Aquarium Care Is Important

There is a common saying which goes ‘good things take time yet bad things happen quickly’.

This is a saying which is very true in the aquarium hobby.

An important aspect of the aquarium hobby is performing the correct care and maintenance. This aspect is also quite often the first part which aquarists start to slip on.

At first they are very passionate about caring for the aquarium and its inhabitants, however over time for various reasons they start to slip on what was once a strict regime.

Not all aquarists are like this, there are many, many people who are exceptionally diligent in this area.

Failure to perform the correct care will at first appear not be impacting the aquarium however behind the scenes thing may slowly be starting to decline. Aquarium equipment may slowly start to fail, lighting may become inefficient, the protein skimmer may not be as efficient, the various filtration areas may not function to the best of their ability and many more areas which at first you will not notice.

Over time this will slowly start to get worse and it could happen at a pace where you may not notice it. Perhaps not even until something goes drastically wrong for example nitrate readings rapidly increasing, coral colour loss, equipment failure and perhaps even fish/coral loss.

At this point the aquarist faces a decision point. These are sort the aquarium out and return it to its former glory or give up on the hobby.

A lot of people actually do choose option number two. In my opinion this is down to one of two things. The first being that they liked the idea of keeping colourful corals and fish and do not like the idea of having to look after them. The second is a lack of knowledge as to what they need to maintain and why.

I personally believe that a lot of people head down this path as they enter the ‘I’ll do it later’ area i.e. they put off various aspects until the week after. Again this could be down to various reasons, however let’s face it how many of these people actually do perform it later. Some will I’m sure however also I am sure that a lot of people wont.

From this point the decline begins.

Caring for an aquarium in my opinion is not that hard work as long as you know why you are doing these tasks and how it is beneficial to the aquarium environment.

Effectively this does depend upon what stage your aquarium is at. If the aquarium is new then there will be some aspects which you will perform now but will not perform later when the aquarium is more mature. Some examples of these tests are ammonia and nitrite water tests. Once the nitrogen cycle has completed then you will not need to perform these tests unless you believe that there may be problems in the aquarium system.

Later when the aquarium is more mature there are various areas which you will need to test and check on a regular basis.

These are various water tests to ensure that the water parameters are the best that they can be, the protein skimmer will need to be emptied and cleaned, various equipment like the water pumps, heaters etc will need to be checked for failures, the glass will need to be cleaned and the fish/corals will need to be visually observed.

To be honest if you set yourself a regime and allocate a little bit of time per week then it does not interfere with your social life and you can be happy in the knowledge that your little aquatic world is in the best condition it can be.

I set myself an hour on a Sunday evening when Josh has gone to bed. Sometime I do it earlier in the day before he has gone to be if he wants to help me do it.

In this time I first check all the water parameters and record the results, after this I clean the glass followed by a visual check of all the required equipment. If my little notepad states that I need to either replace or check an item which is only done every so often then this is completed - this could be lighting, calcium reactor media, activated carbon etc. Once this is done I then empty the skimmer and give it a really good clean.

Once all of this is done then I sit back and quietly watch the fish and the corals. I check each fish one at a time and ensure that they appear to be well fed and have no visible damage. I then move onto the corals and give them a good check. As a final point of inspection I check for any ‘clean up crew’ which may have become stuck or is upside down.

Once everything is done then I simply sit back and enjoy my little slice of the ocean.

For me I find the care of my aquarium quite easy. The reason for this is that I do not skip things. I have a weekly plan which I follow and if everything is acceptable then it does not take long at all. I know that if I skip any then problems are going to occur and I will regret it later - something I don’t want to happen.

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Tags: aquarium, Aquarium Maintenance, aquarium-cleaning, Care, Equipment, saltwater-aquarium

Acclimatising New Corals And Fish The Correct Way

The purpose of acclimatisation is simple - the water that the animal is packaged in may have a different temperature, pH and salinity than that of your aquarium. Aquatic life (especially corals and invertebrates) are very sensitive to minor changes in water parameters therefore acclimatisation is a requirement for success.

