| I thought I'd jot down what I consider to
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| | spectrum shift. The aquarist pays quite
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| be the five major sins of a marine
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| | an amount for bulbs, so they should at
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| aquarist, be that for a reef tank or a
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| | least perform as designed. Changing the
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| fish only tank. They are not in any
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| | bulbs at regular intervals achieves this.
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| particular order. The list is not just
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| | Fluorescent tubes should be changed at
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| aimed at beginners to the hobby who are
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| | six months to one year. Halides should be
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| just starting a saltwater aquarium but at
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| | changed at one year to two years. Look at
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| aquarists of any level.
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| | what the manufacturer states, and pay
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| Overfeeding
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| | heed to what other aquarists who use the
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| This is self explanatory, and is probably
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| | same make and type of bulb say.
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| for the most part the domain of the new
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| | If light requiring corals are not
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| aquarist. Overfeeding occurs so easily,
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| | flourishing, and seawater quality,
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| with those beautiful fish swimming close
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| | including seawater movement, is known to
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| to the front glass 'begging' for food.
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| | be fault free, consider the lighting. Is
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| Overfeeding can occur with the best of
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| | there a problem? Do the bulb(s) need
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| intentions, the aquarist being concerned
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| | changing?
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| that the fish (and whatever else) are
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| | Incompatible Stocking
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| sufficiently fed. Flake food (for
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| | The aquarist may have very high seawater
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| example) is concentrated and rich, and
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| | quality and lighting may be fault free,
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| pollutes the water very easily. That is
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| | but some of the fish (for example) may be
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| the problem, pollution. Eventually, even
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| | sickly, feeding poorly and obviously
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| with routine water changes, water quality
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| | unhappy. When on the wild reef fish have
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| reduces. Food is a major source of
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| | few objectives in their lives, but the
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| nitrate and phosphate, both of which are
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| | ones they do have are :
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| nutrients for nuisance algae.
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| | 1. To breed
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| The solution to overfeeding is simply
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| | 2. To avoid confrontation
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| don't do it. Observe the livestock. Are
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| | 3. To find enough food
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| they well fed? Remember, they will obtain
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| | 4. To avoid becoming food
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| some food from the reef/decorations.
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| | So if a small fish has gone missing, has
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| Discipline and observation are the
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| | a predator (example: a lionfish Pterois
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| essentials.
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| | volitions) been introduced? Don't smile,
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| Failure to Test the Seawater
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| | you'd be surprised at what is purchased
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| It is repeated over and over again by
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| | sometimes on impulse. Is a fish showing
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| every authority that seawater quality is
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| | ragged fins, poor colours, hovering in a
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| the number one on the aquarists list of
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| | corner, or hiding in rockwork, hardly
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| 'must haves'. The seawater in the
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| | coming out even to feed? Is it being
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| aquarium is nearly everything to
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| | harassed by bold and aggressive fishes?
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| livestock, they are touching it
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| | It is not only inter-fish problems that
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| constantly and rely on it for oxygen and
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| | must be avoided. There are fish that
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| other essentials. Food alone, no matter
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| | would love to eat that shrimp. There are
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| how high the quality, will not sustain
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| | shrimps that would love to eat that
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| them entirely. As soon as seawater is in
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| | starfish.
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| the aquarium with livestock, it begins to
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| | Research what is being put into the
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| deteriorate. The rate of deterioration
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| | aquarium. Ensure full compatibility. It
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| can be slowed down by, in particular, the
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| | is cruel to fail to do this. Nowadays
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| employment of a high quality protein
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| | there are many quality books available,
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| skimmer. Other aids can be the reef
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| | and the internet where information is
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| itself (live rock), a deep sand bed, a
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| | freely available.
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| calcium reactor (some of these inject
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| | Overstocking
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| more than calcium) etc. Nevertheless,
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| | Large or small, every aquarium system has
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| seawater quality deterioration is there.
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| | its limit in the amount of livestock that
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| The fish only aquarist can do fewer tests
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| | can be kept. Keeping too much livestock,
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| than the reef aquarist, but whatever the
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| | in particular fish, increases the
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| livestock, testing must be done. Once
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| | bio-load that has to be dealt with. The
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| experience has been gained then testing
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| | biological support of the aquarium will
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| frequency can be reduced. However, the
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| | increase over time as the bio-load
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| aquarist must always be aware of the
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| | increases - up to a point. Then it is
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| state of the seawater. We would not be
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| | unable to deal with the wastes and
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| happy walking around in and breathing
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| | disaster is just around the corner. The
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| polluted air.
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| | aquarium inhabitants face death by
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| Routine water changes should be
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| | poisoning. The need for large seawater
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| completed, using reverse osmosis water
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| | changes is going to increase. Even then,
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| for the mix. At the start, 10% (of the
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| | disaster is close. The aquarist has put
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| systems net gallonage) should be changed.
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| | all his/her efforts in jeopardy,
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| Again, this can be reduced when
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| | including seawater quality and even all
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| experience is gained, either by lowering
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| | aquarium life.
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| the percentage or increasing the period
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| | Quite apart from the dangers of reduced
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| between changes, and also subject to a
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| | seawater quality and failing biological
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| light or heavy bio-load. In some cases
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| | support, there is the question of the
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| the percentage may need to be raised to
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| | space needs of the inhabitants
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| maintain high quality seawater, but if
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| | themselves. Fish etc need to feel secure
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| this is the case an examination of
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| | in order to prosper and be healthy, which
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| filtration, feeding and stocking should
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| | means they need to be able to find a hide
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| be undertaken. Are the filters
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| | hole during the dark hours and in
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| functioning correctly, and are they
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| | daylight hours have a hole to disappear
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| sufficiently sized? Is the system
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| | into. If the aquarium is overstocked
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| overstocked? Are the livestock being
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| | holes are going to be at a premium and
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| overfed?
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| | aggression and fights could ensue. On the
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| Failure to Renew the Light Bulbs
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| | wild reef it is life to have a secure
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| By light bulbs I am referring to metal
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| | hole and the instinctive need does not
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| halide bulbs or fluorescent tubes.
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| | disappear in an aquarium.
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| Lighting needs are more appropriate to
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| | Many aquarists, particularly those with
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| the reef aquarist. Lighting is a close
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| | reef aquariums, don't stock to the
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| second to water quality. A large number
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| | theoretical capacity. They under stock
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| of corals need lighting of the correct
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| | knowing that seawater quality will be
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| intensity and spectrum to flourish. Light
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| | better, and the corals and fish will be
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| bulbs reduce in efficiency as time
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| | all the better for it. Avoid the
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| passes. This efficiency loss is because
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| | temptation of 'just one more fish'.
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| of light intensity reduction and also
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