Aquarium Maintenance – Can Laziness Set In?

Over the years I have seen many aquariums – some of which are extremely well cared for and others which have become neglected.

At the start of this hobby many aquarists are filled with eagerness and spend a lot of time learning as much as they can about the hobby, what all the equipment does, why water quality is important etc etc and finally they have their very own marine aquarium all set up.

At the start they are very diligent about the maintenance requirements of the aquarium and carefully perform water tests each week, change the water, empty the skimmer, record all the information etc.

However, over time the aquarium becomes an item which appears like it has always been there, the once diligent testing regime starts to slip and the ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ starts to set in which then might move on to ‘I’ll do it next week’..

That’s the laziness bit which was mentioned in the title.

Slowly, over time the aquarium starts to deteriorate, algae may start to set in, the sand may start to get dirty, the corals do not extend as much and then the aquarists reaches a turning point. At some point the aquarist notices that the aquarium is not looking as good as it used to and either realises that it needs to be put right and starts to care for the aquarium again or gives up the hobby.

Unfortunately this happens a lot.

It is my opinion that when the decision is made to keep a marine aquarium that the required maintenance is understood up front and that it must be adhered to. After all inside the aquarium is life which have a requirement to be cared for. If you owned a dog would you leave it at home all day, never take it for a walk and never wash it – no I didn’t think so.

I appreciate that there are a lot of people who have busy lives which could be one of the reasons why the aquarium hobby fascinated them in the first place however whilst the aquarium is a joy to observe and is exceptionally relaxing the life in the aquarium has a requirement to be cared for.

Fortunately this is only a small minority of people – the majority of aquarists have a passion for aquatic life and gain enjoyment from looking after the aquarium as well as watching it.

Personally I live quite a hectic life and therefore do not have a set day for looking after the aquarium however I do ensure that the maintenance is performed. I perform the maintennace on an evening after Joshua has gone to bed and the ‘better half’ has settled down to watch television for the evening. I ensure that all the water tests are performed, clean the aquarium, empty and clean the skimmer and do a visual check of the aquarium.

Although I ensure that everything is performed on a weekly basis I do not really have a routine.

My father John on the other hand however is exceptionally diligent at maintaining his aquarium. Every Sunday morning without fail he maitains his aquarium and I also believe he has a set regime for what he does and when.

There are times when I laugh about his regime but when you see his aquarium you can see why it works. As said I have seen many aquariums over the years and although I am probably a bit biased his aquarium is the best I have ever seen.

As already mentioned the majority of aquarists are very good in this area and perform the aquarium maintenance required however there are a few that don’t and my message to these people is – why did you take up this hobby in the first place – it is not fair to the life in the aquarium that they are not looked after.

The bottom line in my opinion is that if the aquarium cannot be maintained in a timely manner or time cannot be devoted to it then perhaps the marine aquarium hobby is not the right hobby to start.

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Marine Aquariums Are Great, But Need A Bit Of Weeding

We all know that a successful marine aquarium doesn’t get that way all on its own. Nature has a very large part to play, and the aquarist needs to carry out ongoing maintenance.

Marine aquariums nowadays are generally successful. There are those that fail for one reason or another, sometimes because of a basic error by the aquarist such as an inadequate bio-filter. As said though, most are successful greatly helped by the amount of knowledge gained from experience that is available on the internet and in books. Science can tell us a lot but there is more to it than that – there needs to be integration between technology and Mother Nature. Skill if you like. All the gadgets that are available helps towards this, gadgets such as protein skimmers, calcium reactors, power heads and the like, not to mention the high quality dry salt mixes that are available now and have made such a difference.

In the early days marine aquarists weren’t so lucky, dry salt mixes were not available for a start. Aquarists could look up the suggested mixes and obtain the ingredients, what was produced was a brew very unlike natural seawater, with many parts missing. Protein skimmers and calcium reactors had not been invented, at least not for the fledgling marine hobby, so a lot of ingenuity was required. The actual ongoing seawater mix would be unknown – how for example could calcium be measured by a hobbyist? These early aquarists were the ones who kicked it all off though, maybe for the challenge.

