Planarians

Planarians are otherwise known as flatworms. They can be fairly colourful and a few in the aquarium could be accepted by the aquarist as another life form on the captive reef to create more interest.

Unfortunately this is not so. Flatworms can definitely be placed in the ‘pest’ category. Some are parasites on specific organisms such as corals and others, strangely enough and like many corals, have zooxanthellae within their bodies*. If the flatworms are coral parasites then it will soon become apparent what is being attacked. The parasitical types do not usually have any colour, in other words they are transparent, and can therefore be difficult to spot.

If the flatworms are the free living types, the ones with zooxanthellae, then they will be coloured a shade of red. They are properly called Convolutriluba. Probably because of their need for light, as with corals, they are more likely to thrive in a reef aquarium with its bright lighting.

Red flatworms can be seen anywhere in the aquarium, on the viewing glasses and rocks etc. Fish are generally not interested in them as food, though it is reported that the mandarin fish (Synchiropus splendidus) will eat them. Perhaps the psychedelic fish (Synchiropus picturatus) will as well, but this is a guess. They are both beautiful fish.

If the aquarist notices just a few flatworms then a mandarin fish could be released to clear them up. There is an important point to be made about this, quite apart from checking general compatibility of the mandarin with other stock before introduction. First, the mandarin will have sufficient food for a while as the flatworms can breed at a high rate. There will also be other life on the reef which is on the mandarin’s menu, such as tiny shrimps. However, this food will disappear if, as hoped, the mandarin does its job. To the aquarist’s dismay, many mandarins and sychedelic fish die months after introduction because of a lack of food. So they should only be released into a reef aquarium that has been up and running for around 18 months or preferably longer. In addition the reef should be constructed of live rock, which hopefully will mean that there will be plenty of minute reef life for the fish to hunt. A look at the reef at night will usually indicate the abundance of tiny creatures.

There is a sea slug that will prey on flatworms, and this is called Chelidonura varians. It is quite beautiful but where can the slugs be obtained? It is worth a check with the local retailer or a phone call to a large internet supplier, but it is likely that they cannot obtain them. However, some aquarists have got hold of them – a query on a busy internet forum may be of use. Of course the usual problem raises its head – what does the slug eat when all the flatworms have gone?

As already stated these red flatworms breed at a high rate. Just a few on the rocks can soon cover the rocks, then the rocks and glass, then the rocks, glass and substrate, then the rocks, glass, substrate and corals. Yes, they can be that bad! Anything living that is covered by them will perish in time by asphyxiation.

It isn’t any use introducing the fish mentioned above if the aquarium is in the described state, the fish will only be able to deal with some flatworms and the fish’s capacity will be outstripped completely. Though there have been one or two reports of flatworms suddenly dying out without interference from the aquarist (why they died out is not known), with a large population it is much more likely that to save the reef the aquarist is going to have to apply chemicals.

There is another danger too. Just to add insult to injury, when flatworm populations die they release toxins which can kill any fish present in a short time, a few hours. It is reported that invertebrates are also killed by the toxins. Thanks!

So if the aquarist is going to use chemicals to kill the flatworms then, subject to the instructions supplied by the manufacturer, the protein skimmer should be at peak efficiency and activated carbon should be used, discarded and a new batch used again, all immediately after the treatment. Also any mechanical filter(s) should be carefully cleaned. In addition, a supply of new seawater should be ready, and the amount should be sufficient to carry out a seawater change of 25% or even higher, and the aquarist should be prepared to do another very shortly after if any signs of distress are noticed.

Let’s finish on a happy note! In all the years (decades, good grief!) that I have been keeping fish and corals I have never faced a flatworm problem. This could be good luck of course, and so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

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

---

Algae I Didn’t Know Was There!

Today (Sunday) is maintenance day when closer attention is given to the aquarium. During the week it is feeding and when needed a manual water top up. Anyway, as said, maintenance.

