Have You Considered Artificial Corals?

Let’s face it not every beginner to this hobby has the courage to keep corals straight away. There are some people who are happy to keep a fish only aquarium and why not they are beautiful things.

A lot of people as said would love to keep corals with fish but are worried that they do not have the experience, knowledge etc to care for and maintain corals in a closed aquarium system.

I take my hat off to these people to be fair. If anybody is not confident enough about keeping corals then should they keep them at this time. They could learning along the way but would there be any deaths - maybe not but maybe so.

There is another option.

Artificial corals. These have become very popular of late and a lot of public aquariums are using these in their show aquariums. I have to be honest and say that I have never had them but have seen them in person both in an aquarium and in a shop.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised as to how realistic these corals are. There are some artifical hard corals which are of course hard and there are even anenomes which will blow around in the currents. Looking at them there is a vast arrays of colours to choose from and to be fair a very large selection.

So if you are not yet confident about keeping corals then why not have a look at them - they could be what you are looking for in the interim. Even if you have a fish only aquarium then why not take a look they might look good in your aquarium.

Plus your fish may get a shock when they go for a nibble!

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Tags: Coral Reef, Corals, marine-aquarium, reef-tank, saltwater-aquarium

Cryptic Zones Can Be As Interesting As The Display Aquarium

Cryptic zones really interest me. Of course everything in relation to this wonderful hobby is of interest to me but there is something about life growing in complete darkness which I find exceptionally fascinating.

A cryptic zone is effectively a place in the aquarium or another aquarium connected to the aquarium system whereby the area is in complete darkness. This darkness allows for non light loving organisms to grow and fluorish.

In an aquarium with lighting above it this can be hard to achieve and lets face it to keep corals we need good lighting, however there are always places in the aquarium where cryptic zones are unintentionally created. These places can be areas in between rocks, under the rockwork etc. Not very exciting at this point I know, however over time various organisms start to grow.

There are other places as well in the aquarium which are also unintentionally created. These are what are called semi cryptic zones. These are very similar to cryptic zones with the exception that well it is not as dark - more like dusk than night time.

Other than the life which grows in these areas there is an added benefit. The organisms growing aid in the filtration of the aquarium and can remove excess nutrients etc from the water. The reason for this is that since they do not utilise light as an energy source. Instead they filter particulate matter from the aquarium as well as (dependant upon the organism) removing various nutrients.

In my opinion any thing extra which removes particulate matter and nutrients from the aquarium can only be of benefit. I am of the opinion that by increasing the variety of nutrient export within the aquarium can only be beneficial to the system. I like the refugium as they are excellent at removing nutrients, I like the deep sand bed for the same reason and as you have probably gathered I also like cryptic zones.

Having a mixture of nutrient export mechanisms will mean that effectively they will fight with each other and some areas will not receive as many nutrients as they would if other mechanisms were not present, however a natural balance will be created and the life within these various mechanisms will adapt to the ‘food’ available to them.

Here is the next benefit - if one of these mechanisms fails for whatever reason, in this example lets say that the algae bed in the refugium crashes then the other nutrient removal mechanisms (along with the protein skimmer) will assist in the sudden increase in nutrients which have been released into the water. If these other mechanisms were not present then you would have to rely very heavily upon the protein skimmer and possible large water changes to bring the water quality back to acceptable parameters.

The biggest benefit for me though has to be the joy watching life slowly growing and forming within the cryptic zone. I have a simple small external aquarium attached to my system which is fed by the overflow from my main display aquarium. The cryptic zone is wrapped in back bags so that no light can enter into the aquarium. The water which enters the refugium is quite slow so that the particulate matter in the water can drop out of suspension down onto the waiting life forms below. I have some pieces of live rock in there as well as a very shallow sand bed. Over time various sponges have started to grow as well as many other life forms (some of which I am unable to identify). I aso decided to allow some of the aiptasia to grow just to see what happened and they have grown into quite attractive creatures. Some people might not agree with the aiptasia aspect but I just wanted to see what happened.

I like to look into the cryptic tank from time to time just to see what is happening and the landscape in there is quite spooky really. It looks like a picture from the moon or something - very barren yet covered in life.

One thing which I have noticed in the aquarium is that there is a very large population of ‘pods’. Much more than in the refugium. Why this is I dont know but there is definately more.

To be honest the cryptic zone is probably not something that the beginner to this hobby should realistically look at introducing straight away. Not due to skill level but due to the water in the aquarium system being too clean. There is simply not enough particulate matter in the system. This should not put you off however, you could still plan to have one in the future when your water is dirtier (if that is the right word) and you should probably understand what cryptic zones actually are.

