by AquaNerd | Jun 2, 2014 | Equipment, Science
Tunze has a new protein skimmer hitting the market, and it’s the smallest we’ve seen from the German aquarium equipment manufacturer. Based on the popular Comline DOC Skimmer design, the new 9001 is a simple plug-and-play device aimed at small aquariums from 20-140 liters (5.3 to 37 gallons). Unlike other skimmers in the lineup, the pump on the 9001 can be oriented in four different directions, allowing it to be adapted to a variety of setups. Another way this skimmer differs from its in-tank counterparts is that it is a partially closed system. It works by using molecular compensation pressues (diffusion), which is said to remove almost no living plankton from the water column. The skimmer’s intake is located four inches below the water’s surface, located on the backside of the device. A surface skimming intake grabs that film-laden water from the water’s surface, and it can be located on either the right or left side of the 9001. As for the pump, the nano skimmer ditches the needlewheel propeller pump in lieu of a tiny air pump, the Tunze Foamer 9001.040 air generator. The overall dimensions for the Comline DOC Skimmer 9001 are 4.3″L x 2.5″W x 8.5″T and it can stick to glass and acrylic up to 3/8″ thick thanks to its magnet holder. by Rich Ross | May 12, 2014 | Corals, Equipment, Fish, Science
Checking in for a 14-hour flight is always a good time. Checking in for a 14-hour flight with 11 items (three suitcases, five Action Packers, two bags, and Steinhart Director Bart Shepherd’s guitar) between three people is an amazingly good time. We started planning for this expedition in earnest five weeks ago, and considerable effort went into making sure our bags were under size and weight limits—a not insignificant task when equipment needed for the expedition includes Bobbit-worm catching devices, a series of newly designed hyperbaric chambers (for decompressing fish hand-collected below 300 feet), a ton of SCUBA and rebreather gear, and myriad other critical items needed to collect and ship live fish and corals from the Philippines back to Golden Gate Park. As it turned out, our packing efforts were worth the time we put into them, as all of our luggage was deemed to be within weight limits. Sadly, though, there was one piece of luggage that stayed in San Francisco because it couldn’t be hand-carried onto the plane, and we were scared it wouldn’t make it through the checked baggage experience. Oh guitar, we will miss you. The first aquarium team arrived safely at the Anilao Beach Club and enjoyed a delicious breakfast overlooking the Verde Island Passage. As soon as our luggage (which arrived in Manila in great shape, but is currently stuck in traffic) arrives on-site we’ll begin setting up scuba gear and animal holding. Then, the real work begins. —Rich Ross, Aquatic Biologist by AquaNerd | May 7, 2014 | Equipment, Industry, Tanks, Technology
Innovative Marine is back with another ground breaking product for the world of all-in-one marine aquaria. Announced just yesterday, and in a far too subtle fashion in our opinions, the SkimMate Ghost is a new protein skimmer that looks to bring serious performance to IM’s AUQA GADGET lineup. The SkimMate Ghost is a drop-in skimmer that will be available in three distinct sizes, each of which will fit nicely into the rear chambers of the NUVO aquariums whose name they bare. For example, the SkimMate Ghost DeskTop skimmer is designed to function seamlessly with the DeskTop model of the NUVO aquariums, and so on. In terms of features, the Ghost will sport a compact design that recirculates bubbles passively to increase dwell time. Additionally, the skimmer has an enlarged inline air silencer box, a bubble diffusing plate, an adjustable air valve, and a needle wheel impeller. The design keeps the air line tubing neat and kink free, and the collection cup design isn’t all too different from other popular drop-in skimmers that have been around for a while. by AquaNerd | Apr 29, 2014 | DIY, Industry, Opinion, Tanks
Phosphate levels have long been the debate of reef keeping aquarists, with folks generally falling into one of two categories. Most hobbyist have the persisting opinion that elevated phosphate concentrations are generally bad because they fuel algae growth and prevent coral calcification. The other group takes almost an entirely opposite approach. They actually welcome slightly elevated phosphates because of a plethora of reasons, including the desire to avoid chasing numbers, to avoid using certain types of artificial controls, or simply because their phosphate levels have had a beneficial impact on their coral growth and haven’t led to other issues. Regardless of which side of that aisle you fall on, there is a big underlying problem with determining the amount of phosphate in your aquarium water…it just cannot be done accurately by the tools readily available to the aquarium trade. Phosphate checking in the aquarium hobby is tackled with two different methods. The longest standing method is based on titrating a water sample with a couple of chemicals and comparing the color change to a scale of phosphate concentrations. This method is quick and easy to use, but it doesn’t offer the resolution that aquarists often need. Most of the time, if the phosphate isn’t really high, it shows as zero on the scale and aquarium keepers are lulled into a false sense that their water is phosphate-free by AquaNerd | Apr 25, 2014 | Conservation, Invertebrates, Reef
Image Credit: Getty Images The crown-of-thorns starfish has been one of the single most destructive threats facing Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Its voracious appetite for hard coral flesh combined with its accelerated life cycle have caused massive losses to the tune of nearly 50% of all corals along a 1,500-mile stretch of the Queensland coast over a few decades. This has caused some drastic measures to be taken by wildlife officials, most of which has been centered around an ineffective 20-point injection method that kills the starfish. According to multiple news stories, however, that method was replaced with a much more effective single-injection method that has led to more than 250,000 starfish deaths over the last two years alone. The new injection method is also more effective in that it kills the starfish in just two days and is supposedly harmless to other marine life. Previous methods consisted of injecting acid into each of the starfish’s arms, which could obviously do some pretty significant damage to nearby corals as well. According to the Daily Mail’s coverage of several interviews with Australian officials, the Australian government has already provided £560,000 of funding towards removing the starfish, with another £1.1million in the budget for future starfish destruction.
