Fish 'N' Chips
A Monthly Marine Newsletter
September 2006 Issue

Index

From Liz
By Elizabeth M. Lukan 09/13/06

Busy, Busy, Busy! As usual, I am busy, some things never change. I don't have much to talk to you about this month so let's get right to the issue...

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UPS Survey Results
By Elizabeth M. Lukan 09/13/06

In the April 2006 issue of Fish 'N' Chips I announced a UPS Survey. A UPS or an Uninterruptible Power Supply/System (or battery backup) is considered basic equipment for most computer users. The survey was to see if Fish 'N' Chips subscribers felt a UPS has become the same for fish tank setups? The survey closed on June 30, 2006. The following questions were asked:

Do you have a UPS included in your tank setup? [Yes or No]

If yes, what make and/or model are you using?

If yes, would you buy it again? [Yes or No]

Why or why not? Please add any comments you might think would help others decide to buy this unit or not.

What equipment is protected by the UPS? (filter, lights, etc.)

If no, are you planning to install one? [Yes or No]

What equipment would you protect with the UPS? (filter, lights, etc.)

Your Name? (Only needed if you want it to be published with your comments)

Only 29 responses to the survey were received. Out of those 29, 24 did not have a UPS currently connected to their fish tank setups, leaving 5 that did.

23 responses were received to the "are you planning to install one" question. 10 respondents said they were planning to install one and 13 said they had no plans for a UPS.

Only 5 respondents said whether they'd purchase their current UPS again, 4 said yes and 1 said no. The models that received the "buy again" votes were the 1.5kva APS, apc back-ups es, APC (no specific model was given), and UPS ES 500. The model that received the "wouldn't buy again" vote was the apc 750. Please see the comments below for the respondents reasons for saying whether they'd buy again or not.

13 respondents listed the equipment they are currently protecting with a UPS or plan to protect when they purchase one. The equipment most protected are the pumps (main circulation pumps, sump pumps, and powerheads are included under this heading) with 8 responses, filters came next with 6 responses, and lights finished the top-three with 4 responses.

Following are the comments that were sent in with the survey responses:

Make/Model: 1.5kva APS
Equipment Protected: everything - doesn't last more than 15 minutes but it's enough for my system

Equipment to be Protected: Don't know - there is so little information on this subject. Perhaps some kind of generator.

Power supplies in UK are normally only off for 1 to 2 hrs max. (unless extreme weather hits - in which case other things might become a priority anyway). So my fish & inverts tank is unlikely to suffer in that time. Biggest pain is to remember to sort out all the timers for lights/powerheads/fans etc. Once the power is back on ... mind you, last power cut did result in a minor leak from the external filter box - a timely reminder to replace the "o" rings on the lid!

Make/Model: apc back-ups es
Why would you buy it again? Keeps it going while the thunderstorms rage overhead.

Make/Model: APC
Why would you buy it again? Long life in a power failure.

Make/Model: UPS ES 500
Why would you buy it again? Got it used for $20.

... While we have UPS's here on the computers, I haven't used them on the fish tanks yet. I would back up the air pumps ... i.e. the filters. Lights are not as important as keeping your fish oxygenated during a long power outage.

Never thought about [it,] will be looking into it or a generator.

I am planning to use a Deep Cell Battery w/ AC/DC converter and Trickle charger. The battery will support, filter, powerheads and heater.

I don't [plan to get one] mostly because there doesn't seem like a clear unit to buy. A skimmer is a skimmer, and that I understand. But I don't understand electricity and that makes the research for a UPS hard enough that I keep putting it off.

Make/Model: apc 750
Why wouldn't you buy it again? Does not power my rio 12h pump.

Thank you to all of you who took the time to respond to my survey. Thank you to everyone for your patience in waiting for me to find the time to put the results together into a nice and easy to read format.

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A Short & Sweet Review
Coralife Lunar Aqualights Deluxe Series - Double Linear Strip 48" Lunar Aqualight
By rudeanduncouth, 10/23/2005
Edited By Elizabeth M. Lukan, 03/17/06

All in all I love these fixtures. The fixture provides 260w PC; about 4.7w/g for a 55gal. It enough to grow some nice softies.

I have two complaints about these units. One is the lunar lights suck. If it isn't in complete darkness you can't even really tell they are on. Which really sucks, because depending where you buy them you can pay almost $100 more for them. The other crappy thing about the lunar lights is that they corrode over and go out really easily. In one unit it happened within a week.

My other complaint about the unit is replacing the bulbs. When you first get the unit the bulbs come out really easily. However, when you need to replace the bulbs they are extremely corroded. I actually broke some wires trying to get a bulb one time and had to rewire it.

