Product Review

I ordered some live rock online

melev — Thu, 26 May 2022 23:25:00 +0000

I ordered some live rock online melev Fri, 05/27/2022 - 02:25

New aquarium set up: May 28, 2022

I've always preferred live rock when setting up an aquarium. When I bought used aquariums, careful consideration included what type of rock I was getting. It added to the price of the sale, but was totally worth it for me. Over the years, I acquired hundreds of pounds which are all in use in my current systems.

When it was time to set up a new aquarium, I wanted some live rock. I checked the local fish store near me but wasn't impressed with the choices, so I decided to shop at GulfLiveRock.com, a company out of Florida that sells live rock. They ship overnight too, so die-off is minimal.

They have a few package sizes, so I picked a smaller box because I wanted the look of the tank to be mostly open space with a little rock. They were kind enough to send me a picture of the rock they were prepared to ship, which I quickly agreed to.

The next day my box arrived, well packed. Each rock was wrapped in wet paper towels, and they revealed several types of sponges, macro algaes, feather dusters, and a couple of clams. (Unfortunately the clams didn't survive the cycling process, but the rest did.) I spotted three aiptasia, and a couple of other things I don't recognize.

Here are some pictures of the rock, so you can see what it looks like.

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Ecotech Marine Vortech Mp40w pump review

melev — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 18:48:52 +0000

Ecotech Marine Vortech Mp40w pump review melev Mon, 06/29/2020 - 21:48

To create flow in your tank with minimal visual distraction, the VorTech pump is a very nice option. The pump has a wet side that fits inside the tank and a dry side that aligns on the outside, and using magnets it drives the impeller right through the wall of the tank. I've been using the VorTech since January 2006, and liked it enough to get two more to replace my other pumps. I'm a huge fan of these pumps, and here's why:

The perk about this pump is its easy placement wherever you want it, but you'll have to use both hands to move both halves at once. There is no need to drill the tank for these pumps because they work on the front, sides, back or even possibly from underneath the tank (in a barebottom system). Adjust the flow from 500gph to 3000gph to match your system's needs. I've been running VorTech pumps on my reef tank for almost two years, and love how they take up very little space visually and physically, plus they use low voltage to create tons of flow. The wetside's intake grate has a solid section that can be oriented toward the sand if it is used near the substrate or toward the surface if used up high. This should decrease the likelyhood of sucking sand or air into the impellar section. The slots in the grated area are wide enough so that food doesn't get trapped against them nor can nuisance algae clog them up.

Due to their design, there are no powercords in the water, they don't add heat to the tank since the motor is external, and they have a very small footprint visually as they are about the size of a hockey puck (3" wide x 2.25" thick). The motor is the same size, hanging on the outside of the tank with the cord pointing upward. It comes with fasteners to secure the cord to the top rim of the tank, which is very important. If for some reason the two parts separate, you don't want it to do damage as it falls (and prevent damage to the pump as well!). When viewing the tank, it really isn't much of a distraction (eye sore); guests often ask about them. The flow is wide compared to most powerheads, and because it draws water into its sides there is a significant undertow that is easy to note during feedings or by observing how the sandbed shifts after a day or two.

Using the speed control on the driver, you can set the amount of flow that works best for your corals. Due to this ability, this pump can be used on a smaller tank and later moved to larger one when you upgrade systems. The only limitation appears to be that the tank walls cannot be more than 3/4" thick. At one MACNA, I've seen it used on a 29g with seahorses (a protective foam sleeve was on the wet side), and the flow was gentle yet discernable. For my reef, I have all three of mine running at about two-thirds their rated speed, or roughly 2000gph each.

Since the release of the Wireless Wave Drivers, it is now possible to have the pumps communicate with each other in several ways. Some have chosen to create a wave in their tanks, while others opt for a different flow. The WWD has four programmed settings: Constant, Pulse, Lagoon, or Reefcrest mode. In addition, you can set up each driver to be a master or a slave pump. The master can communicated wirelessly (as long as they are in line of sight) to multiple slave pumps. The slave pump can be set to Sync mode (so it copies the master) or Anti-sync mode (so it does the opposite of the master). On my tank, I've chosen to set all my pumps to master; two of them in Reefcrest mode and one in Lagoon mode. The pump's driver has been pre-programmed to ramp up or down (strongly in Reefcrest; gradually in Lagoon), and with all three in master mode, I feel like I'm getting the best random flow since each pump could be at any particular spike in their cycle around the clock. Here is an ~~8.5 meg video~~ with the return pump off. Here is a ~~17 meg video~~ with all the pumps on.

