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Amino Acids are quickly becoming one of the most popular additives to any serious reef keeper’s arsenal. There are many different reasons why they are being used and many why I suggest everyone should use them.
Many aquarist’s have been bit by the red bug, or the monti nudibranches or flatworms etc etc. In this article I will explain a few ways to prevent these mishaps.
As an aquarium professional I would like to discuss the pressure our hobby as put on the worlds reefs and what we can do to minimize damage. First and foremost we must promote responsible reef keeping by learning and researching these wild animals we wish to care for out of their natural environment. Management through collector and consumer education as well as captive farming and aquaculture we can make this hobby sustainable.
The seas and oceans cover the majority of the planet surface. Within those seas the wild reefs have grown and all of their needs are met, be that calcium or whatever
Most marine systems are set up to house tropical livestock, which means that attention has to be given to maintaining a moderately high seawater temperature
…..I need a very basic list of needs for the basic marine system There are a lot of individual items about setting up a marine aquarium in the blog and article areas on this website, but nevertheless flicking around locating topics for a beginner who has little idea of the basics could be confusing. So an ‘in a nutshell’ list could be of help. We’re told it will be anyway, so here goes! Remember this is basic. At the end I’ve put article locations which could be of use.
Whatever type of marine system is kept lighting is important. With a fish only aquarium the fish need a day cycle and of course need to see where they are going.
Disease in the aquarium is one of the main fears of aquarists. Once the presence of a disease is known the aquarist’s stress level shoots up and quite understandably so – at the worst there could be a full aquarium wipe-out.
These lovely and strange life forms are very endearing and become a household pet very easily. Children in particular seem to be fascinated by them. The care of seahorses is not to be undertaken lightly. They need very similar maintenance to a fish only marine system, so the requirement to carry out maintenance regularly needs to be accepted.
There is understandably great fascination with some anemones, mainly because of their well known association with clownfish. Seeing these colourful little fish nestling in among what are normally dangerous tentacles is amazing.
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Stability in the saltwater aquarium is key to success (as well as research and patience). Stability is created by the aquarist and the filtration within the aquarium. The aquarist provides assistance in this area by ensuring that the correct care and maintenance is provided to the aquarium. The filtration within the aquarium allows for pollutants within the water to be processed, therefore producing a pollutant free environment. In the aquarium, however there are areas where Mother Nature can help a bit more!
Keeping a seawater aquarium nowadays is a generally straightforward affair. Provided the design and setting up is satisfactory and the aquarist does the necessary periodic maintenance properly, the aquarium will give pleasure for a long period.
Aquarists can use a small arsenal of tests to assure themselves that the seawater quality in their fish only aquariums or reef aquariums is high enough. One of these tests is carried out using a hydrometer.
The quality of the seawater in the aquarium is of paramount importance. There are basic parameters that need to be correct and stable, and one of these is pH. There isn’t going to be any scientific mumbo jumbo here, but the foundations of pH need to be understood. pH is a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of the seawater. On the pH scale, 7 is neutral, 0 is acid, and 14 is alkaline. (Just for interest, sulphuric acid measures 0, and sodium hydroxide measures 14.)
Most aquarists are dictated to by circumstance. There is a really big aquarium, at a really good price, but one rather definite problem, and that is there’s nowhere to put it. So a smaller aquarium is chosen, but not by choice. However, even in the described circumstances, a smaller aquarium could be the one of choice.
In the salt water aquarium a deep sand bed (DSB) is a very positive addition to the system. In addition to its filtration capabilities, it is interesting in its own right. Why so interesting? This is because, if the DSB is functioning properly, it will have a population of tiny life forms that have made it their home. In fact, a population of these creatures is important as this assists the DSB to function correctly.
The seas and oceans cover the majority of the planet surface. Within those seas the wild reefs have grown and all of their needs are met, be that calcium or whatever
Shrimps are very well known to the marine aquarist. Perhaps the most well known are the cleaner shrimps, which are so interesting and ‘friendly’ - they climb around on the aquarist’s submerged hand without a care, though they’re actually looking for a morsel to eat. The hand must look like a very strange fish, but then there are some very strange looking fish in the wild, just look at frogfish as an example.
The marine reef aquarist carries out routine changes to maintain the necessary high quality of the seawater. The life within the aquarium makes demands on the seawater and the aquarist needs to ensure that there is sufficient quantity to meet those demands.
The reef aquarium with hard corals (SPS) is the desire of many an aquarist. The sight of pictures on the internet and in books only serves to increase that desire. With modern aquaria and equipment, plus the knowledge gained over recent years, this desire can be met, and more easily than some suspect.