Why NTTH at times seems to be Ich Central...
The answer is sadly simple. NTTH folk too often concentrate on precision with the cycle chemistry, and then---don't know how very, very, very, very critical the next step is, which is to be absolutely certain A) the sandbed is somewhat matured beyond mere cycle (ie, can it handle even one fish safely yet?) and B) that the water will not be (for a fish) like a run-in with sandpaper.
SOLVING A: put a CUC in and even FEED them for a bit. Their...

Started to get a small CUC together. Love this little snail's face!




Updated pic of my hitchhiker coral. Don't know what it is yet but I love the colors!

'loose rock' reef
I'm not into gluing rock unless I just want to make a bigger rock.
I build a reef that's easy to unbuild and rebuild---there are reasons that come along.

How I do it.
I lay down a layer of eggcrate lighting grid to prevent point load on the bottom glass, I place several ugly and large rocks to use as pillars to support the rest, I add my sand---which leaves the tops of the pillar rocks exposed. I then set a bowl in the sand and start adding water---the...

I've been researching salt water tanks off and on since 2003. I first registered with Reef Central in 2005 as NixPack. I have since forgotten my password and no longer have my old email address so I can't access that account.

I've had a Biocube 14, brand new in the box, sitting in my basement since 2009. One thing or another kept us (husband and I), from starting our tank. Two weeks ago I bought a Biocube LED 16 and we started cycling the tank July 22, 2017.

We...

More Pictures from the first 9 days of cycling.


Aiptasia. Baaaad. We killed him.


Mojana...bad news bears. We killed him.