How to Mix Saltwater and Perform a Water Change by Scott Brang, a Marine Depot Staff Member

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:37:00 GMT

Abstract:

Introduction

Today’s aquarist takes every precaution to keep their aquarium healthy and looking great.

After all, this hobby is a large investment in time, money and effort. One of the greatest factors, often overlooked, is water.

Clean, pure saltwater is the basis for everything in your aquarium. Whether you are battling hair algae or have experienced a string of mortalities, the problem can often be traced back to the water you are putting into the tank. Not only is it important to look at the quality of water used, but also the quantity and frequency of water changes as well.

Our tap water supply contains many different chemicals to make the water safe for human consumption. These same chemicals can, however, be deadly to your tank.

The worst of these toxins are chlorine and chloramines. These additives kill bacteria and other organisms in tap water, but even in low concentrations, will burn the gills of your fish.

It is therefore necessary to pre-treat water before it goes into our tanks.

For a fish-only system, a water conditioner will adequately neutralize chlorine.

For reef tanks, there are other chemicals in tap water that can harm invertebrates, like copper and

i recently set up a 75 gallon reef tank after having a 30 gallon reef tank i never had a problem with algae until now with the 75 gallon tank i placed around 90 pounds of live rock in the tank i started getting a rust colored algae and now its all over my tank i talked with several people from the local pet stores they said it was normal an that it would die around 6 months is that true, please help

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:24:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Without knowing exactly what type of algae it is, it is hard to give a yes or now answer as to whether or not it will go away.

It may be a diatom bloom (normally a rust to brown in color) that is caused by silicates in your tank. This is very common in new tanks, but can even plague older tanks if the quality of the water being added to the tank isn't as good as it should be. Generally increasing the flow and making sure you are using RO/DI water to filter your tap water will help reduce the levels. You can also try using a phosphate remover as they will help remove silicates from tank once the phosphates have been eliminated.

If you are getting a more reddish colored algae that almost forms mats, it is probably a cyanobacteria in the tank. This one doesn't always go away over time if the tank conditions don't improve. It will normally grow in tanks that have higher dissolved organic levels (nitrates and phosphates in particular) and areas of lower flow. Again the use of a phosphate remover and increased circulation many times will help get rid of this algae. You should also do some water changes, making sure you try to siphon out as much of this algae as possible.

Here are a couple of articles on controlling algae that might help some:

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10448&cNode=4O3V2M

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10457&cNode=4O3V2M

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

I have a 300gal tank with2 artifical reefs. it seems that about every 4 weeks i have to remove the corals and power wash them to remove the algae. Can you recommend a different method so that I dont have to remove the corals. I woud greatly appreciate it.Thanks

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:16:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Algae is going to require two things to survive, light and a food source (like nitrates and phosphates). If you can limit both of these items you will find less algae growing in the tank.

Unfortunately that will not 100% eliminate algae as it will grow even with lower light levels and low dissolved organics to feed upon. You will want to try to use a combination of herbivores as well. Without knowing what type of fish are in the tank it is hard to recommend certain ones, but there are many fish that will pick at algae and invertebrates such as snails or hermit crabs that will also graze on algae.

But unfortunately again they will not 100% rid the tank of algae but the combination of less light, low/zero nutrient levels and herbivores in the tank should help slow down the grow so you won't have to do the cleanings as often.

While I don't have any first hand experience with marine algacides, you could try the API Algae Fix. It has gotten very good reviews for it.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

I have a severe amount of hair algae in my saltwater tank. I have put nudebranch, emerald crabs, but they have died. The only thing I have to fight this problem is atlantic turbo snails. Is there anything else I can do?

Keith MacNeil — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:29:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Algae is probably one of the top reason people get out of this hobby. It can be a very hard battle to win, but it is very winnable. To start with I am going to link a few articles about algae that I think will be very useful for you:

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10448&cNode=4O3V2M

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10457&cNode=4O3V2M

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10207&cNode=4O3V2M

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10208&cNode=4O3V2M

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10210&cNode=4O3V2M (nitrate and phosphate control)

Those articles will cover most of what you need to know to help win the battle with algae. But to give a quick summary you will want to control the dissolved organics in your tank (nitrate and phosphates in particular), have good water movement within the tank (helps to keep detritus from settling before the skimmer can remove it) and have a good crew of herbivores in your tank (fish, snails, hermit crabs).

There are also some people (myself included) who have had sucess by raising the magnesium levels within their tank using Kent Marine's Tech M. This seems to work best on byropsis hair algae (almost looks feathery).

Lastly Anthony Calfo has stated that keeping an elevated pH level (around 8.6) can also work well in combating hair algae.

Hopefully that all helps out with your battle. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you

I hav had condylactic, Hatian pink tip, warty rock anemones in my tank and they have all died. All my water levels are where they are suposed to be. Also I had a feather duster dye after I put him in the tank for a week and he died. I cannot figure out why all my stuff is dying. Can you help me?

Keith MacNeil — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:19:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Unfortunately with the limited amount of space for you to type in there really wasn't enough space to give all the information needed to help figure out what might be going on.

What size tank is it? How long has it been up and running? What are you using for filtration? What type of lighting are you using? What are your actual water readings for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, pH, alkalinity, calcium, temperature, salinity, etc...

How are you acclimating them to the tank? What type of fish and other invertebrates do you have in your tank?

If you would like please email Marine Depot directly at customercare@marinedepot.com with more information (or you can email me directly at keithm@marinedepot.com) or you can also post on the Marine Depot Forums with more information so we can better troubleshoot this for you.

I have linked a couple of articles below that might help out some to begin with.

Anemones:

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10444&cNode=4O3V2M

Acclimation:

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10636&cNode=4O3V2M

Reef tank lighting:

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10202&cNode=4O3V2M

With a little more information about your set up we can certainly try to help figure out what is going on with your tank.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

hi,i am setting a 45 gal.freshwater tank up.but right from the beginning my ammonialevel was to high 4%.i checked the ammonia level comming from the faucet it was 4 %.what do i have to do ?ihave my tank in myrtle beach sc. south sidethanks for any help.

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:14:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

There is a chance that your water company is using chloramines to treat the tap water instead of just chlorine. What can happen is when you use a dechlorinator for your tap water it releases the ammonia from the chlorine-ammonia bond (chloramine). This will cause a reading for the ammonia.

There are two different things you could do. First is to use a water conditioner that also treats for ammonia such as Seachem Prime or Amquel.

The second thing you could do is buy a tap water filter like an RO or RO/DI unit. These will help to remove pollutants and other dissolved matter from your tap water.

For most freshwater systems just using a conditioner for chloramine will be perfect.

I hope that help out with your question. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

what is the average lifespan of orandas? And the average lifespan of goldfish in general?

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:05:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry. There is quite a wide range of lifespan within goldfish due to the many different factors of how they are kept. If you keep an oranda in a large enough aquarium with good filtration and they are fed a proper diet there is no reason you can't expect to have this fish for at least 10-15 years if not longer. This goes for most other goldfish as well. There have been reports of Koi living for up to 100 years.

But the key is to keep them in the proper sized tank or pond that is well maintained for their overall longevity and health.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

Refugiums: An overview and some FAQ's by Keith MacNeil

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:34:00 GMT

Abstract:

A refugium, as defined in the aquarium hobby, is as an area or refuge where micro-organisms can live and breed without the worry of predation from fish or other organisms. Macro-algaes are also kept in refugiums to aid in waste (nitrate and phosphate) removal from the aquarium’s water. Many people setup refugiums as part of the filtration system for their saltwater aquarium, especially with reef tanks, where nutrient control is a huge concern.

