Keeping your tank cool by Keith MacNeil, a Marine Depot Staff Member

Keith MacNeil — Fri, 30 May 2008 01:53:00 GMT

Abstract:

One key to having success in the marine aquarium hobby is stability within the aquarium. This stability not only refers to water chemistry stability, but also temperature stability. There are many factors that can cause temperature changes in the tank and just as many ways to help control these. This article will address the three major contributors that cause the heating of the water in your aquarium and then discuss some options for cooling the aquarium itself.

CAUSES OF HEAT IN THE AQUARIUM

Pumps

Reef tanks and marine tanks alike both need good water movement and circulation for the inhabitants to be healthy. To provide this water movement in the aquarium pumps and powerheads are used, either internally or externally. Both internal (submerged) and external pumps can add heat to the water as a means of cooling themselves. Different pumps will add different amounts of heat to the water. With a little research, you will be able to find out which pumps transfer the least amount of heat and the ones that transfer the most amount of heat to the water and can choose a pump that works best for your system.

Lights

Corals in a reef tank require high intensity lighting to survive. These high intensity lighting fixtures will become another major heat producer. It will not matter whether you are using VHO, T5,

For a reef tank how much light i need or watts? is 216 watts ok or more?

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:43:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

The old rule of thumb X watts of light per gallon was used for quite some time, but unfortunately it doesn't really apply well to a tank. For example if you have 150 watts of metal halide lighting and compared that to 150 watts of power compact lighting over the same area, the 150 watts of metal halide would provide a higher PAR value for the tank (intensity). Also different corals will require different amounts of light, so to say I have X amount of light over my tank, is it enough, can't truly be answered.

What size tank do you have? What type of lighting are you using? What types of corals do you want to keep in the tank?

Metal halide lighting will give you the best intensity of lighting over your tank. T5 flourescent lights will be the next best type of intense lighting followed by Power Compact and VHO. But again you can't compare watt per watt of lighting between them because they will put out different PAR values at the same wattages.

I would suggest sending an email to customercare@marinedepot.com or post the question on the Marine Depot Forums (www.marinedepot.com/forums/) with answers to the above three questions and we will be able to provide a better answer for you as to whether or not your lighting is sufficient.

Also here are a couple of articles on lighting that might help out some:

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10202&cNode=4O3V2M

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10203&cNode=4O3V2M

http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10468&

hi i was wondering about my bubbe tip anemone it seems to do better when the lights in my tank are off when i turn my bright lights on it shrivls up into nothing is it dieing?

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:31:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

It is hard to say exactly what might be going on with your anemone. If you just purchased the anemone it simply may be getting use to its new environment. Many times they go through quite a bit of inadequate lighting before they get to our aquariums and it takes them some time to get back to normal.

Some anemones prefer less light while others prefer more light (even within the same species). You can try feeding it during the day time to see if it will take some food. As long as it is attached and it opening up for you more than likely it is ok and is simply acclimating to the new tank.

Here is an article on anemones that might help out some (http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10444&cNode=4O3V2M).

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

Do We have to seperate the male from the female tank?

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:24:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Unfortunately your question is a little vague to give a proper answer. Are you referring to a saltwater fish or a freshwater fish? What type of fish in particular are you asking about?

For the most part you can keep male and female fish in the same tank. There are a few exceptions such as betta fish. The male and female fish should only be brought together for breeding. Besides that they should not be housed in the same tank.

Feel free to send an email to customercare@marinedepot.com or you can also ask on the Marine Depot Forums () about a specific breed of fish.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

i have a 10g tank do i need a air filter

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 27 May 2008 22:37:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry,

For a 10 gallon tank you will need some type of filtration system. It can be a hang on the back power filter, a canister filter, an intenal power filter or an air driven filter system. The main goal is to have some type of filter system that will break down the fish waste in the tank. You can take a look at this article for more information on filter systems (http://kb.marinedepot.com/article.aspx?id=10475&cNode=4O3V2M).

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

i have a 10g tank do i need a air pump

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 27 May 2008 22:25:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Unfortunately without more information it is hard to give a yes or no answer to this. The short answer is no, but this is assuming you have a filter system that does not require an air pump to drive it.

If you have enough circulation in the tank (provided by a filter system) and the tank is not overcrowded and you are keeping up with your normal maintenance (water changes) then you would not need to have an air pump on the tank.