In addition, one of my pumps is hooked up to the IceCap Battery Backup. If there is a power outage, the battery will keep the pump running for 24 hours at 50% flow. I could hook up a second pump to the battery, but for half the time. The battery backup is different from a UPS because this battery hooks up directly to the pump's driver and provides the low voltage necessary to keep the pump on. A UPS uses its batteries to convert power back to AC, which would then send power to the VorTech's power supply which would convert it back to low (DC) voltage. Due to all the converting, a UPS is not an economical nor wise solution because it doesn't have nearly the run time that the Icecap BB does. For me, the importance of maintaining flow in my tank during a power outage made the choice of buying these pumps a simple one. Circulation is maintained until I can get back home to turn on the generator, and my reef remains safe.

Cleaning the wetside is easy. Take it out of the tank, and soak it in a container of vinegar and water. Place the wetside on the countertop rubber side down, and twist slightly to unlock the strainer basket. Clean everything with a toothbrush under running water, reassemble and reinstall. The motor never has to leave the tank and there is no risk of getting it wet. Align the two halves and turn it back on.

The pumps run quietly for me. Running them at their maximum flow, there is an audible sound to the motors, but for in-wall applications it won't be distracting. Those running the pumps in Pulse mode have noted that it makes more noise, but that is a trade-off for making waves in your tank. The magnet has a plastic coating since it is built into the wet side, and may need to be replaced annually ($15). The pumps come with a one year warranty and EcoTech Marine has been quick to resolve any issues I've had. These pumps (MP40-W) are an investment as they cost ~$420 each, but for what they do for my tank and my peace of mind, they are worth every penny. I'm very glad EcoTech Marine created these pumps!

Oct 31, 2007: Picture of my tank with three Vortech pumps (one on the right is obscured):

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Nero 5 Submersible Pump - Reviewed

melev — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 18:44:19 +0000

Nero 5 Submersible Pump - Reviewed melev Mon, 06/29/2020 - 21:44

When I first saw the Nero 5 pump at MACNA 2018, I was impressed. It's a very clean design with a low profile. A month later, I looked at one even more closely while at RAP California. And shortly after that, I got my hands on one to try out for myself.

This pump retails for $300 online, and is designed for aquariums with 1/2" thick glass or less. Two small magnets sandwich the glass, and the pump itself then affixes to a concave padded surface. You can angle the flow a few degrees to point the stream in the direction you'd like best. Its small driver is not much larger than a Bic lighter, and uses bluetooth with an app called MyAI to set up your desired flow patterns. Within a few minutes of installation, it can move up to 3000gph through the large puck-shaped cage. The single button on the controller can be manually clicked for specific needs if you don't want to open the app.

The pump motor comes apart easily for cleaning, and the propeller section pops out... you don't even see the magnets. The Nero 5 comes with a lengthy cord which will work for most aquarium applications. The power cord itself is thinner than airline tubing, which can be tethered to the tank for security if desired.

Two things I liked about this product besides the fact it runs silently: 1) Cleaning the glass around the pump couldn't be easier when you can simply lift it off the magnetic base, swipe the glass clean and then almost 'magically' affix it again. 2) You can use this pump to blow off the rockwork in your tank, kicking up detritus so the filtration can export it. That's such a nice solution, far easier than doing so with a turkey baster, right?

This pump uses up to 30w of power, moving a lot of water for very little expense. With four different flow patterns literally at your fingertips thanks to their app (iOS or Android), this pump should work with pretty much any choice of livestock you'd purchase.

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Ordering corals online?! Here's my experience

melev — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 14:36:40 +0000

Ordering corals online?! Here's my experience melev Fri, 11/17/2017 - 17:36

4/24/08: For years, I've heard from many of my online friends about the various corals they'd order online. I'd think about the money they spent on their exotic frags, and go about my business. To me, it is much more fun to go to the local fish store (LFS) and browse for the perfect new addition to my tank. I can study it closely, consider how it looks from all angles, and if I like it, buy it on the spot. Within the hour, it is acclimating in my quarantine tank, where it will be treated, dipped and later placed in my reef.

On Tuesday night t his week, I got an email from Zoanuts.com with their current specials. I get emails from a few different e-tailers but usually just look over the choices briefly and move on. However, this time I saw something I just couldn't pass up. Zoanuts was offering 20 Ricordia for $200. O-M-G, what a bargain! I've known Dustin (the owner of the company) for years, and in the past six months I've had the opportunity to see his corals in person at the Oklahoma City CRASE conference, the DFWMAS Next Wave Conference, and the recent Orange County MAX conference. Each time, I loved what I saw, but didn't pull the trigger. All those acans I could have purchased, all those SPS that beckoned to me... However, I digress. I immediately placed my online order, adding an Efflo frag that was also at a great price, and was quickly notified it would ship the next day. On Thursday morning at 9am, UPS was pounding on my door to let me know I had live corals waiting to get in.