Besides the roll of a micro-organism farm to help feed corals, fish and other invertebrates in your tank and a nutrient control filter, refugiums also help to stabilize the pH of your tank. During the daytime, while the lights are on over your reef tank, the different algae will photosynthesize. The algae will take in CO2 and release 02 while producing sugars to feed themselves. But during the nighttime, they will respire, meaning they take in O2 and release CO2. The CO2 produces carbonic acid which will lower the pH. By running the refugiums light on a reverse daylight period (opposite of the main tank’s light) the algae in the refugium will help balance out the CO2 and O2 production and maintain a more stable pH level.

So what size refugium should you put on your tank?

While there are many different opinions on this, I feel most people will agree a refugium should be at least 10 to 15% of the tank’s volume. So for a 55 gallon tank, for example, a refugium should be at least 5.5 to 8 gallons for it to function properly for that size tank

General Aquarium Maintenance by Keith MacNeil, a Marine Depot Staff Member

Keith MacNeil — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:31:00 GMT

Abstract:

Once your saltwater aquarium has fully cycled, it is vitally important to setup a maintenance schedule and routine to help maintain a stable environment within your tank.

Regular maintenance includes water changes, water testing, algae scrubbing and dosing additives and/or supplements. In this article, you will learn how often to perform these maintenance chores for a saltwater/reef aquarium and get tips and product recommendations to help you along the way.

Let’s begin with a list of common items used for normal aquarium maintenance (such as a water change). There may be some items here you don’t need, but generally speaking, these are the tools most hobbyists use to maintain their aquariums:

Siphon tubing with gravel cleaner (Python, Hagen and Eheim)
Algae magnet (great for every day cleaning; leave right in the tank!)
Algae pad (for reaching areas the algae magnet can't)
Algae scraper (cuts right through hard algae growths, like coralline algae; a must have tool for your tank)
Gloves (to protect yourself and your tank from contamination)

im having an issue with the red algae slime all over my live rock, it looks red at the top but under it it fades to a clear sponge like substance,i use the salfert chem test my nitrates are around 4ppm nitrites are at 0ppm, ammonia is minimal, phos is around 0ppm my ph however is around 7.8 and my kh is at 9.6, calcium is at 425ppm and mg is around 1250 ppm. Im using a t-5 system in my 29 gallon reef tank using 2 10000k bulbs 24 watts eack and 1 actinic bulb the lights are on for

Keith MacNeil — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:10:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

It sounds like you have a cyanobacteria, AKA red slime, outbreak in your tank. This is usually caused by high nitrates and/or phosphate levels (high dissolved organics), lack of flow, old lights or a combination of any of these.

This is a fairly common problem and many people have delt with it sucessfully. You can check out the Marine Depot Forums and search the term cyanobacteria and you will find lots of great help on it.

Basically the best way to deal with it is to start by using a phosphate remover like phosban or rowaphos (there are lots of different options), decreasing the amount of time the lights are on (keeps the lights off for a day or two, then slowly over a few weeks increase the lighting), change the bulbs out if they are over 9-12 month old and do some major water changes. When doing the water changes, change out about 25-30% of the water and try to siphon out as much of the red slime as possible. Make sure you are using filtered water for making up your saltwater and also for topping off from evaporation. Reverse osmosis or reverse osmosis/deioniozed water is generally considered the best water to use.

There are some medications that help kill off the cyanobacteria, but these should be used as a last resort. They don't solve the problem that allowed the red slime to occur in the first place.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

To use freashwater to top off a saltwater tank RO/DI water is recommended. Is the drinking water that is outside of super markets in the large unit where its like $0.25 a gallon usable as top off water if it it filtered the same?

Keith MacNeil — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:01:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

The answer to your question is maybe. Some of the places sell filter water that is just carbon filtered tap water, so you will want to check to see exactly how the water is filtered in the machine.

Also you won't know the actual purity of the water. RO membranes will clog over time and the purity of the water decreases. If the membranes are not changed often enough depending on their usage it may almost be the same as using tap water.

The safest way is to make your own water at home, there are many affordable units available (and some not as affordable, but well worth the money). If you can't afford one the next best option is probably buying water from your local fish store and if that is not possible the last resort is probably the supermarket water machine.

API makes a product called the "Tap Water Filter" which is basically just a stand alone DI unit which is also a good option. Depending on the quality of your tap water, you will get anywhere from 25-150 gallons of water

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

I have a well established 150g fish/reef tank. Over the past year my pH has been very difficult to keep normal. Its 7.9-8.0 now. My dKH is 13, Calcium 400, Magnesium 1250, Nitrates 0.2, temp 76F, Salinity 1.023. I added an air stone and pointed a jet at the surface of the water to bring the pH up from 7.8 a few months ago. My phosphates were a little high at about 1.0, but rowaphos is bringing that down. Thanks!

Keith MacNeil — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:52:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry. There are a few options that you could try that may help out some.

First there are many different buffers available that you can add to the tank that will help raise the pH such as Seachem's Reef Buffer.

Most of your other readings look good, but your magnesium is slightly low. Magnesium can have an effect on the calcium and alkalinity levels. You might want to try bringing the magnesium levels up slightly to between 1300-1500 ppm.

Also dosing Kalkwasser is another solution that many times can help with low pH levels (along with calcium levels). Dripping kalkwasser at night time when the pH is at its lowest can help out quite a bit.

If you have lots of algae growing within the main tank, this could also be contributing to the low pH levels. When the lights are off the algae will respire (take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide). Limiting algae growth in the main tank can help if that is the cause.

If you don't have a refugium running on the tank, that can actually help out quite a bit also (it will balance out the oxygen/carbon dioxide that is being release in the main tank). Running the lights opposite the main tank will help keep a more stable pH.

You could also try adding some new aragonite sand if your sand bed is fairly old. Sand can become coated with algae and other detritus over time that can limit its ability to buffer the water.

Lastly, water changes, water changes and more water changes. If you can do at a minimum of 25-30% weekly water change over the next few months I think you will find this helps to also stablize the pH. Most salt mixes

i purchased an annularis angel a month ago for a 150 gallon tank. after a week it got a cloudy eye, i treated the tank and added a red sea protien skimmer and uv sterilizer. it cleared up immediately. after two weeks i noticed a fungus developing around its fins, now the fubgus is still there and the fins are starting to discinegrate...what can i do... all other fish seem fine..i do not want to loose this fish..no hospital tank..should i treat the whole tank or hope with time the problem will

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:28:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

If you are not able to set up a quarantine tank (hospital tank) to treat the fish, unfortunately you will have to treat the whole tank. Now you don't need anything fancy for a hospital tank, even a rubbermaid tote container can work. For more idea's and for help with treatment please check out our Marine Depot Forums Disease, Health and Wellness section moderated by Kelly Jedlicki.

So what is the best course of action at this point (assuming you can't treat in a hospital tank)? You will want to treat the tank with some type of antibacterial medications (it sounds like a bacterial infection, not a fungal infection but you may be seeing some secondary fungal infections caused by the bacterial infection).

I would suggest taking a look at some medications by API such as Melafix or maybe Focus by Seachem.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

I have a 250w.Metal Halide Lighting fixtureand about 20 bulbs. They always have worked perfectly and we replace them every 6-8 mos.they never have burned out or exploded on us.I sold a couple of my bulbs on craigslist and the guy that bought them calls me and said that one bulb burned out right away, and the other exploded on him.Could the bulbs be incompatable with his fixture? what kind of things would I want to check? thanks, Tom

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:51:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

You don't mention if the bulbs are single ended (mogul) or double ended bulbs, but I am assuming they are single ended.

