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Cool It

April 25, 2009

The most popular lighting for reef aquariums, or to be more specific SPS reef aquariums, continues to be metal halide. This is because metal halides emit a very intense light that has considerable seawater penetration strength as far as aquariums are concerned. Metal halide bulbs are also available in the Kelvin range desired by reef aquarists.

There are two major disadvantages to metal halide lighting systems, the first is cost as they are electricity hungry. The second is heat emission which could be a problem in itself or cause a minor problem to become a major one.

With air temperature warming up for the summer the heat emission from the metal halide bulb(s) doesn’t alter, but the increased air temperature does mean that the aquarium seawater will naturally warm up. This in itself isn’t a bad thing as the heaters will not activate as much saving the aquarist money. Unfortunately, heat output from the lighting can increase the seawater temperature even more, moving it passed the design level. The heaters will of course not activate but these high temperatures are detrimental to the aquarium, for a start it upsets the stability of the system. Increased seawater temperature also reduces the amount of oxygen the seawater can hold, so in say a heavily stocked fish only aquarium there could be trouble. If temperature climbed excessively trouble could occur in any aquarium system. The bacteria housed within the bio-filter that are dealing with the toxins in the seawater are also consuming oxygen which could exacerbate the situation.

So overall it is undesirable for the seawater temperature to climb excessively. There are ways of cooling things down though and with metal halide this is a need that is more likely to be encountered.

Some aquarists counter the effect of the metal halides by cooling down the seawater itself. They do this by employing a chiller (a cooler) which must be specifically designed for marine use because of the very corrosive action of seawater. The chiller needs to be sized correctly or it could be ineffective, a check needs to be made to ensure the device is able to deal with the gallons of seawater involved and also the temperature reduction required - as far as the latter is concerned, if the chiller is matched to the gallonage it should be adequate as there is a temperature adjustment range.

There’s nothing really wrong with using a chiller as described. However, if the sole use of a chiller is because of the heating effect of the lighting it is not really economical. The lighting is consuming electricity which cannot be avoided (except to ensure the bulbs are correctly sized and the lighting on period is not excessive). A chiller is quite an expensive piece of equipment and quite expensive to run. If the seawater heats up anyway quite apart from the lighting fair enough.

If it is mainly the lighting that is causing the seawater temperature problem it is better to tackle the problem at source. Some free hanging metal halide canopies have fans built in which help direct the heat away from the seawater. The biggest problem is likely to be found with those lighting systems that are enclosed within a hood which sits directly on top of the aquarium. These canopies are often an ‘all in one’ build with the canopies matching the aquarium stand.

If the canopy is as described it could have been supplied commercially or been a DIY project. Commercial ones sometimes have fans built in, but not always. Some have air vents at the top and that’s it. These air vents do release heat as warm air rises, but the heat release is too slow and doesn’t deal directly with heat into the seawater. Fans are reasonably easy to install.

There are two ways of installing the fans; the first is to have two fans, one at each end, with an air vent in the middle at the back, and the second is again to have two fans but no air intake at all. In the second version an air vent could be fitted either in the middle or above, it will not do any harm. The idea is to direct a cool air flow across the space between the metal halides and the seawater surface.

Metal halide canopies are of necessity quite large with a good space above the seawater surface, so there should be plenty of room to fit a fan at each end. Some aquarists use computer type fans but the danger with these is that they may not move enough air to deal with the heat. A better option is to use mains electricity powered fans. The ones that are useful are those smaller units that are fitted into bathrooms as extractors; they are usually a small plastic box with vents each side and the fan already mounted inside. Some of these type fans are reversible, that is the fan direction and therefore the air flow can be reversed. If two of these fans are obtained one can be fitted at each end of the lighting canopy. Two holes will obviously need to be cut but if the edges are a little ragged the fan units could fit on the outside to cover them up, the units need to be checked for this option. Some units have a removable outside cover which also fastens the main unit on the inside securely.

In the first option the fans are fitted and there is an air vent in the middle of the canopy back plate. The fans are set so that they both suck in cool air from outside the canopy. This causes an increase of air pressure - not a lot - inside the canopy and the air escapes through the air vent taking heat with it. Care has to be taken that the air doesn’t escape downwards towards the seawater or the cooling effect could be partially or wholly lost.

The second method, with or without an air vent, is probably the best. The fans are fitted at each end of the canopy but this time one fan, it doesn’t matter which end it is at, is set to suck air in. The opposite fan is set to blow air out. This means that there is a powered cooling air flow through the lighting canopy. If there is an air vent some air could escape, but again heat will go with it.

The paragraphs above are concerned mainly with metal halide lighting, but those aquarists who have fluorescent lighting such as T5’s or earlier types could be surprised at how much heat actually builds up in the canopy. A fan cooling system could be an advantage.