There are two ways which are recommended to acclimatise your new purchase to your aquarium. Neither of these should be rushed and should both be performed with the aquarium lights off. The lights should also remain off for a further 6 to 12 hours after the animal has been introduced to the quarantine tank, or the main display tank, whichever you are using.

Floating Bag Method

Before you commence ensure that the lights on your aquarium are turned off. Also ensure that the lights in the room where you will be unpacking the animal are turned down to a minimum. Bright lights will cause excessive stress to the animal.

• Float the bag whilst it is still sealed in the aquarium for a minimum of 15 minutes. Do not open the bag at this stage. This allows the water in the bag to slowly adjust to the temperature of your aquarium.
• Once a minimum of 15 minutes has passed open the bag as near to the top as possible and either attach this to the side of the aquarium, or create an air pocket in the top of the bag so that the bag will float.
• Once the bag is open add half an egg cup of your aquarium water to the bag and wait 5 - 10 minutes.
• After 5 - 10 minutes again add half an egg cup of your aquarium water to the bag and wait another 5 - 10 minutes.
• Continue with this process until the bag is full.
• Once the bag is full remove the bag from the water and discard at least half of the water from the bag.
• Re-float the bag in the water and repeat the steps of adding half an egg cup of your aquarium water to the bag again until the bag is full (Remember to wait 5 - 10 minutes between each water addition)
• Once the bag is full capture the fish using a proper aquatic net and release into the aquarium. Corals can be removed from the bag and placed in the aquarium. When some corals are touched they could produce a great deal of slime - this is nothing to worry about and is perfectly normal. However do not introduce any of the water into the aquarium. Invertebrates need to be released into the aquarium under the water.
• You should never allow them to be out of the water in air. To release invertebrates lower the bag into the aquarium and tease the animal out of the bag. Some of the water will escape into the aquarium, however attempt to keep this to a minimum.
• Discard the water in the shipping bag - never introduce the water from the shipping bag into your aquarium.

Leave the aquarium lights off for at least 6 - 12 hours after the introduction to allow your new purchases to become acclimatised to their new home.

Drip Method

The drip method of acclimatisation is normally used for more sensitive inhabitants, however more and more fish keepers are using this method for all livestock.

Before you commence with this method ensure that the lights on your aquarium are turned off. Also ensure that the lights in the room where you will be unpacking the fish are also turned down to a minimum. Bright lights will cause excessive stress to the fish.

• Float the bag whilst it is still sealed in the aquarium for a minimum of 15 minutes. Do not open the bag at this stage. This allows the water in the bag to slowly adjust to the temperature of your aquarium.
• Remove the bag from the aquarium and very carefully empty the contents of the bag into a marine safe receptacle (do not use too big a receptacle). Ensure that the animal is fully submerged. If the animal is an invertebrate do not allow it to come into contact with the air - they must remain submerged at all times.
• You will need to use some airline so that you can set up a drip line from your main aquarium to the receptacle.
• In your aquarium secure the airline tubing so that it cannot fall out. On the other end (the end which is in the receptacle) add an airline control valve (this will allow you to regulate the flow of water).
• With the tubing in your aquarium submerged and the other end in the bucket start the siphon by gently sucking on the airline tube. This will start the siphon and water will start to pass from your main aquarium to the bucket. As soon as water begins to flow adjust the valve so that you are getting between 2 to 5 drops per second.
• Now wait until the water in the receptacle doubles the initial amount, pause the siphon using the control valve, discard half of the water from the receptacle and start the siphon again using the control valve.
• Wait until the water doubles again and then stop or break the siphon. You are now ready to introduce your animal to the aquarium.
• If the animal is a fish then capture the fish using a proper aquatic net and release into the aquarium.
• If the animal is a coral then you can simply lift it out of the receptacle and place it into the aquarium.
• If the animal is an invertebrate then you will need to capture it under water and keep it under water until it is introduced into the aquarium. Try to retain as little as possible of the receptacle water when doing the transfer.
• Discard the water from the receptacle - never introduce the water into your aquarium (apart from that necessary for invertebrates).
• Leave the aquarium lights off for at least 6 - 12 hours after the introduction.