For single ended bulbs, there are different types of bulbs and ballasts that are available and yes it will matter what brand of bulb and what brand of ballast he is running. Here is a breakdown of the different ballasts available for single ended bulbs (the information came from reefcentral.com).

Probe start: ANSI: M58, core, capacitor
Pulse start: ANSI: M138, core, capacitor, ignitor
HQI: ANSI: M80, core, capacitor, ignitor
EYE: ANSI: H37, core, capacitor, actually a mercury vapor ballast
Electronic: ANSI: none, metal box with wires

probe start will run american bulbs with ignitors built into the bulbs like coralife and venture bulbs. some german and euro bulbs will run fine on these, but without an ignitor, the bulb struggles to light and bulb life may be decreased. also reliabilty goes down.

pulse start will run the german/euro bulbs (ushio, AB, radium, etc.) these bulbs don't have built in ignitors, so the ballast has the ignitor wired into the circuit. the ignitor provides the high voltages needed to fire the bulb. you can run probe start bulbs on these ballasts, but the two ignitors may try to fight each other and possibly cause a fire.

HQI ballasts are similar to pulse starts in their wiring and ability to run bulbs. the output is a little higher which is meant to run the double-ended bulbs (commonly called HQI bulbs). people run mogul bulbs on these and they run a little hotter and brighter because they are being overdriven. this in turn shortens the life of the bulbs.

EYE ballasts are mercury vapor ballasts. they are similar to a probe start ballast, but the only bulb you can run on these are Iwasaki 6500K bulbs (because these are actually MV bulbs, not MH bulbs like most think). the ballast will damage MH bulbs if you try to run

hey thanks for the info some more questions for you i have all my live rock in the new tank i have added salt and the calcium i have the filters running and water running throuh the uv sterilizer the bulb is not turned on its plumed into my pump line from my cannaster filter and the skimmer is not runnig yet iam gonna let cycle for 3 months shound i add eney more chemicals before i add my coral like magnesium iodine or wait intell iam ready for coral

Keith MacNeil — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:45:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

During the cycling process (curing process) of your tank and rock you really don't need to add any chemicals to the tank. You will want to do some water changes and siphon off any dead material on the rock. You can run your skimmer during this process, you don't have to wait until you start putting corals in the tank.

Also you will not want to blindly put in chemicals for calcium, magnesium, strontium, etc... without testing your water first. Once you have tested the levels within the tank, if they are low you can add those types of additives to the water.

There are a few different additives that are suppose to help "boost" your liverock (some Marc Weiss products or Walt Smith products), but those are really needed. If you did want to get on a routine of adding some good additives, take a look at the Prodibo line of supplements, like their BIOKIT REEF. There are lots of high quality supplements you can add to the tank, but until you start adding corals and elements are being utilized from the water column I wouldn't worry too much about adding anything yet.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

hello could some one tell me i am buying a tank 5 x 30 x 30 and i have a sump 4 x 15 x15 how much water will i have to turn over per hour in litres

Keith MacNeil — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:30:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

You didn't mention if the tank is going to be a reef tank or a fish only tank as the flow rates generally are higher for a reef tank and lower for a fish only system.

You will also want to take into account what flow the overflow in your main tank can handle. For example if the overflow can only handle 600 gallons per hour, you don't want to use a pump rated at 1200 gallons per hour as that will overflow the tank.

For a fish only system you generally want a flow rate of 5-10 times the tanks volume and for a reef tank around 10-20 times the tanks volume. If your overflow can handle these rates that is where I would suggest trying to aim for.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

Can snails and crabs die from nitrates and phosphate buildup slowly? Or what can be other factors to this? I have a 55 gallon mixed reef tank. I have had algae issues before. I got a clean up crew they did a great job. But they now have started to die off slowly. I use RO/DI water for water changes an top off. Other then that all my corals an other fish are all growing an doing great. There is a issue with bubble algae it seems to come and go but it has started to grow back more now. That t

Keith MacNeil — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:26:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

To answer your first question, yes high nitrate levels can cause the death of snails and hermit crabs (along with many other types of invertebrate) but generally phosphates do not cause this type of problems. If you have high nitrate levels doing some water changes (20-30% weekly) should help to bring their levels down.

Other possible issues that could be causing this lack of food or aggression. If the clean up crew ate all the algae there may not be enough algae left in the tank to sustain all of them. You may want to try feeding some algae sheets or other algae based foods to see if that helps some. Hermit crabs can become aggressive over time and will actually kill snails for their shells, so it could be an aggression problem as well.

For the bubble algae (and many other problematic algae's), if you can keep both your nitrates and phosphates at zero and keep a higher pH (generally around 8.4-8.6) that can help to reduce their growth.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

hello tell me what u think of this systm iam set up to day its a 36gallon corner tank 45 pounds of live rock for lighting i got 150wat halide light iam running canister filter which is 1200 litrehour and a prizm skimmer good for 100g for a uv sterilizer i got a turbo twist 3x 9watt. what u think of that system for a reef tank thanks

Keith MacNeil — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:09:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

I currently own a 54 gallon bowfront corner tank and you can see more about the set up on the Marine Depot Blog.

The canister filter is not needed for a reef tank, but some people do still run them. Just make sure you are cleaning it out often (at least once per month) and don't use any biological media in there, your liverock will be your biological filter. You can use carbon or other filter media that will be benefical to a reef tank along with sponges for mechanical filtration (again make sure you clean the sponges often to prevent nitrate and phosphate build up).

The Prizm skimmer are OK skimmers, you may find that eventually you want to go with a better quality skimmer.

Lastly here is an article on "Items Needed For a Reef Tank" that might also help out some. Many people will use it like a check list to make sure they have the items needed.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

Silly question, perhaps. I want to set up a 28Gal Nano, but I live in the SF Bay area. Should the tank be bolted to the wall so that it wont fall over during a quake. We do this for our bookshelves...why not a tank?

Keith MacNeil — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:02:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

I spent some time in Southern California and felt a few earthquakes while I lived there, luckily nothing too severe. I do know some people do bolt their stands to the wall, but sometimes that will only hold the stand there and not the actual fish tank.

It will really depend on the type of stand you have and if the fishtank sits "inside" the stand or just on top of the stand. If it sits inside the stand, then this may help to keep the tank in place. But if the tank merely sits on top of the stand (you could push the tank off the stand if it were empty), then the force of an earthquake more than likely could do the same to a full fish tank.

You may want to talk to a few people in local clubs or even some of your local fish stores to see what they do to protect their tanks.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

Hello, I am setting up a fish only tank. canopy measurmente 48" wide. Tank deep 30 ". What type of lighting would you recomend. Can you refer to me what you sell.Thank you, Keith

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:23:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry. For a fish only system there are lots of different possibilities that you could go with, but I would recommend one of the T5 systems for your tank. They will provide lots of light to reach the bottom of the tank at a fairly low wattage.

Take a look at the CurrentUSA T5 Nova Extreme fixture as a good possibility, the 4 bulb should be plenty. You could also look at a their two bulb system, but I think you may find it isn't quite bright enough (you could always add a second one if one wasn't bright enough though).

I hope that helps out, if you have any further questions please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service.

