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

alberthiel · Dec 31, 2012

Fish comes in many body shapes ... Below is a link that shows numerous body shapes of common fish, including all the common ones kept in Nano and other Reefs

Marine Fish : Rock'N'Critters, Cured marine live rock

alberthiel · Dec 31, 2012

Sea Urchins : A chemical Perspective

Link: Sea Urchins: A Chemical Perspective by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

alberthiel · Dec 31, 2012

Sea Urchins .. Another view by Ron L. Shimek, Ph.D.

Sea Urchins, A Testy Subject by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

alberthiel · Dec 31, 2012

Video of a 'REAL' Large Eunice Worm ...

Borstelworm - The Coral killer - YouTube

alberthiel · Dec 31, 2012

Clownfish playing very dangerous games by sticking his head right inside the mouth opening of a large Carpet Anemone

Video you have to see !

Link : Suicide Clownfish put Head into Mowl of a Carpet Anemone - YouTube

alberthiel · Dec 31, 2012

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Happy New Year to Everybody ! And may everything you wish for in 2013 come through for you

Singlefin · Jan 1, 2013

alberthiel said:
Did you identify anything in the article I sent a link to, that may explain why you have to dose so much if I may ask? It is unusual, indeed, to have to tweak "magnesium" that much all of the time. We ought to try and figure out why as normally it does not get depleted that much on a continuous basis.

In fact using RSP salt, as I indicated, I never add any and I use the Salifert test kit too, as you do, and my level stays at 1300 to 1350 ppm all the time. I have never had to add any supplementation of Mg.

Have you tested the NSW you are using for how much it actually contains? just wondering how much you come up with. Do let me know please. And what is your Calcium running at? Thanks.

My NSW tests at mag@ 1350. ca @ 450.,KH 7.7 I bought new salifert mag and calcium test kits today. Have a Hanna calcium checker in the mail. My mag tested at over 1500 and calcium at 500. Probably about 1530. My old kits still have 2yrs before expiring. I actually was just about to run out of solution in the old kits. Stopped mag and calc. dosing pumps. Did a 10% water change tonight. Just did a 30% WC yesterday when I cleaned my sump. Will see what it tests at tomorrow. Thanks for the help

alberthiel · Jan 1, 2013

Singlefin said:
My NSW tests at mag@ 1350. ca @ 450.,KH 7.7 I bought new salifert mag and calcium test kits today. Have a Hanna calcium checker in the mail. My mag tested at over 1500 and calcium at 500. Probably about 1530. My old kits still have 2yrs before expiring. I actually was just about to run out of solution in the old kits. Stopped mag and calc. dosing pumps. Did a 10% water change tonight. Just did a 30% WC yesterday when I cleaned my sump. Will see what it tests at tomorrow. Thanks for the help

Seems like your levels are right were they need to be then, or so it look like ... and yes good idea to stop dosing as too high levels of Mg can be a problem, just as too low are a problem.

1500 Mg is still OK IME but a bit on the high side but if you have any Bryopsis it may actually get rid of them at that level. A lot have used high Mg to rid the tank of various kinds of Bryopsis algae, including plumosa, pennata and others. I had an outbreak about 2 months ago but it was on a rock I could easily remove so I pried the tufts of growth out of the crevices in the rock they were in, and as you know they hold onto the rock "very" strongly, like they were superglued on them :- )
Did not have to raise the Mg levels in my case.

Ca++ at 500 is a bit on the high side too but still not in the dangerous level. I run mine at 460-480-ppm and mine is through adding KW, a strong sol of it as I add 45 ml of white vinegar to every gallon of KW I prepare (1.5 TBSP of hydroxide, then 45 ml of vinegar, make into a paste and then top off with double distilled water to on gallon). That is dripped in the tank at the rate of about 1 drop every 15 seconds (by gravity), and although it does not make up for all the evaporation, it keeps the alkalinity and the Ca++ at the levels I want them to be. I top off the rest with RO/DI water to keep the tank filled, also by gravity drip ...

But on your tank ... keep us posted .. Thanks.
And have a Happy New Year and enjoy reef keeping in 2013 as much as you did in 2012, if not more

alberthiel · Jan 1, 2013

Clades : What are they for our purpose?

A member noticed references to "Clades" in several of the articles I posted links to, and wants to know what they actually are.

To get an accurate, and easy to understand definition, I searched around for one and found this one by Dana Riddle which is a good way to define "clade"

Clade

For our purposes clades are a grouping of pigments based on similar features inherited from a common ancestor.
Pigments from corals includes Clades A, B, C (including sub-clades C1, C2 and C3), and D.
Clades can refer to living organisms as well (clades of Symbiodinium - zooxanthellae - are a good example.) and a number of types exist here as well, as there are more than just one symbiotic algae type but Symbiodinium is the best known one and the most studied one.

Hopefully this helps but if you have more questions do not hesitate to post them here on this thread.

alberthiel · Jan 1, 2013

Zooxanthellae Genetics and Clades A to I and the effect of Clade D on growth. The 9 phylogenetic Types

Link: Coral Reefs: Zooxanthellae Genetics

alberthiel · Jan 1, 2013

Coral Bleaching article : By Jason Buchheim

Link : Coral Reef Bleaching

alberthiel · Jan 1, 2013

Posted a new article to the Nano Reef Library on Pavona SPS Corals with many images.

And a Happy New Year's Day to Everyone !

alberthiel · Jan 1, 2013

Dr. Ronald Shimek on Crabs and the Reef Aquarium

Crabs - by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

alberthiel · Jan 1, 2013

Dr. Shimek looks at Worms, safe and not so safe ones that can possibly be found in our Nano and other Reefs

Tie A Yellow Ribbon (Worm) Around The Old Reef Rock... - Reefkeeping.com