*** Tank Talk with Top Lids & Avast Marine Giveaway!! WIN a Plank Autofeeder and Custom Lid for Your Tank!! ***

[tbrown]

Link to our Black Friday Treasure Hunt Promo we have going on right now for those of you who want to start lead time a little sooner...

Top Lids Black Friday Treasure Hunt 2023

Welcome to the best time of the year to elevate the safety and aesthetic of your aquarium. You've wanted to create the perfect dream system since day 1 and you're just getting to the point of adding fish, but notice 2-3 on your wish list are avid jumpers. Or you've decided to run lidless and had...

toplids.com

So you're telling me I can stack discounts???

 

[ctenophore]

The national aquarium in Baltimore is cool. It's fascinating to see fish like unicorn tangs look small in the tank. Especially compared to the rays in the same one.
I learned that the dc zoo can't keep acros alive. That was unfortunate.

They closed the invertebrate house at the National zoo several years ago, but before it closed, Mike Henley was keeping captive spawned acros from the secore project in the research area. He gave me several tours of the place over the years when I’d bring my kids. Maybe you’re referring to the Smithsonian tank? I’ve actually never seen that one in person but I had heard it was reasonably well done.

 

[tbrown]

I have tickets to the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium here in the Phoenix area. I need to go. My wife, kids, and I have never been to the aquarium, just the zoo.

 

[Nate Chalk]

TANK TALK: If there was one thing/product you wish that Avast Marine/Top Lids made that they don't right now, what would it be and why?

I thought a box or some sort of hang on back system for mangroves inside a tank.

Mine are just sitting on the return pipes

 

[ctenophore]

Bonus 2: @Top_Lids @Avast Justin

TODAY'S TANK TALK PROMPT: Tell us about your favorite public aquarium exhibit. What did you learn from seeing it?

100% the Georgia Aquarium Reef exhibit. The simulated wave crash. The Florida Acropora and other massive "frags" that look like frags in that huge tank. I mean the Whale sharks are awesome too, but honestly that reef is insane...

It looks like it’s really grown in over the years. I remember seeing it when they first opened it back at a Macna in like 2013 or so. The little corals they had in there were totally lost in the rockwork. The surge was really neat to watch though.

 

[Nate Chalk]

its acually insane now... it looks like some was donated by hobbyists. and I think they have some nice wild species like florida acropora

It looks like it’s really grown in over the years. I remember seeing it when they first opened it back at a Macna in like 2013 or so. The little corals they had in there were totally lost in the rockwork. The surge was really neat to watch though.

 

[ctenophore]

I’d like to see an inovative new kind of fish trap…something that hasn’t been done before. Why? Because I have a couple of bullies that I can’t catch!

I saw a clever one that was a bowl with a magnet mount to the glass, and when you pulled the outside half away, the bowl floats upward and traps the fish. Do these not work well? I have to say I’ve never really tried catching fish out of my tank. So I don’t have much practical experience with this problem.

Yikes you caught us

Never even thought of a camera on the feeder...perhaps since the Avast Feeder has a tube that inserts into the water, it could have a slot for a waterproof camera to slide into at different angles on the tube.

We could technically do this on our Regulator Cups too. If you like this idea give it a thumbs up.

I’ve actually given the feeder camera idea some thought, but cleaning the lens might be tricky. Also the mixing tube on the plank would likely need totally redesigned. Not impossible, depending on the form factor of the camera. Something that automatically records closeups of feeding time would be pretty entertaining!

One thing that I wish Avast and Top Lids would make is an algae scrubber. There are plenty brands, but I know they can make it a better product.

What’s wrong with the current designs?

 

[Fish Styx]

I saw a clever one that was a bowl with a magnet mount to the glass, and when you pulled the outside half away, the bowl floats upward and traps the fish. Do these not work well? I have to say I’ve never really tried catching fish out of my tank. So I don’t have much practical experience with this problem.

I’ve actually given the feeder camera idea some thought, but cleaning the lens might be tricky. Also the mixing tube on the plank would likely need totally redesigned. Not impossible, depending on the form factor of the camera. Something that automatically records closeups of feeding time would be pretty entertaining!

What’s wrong with the current designs?

I think an external camera that mounts flush to the glass would be a better solution, and is more in line with my original thought. While there are some cameras that can be used in this capacity (i.e Blink), they do not do the job well. The one or two that are specifically designed for this also do not do the job well, do not integrate, and are by and large, bulky and unattractive. Like I said previously, I feel that a high quality (both build and resolution), purpose built device is needed for this application in the marketplace. Especially one with controller integration.