I tried to take some pictures of my cryptic zone tank but with it being completely in darkness I could not get a decent picture - even with the flash on. I really need to learn how to take photographs. Sigh! one day.

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Tags: Aquarium Filtration, cryptic-zone, Equipment, reef-tank, saltwater-aquarium

Remember To Vary The Food When Feeding

A fish only aquarium or reef aquarium offers several pleasures. One of them is obvious, and that is just sitting and admiring. After a while, all seems at peace in the world. Maybe that’s why some doctors and dentists have aquariums in their surgeries.

Another very pleasurable experience for the aquarist is feeding, probably because it is direct interaction. Once fish are accustomed to routines, they can nearly ’talk’ to the aquarist. ‘Feed Me!’ Not forgetting the cleaner shrimp walking around on the hand looking and hoping for a morsel.

Feeding obviously is important. Fuel is important to all living creatures including us aquarists - and I don’t mean just the beer!

What if we aquarists sat down to dinner each day and were faced with the same food repeatedly. Not too impressive really, and boring. Additionally, nutritionally we’d probably miss out on important vitamins and minerals too.

Fish and shrimps are the same. They have to eat, and if they are faced with the same food each day they’ll eat. However, no matter how good the food preparation is by the manufacturer, it is likely that it will not be fully balanced.

The first consideration is what type of creature it is - vegetarian, carnivore or just opportunist. Surgeon fish are a generally good example - they need algae and if there is insufficient in the aquarium it must be provided. So a base diet has to be provided if the fish have any particular demand.

My fish are omnivores, feeding from the substrate or water column. I have seen them eating algae but it is not an absolute must (the dwarf angel needs algae but not like a surgeonfish, and there is a little, and sufficient, algae in the aquarium). My base food is marine flake, which contains many ingredients suited to marine life and has additional vitamins and minerals added. The supplementary food I use is frozen, consisting of brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, lobster eggs, and chopped cockle. There are others available.

The fish are fed twice a day, although on occasional days I miss a feed, which clearly breaks the routine. On other days one feed is flake and the other is one of the frozen foods. The flake is usually fed in the evening and the frozen after the lights have been on a while, but now and again I change this round. The frozen food is kept in a separate sealed plastic sandwich box in the freezer. It is pre-prepared by taking one square from one of the food types and cutting it into four while frozen. These pieces go back in the box and are fed one at a time until the four pieces are gone. I then pick another type of frozen food and do it again. So the frozen food is varied. It would be just as easy to cut squares up from different types of frozen foods and feed them randomly. So the fish receive a basic diet and also a varying frozen one. In this way hopefully they receive an overall adequate diet which will keep them healthy. My fish have been in residence for 5+ years and have good health and colour. (There aren’t many fish as I have regard to the seawater quality.)

Another advantage of this type of feeding, particularly with frozen food, is that other life in the aquarium feeds too. When I feed the frozen varieties I see polyps catching some. Some goes into the rocks, as does some of the flake, and I am sure the myriad of tiny reef creatures enjoy it.

Talking of nutrition, remember to keep flake food containers tightly shut when not in use, and frozen foods properly frozen. When thawing food, do it in a small utensil. Do not put it in a microwave, but let it thaw naturally in either a little seawater or R/O (reverse osmosis) water.

Proper feeding helps maintain a healthy aquarium and healthy vigorous livestock. At this point I’m sure I’ll be forgiven if I state once again - don’t overfeed! There is an article on this site about feeding called ‘Feeding Time’, it comes under Care and Maintenance. I’ve put a link below.

http://www.aquaristsonline.com/articles

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Tags: Aquarium Maintenance, aquarium-fish-food, Care, feeding-fish, saltwater-aquarium

How To Level An Aquarium Stand

Ensuring that the aquarium is level is important. Sometimes if it is slightly out of level it doesn’t matter as the water surface is often above the lowest part of the aquarium hood, or there is a black band on the aquarium to hide the water surface. If the water level can be seen it needs to be visually correct, and in any case it is best if the stand is level in any circumstance for support.

There are two approaches to levelling, and this depends on the start point of the construction - is the stand being constructed from the start or has the stand been purchased complete.