The early aquarists couldn’t dream of keeping corals or shrimps, how they would gape in awe at a modern reef system! They kept fish only aquariums, which were decorated with dead coral and various base coverings. Fish were lost as a regular occurrence and it must have been a mystery and a nightmare. They wouldn’t know the fish were poisoning themselves – no bio-filtration! Longevity of the fish was perhaps assisted by seawater changes? Fish were also lost because of the dreaded ‘white spot’ or ‘velvet’, the parasitic diseases.

Looking for cleanliness which the lack of was thought to be a reason why fish didn’t live long, an invention eventually arrived called the undergravel filter. This was a real milestone as oxygen laden seawater moving through the substrate caused the creation of a bio-filter. The inventor of the undergravel filter, a man called Stratton if memory serves me correctly, didn’t believe that the change was anything to do with bacteria as eventually science advised, but continued to believe it was enhanced cleanliness that increased the health of the fish. He was correct in a way; fouling toxic ammonia and nitrite were being removed.

The next big jump was the arrival of the protein skimmer. A remaining scourge of the aquarist was the fish ‘wipeout’, when all fish were lost for some strange reason. The arrival of protein skimmers, quite crude and not very efficient at first, sorted that out.

So it has gone on until the present day. Now success is the normal outcome for an aquarist. Seawater quality is high, fish are healthy and corals, shrimps and all manner of reef life are being kept in good health.

So we can sit back and just gaze at our fish and/or corals. Certainly we can, and that’s one thing I do particularly after a maintenance period.

A successful aquarium has high seawater quality, good seawater movement and adequate lighting. So the livestock should feel at home. They no doubt do – as do uninvited guests!

The gardener loves the display that has been created, apart from those weeds that keep popping up and spreading if allowed.

The marine aquarium is the same. Now that conditions are so good all manner of pests can arrive, perhaps with live rock or coral rock. Aiptasia (aaagh! I hear the cry!). Sailor’s Eyeballs too. These pests if not controlled will spread alarmingly, as will red flatworms. Some flatworms can also attack corals. Then there are nudibranchs that could be imported on the coral rock that their target prey is on. Not to mention some snails. There are more.

So the modern marine aquarium is becoming more natural to the livestock it holds. Because of this there is greatly increased success in livestock health and longevity. It follows that the captive reef in its modern splendor could become home to unwanted life too.

The problem, if it can be called that, is that the captive reef will never be able to hold the diversity of life that the wild reef can. Some of that diversity of life is predatory, and it predates on the pests that we battle with. There is a balance on the wild reef that we aquarists will not be able to match.

So the aquarist has to become the predator. He or she has to spend a little time attacking the pests so that they don’t get out of control. It can be a pain but, like the gardener, it’s worth it for the sake of everything else.

All that is required is vigilance and that is part of good husbandry anyway. If the pests are kept under control which needs a little extra attention, it is a small price to pay for the rewards.

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Which Aquarium Salt Should You Use

A long time ago, before I commenced keeping a marine aquarium, seawater had to be mixed by hand using ingredients that had been individually obtained from a chemist. The hobby books of the day, and they were very few, gave details of the mix. This mix was pretty basic, and contained very few trace elements and not many of the minor ones.

As time passed a few dry aquarium salt mixes appeared which had been produced commercially. They did contain most of or perhaps the entire major, minor and trace elements. It was discovered that nitrate and phosphate were unwanted as they had become known as nuisance algae nutrients, and the salt manufacturers made a great show of how their particular salt was free of them.

Now there are many commercial aquarium salt mixes available and they all claim to be ‘the best’. The mixes are now very consistent and considerable advances have been made in trying to emulate nature’s own, the seas and oceans. Some aquarists use natural seawater, and there are anecdotal reports that they have met with success, corals being really well extended and fish healthy. Most aquarists use a dry salt mix however, as it is convenient wherever the aquarist lives.