Additives and Trace Elements

Keith MacNeil — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:06:00 GMT

Abstract: As your reef tank ages, functions of some elements and compounds within the system begin to diminish. Major elements like calcium are consumed, as are many of the trace elements like iodine or iron. For this reason, some elements and trace elements need to be added to a reef tank on a regular basis. In a natural habitat, many elements and compounds exist at very low levels, and since the animals have almost constant exposure to water moving across them, it allows them to remove small amounts of elements constantly. This is not the case in a closed system, where there is a finite amount of trace elements present which can be rapidly depleted. In a closed system, protein skimming, chemical filtration, and water changes all cause the removal of some of these elements and compounds.

Before considering each element's role it is necessary to understand what is present in saltwater. Saltwater contains virtually all known elements. Those that are found in high concentrations - at least 1 part per million ( ppm) - are called major elements . This list includes sodium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, potassium, chlorine, sulfur, bromine, fluorine, carbonate, and boron. At a salinity of 35 parts per thousand (ppt) , there are about 35g of major elements in a kilogram of saltwater. The other elements that are present in seawater are found in very insignificant amounts and make up approximately 0.1% of the total dissolved solids. These elements have come to be known as trace elements and while they are only present in tiny amounts, they have still been found to be critical for the successful maintenance of life. These important trace elements include phosphorus, nitrogen, molybdenum, lithium, cobalt, silicon, iodine, iron, vanadium, copper and barium. Some of these trace elements, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, are crucial for the completion of biochemical processes. Others are important in that they are extremely toxic if they reach higher than desir

when it comes to metal halide lighting, which is better for better coloration in corals and which is better for growth?, this is between a 150w 14k bulb and a 150w 20k bulb. thanx

Keith MacNeil — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

While there are other factors such as ballast type, bulb manufacturer (a 14K bulb from one manufacturer doesn't always look the same as a 14K bulb from a different manufacturer) and water quality, generally speaking a 20K bulb will allow corals to fluoresce more but will not give as much light for them to grow where as a 14K bulb will give more light but the corals generally doesn't color up the corals as much.

If you are using supplemental lighting, I would suggest going with a 14K bulb. If you are not supplementing the light I would suggest going with a 20K bulb. But everyone likes a different look in their tank, so you may have to try a few different bulbs, both K ratings and manufacturer, before you find the bulb that works well for your tank.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

I have a 76 gal tank with a good amount of live rock. It use to be a reef, now its fish only. I want to move up to a 150 gal fish only. My question is how do I make up the difference in water. I will need 74 gal. Can I use 74 gal of catalina water. The guy at the fish place said I will have to use 74 Gal of his used water with bacteria in it. That makes me nervious, not knowing what is in his water. The water I use is r.o. water, I make my own.So how do I make up the difference in water.Than

Keith MacNeil — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:29:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

To me, this is just like doing a large water change with the only difference being there will be no water going down the drain.

You will not have to use "used" water for this purpose. Simply having at least 74 gallons of premade up saltwater (catalina water would be fine) of the same salinity and temperature will work out great. I would actually suggest having around 100-120 gallons of premade water on hand just in case there are any spills (major or minor). It is better to have too much water than not enough.

Move all the rock, water and exisiting inhabitants from your current tank into their new tank and then top off the new tank with the water you have set aside. There is a good chance your tank may go through a little mini cycle since you are disturbing the rock and sand. For the next few days, feed very lightly and monitor the water quality. If you see a rise in the ammonia and/or nitrite levels, do about a 10-20% water change on the tank.

Also don't add anything new to the tank for at least 2-4 weeks. Give it a chance to re-establish itself and you should be fine.

I have done this a few times with existing tanks (freshwater, saltwater and reef tanks) without any issues at all.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service.

I had e-mailed you about a brown stuff on my live rock and live sand. What has happened four days later is Ive lost 3 fish a pair of blue damsel and one clownfish with the other not looking good. I know now its brown alge and I should have a powerhead for circluaction but is alge problem whats killing my fish. You have a great web site Tank is about a month old. Thanks

Keith MacNeil — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:11:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Unfortunately I don't have enough information from you to let you know what is causing your fish to die. I can certainly give some possibilities but without information such as tank size, water parameters, what is in the tank, etc... they are only guesses.

Let me start by saying the algae didn't kill your fish. What you are probably seeing is a diatom bloom that is very common, especially for the age of the tank. Normally this will go away within a few weeks to a months time (provided the tank is healthy).

My first guess as to what happened to the fish is there may have been a water quality issue (high ammonia or high nitrite level). Fish are very sensitive to both of these toxins and if there is not enough biological activity in the tank the ammonia and/or nitrite will kill them. It also doesn't always kill them right away, it can kill them days, weeks or even months later as the high levels will damage different organs of the fish (like their gills or other internal organs).

Improper acclimation may have also killed them. I am not sure how you acclimated the fish to the tank, but here is a good article that will help explain how to acclimate your fish to your tank.

Lastly I would suggest checking out the Marine Depot Forums and post as much information as you can (tank size, equipment, water parameter (actual numbers, not just "good"), problem that is occuring, etc...) and one of our forum members or moderators will be able to help out even more. You can also send an email directly to Marine Depot (customercare@marinedepot.com) with the same type of information and they will also be able to assist.

If there is anything else we can d

What is the difference between PC6655 Actinic 03/100k and PC5645 Actinic White/Super Actinic compact bulbs? I find descriptions of the 6700, 7100, 10000 anad Actinic 03 under you "power compact bulb information", but no description of the Actinic white/super actinic used in teh PC5645.Thanks

Keith MacNeil — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:01:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Just in case you did not see this article on PC bulbs, that would be a good start to understand most of the different spectrums available on PC bulbs.

The Actinic White and Super Actinic colors are terms that UV Lighting Co. (formerly URI) uses to describe the colors (spectrums) of their bulbs. Their description of their Actinic White bulb is "Actinic white is the first of its kind to offer a 50/50 combination on triband and actinic phosphors. Actinic White is a high performance upgrade, great for coral, live rock, and related marine life.". It will have a 12,000K spectrum rating.

Their Super Actinic description is "Super Actinic R is the most widely used aquarium lamp on the market. 100% blue spectrum. Great for reef applications and coral enhancement.". They do not have a K rating for the bulb, but is it considered around 420nm for a rating.

So basically their Actinic White/Super Actinic bulb is a 50/50 bulb with a 12,000K white and 420nm blue (actinic) color.

I hope that helps explain those bulbs for you. If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service.

Nuisance Algae by Steven Pro

Dot Yuson — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 06:46:00 GMT

Abstract:

The most common problem marine aquarists battle is with nuisance “algae.” I put the word algae in quotes because not everything we aquarists refer to is actually a true algae. Much like reef keepers often describe the animals they keep collectively as “corals” when they are really referring to an assemble of corals with anemones, clams, corallimorphs, and colonial polyps, but I digress.

We have true algae such as Bryopsis and Derbisia, the dual plague hair algaes. There are also diatoms, the bane of new aquariums. Then there are dinoflagellates, the so-called snot algae. And finally, there are various cyanobacteria, which are actually photosynthetic bacteria, not an alga at all, that look like a small child decided to cover the display’s sand and rockwork with fruit rollups.

Even though these are all very different life forms, the root causes and cures are fortunately similar. Generally speaking, nuisance “algae” can be dealt with successfully by nutrient control:

Use of purified water (reverse osmosis, RO/DI, or deionization only)
High quality salt mix devoid of nutrients
Careful feeding and supplementation
Refugium utilizing vegetable filtration (Chaetomorpha, Caulerpa, Ulva, Gracilaria, Sargassum, turf scrubbers, etc.)
Protein skimming

Chemical filtration media (activated carbon, granular ferric oxide, resins and resin impreg

I read many of the FAQs about brown algae problem, but I dont see any mention about using Algae Remover such as AlgaeFix Marine.Do you recommend using this product?