Remember that it is very important to be patient. The acclimatisation period should take as long as needed.

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Tags: aquarium, Aquarium Maintenance, aquarium-livestock, Care, Corals, Fish, Invertebrates

The Seahorse - Should You Put One In A Reef Aquarium

Seahorses come in different types and they are all endearing, interesting and super to keep. In the wild they are, unfortunately, under intense pressure from collection. They are gathered by the millions; some are for the aquarium hobby but most are for alleged medicinal purposes or dried souvenirs.

It isn’t all bad news though, I’m pleased to say. There have been a lot of successes with breeding seahorses, and quite a number for sale are from these efforts. Anyone contemplating keeping the creatures should attempt to source these home-bred or commercial versions.

A mixed reef aquarium, that is one containing fish and corals, is going to be competitive at feeding time. Once the food goes into the water the fish are at it with gusto. Seahorses are not quick enough to compete and will not get enough of the food. They particularly like frozen brine shrimp, or better live. So do the fish of course so it is going to be gone before the seahorses have eaten. Seahorses like food that is close at hand so they can eat easily, they’re not going to get that opportunity with other competitive fish present. The only fish that seahorses should be housed with are pipefish, which are not so competitive that the seahorses lose their chance to eat.

So a standard reef aquarium is unsuitable. Perhaps a seahorse can be placed in a coral only reef. In view of the lack of fish and what has already been said, this would seem to be fine. Unfortunately once again, it isn’t. Seahorses are slow, and they cannot deal with strong and swirling seawater currents. What is one of the important needs in a coral reef aquarium? That’s right, strong and swirling seawater currents. These currents are needed for the sake of the corals to keep them healthy. Some corals need less than others, but the need is still there. The currents will also most likely move the food around too rapidly for the seahorses. So, despite the lack of fish, the coral only reef is not a good home for the seahorse.

So where can seahorses be kept? The answer is in a species aquarium, where the seahorses can be accompanied by pipefish if desired and the habitat can be tailored to them. The aquarium need not be large. Seahorses often occupy ‘grassy’ areas and this can be duplicated. Live rock can be placed in the aquarium with a decorative sand bed to create a pleasing picture, and the macro algae Caulerpa can be grown. The Caulerpa will need sufficient lighting which can be provided, if the aquarium is not too deep, by white and actinic fluorescents, the actinic blue being mainly for a ‘dawn/dusk’ cycle. If the Caulerpa growth is successful it will need to be carefully harvested from time to time.

Having live rock in the aquarium will provide bio-filtration, and the bio-load will not be large. Having Caulerpa in the aquarium will have the same effect as an aquarist with a standard reef placing it in a sump: nitrates and phosphates will be used by the algae as nutrients.

Seawater movement should be gentle. A small powerhead or two can be placed in the rear corners of the aquarium, and there should be enough current to make the Caulerpa sway about very gently, like long grass in a light summer breeze.

Feeding can be by frozen shrimp, brine and mysis. Live brine shrimp can be used if available and from a good source. The food will be available to the seahorses without undue competition.

Seawater quality needs to be tested routinely as in a normal marine system and routine seawater changes undertaken.

In a tailored system such as this, the seahorses should be happy and healthy, not being faced with excessive competition and seawater currents, just eating the available food with their tails wrapped around a strand of Caulerpa.

Who knows, all things being equal the aquarist may have the good fortune to see baby seahorses, this time born from the father.

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Tags: Aquarium Maintenance, Aquarium Water, aquarium-livestock, Care, Equipment, reef-tank

Aquarium Filter Media - Is There Such A Thing As The Best One

The function of the filtration is to ensure that the relevant nutrients in the water are processed. These nutrients occur due to the inhabitants being kept in a closed environment - the aquarium.

Of course life in the ocean also creates waste yet the ocean is so vast that the waste/nutrients are controlled. Look at the oceans filtration - huge sumps, loads of live rock, the biggest deep sand beds ever, mangrove swamps etc.