There is a major point that needs to be mentioned and this is concerned with safety. Electricity incorrectly used is dangerous. The fans need to be securely fitted and not subject to splashing. Wiring to the fans needs to be completed safely, with the wires going to correctly fused power outlets, and the wiring obviously needs to be properly secured, not trailing. Any doubt and advice from someone competent should be obtained.

Preventing the lighting system from overheating seawater is generally simple and can be done in a way which minimizes the additional electricity demand.

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Is This The Future Of Aquarium Monitoring?

April 9, 2009

For many years now applications have been available which allow you to control various elements of the aquarium whilst you are away from it. The can be simple things such as electrical timers to the more advanced controllers.

There are also some applications which allow you to monitor the aquarium over the internet so that you can check various parameters - again these are normally quite expensive.

Watching the aquarium whilst you are away is very simple as you can just hook up a webcam and broadcast it over the internet.

There is a relatively new one now available and it looks to be very good at first sight.

It is called TankedCAM.

What TankedCAM allows you to do is basically monitor your aquarium whilst you are away from home. This could be when you are at work, travelling, on vacation etc.

TankedCAM gives you the ability to be able to view your aquarium using a live video feed. It also allows you to pan the camera, check water temperature, pH levels, feed the fish and operate various equipment such as lighting, moonlights etc.

Now, this probably does not seem to be that new however there is a twist…

You can watch, monitor and control your aquarium directly from your I-Phone!

They have developed an application designed especially for the I-Phone which allows you to monitor/watch your aquarium and take control of various pieces of equipment. How useful could that be?

It is also available to be used on a PC so if you do not have an I-Phone and are interested in this product then you have not been left out.

As said this product is relatively new and or their website there is a poll running asking what else aquarists would like to monitor so I can only believe that they are hoping to add more functionality to the product in the near future.

I can see so many uses for it.

Below is an excerpt from their webpage:

These technologies are nothing new and can be very expensive to implement separately. TankedCAM is a much more inexpensive way to create an interactive aquarium experience that you can enjoy from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection. TankedCAM is a modular set up that combines these technologies in to one solution and allows you to choose exactly which aspects you would like to monitor in your aquarium.

TankedCAM will be built based on your monitoring needs and shipped to you directly. Set up is as simple as placing the head unit near your aquarium, inserting the water probes (if any) and connecting the network and power cables. In a joint effort with WaveJam Technologies, LLC.  we can also set up and host a special web page that allows you to view your tank from an iPhone or computer web browser.

I do have to point out that this does look good but I have never actually tried it (If the owners read this then perhaps they will ship us a review version - hint hint!) however the images on their website lead me to believe that the equipment looks like it has a high build quality however as said I have not tried it so cannot comment on how robust it is, what it’s expected lifetime is etc.

If you want to have a look yourself then pop over to http://www.tankedcam.com

If you want to have a go with their online demo on your I-Phone then open Safari on your iPhone and type the address m.tankedcam.com into the address bar. If you want to try their PC version then they also have an online demo available on their site.

There is one thing that I am not certain of however, and that it whether the probes will be ok in salt water. Perhaps I will drop them a line and attempt to find out.

Below are some videos which show it in action.

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What Are Moonlights For An Aquarium?

March 26, 2009

For a marine fish only aquarium lighting is simple, the fish need to be able to see and be seen. For a reef system the lighting is more complicated, as not only do the fish need to see and be seen the corals will normally have zooxanthallae within their flesh and this single celled algae needs to flourish so that the coral does too.

There’s a form of lighting that presents not a single headache and that is moonlight.

In the wild as everywhere else there is day and night, plus the transitional periods dawn and dusk. At night there is often moonlight which is missing from most aquariums.

Having moonlight is not essential. Corals are not going to suffer from the lack of it. Having mentioned corals and moonlight, isn’t it fascinating the mass spawning of corals on a reef, all of them triggered more or less at once.

Moonlight is optional. For those well-heeled aquarists with LED (light emitting diode) arrays it is possible that it is built in and ‘on’ times can be programmed. For most of us it is an extra purchase.

When all the lighting is off except for moonlights the effect on the captive reef is lovely. Weak shafts of light descend onto the corals, flickering across them. It can make the night period quite beautiful and draw the aquarist to have a look at a time when usually he/she wouldn’t.

Moonlights are a small array of blue LED lights. Usually they are supplied in a small unit, with perhaps five or less LED’s. There are larger units. Sometimes they are powered by a plug-in transformer style electricity supply. Their demand for electricity is very low, so very little will be added to the electricity bill.

As said, putting moonlights onto an aquarium is optional as there isn’t a technical requirement. Very advanced aquarists could well experiment with them to see if corals could be induced to spawn though this would be difficult and time consuming. Most of us would use them purely for the lovely effect, and expand the period when the aquarium acts like a magnet.

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Are Rotating Powerheads Any Good?

