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So I decided I should keep a closer eye on my water parameters, after letting Wifebane run on autopilot for a long time. One thing I noticed when I finally checked was that my ALK was really low. So I dosed it back up to about 9.5 dkH over the course of 2 weeks. I then decided to just start...

Check the for sale forum here, someone was selling an Apex EL with trident and DOS. Seemed like a good deal considering the equipment offered.

I've had some probes just sitting in the tank forever, unconnected to any monitor. I'm sure they are worthless now, but have decided to start using the pH monitor instead of doing test kits. I bought the monitor a decade or more ago when I was running a CA reactor. So I'm thinking of getting a...

We seem to have shifted this to a discussion of electrical usage. Well if that's the case, I guess swapping out old appliances for more efficient ones would be helpful. Or running them during the cheap off peak hours. I have a circa 1980's KitchenAid dish washer. I'm guessing it's not the most...

Oh yeah, let’s not forget that buckets of salt is a recurring expense! Consider how much a weekly or monthly water change costs, but you can’t really avoid doing it if you want to keep your fish and corals healthy!

Argh! I'm resisting buying an Apex, however, I DO have an ancient Aquacontroller Jr, which is currently a glorified thermometer on the tank now. Maybe I can get it to turn on some sort LED lamp to be my moon. V

Hi guys, my current lighting schedule is 5AM - 8PM, which cuts into the most expensive tier of electricity, and is 15 hours of photoperiod, which is probably too much anyway, but of course afternoon and evening is when I want to see the tank. I'm thinking of cutting the lights off at 4PM...

Here's the one I have; http://www.p3international.com/products/p4400.html But there are different brands. They run $30-$50

That's a good question, my bill always has a "Penninsula Clean Energy Generation Charge" that I apparently auto-matically opted in for, but it claims to be cheaper than PG&E generation.

I agree with the power audit, I started last year when my power/gas bill came to some really high numbers. I'm on TOU (time of use) billing since I have an electric car, so for me, 12AM-3PM is the cheapest power, followed by 9PM-12AM which quite a bit higher, then the highest tier is a jump...

Part of the fun (for me) is making some of my own equipment and doo-dads for a reef tank. Some stuff is beyond me, so I buy it, but there are some simple things to make. I mean, even the famous 2-part calc/alk formula is an attempt at reducing costs (or rather, avoiding expenses!). And using...

I tried using a biopellet reactor, but what happened for me was that pellets escaped into the tank and jammed up several pumps!! I hate them! I switched to using a sulfur denitrator. My bubble algae is also spiralling out of control. I'm on the verge of a total rock swap on my tank. V

So it's a new year. Let's discuss what mistakes we might have made in the last year, so that we can all learn from each other's mistakes! Also, it's a good way to review our own practices. I think my biggest mistake was to not regularly test my alkalinity. I let the tank go on "autopilot" and...

Try Woodcraft in San Carlos. Lots of woodworking stuff, T-slots are used for jigs, etc. Give them a call and ask!

15 years ago, I bought a generator because PG&E was/is unreliable and we just had kids and irreplaceable breast milk was stored in a freezer in our garage. For the first time in those 15 years, I opened the box! LOL. I bought a 3 prong RV power plug to convert it to a 3 prong outlet I can use...

Plugs work great on a rack. For attaching to existing rock, not so much, but with an encrusting coral, eventually the plug part gets "absorbed". For rock with pre-drilled holes that match the plug stem, the would probably be awesome. Maybe we should standardize plug stem diameter (ile 3/8" or...

I came home from vacation to find that maybe 3-6 inches of dirty water flooded into my partial basement. The rugs are a loss and so much stuff that just happened to be on the floor were soaked. Going to see if we can get some sandbags today. I was up u til 3am removing the rugs and drying...

My skimmer is in the “constant level” section of my sump. The display tank drains directly into this section. My ATO level sensor is in the “return pump” section of the dump and this is the only part of the system that varies in water level. The dot is always filled to the level of the...

Hi and welcome to BAR! V

I'll just ask people to hold their breath around the tank :p