The production of dry salt mixes has moved on as the hobby has. No longer do marine aquarists struggle to maintain their livestock as technology and knowledge have made it easier. Aquariums that would dazzle those pioneer aquarists of long ago now exist – those where some of the most beautiful fish of the wild reefs are kept, and those where a living captive reef is maintained. Proper husbandry and knowledge plus technology make it possible.

The highest priority for any marine aquarium is the quality of the seawater. This is even ahead of lighting for a reef aquarium, the close second. Low quality seawater leads to problems and there isn’t any need for it. Modern sea salt mixes go a long way to providing this quality. The aquarist needs to be aware of the parameters that are required and maintain them, with supplementary additions if and as needed and routine seawater changes.

So all the aquarist needs to do is go to the local fish shop (LFS) or use the internet and buy what is needed. Basically, yes, that’s it – couldn’t be easier. There are a couple of things to bear in mind though.

The first is that which has already been mentioned. It would be unusual for a dry salt mix to be contaminated with phosphate and nitrate nowadays, but nevertheless the aquarist should be happy that it isn’t. Most manufacturers state the fact on the packaging.

Next the type of fresh water that is being used should be considered. Some aquarists use it straight from the tap, and others use RO (reverse osmosis) water. The latter is where the tap water has been passed through a very fine filter – ‘super-filtered’ it could be called. RO is the one that is recommended as it will have fewer impurities.

If the aquarist uses tap water then what perhaps is ‘ordinary’ salt could be used. This is where the mix contains the ‘standard’ amount of calcium, for example. Tap water contains amounts of calcium (which varies according to location) and there isn’t a need to have additional calcium in the dry mix. If RO water is in use then much of the content of the tap water will have been removed and a salt mix with extra calcium could be used to ensure that the level is brought up correctly. Actually, it shouldn’t be a disaster if either salt mix type is used with either fresh water type, tap or filtered tap, but the salt mixes are there so why not use them.

Then there are the mixes, as above, that claim to be suitable for reef use, as they have extra this and that which usually includes calcium. These find favour with many aquarists.

So choosing a dry aquarium salt mix nowadays is straightforward. There are those mixes that are very well known and have been in use for years, and there are more that could be just as good but are less well known. Perhaps selecting the type that a successful aquarist colleague uses is the best route, or one that is highly recommended on the internet and in hobby magazines.

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Should You Use An Aquarium Gravel Cleaner

Aquarium maintenance routines with the marine aquarium are essential. A well maintained system where all the various bits and bobs are regularly and properly completed generally gives the reward of health and vitality for the occupants.

One of the eye-catching things with a marine aquarium is the décor. Fish only and reef aquariums have rocks, and these are often displayed against a sand substratum. The sand makes the display look more natural and the colour white shows off really well.

If the sand layer is for decorative purposes only it will usually consist of coarse coral sand about 1″ (circa 2.5cm) to 2″ (circa 5cm) thick. As time goes by the sand traps particles of detritus, which eventually could give it a dirty look. In addition, the dirt within the sand could give cause to the growth of unwanted algae, considerably reducing the attractiveness.

It is easy to deal with this problem and using an aquarium gravel cleaner assists the process considerably. A gravel cleaner usually consists of a bulbous open ended device at one end to go on and into the sand, and a tube to remove seawater. Often there is also a device such as a net to trap particles in case the aquarist wishes to return the seawater straight back to the aquarium. Finally, sometimes there is a device to start a siphon – some cleaners even have a small pump.

It would seem best to use the cleaner when a routine seawater change is in progress. This means that an additional operation for sand cleaning isn’t required and there isn’t any chance of removed detritus getting back into the aquarium. When the siphon has been successfully started, the business end is placed into the sand and carefully moved along with a gentle stirring motion. As the detritus is released it is sucked up and removed, as will be any algae on the surface. It may be difficult to maneuver the cleaner close to rocks – in this case use a thin wooden stick or similar to stir the sand in this area. The amount of dirt that could be released from a sand bed can sometimes be surprising. Care has to be taken that sand is not being sucked up as obviously this should stay in the aquarium. To prevent sand loss the seawater flow could be reduced though this may also reduce the effectiveness of detritus removal. Anyway, if any sand is sucked up it can easily be replaced, but may need a separate wash first if it has been caught in a net with detritus.