March 9, 2009

There are several important factors that should be present if a marine aquarium is to be a success. In both fish only and reef aquariums seawater movement is one of them.

One reason for the importance of movement is oxygen intake, if it is adequate the seawater will constantly reach air/water interfaces, in particular the display aquarium surface, where gas exchange can take place. Another reason is that it assists corals obtain food and rid themselves of mucus.

There are several ways of providing adequate movement, some advanced and some ‘basic’. It is likely that many (most?) aquarists use ‘basic’ equipment, namely powerheads. These devices are available in more than one type, though they are all basically an electric motor made seawater safe by encapsulating it in resin, the motor drives an impellor, and there is a seawater intake and outlet. The powerheads could be narrow outlet or wide (‘soft’) outlet types. The wide outlet ones are able to move large quantities of seawater but because they push out the seawater on a wide front the impact is soft and not harmful to corals, particularly if there are two in opposition or they are timed. Narrow outlet powerheads pump a much thinner stream of seawater which is very linear and can damage fairly close corals because of the force.

Random and chaotic seawater movement is the aim and this is often obtained by placing powerheads in opposition to each other and also ‘bouncing’ the outlets off the glass. This should result in the desired seawater flow once a bit of trial and error with powerhead positioning has been completed.

With the narrow outlet powerheads there is a further option and this is to use the generated flow of the seawater to drive a mobile directional outlet. This type of outlet can be bought as an ‘add on’ or alternatively a powerhead obtained which has the required outlet fitted. What happens is that the flow of the seawater from the powerhead causes the outlet to swivel from side to side in an arc. The movement of the outlet is not particularly fast and when the end of the arc is reached the direction is reversed. Another method is an outlet that spins, the seawater acting something like jet propulsion driving it round.

This idea has merits. The seawater flow is automatically being re-directed continuously which is good and in itself is going to create varying currents in the aquarium. If there are two powerheads present, for example, and each has a rotation ability then continuously varying seawater flow will be generated at each end of the aquarium. In addition, from time to time the outlets will come into direct opposition to each other and create more random currents.

Of course there have to be disadvantages! First of all, the rotation is driven by the outlet from the powerhead which detracts from the strength of the flow, though this could be compensated for by the powerhead strength itself. The rotation mechanism is submerged in seawater and there is the possibility (probability?) that the rotation will slow down or cease because of calcareous build up. Also, the seawater from the outlet is still linear even though it is rotating, though it would hit a coral that is in the way X number of times per minute rather than continuously. Standard powerheads require their outlet strength checking from time to time and in addition the rotating powerhead needs checking to ensure the rotation mechanism is operating correctly, meaning there is a small addition to routine maintenance checks.

Rotating powerheads are a useful idea and I have nothing against them. However, and this is purely personal, I prefer standard powerheads that have been correctly sized and placed. Better in a suitable aquarium would be wide or ‘soft’ outlet powerheads in opposition, or timed.

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How Do UV Sterilizers Work?

March 8, 2009

There are all sorts of equipment that could be used to assist maintain the aquarium, each designed for a specific purpose. Some of this equipment is essential and there is no debate about its need, for example heaters. Other equipment could be cause for debate.

A piece of equipment that does cause some debate about its use and necessity is the UV sterilizer. UV stands for ultraviolet. Some aquarists use it, some do not. It is often seen in the LFS (local fish shop) as they try and combat the danger of disease.

UV light is dangerous to the human eye and is also dangerous to certain tiny life forms that could find their way into the marine aquarium. With a UV sterilizer attached, the aquarist hopes that any disease organism will be prevented from becoming a serious nuisance. The UV sterilizer is an aid to disease prevention, not a total answer.

The sterilizer is usually an elongated tube shape. Basically there is an outer casing, an inner glass casing, then the bulb. Ordinary glass cannot be used as it absorbs nearly all the UV radiation, therefore quartz glass is used which is of the type that prevents UV radiation below 220nm (nanometers) from passing through. (This is because of the problem of ozone generation, ozone is produced below 200nm.) The wavelength produced is stated to be 254nm. UV penetrates seawater to about ¾” (circa 2cm); therefore the seawater flow past the UV bulb is restricted to this depth.

Seawater flow rate is important. Too fast a rate and organisms will not be exposed for long enough. Therefore it is very important to check the manufacturer’s recommendations for the flow rate to ensure a suitable pump is connected. In addition, the bulb has a finite life and again the manufacturer should give information. Once ‘time is up’ the bulb must be changed.

Proper exposure to UV will kill or damage free floating algae, bacteria, protozoans etc. Pond keepers make use of UV as well as marine hobbyists.

