision.
<An excellent idea>
The anemone is quite nice (LT, greenish, about 6
diameter when open). The reason I got it was for the
clown...and so far the clown has stayed away, although
this morning the clown looked a lot more interested in
the anemone...but has yet to actually touch it.
<I would advise a species tank if you want to keep it.  I'm completely against mixing corals and anemones>
Thanks for your help on this and all the other
questions you've answered for me on your site!
<No problem :)  M. Maddox>

Re: Corals stocking selection question for MikeB - Hey!
Hello Mike!
Thanks for your reply!
<Sorry that I haven't gotten back to you sooner, I have been out of the country.>
In your answer, did you mean to say that if I introduce them slowly over months I CAN mix hard and soft corals in the end?
<No, what I meant was that it would be best if you chose either soft corals or hard corals.> 
Regarding what you say about hermits and snails. That's what I first thought to do (more hermits and snails), but I've been cutting down after reading Shimek and discussing it with Mr. Fenner. The arguments were that they were eating stuff that was better left to smaller critters (micro-fauna like mini-brittle-stars, pods, worms...) and even eating these smaller critters. Maybe I should have said that I'll have a 4" sugar-fine Arag DSB and a 30-40gal refugium with DSB and macro-algae.
<O.K. I understand now. Having a refugium will do much to stabilize your system.> 
I would be very interested to know more about your opinion on that. 
<No, Mr. Fenner is correct. Especially if you have a refugium.> 
I usually like to have complementary opinions and go middle ground.
<That is good but remember there can be more than one effective way to maintain a fish tank and sometimes mixing the methods wouldn't work.> 
Otherwise, what selection and amount of snails/hermits you suggest? I sometimes was thinking of half a dozen Nassarius and half a dozen Nerites. 
<I think that would be best or maybe another half dozen if they can't keep up with the algae growth. Good Luck MikeB>  

Adding corals to FO tank
Hello! 
<Hey Michele, MacL here with you today.> 
This is my second time writing you, and I wanted to thank you for the quick response and the great information. I have a 55 gallon tank with 65 lbs. live rock, live sand, a protein skimmer, and a powerhead. I have a current USA power compact lighting system. In the tank currently, I have a lawnmower blenny, a Foxface rabbit fish, a Picasso trigger, and a snowflake eel. I was wanting to put something in to add a splash of color, and was contemplating adding either corals, sponges, mushrooms or another type. 
<I would say that with your lighting, in my experience, the easiest thing would be to put in mushrooms. Perhaps some star polyps as well. Both of these should add color and yet be easy to take care of.> 
What are the easiest to take care of, and what will coexist well with the fish already in the tank? I’ve done well with the fish that are in there, they've all pretty much been in there for about 8 mo.- a year except for the trigger which is new. Thanks ahead of time for all your help and insight. 
<Congratulations and sounds like you are doing marvelously.> 

Corals stocking selection question
Hi there!
To any of the WWM crew member:
I have made a selection of corals I'm interested to keep in my new 90gal reef tank. Of course I don't intend to keep all of them, but will take from this list as they become available in my LFSs. I based my choice on three factors: must contain symbiotic algae, must be rated peaceful (with the single exception of the "semi-aggressive" Acropora), and must match my aesthetic preferences. I also added the list of animals I intend to keep with them so you can tell me if there is a miss-match... Could you please tell me if I can organize any combination of corals from that list without too much problems. Please point out species that I should remove from list for any reason (including ethical issues: species that aren't aquacultured and on the verge of being threatened in the wild).
<I will do my best.>
Soft and polyps:
-Starburst Polyp (Pachyclavularia sp.)
-Pumping Xenia (Xenia spp.)
-Waving Hand Blue (Xenia sp.)
-Pipe Organ Coral (Tubipora musica)
-Snake Polyp (Isaurus tuberculatus)
-Blue Ridge Coral (Heliopora sp.)
-Finger Leather (Lobophytum)
Hard corals (SPS and LPS):
-Acropora Coral, Neon (Acropora spp.)
-Montipora Coral, Branched (Montipora digitata)
-Stylophora Coral (Stylophora spp.)
-Candy Cane Coral (Caulastrea furcata)
-Fox Coral (Nemanzophyllia turbida)
-Green Eyed Cup Coral (Mycedium sp.)
-Lace Coral (Disticophora, Purple)
-Pagoda Cup Coral (Turbinaria)
One anemone:
-Bulb Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor) = aquacultured
Fishes:
1 Green Mandarin (Synchiropus splendidus)
1 Ocellaris Clownfish - Tank Bred (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1 Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica)
1 Yellow Tang - Hawaii (Zebrasoma flavescens)
1 Clown Goby, Green (Gobiodon atrangulatus)
1 Kaudern's Cardinal (Pterapogon kauderni)
Crustaceans:
1 Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)
1 Sexy Anemone Shrimp (Thor amboinensis)
1 White Spot Anemone Shrimp (Periclimenes brevicarpalis)
2 micro hermits (one blue-legged and one scarlet)
1 Coral Crab (TRAPEZID) and/or 1 pompom boxing crab
Stars:
1 Marble Sea Star (Fromia sp.)
1 Red Sea Star (Fromia milleporella)
Others:
2 Harlequin Bubble Sea Slug (Haminoea cymbalum)
1 Crocea Clam, Super Colored (Tridacna crocea)
1 Feather Duster
Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Dominique
<Dominique, the list you have is quite an extensive one!!! I think you would need more hermit crabs and maybe some snails. As per your request, I suggest that you pick your tank to be either soft corals or hard corals. If you must have them both you will run into problems. The soft corals will produce a slime coat that will bother the hard corals and they will not do well in the long run. Otherwise, if you add the fish and corals slowly (over a period of months) you should be OK. MikeB>

