by Heidi dM | Jul 9, 2014 | Seahorses, Tanks
What was once the domain of public aquarists only is now widely available for all hobbyists. Captive-bred seahorses and systems designed specifically for keeping and breeding seahorses will now be available form Reef Eden as from... by danireef | Jun 19, 2014 | Equipment, Events
Let’s continue our trip inside Interzoo by stopping at Tunze booth in the hall number 4. As always, the Tunze booth was spacious and had so many new products to see. We like to see the things from a different... by AquaNerd | Jun 17, 2014 | Industry, Science
Believe it or not, but marine aquariums have been around longer than disco and moon landings. To help illustrate that fact, Tunze was getting all nostalgic at Interzoo this year, showing off their very first skimmer which dates back all the way to 1963. Hard to believe, right? And although the skimmer does look a bit foreign to us, there are still several recognizable key elements that are still present in modern designs. Even more interesting is the fact that this was the very first venturi style protein skimmer ever produced, obviously laying the groundwork for an entire sub-industry that developed as aquarists saw a need for clean water. The unusual design consists of a top mounted pump (located in the black box on the top left of the picture) that feeds water into a specialized venturi adapter, which draws in air to mix with the water. The bubbled filled water is then dumped into the cylindrical body of the skimmer and the bubbles rise into the neck of the skimmer, depositing previously dissolved organic material into a collection cup. We initially thought the white pipe at the bottom of the skimmer was an early version of the riser tube drain, but upon closer inspection it actually looks to be the line feeding water into the pump device, which would mean the clean water is passively expelled through the bottom of the cylinder. This is definitely an old design that has been refined numerous times over the years, but judging by that foam production, Norbert Tunze knew exactly what he was doing. Special thanks to Shawn Wilson for the awesome images by AquaNerd | Jun 3, 2014 | Corals, Events, Funny, Science, Tanks
More new products from Tunze today, as they’ve unveiled their magnetic algae scraper at Interzoo. Called the Care Magnet, this new scraper sports a thin, ergonomic handle to which plastic blades are attached at either end. This patented algae scraper has an inconspicuous profile within the aquarium, making it less obtrusive to the look of the tank while also letting it slip behind rocks, plants, and corals with ease. The Care Magnet’s patented features center around the scrapers themselves. It uses plastic blades of varying lengths, which place different pressures on the glass or acrylic during its use. This allows the narrow blade to remove tough algae, such as coralline, while the wide blade allows the magnet to tackle larger areas or places where the algae is easier to remove. This unique design allows the Care Magnet to work in tight corners and even on curved aquariums, while at the same time not scracthing up the inside of the tank. The inner magnet is said to be 3mm from the walls of the aquarium, which prevents sand from getting stuck between it and the glass. That said, the strenth of the magnets is said to make separation of the scraper “nearly impossible”. In addition to that, the blades on one end can be removed, effectively turning the Care Magnet into a handheld algae scraper 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.