But air pumps can help add more oxygen to the water and create currents within the tank, so if the tank does not have much water movement provided by the filter an air pump can be benefical to the tank. Also the action of the bubbles floating to the surface and be very relaxing and add action to the tank.

Hopefully that helps answer you question. If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

hi i was wondering if i could add more coaral to my 24 gallon reef tank i got one maroon clown one yellow wrash and sea horse for fish for coarals i got three dirrernt kinds of mushrooms one blue sea fan one daisy coaral one hammer coarl and a kenya tree have had it all for a couple of monthes and was wondering if ican put more maybe a small clam will a clam survive with out halide lighting?

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 27 May 2008 22:21:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

As long as there is space (including space for growth) you should be able to add more corals to your tank. There are lots of different possiblities, but you will want to make sure they are corals that need low to moderate lighting. Corals that need more intense lighting will not do well under lighting that is not provided by metal halide lighting.

You don't mention what type of lighting you have so it is fairly hard to say 100% if a clam will do well or not, but most people feel that clams do best under intense lighting that would be provided by metal halide lighting. I would suggest not going with a clam at this time in your tank.

I would also just like to note that it is generally not recommended to keep seahorses with fish that can be aggressive or that are fast swimmers. Both the maroon clown and yellow wrasse can become aggressive and are very fast swimmers and many times will out compete the sea horse for food. Sea horses generally do best in a species tank (i.e. a tank with just them).

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

Hi, i am interested in buying the medium octopus, Item Code: ML0616180-02 and wanted to know if you guys knew what species of octopus this is and also if it would be at all possible to get a picture of the actual item. If you cannot get a picture i would greatly appreciate a description so i can identify it myself, such as the size, if it has eyespots (blue circles) on its sides, diurnal or nocturnal, etc.Thanks.

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 27 May 2008 08:49:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

For all questions regarding livestock availability, sizes or other questions on a specific item for sale on www.marinedepotlive.com you will want to contact Marine Depot Live directly. You can reach them via email at customercare@marinedepotlive.com or via phone at 1-714-935-9607 Monday thru Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Pacfic Time.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

Hi, Yesterday I received a yellow toadstool leather, that was shipped overnight. I acclamated it , put it at the bottom of a 76gal tank on the sand.It soon bent over to where the crown is touching the sand. Its about half way open Should I move to the rocks to try to wedge it to were it is standing straight up ? Or should I just wait a while ?I have two 250 watt metak halide bulbs. I curently have 2 toadstools 1 high up and 1 in the middle of the tank, both are doing good. I heard that the yello

Keith MacNeil — Tue, 27 May 2008 01:30:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

Yellow leathers can be a little more sensitive than your standard leather corals. As long as it is not falling apart or turning black you should be ok. Keeping it lower in the tank at first and slowly moving it upwards in the tank will be beneficial to the coral allowing it to adjust to the new lighting. Touching the sand should not be an issue.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

hello i have got whit spots floating on top of my water in my 24 gallon reef tank they wont filter out what could this be from ?

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 22 May 2008 01:37:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

It is hard to say exactly what the white spots are, but more than likely they are a combinations of dust, oils (from fish food possibly), powder from a supplement or additive or other undissolvable product that has been added to the tank.

It can be fairly common to get a film build up on the surface of the water (many things can be hydrophobic or "fear of water" that causes them to build up on the surface). Protein skimmers work on the principle that dissolved organics are hydrophobic and will adhere to the bubbles and be removed from the water.

Adding surface movment to help break this up or using a fine meshed net to scoop it out generally will help get rid of it.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

Replied question:

thanks this film or dust wont hurt any of my coarals or fish in my tank will it ?

Response:

No it will not be harmful. It may b

I have a 30g tank with a 9 yr old powder blue, a 2 yr old choc chip star and a yellow angel. The angel has lost color on his face and to of his back. It is now moving to part of his top fin and it looks as though it will creat a hole in the fin soon. There are no spots- it looks as though the top layer of color has been scraped off. I can not find out if it is fungal or bacterial. I have not had to medicate the tank in many many years. What should I use and will it hurt the starfish??

Keith MacNeil — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:37:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

It sounds like your fish is suffering from Head and Lateral line Errosion (HLLE). This is generally caused by a combination of a few issues. First is stress, second is water quality and third is diet.

I am not sure when you say yellow angel if you are referring to a dwarf yellow angel (Centropyge heraldi) or one of the other type of angels commonly called yellow angel in the family Pomacanthus or other non-dwarf angel.