Maintenance was carried out as usual without any problems. I noticed a coral (a toadstool) was loose and breaking away from its anchor point. So when the partial seawater change had been completed – the last task in the maintenance – I turned my attention to the coral.

It was simple removing it from the rock. The reason it had become loose was because new corals were growing from it and the new ones used the same anchor point. This meant that the seawater currents had more to affect causing more of a strain. I got out a cocktail stick and positioned the coral in a location where it could spread more easily though still in the same area.

As I bent to complete the re-positioning I noted a group of new toadstools that were growing. Great! Then I noticed at the rear of the aquarium on the rockwork some algae commonly called ‘sailor’s eyeballs’. The proper name for these is Ventricaria ventricosa. These are thought to be maybe the largest single-celled organism on the planet. Each cell is filled with carbon monoxide, a toxic gas* – this doesn’t normally cause trouble though. The cells are also filled with a large number of spores. After sufficient growth the cell bursts and these spores are released – not wanted!

I wasn’t alarmed as I have dealt with these little perishers on and off for a long time. They are quite attractive really, but it is the extent they can spread that is the problem. It was when I noticed the spread that immediate action was required; there must have been 100 or more of them growing. I hadn’t noticed them until I had to lean over the aquarium at an unusual angle to fix the coral.

So off I went to get my very sophisticated anti-blob kit – a length of silicone airline fastened to a short length of rigid airline. After emptying the old seawater from the bucket I commenced siphoning. The algae are destroyed one by one by pressing the end of the rigid airline on them until they burst. Any spores are hopefully drawn into the siphon tube by the seawater flow. This destruction process becomes more efficient with practice. I can achieve quite a speed as, as said, I have been having small skirmishes with them for a long time. It took about ten to fifteen minutes and the job was done.

They will be back of course as there isn’t a way that all of them will be removed, there are so many nooks and crannies in a reef aquarium. The majority will have been destroyed though.

The event reminded me to check from time to time areas of the aquarium that are hidden from a normal viewing angle.

What a shame it is a nuisance though. The appearance of the algae is said to be a good sign as it will only prosper in excellent seawater conditions*, that is, seawater lacking in phosphate and nitrate. Also, as stated, it is quite decorative.

Below is a link to enable identification of the algae. The images can be clicked on to enlarge them.

http://www.poppe-images.com/images/search_results.php?category=Algae&species=Ventricaria%20ventricosa

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

---

The Constituents Of Seawater

The seas and oceans cover the majority of the planet surface. Within those seas the wild reefs have grown and all of their needs are met, be that calcium or whatever. The life on the wild reef has had a very long time to adapt to the sea, which is considered to be stable.

Some of these life forms end up in the home marine aquarium. With the natural seas being so stable it follows that for success the conditions on the wild reef should be duplicated as near as possible, and conditions provided that successfully permit life to function and be healthy.

Seawater quality is the number one on the list of ‘must haves’ for success so it follows that the seawater used should be as close as possible in make-up to the natural kind. In much earlier days aquarists would obtain some constituents – not all of them by any means – from a chemist and mix up a brew. Livestock existed in this fairly well for a while but trouble usually appeared. Nowadays there are many high quality dry salt mixes available which the manufacturers state equals the natural type. Be that as it may, the appearance of these dry salt mixes has brought the successful maintenance of a marine system within the reach of every aspiring aquarist provided the interest in the hobby is maintained and the requisite maintenance is done.

Seawater is a mix of many things, some of them present in major amounts, others in trace amounts, and more with a very tiny presence. So for the benefit of anyone interested there follows a list of the make-up of seawater. There is clearly no requirement of any kind for an aquarist to know them but as said it may be of interest. It could also be of use for aquarists who wish to maintain natural levels of important parts such as calcium etc.

