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