The box was in perfect condition, facing right side up. I brought it inside and grabbed my camera for y'all.

I received the 20 Ricordia in 5 or 6 triple-bagged bags, and the efflo piece came in a much larger bag. To the touch the water in the bags felt like they were around 76F, which is perfectly acceptable. All were temperature acclimated by floating those bags in my sump.

The Efflo was placed in my quarantine tank to soak in Interceptor for 12 hours. After that, I'll dip it in ReVive for 5 minutes, then place it in my tank. I know the picture above is horrible, but the main reason for that would be the refugium lightbulb I have over that tank. Tiny green polyps appeared along the rim (inset), and the coral was sold as purple rimmed. I can't wait to see it under reef tank lighting. I'll add a new picture very soon.

The Ricordia were soaked in a bowl of tank water with two drops of Tropic Marine Iodine for 15 minutes, then glued to some rocks. Every ricordia came attached to some rubble, making the gluing process easy. They were then placed in my angled tank.

All these pictures were taken within 5 hours of their arrival. All 20 ricordia appear to be very happy, colorful, and now it is up to me to keep them healthy.

I had a great experience with my very first online coral purchase and wouldn't hesitate to do so again in the future with Zoanuts.com.

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Product Review: Reefbrite's Lumilite

melev — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 15:24:13 +0000

Product Review: Reefbrite's Lumilite melev Mon, 11/13/2017 - 18:24

I installed the Reefbrite Lumilite on my frag system's refugium a couple of months ago to see how it would do. Honestly, I had a feeling I'd need two of them to handle that area. Still, I had to test it out to see what it could do rather than supercharge my results. Water parameters on that system wander a bit because I don't watch it as closely as I do my reef, but despite that the macro algae has done quite well.

The Lumilite is a sealed LED fixture that comes with two adjustable legs. This size retails $60, and uses a small 24v power brick. Usually my sumps are 1" taller than the one I'm running now, and the salt spray has been a factor. I'd prefer that the light stay up a little higher to stay cleaner; I've had to wipe it down every couple of weeks to remove the salt accumulations, but that's super easy. I'd personally prefer it if it didn't get saltspray, that's all.

Growth has been excellent. And coralline has grown on neighboring areas, which isn't surprising. I'll have to put up a small foam shield to keep the light contained in the desired zone and shield the rest of the gear from the minor light wash they get. My skimmer has coralline growing on the side facing the refugium.

This LED light uses daylight spectrum which is not only my preference, but what is natural here on earth. According to my Kill-o-Watt, the Lumilite uses 12 watts of power.

This light has been running about 9 hours a day, cycling on and off via Apex programming.

This light fixture measures 15" long x 1.25" wide x .5" tall. Plus the aluminum sliding legs that fit on a variety of sump styles. I really like the sleek look of it, and very pleased that the plant growth has proven this light can do the job. It comes in different sizes, up to 48" long.

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D-D AquaScape Putty

melev — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 08:19:00 +0000

D-D AquaScape Putty melev Sun, 04/20/2014 - 12:19

When it comes to securing corals in our tanks, we need to use putty when super glue gel won't suffice. The 2-part epoxy putty offered by D-D The Aquarium Solution is the brand I recommend most. It is reef-safe, comes in a coralline-pink color, and lasts a long time. I often refer to it as "Deltec putty" - I sell it here: https://melevsreef.com/reefshop/dry-goods/d-d-aquascape-putty

This product has been around for years, but I never did a full write up about it until now.

It's recommended to always wear some type of gloves when mixing two-part putty to avoid absorbing the chemicals in your skin. One presenter described how he used putty for years with bare hands, but one day he had a bad reaction and ended up in the emergency room, and decided from that day forward to wear surgical (or tattoo) gloves. A single box of gloves will last a hobbyist for years; get in the habit of using them.

Any time I saw this small box on display at MACNA, trade shows, or elsewhere, I'd be quick to buy one or two packs to keep on hand. Be aware that this product also comes in grey, clearly marked on the back of the box. Get the one that looks purple, since it blends in with our rockwork more readily.

Wrapped individually, each stick of putty will feel soft to the touch. This particular unopened package was in my reef gear for more than two years, but still felt brand new.