Major Elements. (All measurements in mg/l)

Chlorine	18880
Sodium	10770
Magnesium	1290
Sulphur	884
Calcium	412.1
Potassium	399
Bromine	67.3
Carbon	28
Nitrogen	15
Strontium	7.9
Boron	4.5
Silicon	2
Fluorine	1.3

Trace Elements. (All measurements in ug/l)

Lithium	180
Rubidium	120
Iodine	60
Phosphorus	60
Molybdenum	10
Zinc	4.9
Argon	4.3
Arsenic	3.7
Uranium	3.2
Vanadium	2.5
Aluminium	2
Barium	2
Iron	2
Nickel	1.7
Titanium	1
Copper	0.5
Cesium	0.4
Chromium	0.3
Antimony	0.24
Manganese	0.2
Krypton	0.2
Selenium	0.2
Neon	0.12
Cadmium	0.1
Wolfram	0.1
Cobalt	0.05
Germanium	0.05
Xenon	0.05
Silver	0.04
Gallium	0.03
Lead	0.03
Zirconium	0.03
Bismuth	0.02
Mercury	0.02
Niobium	0.01
Thallium	0.01
Thorium	0.01
Tin	0.01
Hafnium	0.007
Helium	0.0068
Beryllium	0.0056
Gold	0.004
Rhenium	0.004
Lanthanum	0.003
Neodymium	0.003
Tantalum	0.003
Yttrium	0.0013
Cerium	0.001
Dysprosium	0.0009
Erbium	0.0008
Ytterbium	0.0008
Gadolinium	0.0007
Praseodymium	0.0006
Scandium	0.0006
Holmium	0.0002
Lutetium	0.0002
Thorium	0.0002
Indium	0.0001
Terbium	0.0001
Samarium	0.00005
Europium	0.00001
Radium	0. 00000007
Protactinium	0. 00000005
Radon	0. 000000000006

Constituents with a tiny presence.

Technetium

Ruthenium

Rhodium

Palladium

Osmium

Iridium

Platinum

Astatine

Francium

Actinium

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

---

Diatom Algae

Algae! Now there’s a word that can raise very mixed emotions in a marine aquarist. Even if the aquarist is a newcomer to the hobby, if plenty has been read in research he or she will be aware of the dangers.

Of course not all algae’s are bad; in fact they could be the aquarist’s friend. There are many forms of decorous algae. Caulerpa is a larger form of algae that is often used by more experienced aquarists to reduce nitrate and phosphate, as it uses the nutrients for its growth which of course means that other nuisance algae cannot. When used this way it is usually kept in the sump under individual lighting.

The algae types that worry aquarists the most are green filamentous and smear algae. Filamentous green algae take the form of very thin strands which are close together and could be up to 8″ (circa 20 cm) long. If unchecked it could cover all the rock and sand. Smear algae, also known as blue-green algae (though it comes in more than one colour variation), properly known as Cyanobacteria, which is often a dark reddish brown appears, as the name suggests, as a thin covering that is really unsightly. If unchecked this thin film could extend over much of the aquarium décor and smother all underneath.

There is another algae type that often causes alarm and it often appears in a newly set-up aquarium, seemingly – from anecdotal reports – particularly where a decorative sand bed (or possibly a deep sand bed) is in use. It is not a definite appearance however; quite a few aquariums never develop it. It could be a nuisance in older aquariums under certain conditions.

This algae is diatoms. Sometimes they are referred to as brown algae, but this is incorrect, brown algae is another type altogether. The algae could also be mistaken as a form of smear algae as the aquarium décor could be covered with a thin layer. Again, smear algae has nothing to do with diatoms.

Diatom algae rely on silicic acid being present in the seawater. If this remains present in any amount it will be extremely difficult to get rid of the diatoms. Tap water could contain the acid in a sufficient amount to support the algae – if it doesn’t it is likely that it will not appear. If there is a sand bed present maybe silicon is present?*

Wandering off-course for a moment, diatoms have a really wonderful cell structure. I have only seen pictures in books. They could be circular, triangular, oval etc and have intricate patterns within the cell that are individual. I don’t know, but I doubt they are singularly unique, but there are many variations. The cells, which are constructed of silicon, don’t degrade and are in fact used in diatomaceous filters. The media is simply made up of these cells.