Coral Selection 2/28/05
I have a 29 and am beginning to purchase a few corals. Will these species live together, and will it be to many inhabitants for this size tank. Frogspawn, Torch, Fluorescent Green Mushroom, and Xenia. Thank you, Eric 
<You will have to take some care to prevent these from overgrowing each other in the future. Frogspawn and torch will grow slowly enough that their growth will be manageable. The xenia can be a problem, but excess is easily removed for sale/trade. Mushrooms generally don't grow fast enough to be a growth problem, but the do produce a lot of noxious chemicals and are capable of stinging and overgrowing just about any other corals. Since Frogspawn and torch are fairly sensitive to "chemical warfare" it will probably be a good idea to run small amounts of carbon to help remove some of those chemicals. Best Regards. AdamC.>

Are there any corals for a regular fluorescent lit tank?
I have read through you're website extensively... and am always learning.  I
am having difficulty filtering through the information on corals and
lighting.
I have a 90 gallon saltwater
Protein skimmer
90+lbs live rock mostly covered with red/burgundy encrusting algae (this is
good... right?) << Yes, good. >>
Two Clowns
Two Gobies
Coral Banded Shrimp
Pistol Shrimp
Sand bead ranges from 2.5 - 4" deep
Canister Filter (suited for 125 gallon tank)
My lighting is the basic fluorescent light included with the tank. << Definitely not enough for most marine tanks. >> Without
upgrading to anything expensive... what can I get beyond invertebrates and
fish for my tank? << Well you are even limited on them.  Fish are fine.  But many invertebrates will struggle.  I think you are limited to shrimp, snails, crabs, worms and the like. >>
Are any corals an option? << I don't think so.  I can't think of any. >> Worms? << Yes. >> Clams? << No way. >>
I love some of the colors on the clams.  I've heard that a feather duster
would be a good option if it has some moderate water flow.  Any
recommendations on some corals?  I have found that the following website
(linked from your site) www.liveaquaria.com <http://www.liveaquaria.com>
seems to categorize some of the corals pretty good.  Is this a good website
that can be trusted for fairly accurate information? << I actually think it is a good website.  Remember they are trying to sell you things.  Clams are not an option.  They require very high lighting which would require massive upgrading.  Feather duster worms are okay, they need plankton and that is about it. >>  Would I be safe going
with any of there   low-medium light required specimens as far as coral
goes? << I really don't think so. >>  Any favorites that you can recommend that would do well with just a
plain old fluorescent light?    As well, what is your opinion on moon
lighting?  Does it do any good to my marine life?  Or is it more for effect
and night time viewing? << It doesn't have any effect or do anything in your tank.  It just makes your tank look really cool at night. >>
Thanks a bunch guys... you're awesome!
Dave
<<  Blundell  >>

Opening a saltwater/coral store 7/1/04
hi, I am trying to find a trade magazine or shows on purchasing equipment  to open a store.  I also need the most local fish and coral suppliers  around the Jupiter, fl area.  thank you very much.
Deborah
<do look for Pet Business, Pet Age and Pet Supplies marketing magazines online (Google search). Also, membership in the trade organization PIJAC for demographic info and support on writing and revisiting your business plan as the years go by, market data, info, warnings, etc. HH Backer puts on trade shows along that have been popular for years although not very focused on fishes/marines. The MACNA hobby conference is also on of your very best places to network with other retailers and manufacturers along with advance aquarists from across the nation. Start with these leads and delve into our archives here at WetWebMedia.Com with FAQs and info collected through the years (you'll see a link on the index page for "business" info. Best of luck, Anthony>

