One of the more common and often more disturbing observations for many newer reef hobbyists is seeing their corals extend their mesenterial filaments. Reactions can run the gambit from fascination to horror (e.g., “What are these worms attacking my coral?”, “My corals...
In the first part of this series we began our discussion of carbonate chemistry by identifying each parameter of the carbonate system in sea water as well as normal values for each in the sea water overlying coral reefs.…
Last month we discussed the various components of the carbonate system in sea water. We identified each parameter, mentioned typical values for these parameters in natural sea water, and discussed briefly why these parameters are important for aquarists to consider.…
Let’s start with a simple observation: many of the organisms that live in the ocean and that we keep in our aquariums produce hard shells or skeletons. Corals build intricate structures beneath their tissues; clams, snails, shrimp, and many others produce hard parts; coralline algae, Halimeda spp.…