The sand cleaning exercise time period is governed by the amount of seawater that needs removing for the seawater change. Perhaps the whole sand bed can be completed, but if not there isn’t any rush as, say, half could be done and the other half next time. It is better to thoroughly clean the sand than aim at completion in one go. It is best to clean the sand bed every few weeks, or at least regularly enough to prevent it becoming very dirty.

If the aquarist employs a DSB (deep sand bed) or plenum (a raised DSB) then a gravel cleaner should not be used. There are two main reasons for this. First, the sand should not be disturbed or the important function could be upset reducing the efficiency of the bed. Second, the sand used for the construction of a DSB is very fine and the cleaner would no doubt remove it rapidly. Unless there is a real problem, when some research should be undertaken, leave a DSB alone. These types of sand beds often look quite scruffy on the surface and this is normal. This scruffiness is also another reason why, in my opinion, a DSB is better off in a sump rather than being placed in a display aquarium.

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Water Changes – Why Are They Performed

Part of all aquarists maintenance routine should be performing a water change on the aquarium. Water changes are not just limited to saltwater aquarium – all home aquariums have a requirement for their water to be changed.

I was doing my water change today as part of my weekly maintenance regime and I thought to myself ‘how many people change the water without actually knowing why they are doing it…’

This article is aimed at owners of saltwater aquariums as there are slight differences between saltwater aquariums and other home aquariums – one of which is salt of course!

The recommended amount of water to be changed is 10% per week however this is not a figure which is set in stone as more may be changed if there are problems with the aquarium and less may be changed for various other reasons.

Due to the percentage water change this does mean that some people will be changing a small amount of water and others will be changing a lot more. Personally I have an aquarium where I am able to make up enough reverse osmosis water to perform the change. My aquarium is 100 gallons so 10 gallons is relatively easy to produce as my reverse osmosis unit is quite quick.

Other people decide to make up a large batch of reverse osmosis water and keep it for use until the container runs dry.

It’s whatever works best for you really.

If you look at the back of the box/container which the dry salt mix comes in you will see that it is made up of many things. This is one of the reasons why we change water.

The animals which we keep in the aquarium, especially corals, use some of what is in the water. Each of them has a different demand and slowly but surely the amount in the water is slowly reduced. When a water change is performed this element is added back to the water so effectively the element(s) being used are topped up which the livestock can then use.

One of these such elements is calcium. A lot of life in aquariums require calcium. When a water change is performed calcium is added back into the aquarium. For some aquarists this will be enough to maintain the calcium at the required level however for others they may need to use alternative methods to top up the calcium levels.

The replacement of required elements is a very important reason to change the water in the home aquarium however it is not the only reason.

Another reason we change water is that we are able to remove dissolved organic compounds from the aquarium before the filtration has had time to break them down. The protein skimmer attached to the aquarium can only process the water which flows through it and not all of the water in the aquarium will do so. It is recommended that when you perform a water change that you clean the rockwork as well. By blowing the detritus etc on the rock work in the water column this can be removed at the same time as the water. When a water change is performed some of the dissolved organic compounds are also removed and the water which replaces it is nice and clean.

If a sand bed is used for decorative purposes only i.e. it is not a deep sand bed or a plenum then the time when a water change is being performed is a perfect time for cleaning the sand. Stirring it is fine as all the detritus etc will flow up into the water column and can be siphoned out with the water.

When water is removed from the aquarium any nutrients in the aquarium are also removed. One of these is the dreaded nitrate. All aquarists aim for readings of zero when it comes to nitrate however water changes can be used to control nitrate. For example if you have 10ppm for nitrate in the aquarium and replace 10% of the water then your new reading should be 9ppm. Over time and with careful management this nitrate reading can be reduced further. Another nutrient which can be controlled/managed via water changes is phosphate.

Therefore effectively the main reasons we perform water changes is to add essential elements back into the water which have been used by corals, fish etc and also to remove nutrients, detritus etc from the water whereas if left they could be broken down by the filtration and become problematic.

