20 gallon marine aquarium in June issue of FAMA
Mr. Fenner <
Let me start by saying that I writing this for my mom who is an avid aquarist. She is in the process of setting up a 20 gallon marine reef tank. She saw the article in the June issue of FAMA and was wondering if she could get the info on how these twenty gallon tanks filtration systems were set up In particular the wooden air stones and the setting up and modifying of the Skilter 250 filter. She is using a whisper 2000 in her tank > The tank is up and running She has two live rock in the tank with a couple of domino fish The tank has been up about 5 or 5 weeks although she just put in the rock and fish . Any info you could supply would be greatly appreciated Thanks so much. Hubert Tyler writing
for Joan Tyler
<Could do so from memory... wrote this piece about three years back... but do have her or you contact Tom Walsh directly at the e-address listed at the end of the article. He has assured me he does not mind, enjoys sharing his experiences. Bob Fenner>

Re: Small Reef tank, from FAQ
Hello again,
You mention in the Small Tank FAQ
(http://www.wetwebmedia.com/smmarsys.htm) that you had an article in FAMA entitled "Small can be Beautiful" and that it should be posted to
the site. I've searched and all I came up with was the aforementioned reference. 
<Ah, thanks for asking about this... in getting around (one of the writing/photography fields "business of life" duties of copying and putting away the last few months of published and not efforts, did notice this piece was not "on"... and did place with a few of the images: Here tis, http://WetWebMedia.com/tomwsmreefs.htm
Maybe I should change the title on the WWM site... it's linked with the file/page you cite above.>
I was just curious as to when it would be making it's appearance on WWM, or if you could provide the date/issue number I'll see if any of the LFS's have that issue in stock.
<Let's see. In the 6/01 ish of FAMA>
Thanks Bob,
Mike (who also cooks extensively with garlic)
<Allium sativum, yum! Am making a barley soup (with chicken, corn, mushrooms...) and same as we speak/type. 

Mixing my own saltwater
Dear Mr. Fenner,
<<Actually, it's JasonC today, how are you?>>
Thanks for setting up such a great website and providing invaluable advice for free!
<<I'm glad you are finding it useful.>>
I have been buying saltwater from the LFS @ .99/gal and would like to start mixing my own. I came across the article related to the above at your site but did not get an exact method to go about using tap water (as Tom Walsh has been successfully adhering to). Could you please outline the steps from scratch or point me to the appropriate link.
<<Appropriate link:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/water4maruse.htm >>
Thanks in advance ! Best, Mimi
<<Cheers, J -- >>

Tom Walsh (non-passing)
Hello - I just read a sentence on your site that Tom Walsh has died. He was wonderfully helpful advising me with a small 20L salt set-up in a
classroom earlier this year and even had local ties here in the Cornell community. I never met him but feel so sad. Nita Irby
<Thank you much for writing. Turns out Tom is fine (whew!)... A fine individual. Sorry for the duress. Bob Fenner>

Skilter modification?
Good Morning To All-
I was reading about Tom Walsh's 20 gal tanks and I was wondering about the modification that he made with his Skilter. The article says
he uses a wooden airstone in the contact chamber, powered by a Whisper air pump. I was wondering...what size airstone (any size that fits in
the 'tube')?, what size air pump (to power only 1 Skilter) and finally, do you still use the 'air flow adjuster' on the Skilter itself or just the wooden airstone?
<I was there, wrote the piece. It was a "regular" small wooden (Ash?) airstone (need to be air-dried, switched out quite regularly... maybe weekly... Best tested with "bio-assay" of your trying to blow through line instead of air pump... if you can't do easily, than time to switch)... and a "II" equivalent diaphragm type air pump (Tetra's/ESU's Luft Pump is ideal here)... and the regular aspiration line was still employed on the Skilter>
Any insight would be greatly appreciated! In case you were wondering...I have a 20 gal tank myself (running for almost 4 years now) and I've always just used the Skimmer part of the Skilter on an "as needed basis" (usually 2-3 nights per week, I don't usually run it during the day because I really hate all the bubbles it generates and sends into the tank...it just looks bad, in my opinion)...will the airstone modification help to reduce the number of bubbles that get into the tank? 
<Yes, should>
It seems to me like it might...??? Thanks for your help (again)!
Ann
<Bob Fenner>

Skilter Modification (Follow-up)
I just wanted to let you know that I went ahead and tried the Skilter modification that Tom W. uses on his 20 gal tanks and I must say that the amount and 'quality' of my skimmate(?) has greatly improved. (High quality skimmate...now that is funny!) Also, I have not been using the Skilter's air producing ability at all. As a result the number of bubbles going into the tank has decreased dramatically. Thanks for sharing the information. My fish, inverts and I are much happier for it!
<Glad to hear it. Will post on the daily page and file under the proper FAQ to help others. -Steven Pro>