If the aquarium stand is being constructed, then consideration should be given to the site it is to be used in. Using string or similar, mark accurate lines exactly where the stand will go. Then, using a reasonably long bubble level, lay the level carefully along the string, first along the front edge and then along the end line. (If the level is not as long as the line, use a piece of wood the length of the line and put the level on that. Ensure that the wood is absolutely straight, and not warped at all.) Note in each case if the bubble is exactly in the middle. If it is not, raise the level until it is. A measurement can now be taken of the distance that the level had to be lifted to achieve true horizontal. The same should be done with the side lines.

If the levels of the floor are true, then no problem. If not, then proceed in one of two ways. When constructing the stand, allow the additional measurement to be added to the height of the stand at the necessary end, ensuring that strength and stability are maintained. Properly done, the stand top will be level. Or, second, construct the stand as normal as though the floor was level. Then construct a filler, the thickness of which should be the amount by which the level had to be raised to make it truly horizontal.

The downside of adjusting the stand itself is that if it were to be moved to a new location, then it is not going to be level, and fillers are going to be needed. On this basis, it is best to construct the stand normally, and use fillers as described above. If inserting a filler, make it so that support is given to as much of the stand as possible. It may be necessary, if a floor slopes, to construct a triangular shaped filler.

If the stand is ready built, then use fillers where necessary as described above, after checking with a bubble level in the same way.

Aquariums full of water and rocks are very heavy and need to be stable. This is one of the reasons why the stand is levelled, as well as it being visually correct. Maximum and effective support is required if the floor area is out of true. Hopefully, most floors will be level. A little off topic, make sure that the floor itself is strong enough to support the aquarium. If in any doubt, seek qualified advice.

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Tags: aquarium-stand, DIY, Equipment, marine-aquarium, saltwater-aquarium

What Are The Benefits Of An Above Tank Refugium

A refugium as discussed previously are exceptionally useful to assist in the control of nitrates, phosphates and other nutrients in the aquarium.

For those who have not read our previous articles in relation to this subject a refugium is basically another aquarium, normally external to the display aquarium where macro algae is grown and micro organisms are allowed to produce with no predation. The macro algae in the aquarium assist in the removal of nutrients from the water column.

The majority of aquarists choose to install the refugium beneath the display aquarium hidden from view in the sump area which is a good place to install it, however it not a requirement that it has to be installed in this location.

Not everyone has a sump or even has a place under the display aquarium, for these people the refugium can be installed next to or above the aquarium if that is the requirement of the aquarist. There are some people who do have a sump area and decide to install the refugium in an area where it is visible. I personally think that this is quite a good idea as the refugium is exceptionally fascintating to watch - loads of life scurrying around looking for food, macro algae swaying in the currents etc.

Is there a benefit of having the refugium above the aquarium?

Yes there is. The primary purpose of the refugium is to assist in the removal of excess nutrients from the water column, however in this area various little lifeforms will grow and call this safe area home.

If the refugium is under the aquarium then any of these little lifeforms which make it to the proximity of the returm pump will get smashed to pieces before they get to the display aquarium - no good to the fish like that!

If the refugium is above the main display aquarium however, this problem is removed. When the refugium is above the display aquarium water is pushed up to the refugium and the water is allowed to overflow back down again. Therefore no return pump to smash up the little beasties means food for the fish, corals etc.

Whats better is that it is free food - not enough to mean that you can stop feeding the fish, corals etc but free food all the same.

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Tags: Aquarium Filtration, Aquarium Water, Equipment, home-aquarium, marine-aquarium

Why Do We Do Partial Water Changes?

For a fish only aquarium or reef aquarium to look at its best there is one area that needs constant and careful attention. That area is water quality.

What is water quality?

I’ll mention water movement first, because I tend to include this with water quality. Many do not, listing it as a separate item. I include it as efficient water movement ensures adequate gas exchange leading to sufficient dissolved oxygen, and the movement helps bring nutrients to and remove dirt from corals. Insufficient water movement brings problems in itself.

There are the standard water quality tests. These include ammonia (should be nil), nitrite (should be nil), nitrate (should be as low as possible, hopefully less than 10ppm), phosphate (should be nil) and pH (should ideally be between 8.2 and 8.4, but the first figure can be lowered to 8.0). SG is important (should be between 1.022 to 1.025 depending on livestock). There are elements that are checked for in reef systems, such as calcium and magnesium. Alkalinity is another.

All of the checks are for water quality, indicating if remedial action should be taken, by supplementary additions and the like. The aquarist by adhering to aquarium maintenance can maintain generally high water quality, but this is not the whole story.

