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AQUATECH

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

AquaTips:

	To determine if your reef tank has enough flow, total the outputs of all running pumps and power heads in GPH. This number should be a minimum of five times the tank volume.
	Hermit crabs, both large or small are efficient janitors. They are so good that they can run out of food in the aquarium. To avoid this, target feed them once or twice a week with a few sinking pellets.
	To minimize algae in fish tanks, run your lights on a timer for four to five hours each day. Don't be afraid to feed with the lights off. As a rule of thumb, if the ambient room lighting is sufficient for you to see your fish... they can see you too!
	UV sterilizer bulbs need replacement to maintain proper "kill rate". Dual bi-pin lamp life is 6 months. Single connector (4-pin) lamp life is 12 months.

Fish Spotlight:

Flame Angels

This little fish is among the top three most requested fish in the hobby. It’s popularity can be seen just by observing one. They are relatively small, as adults are well under four inches. They are colorful, bright red-orange body with black bars, yellow-orange tail and blue highlights outlining the dorsal and anal fins. The black bars can vary in number from three to seven, even from one side of the fish to the other. Males tend to have a darker red pigment in the body than females.

Centropyge loricula or Flame Angels are mostly solitary, only one should be kept in a passive community tank. They feed on detritus and low growing algae as well as most smaller prepared foods. Give them plenty of liverock to swim around and hide in. It is best to add them to a tank that has been established for at least six months.

Invert Spotlight:

Modern Corals

Button or Modern coral are species of the genus Cynarina. They are a hearty, easy to keep, large polyp stony coral. The bottom of their skeleton is pointed, so it is best to place them into the sand. They are very tolerant of aggressive corals, so they can be placed near Hammers, Galaxea, Bubbles, etc. Give them direct lighting and low to medium water flow.

Their color patterns vary greatly, but generally shades of red to green. Healthy specimens swell with water during the photo period. When first placed into the aquarium it can take a week or more for them to adapt. This typically is due to the stress of collection and shipping. It definitely is classified as a great beginner coral.

AquaTouch News:

Looking Back

AquaTouch would like to thank you for supporting our efforts in 1998. Without your patronage we would never have accomplished as much as we did. Probably the most obvious accomplishment was the completion of our last retail livestock system. Featuring 1500 gallons of "low-light" corals and inverts including a variety of shrimp, specialty crabs, lobster, etc. This system also allows us to offer and maintain other interesting specialty animals like octopus, rays, nautilus, stonefish and seahorses.

With your future support we will continue to grow... increasing your choices in livestock, product and information in 1999. Our commitment to providing expert advice will continue to be our goal. Once again, thank you for selecting AquaTouch for all your saltwater needs.

Question of the Month:

Q: I sometimes get a tingling feeling when my finger first touch the aquarium water. What causes this?

A: This sensation usually occurs from stray conducted by saltwater. It is generally more noticeable if you have a small cut or open wound on your finger. Electrical fields are generated by power heads, heaters and even lighting. The effects of stray electrical voltage on the health of aquarium animals continues to be debated. Some fish tend to be more sensitive to electricity, particularly schooling fish, rays & sharks. All fish have a series of sensory cells in their nape or forehead as well as a line along the upper portion of their body sides. This comprises the lateral line organ. This is sensitive to electrical impulses which are used to measure the proximity of objects, such as when fish school together. But fish are not the only thing that can be effected by this unwanted voltage. Some corals, such as the Elegance, seem very intolerant of stray electricity as well. Few studies have been done... but one things for sure, there is no benefit for having stray voltage.

To determine if you have stray voltage; turn all lights, pumps and heaters on. It is necessary to use a voltmeter set to its lowest AC setting. Connect one test lead to a common ground, place the other into the aquarium water. If you see a reading greater than 1mA your animals are being subjected to the negative effects of stray voltage. There is however, an inexpensive simple cure. It is known as a ”Grounding Probe” which is designed for use in our hobby. They are constructed of saltwater safe metals that are placed directly into the tank, not the sump. The opposite end which typically is a wire, is connected to a common ground which will eliminate the stray electrical voltage.

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