If the yellow angel is not a dwarf species and it is being housed in a 30 gallon tank with a poweder blue tang, your tank is overcrowded. Both of these fish require a much larger tank and keeping them in a smaller tank will cause stress on the fish. Also being in that small of a tank you can run into water quality issues which may be the second factor causing this problem.

You didn't mention what you were feeding the fish, so I can't be sure if the diet is playing a role in this also.

I would suggest checking out the Disease, Health and Wellness section of the Marine Depot Forums for more assistance in what to do to help your fish. Specifically you can view the Species Specific section.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

I have a 30 gallon salt water tank setup, all fish. I have a marineland ellipse 2 filteration system which is within the hood. I was told I should get a protein skimmer, is there one that would be recom. for this tank size?tHANKS,DAVE

Keith MacNeil — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:26:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hi Dave,

Thank you for your inquiry. Unfortunately with the Eclipse systems by Marineland there is no way to put a skimmer on the tank without major modifications. You will have to cut away at the hood to allow a skimmer to be hung on the tank.

I have linked a few skimmers below that would work on your system, but again you will need to make major modifications to the hood for it to work:

AquaC Remora

CPR BakPak

Tunze Nano DOC

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

I got home last night and ALL my fish were dead, except my starfish, cleaner shrimp and crabs, even all the snails were dead. I checked my nitrates, nitrites, ammonia,a ndph levels and they were perfect. what could have caused this?

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 15 May 2008 01:04:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

This is hard one to say exactly what caused the death of the fish and snails but did no harm to the other inhabitants of the tank. We can probably rule out some type of chemical posioning as this would have killed everything in the tank.

Without knowing more details about the tank (size, what was in it, filtration, how long it has been set up, etc...) I would just be guessing at this point. It would seem to me that either some type of pathogen killed the fish (did you recently introduce any new fish?) or the oxygen levels in the tank dropped suffocating the fish. Whey the crabs, starfish and cleaner shrimp survived I am unsure.

You may want to post as much information as you can think of about your tank and its inhabitants on the Marine Depot forums along with a few pictures if possible to try to get some feedback on what might have happened.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

how much carbon should i use for my 35g reef tank??

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 15 May 2008 00:58:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

While it can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer generally using around 250 ml (~1/2 cup) per 50 gallons is usually a good amount (for freshwater or saltwater aquariums). You can not over use carbon, so if you put in some extra that is not any problem.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

how can i tell if my hammer coral is healthy it is my first coral it moves every no and then

Keith MacNeil — Thu, 15 May 2008 00:53:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

There can be many signs of a healthy hammer coral and also a sick hammer coral. Generally healthy ones will have good polyp extension during the day through out the colony and will normally pulled them in during the night. The whole colony should be opening up, if you have an area that never opens up it may have some health issues.

The color of the coral should also be a brown, green or purplish color. If it is white that is a sign it may have bleached. Sometimes they will recover from bleaching, but not always.

If you haven't already I would suggest picking up a few good coral books that will help you identify healthy and sick corals. I have linked a few good options below for you:

Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman

Reef Aquarium Vol 1, Vol 2 and Vol 3 by J. Sprung and C. Delbeek.

Hopefully that helps out some with your inquiry. If there is anything else we can do for you ple

hello i need to know how much of this chemicals i should add to my 24 gallon reef tank. Iam adding one every night of these chemicals. kent marine strontium&molybdenum, kent marine concentrated iodine, kent marine essential elements, kent marine coral-vite, kent marine ionically balanced magnesium. Is there such thing as to much of these chemicals.

Keith MacNeil — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:13:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

A lot of how much to dose will depend on your tank. For example if you have a very lightly stocked reef tank (new tank, not to many corals, fish or other invertebrates) then the demand for trace elements along with major and minor elements will be less than in an established reef tank that is full of corals, fish and other invertebrates.

For items such as strontium, magnesium, calcium and alkalinity you should be testing your levels and adjust them according to the demand of the tank. Start by testing what the current levels are at and if they need to be increased dose about 1/2 the recommended dosage. Test the next day to see where the levels are at and dose again if they still need to be raised. If the level has not changed at all you can increase the amount you dose. Do not go over the manufacturers recommened dosage unless they state it is ok to do. But the main key is testing to make sure you are not overdosing the tank with those elements.