Anyway, if the aquarist has an invasion of diatom algae then the first thing to do is wait. After a week or two the diatom problem will often die back and cease to exist. The die back usually is not instantaneous but occurs over a period.

If the problem is getting worse, and/or there isn’t any die back, then it is likely that silicic acid is being supplied. I’m not sure of the sand bed bit, but perhaps silicon content within the sand bed is the culprit. If so, then the silicon should exhaust?* Obviously the aquarist should not be tempted to change the sand bed as this could well make matters worse or extend the period when the diatoms are present.

If the aquarist is using tap water then he or she could have the water tested for silicic acid content. If routine seawater changes are being done, as they should be, and the acid is present in the water then fresh supplies are being provided and the diatoms will not go away.

Another way to deal with the tap water is to use reverse osmosis (RO) water. This is tap water that has been filtered through a very fine filter and much of the unwanted content of the water is removed. The purity of the water when leaving a RO filter is generally from 95 to 98%. The use of RO water is recommended whether there is a diatom algae problem or not. RO filters are available to the hobby commercially, are not particularly expensive, and are a good investment.

So, despite the attractive individual cells of diatom algae, the alga is not wanted. Of the nuisance algae types this is probably the easiest to deal with.

(* I have never seen any ‘official’ or science proven reports about the affect of new sand beds in marine aquaria)

---

Does Natural Algae Control Actually Work

At some stage in practically every aquariums life it will become the end result of an algae outbreak. Quite often these outbreaks simply disappear on their own, however on some occasions they simply will not go away and no matter what the aquarist does they simply return.

It is important to understand in the first instance why algae takes hold and grows in the aquarium.

All algae require an energy source. This energy source could be a particular colour temperature in the light, a nutrient in the water etc.

Therefore the algae outbreak could be due to the lighting not being replaced and the incorrect colour spectrum being transmitted into the aquarium. Some algae like this particular temperature and then grow. The light to the human eye will probably look fine however unless you perform a specialist test you will not know. The best thing to do is ensure that you change the bulbs at the correct time period based upon manufacturer’s recommendations.

The second and probably the most common one is where algae feed upon nutrients in the water. The most common nutrients and nitrate, phosphate and silicates. In this scenario especially for nitrate and phosphate it can be hard to locate. The reason for this is that the algae are taking up the nutrients from the water column and therefore when a test is performed the parameters appear to be ok. As soon as the algae is removed from the aquarium the levels start to increase and the algae takes hold again.

It is a vicious circle unfortunately.

As the saying goes though – prevention is better than cure.

The best prevention is to ensure that the equipment in the aquarium is correctly maintained and replaced if/when required as well as the water parameters being kept at the highest possible standard.

A very useful part of obtaining these parameters is the reduction/removal of nutrients. An excellent way to reduce and/or remove nitrate and phosphates is through the use of natural based control.

This natural based control could be live rock, deep sand beds, mud beds, refugiums, mangroves etc.

Live rock for example is exceptionally powerful at filtering the aquarium and if enough high grade quality is purchased then it can also assist in the reduction/process of nitrates.

It is my opinion that there are two natural based packages which can be used for both filtration and nutrient export.

These are:

1. Live rock combined with a deep sand bed – This allows for efficient filtration of the aquarium via the live rock and also for nutrient export via the deep sand bed.
2. Live rock combined with a refugium – This again allows for the efficient filtration of the aquarium via the live rock and also for nutrient export via the refugium where macro algae is grown.

In the refugium example above I personally find it interesting that you can use algae to control algae. The reason this can be performed is that the algae which you are growing in a separate aquarium can be harvested from time to time. The algae removes nutrients from the water and uses this for growth. When the algae is harvested from the aquarium the nutrients are removed as well. As you are not removing all of the algae then the remaining algae feeds upon the nutrients in the water and maintains these parameters at a low level. Because the algae is located in a separate aquarium no or minimal algae outbreaks should occur in the main display aquarium. This is not to say you will never receive any because you might however it severely reduces the possibility.

