Reefs.com - Saltwater Aquarium - Reef Aquarium

GHL Mitras Lightbar Announced in Smaller Sizes and More Colors

by | Sep 22, 2014 | Equipment, Industry, MACNA, Technology

GHL is updating their Mitras Lightbar for 2014 by offering them up in one brand new color configuration and two new sizes. Where the first generation of the Lightbar saw its smallest fixture tipping the scales at roughly 60 cm in length, or just under two feet, the new nano models will be suited for 40 or 50 cm aquariums. This is a good move to hit those smaller desktop nano aquariums that are all the rage these days, and nano owners could certainly appreciate the access to this high end LED striplight.As for the new color, the Mitras LED striplight will now be available in a deep actinic. Prior to this release, the Lightbar was only available in a daylight (freshwater), actinic (saltwater), and an ocean blue (mix of fresh and salt) configuration. This new color offers up the deep blue that has become synonymous with reef aquaria and it gives users more options for color blending and bolstering coral coloration.The Mitras Lightbar fixtures for 40 and 50 cm nano tanks are currently available in the GHL webshop, and the deep actinic models will become available in mid-October.Features common to all models:Selected high-power-LEDs of Cree, Osram and SemiLEDs Lifetime of at least 60,000 hours High quality LEDs with at least 122 lumen/watt (white LEDs) 13 different lightbar lengths 120° reflectors Can be operated standalone or with a ProfiLux controller Controllability of 5 to 7 LED channels (depending on lamp model) Individually set up the light output and color according to personal desires Storm, rainy day, cloud, tropical, and twilight simulations via the ProfiLux controller This entry was posted in Aquarium Equipment and tagged Aquarium Equipment, aquarium lighting, GHL, GHL LED, LED lighting, Mitras, Mitras Light Bar by Brandon Klaus. Bookmark the permalink.

Pipefish For The Reef Aquarium: Part Two, Husbandry

by | Sep 19, 2014 | Corals, Equipment, Fish, Science, Seahorses

Scribbled Dragonface Pipefish Corythoichthys instinalis Photo courtesy of Aaron Down Now that we’ve discussed which pipefish are appropriate for the reef aquarium in Pipefish For The Reef Aquarium: Part One, The Pipefish, we can look at acquiring and caring for your pipefish. Picking Your Pipefish When purchasing pipefish, there are a few things you can look out for to ensure you get healthy pipefish. Pipefish are susceptible to bacterial infections, so look for areas of cloudy skin, fins or eyes. Rapid breathing is frequently a sign of distress; although it can be situational i.e. fear from recent acclimation, or it can be a sign of a bigger problem such as parasites or bacterial infection. Flagtail Pipefish should be swimming above the substrate, not resting on the bottom.

Reef Fish Seen Swarming in Hawaii Video

by | Sep 10, 2014 | Fish, Photography, Reef, Science

With the entirety of the aquarium trade forever under the judgmental microscope of anti-aquarium activists, it’s wonderful when good news surfaces out of Hawaii, the epicenter of the on-going debate. In this video from Hawaii News Now, which features footage from aquarium collector Ron Tubbs, reef fish are more than abundant in all areas of the state. The aquarium collector states that where he would normally see hundreds of fish, he is instead seeing thousands. Of course, there isn’t an accepted explanation for why this is happening, and some are giving credit to the warmer waters caused by an El Nino year.Despite the bloom in fish, anti-aquarium activists like Rene Umberger are raining on the parade. She thinks it will just fuel a greater appetite for fish by the aquarium collectors, though Ron claims that is far from the truth. Either way, it’s nice to see fish populations booming again.