Starting With Corals
Could you please tell me what corals would be best for beginners to purchase. So many people have so many different opinions and I would like info. from only the best! I already have a mushroom, some sun polyps, a flower pot coral (which I am having mixed thoughts about, now) and a pulsating xenia.  Thank you! Connie
<Wow, Connie- that's kind of like asking what stock to invest in! As you surmised, you'll ask 50 people and get 50 different answers! If it were me, I'd start with mushrooms (like you have), some hardy Sinularia leather corals, maybe Pachyclavularia violacea (Green Star Polyps), and possibly, a Sarcophyton leather coral. Xenia is a wonderful coral that can thrive under a variety of aquarium conditions. Most of the above corals are reasonably hardy, tolerate a bunch of different lighting and current schemes, and are reasonably forgiving. Perhaps most important, they are all available as captive-propagated specimens, so that the unfortunate failures that sometimes happen when we're starting with corals will not have a negative impact on wild reefs. Do read up on these corals to get an idea of their husbandry, characteristics, and proper placement in your aquarium. I love soft corals-you can make a gorgeous display with just hardy "beginner's" soft corals. Eventually, you could try some "large polyp stony corals", such as Caulastrea and Trachyphyllia. Have a lot of fun researching these corals on the WetWebMedia.Com site. Also, you should pick up Anthony Calfo's "Book of Coral Propagation" and Eric Borneman's "Aquarium Corals", which are two of the best guides out there for coral enthusiasts. Good luck! Scott F.>

Beginning Corals and fish
Hello, My name is Kem. I am planning to set up a 46 gallon reef tank. But I do not know which kind of corals are best for the beginner. I would also like to know what fish are best for beginners also. Thanks a lot.
<Hello, I would start with Soft corals, and maybe some mushrooms.  Damsel fish are a good place to start.  You might want to pick up a good book as well.  Let us know if you have any questions along the way.  Best Regards, Gage
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/soft.htm  >

Corals Selection
(please let me know if I am using your service too much - I don't want
to monopolize your time).
I would like to begin adding corals to my tank.  What specie(s) do you
recommend starting with.  I believe I have enough light (350 watts -
full spectrum covered) and the tank appears to be very stable.
Also, I know that minimal to no detectable nitrate levels are suggested
for corals.  What is realistic in my 75 gallon world.  It seems that
keeping it down to around 4ppm is pretty reasonable (and attainable).
Thanks again!  And, do let me know if I'm "monopolizing". Scot
>>
No to the monopolizing (one of my fave board games btw). Have time (it is one of my principal jobs...) and an acute interest in these queries. Now onto the question itself... Kind of depends on two answers to further questions: 1) What do you consider a coral? and 2) Have you experience with these animals?
And with the small amount of space/time allotted to me on this planet and forum, allow me to explain a bit: It's taken me quite a while to get used to the broader definition, but the hobby and business of ornamental aquatics refers to a wide swath of organisms as "corals"... Some not even Anthozoans... (e.g. the Hydrozoans which are "Fire Corals", Milleporina)... and so, if you consider the colonial anemones (Zoanthids/"Polyps",,,, there are other "polyp" groups, have mercy), mushroom or false anemones (aka, corallimorpharians), and soft corals (Order Alcyonacea... like the leather, colt, devil's fingers, pulsing ...) as "corals", then I would start there, with them... rather than diving into the harder to keep true, or "stony" corals (Order Scleractinia)... especially if the answer to 2) above is "No, this is my first foray into trying to keep these organisms". If the answer is "Yes", then I definitely do have good, better, dismal choice selections to offer for the "real" corals as well.
A bunch of all this (expanded blather) info. can be found in articles I've placed on the www.WetWebMedia.com site... 
Bob Fenner