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:58:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

I personally will only use some type of chemical as a last resort for my tanks. I would prefer to keep most chemicals out of my tank, especially if it is a reef tank.

While many of the algae removers will work, sometimes they are just a bandaid on a major wound. Water quality and other possible issues should be worked on first and if you have exhausted all other avenues then using some type of chemical may be the solution for your tank.

I would never recommend using them in a reef tank though as there are so many different types of algae (even in the corals tissue) that are beneficial to the tank and could possible be harmed by an algacide.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

what is the differance between montipora and acropora? All my acropora corals are doing fine but the montiporas are dying.

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:53:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Both Montipora and Acropora are stony corals sometimes referred to as Small Polyp Stoney corals or SPS corals. Within both Montipora and Acropora genus there are many different species.

In Julian Sprung's Corals Book, he a describes Acropora as "Terminal (axial) plyps at branch tips usually large, distinct, and plae or brightly colored. When branches fuse into plates the growing edge is composed of many terminal polyps. Some have thick branches with plae tips composed of many terminal polyps." Montipora he describes as "Foliaceous, laminar, encrusting, massive, or branchy colonies. Very lightweight fragile skeleton. Small polyps in depressions over colony surface. Coensteum often with bubms or ridges."

They are both listed as "similar" corals to each other, but if you "feel" the skeletons of each you will notice where the polyps come out on Acropora's are raised and on Montipora they are in depressions giving Montipora a more "smooth" look when the polyps are retracted.

Without knowing all the different parameters of the tank, age of the tank, inhabitants in the tank, etc... I would just be taking a shot in the dark as to what is going on in the tank. But I can give two possibilities that many times can be the cause.

1) Chemical warfare between corals. Make sure your corals are not touching (weaker SPS corals will always get killed) and you can also run carbon to help remove some of the chemicals released by the corals (water changes will also help some).

2) Some type of Montipora eating pest. There are nudibranch that will feed upon Montipora, so you may want to closely inspect your Montipora's to make sure there are no nudibranchs on them (do a google search on monitpora eating nudibranch and you should be able to find pictures and helpful information regarding them).

I hope that helps out some. If there

hello i was just wondering if my system is good enough for what i got its a 24 gallon aquapod nano tank iam using charcol and denitrate both in bags in the back of filter and i have biocube skimmer for ligts iam using k2 viper hqi 15oook i have about 35 40 pounds of rock. i have lots of coarl some soft and some hard and 5 fish.

Keith MacNeil — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:38:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Without knowing exactly what type of corals you have and what type and the size of the fish it is hard to give an exact answer to your question.

Assuming you also have good flow within the tank, most of the hard and soft corals available through stores should do fine with the lighting you are using. And assuming the 5 fish you have all are smaller fish that don't get large (like a tang would not be a good choice of fish for example) the population of fish should be fine.

I would suggest keeping an eye on the water quality (specifically nitrates, phosphate, calcium, alkalinity, temperature, pH and salt levels) with good quality testing equipment. As long as your water parameters stay good you should be fine. Keep up with a good maintenance schedule (i.e. water changes) and things should go fine.

If you want need a little more indepth answer, feel free to send an email to customercare@marinedepot.com or post a question on the Marine Depot Forums and include the type (and size) of fish along with the types of corals and we can be a little more specific on our answer.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

I have the Sea Clone 100 Protein Skimmer, and a 30 gallons salt water tank.Problem: I cant get it to generate the bubbles in the cup located on top of the tube, I have a well defined vortex with lots of air bubbles in the skimmer tube but the bubbles dont seem to rise to the cup on top of the unit.It only has an air adjusting tube nob.Thanks for your helpHow do I know what is the right amount of air in the skimmer tube or the right size votex I need?

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:28:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Skimmer performance (or lack of performance) can be caused by a few different factors. First is low bioload. If the tank is newly set up and there isn't too much biological activity (such as fish or invertebrates) there simply may not be a lot of dissolved organic matter for the skimmer to pull out. Once you start adding more livestock to the tank, you should start seeing more skimmate production.

Second is certain foods, especially oily foods. So if you are feeding oily foods like silversides for example I would suggest holding off feeding those for a few days.

Third is certain supplements or additives. There are many different types of supplements and additives that can have a negative effect on the skimmer. You may want to try holding off using any additives or supplements for a few days to see if that makes any difference. Then when you do start adding them again, watch what effect they have on the skimmer.

Lastly many skimmers will have a break in period. This is a time where organic slimes need to build up on the skimmer, tubing and plumbing of the skimmer. Normally this break in period takes a few days to a few weeks, then you should start seeing some production from your skimmer.

If none of those seem to be the case, I would suggest either contacting the manufacturer or sending an email to customercare@marinedepot.com for more assistance.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service.

i have a long tenakle anenome it is all together about alittle smaller than a softball. i would like to know what is the life span on them?

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:20:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

In the wild sea anemones are known to have very, very long life spans from 60-80+ years. In captivity it has been recorded of people keeping anemones for decades in public aquariums.

So as long as you keep a healthy environment for your anemone you can plan on having it for many years to come.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

I have a retro compact lighting, that is rated for 2 96 watt bulb, can I use a 65 watt, due to size of the the tank Im using?

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:42:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

I wanted to double check this with a lighting manufacturer, so I talked with Current-USA. This was their reply:

Overdriving the lamp will simply shorten the lamp life. Depending upon your application, you may also see some increased heat output, however it should not harm the ballast.

So you should be able to use the 65 watt bulbs with little trouble, just make sure you are changing out the bulbs every 6-9 months instead of 9-12 months.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

Do T5 HO bulbs give off twice the light as T5 bulbs? meaning T5 HO 108 watt is the same as buying T5 216 watt? Thanks for any advice. Ron

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:29:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello Ron,

Thank you for your inquiry. These is a fairly tough question considering there are many different factors that must be taken into account.

Lets first look at the bulbs. The UVL bulbs for example give both a standard output wattage rating along with an HO rating. Their 22 inch bulb has a rating of 24 watts (standard) and 40 watts (HO). So this bulbs output will be about 16 watts greater when driven by a ballast like an IceCap ballast. Not quite twice the output, but fairly close. I have not seen any ratings of how the PAR values compare unfortunately between the two, so I am not sure if this will corelate directly with the actual PAR values.

The reflector that is used is also very important. Individual reflectors will help direct the light from the bulbs back into the tank much better than a single reflector for all bulbs used. So if you are using 4 bulbs with a single reflector, the actual intensity or PAR value will be lower than using 4 bulbs in individual reflectors.

If you are overdriving the bulbs it is also very important to not only cool the bulbs themselves (using a fan to blow across them) but to also replace the bulbs about every 12 months as their intensity and color will shift over time.

I have also sent a message to IceCap to see if I can get some feedback from them as well. I will update the answer when I hear back from them.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service.

What is the general rule for how many inches of fish you can have per gallon of water in a reef tank? When measuring a fish, do you include the tail? How do you factor in how many corals and inverts? I have a 80 gallon tank with 40# of live rock.thanks,Dave

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:51:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello Dave,

Thank you for your inquiry. There really isn't a rule of thumb like you see for freshwater tanks, but even that rule really isn't very accurate. The fish mass along with the amount of waste it produces are a much large factor than the actually length of the fish. For example in a freshwater tank 10 one inch neon tetra's will fit comfortably in a 10 gallon tank, but 1 ten inch oscar would not. The mass and waste produced by the oscar is much greater than the neon tetra's.