A downside of using UV with a marine aquarium is that anything that is small and is irradiated will be affected. There isn’t any differentiation between good and bad. The bio-filter is an absolute requirement for the health of the aquarium and worry might be caused as the bio-filtration is performed by bacteria. However, these bacteria are not harmed as they are resident within one place, either live rock¸ a canister filter or similar. They are not exposed to radiation. If there is plankton in the aquarium then these could be exposed. However the plankton count in an aquarium is usually either very low or non-existent. If there is a presence they are likely to be damaged by impellors.

The major use for UV with a marine aquarium is assisting with the prevention of disease organisms and assisting with the treatment of the same if disease appears.

Major problems that could strike are caused by single celled parasites, which attach to fish and, if untreated, are likely to reach such numbers that fish death occurs. Fortunately there is a chink in the parasite’s armour, and this is that they have a free swimming stage, when they are known as tomites. It is when they are in this stage that exposure to UV is effective.

The parasites attach to the fish and after a fairly short period drop off. They fall to the bottom and divide into more parasites. They then return to the seawater column looking for fish to infect. Then the cycle begins again. When they are free swimming the UV can severely damage them. As I understand it their DNA ‘memory’ is disrupted, which means that when they reach the divisive stage, put simply they can’t - so no more parasite production.

It sounds like the complete answer to some disease problems but unfortunately it isn’t. For the UV to inflict damage the parasite has obviously to be exposed to the light. Can that be guaranteed in an aquarium? Unfortunately not, just consider the reef or aquascape with all the caves, nooks and crannies, also the sand bed. Then there are the areas in the aquarium usually low down or in corners where seawater flow is low. The seawater flow close to the intake of the UV sterilizer could cause parasites to get sucked in, but there are more likely than not to be those that don’t in other aquarium areas. One or two parasites could restart the whole process.

A UV sterilizer, properly set up, is a good aid for disease prevention and treatment. It is not an answer in itself and cannot be relied upon as such. The main defences must always be in place: careful fish selection, careful introduction, appropriate feeding and high quality overall aquarium husbandry.

(Reference: Baensch Marine Atlas. Helmut Debelius & Hans A. Baensch)

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Watch The Heat From That Metal Halide

March 6, 2009

Metal halide lighting is very popular with reef keepers, particularly those who keep hard (SPS) corals. This is because it is a very powerful light that can penetrate deep into the aquarium provided that the bulb wattage has been correctly selected. Metal halide is likely to be superceded before too long by LED arrays, but at the moment metal halide is the most popular for the reef.

Even though metal halide is so good at lighting reefs there are disadvantages. There are two major ones, the first being that metal halides are electricity hungry and will add significantly to the aquarium energy cost. The second is that they generate a lot of heat. It is this second disadvantage that is being considered.

The lighting has to be hung well above the seawater level and this is because should the protective glass or bulb be splashed it could crack as it is so hot. It needs to be remembered that if the glass is to be wiped over with a damp cloth it needs to cool down first.

We nearly all like sitting in a favourite spot in the sun, feeling the warmth. Metal halides bulbs are a little like the sun in that they radiate considerable heat and unfortunately this could cause trouble. Many reef keepers use cooling apparatus to keep the temperature of the seawater under control though this for most is only in summer. This apparatus could be fans in the lighting hood, a pedestal fan alongside the aquarium, a ‘chiller’ (electric seawater cooler), or perhaps a combination. Stability of seawater parameters is important and this includes temperature. If the temperature climbs too high livestock welfare is in jeopardy. If the temperature is noted to be climbing much too high then the first action is to turn off the metal halides until cooling equipment can be used. The aquarium shouldn’t be plunged suddenly into total gloom, so the blue (actinic) fluorescents can be left on.

There is another danger from metal halide heat as well, and I wasn’t aware of this until recently. There are aquarists who use acrylic aquariums and these aquariums, like glass ones, have stress bars built in across the top. It is reported that the major failure with acrylic aquariums is where a metal halide bulb is directly above a stress bar. The heat softens the acrylic which then stretches under the outward pressure of the seawater and splits or worse could occur.

So if it is possible to move the bulb away from the stress bar this should be done. If the metal halide is then off centre this could be all right, check the light coverage. The guideline is that a metal halide bulb at the correct height above the aquarium should light three feet of aquarium length.

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The Basic Kit For A Marine Aquarium Part Two - Reef

March 2, 2009

Part one dealt with a fish only aquarium and much of what is said in that text also applies to a reef system. The text therefore repeats itself in several places.

However, the reef aquarium has demands that are additional to the requirements of a fish only aquarium. This is not to say that a successful reef aquarium is much more difficult to obtain, it isn’t. However, the aquarist must pay attention to the additional needs. The reef aquarium demands are different, not difficult.

Despite the number of modern books available and information on the internet confusion continues to arise with a newcomer. This confusion is sometimes caused by the book and/or the internet. Books could be out of date as far as equipment is concerned, and an internet forum could cause confusion by the different opinions expressed.