In our aquariums fish and food are the biggest problems. As soon as you add fish to the aquarium there is a requirement for you to feed it. The trouble is the majority of aquarists unfortunately overfeed. Not on purpose I hasten to add feeding is a pleasurable time and as aquarists we all want to ensure that our fish are well fed.

Fish being fish though will just eat. This is a natural response and is primarily because they do not know when their next meal will come, therefore the gorge.

This causes the problem. There is a lot of food which does not get eaten and starts to decay, other food is passed through the fish’s digestive system either un-digested or partially digested as they ate to much, normal faeces plus urine.

Unless this waste is broken down and processed by the aquariums filtration system then before long the fish will be living in a nutrient loaded soup.

Not nice as I am sure you will agree.

This is why it is so important that a good filtration system is implemented. There are various types of filtration which can be utilised in the aquarium some of which are listed below:

• Canister Filter
• Internal Filter
• Fluidised Filter
• Plenum
• Deep Sand Bed
• Live Rock

In the above examples there are some of these which require filter media. Filter media can be many things - sponge, ceramic rings, plastic balls etc, however it can also be sand or even rock. For example the filter media used in a deep sand bed is the sand itself and the filter media used in live rock is rock.

There are a lot of people who see filter media as being something which is man-made which is added to the aquarium. It is of my opinion that filter media is anything where the required bacteria can function.

Any type of filter media can and will work. The issue is not about where the bacteria live it is how the filtration itself is maintained and how efficient the filtration is.

A good example of this is a sponge filter media. When the filter media is working efficiently the sponge will be clean and not clogged in any way, however over time the sponge if not maintained correctly will become clogged and the efficiency of the filtration will decline.

Another example would be live rock. If the live rock is not kept clean by either manual methods or by the introduction of a natural clean up crew then the filtration may not work at a level of efficiency which is could do if it was clean.

I do admit that there are some filtration media which does allow for more nutrients to be converted. The majority of filtration media finishes at the creation of nitrate. A deep sand bed, live rock or the two combined when maintained correctly will allow for the processing of nitrate as well.

Maybe the article should have been titled ‘Aquarium Filter Media - Which is The Most Efficient’ as it is of my opinion that there is no such thing as the best filter media…just the most efficient.

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Tags: Aquarium Filter, Aquarium Filtration, Aquarium Maintenance, Care, deep-sand-bed, filter media, live-rock, plenum

DVD Review: ‘Your Instructional Marine Aquarium Guide’

This DVD is presented by Paul Talbot, produced by Fish Eye Films and can be purchased from Exclusive Fish Films. The DVD sent for review was very well wrapped when received.

The container is a standard one and is attractively presented. On the colourful front is a picture of an angelfish and on the reverse a list of the contents. There are two discs provided, and these are also colourful and suitably ‘marine‘. The duration of the discs is given as 1hr 40mins. I noted that the cover information advises that the discs are ‘All Regions,’ meaning that they can be used in the US and EU etc.

The list of contents is fairly long, but it should be included as it is of high importance. The contents are given as shown on the reverse of the cover:

DVD 1: Introduction. Marine Systems. Tank Selection. Fish Only Tanks. Substrate and Decoration. Live Rock. Lighting. Selecting Fish and Corals. Seahorses. Introducing Your Fish Safely. Breeding Tips. Temperature.

DVD 2: Coral. Coral Positioning. Clown Fish & Anemones. Filter Tips for Nitrate and Algae. Water Flow. Water Quality. Trace Elements. Feeding. Clams. Maintenance. Cleaning Lids. Tank Tip Room. Fish Health.

As can be seen the contents are comprehensive and address the areas that a novice aquarist would be interested in, and also any other aquarist who wanted a reference. However, lists and pretty pictures are all very well, but a book cannot be judged by its cover.

I played the two discs completely to ensure that the quality both visually and orally was of a sufficient standard.

The first thing to be seen, after copyright information, is a note that it is hoped the aquarist will buy home raised corals and fish as far as possible. This is to be applauded, as it is a direct way that any aquarist can assist in the protection of the wild reefs.

The next item is the ’choice’ page, where particular sections of the video can be selected. I selected the ‘Virtual Aquarium‘. This is very good and entertaining, and the livestock is ’real’. The section can be watched without interruption for quite a while. No maintenance either!

