by Saltwater Smarts | Apr 19, 2016 | Corals, Fish, Reef, Science
The marine aquarium hobby is second only to the US military when it comes to the number of acronyms its members throw around. (Quite fittingly, this past Monday was the 27th anniversary of my DOE. Shortly after that date, I entered BMT as an A1C and did lots of PC under the direction of a TI before going on to AIT where I got an LOR for violating the UCMJ in advance of my PCS.) For today’s post, I’d like to address a somewhat common hobby acronym mentioned in an email I received from one of our readers. He quite succinctly queried, “What the heck does ‘PE’ stand for? I see it used in online forums a lot.”The acronym “PE” has the distinction of representing two terms in our hobby. If you read it in the context of a discussion on foods and feeding, the acronym likely refers to Piscine Energetics, a company headquartered in British Columbia that supplies PE Mysis®, a popular brand of Mysis relicta, among other products. But in hobby parlance, “PE” can also stand for “polyp extension,” which is exactly what it sounds like—the degree to which a coral extends its polyps. Why does this matter by Saltwater Smarts | Feb 13, 2016 | Corals, DIY, Fish, Reef, Science, Tanks
Top down shot of Acropora microladosWelcome to the next level of coral care. By now I am assuming you have at least understood all the key general practices to maintain some of the hardier corals, from soft corals to large-polyp stony (LPS) corals to some of the more rugged small-polyp stony (SPS) corals. Each category of livestock can be classified into various requirements for the piece of ocean environment you are trying to simulate. Oftentimes we tend to generalize that all parts of the ocean are the same, but as you become educated about the livestock you are trying to maintain, you will understand that there is no single recipe to make everything thrive and flourish in the same tank.Review time So let us review some of the key attributes we, as responsible hobbyists and nature fans, must familiarize ourselves with in order to provide a sustainable environment. The most common aquarium parameters are the following: 1. Tank dimensions Volume (amount of salt water for stability) Depth (impacts light penetration and available environmental zones) Size (impacts aquascaping, flow, lighting choices, growth) 2. Lighting Type: metal halide, T5, LED, or hybrids Spectrum (10,000 to 20,000 Kelvin) Intensity (lux) Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) Photosynthetically Usable Radiation (PUR) Photoperiod (hours) 3. by Saltwater Smarts | Dec 30, 2015 | Fish, Reef, Science, Tanks
This question, recently posted on our website by Eric B, got me thinking about some of the assumptions we tend to make about nano aquariums. So, in addition to my original answer to Eric’s inquiry, I’ve included a few more random thoughts on the subject afterward. Question Do you think that nano reef tanks are more likely to have fish jump from them, or is that not really a factor in your eyes?” – submitted by Eric B Answer I think as long as the fish in question is 1) an appropriate nano candidate from the standpoint of maximum size and energy level, 2) not crowded or harassed by tankmates, 3) provided adequate niches for rest and refuge, and 4) kept in good water conditions, there’s no reason it should be especially prone to jumping. Of course, these same caveats apply to fish kept in any system, nano or otherwise. That being said, it is much more challenging to find fish species that are well suited to nano tanks than to larger systems. So I suppose one could argue that fish jumping is more likely to be an issue with nano tanks in general, merely because it’s all too easy to stock them inappropriately. A few more thoughts Building on this last point, it’s tempting to think that all bad things happen more rapidly or are more likely to occur in nano systems than in larger ones, but the reality of the situation is a bit more complex. It’s true that smaller aquariums are inherently less stable than larger systems with respect to temperature and other water parameters (which is why we don’t encourage beginners to start with nanos); however, I believe success or failure with a nano tank ultimately comes down to maintaining a sense of proportionality