Another area of confusion and often ‘overspend’ is the LFS (local fish shop). Some are very good and will ascertain the level of experience of the aquarist, and what he/she is aiming for. However, there are those that don’t and these are the ones that cause trouble. The LFS, good or poor as far as the beginner is concerned, is there to make money. If they don’t make money they won’t be there much longer. So the beginner is told they must have this, they must have that, this will be all right, that should do. Unfortunately this all adds up to a fair amount of money and ‘should do’ actually is not good enough.

The Aquarium. (The glass or acrylic box it all goes in.)

First of all (having obtained the agreement of the wife/husband/partner - let’s play safe) a check of available space should be made. The position of the aquarium must be close to an electrical outlet and the outlet must be accessible when the aquarium is in position, it can be just to one side or just behind (not in the middle). Also and important, check the strength of the floor to ensure it is strong enough. Concrete floors are fine and so are most suspended floors, but nevertheless check. An aquarium full of seawater and rocks is very heavy.

Once the available space is known then this is not necessarily the size of the aquarium that will be obtained. It is necessary to consider the overall cost and future running costs before making the commitment.

The Lights. (So fish can see and be seen - but there is more.)

Lighting for the reef aquarium is an area where confusion understandably could arise. Basically it is simple as will be seen.

Reef aquariums house corals. These could be of the soft or hard varieties, and there is one thing they have in common. Most of the corals kept in home aquariums contain zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae are simply single celled algae which are embedded in the flesh of the corals. The alga is very important to the corals as 80% or more of the corals nutritional needs are provided by it. It is the alga that gives the coral its colour.

Algae have a particular need in order to thrive and that is light. Light permits it to photosynthesize, with insufficient light the algae will suffer and so will the coral. So the aquarist has to provide adequate lighting.

Adequate lighting will have two properties: the first is spectrum and the second is power. Spectrum simply means, as far as we are concerned, colour. Zooxanthellae respond well to blue light and manufacturers produce bulbs and tubes that will reproduce this. The light is in a fairly restricted range and is referred to as ‘actinic’. (Using these lights has the secondary benefit of causing some corals to look really amazing.) In addition to blue lighting, a cool white light is used often referred to as ‘marine white’. This is a mixture of colours, including blue, but to our eyes it appears white. So reef aquariums usually employ a mixture of light sources as described.

Light is measured on the Kelvin (K) scale. Light could be 10000K, 14000K up to about 20000K. The higher the number the more blue, or cold, the light appears. A reasonable metal halide bulb to use with a reef system would be 10000K or 14000K. When used with fluorescent blue (actinic) tubes a good effect is achieved.

The light of course has to reach the zooxanthellae to be of any use, and it has to get there with sufficient brightness. Light is rapidly weakened by seawater. The colours disappear individually; the first to go is red in the first few feet though blue penetrates very deeply. What this means for the aquarist is that the lighting over the aquarium has to have sufficient power to penetrate the seawater sufficiently. This power is measured in watts (W) and manufacturers provide lighting of different power outputs.

There are two main lighting types with a third becoming likely to supercede the first. The first is metal halide bulbs. The second is fluorescent tubes. The third is LED lighting. It is not intended to go through them all technically but a basic description follows.

Metal halide bulbs are currently used a great deal on reef aquariums. As stated they are bulbs which are housed in a reflective canopy. They produce a pinpoint and very bright light. The bulbs can be obtained in various spectrum and power variations. Unfortunately there are disadvantages in their use: they are expensive to run, in other words they are electricity hungry, the bulbs need replacing periodically, and they are capable of heating up the seawater. Though there is some argument over the necessity, many aquarists use metal halide bulbs together with two fluorescent blue (actinic) tubes.

Fluorescent tubes have been around for a long time. There is a choice in their length so various size aquariums can be accommodated. Manufacturers produce different spectrum outputs so that a mix can be used if desired. If they are to be used they should be fitted with reflectors. Using the colours described earlier, a mix of blue (actinic) and marine white is desirable. As many tubes fitted with reflectors as will fit should be used. If an even number of tubes will fit, have half blue and half white intermixed. If the number fitted is odd, the odd one should be white. T5 tubes are recommended, these are driven by electronic ballasts. The disadvantages of fluorescent tubes are that they must be changed periodically and they do not have as much penetrative power as metal halide bulbs.

LED lighting is becoming more available and the combined output of the LED’s is suitable for a reef. The lighting can be obtained as a canopy array containing many LED’s or as tubes containing much fewer LED’s. The latter are available with different colour outputs, the most useful probably being blue and white. If using the LED ‘tubes’ it is best to fit as many as possible over the aquarium, again with a mixture of blue and white as described above. The canopy array is a large over-tank light source containing many blue and white LED’s. There isn’t a requirement for any additional lighting. It is important to have an array large enough to light the full aquarium, as far as possible. The advantages with LED lights are that the lights last for years without the need for replacement, they do not heat the seawater, they can sometimes be controlled often by built in timers, and they are reasonably cheap to run. The disadvantage, at least at the moment, is that they are expensive.

