The 12g / 60litre ZEOnano

The ZEOvit reefkeeping method and other popular ‘Ultra Low Nutrient System’ methods have slowly been filtering their way into the nano reef arena. My own current 12g system had been running successfully using the full ZEOvit method for just under a year (and then I went on vacation, and well, the tank is fairly bare at the moment, but that is for another post.) The small water volumes of nano reefs make implementing ULNS’s a little more difficult but nothing is impossible in this hobby.

Those of you familiar with the ZEOvit system will know one needs a reactor for the media, and these reactors have always been too large to fit in most nanoreefs, unless you are using a sump. The new ZEOnano series solves this issue by incorporating the reactor within the internal sump.

Although this system is centred around the ZEOvit method, as this is best ULNS in my opinion, it can just as easily be used with other ULNS such as the Fauna Marin and Brightwell menthods.

More details of the ZEOnano system will be revealed over the next few weeks along with availablity, prices and sizing.

If you’d like to learn more about the ZEOvit method, please join me over at zeovit.com

Related posts:

1. Fistafiltration Fluidised Reactor
2. Korallenzucht (makers of ZEOvit) announce new products
3. Funny nanoreef video wins EcotechMarine competition

Today, it seems as if popular marine aquarium website, Reef Builders has become a victim of hacking too. Although not “hacked” in terms of information being stolen (as far as I know), but the site seems to be affected by ‘malware’.

Not cool.

I hope Jake and Ryan and the rest of the ReefBuilders team get the issue resolved. You can always get around the issue by subscribing to their RSS feed therefore skirting around ‘hack’ but still getting the content the delivered to your virtual doorstep.

While I was typing this I got a message from @JasonPG via twitter with regards to sites being hacked:

I’ve seen that on a few reefing sites lately … some kind of worm must be going around.

Time to go ensure everything is closed up nice and tight here on nanoreefblog.com, not sure they make a WEW (Website Eating Worm) treatment just yet.

Related posts:

1. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine to relaunch website today
2. Popular saltwater aquarium blog, reefbuilders.com undergoing some changes?
3. Elos USA launches dedicated website with online store and blog

The image that got me thinking - notice the logo in the bottom right corner?

I hit up google and started digging and come across this:

modernreefs.com screenshot

Now, I’ve checked back a good few times today, but the maintenance page is still up despite the notification that one needs to check back in the next ‘60 minutes’. Further research has revealed that modernreef.com is possibly linked to another very well known reef aquarium blog. As nothing is official, I can’t say anything more, but I have a good feeling that I’ll be adding another great website to my RSS reader especially as their tag line reads,

An eye candy archive for the modern reef aquarist.

What do you know about modernreef.com? Share your info/thoughts in the comments below.

Related posts:

1. Elos USA launches dedicated website with online store and blog
2. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine to relaunch website today
3. New Sponsor: reefkeeper.com

The 'tank' as of 24th February 2010

The idea for a truly long term micro/pico reef (for this article, one gallon or less) came to me as I was graduating college and searching the early internet forums for ideas on small reef aquaria in 2000-2001 to see what was possible and establish the current limitations of small marine aquaria. The smallest I could find, in the history of reef aquarium work altogether and in a lot of searching online, were 2.5 gallon tanks- some ranging back into the 1970’s (Thaler Puddle, Dr. Ellen Thaler for example) and an article on Reefs.org interviewing DC Potts about his successful pico tank from the late 90’s.

In 2001, even pictures of quickly-assembled gallon and half-gallon experimental aquariums (now common) were not available across the web, especially those using synthetic saltwater, so it was truly untested waters to work with half gallon aquaria that had to meet strict criteria to be valid in my opinion: they had to develop and sustain a diverse population of stony corals, benthic organisms and coralline algae, meet all water support needs with reasonable care (for example, no daily water changes) and they had to last-as long or longer than large aquaria without going eutrophic (high nutrient/algae dominated) relying on biology, not mechanical devices, to run the micro ecosystem. In hindsight they would break every rule the current establishment held against ultra micro aquaria, using simple science anyone could replicate, and the vast resources of the web had the friends I’d need to do it.