It's easy to use. Open up the bags carefully, that way you'll be able to seal the remainder by rolling the plastic tightly around the colored dough and twisting the end for storage. If you keep it air-tight, it will stay pliable for future use.

Usually I tear off equal parts (about 1") of the putty and mix it up until the coloration is consistent throughout. Kneading it into a uniform color will take about 40 seconds.

Now all you need to do is press some of the putty on the bottom area of a frag plug and press the base against some rock in the tank, as it works underwater. As the excess putty oozes out, you can press it into place around the base, securing the coral nicely. SPS corals grow much more quickly when they are stable. Corals that wiggle or rock back and forth take longer to grow out usually.

The putty is a little sticky, but if you can't get a piece to really stay in place initially, you can apply some Super Glue Gel to the putty and then press putty in place, and the glue will help hold it. This method works well for vertical surfaces. The putty cures underwater to harden fully. Each batch lasts about 20 minutes after being mixed up, which is another good reason to only use a little at a time. If you end up with too much, it will be wasted.

D-D AquaScape can be used to tie smaller rockwork together, and can also be used patch a leaking bulkhead. (I know a guy who successfully stopped a leak at the bottom of his display when a closed loop bulkhead was leaking!)

It's usually best to only secure a few corals per session. Consider the size of your tank, the water volume and the risk of pollution because of overdoing this during a single afternoon. Even with the reef tanks I've maintained (a 280g and now a 400g), I usually only glued down about four or five corals per day. The rest can wait another day or two.

Another great use for this product is for "coral pegging." Take a 2" piece of rigid airline tubing, press a lima-bean size amount of putty onto the tubing at one end. Make a small depression in the putty, apply a blob of Coral Glue in the depression and press a branch of SPS coral into the glue. Let's call it an acropora. Now that the acropora has been placed, use the putty to squeeze it around the acro, and it is officially pegged. If your rockwork has small holes drilled in it, you can insert the tubing into the hole and your coral is safely positioned in the tank. Here are two examples, once placed in my reef.

When you're done, peel off those gloves and wash your hands. Congrats, you just stabilized some corals in your tank safely. Be sure to teach others so they too can benefit.

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Product Review: Safety Stop for Rapid Fish QT

melev — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:38:58 +0000

Product Review: Safety Stop for Rapid Fish QT melev Wed, 02/13/2013 - 16:38

When I first heard about Safety Stop by Blue Life USA, I was intrigued. A small package containing two solutions to help fish shake off external parasites sounded very practical. So I made a call to Blue Life and asked more questions.

Right off the bat, the contents are Formalin (Part A) and Methylene Blue (Part B). These active ingredients are known useful solutions to bathe fish in to remove parasites. So if it isn't new, why the write up? The fact is, the majority of hobbyists do not quarantine their new fish. Every new acquisition dumped into your tank is the equivalent of playing Russian Roulette in that you may be lucky several times, but it only takes one widespread outbreak that kills off your beautiful and expensive fish to make you realize what a risk you've taken. Please set up a quarantine tank, and use it.

Safety Stop does a few things. It helps eliminate external parasites, bacterial infections, and can also increase respiration significantly. When you get your new fish from another hobbyist, from the local fish store, or from the friendly UPS/Fedex delivery guy at your door, the fish is stressed. It may not have eaten in some time, and has been in the same bag of water for a while that likely has cooled off. That fish may even be a carrier, never showing outward signs of illness. It may have developed a tolerance against some disease when all was normal, but just went through quite a bit of handling to get into your door, and its immune system is likely compromised.

When adding that fish to your aquarium, the other fish smell the stress and may chase the new guy in its weakened state, even hurting or killing it. This is another reason to put new fish in quarantine for a few weeks; to allow it to recover, eat food without competition, and build up its fat reserves. Later, when added to the tank, it'll be up to the challenge of finding its own territory. That being said, I still think many of you are impatient or simply can't commit to a quarantine tank for a number of reasons. At least, you've got one new tool at your disposal now.

The way this product works, you acclimate the fish to the aquarium water first. Once this has been completed, Part A goes into a bucket containing exactly one gallon of tank water. Mix it well, add an air stone to bubble the water and keep oxygen levels up, add the fish and let it bathe in that solution for 45 minutes. Part B goes in another bucket with one gallon of tank water, and the fish moves to the secondary bath for another 45 minutes. Now it is ready to go into your (cough - quarantine - cough) tank, and should be less likely to infect any other fish. Safety Stop doesn't remove internal parasites, so it's not a bulletproof method but it IS a big step in the right direction. The dual-packet retails for $5, and will last several hours and multiple fish can go through the medicated baths before it is tossed out, so it's quite economical. I like it because it is easy to measure. Mix it with 1 gallon of water - done! This solution was formulated by a veterinarian, and has since been approved as safe for use with saltwater fish.

