AQUATECH

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

AquaTips:

• pH testing... accurate results include testing your water immediately after removing from the tank. Transporting water to the store will NOT give you an accurate reading.
  

• When testing pH make sure you log the time of day. Generally the pH is lowest right before the lights come on. It then gradually rises until the lights go off. Compare results from the same time periods.
  

• RO (reverse osmosis) water does not have ANY buffering capacity. Adding a KH or pH buffer to the RO (prior to use) will help maintain proper alkalinity levels.
  

• If your alkalinity levels are low... it is best to raise it slowly. No more than a 1.0 meq/l or 2.8 dKH rise per day is recommended. This minimizes calcium precipitation too!

Fish Spotlight:

Flame Hawk

Neocirrhites armatus is a favorite of many hobbyist, both in reef and fish-only tanks. Adults can reach a length of 3 inches. They have red bodies with a thick black stripe at the base of the dorsal fin. Their black outlined eyes appear almost "chameleon" like. Most hobbyist enjoy the peculiar ability of this fish to rest on the rocks and decorations. This "perching" ability of the hawk family is due to their lack of a swim bladder. They cannot suspend themselves in the water as other fish, unless of course they move their pectoral fins. Once they stop swimming... they sink! They dart from rock to rock, always aware of their surroundings as well as their owners proximity to food. They feed on most prepared foods, preferring meaty types like mysis shrimp & ocean plankton. If you're looking for a fish with personality, the Flame Hawk is a must!

Invert Spotlight:

Cleaner Shrimp

Cleaner Shrimp are a great addition to any reef tank. They do best in small groups (2 or more). They also work well in passive fish-only tanks, as long as there are no predators! It is not uncommon for them to set up a "cleaning station", generally a rock that is highly visible to all. They attract fish to come by for a thorough exterior investigation. These shrimp remove dead scales, clean wounds and even remove parasites. Some fish will even swim away from the "cleaning station" with the shrimp on board. Returning the shrimp when the fish feels he has been satisfied. In the wild these shrimp can be seen inside the open mouths of groupers and eels. They understand that the shrimp provides an important benefit and generally do not choose to make a quick lunch out of them.

AquaTouch News:

Improved Quarantine System

 As our customers are aware... we feel very strongly about supplying healthy specimens. All of our fish go through a 10-14 day quarantine period before they are available for sale. We do this for several reasons; reduces stress on the new animal, trains them to feed on prepared foods and makes sure that only healthy specimens end up in your tank(s). In our effort to improved our quarantine process we have installed Emperor Aquatic 25 watt quartz sleeved ultraviolet sterilizers on each of our 12 holding systems. This effort constitutes our continued commitment of providing the healthiest possible animals available.

Question of the Month:

Q: Calcium & alkalinity levels vary in my reef tank. How can I stabilize this?

A: The relationship of these two components constitutes an important part of our captive reef environment. It is equally important in fish-only systems that use live rock as well. Often we have trouble maintaining calcium & alkalinity in proper ratio (ionicly balanced). This leads to limited growth of our calcifying organisms, such as; coraline algae, corals & clams. Calcium is a mineral used by some marine life to build structure, like their skeleton, shell or spicules. But the calcium is not usable unless it is combined with a form of bicarbonate (alkalinity). Together they allow the organisms to form calcium carbonate, the actual building material. Many hobbyist fail to see the relationship between calcium & alkalinity. This creates situations where one of the components is higher or lower than the other (ionicly imbalanced). This slows down the growth of organisms that require the balance.

Your goal should be to maintain calcium at 350-400 ppm & alkalinity above 2.8 meq/l (8 dKH). Many hobbyist have found that when using balanced supplements, it is easier to maintain their tank requirements. Some methods include Kalkwasser, the two part liquid solutions (B-Ionic or C-Balance), Bio-Calcium or SeaLab-28 mineral blocks. Aquarium water that is out of balance requires correction with liquid calcium supplements and/or a KH or pH buffer. The key here is testing. We don’t know what is needed unless we check our levels. Test your water weekly for both calcium and alkalinity. The hobbyist grade test kits are very accurate and economical too! Remember... a stable environment promotes healthy, thriving organisms.