Saltwater Aquarium (11)
All the info you need for a successful saltwater & reef tank.
The preferred water for marine and reef tanks is RO/DI water, as it is in a very pure form. The commercial salt mix contains all the salts and minerals needed. Salinity describes the content of these dissolved salts and minerals in the water and is measured in parts per thousand (ppt). The easiest and most common instrument to measure the salt concentration in aquaria is the hydrometer. A hydrometer is a device that measures the…
Most live rock comes from areas close to natural reef habitats. It basically consists of dead and washed away coral, overgrown with a multitude of organisms. Highly porous with a larger surface than most filters can provide for, it became home to numerous organisms, plants, microbes, invertebrates and other animals living in and on the rock. The purpose of live rock in marine tanks is to establish biological filtration (nitrification). This, and sometimes a protein…
Coralline algae are divided into two groups: The articulated (erect), tree like with non-calcified branches attached to the substrate; and the non-articulated (encrusting), the slow growing crusty type on the rocks which this article is focused on. Coralline algae are plants and need live rock in order to settle and grow. Corallines prefer a moderately lit environment with calcium concentration of about 400 - 440 mg/l, and a carbonate hardness of above 7dkh, preferably between…
The main benefit of Kalkwasser use is that it replenishes calcium in the reef and marine tank. Even the most inexperienced hobbyist can easily make Kalkwasser. Kalkwasser is extremely beneficial for corals, coralline algae, and many reef inhabitants. It also helps raise the pH level, which is needed in a marine and reef environment. It might come as a surprise that Kalkwasser, which is German for lime, does not contain any lime at all. The…
Coral bleaching refers to the acute release or loss of the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae from the coral tissue. (See “zooxanthellae” to learn about the symbiotic relation). The visible symptom of coral bleaching is the white skeleton underneath the corals tissue that lost its zooxanthellae colonies. During nutrient deficiencies waste products created by the coral can no longer support the zooxanthellae colonies, which in return can not provide nutrients back to the coral. Continued nutrient deficiencies…
Cyanobacteria appear in both salt- and freshwater setups and are known as red slime or blue-green algae. Cyano is a hybrid, a mixture between plant and bacteria. It has therefore plant, as well as bacterial characteristics and is considered the evolutionary link between plants and bacteria. The “algae-bacteria” is always present in each setup. Cyano is unicellular. It cannot be detected even when using a common microscope. What can be seen as slime are thousands…
In order to understand the method of osmosis; imagine a container with a semi-permeable divider. One half contains tap water and the other half distilled water. Nature's way for maintaining cellular fluid levels triggers a natural action in equalizing both fluids. Distilled water has no minerals and salts, while the tap water has plenty. The distilled water is forced over tothe mineral and salt rich environment in order to equalize the minerals and salts in…
Soft corals can be found worldwide in tropical environments at depths of 15 - 95 feet (5 - 30 Meters). This near-surface-depth allows for currents which provide the soft corals with food and oxygen. Soft corals are the dominant element of the reef environment, providing all sorts of shapes and colors ranging from red and yellow to orange and purple. Most soft corals are easy to maintain, fast growing, and good starters for reef aquarium…
Ultraviolet sterilization (UV) is a process to eliminate biological contamination, namely parasite fungus and bacteria. Two types are commercially available, both in tube size. Generally the one containing a wet bulb -at which the water passes directly past the UV bulb- is cheaper. The other type available has a protective quartz tube around the bulb (dry bulb). The latter has the advantage of easier cleaning, since debris and slime will eventually settle on the bulb,…
Zooxanthellae are the symbiotic algae that live within the hard or stony corals. The symbiotic relation is based on the corals inability to generate sufficient amounts of food and the algae’s ability for photosynthesis and converting chemical elements into energy. The coral in return provides protection as well as a nutrient rich environment for excellent algae growth. Corals are completely dependent on the symbiotic algae. They would not be able to survive without them since…
A common misconception is that you have to graduate from freshwater to saltwater. This is of course not true, as a freshwater species aquarium can be as challenging as a reef set-up, or as easy. Knowledge is once again the key to a successful start and the more information you have the more fun you will get out of the hobby. Another fairy tale is that saltwater requires a larger tank than freshwater. This is…