With that being said I would suggest picking up a book or two about marine fish. The PocketGuide to Reef Fish by Scott W. Michael is a very good one to get. It will let you know the minimum tank size for each fish. It won't give you the maximum number of fish to keep, but at least you will know if the fish is suitable for your tank size.

Without knowing the actual fish you are interested in it is hard to give you a number of fish that would be suitable for your tank. I would recommend anywhere from 1 to 8 fish for your tank depending on their maximum size.

If there are some fish you are interested in, I would suggest either posting on the Marine Depot Forums or sending an email to customercare@marinedepotlive.com and they can let you know if your selection of fish will overcrowd the tank.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service.

I have a 55 gallon with a wolf eel, snowflake eel, medium Volitan, Kole Tang, two starfish, & a Niger trigger. They all fit now but what size tank would I ideally need to house this menagerie?Also, why is it better to feed frozen silversides than live rosies & guppies? Will the lionfish eat the silversides if given no other choice? Thanks.

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:33:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

I would suggest looking into a tank of at least 150 gallons to give enough space for the mix of fish you have currently. This will allow plenty of space for them as they grow.

I wouldn't suggest feeding frozen silversides as the sole diet for the fish. I would suggest a good mix of differernt types of frozen foods such as krill, mysis shrimp, silversides or pacifica plankton for example. There are lots of different foods available, so I would try to give your fish a good variety of different types of foods. It is also very important to add algae in the diet for the tang. Using algae sheets (you may find your other fish also go after these, especially the trigger) will be a great way to include algae in their diet.

Livefoods, unless from saltwater sources, are not a natural food for your fish. While they may eat them, it is not the most nutritious diet for them. Also many times fish that are fed only livefoods will not wean over to frozen (dead) foods. This can cause a problem if the live foods were not available for any reason. Again a good variety of different types of frozen foods generally is your best bet.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service.

I have a 75 gal. reef tank that has been up for eight years now and I have a major problem with cyanobacteria.The only thing I add to the tank daily is calcium and alkalinity buffer. Im also using kalkwasser and running a GFO reactor along with ozone in my protein skimmer. All my corals including my SPS corals are flourishing. No fish but many crabs.New metal hailide bulbs and my make up water is pure R/O.I also change 5 gals. a week and lights are on nine hours a day. So why cant I get

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:15:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Cyanobacteria certainly can be a frustrating "algae" to deal with. Normally the red slime will flourish in tanks where either one or a combination of factors allow it to grow. These factors include low flow, nutrient issues (high phosphate and/or nitrate levels) or lighting problems (normally associated with old bulbs).

The first thing I would look at is flow within the tank. Is the cyano thriving mostly in areas where there is less flow? If possible I would suggest trying to add more flow to the tank or at the very least try redirecting the current flow patterns within the tank to optimize them.

If you haven't checked your phosphate or nitrate levels, I would suggest making sure they are at zero. Both of these can lead to cyano or other problematic algae outbreaks. Currently you are doing about a 5-6% water change once per week. You may want to see if bringing that up to 10% weekly helps out. Also double check your RO water to make sure it is free of nitrates and phosphates.

There are a few people that have tried keeping their lights out for 3-5 days to help kill off the cyano. Many people have stated this has worked well for them, so it may be something else you could try.

Finally there are a few products available that will help to kill the cyanobacteria. I would only use these as a last resort if none of the other suggestions work. Red Slime Medications.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service.

I would like to set up a tank with reverse flow undergravel filtration using a Filstar XP4 cartridge filter to provide the water circulation. Would this be a viable way to set up a tank and are there parts available to adapt the 5/8" tubing from the pump to the 1" tube for the filter plate.

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:59:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Without knowing if this is a freshwater or saltwater tank it is hard to give a specific answer. Undergravel Filters (UGF) were extremely popular filteration systems many years ago (mainly in the 70's and 80's, somewhat in the 90's). Many people found they were not the most efficient way to filter a tank and with the leaps and bounds that were made in the technology of filtering our tanks, many people went away from them.

Set up as a reverse flow (water being pushed from underneath the gravel) instead of pulling water through (and into) the gravel generally is a better way of setting these filter systems up. Instead of trapping detritus in the gravel you are pushing the detritus out of the gravel and letting a mechanical filter (i.e. a canister filter or hang on the back filter) to catch it.

One of the keys to this is to having a good amount of flow being pushed down the tube and under the plate system. The XP4 has a stated flow rate of 450 gallons per hour, so that should be able to provide plenty of flow through the UGF system. But you may find the circulation within the tank is fairly low and you may need to add an extra powerhead or two (especially in a saltwater tank) to make sure you have good flow and gas exchange (carbon dioxide out and oxygen in) within the aquarium.

In my opinion this would be a good filter system for a freshwater tank (a non-live plant tank) but I wouldn't recommend it for a saltwater tank.

Unfortunately I am not aware of any direct adapters to allow this to work. You may want to check out the plumbing section of your hardware store to see if they sell any adapters would work for this purpose.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service.

Reef Ramblings—All About Skimmers by Adam Blundell M.S.

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:46:00 GMT

Abstract:

What Is A Protein Skimmer?
A protein skimmer is a mechanical device that helps to remove organics from the water. Home aquariums are often very high in organic levels. Much, much higher than you would find on a natural reef. One way to help remove organics is by protein skimming. In fact, second only to water changes, I can’t think of a better way to remove organics. Here is how it works: Water is pumped from your aquarium into a big tube and from the tube back into your aquarium. Of course, inside the tube is where the magic happens. A large amount of air is mixed into the water column creating millions of tiny bubbles. These little air bubbles "stick" to the organics in the water and, as the air bubbles rise, they carry the organics with them. This produces foam, which is collected and thrown away. The process is exactly like you see when waves crash on shore and foam is washed onto the beach.

Who Needs a Protein Skimmer?
A protein skimmer is not for everyone. However, it is almost always helpful even for those who do not necessarily need one. The best thing you can do is to analyze your system and see if you are currently providing enough filtration for your specific animals. In reef aquaria, this is almost impossible without a skimmer. Simply put, skimmers are a staple in reef aquaria.

Let’s assume you have a 125 gallon aquarium with 50 pounds o

Hello,I have a problem that has been happening with my 29 gal. Reef Tank. I have alot of green algae and long hair algae forming in my tank for the last few weeks. I have done my regular water changes on a monthly basis all my water levels are good on weekly basis.What can I do to eliminate my algae problem, it is taking over my tank and it just does not look like the first few weeks after I added my fish. I have the following fish in the tank:Clownfish-2Blue TangHermit crabsBubbl

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:39:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Algae can be a huge problem in our tanks. I would like to start off by giving you a couple of articles to read that might help out some:

Controlling Problem Algae Part 1 and Part 2

"how to" control algae and "how to" updated

Phosphate and nitrate control

Algae is going to feed off two main items, dissolved waste (phosphates and nitrates in particular) and light. If you can limit these that can go a long way in helping to slow down the growth of the algae. Making sure your phosphates are at zero (using a media such as RowaPhos or Phosban) and your nitrate levels are also at zero can go a long way. Many times you can test your tank for both of these and the readings are zero, but the algae is still growing like mad. The reason for this is the algae is utilizing them before the are in suspension in the water column to be tested. So by using the phosphate remover media all the time you are making sure you have a way to remove the phosphates before the algae has a chance to feed upon it.

