Thought I'd share this with fellow reefkeepers...
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/Scientists_start_reproductive_cell_bank_for_endangered_Hawaii_coral.html
Ditto - I've had years of success growing LPS, zoo's and 'shrooms with the exact same setup, but they need to be replaced every 6 months. My Xenia loved them so much I was giving them away to make space.
IMHO, moving that 80lbs of sand to your tank will foul it. Keep a few cups as suggested for the aerobic bacteria, but if you disturb the anaerobic bacteria, you expose it so its no longer anaerobic, it will break down and foul your tank.
This video is a bit cheesy, but it's still informative:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73ubulR9JwQ
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Hawaii "Where It's A Great Day To Be A Fish"
Thanks for bringing in your LED's J! Was great to have a look at it, and chat with you. Great control of the color temp/ scheduling/moon calendar, and the falloff is minimal if at all visible to the bottom of the tank.
spllbnd2 - Probably because collecting from the wild has become a thing of the past for reef keepers who care about natural reef communities, and aquacultured species can take the path orchids have with breeding varieties - a very exciting new direction for us all.
Nobody has mentioned anything about UV output of these newer LED fixtures. Corals are sensitive to UV, but do however need it. Do these LED's provide any UV at all? I'm not sure they do - how might this affect coral growth and sustainability? Just curious to hear more regarding UV if anyone...
It's bad luck to take anything (not just lava) from big island. People will disagree with me, but do you really want to find out? Besides, why rape that fragile ecosystem any more than it already has been?
Just take pictures, and leave it alone!:)