by AquaNerd | Apr 18, 2014 | Equipment, Industry, Technology
As part of the continued effort to integrate the VorTech pumps into EcoTech Marine’s EcoSmart Live system, an update to the EcoSmart Live app has been released that allows users to control their VorTech pumps via any iOS powered device. Just last month, EcoTech added VorTech control to their Reeflink, for the first time allowing the ReefLink and EcoSmart platforms to live up to their promises of simultaneous wireless control of the Radion XR30w LED fixtures and the popular pumps. The update app has the same look and feel of the previous verions that only offered Radion control, but adds the touch sensitive wheel right alongside the Radion controls. This touch sensitive wheel is dual purpose, allowing the speed of the pump to be adjusted, as well as the flow mode. This app is free to download from Apple’s App Store and an Android friendly version will shortly follow. by AquaNerd | Apr 17, 2014 | Conservation, Invertebrates, Science
Here is a very troubling story out of Malaysia. According to The Star Online, a group of nine Vietnamese fishermen were arrested for illegally harvesting dozens of giant clams whose combined weight totalled nearly 20 metric tons (almost 44,000 pounds). The arrest is reportedly the first of its kind, but officials strongly believe that this isn’t the first incident for these fisherman, who were arrsted on Monday. The clams have a value of RM500,000, which roughly translates to somethine like $150,000 US, as their shells are valuable in the curio trade as well as in the cosmetics industry. The giant clams, which are probably of the species but could include several others, are obviously endangered and protected marine species that require specialized permitting to collect. It is even illegal to sell the clam shells without special permits. In addition to the fishermen, the boat company is also under investigation, as it is believed that they entered into a joint venture with the fishermen to harvest the clams by Matthew Stansbery | Apr 17, 2014 | Conservation, Corals, Fish, Invertebrates
As ocean acidification increases so does the science behind it. Researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) are studying the effects of CO2 emissions near the Milne Bay reef in Papua New Guniea, to better understand how a lowered PH effects reef... by AquaNerd | Apr 16, 2014 | Equipment, Industry, Technology
Giesemann is one of the few companies out there that isn’t abandoning the tried and true T5HO technology, and in fact, they are still making groundbreaking strides that keep it totally relevant in a time dominated by LED light fixtures. Around a year ago, Giesemann revamped the look of their Matrixx T5HO fixtures to bring their aesthetics in line with their gorgeous Teszla and Futura LED products, and just a week ago they announced even more upgrades. The brand new Matrixx-II DIMTEC will share the same sleek look as its predecessor, but will also incorporate full Bluetooth connectivity that allows it to communicate with a variety of devices including personal computer, Macs, and Android powered devices. The user interface is provided by Giesemann’s own software package, which is very similar to the one used on the Futura LED system. The key selling features of the software include: Point to point multi-plot light cycle programming allowing smooth transitional lighting phases across an available 920 set points. Fully independent channel control over 2 – 4 channels dependent on light unit connected. Transitional color shift dependent on the mix of tubes across each channel. Fully adjustable cloud and weather simulations Fully adjustable lunar phases. Creation of dedicated user profiles by Reef To Rainforest | Mar 7, 2014 | Corals, Eye Candy, Fish, Science
ORAnge Setosa – Montipora setosa cultivar from ORA (Oceans, Reefs and Aquariums) ORA’s cultured corals have maintained and ever-growing demand, and the latest introduction surely will be added to the drool-worthy list. It should come as no surprise that while there is a seemingly endless array of uniquely-named coral cultivars available from just as many aquaculturists, few (if any) rival the level of notoriety that an ORA coral can achieve. I believe, this is in large part due to the way ORA goes about selecting corals for commercial-scale culture. In some cases, such as the ORA Red Goniopora (see Rethinking Goniopora in the May/June 2011 Issue of CORAL Magazine), it can take a few years, to the better part of a decade, to bring a new coral into cultivation and establish enough broodstock colonies to provide a stable, ongoing supply of a genetically unique cultivar. Only the corals determined to be the most agreeable to captive-life and cultivation are ultimately selected for culture and sale. Perhaps it is a combination of rigorous quarantine, long term captive observation, and the patience to build up a suitable quantity of inventory, that explains just why an ORA coral introduction can truly be considered a “new product”, and not simply just a passing fad or a one-off piece of eye candy. Montiporas, particularly the non-encrusting types, continue to impress me as perhaps some of the most ideal SPS corals for beginners. By the same token, I believe this relative ease of care causes them to be overlooked by more advanced hobbyists who focus mostly on Acorporids- anyone out there have a Montipora-only reef tank?
