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 by ReefBum | Apr 15, 2016 | Equipment, Fish, Reef, Science, Tanks
When I initially planned out my new reef tank setup my mind was essentially made up to purchase a custom glass display tank and an acrylic frag tank. My thought was to spend the extra $$ for a high quality display and be economical with the frag tank. All of that changed once I took delivery of my display from Coast To Coast Custom Aquariums. This aquarium, a 187 gallon low iron tank with euro bracing and an external overflow, was a piece of art as the quality and craftsmanship were top notch. It was the Porsche of fish tanks! Yes, it was time to rethink my frag tank setup. For my prior setup I went with an acrylic frag tank since it was much cheaper and lighter by AquaNerd | Apr 3, 2016 | Equipment, Reef, Science
Due to ever increasing demand for the Dreambox Filter System in North and South America and abroad, Royal Exclusiv will be relocating to an expanded production facility and reorganizing its production and distribution operations. Presently, all Dreambox Filter Systems are custom made individually and entered chronologically into the production schedule at its facility in Cologne, Germany. To meet the present and future demands for its products, Royal Exclusiv will be acquiring new production equipment and production/support staff to augment their existing manufacturing capabilities. “Such changes require major time and effort in planning, training and execution”, says Scott Leif, Director of Customer Support, Royal Exclusiv USA. To facilitate the downtime involved in moving their existing production equipment to the new facility, Royal Exclusiv has placed a by ReefBum | Mar 15, 2016 | Equipment, Opinion, Reef, Science, Tanks
Ok, today LED’s are all the rage so you may be wondering why I am doing a review of a metal halide fixture, especially one that has been around for a number of years. Well, here is the story…..and I am sticking to it. When I pondered what light fixture to use for my new 187 gallon tank I gave LEDs some serious consideration. I had been out of the hobby for a couple of years but I still followed all the latest news and trends, a sign of a true reef-aholic! Nonetheless, on the lighting front it was obvious manufacturers had shifted their efforts away from metal halides towards LEDs. This presented a dilemma since I have always used metal halides on my SPS dominant by Saltwater Smarts | Mar 5, 2016 | Aquaculture, Equipment, Fish, Invertebrates, Photography, Reef, Science, Tanks
There are a number of choices when it comes to the rock you use for aquascaping, my personal favorite is live rockToday’s marine aquarists have more options than ever before when it comes to the types of rock used to aquascape their tanks—from live rocks, whether aquacultured or wild-harvested, to all manner of dry rocks and even natural-looking man-made rocks. Each type has its advantages and drawbacks, and the choice that’s best for any given hobbyist depends on, among other factors, his or her aquascaping goals, budget, risk tolerance, and desired level of control over the system’s biodiversity. Call me old-school (or Lord Admiral Jeff of the Universe—whichever you prefer), but my aquascaping material of choice has always been live rock, whether comprising the rockwork entirely or at least a major portion of it. Here’s why:Fascinating biodiversity Live rocks come loaded with organisms that emerge or hatch out for many weeks and months—even years—after they’re added to a tank. Various “pods,” fan worms, sponges, tunicates, mollusks, worms, coral colonies, macroalgae, and coralline algae are just a sampling of what might appear. And this process/progression is truly amazing to observe. I’ve never tried it, but I think it would be fascinating to set up a live-rock-only (LRO?) tank, with no fish or intentionally introduced invertebrates, and just sit back and watch what pops out of the rocks over time