Light is also a key factor in algae growth. Bulbs tend to shift their spectrum as they age, leaning towards a more red spectrum. Algae seems to grow very well with this shift, so it is important to change out your fluorescent bulbs about every 6-12 months (PC's every 9-12, VHO and T5's about every 12 month, standard Flo. every 6-12) and metal halides every 12-18 months.

Also Anthony Cal

My red leg hermet crabs are losing their red color. How can i get their color back? Am i doing something wrong? I have a FOWLR at the moment and have a few fish. I only feed tetra marine granules and once in a while frozen brine shrimp.I do normal water changes... Help?

Keith MacNeil — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:55:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Many times hermit crabs will have a more bright color when they are younger and tend to be less vibrant as they get older, so it may simply be a matter of the age of the hermit crabs.

It could also be something missing from their diet as many times they get their pigments from different food sources. If that item is missing from their diet, there color can fade over time. Feeding a wide variety of foods (remember hermit crabs are omnivores so they need plant as well as meaty foods in their diet, using a marine algae to supplement their diet may help).

Water quality will also play a big role in the coloration of the animals in the tank. Make sure you try to keep your nitrates and phosphates as close to zero as possible. Frequent water changes (once a week to every other week) of around 20-30% using a high quality salt and filter water (like reverse osmosis or reverse osmosis/deionized water) should also help out.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

Do you have any suggestions of what would eat hairy green algae? Thank you

Keith MacNeil — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:46:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Without knowing the size of your tank it is hard to give a good recommendation, but I can suggest a few different types of fish and invertebrates that might help. Just make sure to research them to make sure they are suitable for your tank.

There are a few fish that commonly eat algae (never 100%, but many times they do). Tangs and Rabbitfish (like a foxface) can do a fairly good job of eating algae, but they do require larger tanks. For the tangs it is good to find ones that are sometimes referred to as bristletooth such as the yellow eye (Kole) tang.

There are some blennies that are also good algae eaters such as the Lawnmower blenny or bicolor blenny. The will graze upon the rocks most of the day.

There are also many different types of h

How can I get a coupon code because I am going to be spending close to $1400.00, if possible please send me a coupon code to my email to use towards this purchase. If you are not able to give me a coupon code please let me know why I am not able to get one.Thanks,Ahmed

Keith MacNeil — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:56:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hi Ahmed,

Thank you for your inquiry. Please send an email to customercare@marinedepot.com and they will let you know if there are any coupon codes available.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

I have a FOWLR tank converting to a REEF tank. I am currently adding the Salifert All-In-One. What needed Additives/ Supplements should i have for my FOWLR and then with a REEF tank? KH + pH Buffer? Magnesium?

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:11:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

For a fish only system with liverock (FOWLR), normally just keeping up with water changes is all that is needed. You really shouldn't have to use any extra additives if you don't want to. Some people will use a calcium/alkalinity supplement (Salifert All-in-One is suppose to do this, but in a single bottle) to help keep a higher calcium level to help calcareous algae grow on the liverock.

For a reef tank you will want to be testing for (and supplementing if needed) calcium, alkalinity and magnesium. You should never blindly add these supplements to the tank. Your calcium levels should be around 380-450 ppm, your alkalinity around 8-12 dKH and your magnesium around 1200-1300 ppm.

You should still want to watch your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, temperature, salt levels, etc... like you have done with your FOWLR set up.

There are lots of different supplements and additives available to use. For most of them you will want to test your water's parameters for that supplement before adding it to your tank.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

Seawater In The Aquarium by John Cunningham, Aquarists Online

Keith MacNeil — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:23:00 GMT

Abstract:

We all know seawater. It covers the majority of the earth’s surface and can be measured in cubic miles. There’s definitely a lot of it and it doesn’t just contain salt, it is a mix of many things.

Tropical fish and corals are supplied with all they need by the seas and oceans. Within the natural seawater mix are all they need to grow and remain healthy. Fresh seawater is constantly washing the reef and there is never a shortage to cause trouble. There are around 34 grams of salts per liter dissolved in seawater, and this isn’t just the table salt (sodium chloride) that we use. There are around 13 major elements, 64 trace elements and around 10 others in very small amounts. All the elements found on land are there, as over the millennia they have been washed by rain into the rivers and then transported to the sea. The sea continues to become more salty but at a very slow rate. This rate is so slow the sea is considered stable, with the reef area specific gravity (SG) considered to be 1.026 (salinity in parts per thousand will not be used as SG is the usual measurement for the hobby).

The wild reefs then are stable, but what of our aquariums? An aquarist with a very large aquarium has only to stand by the sea and mentally put their aquarium in it to realize how tiny their aquarium is. How can fish and corals survive in such a habitat? The answer is a mixture of human technology and nature’s assistance: technology such as heaters and protein skimmers, plus nature’s assistance such as biological filtration, where a life support system is provided by bacteria.

Filters and Filter Media for Saltwater Aquariums by Keith MacNeil, a Marine Depot Staff Member

Keith MacNeil — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:21:00 GMT

Abstract:

Filtration systems are the backbone of our saltwater aquariums. Without some method of breaking down waste produced by the organisms in our aquariums, our fish and invertebrates would end up, for lack of a better term, living in a cesspool of their own waste.

Our #1 priority as aquarists is to provide the highest quality water we can for our wet friends to live in.

In this article, I will talk about the different methods of filtration available and what type of tanks they are suitable for, along with some of the most popular types of filter media to help maintain the best water quality in your own aquarium.

In an article I had written last year called “Things to know before buying an aquarium filter”, I discussed some of the things a filter system can do for you, four of the most popular filter systems and some items to consider before purchasing a filter. This article is a good starting point if you are not too familiar with the different types of filters out there and the advantages of each.

The article doesn’t, however, break down which filter systems are best for certain aquarium types and that is something we will address in this article as well as touch on the most popular types of filter media.

Water Movement in Aquariums: An Overview of Powerheads by Keith MacNeil, a MD Staff Member

Keith MacNeil — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:15:00 GMT

Abstract:

FILTERS Let’s start with talking about filtering a reef tank. The big question many people have: Is there one “best” way to setup a filter system for a reef tank? The simple answer is “No, there are many different ways to filter a reef tank and they can all work very well”. But one thing 99% of all reef tanks have in common is the use of live rock (covers the biological needs in a reef tank) and a

MarineDepot.com: Are there any new aquarium supplies, solutions or technology released in the past 6-12 months that you're really impressed by? Anything you're looking forward to? Anthony Calfo: It would be really hard for me to sum up this question briefly, with all of the new and evolving products that are released in streaming fashion. But to pick a category, I’d say that I am most optimistic about the recent (and hopefully sustained) evolution of zooplankton substitutes. We (the hobby and aquarium science) are still at a point in feeding reef creatures (particularly corals) where we truly have little to no ability to offer significant prepared or cultured prey items. The only reason, frankly, that we have succeeded as well as we have with captive corals to date is from the heavy fish bio-loads or otherwise high dissolved organic levels in typical aquaria. Our systems are otherwise weak in zooplankton; phytoplankton is of comparably limited use for the overwhelmingly carnivorous corals commonly kept. It is, of course, impossible to say that there is only one type of food that is ideal for an animal group as large as ‘corals,’ but then again… most hobbyists want and need simplified guidance (and not a college course) that will serve the majority of their needs and interests. To that end, I look forward to seeing more neutrally and slightly negatively buoyant zooplankton substitutes of finer and more consistent particle size. The advent of such products will open many more doors for fish breeding and filter feeding invertebrate culture.