 

[Reefer Reboot]

TANK TALK: If there was one thing/product you wish that Avast Marine/Top Lids made that they don't right now, what would it be and why?

Something to compete with Oceans Motions flow diverters.

 

[RJT]

The current algae scrubbers work fine. I have one myself which I am happy with. But having one with a extra chamber where the algae is scraped off into automatically so only a container has to be removed instead of scrapping it.

 

[ctenophore]

Something to compete with Oceans Motions flow diverters.

I didn’t think they were still around. I used OM on a closed loop back in the early 2000’s and remember they were well made but a grain of sand (or bit of shell, vermetid,etc) would jam them up and require manual intervention. And I had a bare bottom sps tank.
I still have and use regularly the razor blade adapter that fit the big Tunze magnet that the OM guy also made. Tunze inner + algae-free great white outer = magnet set with razor capable of cleaning 1” thick glass.

 

[ctenophore]

The current algae scrubbers work fine. I have one myself which I am happy with. But having one with a extra chamber where the algae is scraped off into automatically so only a container has to be removed instead of scrapping it.

I built a custom scrubber system into my current sump and have been thinking about how to auto scrape it. I have to say I’m pretty impressed with how the algae filter manages nutrients with little input from me and only moderate maintenance requirements. The ozone reactor prevents any yellowing that might result from all the algae being grown.

 

[Mschmidt]

They closed the invertebrate house at the National zoo several years ago, but before it closed, Mike Henley was keeping captive spawned acros from the secore project in the research area. He gave me several tours of the place over the years when I’d bring my kids. Maybe you’re referring to the Smithsonian tank? I’ve actually never seen that one in person but I had heard it was reasonably well done.

It could be that. There's a whole under water section, bunch of big predators, fresh and salt. Some of the living tanks are:

 

[ctenophore]

TANK TALK: Post a picture of your oldest piece of aquarium equipment. Whether it's a vintage skimmer, an ancient test kit, or a relic from the early days of your reefing journey, share the story behind it for entry into the giveaway.

 

[Fish Styx]

TANK TALK: Post a picture of your oldest piece of aquarium equipment. Whether it's a vintage skimmer, an ancient test kit, or a relic from the early days of your reefing journey, share the story behind it for entry into the giveaway.

Oh, man. I just did a clean out of the garage over the summer and got rid of a ton of stuff, to include my old Black Pearl skimmer that I got from you guys, circa 2010-2011ish. How about an ancient jug of GFO from BRS with the old school label?

 

[miran2782]

OFFICIAL ENTRY: I have a waterbox 25 mini peninsula and would love a to have a fancy lid and an autofeeder which would be perfect for feeding during business trips.

 

[Reef Wizard]

TANK TALK: Post a picture of your oldest piece of aquarium equipment. Whether it's a vintage skimmer, an ancient test kit, or a relic from the early days of your reefing journey, share the story behind it for entry into the giveaway.

An old HOB from a QT tank back in 2017 haha used a couple times

 

[tbrown]

TANK TALK: Post a picture of your oldest piece of aquarium equipment. Whether it's a vintage skimmer, an ancient test kit, or a relic from the early days of your reefing journey, share the story behind it for entry into the giveaway.

Oldest piece currently in use is my tank! I rescued this from a dumpster 10 years ago so I'm not entirely sure how old it is but I e had it for 10 years.

In my garage I have a few wet/dry filters, some old canister filters, and a MH that's going on 20 years by now.

 

[Nate Chalk]

TANK TALK: Post a picture of your oldest piece of aquarium equipment. Whether it's a vintage skimmer, an ancient test kit, or a relic from the early days of your reefing journey, share the story behind it for entry into the giveaway.

My Mr aqua 13 gallon long. It was a saltwater fowlr tank, then a freshwater shrimp, back to salt, and then retired for 2 years. Drilled broke the glass , then repaired and now it's a display fuge attached to the main display.

And houses softies, macro and our Valentini puffer!

 

[Reefer Reboot]

TANK TALK: Post a picture of your oldest piece of aquarium equipment. Whether it's a vintage skimmer, an ancient test kit, or a relic from the early days of your reefing journey, share the story behind it for entry into the giveaway.

A picture of an old tank (1980s) with a powerhead filter and a magnetic glass cleaner. Still have both.

The thermometer is long gone or in storage somewhere.