AQUATECH

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

AquaTips:

• Activated carbon is best used on a periodic basis. Place it in a media bag and rinse well. Position the sack in direct water flow, whether in a sump or overflow box for maximum effect. Remove the carbon after 48 hours, rinse and store moist in an air-tight container or bag until needed again.

• When using a plastic hydrometer, try to rinse it out with purified water. Tap water leaves a residue of mineral deposits, over time this can give you a false reading.

• Live corals and invertebrates need particular colors or spectrum of light to thrive. As a rule of thumb, with fluorescent bulbs provide them with an equal number of both Actinic and Daylight lamps.

• Fish Fact: There are approximately 200 different species of moray eels.

Fish Spotlight:

Emperor Angel

This is probably the most recognized fish in saltwater keeping. Its Latin name is Pomacanthus imperator. This species has a wide distribution including the entire Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea. The adults feature thin horizontal yellow stripes on a royal blue body with a yellow tail and dorsal. Their eyes are protected with a black mask over a white face. The juvenile stage features a completely different color pattern, a deep blue body and white or light blue concentric bands with the the last being a closed ring near the tail.

These fish do very well in fish-only tanks. They feed on a wide variety of foods, preferring the meatier types like plankton, shrimp and krill. Adults are generally the "king" of the tank, they let other fish know this by "honking or barking" when others get to close. Give them plenty of room and enjoy their splendor.

Invert Spotlight:

Star Polyps

These photosynthetic corals are popular with reef hobbyists. They belong to the genus Pachyclavularia which may be synonymous with Briarium, the taxonomy remains unclear. The dark or light purple mat encrusts over surfaces like rock, sand and even plastic and glass. Polyps with green tentacles are the most common, followed by pink and white with contrasting colored centers. They like high water flow, which encourages the polyp expansion and growth. Place in moderate light to retain their fluorescent colors. Star polyps do not need to be fed. Give them plenty of room, to prevent damaging any nearby corals. Also avoid any hair algae in the tank, it can overgrow and kill this coral.

AquaTouch News:

New Reef Products

We are excited to offer a few new and requested products for helping the reef aquarist. Chem-Marin has produced a product called "Stop Aiptasia". It is used to help eliminate those pesky Rock Anemones. This product works best on the medium to large Aiptasia. We still recommend that you use at least one Peppermint Shrimp to clean up the little ones in the tank.

Also available is a new food for your filter feeders, it is DT's Marine Phytoplankton. This product is a live food used to promote growth in corals, sponges, clams, tube worms, etc. It is specially processed to be free of nutrient contamination, giving you peace of mind. It is offered in quarts or gallons and can be kept for extended periods when refrigerated. You'll never have seen your animals look so good!

Question of the Month:

Q: I have a reef tank and feed my fish regularly. Do I need to feed my corals too?

A: The majority of corals in reef aquariums are photosynthetic. That is, they gain most of their nourishment from the light we provide them. This can account for up to 70-80% of their nutritional energy needs. In the past the remainder has been met by organic waste products or dissolved organic matter in the water column that is captured by the corals. For the long term sustained growth of corals and invertebrates additional foods should be provided.

There is a fine line or balance in the aquarium between the amount (and types) of foods provided and how much is used by the various animals. The goal is not to overfeed the tank. Excess food can quickly burden the system with excess waste. This may be used by microalgae as a food source, quickly enhancing the amount of unsightly algae growing in the tank. Proper foods should be high in nutritional value, have a small particle size up to 0.5 millimeters and not contain excess Phosphate, Nitrate or Silicates. Examples include frozen cod eggs, microplankton, zooplankton, decapsulated Artemia (baby brine shrimp) and phytoplankton.

For best results turn off any Ozone units, Protein skimmers or UV Sterilizers while feeding. Dose a small quantity of food to the aquarium. Allow the corals and filter feeding invertebrates like feather worms and sponges to feed for a couple of hours. Then turn the Skimmer, Ozone, or Sterilizer back on. Monitor the Nitrate and Phosphate levels, they should remain low. Continue regular water changes to prevent any accumulation of waste. You should see a positive change in the size and appearance of your corals.