Probably the second most discussed topic in the aquarium hobby is what and how to provide adequate water movement within a reef tank (with lighting being number one). Many books, beginner to advanced, try to cover this topic. The number of different powerheads and controllers available can be overwhelming at times, but with a little research you can figure out what will work best for each of your tanks.

Instead of simply providing recommendations of which powerhead system will work best based on tank size, I will focus more on giving you an overview of some of the more popular powerheads available. Below is a helpful list of pros and cons for each type with spec tables to help compare the features of each model. I will also briefly discuss some alternatives to powerheads that can create water movement within the tank.

Before getting our feet wet, a good article to help you understand the importance of water movement can be found here. It talks about the different types of flow and flow recommendations for a reef tank. The article recommends a minimum flow rate of between 5-10 times the tanks volume. Most people feel this is good for a fish only system, but for a reef tank most people will try to achieve a flow rate between 10-20 times the tanks volume (even higher in many cases). Whether you choose to go with 10x the tanks volume or 50x the tanks volume, you will want to make sure the flow is not damaging to any of the tanks inhabitants.

So what exactly is a powerhead? For this article we will consider a powerhead a submersible water pump whose sole purpose is to provide water movement within an aquarium. While powerheads can be used in some cases for other purpose

saltwater fish only,when i add new fish do i need to add stresscoat for my aquarium,second question,why my nitrite rise up just a little bit so what can i do i been use stresszyme for speed up my system it that ok?thank you marinedepot

Keith MacNeil — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:12:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

If you want to add a little bit of stress coat to the tank after acclimating a new fish and putting it in your tank that should be fine. Here is an article on acclimating your fish that might help a little.

If you are getting nitrite readings, generally that means your biological filter isn't working properly or you are adding too many fish at one time. Once a tank has fully cycled there will be enough bacteria to breakdown the ammonia and nitrite in the tank for the given level of livestock. If that balance changes (i.e. add more fish or the bacteria get killed off) you can see a rise in the ammonia and/or nitrite level. You will want to avoid having this happen by adding fish very slowly (depending on the size of the tank, normally just 1-2 fish at one time) and feeding very lightly for the next few days after adding the new fish. This will give the bacteria a chance to multiply and keep up with the new amount of waste being produced. Using a biological supplement like Stresszyme can also help with this like you mentioned.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.

Marine Depot Customer Service

Marine Depot Education Center - Knowledgebase

hello i have a couple of questions will calcium when water evaporates from your tank?and my ph will not go above 7.8 i have been addid superbuffer dkh and if will not raise it upevery thing in my tank is doing awesome 2 elgant coral 1 galaxie

How to Mix Saltwater and Perform a Water Change by Scott Brang, a Marine Depot Staff Member

I have a 300gal tank with2 artifical reefs. it seems that about every 4 weeks i have to remove the corals and power wash them to remove the algae. Can you recommend a different method so that I dont have to remove the corals. I woud greatly appreciate it.Thanks

I have a severe amount of hair algae in my saltwater tank. I have put nudebranch, emerald crabs, but they have died. The only thing I have to fight this problem is atlantic turbo snails. Is there anything else I can do?

I hav had condylactic, Hatian pink tip, warty rock anemones in my tank and they have all died. All my water levels are where they are suposed to be. Also I had a feather duster dye after I put him in the tank for a week and he died. I cannot figure out why all my stuff is dying. Can you help me?

hi,i am setting a 45 gal.freshwater tank up.but right from the beginning my ammonialevel was to high 4%.i checked the ammonia level comming from the faucet it was 4 %.what do i have to do ?ihave my tank in myrtle beach sc. south sidethanks for any help.

what is the average lifespan of orandas? And the average lifespan of goldfish in general?

Refugiums: An overview and some FAQ's by Keith MacNeil

General Aquarium Maintenance by Keith MacNeil, a Marine Depot Staff Member

To use freashwater to top off a saltwater tank RO/DI water is recommended. Is the drinking water that is outside of super markets in the large unit where its like $0.25 a gallon usable as top off water if it it filtered the same?

hello could some one tell me i am buying a tank 5 x 30 x 30 and i have a sump 4 x 15 x15 how much water will i have to turn over per hour in litres

Silly question, perhaps. I want to set up a 28Gal Nano, but I live in the SF Bay area. Should the tank be bolted to the wall so that it wont fall over during a quake. We do this for our bookshelves...why not a tank?

Hello, I am setting up a fish only tank. canopy measurmente 48" wide. Tank deep 30 ". What type of lighting would you recomend. Can you refer to me what you sell.Thank you, Keith

Additives and Trace Elements

when it comes to metal halide lighting, which is better for better coloration in corals and which is better for growth?, this is between a 150w 14k bulb and a 150w 20k bulb. thanx

What is the difference between PC6655 Actinic 03/100k and PC5645 Actinic White/Super Actinic compact bulbs? I find descriptions of the 6700, 7100, 10000 anad Actinic 03 under you "power compact bulb information", but no description of the Actinic white/super actinic used in teh PC5645.Thanks

Nuisance Algae by Steven Pro

I read many of the FAQs about brown algae problem, but I dont see any mention about using Algae Remover such as AlgaeFix Marine.Do you recommend using this product?

what is the differance between montipora and acropora? All my acropora corals are doing fine but the montiporas are dying.

i have a long tenakle anenome it is all together about alittle smaller than a softball. i would like to know what is the life span on them?

I have a retro compact lighting, that is rated for 2 96 watt bulb, can I use a 65 watt, due to size of the the tank Im using?

Do T5 HO bulbs give off twice the light as T5 bulbs? meaning T5 HO 108 watt is the same as buying T5 216 watt? Thanks for any advice. Ron

What is the general rule for how many inches of fish you can have per gallon of water in a reef tank? When measuring a fish, do you include the tail? How do you factor in how many corals and inverts? I have a 80 gallon tank with 40# of live rock.thanks,Dave

I would like to set up a tank with reverse flow undergravel filtration using a Filstar XP4 cartridge filter to provide the water circulation. Would this be a viable way to set up a tank and are there parts available to adapt the 5/8" tubing from the pump to the 1" tube for the filter plate.

Reef Ramblings—All About Skimmers by Adam Blundell M.S.

My red leg hermet crabs are losing their red color. How can i get their color back? Am i doing something wrong? I have a FOWLR at the moment and have a few fish. I only feed tetra marine granules and once in a while frozen brine shrimp.I do normal water changes... Help?

Do you have any suggestions of what would eat hairy green algae? Thank you

How can I get a coupon code because I am going to be spending close to $1400.00, if possible please send me a coupon code to my email to use towards this purchase. If you are not able to give me a coupon code please let me know why I am not able to get one.Thanks,Ahmed

I have a FOWLR tank converting to a REEF tank. I am currently adding the Salifert All-In-One. What needed Additives/ Supplements should i have for my FOWLR and then with a REEF tank? KH + pH Buffer? Magnesium?

Seawater In The Aquarium by John Cunningham, Aquarists Online

Filters and Filter Media for Saltwater Aquariums by Keith MacNeil, a Marine Depot Staff Member

Water Movement in Aquariums: An Overview of Powerheads by Keith MacNeil, a MD Staff Member

saltwater fish only,when i add new fish do i need to add stresscoat for my aquarium,second question,why my nitrite rise up just a little bit so what can i do i been use stresszyme for speed up my system it that ok?thank you marinedepot