For food additives for filter feeders (like the coral-vite for example) I generally recommend using about 1/4 the recommended dosage for a lightly stocked tank and go up from there depending on how stocked the tank is. Monitor you water quality (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phosphates) to make sure those levels aren't increasing from overfeeding. Normally feeding once or twice a week is plenty for these additives.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know.

Keith M.
Marine Depot Customer Service
www.marinedepot.com
www.marinedepot.com/forums/
1-714-385-0080

I have a branch coral (I think it is a branch, it has thick skin like a leather but branched out like a maple tree) in my 250 gal reef acquarium at work. I have checked all my water paramteters. My alakalinity is 3. All other parameters are good. My branch coral in not doing well. No longer standing up, tipped over. I have moved it to different locations, Is not doing any better after 4 weeks. I used to have a service take care of my tank, but he was charging too much so I had to give him up

Keith MacNeil — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:37:00 GMT

Abstract:

Hello and thank you for your inquiry.

It is hard to say exactly might be going on but I can go over a few possibilities along with linking a few articles that might help out some.

It sounds like you have a leather coral of some type currently in the tank that is causing you some problems. These corals will sometimes "shut down" for a week or two while they sloth off a waxy coating. It is possible that your coral start doing this and now that you have been moving it around the tank it is having a hard time adapting to this. You should try to touch corals as little as possible as the touching can irritate them and cause them to not open. Giving the coral good water movement should help some especially if it is having hard time slothing off the coating.

I am not sure which water parameter you checked but here are some recommened readings you should have: Ammonia and Nitrite at zero; nitrate and phosphate as close to zero as possible; calcium around 380-450 ppm; alkalinity 8-12 dKH; salt level between 1.025-1.026; temperature stable around 78-80 degrees F; and pH between 8.0-8.4. If you levels are off from these you should make corrections to get them where they should be.

Have you been keeping up with water changes on the tank? It is possible the water quality has slipped some if the maintenance person was doing them more often than what is occuring now. Here is an article about water changes and maintenance that might help some: General Maintenance.

If all the other corals in the tank are acting normal, more than likely it is not a water quality issue and just an issue with that coral. Sometimes (as mentioned earlier) it is just part of their growing procedures, sometimes it can be from chemical warfare from another coral near by or sometimes a new fish added to the tank that decided it likes to nip at the cora

General Aquarium Maintenance by Keith MacNeil, a Marine Depot Staff Member

Dot Yuson — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:20:00 GMT

Abstract:

Once your saltwater aquarium has fully cycled, it is vitally important to setup a maintenance schedule and routine to help maintain a stable environment within your tank. Regular maintenance includes water changes, water testing, algae scrubbing and dosing additives and/or supplements. In this article, you will learn how often to perform these maintenance chores for a saltwater/reef aquarium and get tips and product recommendations to help you along the way. Let’s begin with a list of common items used for normal aquarium maintenance (such as a water change). There may be some items here you don’t need, but generally speaking, these are the tools most hobbyists use to maintain their aquariums: Siphon tubing with gravel cleaner (Python, Hagen and Eheim) Algae magnet (great for every day cleaning; leave right in the tank!) Algae pad (for reaching areas the algae magnet can't) Algae scraper (cuts right through hard algae growths, like coralline algae; a must have tool for your tank) Gloves (to protect yourself and your tank from contamination) A I have red algae growing over the sand in my tank, how do I get rid of it?Also, I have green algae growing over the live rock in my tank as well. It looks almost like moss growing on trees looks, how do I get rid of that too? Keith MacNeil — Fri, 02 May 2008 01:14:00 GMT Abstract: Hello and thank you for your inquiry. The red algae sounds like what is referred to as red slime or cyanobacteria. If it is just on the sand it can be fairly easy to remove with a siphon. But you will want to figure out why it is growing along with the green algae on your rocks which is more than likely hair algae. Algae will grow in every tank, but the amount that grows will depend on a few different factors. Lighting and nutrients are the two biggest factors. The more light the tank gets, the more the algae will be able to grow. In a reef tank where corals need the light to live turning them off is not an option. But for a fish only system this can be done. Next is the issue of nutrients. Algae will feed off the byproduct of breaking down fish waste and also sometimes found in tap water. These are mainly nitrates and phosphates. You will want to make sure your nitrate and phosphate levels within the tank are kept as close to zero as possible. Lastly the flow within the tank can make a difference on the algae grows. Generally speaking cyanobacteria and other algae's prefer to grow in lower flow areas. So if you do not have good flow within the aquarium I would suggest increasing the flow by using an extra powerhead or two. Here are a couple of tips in helping to keep the tank algae free: 1) Decrease the photo period to 3-4 hours per day for the next few weeks. If your bulbs are over 9-12 months old change them out. 2) Decrease your feedings to help lessen nitrate and phosphate input into the system. Also if you are feeding frozen foods, do not put the frozen food directly in the tank. Put it in a net and run it under tap water to thaw and rinse it before adding it to the tank. 3) Increase flow within the tank and try to get a little more random flow. You might consider some Keith M. Marine Depot Customer Service www.marinedepot.com www.marinedepot.com/forums/ 1-714-385-0080 I am putting a 30 gallon reef with a 20 sump/refuge (about 1/2 will be water). I will have a protein skimmer.I am looking for a main display fish for this system. I would like for it to be fairly active and swim in the upper 2/3 to 1/2 of the display area.Suggestions? Keith MacNeil — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 23:11:00 GMT Abstract: Hello and thank you for your inquiry. This is a fairly tricky question as everyone seems to have different opinions on what is the best fish for their set up in regards to looks and activity. A 30 gallon tank will be limiting on getting larger fish such as a tang, but there are still many different fish that should work well. I would suggest looking at possibly a dwarf angel fish as one possibility. There are many different ones that would work out fairly well such as a Flame Angel, Atlantic Pygmy Angel or a Coral Beauty Angel. You could also look at getting a pair of clownfish (anemone fish). There are many different types available such as True Percula, False Percula (Ocellaris) or Pink Skunk Clowns. Another few possibilities might be a
1. To help support your hobby spending. This hobby can take quite a bit of money even for a nano tank. By propagating corals and selling or trading them to other hobbyists or pet stores you can help offset some of the money you spend on your tank. 2. To help save the reefs from over collection. While this topic is somewhat controversial (some say the hobby does very little damage compared to other outside factors such as farming fertilizer runoff, dredging, tourism, etc… while others say the hobby is responsible for lots of damage) it is nice to be able to minimize any damage to reefs in the wild. 3. For healthier specimens. Tank raised/propagated corals generally are much hardier than any coral taken from the wild. These propagated corals have already adapted to artificial light and generally do not have to deal with shipping stress (if dealing with local hobbyists).
4. Help sustain the hobby for years to come. Some studies have shown many reefs may die over the next 50 years due to global warming, the rising temperatures of the oceans and ocean acidification. If these reports hold true the corals we are propagating and keeping in our tanks may someday be the only corals left. By propagating corals we will be able sustain the hobby along with the possiblity one day reseeding the oceans with corals. 5. For education purposes. There have been numerous schools across the country that have started to include coral propagation in their science classes. This is a great way to help kids and adults learn and become educated about corals, aquariums and even the plight of coral reefs in our oceans. 