Lastly, they had to stand the test of master aquarists across the internet when reviewed-the technophiles like the guy at the rock concert who can tell when the guitarist messes up a single note. Emerging from all that scrutiny and time in preparation should be a new way keeping corals in the home…it’s still evolving as we all exchange ideas and new designs on blogs like this one.

The Reefbowl

One day when walking through Wal-Mart and thinking about design options, I noticed the curved 1.5 gallon vases for a few dollars and thought that would be a neat trial run, a seven dollar reef aquarium. When looking at the vase and thinking about substrates, pumps, etc it dawned on me the little plastic dishes I was using in the lab to keep pothos vines watered seemed the exact diameter of these large vases, maybe it would function like a lid if inverted? So I took the vase home, filled 1/3rd of it with oolitic substrate and saltwater and decided to bubble it instead of a pump, primarily I wanted to use gear I already had and the old aquarium pump happened to be there.

I knew not to add animals; this was just to test heating and salinity control. Well in four days the salinity had only increased from 1.023 to 1.024, the water line dropped only a quarter inch, and that was it-the design was lucky and worked perfectly with no further modifications. For the first time, a gallon reef aquarium had surpassed the top off requirements of a 100-gallon aquarium without complex equipment, and it was easily repeatable to anyone who wanted to try with common Wal-Mart supplies. The air stone met all the circulation requirements of the tank, it kept CO2 from accumulating so it lent strong pH support, it is the absolute ideal way to run a vase reef for these reasons, above any water pump. No animals in situ mind the air bubbles whatsoever… Normally, this combination of gear would be frowned upon in the established reef circles, so this presents another way to bend the rules unique to pico reefs.

The vase continued to evolve and it can be found by searching for anything with vase reef or reefbowl (non spaced) in the wording, there are thousands of threads about it all over the web because I spend a lot of time promoting, discussing and helping others replicate the art. My current vase reef is 4 years old and I expect it to run much longer barring hardware failures (knock on wood). Recently my friend Mark K. (Warlion) developed the vase even further by drilling the line access into the vase, rather than over the lip. This has added two more days between top offs, an unheard of maintenance schedule for any reef aquarium.

Additional pico reef photos can be found here.

The 1/2-gallon PalmTop Reef-No Evaporation

As the reefbowl sat and inspired me further, collecting simple corals that got along well, other ideas such as complete sealing came into mind and one day it snapped in my head to simply include a refugium as a rear subdivision in a tank, obscured by a false reef wall, to use photosynthesis to pump out oxygen under a sealed lid. This would bind respiratory waste CO2, stop evaporation altogether, it would bind up nitrogen and phosphates in the macro algae to some degree, and combined with weekly water changes (something not procrastinated if only one gallon and three minutes) the Palmtop Reef was assembled out of a special beta tank available at the time.

The first long term half gallon reef aquarium documented on the internet, and still the only fully documented sealed reef aquarium (non evaporating) of any size, this helped pico reef keepers find a unique niche among large-tank husbands who were once sure such a thing was impossible I could see in the web forums. Together online we worked out a carbonate dosing system for the micro tank which produced miniature acropora tabular growth and copious coralline algae, this indicated the ion support was spot-on even with no testing of any water parameters outside of salinity! My simplicity requirements had been met--no exceeded.

There was so much helpful input from other posters along the way to help me further my cause, Lunchbucket (Eric Peterson) is a fine example, he and I go way back in the reef forums (before 2003) and his tanks were a source of wonder for me as well along with many other board regulars who chimed in with support and help as needed …all the help needed was on the internet and for that I am so grateful.

Chemical/Physical Changes

Over the years in discussing forum threads about keeping marine aquaria in odd shaped containers, we are starting to see how shapes beyond the standard open square aquarium greatly change, and assist, the keeper if they are willing to make tradeoffs. The first tradeoff is fish, don’t use them in any pico reef is my best advice. I have experimented with fish like gobies before, and don’t agree they should be kept in ultra small aquariums.  By excluding fish in the design, there are no size restrictions for aquaria that can grow scleractinian corals.

