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THE OFFICIAL ASK ALBERT THIEL THREAD


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Electronic Calcium Monitoring

 

© Randy Holmes-Farley and reefkeeping.com

 

cameter.png

 

That leaves calcium. Most aquarists measure calcium with a traditional calcium test kit. These are sold by a number of companies, including Hach, LaMotte, Salifert, and Seachem.

 

The technology to measure calcium with ion selective electrodes has been around for many years, but it traditionally has been very expensive, and its implementation has suffered from concerns over calibration and interferences.

 

Recently, American Marine has added an electronic calcium monitor (using ion selective electrode technology) to its Pinpoint line of electronic monitors.

 

Link : http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-04/rhf/index.php

 

Albert

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ChemiClean from Boyd Enterprises to Remove Red Slime Algae

 

Video

 

© Fincasters and Boyd Enterprises

 

Video Link: (it is the 6th Video on the first line of Videos offered via this link)

 

http://article.wn.com/view/2012/09/19/The_...using_coral_re/

 

48 Hour Treatment. Informational for your understanding of how this product works.

 

Albert

Edited by albertthiel
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How to Frag Xenia while they are in the Aquarium Still with Scissors

 

© ReefDVMs

 

fragxenia.png

 

 

10 days Later

10dayslater.png

 

 

Video and Audio Link :

 

Albert

Edited by albertthiel
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General Information on The SA (Sustainable Aquatics) Hatchery Diet

 

© sustainableaquatics.com

 

sadiet.png

 

Over the years we sought out every food recipe and product available to us and did side-by-side experiments with many batches of fish to determine what variables and outcomes were interrelated.

 

Having collaborators in the industry who have been leaders in this field for many decades and applying experience and education in chemistry and nutrition have allowed us to gain many insights that led to the development of the SA Hatchery Feed. (Other feeds are currently in final refinement in our facilities and hatchery will be introduced in the future.)

 

Link : http://www.sustainableaquatics.com/products/hatchery-feeds/

 

Albert

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Hi Albert,

Went to bed early instead of going out as I usually do on a Friday night as I am full of a cold, man flu they call it. :o Won't be doing much or anything on the tank today just sitting here feeling sorry for myself. I did buy some black silicone yesterday and ran it around the bottom of the sump cabinet and the tank where it sits into the stand. Doing this helps prevent any spillages or drips running down and getting into the timber. Just a tip for others there as it is well worth doing. This is esp worth doing if the tank sits in a rebate as mine does.

2cubetank002.jpg

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FLASHING A FLASHER

 

© Scott Michael

 

flasherscott.png

 

I love flasher wrasses and have been trying to take photos of them in the field for over a decade now.

 

I have been somewhat successful after spending hours attempting to snap shots of Paracheilinus in full “flash” (definition: when fish has all fish spread and its colors flashing).

 

Much of this is simply being lucky, but I have also learned a few techniques that I thought I would share.

 

Link : http://gobiestogrizzlies.blogspot.com/2008...ng-flasher.html

 

Albert

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Hi Albert,

Went to bed early instead of going out as I usually do on a Friday night as I am full of a cold, man flu they call it. :o Won't be doing much or anything on the tank today just sitting here feeling sorry for myself. I did buy some black silicone yesterday and ran it around the bottom of the sump cabinet and the tank where it sits into the stand. Doing this helps prevent any spillages or drips running down and getting into the timber. Just a tip for others there as it is well worth doing. This is esp worth doing if the tank sits in a rebate as mine does.

 

Sorry to read you are not feeling well ... nasty flu I guess, but it happens to all of us from time to time. Wish you a quick recovery ... Vitamin C, and a lot of rest I guess will do it .. at least that is what works for me. A glass of hot red wine with some aspirin it seems to work for others I am told.

 

On the tank ... that is indeed a food ideas so no water can flow underneath the sump and the tank and ruin the wood and the cabinet and weaken it, especially when it has to carry a heavy load as in your case.

 

And if you need to move it you can always cut the silicone with a sharp blade ... but once it is in place there is no need to move it in the majority of cases IME.

 

Get some rest ... and when you feel better you can start the real work on the tank to move all the equipment and all the life forms.

 

Have a nice week-end and take it easy.

 

Albert

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Steven Pro Conducts Test on various Brands of GAC and determines the amount of

 

Phosphate they contain and Will Leach into the Aquarium Water

 

© Steven Pro & wetwebmedia.com

 

As readers might be aware from my previous round of testing of the Aquarium Systems/Marineland Labs hydrometers, product testing is becoming a passion of mine.

 

Frankly, it bothers me that I work in an industry that has so little in the way of proven fact and instead relies so heavily on anecdote.

 

Take the subject of my latest round of experiments, activated carbon. I found one test of activated carbon and phosphates, but it was conducted almost ten years ago (Schiemer, 1997).

 

After searching the various message boards, it would seem that most people were simply using a particular brand of carbon based on nothing more than a recommendation from a fellow hobbyist.