These are not the only methods which you can use as there are many more. Mangroves for example are very powerful but they are very slow growing and therefore reduce the nutrients at a slower speed.

The aquarist, however should never rely upon these techniques and needs to ensure that the correct care and maintenance is still employed, the fish are not overfed etc.

Simply put in response to the question in the title of this post – yes natural algae filtration does work as long as it is properly implemented and cared for.

Follow nature and keep it simple.

---

Why Do Algae Blooms Occur In The Home Aquarium

Algae blooms can occur at any point in a home aquariums life but normally algae blooms occur during the start of the aquariums life.

When the home aquarium is first started everything is new. All the equipment, the sand, the rocks, the water etc are new. The aquarium needs time to settle in.

A good example of this is the sand. Quite often near the start the sand can become covered in what looks like a dusty brown covering. Quite often this is due to the silicates in the sand. When the silicates are all used up the algae simple disappears – quite often overnight.

As already said though an algae bloom can happen at any time especially if the water quality is not maintained at optimum quality. A couple of nutrients which can cause problematic algae to occur is nitrate and phosphate. The trouble in this instance is that the algae is using up the nitrate and the phosphate in the water therefore when the aquarists checks the parameters they show quite low, however behind the scenes there is a potential problem.

Another area is not looking after the equipment correctly. Two areas which spring to mind are the protein skimmer and the aquarium lighting.

If the protein skimmer is not maintained correctly then not all of the dissolved organic substances etc will be removed from the water and will be processed by the aquarium filtration and will therefore create nitrate etc which otherwise you would not have had.

If the light bulbs are not changed in accordance with manufacturers recommendations then the lighting will be below ‘par’ and could be producing lighting which is at the wrong end of the spectrum and algae which likes this type of colour could start to thrive.

There is another aspect which springs to mind and that is water flow. If there is not enough water flow in the aquarium or even in areas of the aquarium then algae can start to grow in these areas, cover the rocks perhaps even the corals.

The trick is to ensure that you maintain the aquarium correctly – perform all the required care and maintenance and attempt to keep the water at as high a quality as possible. Doing this however does not guarantee that you will not get any algae growing however it should reduce the likelihood of one occurring.

All algae have a food source. If an algae outbreak does occur the best thing to do in my opinion is identify the type of algae it is, identify what this type of algae feeds upon and remove its food source. Once the food source has been removed the algae will start to disappear.

There are also a lot of ‘quick fixes’ on the marketplace at present. Ones which promise to remove algae ‘magically’. Whilst I am sure that some of these do actually work are they just masking the problem and as soon as you stop using it the problem will re-occur. I personally think so. In my opinion the best thing to do is look after the aquarium correctly.

A lot of aquarists give up this hobby and the majority do so due to algae outbreaks. When thinking about setting up the aquarium they picture and aquarium which is always clean. They soon find out that this is not the case and go from outbreak to outbreak and eventually they get fed up and give up.

The internet is a huge source of information and fellow aquarists are always willing to help other aquarists. If you do experience an outbreak then the first thing to do is check all your water parameters. If there are any areas of concern then these should be rectified and hopefully the algae will go away. If not then the next thing to do is check the equipment to ensure that it is all working correctly and if required to be replaced has been.

If after doing this the algae is still apparent then pop to your local fish shop, speak to a friendly aquarist and ask their opinion. You will find that the majority of people are prepared to help out. If you do struggle then as said the internet is a source of great information. In this instance probably a forum or social community would be your best bet as you will be able to upload a picture of the algae where other hobbyists will be able to identify it and inform you of its food source. From this information you will be able to remove the food source from the aquarium and the algae should go away.

Of course you may get another outbreak. There are some aquarists who never have one – my dad John is one, he has never had an algae outbreak in his aquarium but then I have never seen another aquarium with water quality at the level he keeps his maintained at. Makes me jealous every time I see it!

