It has been almost 15 years since PFO offered the first commercially available LED luminaire for the aquarium market. These were wildly controversial at that time but LED luminaires are now generally accepted as the light of choice. Since that initial offering, a...
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Saltwater Aquarium pH: What It Is, Why It is Important, and Ways to Measure It
For its time, my first saltwater aquarium was state of the art. It was a 20-gallon all glass tank held together with ‘space age’ silicone glue. Its filtration system consisted of air-driven sub-sand filters.…
How to Grow Corals Quicker, Part II: Combined Effects of Water Velocity and Alkalinity Concentrations
A previous article examined the effects of increased inorganic carbon (‘alkalinity’) concentrations of symbiotic zooxanthellae – rates of photosynthesis within symbionts of the stony coral Porites lobata increased with increasing alkalinity concentrations.…
Product Review: Apogee Instruments’ MQ-500 Quantum Meter with Notes on Why Measuring Light Intensity is Important
This month, we’ll take a close look at Apogee Instruments’ new MQ-500 quantum (PAR) meter and sensor with improved spectral response. The MQ-500 meter is a handheld device, with a water-proof sensor connected with a cable about 2 meters in length.…
How to Grow Corals Quicker: Effects of Various Alkalinity Concentrations on Rates of Zooxanthellae Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the link between inorganic and organic worlds, and the importance of contributions made by zooxanthellae in maintaining health of photosynthetic corals is well known. We also know that rates of photosynthesis are dependent upon the amount of light, its spectral quality, as well as a supply of nutrients (for terrestrial plants, ‘nutrient’ is generally defined as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus with ‘micronutrients’ described as iron, copper, and a host of others.)…
LED Lamps from Lowe’s and Home Depot: Intensities (PAR) and Spectra
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have come a long way since simply being used as an on/off indicator on coffee makers. Technical improvements have boosted their light outputs, making them usable as automotive headlamps, street lamps, area lighting, and, naturally enough, aquaria lighting.…
Product Review: Tunze Turbelle Nanostream 6020 and 6040 Propeller Pumps
Tunze (pronounced Tune-zah) Aquarientechnik is a well-known German manufacturer of a number of aquarium products, including propeller pumps. This month we’ll review their Turbelle nanostream 6020 and 6040 pumps.…
The Great Hawaiian Coral Bleaching Event of 2015: The Untold Story
Our story begins with troubling headlines from around the country:
- East Hawaii Coral Bleaching ‘Unprecedented.’ Hawaii Tribune-Herald, October 15, 2015.
- Bleaching Event Adds Ghostly Pallor to Hawaii’s Coral Reefs.
An Update on Symbiodinium Species and Their Hosts
It has been a few years since I’ve updated reviews of Symbiodinium (zooxanthellae) clades (a clade is a grouping that includes a common ancestor and all the descendants (living and extinct) of that ancestor) and their hosts.…
Product Review: EcoTech Marine VorTech MP40 with QuietDrive Driver
Water movement is perhaps the most under-rated parameter in reef-keeping. Creating proper water motion is much easier today than in the nascent days of reef-keeping with a procession of improved devices.…