 

To paraphrase, ‘I use so and so and it seems to work good enough for me.’ Is that really the best we can do? I think not.

 

Link : http://tinyurl.com/8mmqhwm

 

The article by Steven Pro contains a number of Links to other Articles of Interest

Edited by albertthiel
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The Pros and Cons of Hitchhikers in the Aquarium

 

© Bob Fenner & Wetwebmedia.com

 

The Link is to Part 1 but the article includes links to Parts 2, 3 and 4.

 

It also contains links to a large number of other Marine Reef Related Articles. Just click on the Links at the top for any topic that is of interest to you.

 

Link : http://tinyurl.com/9trvdsc

 

Albert

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Deep-Sea Diving Vehicle 'Alvin' Upgrade Lets It Make Longer Dives,

 

Take Better Photos

 

© The Huffington Post and huffingtonpost.com

 

alvin.png

 

Link: http://tinyurl.com/92wzdnk

 

With internal links of Photos and Videos taken by the Alvin Crew. With its Upgrade we should get even more information about deep sea creatures and corals and other life forms ...

 

Albert

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Water Changes - Large Ones Infrequently, or Small Frequently :

 

Which one is more Efficient? You May be Surprised at the Findings ....

 

© Randy Holmes-Farley and reefkeeping.com

 

Water-Clipart.jpg

 

Water changes are, by definition, the act of replacing some aquarium water with "new" water.

 

For various reasons, the ways to perform them and their importance are both a matter of some debate and confusion in the world of reef aquaria.

 

Many aquarists perform them extensively, and others never do them.

 

For those who do, the reasons vary and are sometimes even at odds with one another; for example, replenishing "trace elements" and exporting built up "impurities," with the identities of these two being unclear and possibly overlapping.

 

Link: http://tinyurl.com/8ls483d

 

Albert

Edited by albertthiel
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The Composition Of Several Synthetic Seawater Mixes

 

© Marlin Atkinson & Dr. Craig Bingman

 

tested.png

 

Many marine aquarists use synthetic seawater mixtures in their aquaria. The relative merits of the various mixes are often debated by aquarists and expounded in advertisements, yet there have been few published analyses of these products.

 

Although every naturally occurring element can be found in natural seawater, private aquarists typically have access to test methods for determining only inorganic nutrients and a few major and minor ions.

 

This paper presents a detailed and comprehensive analysis of eight commercial formulations of synthetic seawater available in North America. A refereed version is published in the Journal of Aquariculture and Aquatic Science 8(2):39-43.

 

Link: http://tinyurl.com/8c49m5p

 

Albert

Edited by albertthiel
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Hi, Albert. I hope you and all reading this post are having a great day.

 

I posted a new batch of pics on my thread (linked in sig.) today that you may enjoy. I have pics of my new additions; blue sympodium, large feather duster and a tiny piece of toadstool leather. :)

 

In case you do not have time to visit my thread, here is one more of Skipper. :happy:

 

IMAG1029_zps8ce060ee.jpg

 

Regards,

Ercilia

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Hi, Albert. I hope you and all reading this post are having a great day.

 

I posted a new batch of pics on my thread (linked in sig.) today that you may enjoy. I have pics of my new additions; blue sympodium, large feather duster and a tiny piece of toadstool leather. :)

 

In case you do not have time to visit my thread, here is one more of Skipper. :happy:

 

IMAG1029_zps8ce060ee.jpg

 

Regards,

Ercilia

 

Thanks for the link and the pic of Skipper Ercillia ... I'll check your thread in just a few.

 

And you have a great week end as well ...

 

Right now "Magnet" is in the back of the tank on a rock he likes so I can't take a pic but I am sure I'll get some later, as well as some of my Baby Yuma and a few others.

 

Oops as I wrote this he moved to my M. setosa ... pic is not very clear as I took it quickly from a distance and then enlarged it ...

 

cit.png

 

 

Albert

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It's In The Water .... and What is It?

 

© Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. and reefkeeping.com

 

One of the most vexing concerns of reef aquarists is the problem of water chemistry.

 

These concerns are founded in the knowledge that reef aquaria are really very tiny analogues of natural systems, and because of their small size chemical changes could occur that could adversely impact their livestock.

 

The composition of natural sea water (NSW) is taken as the basis for measuring all changes in the water in aquaria, even though the standard for such natural seawater has historically been from the North Sea and not coral reefs.

 

Link: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/...ature/index.php

 

Albert

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Reef Snow by Brightwell Aquatics .... Competing with Marine Snow from Two Little Fishes

 

Readers:

 

I cannot find what I think is an objective review on Reef Snow by Brightwell Aquatics even though I have looked for it on many forums, including this one.

 

Everything I find appears to be rather subjective and anecdotal posts of using it for a while but no real reviews that point out its benefits, if any.

 

Does anyone who reads this use Reef Snow, and if so what has been your experience with it ?

