| The aquarist running a fish only aquarium has gained a | | | | to create the 'dusk/dawn' effect, but they assist the |
| great deal of valuable knowledge about husbandry. | | | | corals as their light spectrum suits the zooanthellae |
| He/she has also been able to keep fish that the reef | | | | algae in the coral tissues. |
| aquarist cannot. These fish are considered as not | | | | Hard corals normally require halide bulb lighting of the |
| 'reef friendly.' | | | | appropriate power for the depth of the aquarium |
| This is the first consideration before any move is | | | | (they come in 150, 250, 400 watts etc). If the |
| made towards a reef aquarium. The aquarist will | | | | aquarium is very shallow, 153 or less, then T5 tubes |
| know the fish being kept - are they reef friendly? If | | | | as described in the previous paragraph may do, but |
| there is any doubt then research is needed. Chances | | | | the hard corals may need placement towards the top |
| should not be taken. If the aquarist cannot bear to | | | | of the reef. Halide bulb(s) are really the way to go |
| part with any fish then either the aspiration for a | | | | with these corals. For a 3 ft aquarium one bulb will |
| reef aquarium should go, or a reef aquarium should | | | | suffice, for a 6 ft two, and so on. Use bulbs of a 10 |
| be set up separately. | | | | Kelvin to 14 Kelvin spectrum. Select the correct |
| Let's assume the aquarist has all reef friendly fish. | | | | power bulb(s) to suit the depth of the aquarium. Also |
| There will be further consideration of these fish later. | | | | use one, or preferably two, T5 actinic blue |
| In the fish only aquarium seawater quality is | | | | fluorescent tubes as described above. Also use |
| important. In the reef aquarium, seawater quality is | | | | electric timers to switch the tubes and halide bulb(s) |
| very important. For the reef nitrate needs to be 10 | | | | on and off also as described above. |
| parts per million (ppm) or less, and phosphate | | | | In the soft coral reef water movement should be |
| 0.03ppm or less. Of course, ammonia and nitrite | | | | chaotic and non-directional as far as possible. As a |
| should be undetectable. If the fish only seawater is | | | | very general guideline, powerheads can be successful |
| to these standards (unlikely perhaps) then the | | | | and should have the ability to move the display |
| aquarist can maintain the reef. If not, then increases | | | | aquarium water about ten times per hour. |
| in amounts or regularity of routine water changes | | | | In a hard coral reef, water movement needs to be |
| may need to be considered, and the filtration method | | | | stronger, and the ability of the power heads needs |
| also. | | | | increasing to move the display aquarium water at |
| The recommended filtration method for a reef | | | | around twenty times per hour. |
| aquarium is live rock. This should be applied at around | | | | Never allow the outlet of a powerhead to hit a |
| 1 and 1/2 lbs per gallon in the system. This live rock | | | | close-by coral. |
| can be purchased as 'base' rock and surface | | | | Water movement can be created by wide or narrow |
| 'premium' rock, which doesn't hit the pocket quite as | | | | outlet power heads, and the aquarist should research |
| hard. If the fish only system was filtered by a 'wet | | | | this. |
| dry' method, or by canister filters, then consideration | | | | Another consideration for a hard coral reef is the |
| should be given to changing. Filtration can be by | | | | availability of calcium. On a large aquarium it is best to |
| these methods, but it not as reef effective, and it is | | | | consider a so called calcium reactor, which will |
| probable that nitrate and phosphate will rear their | | | | constantly supply calcium to the reef (hard corals in |
| unwanted heads, causing the aquarist to require | | | | numbers place a considerable demand). This is done |
| additional equipment to deal with the pollutants. Many | | | | by using a dissolving media within the calcium reactor, |
| fish only systems are filtered with live rock. In this | | | | which will also supply some other trace elements. |
| case, is there enough? | | | | With a small aquarium, calcium can be added by using |
| Looking toward water quality, is a sump in use? This | | | | supplements in careful doses strictly according to the |
| is not an inescapable requirement, but is a great | | | | manufacturer's recommendations. |
| move toward maintaining high water quality when a | | | | The aquarist will already have test kits, probably for |
| deep sand bed (DSB) is employed, and also perhaps | | | | pH, nitrate, nitrite and ammonia. These are fine for |
| algae filtration (Caulerpa). If a sump is not in use, | | | | the reef system. However, attention has also to be |
| consider using one. Have the aquarium drilled for the | | | | paid to alkalinity, calcium, magnesium and phosphate. |
| overflows to feed the sump, and obtain a return | | | | Now to the fish again. The fish held are all reef |
| pump that will move the system gallonage through | | | | friendly. There is one more consideration, and it might |
| the sump around three times an hour. | | | | be painful. This again involves the high water quality |
| No doubt the aquarist has a good idea of what type | | | | that is so important. The reef aquarium cannot |
| of corals are to be kept, soft or hard. At this point, | | | | support the same number of fish, gallon for gallon, as |
| lighting needs consideration. With the fish only | | | | the fish only system can. The aquarist will know the |
| aquarium, perhaps two fluorescent tubes have been | | | | net gallonage of the system. This will support one |
| used. This is inadequate for any common coral type. | | | | inch of fish (excluding the tail) for each 6 gallons of |
| Soft corals can use fluorescent tubes. The best | | | | seawater. If the fish already stocked present an |
| practice is to fit as many tubes down the length of | | | | excessive load, the aquarist will have to choose |
| the aquarium as possible, ensuring they are fitted | | | | which to keep and which to let go. Not much fun, but |
| with reflectors. The tubes should consist of at least | | | | necessary. The aquarist who has now added a sump |
| two actinic blue tubes, and the rest should be marine | | | | may well think that it isn't necessary as the sump has |
| white, assuming a minimum of four tubes. The tubes | | | | added more gallons. There are more gallons, but |
| can be of the T5 type. The order of fitting should be | | | | these are not taken into consideration in the |
| blue, white, white, blue. Where there is space, an | | | | calculation, I'm afraid. The seawater in the sump is |
| equal number of blue and white should be fitted (ie. | | | | extra and aids water quality. It is the seawater in the |
| blue, white, blue, white, blue, white). The aquarist will | | | | display aquarium that is considered. |
| probably be using an electric timer for the lights on | | | | So there we are. The conversion is quite |
| the fish only system. An additional timer is required, | | | | straightforward with some research thrown in. |
| so that the blue tubes come on ½ hour | | | | There is much to recommend the fish only system, |
| before the whites, and go offa half hour after the | | | | with the beauty of the fish, and the fact that reef |
| whites. This gives a 'dusk/dawn' effect. The white | | | | unfriendly types, such as many butterfly fish, can be |
| tubes should be on between 9 and 12 hours per day. | | | | stocked. But is there anything that can rival a healthy |
| The blue tubes stay on all the time from switch on | | | | mixed reef system? |
| to switch off, this is because they are not just there | | | | |