I am sure the problems I had with salt corrosion could have been prevented with a bit of maintenance but I didn't do that. So if you plan on not cleaning the fixture regularly plan on these problems. The bulb issue could have been prevented by putting a little dielectric grease on the pins when I first started using the unit.

Despite these problems I think these are the best PC fixtures you can buy.

Pros: Three switches and three power cords make it ideal for setting up on a timer. Actinic bulbs are actually True 03 bulbs.

Cons: Lunar lights are not at all bright enough IMO. Without maintenance corrosion can become a serious problem.

Editor's Comments:
Editing was limited to spelling corrections and some grammar (capitalizing the beginning of a sentence, adding a period at the end, etc.). No other editing was done, what you read was exactly what was posted on the Saltcreep web site.

More information and an image of the product can be found at http://www.esuweb.com/cardfile.asp?ItemNumber=53406&IDProductRelationship=283 (url dead 03/09/08).

Please visit Saltcreep at http://www.saltcreep.com/ for this review, forums, and much more.

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Caught In The Net
By Elizabeth M. Lukan 09/13/06

New Stuff Found

Reefkeeping Magazine (http://reefkeeping.com/):

• September 2006 - Volume 5, Issue 8 - http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/index.php

Seas the Day Ocean Book of the Month (http://www.theoceanproject.org/action/book.php) (url updated 03/09/08, originally http://seastheday.theoceanproject.org/seastheday/book/index.htm)

• September 2006 - Grayson by Lynne Cox - http://www.theoceanproject.org/seastheday/book/september2006.htm (url updated 03/09/08, originally http://seastheday.theoceanproject.org/seastheday/book/september2006.htm)

Altered Oceans - The Los Angeles Times has created a special five-part series on the crisis in the seas. It can be viewed at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/oceans/la-oceans-series,0,7842752.special

Wallpaper of the Month

Title: Fresh Catch
Copyright: Isaura Simon, The Artist's Gallery
Link to Wallpaper: http://www.isauras.com/renderings/renderings.html?id=110

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Marine News
By Elizabeth M. Lukan 09/13/06

08/03/06, Practical Fishkeeping
Seahorses arrive at Oceanarium
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=1019

08/25/06, PhysOrg.com
Celebrity fish dies at Chicago aquarium
http://www.physorg.com/news75710768.html

08/25/06, PhysOrg.com
More tropical fish sighted in R.I. water
http://www.physorg.com/news75725341.html

08/27/06, The News-Press
Scientists hope to protect animals from dangerous hurricane seasons
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060827/NEWS0105/608270416/1075 (url dead 03/09/08)

Steve Irwin, 1962 - 2006

Mother Earth lost a hero this month when Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, was killed by a stingray barb to his heart on Monday, September 4, 2006. Steve was only 44 years old. He was taken from all of us way too soon, but most of all, he was taken from his family way, way too soon. He left behind wife Terri, daughter Bindi Sue (8), and son Robert (2). He left behind a grieving family, friends, and fans, as well as a legacy of conservationism and wildlife protection.

You can find CNN's original news report at http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/09/04/australia.irwin/index.html?section=cnn_topstories.

Beware of scams and ripoff attempts! The only official donation point is Steve's own Wildlife Warriors Worldwide (http://www.wildlifewarriors.org.au/) where every penny donated goes to saving animals.

I've had to stop writing this several times to gain control of my emotions and yet still I cry. I find it hard to believe that he is gone and it's someone I never met. I feel as though I knew him, I think we all knew him. The real Steve Irwin came through every time you saw him because he couldn't help but be himself. His love of life, this planet and the animals on it, his wife and kids, it was all as obvious as the smile on his face. Goodbye Steve and God Bless. We are better for having known you!

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Chips...er...Tips
Acclimation Drip Rate
By Stan & Debbie Hauter
Edited By Elizabeth M. Lukan, 08/27/06

You don't want to set the water drip in rate too fast, like drip-drip-drip, nor too slow, like drip-----drip-----drip-----, but in between, like drip--drip--drip.

Editor's Comments:
Editing was limited to spelling and grammar corrections and putting into the Fish 'N' Chips format. The above is part of a larger article, Acclimating Saltwater Fish the Drip Line Way, which can be found at http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/weekly/aa111802.htm.

To Submit Your Tip: Visit http://www.marinefiends.com/submit.html.

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Upcoming Events
By Elizabeth M. Lukan 09/13/06

To Submit Your Event: Visit http://www.marinefiends.com/submit.html.

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Just for Laughs
Edited by Elizabeth M. Lukan 09/13/06

Where does seaweed look for a job?

In the 'Kelp-wanted' ads!

To Submit Your Joke: Visit http://www.marinefiends.com/submit.html. Your joke must be family friendly and fish related. If you can't tell it to your children, don't send it to me and expect to see it published.

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