Ask Nano Questions and Find Information (Nano Expert Albert Thiel)

alberthiel · Dec 21, 2012

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium : include reference to the Anammox process (Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation)
Â© Randy Holmes-Farley

Link : Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Note that the "Anammox" process is a new development and that most of the articles on it are highly technical. below are some additional links on it for those who wish to read technical papers:
Link 1 : http://www.agi.org/pdf/nmtg-abstracts/Session5.pdf
Link 2 : http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%...al.pone.0029299
Link 3 : Aquarium related article : Aquarium Chemistry: The Nitrogen Cycle: New Developments and New Prospects — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
Link 4 : Discussion between Randy Holmes-Farley, Habib (CEO of Salifert) and several Chemists - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2113491

More info when I can locate aquarium related ones on "anammox"

alberthiel · Dec 22, 2012

An Ounce of Prevention .... is Better Than ...

Â© Steven Pro

Says Steven Pro:

I found this statement to be quite poignant in its simplicity and accuracy in summarizing the necessity of quarantining animals in the reef aquarium hobby; or, better yet, the folly of not using a quarantine tank.

If you talk to a group of industry professionals and experts and ask them for one thing that could help to make or break an aquarist's experience, the advice to quarantine one's livestock is likely to be a popularly expressed opinion.

In fact, many authors on aquarium keeping have, in their own books, advocated quarantining (Borneman, 2001, Calfo, 2001, Delbeek & Sprung, 1994, Fenner, 1998, Paletta, 2001, and Tullock, 2001).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Use the safe approach, especially nowadays when so many corals come in with Flatworms and possibly even other pests, where fish that may appear in good help may in fact introduce parasites, where making sure that HH's on coral skeletons and what they are attached to can be seen and removed if needed, before they are introduced to your Nano-Reef and cause problems that may be hard to easily deal with.

Be pro-active and not reactive ... Do NOT let the tank control "You". You "have" to be in control of the tank and what happens in it ALL the time!

Link : An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

alberthiel · Dec 22, 2012

Food for The Reef (IV of VII) Eric Borneman - Zooplankton

Link: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-12/eb/index.php

alberthiel · Dec 22, 2012

Have you used "Marine Snow" yet from Two Little Fishes™, and if so what have your experiences been with it ? Do Share Pls ...

alberthiel · Dec 22, 2012

An interesting picture taken through the back of my tank of the Pavona corals and more

alberthiel · Dec 22, 2012

My Candy Cane Coral after it has been fed Marine Snow from Two Little Fishes™

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

My small Cabbage Leather seen from the top:

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

Corals and Feeding (V) - Bacteria

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/eb/index.php

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

The Food of Reefs (VI): Particulate Organic Matter

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-03/eb/index.php

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

The Food of Reefs (VII): Dissolved Nutrients

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/eb/index.php

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

Note: Should you have questions about your Nano-Reef and you do not want to post them directly to the thread here, you can send me a PM and I will gladly answer your question here without mentioning your name if you do prefer it that way.

So by all means, either post via PM or directly here. Remember there are NO questions too dumb to ask ... not asking however is what you do NOT want to do as that does not get you an answer! So by all means ASK ... Thanks.

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

A member wants to know how much PURA GFO to use. He was given a container by a friend, but the label is damaged so he does not know how much to use on his 20-gallon Nano-Reef, as he cannot read the label.

Answer: According to the Manufacturer, the amount to use on a SW tank, and a Nano-Reef of course is: 1 Tablespoon per 25 gallons.

Now a 20-Gallon tank does not hold 20 gallons + there is the displacement of live rock and substrate if there is one in the tank so the tank does not really hold 20 gallons of water.

To determine the correct amount of PhosLock™ to use estimate how much water you really have in your Nano-Reef and then pro-rate the suggested amount.

Example: say you estimate the gallons in your tank to be 17.

So the calculation would be as follows: 1 / 25 x 17 or .68 tablespoons of Pura Phoslock™. 0.68 tablespoon = about 7/10 of a TBS. The correct amount to add is therefore
a little less than a full tablespoon.

