Nano Reef Aquarium

Well it has been some time since my last post, there has been a few changes since then. I have managed to repair my old power head and seems to be working fine for now. I am in the process of saving for a vortech MP10. This should sort the flow properly, anyway as the title suggests. I now have a new phosphate reactor up and running and early indications of my algae problem seams to becoming a thing of the past, fingers crossed. These items are definitely a thing of necessity and not desire. If you don't have one get one, they are not an expensive item and are real easy to set up and run. This reactor is from Three Little Fishes and requires the use of an additional pump/power  head in the simplest form. Full operating instructions are included although i have to say this product will requires additional means of sealing the hoses on top of the reactor. I have used tie wraps that secure the hoses snug with no leakage. Lets just hope ...

Not the best thing for your partner to say to you. Obviously i had to investigate and after a quick look i concluded it was my power head. It sounded like it was sticking then it continued to run, strange i thought. just then thought i will have to keep a lookout for this happening again. But about two hours later after watching some TV i looked into the reef aquarium, to my horror all was still. No water movement, WHAT! The power head had failed. I knew immediately i had to resolve this. Luckily i had a spare power head in the garage that i used before so it was time to use it. PHEW! The only problem with the power head is it was converted with a kit to produce more flow and although really effective it produces humming sounds from time to time and can be a little annoying. But until i can afford a new Vortech it will have to do. I had forgotten how powerful this pump was. So what have i learned? Never get rid of old equipment, you will never know when it might ...

What does the Iceland Volcano eruption have to do with reef keeping.? Well i was one of the lucky people to be forced to stay on holiday!! Loved the extra time away. But as great as this sounds it isn't all good. The extra cost of accommodation and and necessities for my two old boy like nappies, 16 for 10 euros, scandalous i know.  Then there's work, and of cause the aquarium at home with only enough RO water prepared for the week. Not having any one with the knowledge of adding supplements, let alone testing/checking them. Having a simple reef system that i manage with no gadget's does have it's drawbacks. I think i got home in the nick of time. an immediate water change and preparation and replenishment of RO to dilute the increasing salinity due to evaporation,. The corals didn't look too good my Magnesium and Alkalinity had dropped but not too much. So Please make sure when you go away you know exactly how much supplements are required, Mix them up ready,...

Hopefully you will understand that keeping corals is a huge responsibility and can become very expensive to yourself and the environment. Corals are very interesting animals and unless you are willing to nurture them properly, you should find another hobby. After checking the usual, Salinity, Nitrate and Phosphates. You should be checking Magnesium, Alkalinity and Calcium. These three parameters are very important when keeping short polyp stony,and long polyp stony hard corals, SPS and LPS respectively. So what effects will low magnesium have on your reef aquarium? You will find it very difficult to maintain high alkalinity and calcium levels if magnesium is low. Corals will slow in growth and will cause some corals such as Duncans and torch corals to recede, and in some cases die. You may as many other reefers do, think you have something unseen and/or unheard of eating your corals, because branching heads or receding one by one. Don't get fooled by this, it more likely ...

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At some point in your reef keeping days you are most likely to come across green hair algae, some more so than others, but what is the cause? There are three simple reasons that i have found to be the cause. The most likely cause has to be flow or lack of it. If you have any dead spots in your aquarium you will soon find them because this is where this dreadful pest will start. Little tufts of green strands will start to appear. Maybe it is time to upgrade your power head or maybe add another. The second cause of that should not happen if you are doing regular parameter checks, is high phosphates. Simply resolved by the use of media such as rowaphos. It has to be said that this can be placed in the bag provided into good flow in the aquarium. Better methods include a fluidised reactor, although this creates additional cost but is a much more effective way to deal with the problem. The final method i have read about is the actual lighting period, Too much of it w...

I have compiled a short list of useful online tools to help you work out costs of running a reef tank and a simple programme that allows you to keep notes of maintenance on you computer, i will be actively looking and adding to this list as i come across them. The link list is found on the right hand column of this blog.