For example, the fluted vase reef design is an absolutely critical shape for many reasons. The slant of the neck above the water line and under the lid forms a catch surface where the popping bubbles eject various fragments and wastes from the water column; this can be wiped periodically and is essentially a functioning skimmer. The lid rests on the inner diameter of the vase neck, something not possible in square tanks, and this directs the splatter back down into the bowl and away from the edges where salt creep would form in the usual situation around a lid, and it also seals the tank, taking it from a 2x daily top off opened to a twice weekly top off with a lid!

Continuing the ways container shapes change the physicality of a reef aquarium, Orb-type nano reef aquaria reveal an ever-increasing surface area for evaporation to occur as the water level drops (small surface area when full, large surface area approaching the equator of the orb or bowl) so the salinity increase is on an apparent log-scale just like pH, it’s not a consistent evaporation rate when compared to a square tank. Evaporation rates between days 3-4 are markedly faster than on days 1-2 on a globe/orb saltwater aquarium after a top off because as the water level drops more surface area is exposed to amplify water loss.

For total salinity control, small containers that can be sealed, and subdivided for plant growth, are the right size to use small lights and pumps that would otherwise overheat a larger sealed reef attempt and these small containers are also dwarfed by a basic desk fan when cooling needs arise during summer months. Knowing these variables ahead of time greatly hastens reef work in odd or small containers; this is helpful to keep in mind.

Just to mention a few final observations, which are better left as subject material for expert marine biologists, pico reefs are also changing what we observe as allelopathy or “war mechanisms” in scleractinian or “stony” corals because of the concentration ratios seen in these tiny tanks. How is it possible for 15 genera of coral, plus assorted invertebrates and mollusks, to share a gallon of water day after day in between servicing for years and not nettle the water into a mucus-laden soup?

These answers can be found in the further study of pico reef biology, there should be lots more to come over the new year as others make their observations known and we all continue to create a collective knowledge pool for the matter.

In closing, some people feel the micro reef designation will soon become the most popular in the hobby for a number of reasons listed in common nano reef articles (cost/footprint etc). A keeper or a future keeper of pico reef aquaria will have done much online research to get where they want to be since that is the only material available on the matter, so this networking combined with the use of maricultured corals and tempered experimentation should continue to bring our hobby into new homes at an astounding, and ethically sustainable rate.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss pico reef biology even further, be sure to leave a comment below.

Related posts:

1. Reef aquarium close up’s with the D-D NanoScope

With all that said, this video of a Zebra (or Striped) Mantis shrimp, Lysiosquillina maculata, you’ve got to be thinking that the owner is absolutely mad!

Some info on the Zebra Mantis shrimp:

Functional type: Spearer

Range: Indo-Pacific from Hawaii and Galapagos to East Africa

Habitat: Mud, sand and sandy reef flats

Depth: Low intertidal to 10 m

Home: Large, u-shaped burrow reinforced with mucus to bind sand

Diet: Fish, occasional shrimp and crab

Size: 1.5–40 cm (yes, over a foot in length!)

Aquarium Requirements:

Temperature: 22–28° C

Salinity: 33–36 PSU

Cohabitants: Will eat fish

Aquarium size (adult): 20 cm adult, 120 l

Aquarium substrate: Sand bed at least 1.5 times as deep as the animal is long

Info from Rory’s list of Stomatopods for the Aquarium -- check out this list, lots of great reading for Mantis Shrimp fans.

What is your take on Mantis Shrimps? Do you have one? Tell us about your mantis shrimp experiences.

[Thanks to Andy over at UltimateReef for shining the light on this video clip]

Related posts:

1. Beautiful ‘Cleaner’ HD Video
2. Banded Clinging Crab on Florida Ricordea
3. Mactan Island Aquarium Educational Video

It is with great regret that we have to inform you that we are shutting down affiliate marketing at Drs. Foster and Smith & LiveAquaria effective immediately  February 22, 2010.  This closure is across the board in all states with all affiliates and is not related to you only as one of our affiliates.
We regret having to do this for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that so many of you have done a great job for Drs. Foster and Smith and will be adversely affected by the loss of revenue from Drs. Foster and Smith sales.  Thank you for all you have done to promote our company on your web sites.  We apologize for the hardship and inconvenience that this creates for you.