I personally belive that water changes are one of the first things to be skipped when aquarists become lazy with the aquarium care and maintenance. At the end of the day we perform water changes so that we can attempt to achieve what all aquarists attempt to get – excellent water quality. If water changes were not performed then the fish, corals etc which live in this confined environment will be living in an environment which is not suitable for them.

Would you like to live in an environment which was polluted, full of nutrients and over time would make you poorly? I know I wouldn’t – so why make your livestock.

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Mixing Saltwater

Saltwater is going to be mixed many times from the very creation of the aquarium way into the future. It is my opinion that a lot of people make this into something which takes more time than it actually needs to be.

All you need to do is spend a bit more time when performing the first water change to make it a lot easier in the future.

Both John and myself recommend the use of reverse osmosis water be this purchased from the local fish shop or created in the aquarists own home therefore when purchasing the salt mix it is imperative that one be purchased which has been specifically manufactured to be used with reverse osmosis water.

The net gallonage of the aquarium should be known from when the aquarium was initially filled with water therefore it is relatively simple to work out how much water will need to be removed from the aquarium for a 10% water change to be performed. In this example we will pretend that the net gallonage of the aquarium is 100 gallons therefore a 10% water change would be 10 gallons. This figure should be noted down for future use.

It should be remembered that fresh newly created reverse osmosis water should be used and it should be heated up to the same temperature of the display aquarium prior to adding any salt.

Having purchased the sea salt it is fairly straight forward to ‘guess’ the amount required to meet the intended specific gravity of the aquarium by looking at the suggestions/recommendations of the manufacturer.

When measuring it is recommended that you actually measure slightly less than you believe you require. Once you have measured the salt do not add it to the water weigh it first and make a note of the reading.

Add the salt to the water and give it a really good stir using a device such as a clean wooden spoon to initially mix it in. Add either an air pump or a small powerhead and leave it alone for 8-12 hours. This will allow the salt to fully mix into the water.

After this time measure the specific gravity with a hydrometer or other measuring device such as a refractometer.

At this point you will have one of three scenarios:

1. The specific gravity reading is to low. Measure out a little more salt and make a note of the weight. Add this salt to the mixing device and allow more time for the salt to mix and then test the specific gravity again. If more salt is needed then proceed as before ensuring that any new salt measured it weighed and recorded. Once the specific gravity reading is correct then simply add all the salt weights together for future use and record this information.
2. The spcific gravity reading is to high. Add some more reverse osmosis water to the mix noting the amount added for future use. Give the water time to warm up and then test again. If the reading is still to high then add some more water and record how much was added. Once the reading is correct then add the amount of water together and record this information.
3. The specific gravity reading is correct.

Taking your time on your first water change will allow you to identify how much salt you need to add to the required amount of water. When new water changes are to be performed you can create the correct amount of reverse osmosis water and weigh out exactly the correct amount of salt required.

It needs to be noted that using this method although does save you considerable time when mixing saltwater does not mean that you should not test the specific gravity each time. It is recommended that you continue to test each and every time you create new salt water and always ensure that you keep your measuring device clean.

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Step By Step Seawater Change

Routine seawater changes are recommended for good reasons, for example minimising nitrate, re-introducing trace elements removed by protein skimming and/or activated carbon, and general freshening up.

The guideline for the amount of seawater to change is 10% of the total system net gallonage. This amount can vary once the aquarist has experience of the system, but routine changes should be done.

So, the seawater change and its preparation then. It is assumed that the aquarist has a seawater safe bucket, dry sea salt, scales, tubes for removing and replacing the seawater (tubes with a diameter of around ¾” (circa 19mm) are best), a heater, and an air pump or powerhead. The heater, air pump or powerhead do not need to be powerful, they are not dealing with a large amount of seawater. There is also a need for a hydrometer.

It is also assumed that the aquarist is aware of the amount in gallons that represents 10% of the system net gallonage.

The best fresh water for use in mixing seawater is reverse osmosis (R/O) and the aquarist will need to ensure that there is sufficient for the mixing process.