The next selection made was to play the full disc. There isn’t a requirement to watch everything, individual sections can be selected if desired

There is music on the discs, but it is not continuous or intrusive and appropriate to the subject. It is mainly used when various aquariums are being looked at and there isn’t any narration.

All the sections that are listed under ’Contents’ are well covered. The various aspects are well explained in an understandable way appropriate to a beginner - or a more experienced aquarist. Special points that need emphasising, for example the need to change lights periodically, are made very well, with the reasons clearly explained. The narration overall is very good - the viewer is not being ’talked at’ but the feeling is more one of being in conversation. The presenter’s voice is even and pleasant, and at all times he looks genuinely interested in the subject.

Ok, so the discs contain what they are supposed to and the oral presentation is fine. What about the video?

The video I thought is excellent, the colour is super and the picture always in focus. There is a very infrequent reduction, which is understandable considering the lighting and photography difficulties with this subject. The picture is certainly good enough to do real justice to the corals and fish that are seen. There weren’t any judders or blips on either disc.

It is all fine then, but what did I really think of it overall - really, never mind being nice and pleasant.

Looking at the target audience, the marine aquarium beginner, the subject description and the order of presentation is spot on. Each section is clear and concise, not a yawn to be seen. By following this video, the beginner is given clear and adequate information on how to proceed, and this information will greatly enhance the likelihood of success. There is a lot of ‘look at it together’ on the video, where the narrator and the viewer consider various subjects and also consider the ins and outs of equipment.

What is there to particularly like about this video, apart from the narration etc already commented on? What I really like are the ‘interludes’ when the narration ceases from time to time, the music starts and various lovely aquariums of different shapes, sizes and types are seen.

This video will be an asset to any beginner aquarist who wishes to proceed in the marine hobby without making those mistakes that so often occur, causing stress and heartache. Follow the logically presented subjects and note the excellent clearly given advice, which is up to date and completely relevant. The probability of success for that beginner will be much increased.

There is only one problem! When the two discs are initially played it is unlikely that anything will be learned. The viewer will be too engrossed in the beautiful fish and corals, shown in complete tanks, sections of tanks and close-ups of high quality. But there isn’t any rush, the learning can come on the second or third time around.

I can recommend this DVD package without reservation.

Summary:

Quality of video: very good/excellent
Quality of sound: excellent
Oral presentation: excellent
Quality of subject content: excellent
Amount of mumbo jumbo: nil
Quality of packaging: excellent
Desirability: highly desirable

(Note: Aquaristsonline.com are not linked to the manufacturer of the video described, commercially or personally)

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Tags: aquarium dvd, Aquarium Maintenance, aquarium video, aquarium-cleaning, Care, saltwater-aquarium

Demand For Clownfish May Be Putting Them In Peril

I read an article today which is basically saying that the numbers of clownfish have fallen by the region of 75% in some areas of the world.

The marine biologist who performed this study is putting this down to the Finding Nemo film.

I am not sure how true this is as it was just an article I was reading and was not the actual report from the marine biologist in question.

What they have said is that even though the Finding Nemo film is now around five years old children and adults alike are so taken with ‘Nemo’ that they want their very own Nemo lookalike.

I remember thinking at the time of the film that this could be good for the hobby but also thinking that it could be quite bad for the hobby. I was very dissapointed to see a lot of Finding Nemo aquariums coming up for sale with clownfish, regal tangs etc all being made available for sale in aquariums which were just too small for them. A lot of shops I admit refused to sell these items but there was a lot that did.

Don’t get me wrong I do think that the film did a lot of good for the marine hobby as it raised awareness of it but people started purchasing fish just because of the film without doing any research first as to what their requirements were. As we all know and John and I go on about it all the time research is imperative in this hobby - there is life at stake and we as responsible aquarists need to ensure that we do everything in our power to ensure that they are well cared for.

Anyway the study was apparently a five study of clownfish in Australia and on one coral reef his research found numbers had fallen from 25 to just 6.

