Sand Clown

Sand Clown

Sea fish and Nano Reef Basics

These basics are designed for a marine fish tank (and fundamental Nano Reefs), not an advanced marine reef aquarium. A good established and maintained salt water aquarium can be relatively simple, in fact, sometimes easier than some freshwater fish such as discus.
These facts and opinions are based keep on my experience and professional maintenance of marine fish (and reef) aquariums for over 27 years with one of the largest aquarium maintenance companies in Los Angeles, California.

Nano Reefs:
Nano reefs for much of this basic information is applicable. I have a UV sterilizer can be installed to advise if your nano reef (a small internal filter, Via Aqua 305 Internal as a filter connected to a compact UV works well)
* Cured live rock is a must.
* A fine # 00 sand with a ½ "layer # 3 of sand on top in my opinion works best for cleaning and denitrification.
* Water changes and regular monitoring of water parameters are a must (do not forget base capacity to monitor, KH same as in FW). Water rapidly changing values in a nano aquarium.
* Two Power Compact light, every six months and regularly cleaned between. It must be daylight, and one or two actinic 50/50.

[1] filtration, good filtration is a must for a successful marine aquarium. There are many different filters.

Canister filters are good for their capacity, but can be nitrate factories is not very often flushed. I do not recommend Fluval due to their poor range design. Via Aqua. Eheim, Jebo, and Magnum are the ones that I recommend.

Wet / dry filters are good, but mostly poor mechanical filters. The bio ball media in them also must be regularly washed in de-chlorinated water to prevent accumulation of organic material, which nitrates.

Sump with live rock systems, plants, and sponge filters work well. The live rock is perfect for aerobic filtration (ammonia and nitrite removal) and anaerobic filtration (nitrate). The living plants and green algae are good for nitrogen and phosphorus removal. The sponge filter is a simple clean aerobic bio-filter and mechanical filter.

As for live rock, I recommend using them. Make sure it has healed, many shops selling live rock immediately after it comes to them, and this is not cured live rock. Live rock for the stores is wrapped in newspaper and usually dead by this time, it takes up to 6 weeks to fully cure live rock. Fully cured live rock has the advantage include aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, the subsequent helps convert nitrate to harmless nitrogen released into the atmosphere. Cured live rock also contains many "beings", many of which are both interesting and useful. You can your own use of rock high in calcium carbonate, or even dead coral skeletons also cured by placing them under healthy live rock for a few months in a healthy aquarium (reef set-ups are best for this). It is important to very porous stone used for the benefits of good live rock

Hang on back filters are very limited, but can also be used, especially in combination with other bio-filters. Internal filters are also limited, but again are good combined with others.

Ecosystem mud filtration is effective Nitrate (as a result of the large colonies of anaerobic bacteria), they are much easier to use than a skimmer in my opinion (which I believe sold more than for aquariums).
Unfortunately, many stores to push these systems as the end of all filtration and they are not. They are a good part of a system, but not the only part. Good mechanical, other forms of bio-filtration, germicidal and especially filtration are also important.

More on nitrate removal filtration;
(A) As mentioned above, Mud can be very helpful for nitrate filters, you can create a simple one with a filter or HOB sump aquarium. (The HOB You need the media or fine mesh nylon bags so that no damage to the range, are also bags of heavy flow area of filter). [1] The first use of a 2 cm layer of # 3 gravel on top. [2] than 5 cm from the # 00 sand. [3] Then you can own anaerobic mulm of top soil, rinse in a fine above the floor 10 / 1 bleach solution, then rinse until clean (you can use a de-chlorinator to be proved Remove to add). This is at the bottom of the well in a layer about 2 inches thick.
(B) as also mentioned above, many cured live rock is extremely useful for nitrate removal
(C) Plants and green algae (eg Caulerpa algae) in the aquarium or refugium.
(D) pre-filters, such as ATI "Max Filter" to filter intake, which are easily rinsed and remove organic matter before it can go through the nitrogen cycle.
(E) protein skimmers
(F) Metal Halide lighting. I know this seems off topic, but I have found that Metal Halide lighting helps with nitrate levels, even when other filters are bad. I have no scientific proof, but I think that the redox potential (350 mV) helps maintain this light has a lot to do with this.

Redundancy filter is also important, as filters / pumps can break. Additional filters also increase bio-and mechanical filtration. An economical combination would a sponge filter, internal filter, and a hang on the back (power filter).

For more information on filtration, See this site: target = "_blank"> "Aquarium Filtration"

[2] lighting; A 10,000 K daylight lamp is a start, better would be a 50/50 Daylight / 420nm actinic bulb, or better yet, one of each.

[3] Test kits, an ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and KH (alkalinity) test kit are all important.

[4] Water chemistry; Start with a good sea salt and mix to a density of 1,019 to 1.021 for fish.
Add trace elements and buffer tank. Seachem makes an excellent product called Reef Calcium KH states that adds Polygluconate complexed bioavailable calcium. Many products available to add both calcium and magnesium (such as lime Wasser), and both are needed together for the right chemistry and fish health. It should be noted that in contrast to freshwater fish water around them to absorb, saltwater fish constantly drink the water, which affects their internal body chemistry of the surrounding water.
Maintain ammonia and nitrites 0, pH 8.2-8.4, KH 200 ppm, Nitrates below 20 ppm. Change the water regularly with a gravel vacuum, particularly in the areas of waste accumulation, this will help maintain low nitrates.

[5] UV sterilization, UV sterilizers, in my opinion, not essential but are very important. UV Sterilizers help with prevention disease and also help maintain a proper redox potential (oxidation properties of water). The redox potential is often overlooked by many aquarists both SW and FW. For more information, see my article on " Aquarium UV Sterilization and how it works "

[6] Good Fish and nutrition, not a mass Aquarium. The amount of fish depends on the size and type of aquarium fish. My article "Basic Aquarium Principles addresses this issue. Feed your fish depending on the type of food they naturally eat in the wild. Aquatic based foods such as HBH Marine Flake Spirulina Flake or 20 are good generic fish food for Tangs, angels, clown fish, ect. (Angels also need sponge in their diet).

This is a basic article for more information, please see this great article with more resources, photos, and marine information: target = "_blank"> "AQUARIUM SALTWATER BASICS, fish and Nano-Reef
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About the Author

By Carl Strohmeyer

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Information.html

Weird clown knife fish behavior?

My clown knife fish rubs against the sand. Is this normal? I have checked chemicals. Ammonia is 0, the pH is 7.4, nitrate to nitrite and 0.5 to 0.

they do so as the other poster said, have you checked your water conditions

Blood and Guts In High School – Sand Clown(Down As A Frown)