albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Google launches underwater Street View for select areas Barrier Reefs First apparently ... © By Shane Graber - Posted Sep 26, 2012 "Now, anyone can become the next virtual Jacques Cousteau and dive with sea turtles, fish and manta rays in Australia, the Philippines and Hawaii" states Google. Awesome ... and hopefully they will continue to record and give access to other Reefs ! Link: http://tinyurl.com/9csb333 Albert Quote Link to comment
eitallent Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Yes indeed Christine some look really nice indeed. They are not reef safe for the most part but there are some where I have not been able to establish that they are harmful, it depends on the species I believe and also the genus/species. But to be totally honest I have NOT found any literature that mentions any that are reef safe. The ones we have in our aquariums are usually the tiny and colonial ones and those are NOT reef safe as you know. If I find any info on larger ones that are reef safe I will make sure to post it here. Thanks for your post, as always it is much appreciated. Albert Hello all. I have read all I could about Hydroids. Some aquarists say they leave them alone and in a properly balance tank system they will die out on their own. Others write that Hydroids took over their tank and are still battling them to keep them in check. So while all creatures have their place in nature and are kept in check by nature, in my small tank environment I do not want to take chances. Unfortunately for these cute little creatures, I have no room in my tank for them. So yesterday I did as you, Albert, and many others recommend and used boiling water. First, I was able to remove the live rock to which the Hydroids were attached. Next, I took my kitchen turkey baster and basted the area with the boiling RO water. The unfortunate coralline algea in that area turned orange and brown from being cooked. I then tweezed any strings, scrubbed the area, basted some more boiling water, and rinsed the rock in a bucket of clean salt water before palcing it back into the tank. I faced the affected area toward the front so I can monitor for the return of unwanted guests. Hopefully I will not have to do that again and they will not return anywhere else. I think hydroids are quite beautiful, here's one I photographed off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico a few years ago. Too bad there not so reef friendly. Christine Wow, so beautiful in the wild, yet so menacing in our tanks! Thanks for the picture. Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 The Biology of Cyanobacteria ... a Near 700 page Book A Great book on Cyanobacteria ... and everything you always wanted to know about them. Chapter II, for instance, covers their interaction with Light, and deals amongst other topics on their wavelength dependency and the light intensity they thrive best under (including the photoperiod) All are photoautotrophic but some are able to live and thrive in dim light, and some can live heterotrophically in the dark, which is usually not what we have known about them or have been told about cyanobacteria. It is a very detailed book on everything "Cyanobacteria" but it is fairly expensive ($155.00) but you may be able to get it through your Library, or they may be able to get it from another one that carries it for you. http://www.alibris.com/search/books/isbn/9780632006953 It is highly technical though, but offers great insights in those pesky growths that a number of Hobbyists have to deal with, and for which I created a separate thread, which so far has had some good activity and some interesting posts on it. The link to it is: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...t&p=4031523 (1st page of 5 so far) The book deals not only with "light" and "photosynthesis" but also with their Carbon Metabolism, nitrogen fixation (e.g. from CO2 or another carbon source), phosphate uptake and their ability to compete with other species for PO4, and even NO3, their ability to store a reserve of nutrients, including phosphate and carbon sources, the presence of gas vacuoles which allows them buoyancy, and the ability to deposit themselves and grow in areas that are most favorable for their multiplication/growth, either in patches or in filamentous forms, the pH at which certain species thrive best and can multiply in as little as 21 hours under incandescent light or a light source that emits the same type of spectrum, etc... It is very comprehensive ! ISBN: 0-520-04717-6 - - University of California Press Highly recommended if you really want to learn as much as possible about them. Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Hello all. I have read all I could about Hydroids. Some aquarists say they leave them alone and in a properly balance tank system they will die out on their own. Others write that Hydroids took over their tank and are still battling them to keep them in check. So while all creatures have their place in nature and are kept in check by nature, in my small tank environment I do not want to take chances. Unfortunately for these cute little creatures, I have no room in my tank for them. So yesterday I did as you, Albert, and many others recommend and used boiling water. First, I was able to remove the live rock to which the Hydroids were attached. Next, I took my kitchen turkey baster and basted the area with the boiling RO water. The unfortunate coralline algea in that area turned orange and brown from being cooked. I then tweezed any strings, scrubbed the area, basted some more boiling water, and rinsed the rock in a bucket of clean salt water before palcing it back into the tank. I faced the affected area toward the front so I can monitor for the return of unwanted guests. Hopefully I will not have to do that again and they will not return anywhere else. Wow, so beautiful in the wild, yet so menacing in our tanks! Thanks for the picture. Yes I agree fully with you, in nature things and growth are mostly kept in check, but in our aquariums, small as they are that is unfortunately not the case. Glad you were able to get rid of them with the boiling water, and did it as you explained above. You probably got them all and hopefully they will not re-appear. If they do act as fast as you see them and I suggest using the same method. On the coralline, although I cannot be sure, they may revive and regain their color (I have seen it happen before so all may not be lost) and if they do not, others will grow as you have enough of them in the tank. Good move on how you placed the rock so you can see what goes on ... Yes indeed they can look very appealing in nature indeed depending on the species, but in our tanks it is indeed a totally different story, as you pointed out. Glad it worked for you Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Hello all. The unfortunate coralline algea in that area turned orange and brown from being cooked. I then tweezed any strings, scrubbed the area, basted some more boiling water, and rinsed the rock in a bucket of clean salt water before palcing it back into the tank Thanks for the picture. IME this is what affects the color of coralline: Coralline losing colour = Mg &/or KH deficiency Coralline stops growing = Calcium defeciency coralline flakes and falls off easily = low Alkalinity Now yours were blasted with boiling water but if they do not peel off they may regain their color if you watch the above parameters FWIW Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 One of my Favorite Fish ... not for our Reefs though Holacanthus clarionesis The Clarion Angel Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 (edited) Mushroom Grows at an Alarming Rate or so it Seems Some weeks ago I got a tiny mushroom ... (photo was enlarged as it was less than 1/4 inch across) And when I looked at it a little longer and thought back about its original size I suddenly realized how much this Mushroom had grown. It is now over 1 inch across. And I did not do anything special, in fact for some time it was hidden under a rock overhang and got very little light, but when I noticed it I moved it forward so it would get more light and more flow. Albert Edited September 26, 2012 by albertthiel Quote Link to comment
zacheyp Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Hello albert, In your opinion is it unethical/ a bad idea to keep a pair of clowns in a 10g? Thanks! Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Hello albert,In your opinion is it unethical/ a bad idea to keep a pair of clowns in a 10g? Thanks! Good question as indeed many hobbyists are attracted to Clownfish and want to add one or more to their Nano-Reefs. I would not use the word "unethical" but rather "a big mistake" as: 1. 10 gallons is too small for even 1 Clown 2. 10 gallons is definitely too small for 2 Clowns 3. Clowns even very small ones, grow as would be expected and become too large for small Nano Tanks 4. They are territorial and will probably fight with any other fish in a 10 5. They will chase the other fish which then get stressed and may develop diseases (crypto or other) 6. If the fish that is being chased does not develop a disease it is likely to jump out of the tank So what is IMO the recommended size? 20 gallons for 1 as long as you do not have more than 2 other fish in that tank 40 gallon B is you want to keep a pair ... Some say that even 20 gallons for 1 is a bit too small and recommend 30 gallons minimum. However you will find lots of people of keep them in smaller tanks .... but the real question is for how long, and what happens to the other fish in those tanks. Often clowns are added to small tanks but soon the hobbyist discovers that he or she cannot maintain any other fish in there or there is so much chasing around going on that the fish in the tank develop ich or get so stressed and get frayed fins and develop fungal or other diseases. If you are going to put a clown in a small tank then I suggest NO other fish at all, and when it gets too large it needs to be placed in a bigger tank. I know that some will disagree but that is my suggestion. Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Blue Light and the Growth of some Cyanobacteria The link leads to a main article and a number of additional PDF ones that deal with lighting and Cyanobacteria Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC207855/ Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 (edited) Articles on Cyanobacteria These are articles I wrote in the late 90's (1997) so some of the information may have changed, but for the main part the info is still applicable. If anything is no longer applicable due to findings since I wrote these, please disregard that info. Part 1: http://www.athiel.com/lib/cya.html Part 2: http://www.athiel.com/lib/txtfiles/cya2.html Part 3: http://www.athiel.com/lib/txtfiles/cyano3.html And another one that was published on Netpets: http://www.netpets.com/fish/reference/reef...nobacteria.html Albert Edited September 26, 2012 by albertthiel Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Fish Diseases: Trichodina © Terry D. Bartelme There are about 70 species of Trichodina. Common species feed on skin, mucus and blood on the skin and gills and can damage tissues with their constantly beating cilia. They are sometimes called “Flying saucers”, because of their resemblance under a microscope. Smaller species tend to infect the gills and are limited in the number of species of fish on which they are found. Larger species appear to prefer the skin and are less host specific. Reproduction Reproduction is by binary fusion and conjugation. Transmission is direct. However, under normal conditions, trichodina are harmless. They usually do not become problematic unless the potential hosts are in a weakened condition due to stress or disease. Symptoms Look for respiratory distress, skin damage, scale loss, open gill covers, clamped fins, red bloody patches and scratching. Infections are usually chronic rather than acute. Severely infected fish can become anorexic and lethargic. - Skin damage and scale loss - Respiratory distress - Red bloody patches on the skin - Open gill covers - Clamped fins - Scratching - Loss of appetite - Lethargy Treatment Fish are usually resistant to trichodina when provided a low stress environment, good water quality and an adequate diet. A large water change using well aged and aerated saltwater is a good first step. Fish may recover without treatment when provided with improved water conditions. One freshwater or formalin dip is usually all that is required to rid fish of trichodina on the skin and gills. Informational article .... Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Access to the current issue of Coral Magazine Online © CORAL Magazine and its Editors and Publishers and Authors September/October 2012 Full online edition Link: http://tinyurl.com/cjs34jg Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 For You SeaHorse Lovers : A link to a Large Number of Articles and Topics All Dealing with SeaHorses, and I mean a Lot of Articles © seahorse.org Link: http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/l...y/library.shtml Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Vinegar Dosing as a Carbon Source Detailed article on Carbon Dosing. Interestingly enough this article by: © Cliff Babcock and Dr. Randy Holmes Farley states that dosing Vinegar does NOT promote the growth of Cyanobacteria, whereas it states that using other sources e.g. Vodka will. I have not seen any posts that bring up the fact that dosing "Ethanol" increases cyanobacterial growth, but if you read the quote below apparently Randy Holmes-Farley does confirm it! Scientific research has found that cyanobacterial growth does not increase when dosing vinegar (acetate), where it was found that ethanol dosing will increase cyanobacterial growth. Cyanobacteria produce PHA to store energy when needed. PHA is an ingredient in some biopellets. So cyanobacteria can utilize some if not all of the biopellets. Hobbyists who have dosed vinegar have reported less cyanobacterial problems compared to dosing biopellets & ethanol. This was my experience as well. Link: http://tinyurl.com/cnstdj5 Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 (edited) Expanding the Limits of Limewater: Adding Organic Carbon Sources © BY Craig Bingman Ph.D. and web.archive.org Adding Vinegar ... or other sources of Carbon ? Link: http://tinyurl.com/bvs2g85 Yet another view on the use of KW, stronger in concentration due to the use of Vinegar Albert Edited September 27, 2012 by albertthiel Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Carbon Dosing with Vodka © Nathaniel A. Walton (Genetics) and Matt Bjornson (Stony_Corals) This article deals with Carbon dosing using Vodka or Ethanol rather than using Vinegar or Sugar in one form or another LINK: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php Albert Quote Link to comment
atoll Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Good question as indeed many hobbyists are attracted to Clownfish and want to add one or more to their Nano-Reefs. I would not use the word "unethical" but rather "a big mistake" as: 1. 10 gallons is too small for even 1 Clown 2. 10 gallons is definitely too small for 2 Clowns 3. Clowns even very small ones, grow as would be expected and become too large for small Nano Tanks 4. They are territorial and will probably fight with any other fish in a 10 5. They will chase the other fish which then get stressed and may develop diseases (crypto or other) 6. If the fish that is being chased does not develop a disease it is likely to jump out of the tank So what is IMO the recommended size? 20 gallons for 1 as long as you do not have more than 2 other fish in that tank 40 gallon B is you want to keep a pair ... Some say that even 20 gallons for 1 is a bit too small and recommend 30 gallons minimum. However you will find lots of people of keep them in smaller tanks .... but the real question is for how long, and what happens to the other fish in those tanks. Often clowns are added to small tanks but soon the hobbyist discovers that he or she cannot maintain any other fish in there or there is