I ordered some, and once it arrived I ran up to my local fish store to get a new fish to try it out. I settled upon a Melanurus Wrasse because of its coloration and known to be reef safe.

I also picked up a small automatic air pump, one that uses batteries when the power turns off for emergencies. For the purposes of this product review, I used it in battery mode only because it didn't have an override to use it plugged in. (Whoops!)

The new fish was floated in my sump to match temperature while I got the rest of my stuff ready. I used that time to measure out one gallon of water and mark the bucket with a black sharpie for all future baths.

After about 20 minutes, the fish and the fish store's water was released into a clean bucket.

I fabricated this little rigid airline hook for drip acclimation. In the middle of the line is a drip irrigation valve (not pictured) to control the drip rate into the waiting bucket. The magnet simply kept the tubing in place so the drip was easy to see.

It took about 30 minutes or so for the water in the bucket to double in volume, which allows the fish to adjust to my reef's higher salinity. At that point, I set up the Part A solution in a neighboring bucket.

I scooped out one gallon of tank water and added it to the bucket on the left (pictured above), and added the very important air stone since formalin strips the oxygen from the water far too well. And since my buckets are on a cold concrete floor, I added an Eheim credit card-sized heater to make sure the water didn't chill during the bath. The solution packet indicates to cut off the corner and pour the solution into the water, and stir well. The fish was then moved via net from the drip acclimation bucket to the Part A bucket.

I set the timer for 45 minutes, but I watched the fish for any signs of distress. It seemed fine the entire time. After a few minutes, I was able to go do other things while it bathed, but I checked on it often just in case there was a turn for the worse. There was not.

Near the end of the 45 minute period, I scooped out another gallon of tank water and put it in another bucket, and added Part B and stirred. It was very blue. I moved the heater over, and the air stone. Then I moved the fish into the solution and reset the timer. I watched the fish closely and it seemed unphased. Checking on it frequently, I noticed it had pooped which may have been pure coincidence and not attributed to the Methylene Blue solution. At the 30 minute mark, I notice the fish kept bobbing up to the surface, like it was trying to get more air, even though plenty of bubbles were coming off the air stone. Rather than wait another 15 minutes, I decided to move it immediately.

The fish was moved into what I call The Peacemaker in my 215g. If you are wondering why I don't have a quarantine tank running at this time, it's because the 215g is taking up all the room while the 400g tank is replaced. I've not been purchasing livestock and haven't needed one, but for the purpose of this product I had to get a new fish. The Peacemaker hangs suspended in the reef tank for new fish, where it shares the same water but can't be attacked. The fish wait in this safety zone for three or more days, and upon release into the reef, everyone seems to get along quite well.

This box has a lid on it so the fish can't jump out, and the PVC fittings give it place to duck and cover if it feels threatened. About three hours after it was put into The Peacemaker, I squirted in a mixture of Cyclop-eeze and PE Mysis, and the fish was eating readily.

The final question is "did it work?" I can't answer that with authority. I know the fish never seemed stressed, and I was very careful to follow all the directions as well as read the cautionary tips. I didn't take scrapings of the fish prior to the dip nor after the dip, which would have to be studied under a microscope to determine if what was there is now gone. That's for those that love science. For me, a passionate hobbyist, I'd have to rely on their findings to get a absolute conclusion. I will be sure to update this article with how the fish does in the coming weeks, as well as to report if any other fish show signs of illness from the newcomer.

The process definitely adds extra time to the acclimation process of getting the fish from the bag to the holding tank, but I feel like I'm being more proactive than before. I'm not a fish disease guy, and when I have questions I go to those that know that topic. New fish go into quarantine to be fed and observed, and if nothing shows up after 21 days, the fish goes into my reef. This has always worked for me. But for those of you that like to buy a fish and add it to your tank the same day, this medicated double bath will surely reduce losses, and does so simply and economically. And that is a good thing.

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EcoBak Biopellets

melev — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 11:31:00 +0000

EcoBak Biopellets melev Mon, 01/07/2013 - 15:31

Quite a few people recommended Warner Marine's EcoBak media when it comes to nitrate & phosphate reduction in the aquarium. This was one of the first brands to come to market initially, and for a period it was almost always out of stock. If you've been on the fence, unsure if it is worth the effort, let me assure you that it replaces other choices like vodka dosing... and it does so nicely.