If true it is quite worrying. I admit that you are able to purchase captive raised clownfish and I urge anyone who is interested in purchasing a fish to consider captive raised. not just for clownfish but for any fish.

It is the belief of the marine aquarists that clownfish should now be put on the endangered list.

One statement the marine biologist made was one I actually quite liked :

‘My message to kids who love the film is simple - tell your parents to leave Nemo in the sea where he belongs’

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Tags: Care, clownfish, Coral Reef, finding nemo, marine-aquarium, saltwater-aquarium

Water Salinity

Everyone who goes to the seaside for a day out or a holiday and has a paddle or a swim knows that a mouthful of water is salty. This saltiness is important, and the level of it.

Livestock that comes from the wild reefs is used to stability, and this stability requirement also applies in the aquarium.

The measurement of salinity in professional circles is usually in parts per thousand (ppt). In the marine aquarium hobby the measurement commonly used is specific gravity (SG). This is easily and quickly measured by the use of a hydrometer. Hydrometers are specifically made for the hobby and are easily obtained.

The SG scale that is of interest to the marine aquarist is from 1.022 to 1.025. For special reasons aquarists have run at a higher or lower SG than the scale given, but this will not be gone into here.

The initial consideration is the aquarium system itself: is it a fish only aquarium or a reef aquarium? If it is a fish only aquarium then running the SG at 1.022 is reported to be advantageous. This is because the fish are not physically ‘stressed’ as much as they would be at a higher SG - the outer surface of the fish body permits the passage of water (osmosis) and the fish automatically has to work to compensate for this. The lower SG reduces this process somewhat. In addition, it is reported that certain fish skin parasites do not do so well at the lower SG, and anything that makes life more difficult for a parasite is welcome. The lower SG also means that there is less dry salt required for routine seawater changes, meaning costs are lower, though this is not a priority consideration.

For the reef aquarium (no fish) and the mixed aquarium, it is probably better to run at an SG of 1.024 (or 1.025). This is primarily for the corals, as reports have indicated that they do not do so well at a lower SG. This applies to both soft and hard corals. My soft coral reef has been running at 1.024 for years.

If the corals are known to have come from the Red Sea, where the salinity is higher, it will probably be better to have the SG at 1.025 at least to begin with, or even 1.026.

There isn’t a reason why the higher Red Sea SG cannot be lowered carefully, but this must be done slowly. A sudden reduction in SG is not good. Reducing the SG from 1.025 to 1.024 could be done over a fortnight or more. Corals have evolved over a very long time and must be watched for any adverse reaction. An SG lower than 1.024 is not recommended for a reef aquarium.

Of course, when discussing the suitability of corals and SG, two things come to mind. The first is that perhaps the coral has been home propagated. If so, it will already be acclimated to a normal aquarium environment. The seawater SG is easily discovered by a simple enquiry. Second, a coral imported from the wild reef will usually be seen in a dealer’s display tank. Is the coral open and extended, looking beautiful? If so, what is the dealer’s SG? How long has it been in the tank?

It is not likely that the seawater in the dealer’s display tank and that in the aquarist’s aquarium will be matched, there could be differences in pH, temperature, SG, alkalinity etc. Therefore it is of great importance that the introduction of livestock - of any type - to the aquarist’s seawater is done properly and over an extended amount of time. This will allow at least some adjustment to be made. Livestock is very resilient given the chance, despite the fact it comes for the most part from a very stable environment, the wild reef.

Once livestock is in the aquarium and settled, it is important that the SG continues to be stable. First, routine seawater changes should be at the same SG and the same temperature. Second, any evaporation from the seawater needs to be topped up. Seawater should not be used for these top-ups, but fresh water, preferably reverse osmosis water. This is because the salt does not evaporate, and if seawater were to be used then the SG would slowly get higher as more salt is being added. Topping up can be automated for a large aquarium if desired, or done manually once a day for smaller ones.

There are some basic and important parameters that need to be monitored and kept stable, and salinity is one of them. A check with a hydrometer is recommended at least weekly.

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Tags: Aquarium Maintenance, Aquarium Water, Care, Equipment, hydrometer, Water Quality

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