 

Thanks

 

Albert

 

Albert,

 

I am using reef snow two to three times a week. I am using the Zeovit product. In order to understand what it can do for our reef tanks we must first understand what it is in the wild. This is a pretty fair explanation of marine snow, as it is referred to in a natural environment.

 

In our reefs it best serves as a secondary biological facilitator for elements. Consisting of fine aragonite, it allows elements to adhere to it, coral or small organisms ingest the snow, takes in the element and spits out the aragonite as waste. I find it is most useful with bacteria products.

 

Some of the coral snow products already have some elements, amino acids, and other ingredients mixed with the aragonite so one just adds it to the water. Zeovit coral snow is only fine aragonite, you need to first add the element or biological factor of choice to the snow, then add it to the tank.

 

Coral snow IMO is most effective used with bacteria products in eradicating cyanobacteria and even algae. As it is skimmed out of the system (which takes 1-2 hours) it takes with it organics that have hitched a ride, so to speak.

 

The key word here is "facilitator".

 

Coral snow has fallen out of fashion a little in past years but I still believe it to be beneficial for the reef. :)

 

Christine

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Albert,

 

I am using reef snow two to three times a week. I am using the Zeovit product. In order to understand what it can do for our reef tanks we must first understand what it is in the wild. This is a pretty fair explanation of marine snow, as it is referred to in a natural environment.

 

In our reefs it best serves as a secondary biological facilitator for elements. Consisting of fine aragonite, it allows elements to adhere to it, coral or small organisms ingest the snow, takes in the element and spits out the aragonite as waste. I find it is most useful with bacteria products.

 

Some of the coral snow products already have some elements, amino acids, and other ingredients mixed with the aragonite so one just adds it to the water. Zeovit coral snow is only fine aragonite, you need to first add the element or biological factor of choice to the snow, then add it to the tank.

 

Coral snow IMO is most effective used with bacteria products in eradicating cyanobacteria and even algae. As it is skimmed out of the system (which takes 1-2 hours) it takes with it organics that have hitched a ride, so to speak.

 

The key word here is "facilitator".

 

Coral snow has fallen out of fashion a little in past years but I still believe it to be beneficial for the reef. :)

 

Christine

 

I have honestly never heard of Coral or Reef Snow used in this way.

Interesting.

What causes certain things to adhere to aragonite?

How do you know what will adhere & what won't?

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Albert,

 

I am using reef snow two to three times a week. I am using the Zeovit product. In order to understand what it can do for our reef tanks we must first understand what it is in the wild. This is a pretty fair explanation of marine snow, as it is referred to in a natural environment.

 

In our reefs it best serves as a secondary biological facilitator for elements. Consisting of fine aragonite, it allows elements to adhere to it, coral or small organisms ingest the snow, takes in the element and spits out the aragonite as waste. I find it is most useful with bacteria products.

 

Some of the coral snow products already have some elements, amino acids, and other ingredients mixed with the aragonite so one just adds it to the water. Zeovit coral snow is only fine aragonite, you need to first add the element or biological factor of choice to the snow, then add it to the tank.

 

Coral snow IMO is most effective used with bacteria products in eradicating cyanobacteria and even algae. As it is skimmed out of the system (which takes 1-2 hours) it takes with it organics that have hitched a ride, so to speak.

 

The key word here is "facilitator".

 

Coral snow has fallen out of fashion a little in past years but I still believe it to be beneficial for the reef. :)

 

Christine

 

Thanks Christine for the detailed explanation and yes I do understand what it is supposed to do. Note that I am referring to the Brightwell Aquatics product and the Zeovit range of products.

 

Is that the one you are using or are you using a different one with the same name maybe that is not made by Brightwell Aquatics.

 

I have used that one and when doing so I have to shut my skimmer down for a long time, more than 2 or 3 hours or I keep getting a massive and continuous amount of tiny tiny air bubbles in the tank and I fear that those may be harmful although I have no definite evidence of that.

 

What I was wondering is whether anyone had positive results from the Brightwell product.

 

I will probably switch to the Two Little Fishes one but in the interim I was interested in feedback on the one that I am using ... and if you are using the same one then I guess you "are" seeing positive results.

 

Am I making the correct deduction from your post?

 

Thanks

 

Albert

 

 

 

I have honestly never heard of Coral or Reef Snow used in this way.

Interesting.

What causes certain things to adhere to aragonite?

How do you know what will adhere & what won't?

 

That is actually the 64,000 dollar question ... that is what their label states but how do we know indeed that that is actually happening.

 

If you read my response to Christine you can see what happens when I use the Brightwell Aquatics product and from Christine's post I am not sure she is using the same product but I am sure she will reply so we'll see.

 

So to answer your question: we don't know and I guess we have to take their word for it but is that really so. Reviews found do not confirm that it does from what I have seen, so that is why I posted the original message

 

Thanks

 

Albert

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