Note that the compound needs to be placed in a bag, and the manufacturer recommends a 300 micron size one. That size will hold the compound in the bag and still allow the water to flow through it well and making good contact with the PhosLock™ allowing for good PO4 removal.

Once you have the PhosLock™ in the bag, rinse it well to remove fine particulate dust that you do not want in your aquarium. Rinse till no more brownish water can be seen coming out of the bag and then place it in your filter system "after" your mechanical filtration medium. Some small particulate matter will still coat the bag and so will fish and coral slime, so rinse the bag well at least once a week. I clean mine 2x a week and use GFO as well, but another brand.

Hopefully this helps but if you have more questions do not hesitate to post them here on this thread or send me another PM if you need more info.
Best wishes to you and your Family for the Holidays

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

Toxicity In The Reef Tank: Are You Aware?

Â© By D. Wade Lehmann

Toxicity in our tanks can have a diverse array of sources. These can range from the use of aerosols or solvents (such as ammonia, hairspray, or spray lubricants) in close proximity to our tanks to the presence of certain corals, fish, or alga within the system to that frying pan in the kitchen that occasionally smokes up the house.

Link : http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/6/aafeature

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

The Yuma Baby/Teen getting larger ... and doing well ... split off the one right above it

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

Great Pic of the Mystery Wrasse : Pseudocheilinus ocellatus

bucfan · Dec 23, 2012

Using Oxydator?

alberthiel said:
I also use an Oxydator that is inside the tank and adds free O to the water by breaking up H2O2 inside into H2O and O, not H2O2 gets into the water of course but it keeps the water ultra clear and oxidizes organics out of the water. Great to improve water quality. Problem is the US distributor has not had any for months and months and I got mine from the UK.

I have a 100g BB tank with a 35g sump + fuge with several macros. I protein skim and run carbon 24/7. I have a mixed reef with some stuff doing great and some not. Most LPS and soft corals do great. Have had problems with hammers and bubble corals. Even within SPS/chalices some do great and some not so. I was wondering if adding an Oxydator would be of any benefit. I have never measured my O2 levels.

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

bucfan said:
I have a 100g BB tank with a 35g sump + fuge with several macros. I protein skim and run carbon 24/7. I have a mixed reef with some stuff doing great and some not. Most LPS and soft corals do great. Have had problems with hammers and bubble corals. Even within SPS/chalices some do great and some not so. I was wondering if adding an Oxydator would be of any benefit. I have never measured my O2 levels.

I am sure it will as it raises the oxygen level to saturation and also oxidizes organic material which can then be removed by a skimmer and mech filters but you need to get the right size as there are several and you will need the larger one as you have 100 + 35 - rock displacement - substrate displacement but still quite a large volume of water. When I say the large one I mean the largest one for Aquariums, not the pond one as that one is Huge.

It made a big difference in my 20-gallon. In fact I practically no longer have to clean the glass except scrape off the coralline algae, and the bottom of the tank looks a lot cleaner than it used to be, and fish and corals are doing great. You can see it from some of the pics I posted. The water is a lot clearer and no problems with algae or Bubble ones.

The problem though will be finding one as the US distributor has not had any for months and months but if you are interested check up on their site which one you need and I'll see whether I can get you one from the UK.

Albert
Best wishes to you and your Family for the Holidays

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

The Yuma baby today ... split off from the main one right above by a section of the foot coming loose. Never thought it would make it but I guess all parameters are fine and even though the large one shields the light often from it, it is growing.

alberthiel · Dec 23, 2012

bucfan said:
I have a 100g BB tank with a 35g sump + fuge with several macros. I protein skim and run carbon 24/7. I have a mixed reef with some stuff doing great and some not. Most LPS and soft corals do great. Have had problems with hammers and bubble corals. Even within SPS/chalices some do great and some not so. I was wondering if adding an Oxydator would be of any benefit. I have never measured my O2 levels.

Here is a picture of mine in the tank with my Citron Goby sitting on top off it ...