6. For the health of your reef tanks how many pounds of sand do i need to place in a 55 gallon tank? Keith MacNeil — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:03:00 GMT Abstract: Hello and thank you for your inquiry. The amount of sand will depend on what you are trying to accomplish. If you are simply looking to put some substrate on the bottom of the tank, then you would only need about a 1-2" thick sand bed. If you are looking to set up a deed sand bed (DSB), then you would need a sand bed about 4-6" deep. To create a 1-2" thick sand bed in a standard 55 gallon tank (48x13) you would need 30-60 pounds of sand. To create a 4-6" deep sand bed you would need between 130-200 pounds of sand. If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know. Keith M. Marine Depot Customer Service www.marinedepot.com www.marinedepot.com/forums/ 1-714-385-0080 Hi Keith,Well I got the R.O. system, I like it , but looks like my water pressure is a little low about 45. Makes about 7 x of waste water per 1 gal of good water. What booster pump do you recomend.Thanks Again, Bill Keith MacNeil — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:04:00 GMT Abstract: Hi Bill, Thanks for your inquiry. Make sure you let the system run for a few weeks before purchasing the booster pump. Some times the RO membrane needs some time to start producing the proper ratio of waste water to product water. If after a few weeks the ratio is still at 7:1, then a booster pump will probably be your best bet. The SpectraPure Booster pump is probably going to be your best option: http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~YSP5313.html If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know. Keith M. Marine Depot Customer Service www.marinedepot.com www.marinedepot.com/forums/ 1-714-385-0080 What salinity do you keep your fish, inverts, and corals in. Do you copper at all in any of your systems? Does any of your live stock come from suppliers that have kept the animals in lower salinity? Keith MacNeil — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:56:00 GMT Abstract: Hello and thank you for your inquiry. Due to the amount of questions we receive daily, we thought we would offer some insight on how our livestock is handled at our facility. Upon receipt, our animals are inspected, slowly acclimated to RO/DI water and Tropic Marin synthetic salt mix and then quarantined. After this procedure, if any fish are showing signs of illness or problems, they are relocated to “hospital” tanks for further treatment while the healthy fish are transferred to our main systems. Handling is kept to a minimum with the use of acrylic containers, as opposed to nets, for the majority of the livestock. The fish are kept in several separate systems that rely on UV sterilization, huge skimmers, and a large filtration system incorporating a bank of filter socks. Each system is closely monitored 24 hours a day. Salinity is kept at around 1.024 and copper is used very lightly depending on the animals in the system. Of course systems with corals and invertebrates are kept at higher salinity and copper is not used. Due to this procedure, you should avoid adding the water your order arrives in to your reef tank and each bag should be acclimated separately using the drip method. This is especially true if you receive corals, invertebrates and fish in one shipment. When acclimating fish and corals ensure not to combine the water from one specimen to another, meaning that fish with fish are okay, but fish with corals or inverts is not. Please see our Acclimation Procedur I have a 150G reef tank and I am using a multi-purpose plastic storage container made by Sterlite as the resvoir for my R/O auto top off. Ive heard that some plastic containers can leech toxins into the water and eventually poison the livestock in the tank. (one forum even suggested that only Rubbermaid Brute containers should be used. Not sure why.) I wanted to get your take on this as I am planning to set up a refugium using a similar container. Thanks in advance. Keith MacNeil — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:02:00 GMT Abstract: Hello and thank you for your inquiry. There are many different types of plastic storage containers on the market today made by many different manufacturers. We as hobbyists will take a product that is not designed for our aquariums and adapt them to work. Such is the case with many of the plastic storage containers and garbage cans. I have seen many threads and such on the hazards of toxins leaching out of certain types of plastic containers but unfortunately I don't have a list of ones that may leach toxins and ones that don't leach toxins. I do know the Rubbermaid Heavy Duty Brute Garbage Cans (the ones that are gray and normally found at hardware stores) tend to be one the favorites of hobbyist including myself. If I am using any container to hold water for long periods of time (for example holding RO/DI water) I will only use a container that I know will not leach any toxins into the water (the Brute containers are my choice). I would suggest contacting the manufacturer and ask them if they have done any testing on their products for leaching any chemical or ask them if it is food safe. I apologize I couldn't give you a more direct type answer, but unfortunately there are so many different types of containers out there it is hard to say this one is safe and this one is not. If there is anything else we can do for you please let me know. Keith M. Marine Depot Customer Service www.marinedepot.com www.marinedepot.com/forums/ 1-714-385-0080 hi i wan wondering about my bubble tip anemone. why do his tentacles turn dark in couler. Keith MacNeil — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:53:00 GMT Abstract: Hello and thank you for your inquiry. Anemones will show different colors depending on the lighting they are under and the water conditions. If this is a newly aquired specimen it simply may be getting use to the new lights and water condition in your tank. They will also show different colors depending on how expanded they tentacles are. Normally when the tentacles are shorter (not expanded out) the pigment in their tissue (zooxanthellae) will be more concentrated and will make them look darker. When their tentacles are expanded out the zooxanthellae will not be as concentrated in one area making them look lighter in color. Hopefully that helps out with your questions. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you. Keith M. Marine Depot Customer Service www.marinedepot.com www.marinedepot.com/forums/ 1-714-385-0080 will API-liquid Fungus care take care of my fin rot effectively Keith MacNeil — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:06:00 GMT Abstract: Hello and thank you for your inquiry. Many times fin rot is a bacterial infection and not a fungal infection but if the infection goes untreated you can also start to see fungal infections occuring on the damaged fins. I would suggest looking for a bacterial treatment instead of a fungal medication. You didn't mention if your tank was a freshwater or saltwater aquarium. You will want to make sure you find a medication suitable for the type of tank you have. For example the API Liquid Fungus is for freshwater tanks only. I have listed some medication below that will help with fin rot: API MelaFix Furan 2 Triple Sulfa If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know. Keith M. Marine Depot Customer Service www.marinedepot.com www.marinedepot.com/forums/ 1-714-385-0080 Hello,I am setting up a 220 gallon reef tank with the main show tank on the main level of the house and the refugium, filter, skimmer, etc. in the basement. The distance from the basement to the top of the tank is 14 feet. I need assistance in ing the proper equipment to set up this tank, including pumps, lighting, skimmers, etc. Do you have anyone that can help me with this?Ken Keith MacNeil — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:15:00 GMT Abstract: Hi Ken, Thank you for your inquiry. There are lot of different ways to go about setting up the tank along with many different options to choose from. It sounds like you have done a lot of the research already and at this point are looking for recommendations for actual equipment. For a return pump, I would suggest looking at the Squence line of pumps. These pumps are very high quality, run fairly quiet and are energy efficient. There are many different ones to choose from depending on the flowrate you are trying to accomplish in the tank (i.e. what your overflow can handle). You could also look at the Iwaki, Pan World and Dolphin line of pumps for more high quality pumps. For lighting it will depend on what type of corals you want to keep, whether you want a retro fit system (to mount inside a canopy) or a complete lighting fixture (all-in-one type system) or individual pendants. Also we would need to know the dimensions of the tank to help recommend the best possible lighting system. There are many different types of skimmers available for you. I would recommend looking at the AquaC EV series of skimmers, ASM skimmer Hey i have a 20g tank im runing a cpr.skimer,50/50 96wats coralife light i have corals and only two damsels 1 fire shimp i have tested my water and my nitro,amonia,ph is good but for some reason my tank started showing red slime i try the remover and also some fosfate pellets and i still have the ploblem what can i do about this ploblem i also do a water change ones a week i use r/o water and reefcristal salt please let me know what can i do or i should do thanks...... I also run a filter with a Keith MacNeil — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:13:00 GMT Abstract: Hello and thank you for your inquiry. Red slime or cyanobacteria normally will occur in tanks that have one or all of the following conditions, 1) not enough water movement, 2) high phosphate and/or nitrates (normally caused by overfeeding, overstocking and/or not enough maintenance) and 3) old bulbs. There are a few ways to start getting rid of the cyanobacteria. First is to increase the flow in the tank. Generally cyanobacteria does not do well in tanks with higher flow rates. Second is to siphon out as much of the cyanobacteria when you do your water changes. By removing it from the tank it can help slow down the growth. Third is to make sure you are not overfeeding or the tank is not overstocked. Even if your readings are showing zero for nitrates and phosphates this can be due to the fact that the red slime (and other algae) are utilizing these nutrients keeping the apparent levels low. The use of a phosphate remover (like RowaPhos or Phosban) can also help out quite a bit. And fourth, if your bulbs are over 9-12 months old I would suggest replacing them. As bulbs get used their spectrum tends to shift towards the red spectrum which can cause problematic algaes to grow faster. This shift usually is not noticable to our eyes as it is very gradual, but once you put in new bulbs you can see the difference fairly clearly. You also did not mention how old the tank is. It is fairly normal for a tank to go through a cycle of red slime (cyanobacteria) within its first 6-12 months of age, so it may not be anything you are doing that is causing the red slime it is simply the normal progression of the tank. Finally you can also check out www.marinedepot.com/forums/ and put in the word red slime or cyanobacteria in the search field and you will see many different discussions on this topic along with solutions What do snail eggs look like? Are they supposed to be out of the water? Keith MacNeil — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:56:00 GMT Abstract: Hello and thank you for your inquiry. Snail eggs will look different from one type of snail to another. Most of the time they will look like small white or clear balls that are interconnected. Some snails will lay their eggs out of the water (especially a few freshwater types), but many will lay them underwater. If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know. Keith M. Marine Depot Customer Service www.marinedepot.com www.marinedepot.com/forums/ 1-714-385-0080 my salt water aquarium are ready , how many fish can i introduce on the same time? i do FOLR Keith MacNeil — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:20:00 GMT Abstract: Hello and thank you for your inquiry. Without knowing what size tank you have and what type of fish you want to add it is hard to give a number of fish to add to your tank. As a general rule it is better to add very slowly to the tank rather than trying to put in the maximum number of fish at once. The size of the fish will also make a difference on how many to add. For example if you were talking about adding a pair of clownfish, a goby and a blenny to a tank these are all fairly small fish and will not have as great of an impact on the tank as say adding a large trigger fish, angel fish or grouper. Again without know the size of the tank and the type of fish you want to add, the best advice I can give is to start with one or two hardy fish and then wait 3-4 weeks before adding any more. Test daily for the first week or two after adding the new fish to make sure the water parameters stay where they are suppose to be. Here is also a few articles about stocking a tank that might help: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 and Closing. This talks about stocking a reef tank, but most of the same principles will hold true for a FOWLR tank. Hopefully that helps with your question. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you. Keith M. Marine Depot Customer Service