Biopellets need to be run in a specially designed reactor. Two that I've used are by NextReef and by AquaMaxx. These reactors force water to flow strongly through the media, causing it to tumble at all times. Water shouldn't channel or flow through clumped media, and using the right reactor will assure that it moves adequately.

NextReef review: http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.p...ctor-(SMR1-XL)
Aqua Maxx review: http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.p...pellet-reactor

How does it work exactly? The way I understand it, the media (a carbon source) is utilized by a highly concentrated bacterial colony, and the surface area of the pellets provides area for the bacteria to dwell. Over time the media depletes, requiring the hobbyist to replenish with more. Running biopellets doesn't hurt fish, corals or invertebrates in my tanks, and that includes anemones, clams, cucumbers, etc. The fish are fat, and the corals are growing - which is the end goal of course.

While we don't get to watch "How It's Made" to learn how EcoBak pellets are manufactured, they are uniform in size. I have a feeling they are produced like pasta noodles, and then sliced into tiny bits. It's rather interesting that something that looks and feels like plastic (it's a polymer, after all) is useful to our eco systems. After all, bioballs never depleted over time -- although as a hobbyist I'm probably comparing apples to oranges.

Not really part of the product review, but still it needs to be stated: Many people have 'tried out' biopellets with their system, but abandoned it shortly thereafter blaming the pellets for a variety of issues (cyano, bleaching, polyp recession, missing fish... you name it). While it is true that the possibility of correlation exists, there's also the fact that we often blame the last thing we added to the tank when things go wrong. Several tips are listed below for better results. This isn't a magic bandaid for poor tank husbandry; it's a tool to add to our current method to yield better results. As care givers, we have to make sure everything is running as it should and if we do that well, you'll be able to judge the efficacy of biopellets. (And let me add that they do need to be run in the proper reactor, not in a RO housing.) I have watched my corals frags grow into colonies while running biopellets.

I've been running biopellets for 22 months, and used this brand for just over six months. I've read statements by others suggesting that you add a little media to the reactor at a time, rather than filling it up at once. That is not how consumers are directed with EcoBak media. It will take a few weeks for them to kick in, so give the process time before you begin to judge results. Biopellets aren't a quick cure for a problem, but can be the solution to maintaining better water quality longterm. EcoBak will help keep water quality in check, with the added perk of allowing you to feed more heavily. You will want to make sure your fish and corals are getting enough food, especially with this form of carbon dosing.

It's best to presoak the pellets overnight in RO water before use, mostly to prevent the polymer beads from floating up in the reactor. The following day, pour off the water, and add the pellets to your reactor of choice. The flow rate for the reactors I've used requires about 500 gph to keep the media fluidized.

Important Considerations when using biopellets:

Skimming: The output of the solid media reactor needs to be pointed directly to the intake of a protein skimmer's intake pump. All effluent should be heavily skimmed, as this helps avoid issues like brown/reddish mulm on the substrate of the aquarium. If you enjoy a clean sandbed, heed these words.
Bacteria: Dose the aquarium with additional bacteria in a timely fashion. With Prodibio, I dose every 15 days. With Microbacter 7, dose at least weekly. Replenishing the aquarium with additional bacteria has resulted in better results when it comes to running biopellets, which may add diversity to avoid a monoculture, and replace what has died off and being skimmed/exported from the system.
Lighting: As the pellets break in (with bacteria), you'll usually notice a sudden increase of water clarity, and it may be necessary to reduce the lighting period to avoid bleaching livestock. If water was somewhat murky before, better clarity means more light penetration -- the corals can't adapt that quickly so adjust the daily light cycle to match the change in conditions, gradually ramping it back up to the normal schedule.
Alkalinity: Running biopellets like EcoBak usually works best in tanks that keep Alkalinity around 8 dKH. Higher levels of alkalinity may result in burnt-looking coral tips, so weekly water testing should be part of your husbandry routine.
GFO & GAC: You may decide that it isn't necessary to continue running granular ferric oxide. Running fresh granulated activated carbon helps keep water from becoming discolored, and isn't a problem in conjunction with biopellets.
Feedings - Because the extra bacteria in the closed system is so efficient, increasing the feeding routine is best to avoid starving corals. By adding more food, those corals will retain their coloration. Multiple smaller feeding sessions would be better than one giant dose per day.

In summation, the benefits of running EcoBak media is better water clarity, the ability to feed the livestock more often daily, while reducing nitrate and phosphate levels around the clock. If you are a heavy feeder or would like to feed more heavily, adding a biopellet reactor to your current filtration system is the way to go.