So how is a lighting system chosen? No-one wants to over-light their aquarium as money will be wasted on electricity. Nevertheless, as said, the lighting must be adequate. Spectrum is quite easy to decide, all corals that require light will benefit from the same spectrum - blue and white.

Power is the problem usually. Power is measured in watts (W) and there is an array of power outputs never mind lighting types.

The first thing to consider is what corals are going to be kept, soft or hard? Most home aquariums are not deeper than 2 ft and it is the depth that is important.

If soft corals are to be kept, then fitting T5 fluorescent tubes as described should be adequate. Consider LED’s but as said they are expensive. Metal halide bulbs will probably be overkill.

If hard corals (SPS, which stands for short polyp stony) are to be kept, then again T5 fluorescent tubes could be adequate. (Note the change from ‘should’ to ‘could’.) Observation of the corals will be required to ensure they indicate growth and health - those at the top areas of the reef should be fine, it is the ones lower down that could be receiving less light. Consider an LED canopy array, but as said they are expensive. It could be desirable to ensure adequate lighting by employing metal halide bulbs along with two blue (actinic) fluorescent tubes in reflectors. The guideline for metal halide bulbs is that one bulb will light three feet of aquarium. So a six foot aquarium would need two bulbs.

Now for power on which light penetration into seawater depends. The guidelines for metal halide bulbs are: for a 24″ deep aquarium 400W, for an 18″ deep aquarium 250W, and for a 12″ deep aquarium 150W. (Note - 1″ is circa 2.5cm.)

The guidelines given are to enable proper light penetration generally to the bottom of the aquarium. So position of corals on the reef will dictate to a great extent the bulb power required. If the aquarium is 24″ deep and the hard corals are in the top 12″ then a 400W bulb could be downsized, subject to what is to be kept in the lower part of the aquarium.

It is a good idea when setting up lighting to include two electric timers, as they can be used to provide a more natural ‘dawn and dusk’ effect. The blue lights come on first, then half an hour later the main lights, be they metal halide or white fluorescent tubes. At the end of the day the white lights go off, followed half an hour later by the blue lights. The need for electric controllers may not apply to LED systems as sometimes these are included.

The Bio-Filter. (The bacteria factory providing life support.)

The bio-filter (biological filter) is absolutely essential. If one is not present, or is inadequate, the livestock will suffer or die.

There are two ways of providing bio-filtration (there are more than two but two will be looked at). These are first live rock and second canister filters. It is necessary to roughly know the total gallonage of the aquarium. The gallonage is easily calculated by using the formula Length x Breadth x Height, the answer divided by 231 equals US gallons. Allow for a 1″ airspace at the top of the aquarium and 2″ at the bottom for a decorative sand bed.

Live rock is a natural product which is bought ‘cured’ from a LFS. ‘Cured’ means that any potential die-off of organisms has occurred and the rock is ready for introduction to the aquarium. The rock contains bacteria that deal with the production of toxic substances in the seawater; this process is called The Nitrogen Cycle. The usual guideline for the amount of live rock is 1½ lbs per gallon of seawater. This guideline suffers from the fact that different live rock has different weights, so the supplier should advise the necessary amount required for the type being sold.

The live rock also acts as a natural décor for the aquarium interior.

A canister filter is a man-made device where seawater moves through a cylinder filled with bio-media. In and on the bio-media are the bacteria, once the bacterial culture has been established. The seawater flow is powered by an electric motor. These devices are fully capable of maintaining a bio-filter. A check should be made that the device is capable of handling the gallonage of the aquarium; the manufacturer’s information should provide this.

Of the two bio-filtration methods live rock is the one recommended particularly for a reef system. The live rock in addition to its filtration capabilities provides the material for a natural looking reef, and hopefully some wild life that has survived the curing process could appear. Another reason for using live rock is that within reason it can deal with nitrate. With a canister filter the Nitrogen Cycle stops after the production of nitrate. This does not mean that canister filters cannot be used as nitrate is controlled easily enough.

If a canister filter is to be used then the aquarist will need to purchase decorative rock to aquascape the aquarium. This will not be live rock of course but dead inert rock. ‘Inert’ means that the rock is known to be totally safe in seawater; nothing will leach out that is detrimental. There isn’t any control on the amount of inert rock used; it is up to the aquarist to create the aquascape desired. However, if fish are to be kept (they need to be reef safe) then consideration needs to be given to swimming space. Some fish need more space than others.

Powerheads. (These provide seawater movement.)