so much chasing around going on that the fish in the tank develop ich or get so stressed and get frayed fins and develop fungal or other diseases. If you are going to put a clown in a small tank then I suggest NO other fish at all, and when it gets too large it needs to be placed in a bigger tank. I know that some will disagree but that is my suggestion. Albert Morning Albert, The keeping of clowns in nano tanks is one which pops up time and time again on all reef keeping forums as I am sure you are aware. Most often the question arises from somebody wanting to get into the hobby but not always. Newbies as they get called want a small tank often for cheapness and have seen "Nemo's" in an LFS or their children have and want one or more. One of the problems is many LFS's well advise they will be fine in such a tank and they maybe for a while after all they are very small aren't they so whats the problem? Soon the problems start to arise with water quality as the test kits if they have any stopped getting used and the bag of salt they were sold is used up and no more is bought. After all salt is expensive right. . The newbies may then want to add more fish like a Dory (regal tang) or other and may indeed go out and buy a small one to add to the clown. All very sad really but we have seen such happen before with turtles and the like. After a year or so these same people want rid of nemo and his tank that's if they live that long as the fascination wears off and maintenance drops off esp water changes. Les. Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Morning Albert,The keeping of clowns in nano tanks is one which pops up time and time again on all reef keeping forums as I am sure you are aware. Most often the question arises from somebody wanting to get into the hobby but not always. Newbies as they get called want a small tank often for cheapness and have seen "Nemo's" in an LFS or their children have and want one or more. One of the problems is many LFS's well advise they will be fine in such a tank and they maybe for a while after all they are very small aren't they so whats the problem? Soon the problems start to arise with water quality as the test kits if they have any stopped getting used and the bag of salt they were sold is used up and no more is bought. After all salt is expensive right. . The newbies may then want to add more fish like a Dory (regal tang) or other and may indeed go out and buy a small one to add to the clown. All very sad really but we have seen such happen before with turtles and the like. After a year or so these same people want rid of nemo and his tank that's if they live that long as the fascination wears off and maintenance drops off esp water changes. Les. Oh yes, I have seen it many times too, and as you say the question comes up from time to time, and has here on this thread as well, and yes LFS's will of course either recommend them (they have super mark-ups on them) and will of course sell them to those who ask for them, often without checking what kind of tank they have and what is in it already. There are always exceptions but in the majority of cases that is the usual scenario unfortunately. It is a pity indeed as often, as you say, the fish do not survive for that long due to the inexperience of some who get them, or grow too large for the small tanks and are then becoming a major problem not only for the hobbyist but for the other fish in the tank as territoriality increases, usually to the point that other fish gets chased so much that they either become diseased or jump ... All we can do is try to educate the newer hobbyists and tell them to learn as much as they can about whatever fish they are planning to buy before actually purchasing them, and hope that by doing so a lot of the setbacks that happen will or can be avoided. Thanks for confirming what are my my thoughts as well. Albert Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 (edited) Coral and Fish Photos from Jasmin Geier Marine (I) © Jasmin Geier Link: http://www.facebook.com/jasmin.geier.984 Albert --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello albert,In your opinion is it unethical/ a bad idea to keep a pair of clowns in a 10g? Thanks! So if I may ask, what did you decide to do zacheyp ? Albert Edited September 27, 2012 by albertthiel Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 (edited) The infamous Cali Tort & Oregon Tort – Classic strains of Blue Acropora tortuosa Read more: http://reefbuilders.com/2012/09/26/acropor.../#ixzz27fXbEkcQ Great shots too ... great corals ! © reefbuilders.com & Morgan Moore Albert Edited September 27, 2012 by albertthiel Quote Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 What are your thoughts on substrate in small tanks? Most Nano & Pico reef tanks are too small for a DSB (denitrifying sandbed) to be practical. The majority of small tank owners prefer to have a sandbed of 1-2", mostly for aesthetic reasons, but these can sometimes end up being a nutrient sink, leading to issues w/cyanobacteria, too much phosphate, etc. A smaller portion of Nano tank owners go with a bare-bottom approach to avoid those issues, but then they miss out the variety of life that populates a sandbed. Quote Link to comment