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Dosing Prodibio

melev — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 08:52:00 +0000

Dosing Prodibio melev Tue, 09/18/2012 - 12:52

Prodibio is company based in France that has a complete line of products to dose your aquarium with. Their website (http://www.prodibio.com/) lists additives for freshwater, saltwater, fish disease treatment and pond treatment. Since we are primarily Reef Addicts here, I'd like to discuss how I'm using their saltwater dosing system for my reef.

Iodine and Strontium are recognizable, but Bioptim, BioDigest and Reef Booster not so much. Bioptim adds micro-nutrients to the tank, which BioDigest consumes...BioDigest is a bacteria designed to consume nitrate, phosphate and organics. Reef Booster is very fine food (nutrient supplement) in liquid state. Regularly adding new bacteria is especially useful when running NP biopellets, and Prodibio fills this need nicely.

Other items offered:
Chloral Reset : to remove chloramines from fresh and saltwater [pdf]
Start Up : to seed a new system with beneficial bacteria; combines Stop Ammo and BioDigest [pdf]
Stop Ammo : neutralizes ammonia in the water, and reduces production of nitrites - useful for bagged fish as well [pdf]
Safe Travel : reduces stress upon fish during tank moves, feeds on organic waste [pdf]
BioClean Salt : Bioptim and BioDigest combined [pdf]

As you can see, I have five different choices. Prodibio comes in different sized glass ampules, from Nano to Pro version. The sizes allow hobbyists to match the right dose to fit their aquarium's total water volume in gallons. Nano vials are rated for 15g, standard ampules for 50g, and Pro ampules for 250g. No matter what size tank you own, Prodibio has the right dose for you.

The dosing regime listed on the packaging is very simple. Dose every 15 days to replenish what your reef consumed. Standard vials treat 50g each; the Pro version treats 250g to 500g each. Nano vials (not pictured) treat 15g... some packaging indicates as much as 30g while others suggest two vials for 30g. You'll want to research that point, nano-owners.

When I dose, I do it all on the same day. I prefer to add the product directly in the sump's bubble trap baffles where flow is good and quick to distribute the fluid into my reef. To avoid mistakes, I pull out all the vials I will use that day, making sure they are on a stable surface to avoid accidental breakage (like rolling off the table).

The recommended dosages are listed on the back of the packaging, but be sure to double check the instructions of each individual item. I say this because if you were to purchase the BioKit Reef [pdf] with all five items in a single box, the instructions make it sound like all ampules are matched perfectly. Be sure to compare equal sized packages to one another to avoid overdosing mistakes. Standard ampules and Pro ampules obviously different, as are the Nano vials.

The packaging doesn't denote any kind of expiration date, and these can be stored at room temperature. The vials are sealed with an inert gas within to avoid spoilage. If you refrigerate it, be sure it is brought to room temperature before adding it to the tank, because that type of sudden change will likely reduce Prodibio's efficacy. Chilled bacteria at 42F added to 80F water -- do the math.

You'll notice that the ampules come with a small piece of rubber tubing in every package. This is the holder used to break open the glass ampules. Shake the vial for a few seconds prior to cracking it open.

This brief video shows you how easy it is to add. Remember I add it to my sump instead of a sudden dose hitting any one coral or fish full force. Once the vial is empty, I submerge it in the sump so it fills with saltwater and lift it out to drain the fluid including any remaining residue into the water.

Reef Booster I handle a little differently. I like to dose that late at night after lights out. My corals are usually open at that time, feeding polyps and tentacles extended while the fish are at rest. Turning off the skimmer for the night, I'll dose three or four ampules of Reef Booster. The vial will still have some milky residue inside, so I'll dunk and drain it several times until it is clear. No reason to waste any, right? The next morning, I'll turn the skimmer back on. I only have this in standard ampules, so I'm using four instead of one Pro version.

Once done, the glass tubes and the broken tips can be thrown in the trash. The plastic packaging can be recycled.

So there you have it, a dosing regime that takes little time, doesn't require careful measuring and can be easily added to your calendar for those bi-monthly duties.

If you are attending MACNA from September 28-30, 2012, be sure to visit with Nicolas and his team to ask your questions. They are making the trip from France to provide answers from the source, their own mouths.