We wish there was clarity on this issue from state to state and nationally, but there isn’t.  So until this matter is cleared up nationally, we are shutting down all affiliate marketing.  We apologize for any hardships this brings to you and your team.  We have greatly appreciated the work that you have done on our behalf.  The sudden nature of the move by California to reintroduce legislation late last week and to push for a quick vote, emphasized the ever-changing nature of this issue and our need to be ahead of such votes and decisions.

- The LiveAquaria Affiliate Marketing Team

For those blogs who were paying some of their bills with the traffic they sent to LiveAquaria will need to find another source of income, because who knows when or if the affiliate program will be activated again – hopefully LiveAquaria will invest directly with the various forums, blogs and other websites that have helped them and keep everybody happy.

It might be interesting to see if any other affiliate networks will be affected by this pending legislation in the future. What do you think?

No related posts.

Prizes include:

- Nano Remora
- NEW Koralia
- Instant Ocean Food
- Seachem Nutridiet
- EcoXotic LEDs
- NanoGLO LEDs
- Seachem Reef Fusion
- Phoenix 150w 14k Halide Bulb
- Phoenix 250w 14k Halide Bulb (2x)
- PFO 150w Halide Fixture + Ballast
- Hydor CO2 System

For full details and how to enter, visit Captive-Aquatics.com - be sure to mention Curvball as the person who told you about the giveaway.

On twitter? Feel free to tweet about this giveaway, click on the following:

I entered the @CaptiveAquatics giveaway thanks to @nanoreefblog

Competition closes on 1st March, so make sure you get your entry in ASAP.

Related posts:

1. The HUGE nanoreefblog.com giveaway
2. NanoReefBlog.com goes live
3. Vote for nanoreefblog.com as a source of recommended reading

New stunning Elos USA website homepage

Elos USA, you should be extremely proud of your online presence. Well done.

I only have a few questions…

• 1. Where is the Elos Mini nano system? Oh wait, found it
• 2. Why isn’t the international Elos site as slick and well designed like the US version?
• 3. Who put this amazing looking website together for them?

Thanks to Glassbox-Design.com for putting this info in our twitter stream.

Related posts:

1. www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk back online
2. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine to relaunch website today
3. Are you addicted to the reef aquarium hobby?

Could it all be gone before we even get to explore them? A scene from a UK coldwater reef © JNCC/Dailymail.co.uk

“Almost every coral reef I’ve been diving on has been severely damaged, particularly those off the west coasts of Scotland and Ireland”
“The main problem is bottom trawling. The gear has got stronger, so the trawler can risk getting closer to reefs, and sometimes they plough straight through. Unlike shallow-water reefs, these reefs don’t have to be strong enough to withstand large waves, and they can’t cope.”
– Dr Jason Hall-Spencer of Plymouth University

In the last few years, researchers have found cold water coral reefs around the UK. The most spectacular lies close to Rockall, an isolated island 200 miles west of Scotland. The reef is more than 3,000 feet below the surface and lies in pitch blackness.

Another has been discovered off Mingulay in the Outer Hebrides, while last year, scientists found a giant reef covering 80 square miles off the west coast of Ireland.

Many of the reefs cover sea mounts – volcanic mountains that rise more than two thirds of a mile from the sea bed. Marine scientists have likened seamount to unexplored islands – each one containing animals never seen before.

You can read the full story over at Dailymail.co.uk

Related posts:

1. Modern Reefs website – something new?
2. Best Job in the World (British version)

There is an amazing thread(s) on Reef Central, Rimless Aquarium Club, (Part 1 & part 2) which showcases a variety of beautiful systems including the following, which happen to be some of my personal favourites:

Surely ‘braceless aquarium’ is the correct term?

But, there is always a but, why have they all be deemed ‘rimless’ aquariums? They all have a rim, an edge, don’t they or am I missing something here? None of the tanks are braced though. Perhaps the term ‘open topped’ gets thrown around too, but I’m having a hard time understanding why these tank are known as ‘rimless’.

Is it just a cool sound term for great looking aquariums? Was something lost in translation? Does the term really convey the true idea behind this style of aquarium?

I for one will refer to my new system, the ZEOnano6012, as a braceless aquarium – calling it rimless just doesn’t sound right.

Credit: Photos in this post are from the threads mentioned in this post and belong to the user who is mentioned in the caption

Related posts:

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