Seawater movement in an aquarium is required so that oxygen can be replenished and the general environment remains healthy. In addition, the movement helps corals rid themselves of mucus and detritus and brings food to them. Though there are several ways to provide seawater movement, powerheads are much used and fully acceptable. Here we deal with basic narrow outlet types, though there are wide outlet types available. Properly situated, narrow outlet powerheads are acceptable.

Usually at least two powerheads are used as this permits chaotic and random seawater flow to be created. One powerhead could go in one rear corner of the aquarium and the second in the other. The outlets, which generate linear flow, are directed at more or less the same place on the front glass. This means that the two flows interfere with each other as well as ‘bounce’ off the front glass and many swirls and multi-directional flows are created. It is usually necessary to experiment a little with the best positions for the powerheads, but it isn’t difficult. The movement of corals or bits of detritus in the seawater indicates the flow patterns. The outlet from the powerheads must be positioned so that strong linear flow from them does not strike a coral.

The guideline for seawater movement in a reef system depends on what is being kept. If it is a soft coral reef then the seawater gallonage in the aquarium should be moved around 10 times per hour. If the corals to be kept are hard (SPS) types then the seawater should move around 20+ times per hour. Note that these are guidelines and not rules – it is not critical, the volume moved does not have to be completely accurate.

For example using the guidelines, in a 50 gallon aquarium containing soft corals the total seawater movement per hour required is 500. Therefore each powerhead would need to move 250 gallons per hour. In an SPS system, the total seawater movement required is 1000 gallons, so each powerhead would need to move 500 gallons per hour. There isn’t any requirement to have two powerheads, many aquarists use three, four or more depending on the size of the aquarium and the amount of seawater that has to be moved. The required power of the powerheads is achieved by dividing the number of powerheads into the amount of seawater that needs moving. The seawater currents created should be as described.

Decorative Sand Bed. (It looks good.)

There isn’t a need for a decorative sand bed. It hasn’t a function except to make the aquarium look more natural and cover up the bare glass bottom. Decorative sand at the base of a reef does look attractive.

If a decorative sand bed is incorporated, then there are things to consider. First, it should be constructed of coarse coral sand, as hopefully this will not move around too much in the seawater currents and dirt will not penetrate too deeply too quickly. It is likely the sand will move and hopefully it will end up in decorative swirls and ripples similar to sand on a beach adding to the attraction. Second, rocks whether they are the live or inert variety should not rest on the sand. This should avoid rock falls and sand compression. So the rocks are in first then the sand. Last, the sand should be 1″ to 2″ deep. This depth will assist with cleaning by stirring when it becomes necessary to keep the bed looking its best.

The Protein Skimmer. (Not last and not least.)

After the bio-filter the protein skimmer is, perhaps arguably, the most necessary device. The protein skimmer is a great aid to the maintenance of high quality seawater. In an aquarium organic substances are produced which are generally termed Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM). This is mainly undesirable.

The protein skimmer removes much of this DOM. All types of skimmer work on the same basis: seawater flows through a chamber where very high numbers of tiny air bubbles are present. The DOM is attracted to the air/water interface and ‘adheres’ to the bubbles. The bubbles rise and fall into a collection cup and periodically the collection cup is emptied.

Most skimmers used nowadays are electrically driven and employ a ‘venturi’ device to draw air in. There are two types, stand alone and hang-on. With the basic aquarium set-up, where a sump is not in use (a sump is an additional tank under the display aquarium), the hang-on type is most useful.

Manufacturers nowadays are perhaps more accurate in their claims for the performance of their products, but nevertheless the following guideline applies: obtain a skimmer that is stated to be capable of handling around twice the gallonage of the aquarium. It is unlikely that a skimmer will be obtained that is stated to handle the aquarium gallonage exactly, but one could be close, so at least choose the skimmer higher up the scale, not one lower down.

The skimmer is said to be the number one ‘poor buy’. This means that many aquarists setting up a system try to economise on this item, only to discover the inadequacy of the device and their mistake later, resulting in another purchase and unnecessary expense.

Heaters. (Got to keep the coral reef cosy!)

The corals and fish that are to be kept are from the warm seas of the wild reefs so it follows the aquarium seawater needs to be warm, between 75 and 80 deg F. Many aquarists choose 77 deg F.

The method of keeping the seawater warm is to use a device called a heater/stat. This is like a long fairly thin tube, the more powerful the heater the longer the tube. The heater is turned on and off by the ‘stat (thermostat).

It is best to have two heaters. Though they are quite reliable nowadays, failure is not unknown and it is often the ‘stat that is the trouble. It either sticks in the ‘on’ or ‘off’ position, usually the ‘on’. This means that the heater continues to apply heat even when the seawater is at or above the required temperature. If there was one heater it would heat the seawater excessively too quickly with dangerous consequences for the livestock. With two heater/stats this can be avoided to a considerable extent as each heater/stat is rated at half the power required. Therefore a safeguard is provided.