Marine Depot Education Center - Knowledgebase

Hi, I am looking at getting my refugium started and I was wondering if a combination of mud and live sand would be ideal for a bedding of 4". Or if I would be better of with only sand or mud.

Hi, I have a 150 gal aquarium and I just converted my berlin 45 sump into a refugium by using the center compartment as a refugium area. My question is do I need to use mud or is a bedding of live sand sufficent for my plants?

I have a 125 gal fowlr tank. I really want and eel and was wondering if my smallest fish is 2 Picasso Clown fish if a wolf eel would be good or do you have any other recomindations?

I am starting a marine tank and I would like to know if there is any such thing as having too strong of a current in the tank. I know that with coral you need a strong flow of water but what about both reef and fish?

Hello, I recently purchased a 20 gallon tank. I have had community fish in the past, such as angels, barbs,clownloaches, discus and blue-shark cats ,I had very poor success,my ? is can i mix cichlids with community fish, I prefer cichlids.

i have a 35 gal fresh water tank .one 6 inch tiger sickled ,and very green water. have changed half the water and then all water two days green again help

I would like to know if a starry blenny and pearly jawfish will get along? I would also like to know if you can safely put black and wh. ocillarus clowns with pink skunk clownfish? Can a starry blenny survive without live rock if you use algae sheets etc?

MACNA 2008 Preview

can u explain how the calcium test works

Do you have gift certificates or credits.

What is considered the proper salinity level for a swim and or reef tank. If you lower it by adding fresh water can it hurt the fish?

Proper Acclimation Procedures by Keith MacNeil, a Marine Depot Staff Member

Keeping your tank cool by Keith MacNeil, a Marine Depot Staff Member

For a reef tank how much light i need or watts? is 216 watts ok or more?

hi i was wondering about my bubbe tip anemone it seems to do better when the lights in my tank are off when i turn my bright lights on it shrivls up into nothing is it dieing?

Do We have to seperate the male from the female tank?

i have a 10g tank do i need a air filter

i have a 10g tank do i need a air pump

hello i have got whit spots floating on top of my water in my 24 gallon reef tank they wont filter out what could this be from ?

I have a 30 gallon salt water tank setup, all fish. I have a marineland ellipse 2 filteration system which is within the hood. I was told I should get a protein skimmer, is there one that would be recom. for this tank size?tHANKS,DAVE

I got home last night and ALL my fish were dead, except my starfish, cleaner shrimp and crabs, even all the snails were dead. I checked my nitrates, nitrites, ammonia,a ndph levels and they were perfect. what could have caused this?

how much carbon should i use for my 35g reef tank??

how can i tell if my hammer coral is healthy it is my first coral it moves every no and then

General Aquarium Maintenance by Keith MacNeil, a Marine Depot Staff Member

I have red algae growing over the sand in my tank, how do I get rid of it?Also, I have green algae growing over the live rock in my tank as well. It looks almost like moss growing on trees looks, how do I get rid of that too?

I am putting a 30 gallon reef with a 20 sump/refuge (about 1/2 will be water). I will have a protein skimmer.I am looking for a main display fish for this system. I would like for it to be fairly active and swim in the upper 2/3 to 1/2 of the display area.Suggestions?

how many pounds of sand do i need to place in a 55 gallon tank?

Hi Keith,Well I got the R.O. system, I like it , but looks like my water pressure is a little low about 45. Makes about 7 x of waste water per 1 gal of good water. What booster pump do you recomend.Thanks Again, Bill

What salinity do you keep your fish, inverts, and corals in. Do you copper at all in any of your systems? Does any of your live stock come from suppliers that have kept the animals in lower salinity?

hi i wan wondering about my bubble tip anemone. why do his tentacles turn dark in couler.

will API-liquid Fungus care take care of my fin rot effectively

What do snail eggs look like? Are they supposed to be out of the water?

my salt water aquarium are ready , how many fish can i introduce on the same time? i do FOLR