Sump from HELL!

Need a new sump. Put a post on canreef for a builder and got 2 names....Chin and Gio (George) we go with Gio and advise him what we want and how much it will cost to do. We come to a price based on the plans we showed him ( he is in Vancouver... )and $150.00 will do it. Good price...really need the sump so its a go. Should take about a week and it will be ready....well, 7 weeks later and still no sump. He isn't getting back to me and its pissing me off.....finally after a long song and dance Callum picks it up for me and sends it. Advised me it looks nothing like what we wanted but should be ok....PARDON ME???? We get the sump, and yup Callum was right. The sump is nothing like we wanted, the construction is shitty...it is a mess. How disappointing. We waited this long and get a peice of shit sump. OK OK, we can make it work. Take it to a local guy that does plastic work, (he could have built it better and at a fraction of the cost but we won't go there!) he fixes it up, feels bad and doesn't even charge us. We get all the fittings together and .....the baffles leak...YES this is a big deal. So we use Weldon...fix it up and grind some stuff down...and wallah...it barely fits in the stand but it will work....fill 'er up and...the sump now leaks! Take it out....fix it again....and try again. This time it works...and it works OK. Our microbubbles have decreased, the water looks clearer, its MUCH quieter (we also put the skimmer in the sump/stand so it is way quieter without that noise) and it really is doing a better job. After all the headaches and stuff it works. So in the end....we did ok! Now just to find a chiller that would keep that tank cool enough.....UGH...

How to catch a Clownfish 101

Lee wants the Maroon Clown...has wanted her for several weeks....but she is crafty. We have tried so many ideas on catching her....no luck. A couple of almost tries but NOPE. So Ken says try a small barbed hook and fish for her...YAH right! So we decide we really don't have anything to lose....except a clownfish that is NASTY...so off we go, get a #18 hook, debarb it, get some really fine fishing line...and a fishing we will go...(boy, did the guy in the fishing shop laugh at us!!!) bait it with some shrimp...and she goes for it...OK never thought it would work so weren't overly well prepared..she gets off the hook and loose again. Now will she really fall for it again??? Down with the hook, almost caught the tang, blenny, a couple of chromis....stupid fish, and as I wave it in front of her face BAM she goes for it...Rick had the net ready and scooped her up!!!!!!!! YAY YAY YAY...we actually caught her! I did my little celebration dance and call up Lee to let him know we have her, take her to his tanks (now they are a story all their own!) and she acclimates and he lets her go....ok within 5 minutes of getting in the tank she is eating..of course she is a clownfish! Small mark on her lip but that is it. Glad to have her gone. Now to plan for a couple of false Percula's this time....more color, less fish! And not as grouchy!!!

Couple ideas that bombed;
1. leave net in tank to get used to it...yah right as if...get used to a big green net in the water? Nope!
2. feed in the AM and scoop when she goes for it...really do I think I am as fast out of water with a net as she is in water where she lives???
3. and the best one yet....print out a picture of a clownfish, make swimming actions with it in front of her so she gets pissed and attacks, then scoop up with net. Now really, her brain may be small but how many clownfish are FLAT? and don't breath? Hey it was worth a try!!!!!!

Corals, corals and more corals

So the tank is full right? No more room for corals right??? WRONG! I just picked up some corals from Ryland (we bought the 120 from him) and now YEP it is FULL! A Gorgonian, orange plate, polyps, shrooms, and a bunch of leather corals that are really pretty! It looks pretty amazing in there though...now if only that stupid female Maroon clown would let us catch her to give to Lee....she is nasty and attacks our gorg that is already in the tank..UGH! they did come with a few undesirables...aiptasia! UGH double UGH! Will try to manually deal with it...but if need be will try a Copper banded Butterfly...see what happens!