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AQUATECH

A publication of AquaTouch containing Tips & Techniques for being a successful Marine Aquarist...

AquaTips:

Flake foods can contain up to 46% protein. Make these foods a regular component of your community fishes diet.

	When acclimating new fish and invertebrates, remember to slowly add your tank water to their bag. Do this for about an hour. Then place the animal in the tank and discard the acclimation water.
	Avoid turning on bright room lights at odd hours of the night. Your fish need sleep too.
	Macro-algae requires Iron and Iodine to grow. Frequent water changes and supplimentation may be needed to keep them healthy.
	The sand bed in a reef tank should be at least 2 inches deep. Use a mixture of fine & very fine aragonite. The more the better.

Fish Spotlight:

Harlequin Tusk

This fish is related to wrasses and is also known by it's Latin name Choerodon fasciatus. It originates from Australia and Indo-pacific waters. It has vertical, mottled orange bands striping a white body. Red and blue highlights round out its exquisite colors. Specimens from Australia are the most beautifully colored. It can grow up to 10 inches in length.

The tusk fish prefers meaty foods like krill, squid, chopped mussel and ocean plankton. One feature to this fish is it's personality. Sometimes they are shy around people, but once they are comfortable they are almost playful. They are well suited to the community aquarium, provided it is at least a 50 gallons. Place them with angels, butterflies, tangs, puffers or mellow triggers. Avoid placing them with groupers as they will most likely chase the tusk out of the tank.

Invert Spotlight:

Nassarius Snails

These snails have recently been introduced to the hobby. Unlike the other popular snails for the reef, the Nassarius snails are not herbivorous. Instead they feed on left over food scraps in the tank. They won't bother your corals or fish. They live in the sand and grow to a size of 0.75 inches. They have a "snout" which is a very sensitive organ that detects smells. These snails can quickly locate food and consume it. They feed on the debris that would otherwise decompose and contribute to the growth of algae.

If you are looking for an animal to limit the growth of unsightly algae without the potential nuisance of the hermits, give Nassarius snails a try. They make good sand movers too!

AquaTouch News:

New Year 2000

As we all found out together... there were no problems when the clock struck midnight... thank goodness!

Now it's time to focus our efforts to improvements within our business. We have several plans for this year which will give you better selection both in drygoods and livestock. Some of our future plans include upgrades to our RO/DI system, so we always have available high quality water when you need it. We're also preparing to provide ready to use saltwater too! We are planning for a future display reef as well as a clam tank.

New products will always be sought out... you demand that! One thing that will NOT change is our customer service. We pride ourselves on helping each hobbyist with their concerns. We will work hard to keep your wait to a minimum... please be understanding especially on weekends. 2000 is going to be great!

Question of the Month:

Q: What kind of lighting should I use on my reef tank?

A: This is a confusing topic given all the different kinds of lighting available. There are three main technologies in reef aquarium lighting; VHO (very high output) florescent, Metal Halide and PowerCompact systems. When designing a reef, determine what type of corals you want to keep. Then learn about their lighting needs in current books, magazines and don't forget to ask questions. Most corals photosynthesize, so providing enough light energy or wattage is your first priority.

The standard watt lights used over fish tanks and typically included with your new aquarium are insufficient in wattage. They do not provide the corals and sea anemones with the light energy they need. Lower light-loving corals (mushrooms, zoanthids, star polyp, etc.) can do very well in an aquarium that contains 2-3 watts per gallon. High-light loving corals require 4 or more watts per gallon. These corals include all small polyped stony corals, some leathers, encrusting brain corals, clams, and many others.

Your second lighting concern is the spectrum or colors the bulbs produce. The color of light should be of "daylight" spectrum with a strong presence of blue wavelength. Combinations of bulbs are generally used to achieve proper wattage and color balance. This can include mixing types of lighting systems as well, such as metal halide with VHO. One last thing, many hobbyist overlook the fact that lamps age as they burn. Old bulbs are not as intense and/or produce more yellow-red light. This spectrum does not provide the corals their proper requirements and typically promotes nusiance algae and cyanobacteria outbreaks. Make sure to change your bulbs at regular intervals. Your coral and sea anemones will be glad you did!

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