The guideline for selecting the heating requirement of the aquarium is: if the aquarium is in a heated room allow 2 watts per gallon of seawater. If the aquarium is in an unheated room allow 4 watts per gallon.

So, with 50 gallons of seawater and using two heater/stats, in a heated room the power requirement in watts (W) of each heater/stat will be 50 watts. In an unheated room the heater/stats would be rated at 100 watts apiece.

Calcium Provision. (Let the corals grow.)

Calcium is used by corals in their growth processes, mainly by hard corals that can make quite a demand, and also by soft corals which have ‘spicules’ (stiffeners) in their flesh. Other livestock such as snails and shrimps also have a need. So it follows that calcium must be present in sufficient quantity.

The guideline for calcium in a reef aquarium is 400+ ppm (parts per million). Incidentally, ppm is considered the same as mg/l. This amount is fine for soft coral aquariums though a higher level is better, say around 420 ppm. Aquarists who have a hard (SPS) reef often maintain higher levels than this, 450 or even 480 ppm.

So how is this calcium supplied? Routine seawater changes help but are not usually sufficient. It depends on the demand and the size of the aquarium. A small or medium soft coral reef could use supplements to provide calcium, and probably the same for a small SPS reef. The answer with these is to use a supplement and judge how much is being used and if it is effective and not too expensive. If it is ineffective or too expensive then the following could apply.

A medium to large well stocked hard coral (SPS) reef will make a considerable demand for calcium. It is unlikely that supplementation with a commercial product will be cost effective. Therefore a device for providing the calcium has to be used. There is more than one way of providing calcium but here the calcium reactor will be considered.

A calcium reactor is a device that passes seawater through a media filled chamber that has a low pH. The media is rich in calcium. The pH is lowered in the chamber by injecting controlled amounts of carbon dioxide. The media slowly dissolves and is passed into the aquarium. The device needs adjustment for seawater flow rate and for the injection speed of the carbon dioxide.

Once the aquarist is aware of the calcium demand of the corals then the reactor can be adjusted to meet it. New media is required from time to time.

As experience grows the aquarist could find supplementation other than calcium is also required, but calcium is the only one that will be looked at here.

Seawater Test Kits. (Seawater quality is so important.)

In order to keep a high quality marine environment it is very necessary to routinely test the seawater in addition to doing routine seawater changes. The test kits needed are easily obtainable, not excessively expensive and easy to use.

The first requirement is a hydrometer. This is usually a one-time buy as it is re-usable. The hydrometer is a device that indicates the specific gravity (SG) of the seawater. In a reef system the SG should be 1.024 or 1.025 and stable.

Next are the tests that look for undesirables in the seawater. The three of interest are ammonia (a deadly toxin), nitrite (a toxin nearly as deadly), and nitrate (which is nowhere near as bad but detrimental at too high a level). These kits carry out a finite number of tests and a new kit will be required.

Next a test kit for pH is needed. Seawater is alkaline and the pH test checks this. The reading should be between 8.0 and 8.4. Again the kit has a finite number of tests and a replacement will eventually be needed.

There is a saying that nothing should be put into the seawater that cannot be tested for. Well, calcium is being added and this needs to be checked. The levels required have already been discussed. This also is a kit that will need replacement in time.

There are other tests that could be made and the aquarist will learn of these as experience grows.

Dry Sea Salt. (Well, it is salty water!)

There are many different makes of dry sea salt available and this is a choice for the aquarist. The most salt will of course be used in the initial mix. Following that, routine seawater changes should be done weekly, and at least to start, 10% of the total gallonage should be changed.

A Reverse Osmosis Filter. (Makes good water.)

Though this is not an absolute necessity for the running of the basic aquarium, the advantages of using one means that it is highly recommended. This is because much tap water contains undesirables.

When tap water runs through a reverse osmosis (RO) filter, the usable fresh water that emerges is 95 to 98% pure. Any contaminants have been removed. The fresh water can be used with confidence with the dry sea salt.

The Cost. (Not the most exciting consideration.)

There are two costs to consider.

First, now that everything has been listed, that is, the aquarium and the necessary equipment, check prices at the LFS and on the internet. Note down those selected and add them up. The answer is the indicative cost of setting up the system.

Now list the electrical items. Find out the wattage (W) of each and write it down (the information should be on the packaging, the device, or the manufacturer’s information). Now add up the list of watts. This is the indicative total power requirement of the system.

However, not everything will be on all of the time, lights and heaters being an example. An allowance is made for these. To calculate the ongoing electrical cost, use the article on this site called ‘A New Aquarium - It’s Exciting But Check Running Costs’. The calculation is straightforward. Alternatively, use an online calculator; these are available on several marine forum sites.

If everything is acceptable, fine. If not, perhaps downsizing the aquarium would produce a positive outcome.

(Note : All of the above links are to the relevant category of Aqua Compare and open in a new window.)

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