Reef aquariums are very complex and keeping them heathy for the long term can be difficult. Articles here can be used as a guide in keeping a healthier home reef aquarium.
Most aquarists fight algae at some point during the life of their marine aquarium. You might experience algae sheets on your glass, encrusted on your live rock or other decorations, or free floating in the aquarium. There are many types of algae, and not all are bad. Some are even quite pretty. In fact, if your aquarium cannot support the growth of algae, there is most likely something wrong with your water quality. Below, you will find a brief description of the types of marine algae, how to prevent nuisance algae, and the benefits of macroalgae. Please scroll down if you would like to skip the classification of algae and would only like to learn about controlling it.
Live Rock and the Saltwater Aquarium What Is Live Rock? Live rock is the calcium carbonate skeletons of long dead coral and other calcareous organisms. It is called live because it has many forms of micro and macroscopic ocean life on and inside of it. Live rock is frequently used to culture new saltwater aquariums with life such as coraline algae, varies macro algae, sponges, copepods, mysis shrimp and bacteria which will filter the aquarium.
Macro Algae provides many benefits in the saltwater aquarium. One of these benefits is to provide a food source for the inhabitants of the aquarium. Other benefits macro algae provides is a means of nutrient export for phosphate, nitrate, and nitrites. Macro algae can also provide a place for safe haven for copepods, mysis shrimp, and smaller fish to hide.
Plankton. It isn’t a species or type of plant or animal. Plankton is the term used to describe all free floating organisms in open water (marine and fresh). Although we may usually think of plankton as being microscopic species, many can be seen by the naked eye (such as copepods) or can even be quite large organisms (like some species of jellyfish). Plankton float with the ocean’s current and will even fall to the extreme depths of the ocean (the benthic zone) in the form of “marine or reef snow”.
Providing good water movement in a reef aquarium Good water flow is essential in keeping a healthy and attractive reef aquarium. In fact it is only second to having the correct lighting for the growth and health of corals. In this article I will discuss types of current, reason for needing good flow, and my preferred method for creating flow in the reef aquarium.
There are no right and wrong ways in creating good water flow. One way may work for one person and not for another and there may be multiple reasons for each but the only right way is the way Mother Nature does it. We can only do our best to copy it and let the life in our reef aquarium show us if we did it right.
Metal Halide, Power Compact, T5HO, NO, VHO, and LED Reef Aquarium Lighting Basics: The type of light you can use or need depends on the size aquarium and the coral and other invertebrates that you want in it. Corals and other invertebrates like anemones will need light to sustain them and having the correct spectrum of light and the correct intensity of light needs to be taken into consideration when keeping them
What is a sump? A sump is another tank of water usually under the main reef aquarium that can house various forms of mechanical, chemical and biological filtration. It can also be used as a refugium.
Benefits of using a sump A sump will increase the water volume of the reef system and having the larger volume makes the reef aquarium more stable. Water parameters like PH, salinity, Carbonate Hardness and Calcium levels will change more slowing and be easier to manage. Adding a sump can be like taking a 90 gallon aquarium and making it a 130 depending on the size sump you are able to use. This additional water volume will also dilute waste in the aquarium and improve water quality.