The good thing about algae outbreaks in that each time you get one you learn something else about this hobby. This is now information that you can use to assist others if they get one and if you get another one then you will learn again.

As we always say – ‘in this hobby you never stop learning’.

---

Algae – It Makes A Lot Of People Give Up

Thousands upon thousands of potential aquarists make the decision to start a saltwater aquarium, be these fish only or reef aquariums all around the world. Unfortunately a lot of these aquarists ultimately give up in this amazing hobby.

There are many reasons as to why people give up. This could be personal finances, time, knowledge and many more, however a prime candidate unfortunately is algae.

Algae in the aquarium can look nice however in time this once ‘nice looking’ algae can turn into a pest and make the aquarium look unsightly. Before long the algae starts to cover the rocks, the sand, the glass and more. Every effort is made by the aquarist to clean this up perhaps by manually removing it, performing water changes, checking the water parameters, researching the possible causes etc however once one algae bloom is sorted before long another one may appear.

I appreciate that at this time the aquarist may become disheartened. I know I have been through this stage and can honestly say that algae blooms are a pain.

When people look into starting a saltwater aquarium they imagine an aquarium full of corals and fish which are so striking in colour and movement that the appearance of this unsightly algae is new to them. It is not what they wanted and try as they might it simply will not go away.

First to come may be a slight brown dusting of algae initially over the sand, second may come what looks like slime over the sand, perhaps the rock, after this long hair like algae may appear on the rocks and glass. Later algae which look like balls may appear!

It’s no wonder why aquarists consider giving up when the dream of a spotless saltwater aquarium is suddenly flawed with dirty looking algae!

Each of these different aspects of algae feed upon a different type of nutrient in the water. The trick to understanding how to clear the aquarium of the nuisance algae is to understand what it is feeding upon.

This is where the hard part starts. The reason for this is that since the algae is feeding upon a certain nutrient or nutrients in the water then a water test may not how this parameter as being a problem. A good example of this is phosphate. Phosphate is a common food for problematic algae however when a water test is performed the result is ok. This could be because the algae does not feed upon this type of nutrient or it could be that the algae has removed enough from the water for it not to show up on a water test!

The best thing to do if you encounter an algae bloom is determine what type of nutrient the algae is feeding upon and then remove its food source. For example if you have algae which is long and wavy then this is probably hair algae. Hair algae likes to feed upon nitrate and phosphate. In this example the best thing to do is attempt to reduce the nitrate in the aquarium by checking your feeding regime and increasing the amount of water changes performed to dilute the nitrate in the water column. To reduce/remove the phosphate levels it would be beneficial to introduce an element of phosphate remover for example a product like Rowaphos.

If you remove the food that the algae feeds upon then the algae bloom itself will reduce.

At the start of an aquariums life you need to remember that everything in the aquarium is new. All the pumps/powerheads will probably not have been submersed in water before, the sealant is new, the sand will be straight from the bag, the water will be sterile etc etc. From some of these certain elements may become evident in the water. A prime example of this is silicates from the sand – the slight brown dusting you see over the glass and sand is quite often caused by this. This aspect of algae quite often feeds upon silicates and will exist until its food source is exhausted.

I have seen aquariums entirely coated in this type of aquarium simply clear up overnight purely because the food source has gone.

In this example the silicates from the sand becomes exhausted and therefore the brown dusting disappears perhaps never to be seen again. In other areas if the aquarists is not diligent and does not perform the correct care and maintenance post identifying the food source then the algae blood can and perhaps will re-occur. There is no point in locating a problem, resolving it simply to allow it to raise its ugly head again.

The majority of aquariums when started do go through various algae blooms. This is the aquariums ways of becoming settled. Within time if the aquarist is patient and performs the correct care and maintenance then the blooms will slowly subside – hopefully never to appear again.

For all you new aquarists and the aquarists who are currently attempting to deal with an algae bloom I and many other aquarists understand what you are going through right now. The two things I can say is be patient and identify the bloom you are having issues with, identify its food source and eliminate it.

---

« Previous Page — Next Page »