just found this site!

[k8te_1999]

Hello another newbie in Winnipeg area. I've had my tank for a year now, it has become my resposibility as my partner who set it up against my will has decided not to take care of it. Men!!! He now wants a dog---good luck!!

Anyway I grew to love watching all the things grow in the tank. The first few months were quite exciting. It was neat seeing all the life in there that I didn't expect.

I have had some ups and downs with the tank, lately it has gone downwards. I just moved from an apartment to a house. There has been some deaths in the process. The main tank looks like a bristle worm factory as the die off of many of the worms, snails, featherdusters etc is giving them quite a feed. The fish are in a holding tank, until levels go back to normal and I set up my new DIY refugium. Should be only a couple more days, then they can get back to their home.

I have a 60 gallon FOWLR tank, with a sump/refugium about 30 gallons, and I am adding a new 50 gallon refugium, made from a rubbermaid container and a couple pieces of plexiglass for baffles.

I'm pretty much starting over, new aquascaping for the main tank and going to make some room for some corals/mushrooms to get some colour in the tank. The coral thing will be brand new for me so if anyone has wisdom on this subject feel free to speak up. I think I'm ready to start taking care of them.

I hear that some stony corals and mushrooms don't get along. should I stay away from acropora with mushrooms? Anyone got some easy starter ideas in this area?

As well, since I'll need to keep calcium and magnesium levels up to par does anyone know of any bulk distributors of calcium chloride and magnesium chloride in the Winnipeg area? The guy at the LFS is way too expensive, I just hate that feeling of being ripped off when you know there has to be cheaper solutions out there. I bought some pH buffer solutions from the University of Manitoba for about 1/20th of the price the fish store wanted to charge me. I don't think they supply me with the calcium though. And I don't have the money to set up a calcium reactor right now.

If anyone is trimming there refugium plants, let me know I'll take them off your hands to restock mine.

Hopefully things will be looking up soon.

Greatful to find this forum, look forward to chatting.

K8te.