saltwatercoral Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 HELP!!!! So I came home today and noticed both of my clams are closed up. I have never seen them This way before. The only thing I did last night that was out of the ordinary is dose 120ml of "kent tech M Magnesium" as is said to do 1ml for each gallon of water. I have 120g display and about 10-15 in the sump. My magnesium yesterday was 1240 and today it's up to 1280. So the dose worked and is doing exactly what it is suposta do! My clams are still shut and I don't know what's wrong? Here are my parameters after just testing: Mg: 1280 KH: 9 CA: 380 Temp: 78 Ph: 8.53 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: about 15-20 Is something drastically off here or are clams really sensitive to high doses of magnesium? I want to raise my mg to 1400 and my Ca to 450. Does that sound right? I'm confused???? I would also like to add that my one clown is snuggling up in in my larger clam but nver my smaller one. They stayed shut the entire time I was home last night and I never seen this happen before. I thought it is somthing maybe I dosed? Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 (edited) More Coral Pictures by Jasmin Geier (II) © Jasmin Geier and Tropical Fish Imports Link: http://www.facebook.com/jasmin.geier.984 Albert Edited September 27, 2012 by albertthiel Quote Link to comment
albertthiel Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 What are your thoughts on substrate in small tanks?Most Nano & Pico reef tanks are too small for a DSB (denitrifying sandbed) to be practical. The majority of small tank owners prefer to have a sandbed of 1-2", mostly for aesthetic reasons, but these can sometimes end up being a nutrient sink, leading to issues w/cyanobacteria, too much phosphate, etc. A smaller portion of Nano tank owners go with a bare-bottom approach to avoid those issues, but then they miss out the variety of life that populates a sandbed. Unless one has one of those High varieties of a tank, it is indeed difficult to put deep sand beds in them as in regular types it will take up a lot of space and lower the height of the water column in the tank. In Picos it is even more difficult indeed and to my knowledge not many who run Picos use deep sand bed, in fact many run them with just a sprinkling of substrate to cover the bottom. So in Nano's I would agree with you that running a 1 to 2 inch bed is probably all one can get away with, and even though that does not give all the benefits of a DSB, it still becomes an additional area for bacteria to colonize. The bed needs to be kept clean as you mention and there are two ways of doing so: - CUC's that stir up the sand - regular cleaning of small portions and as this is done, over a few days the whole sand bed can be properly cleaned. The key to preventing any type of algae to grow and nutrients to build is is "maintenance" and in smaller tanks that may need to be done more often than in larger ones. That would include blowing off any dirt and detritus that accumulates on the rock, in its crevices, and behind and underneath rocks, and using a strong baster to blow all that matter into suspension so that the mechanical filters can remove it, is the manner to do it. Of course that also means that each time that is done, that the mech filters will have to be cleaned an hour or two after blowing all that detritus into the water column for it to get sucked out. I would also suggest that anything else in the filters, especially in HOB ones, be rinsed off as well, as those "bags" that probably contain GAC carbon, GFO or Aluminum Oxide, or Purigen, or some other compound may have picked up dirt and detritus as well, and need a good rinsing (I rinse them in saltwater by swishing the bags around till I feel that I have gotten all the dirt out of them). Cleaning every few days as described above will keep the water in far better quality than if it is not done regularly (every few days IME). Better and higher water quality = less issue with algae, cyanos, and other undesirable growths. So IME smaller tanks need more maintenance than larger ones as with the lower amount of water in them, decomposition of detritus, uneaten food, feces, etc. will make the nutrient levels in the tank's water rise far faster than in larger tanks, and in greater concentrations. Very Frequent Maintenance is the key to keeping one's tank in good shape, there is no doubt about that, and sometimes I feel reading posts of those who have issues, that the root cause of their problems is exactly that: they do not clean rocks and substrate often enough. I personally do not like bar bottom tanks that much but there are indeed some that run their tanks that way. Whether they lose a lot of water polishing is debatable as so many bacteria grow on and in live rock that a thin sand bed may not be necessary, but that is a personal preference. Does a thin sand bed contribute to more filtration? Yes since it gets colonized by bacteria as well but as I said it needs to be cleaned and stirred up well frequently (a little bit of it each day when it is being cleaned). Is it necessary: IMO no. With a good deal of live rock, tanks have enough areas for bacterial growth to keep the process going on. Of course there is an alternative and that is setting up a large sump, with a deep sand bed and getting the benefit of a DSB in that manner, but that would be a topic for a different post. Hopefully this answer your questions but if not feel free to post some follow up ones. Albert Quote Link to comment
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