Not everything within the seawater is measured for. There is a long list of seawater constituents that range from high proportions to minute trace proportions. As far as I know, science cannot state that the X or Y constituent is not needed by fish and/or corals. They may well be needed as they are present all the time on the reefs. Manufacturers attempt to produce a salt that is as close to natural as possible.

A major problem with water quality would be the appearance of ammonia or nitrite, both being toxic, maybe because of a sudden extra load on bio-filters or too early stocking of a system.

Another problem that is often met is an excess of nitrate and phosphate, perhaps caused by a common mistake, overfeeding.

So we have the water change. Obviously, doing a water change will not have an effect on water movement. What if ammonia and/or nitrite is detected and livestock is stressed. If the bio-filter cannot cope for a while, then water changes will control the problem, the size of the change dependant on the level detected. Similarly, if nitrate and/or phosphate is detected at high levels, then reducing the level to a tolerable one is most easily achieved by a water change, again size dependant on problem.

The normal water change is the routine one, done as a part of ongoing aquarium maintenance. The routine water change is usually 10% of the system net gallonage weekly. This amount can be flexed a little with care after the first few months of an aquariums life, provided a close watch is kept on water parameters and livestock health. Routine water changes should continue though. Why? The routine water change ‘freshens’ the seawater. It puts back, or partly puts back, many trace elements that may be depleted by livestock. Protein skimming removes trace elements, and so does the use of activated carbon. It helps with a stable alkalinity level, which means there should be more resistance to the seawater moving toward a lower pH reading because of the pressures of acidity. A water change helps with the control of nitrate and phosphate, both nutrients of nuisance algae, so it follows that the threat of nuisance algae should be reduced.

Quite apart from emergency action, the routine water change is a really valuable tool in the maintenance of high quality seawater. This is a routine action that can be flexed with care, but should never be abandoned.

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Tags: Aquarium Maintenance, Care, fish-tank-maintenance, marine-aquarium, saltwater-aquarium

I’ve Lost A Fish!

The fish only aquarium or reef aquarium has been stocked. The aquarium may be fairly newly set up, or may have been running for months or years. Sooner or later, a fish is going to disappear.

How can I be so sure? Well, fish are living organisms and therefore have a timed lifespan. On the wild reef this could be cut short by a predator. In the home aquarium there aren’t any predators capable of taking other livestock, or there shouldn’t be. So how does the fish disappear?

The aquarist quite rightly checks the fish when doing routine maintenance or feeding. It is at this time that the absence is noted. Has the missing fish previously not been quite right - swimming strangely, breathing badly or similar? Are the other fish up for their food as usual, and swimming around as usual at other times with good colours? Are the water parameters normal and up to spec? Definitely no sign of ammonia or nitrite?

If there’s nothing wrong as in the previous paragraph then the fish has either been suffering from some malady that does not affect the others or, simply, its time has arrived. Apart from size, it is difficult to know the age of a wild caught fish. It may be months old, or years. Also, I am not aware of the expected lifespan of fish. It seems reasonable to assume that they might live longer in a well managed aquarium, with the lack of predators, but the potential lifespan, how long is it?

Reef fish, when faced with a reduction in health, often swim into the rockwork to find safety. This is their natural response. Of course, it may well be that the fish never comes out again. The aquarist has to assume after a few days that the fish is lost. Is there anything to be done?

There is no need to dismantle the reef in an attempt to locate the fish, and I doubt many aquarists would be tempted to do this. Leave the reef as it is. However, do not go out and purchase a replacement, at least not yet. In a mature reef aquarium the tiny life forms present can dispose of a dead fish very quickly. In a less mature system these life forms may not be present in number so disposal will take longer. The aquarist should not alter the routine aquarium maintenance schedule, but ensure that water changes continue and the schedule includes regular ammonia/nitrite checks. These checks should be done daily once the fish is known to be lost. After four or five days reduce to every two days. After around a week and a half all should be well. This period is there to allow any consequence of the sudden appearance of a dead fish to appear. If it does not, all is well. If ammonia or nitrite is detected, observe the fish and ensure they are comfortable and not displaying signs of stress. Be prepared to do additional water changes. The bio-filtration is tuned to the normal load, and the additional load may not be successfully fully dealt with.

Once the period of water quality stability testing has passed, then a further fish can be considered and purchased.

The loss of a fish is a sad occasion for the aquarist. Even with excellent water quality and excellent nutrition, and the aquarist carrying out maintenance diligently and correctly, these losses occur. The fish however may have lived longer than it would have done on the wild reef.

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Tags: aquarium-fish, marine-aquarium, marine-fish, saltwater-aquarium, saltwater-fish

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