Just your opinion
I have a 20 gal. aquarium that has a plenum unit, I placed slices of pvc 
pipe 1" tall on the bottom, then a piece of egg crate and screening over that, 
than I have a 1in layer of Florida crushed coral, then screen and then a 1 and 
1/2" layer of aragonite sub. about 2-3mm. I have about 9lbs of Fiji LR, I 
have a BakPak sr2 which is a new unit, I have 72 watts of power compacts on a 
timer, 1:30-10:00 for the actinics and 2:00- 9:30 for the daylights. I have 
about a 6in umbrella leather, a green striped mushroom colony, metallic green 
zoopolyps, a silver gorgonian, and as far as fish goes, a Firefish, small 
maroon clown, and a 1in twin spot goby. My question is do think this system 
will do well? and will xenia do well in this tank? and lastly do u think I 
have the maximum amount of fish? As of now, all critters are doing 
extraordinary, calcium is at 450ppm and ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are all 
at zero. 
thank you, {I am only 13}~kurt Baldwin
>>
Thank you for writing... For being such a small system, it sounds like you've got this tank wired. You might try some Xenia... but I think, if it were me, I'd be more inclined to start trading out some of my growing invertebrates for small "frags" of colonies of other soft and hard corals... than risk overcrowding the tank fish-wise.
Bob Fenner, who is only 47!

Reef Corals
Bob-
I have set up a 55 gal. tank with 95 lb. of live rock, 50 lb. of live sand, 
320 watts of compact lighting (combo of blue actinic and daylight), canister 
filter, power protein skimmer, and 3 power heads at 160 gph each. 
The water conditions have been stable for about a week, but I'm waiting 
a couple more weeks (just to be safe). I want to keep a variety of corals 
along with 2 clowns (perculas), a royal Gramma and a few blue-green cosmos. 
My question: What types of corals are easy to maintain for a beginner and 
will thrive with these fish? And: Do I add the fish first or corals first? 
I have a couple books on corals, but I want a variety of colors and 
textures. Any suggestions? Carla 
>>
Go with some of the simpler to keep soft corals and related organisms to start with... Some leathers, Lemnalia, pulsing corals (Xeniids), maybe a zoanthid, some "polyps" (Star, Clove...)... and we'll chat in a couple of months. They should go in after the initial fishes... after the system/rock is thoroughly cycled. Bob Fenner

"Coral" Selection
In your opinion, which species of coral would be a good choice for a novice reef keeper? Also, if possible, can you give me information on how to take care of the coral. Another thing, I have on my live rock what I believe to be mushrooms. what should I do to keep them alive? Thank you >>
>>
Of true/stony corals (order Scleractinia)? The members of the genus Euphyllia are my faves... Like Anchor, Torch, Frogspawn (family Caryophylliidae).
For the mushrooms (order Corallimorpharia), just watch water quality... no specialized feeding (in my opinion... they'll get incidental food from feeding others)... and keep a "break" of space between their colonies and your other stinging-celled life... as they can be dangerously territorial.
Bob Fenner

Coral for a Fish/Reef Tank?
Dear Bob,
Thanks for the great website and just as importantly for your frank advice
making use of all of your experience. I have had a fish only tank for 7
years and because of a leak, have converted from 80 gallons to 100.
<Ah, a lucky leak>
My goal
is to cautiously move toward a biologically balanced fish/reef system. My
philosophy thus far has been to under load the tank to maintain water
quality, and minimize intervention, i.e. chemical addition etc and fish
stress. It served me well so far.
<Yes>
Just recently I installed an Icecap 660 driving 3 x 48" NO full spectrum
and 1 actinic. Big difference to my eyes. From what I have read and your
previous advice on the subject I would categorize the amount/quality of
light to be medium. I could transition to VHO bulbs but want to experiment
with NO bulbs unless it becomes too limiting. I have read an article from
FAMA (Cohen?)
<Ah, good old (even more than I!) Merrill>
that I believe successfully used this kind of setup. As a
result of the better lighting I've added a Trachyphyllia geoffroyi (rose
open brain). What else would you recommend given these tank particulars and
my balanced approach philosophy? Snails, Brittlestars, etc. for detritus?
What about other zooxanthellae. corals ?
<All the above groups would do fine here>
~20lbs live rock
massive growth of Halimeda sp (greener more finely branched version of
discoidea)
some Halimeda discoidea
significant Caulerpa p.
1 yellow tang, 1 fox face, 1 cinnamon clown, 2 blue damsels
~1000 gph total circulation
canister filter w/charcoal driving 2 BioWheels
airstone driven Coralife skimmer (lots of contact time as there is no
forced flow)
monthly water changes ~ 5%
No algae problems and chemistry seems fine given long term stability. One
other question, are those BioWheels doing anything? 
<Not much>
There is some Bryopsis
plumosa (grassy) kind of algae growing on the outlet which I suppose is
doing some minimal algal filtration too.
Being another San Diegan, do you ever speak in the area? Thanks!!!!
<Oh yes... Maurice Bullock and the rest of the local Marine Club are friends, put up with me (have mercy!) quite often. Will cc Maurice here.>
David A. Bidwell