Dosing instructions from their site:
Bioptim : http://www.prodibio.com/bioptim-nutr...cal-filtration
BioDigest : http://www.prodibio.com/bacteria-tan...cal-filtration
Reef Booster : http://www.prodibio.com/growth-devel...r-reef-booster
Stronti + : http://www.prodibio.com/strontium-su...twater-stronti
Iodi + : http://www.prodibio.com/iodine-suppl...saltwater-iodi

The products used for this review were provided free of charge by Prodibio. They actually had to ask me several times before I'd agree to it because I wanted a stable tank to use it with. In all fairness, I used it years ago with my 280g and didn't see a difference at that time. It was assumed that my tank had some issues that were interfering with expected results. With my current set up, coral growth has been excellent and coralline growth is obvious. I've been using it for nearly 90 days at the time of this writing. - Sept 8, 2012

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Cobalt Aquatics' Neo-Therm

melev — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Cobalt Aquatics' Neo-Therm melev Tue, 09/18/2012 - 12:45

I recently received the brand new electronic Neo-Therm submersible heater from Cobalt Aquatics. I was excited to test it out, because it doesn't look like any heater you've ever had before. It's about the thinnest I've ever seen, measuring at 8mm or the unusual 1/3" listed on the box. The best news of all: a Three Year Warranty. Any product that has a 3-year warranty is good in my book, because that usually means the company believes in it enough to make that promise. It is rated to keep the temperature at +/- .5º F, which is a very tight tolerance, and is UL listed.

The dial display doesn't move; the LEDs light up the various corresponding temperature values.

It's important to match the heater's wattage to the total water volume of your aquarium (and sump if applicable). The Neo-Therm 100w heater is rated for 16-26g, which was perfect for my test. I have a barrel full of live rock with only a powerhead for circulation, and the water volume is probably about 24-gallons total due to displacement by the rock.

According to the instructions, it should be installed/immersed for 15 minutes before plugging it in, presumably to allow the temperature of the device to equalize before it is put into service. After waiting, I plugged in the two-prong plug into an outlet and watched the LEDs race around the display. It quickly settled to two lights. A solid one representing the temperature setting of the heater, and a slowly blinking light indicating the temperature of the water. Out of the box, it was set to 78º F, and the water measured 76º F. Pressing the button once on top of the heater moved the solid LED light to 80º F, with confirmation by the rapid blinking LEDs around the dial once more. It took about 2.5 hours to raise the temperature of the saltwater 4º degrees in my test barrel.

Setting the heater is easy. There's one button on top of the heater. Each time you press it, it raises the set point temperature 2º, all the way to 96º F. To lower the temperature, depress the button again and it will circle to the lowest point at 66º F -- keep pressing the button over and over to work your way up to the desired spot. Simple, and very easy to read.

The Neo Therm seems to be indestructible. You don't see the heat coil; there's no glass at all. The shatterproof case provides a sense of security, and you'll never see this heater roll off your counterduring those occasional cleanings.

If you have a black background in your tank, the heater will blend nicely against that backdrop, helping hide it from sight. The light on the heater lets you know it is powered, and if the light blinks slowly it is warming up, and if it is blinking faster, the water is warmer than the set point. The heater comes with a holder and supplied suction cups, to keep it in an upright position where you want it. If you desire the heater near the front of your sump or aquarium, insert it into the bracket with the lighted display facing you. In terms of placement, it measures just shy of 10" tall, and is 2" wide. The directions state that it needs to be fully submerged in its upright position, but I'd probably have to lean it a little in a slightly shallower zone of my sump making sure the heating element - the main flat section - is under water.

As with any heater, we don't want it turned on when exposed to air. During water changes, be sure to unplug it or flip off the switch on your control center if you have it set up that way. If you have a controller, disable the heater during the water change, then remember to turn it back on as part of your "resume all" routine.

Also, directions recommend it doesn't touch anything so it won't get burned. I don't think a seahorse would try to hitch on this shape, and would hope that it would feel the heat and stay away. It should be set up where it doesn't touch the sand, rock, and/or the wall of the tank. In a sump it would be tough to not touch something in those compartments. While actively heating, I held it submersed in my hand and while hot it wasn't enough to burn my fingers.

I like the fact that it doesn't look like a heater and that I don't have to worry that I might break it. It looks like it would be easy to clean, and that it has an easy to read yet not obtrusive display. If it was used in a display tank, I'd probably have it face the end panel to reduce what visitors saw from the main view, yet allow me to check the temperature at a glance. This should be a popular series of heaters for those Nano tanks with limited space, even fitting in the back compartment of the All-In-One setups. It weighs half a pound and feels solid, something trustworthy rather than flimsy.

The Neo-Therm is made for freshwater, saltwater, reef tanks and terrariums. The 100w Neo-Therm sells for $62.99 online, and is presently on sale (15% off) on Drs Foster & Smith's website. Comes in 25w, 50w, 75w, and 100w currently. 150w and 200w coming soon.

Here's a video from Cobalt Aquatics' Youtube channel.

This product was sent to Reef Addicts free of charge for the purpose of this review.

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