by AquaNerd | May 5, 2016 | Corals, Equipment, Eye Candy, Fish, Reef, Science
Here’s some eye candy for you. Recently, featured as the Featured Tank on the Zeovit Forum Wesley Vrsswijk’s SPS and LPS aquarium is a a setup most any reef aquarist would be proud of. The photos are little oversaturated but you can certainly see that the corals and fish are very healthy. Congratulations to Wesley on his beautiful setup. Wesley shared a list of all the equipment parameters, photo period for his 264 gallon (total water volume) aquarium. For more photos drop over to the Zeovit forum. AQUARIUM DATA Display Tank: (dimensions & size in litres/gallons)215cm x 65cmx 95cm 800L (211 gallons) Sump: (dimensions & size in liters/gallons)145x55x45 200L (53 gallons) Total Volume:1000l (264 gallons) LIGHTING Lighting Setup: ATI hybrid by Saltwater Smarts | May 1, 2016 | Corals, Equipment, Fish, Reef, Science
Fields of maricultured Acropora in Onna, Okinawa, JapanOkinawa, Japan is known for its great diving and lush coral reefs. Going into it, I didn’t know what to expect with this dive. I’ve heard all sorts of cautionary tales about diving in Okinawa due to its strong currents, but I’ve also heard that the quality of the reefs is practically unmatched. The day of my scheduled dive was rough. It started raining heavily, and that pretty much limited the dive locations that were available for safety reasons. The single dive location would be just off the coast of our hotel in the Manza Beach area of Onna-son. Onna is located in the central part of the island and is where most of the resort hotels are located. by Francis Yupangco | Apr 30, 2016 | Equipment, Fish, Science
Scientists have developed a ‘shark vision’ camera that allows us to see just how swellsharks and chain catsharks are able to view their underwater world. Both species of sharks have brightly fluorescent properties, essentially meaning that these sharks... by Saltwater Smarts | Apr 26, 2016 | Equipment, Fish, Reef, Science
QuestionWhat exactly is the difference between a “sump” and a “refugium” (assuming there is a difference)? These are terms I didn’t hear in my 30-plus years as a freshwater aquarist, but I’ve heard them numerous times since starting my first saltwater tank.” – Submitted by Moira B Answer There is a distinction between a sump and refugium in marine aquarium hobby parlance, but sometimes there’s a degree of crossover between these two systems that can make it difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. Let’s try to define each, and then briefly examine why they sometimes defy easy categorization. Sump defined A sump is a separate (but plumbed into the system) tank or reservoir, situated below the level of the aquarium, that is typically used to hold various life-support equipment—protein skimmer, heater, etc.—so it doesn’t detract from the aesthetics of the display. A sump also provides the added benefit of increasing the water volume of the overall system. Refugium defined A refugium is also a separate tank or reservoir that is plumbed into the aquarium system, but it serves a very different purpose. Essentially, a refugium offers a safe place—a refuge, if you will—in which to sequester organisms for one reason or another. For example, hobbyists might want to create such an environment in order to culture microfauna (such as amphipods and copepods), bolster the system’s biofiltration capacity with additional live rock/sand, grow macroalgae for the purpose of nitrate reduction or feeding herbivorous fish, isolate injured or bullied specimens, or house interesting hitchhikers that may not be welcome in the display tank. by AquaNerd | Apr 24, 2016 | Equipment, Industry, Reef, Science, Technology
The Google Headquarters in Zurich Switzerland is providing it’s employees with a gorgeous relaxation room that includes 5 large aquariums. Matthias Gross, the owner of GHL states, “We are very proud that Google has chosen our products for the illumination and controlling. Obviously Google didn’t want any compromises in regards to quality and security standards.” For the lighting requirements, Google chose to use the high-powered LED Mitras Lightbars on 5 aquariums in it’s relaxation room. To further increase the automation capabilities of the relaxing atmosphere and cut down on the need for extra maintenance, Google installed the ProfiLux Aquarium Controllers on it’s aquariums. The Profilux modular system manage tasks and monitor parameters for complete lighting control, pH and temperature control as well as leak detection. Additionally by Saltwater Smarts | Apr 23, 2016 | Corals, Equipment, Fish, Invertebrates, Reef, Science, Tanks
Don’t forget the leak test – it’s an important part of setting up your new aquarium.Marine aquarium hobbyists can make any number of mistakes when setting up a new system, but some of these errors aren’t as easy as others to rectify after the fact. What follows is a list of five setup errors that are difficult or complicated to correct by the time their consequences become evident: 1. Situating the tank too far from utilitiesIt should come as no surprise that efficient long-term operation of any aquarium system depends on convenient access to water and electricity. Try to choose a location for your tank that is in reasonable proximity to a water tap, waste drain, and GFCI-protected electrical outlets. Otherwise you’ll end up lugging heavy buckets of water over considerable distances and/or up and down flights of stairs as well as running unsightly extension cords all over the place. 2. Failing to level Yes, I know that every book or article ever written about setting up an aquarium states that the tank should be leveled before it’s filled with water
