by AquaNerd | Dec 31, 2015 | Opinion, Science
MaxSpect and their US Distributor Coral Vue have asked AquaNerd to assist them in getting the word out regarding a possible attempt to introduce an unauthorized “knockoff” of their MaxSpect Gyre Series pumps into the North American aquarium products market. The concern is due to a European release of a new cross flow pump by Jebao identified as the Jecod CP-25 and CP-45 pumps. MaxSpect has filed a patent application for the Gyre design and is exercising its legal rights to notice any potential entities that the sale and distribution of this new pump in the US market may potentially violate its impending patent rights and make the offender subject to penalties for theft of their intellectual property and legal damages which would include injunctive and by Saltwater Smarts | Dec 18, 2015 | Equipment, Fish, Opinion, Reef, Science
Fish oil is an important part of Paul B’s fish feeding regimenHobby pioneer Paul “Paul B” Baldassano has some strong opinions on what types of foods are best for fish, formed over his many decades of involvement in the marine aquarium hobby. Somewhere near the top of his list is fish (or krill) oil. He explains exactly why in the following excerpt from the third chapter of his book The Avant-Garde Marine Aquarist: A 60-Year History of Fishkeeping:From Chapter 3: Keeping Fish Healthy Oil, in my opinion, is one of the most important things you can feed to fish. No, not Oil of Olay or olive oil, but fish or krill oil. I take it myself every day, but not too much, as I don’t want to resemble my old flounder-faced girlfriend. In the sea, fish get a large percentage of their diet from pure fish oil. by Saltwater Smarts | Dec 11, 2015 | Fish, Invertebrates, Opinion, Reef, Science, Tanks
Yellow watchman goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)Marine aquarium hobbyists who maintain nano tanks, whether by choice or necessity, often find it challenging to acquire fish that are well suited to their diminutive systems. But in the yellow watchman goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus), they can get all the attributes they seek—small mature size, attractive coloration, hardiness, and interesting behavior—in a single package. While the yellow watchman goby, aka the yellow shrimp goby or yellow prawn goby, can be housed by itself with no problems, in my opinion, it’s much more interesting and rewarding to keep it as it commonly occurs in nature—with an Alpheus spp. pistol shrimp (e.g., Alpheus bellulus, the tiger pistol shrimp) sharing its burrow.In this mutualistic symbiotic relationship, the shrimp, which has very poor eyesight, continuously excavates the burrow while the goby stands sentinel against predators. Almost at all times, the shrimp keeps at least one of its antennae in contact with the goby so it can immediately sense when danger is near via the goby’s body language. Physical traits C. cinctus has a torpedo-like body shape; two distinct dorsal fins; a rounded caudal fin; the typically goby-esque fused pelvic fins; high-set, bulbous eyes; and an oversized, “frowning” mouth. by Saltwater Smarts | Dec 5, 2015 | Corals, DIY, Opinion, Reef, Science, Tanks
These SPS coral species are a beginner’s best betUpon entering the world of small polyp stony corals (or SPS), many people ask the magic question, “Which types are best for beginners?” In my opinion the most beginner-friendly choices are found in the genera Montipora, Pocillopora, Seriatopora, and Stylophora. Most of the corals I’ll discuss here are commonly available, so there should be a low cost of entry. They’ve also proven fairly hardy in my experience and can be kept in a wider range of parameters than most SPS corals. What’s more, they’re rarely susceptible to the dreaded rapid or slow tissue necrosis (RTN/STN) that you see in Acropora species. General requirements for these SPS coralsCare level: moderate Temperament: peaceful (will not try to attack neighboring corals but will most likely lose to aggressive species) Lighting: moderate to high (of the correct full spectrum) Flow: medium to high Temperature: 72-78F Alkalinity: 8-12 dKH pH: 8.1-8.4 Specific gravity: 1.023-1.025 Preparing for SPS The ultimate practice for these corals is mastering water parameter stability. Don’t chase specific numbers, but if you can keep parameters in the required ranges and stable with very little variance and spikes, you can keep practically any coral. The only other specifics to each coral are placement, which impacts lighting; flow requirements; and whether they need to be fed. These are primarily photosynthetic corals, but additions of amino acids and other elements may help with coloration and growth by Saltwater Smarts | Dec 3, 2015 | Conservation, Corals, DIY, Equipment, Fish, Invertebrates, Opinion, Reef, Science
Crack open any of these great saltwater and reef aquarium resource books and be prepared to learn!“Research the characteristics and care requirements of any fish or invertebrate you plan to keep.”“Studying the fundamentals of saltwater aquarium keeping before setting up your first system is a hallmark of success.” We’ve dispensed advice like this time and time again here at Saltwater Smarts. But knowing that you should do research before buying livestock or attempting new techniques is only half the equation. The other half is knowing which sources you can turn to for reliable, authoritative information. After all, there’s a lot of literature floating around out there and not all of it is equally accurate or trustworthy. So, in today’s post, Caribbean Chris and I would like to begin a list of marine aquarium reference sources that we consider valuable, if not indispensable, to hobbyists who are hungry for reliable, time-tested guidance. Under each listing, we’ll explain why we consider the work so valuable to the hobby. by Saltwater Smarts | Nov 26, 2015 | Equipment, Opinion, Reef, Science, Tanks, Technology, Travel
While the title of this post puts me in mind of a song performed by Nick Rivers in the 1984 comedy film Top Secret, it’s a question many a novice has posed before setting up his or her first marine aquarium. How basic can it be? Or, put another way, what equipment is absolutely essential and what isn’t?This is a perfectly logical question because ours can be a highly equipment-intensive hobby, and the choices of gear and gadgets designed to make our lives easier can be downright mind-blowing. Add in all the online forum chatter about—and volatile disputes over—the latest-and-greatest hobby technology and methodology, and it’s no surprise that many beginners have a heck of a time distinguishing between the bare essentials and the “bells and whistles.” Complicating matters, of course, is the fact that opinions on what constitutes “essential equipment” can vary widely from one hobbyist to the next. I would humbly submit that the following items are all you really need for a bare-bones saltwater setup: (Note that you’ll also need various and sundry small-ticket items used for regular operation and maintenance, such as aquarium brushes, an algae magnet, etc. Plus, if you plan to keep a reef system, you’ll need to add some means of calcium/alkalinity supplementation to the list.) Some folks might say this list is grossly incomplete while others might contend you could get by without some of the items on it.