First, have a look at the instructions on the sea salt package. It is often stated how much salt is required for a particular gallonage at a particular specific gravity (SG) and temperature.

Routine seawater mixes are going to be made many times in the future so on the first occasion a little extra work is required, which will save time on following mixes.

Using the information from the package, pour an amount of salt on to the scales. Keep it below the suggested amount. Note the amount in a notebook (a notebook is a really good thing to have). Now, pour in sufficient fresh water to reach the required gallonage mark on the bucket. Give the mix an initial stir with a wooden spoon or stick.

Place the heater and powerhead (airstone) into the bucket and plug them in. Put the lid on the bucket and run it for around 8 hours or so (do not seal the lid, drill an air hole if necessary), to ensure the salt is mixed and the temperature is the same as that in the aquarium.

After the requisite period has passed, measure the SG of the seawater. Is it low? If so, add a little more salt, but weigh it on the scales first. Note the weight of the salt with the previous note. Continue with this until the SG is as desired, giving plenty of time for the salt to dissolve, two hours or so. When the required result is achieved, add up the total weight of all the salt used. This is the amount you will need on future occasions. Note the total weight down.

If after the initial period the SG is too high, add small amounts of fresh water until it is correct. When a new mix is to be prepared, reduce the amount of salt used and proceed as above, always keeping a note on salt weight for future use. It is unlikely that the SG will be too high – this is why the salt was reduced from the amount recommended by the manufacturer.

Check the seawater temperature is at the level required. If it isn’t, then the thermostat can be adjusted. Remember that SG is affected by temperature, so check the SG after any temperature adjustment.

The SG and temperature should be the same as those of the aquarium seawater.

Once the process to determine the amount of salt needed per mix is concluded, and the heater brings the temperature to the correct level, future mixes are straightforward.

The appropriate amount of seawater in the aquarium needs to be removed. This is easily achieved with a bucket (separate from the new mix bucket) and a hose. The hose needs to be long enough to reach well into the bucket when the other end is at the bottom of the aquarium.

When seawater is being removed it is a good opportunity to siphon out any debris that is seen. To make this easier by better control of the tube, the aquarist can bind the end of the tube to a length of wood which is stiff but not too wide. The wood can be around 12 to 18″ (circa 305mm to 457mm) long, depending on the depth of the aquarium and the aquarist’s needs.

Place the tube with the wood into the aquarium, then give a good suck on the other end and place that end in the bucket. Seawater will flow through the tube into the bucket. A little practice makes the ’suck’ period easy.

If any debris is noticed it is easily removed so long as the seawater is flowing.

Watch the amount of seawater that is removed and when it has reached the relevant mark on the bucket, remove the wood end from the aquarium to stop the flow. This seawater can be discarded.

Putting the new seawater into the aquarium is really easy. If the aquarium is near some stairs, put the new seawater bucket on the stairs and trail a tube down to the aquarium. It may be necessary to have a different tube for this. It is best if someone can ensure that the tube does not come out of the bucket. At the aquarium end, another one of those technical ’sucks’ will start the seawater flow into the aquarium, Once the bucket is empty the flow will of course cease.

If the aquarium is not near stairs, no matter. The aquarist can use a powerhead (use the one in the new mix) and a suitable diameter tube, and pump the seawater in. The powerhead will not remove all of the seawater, the last bit can be put in with a small jug.

All that remains is to check the SG of the aquarium seawater (with the new seawater in) to ensure all is well. If the SG is a little low, just increase the amount of salt a little on the next new seawater mix. Likewise, if it is a little high decrease the amount.

All that remains is to dry the new seawater bucket and store it until the next time, along with its heater and powerhead or air pump.

One note – when removing the heater from a new seawater mix be sure the heater is cool. If it is not and is out of the water, then the glass could crack.

For the first two or three new seawater mixes check that the SG is as desired, and do an occasional check after this. SG checks of the aquarium seawater itself should be done routinely

Routine seawater changes are simple and quite quick if the above suggestions are followed. Anything that simplifies routine maintenance and gives more time for watching the aquarium can’t be bad.

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