2014-05-29 New Tankmate! Puffer

Over the weekend wife and I stumbled into local store and saw this cute guy.
I've never hosted a puffer in my personal tank. But I've always loved their personality when I take care of them in stores. So we decided to take this guy home.

The saddle back puffer, also known by many other names including valentine puffer, is one of the smallest, most commonly available puffer in the aquarium hobby trade.

No puffers are reef safe. However, with caution and good diet, they can co-exist with many other peaceful tank mates, including invertebrates.

I am taking a slight risk placing it in a tank with a little bit of coral, couple emerald crabs, few hermit crabs, snails, as well as a couple urchins. But my goal is to keep it well fed so that there will never be a need for him/her to attack its tank mates.

I now have a six lined wrasse, an electric blue damsel, an Ocellaris clown, and an African flame back angel housed with this puffer. The flamed angel is the king of this tank with the most aggressive demeanor. But the angel just checked out the puffer and left it along.

One note I must stress, if you have never kept a puffer- be sure to provide shellfish or hard shelled crustaceans in its diet frequently. It is necessary for the puffer to chew on hard object to grind down its ever growing teeth, which are fused into a beak-like structure. Without this care, the puffer's teeth will overgrow and eventually starve to death.

Additionally, they can be a bit of a messy eater; so be sure to have good filtration system with a strong skimmer.

A small saddle back puffer like this doesn't exceed 4", and is also a slow swimmer that doesn't require a lot of room. So it's OK to host it in a smaller tank. But if you are looking to get any puffers not in the cantigaster family, most of them can grow up to 1' or larger, be sure to prepare tanks no smaller than 120 Gallon.

2014-05-28 Sale 20% Off

Just want to share this deal with everyone:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com
Have fun shopping and find all that you need!

Update

Once in a while, I like to do an update...

New freshwater light

My previous light on the Freshwater 46 Bowfront was a Marineland double bright LED system for about two years. The light actually ended its life sooner than I thought it should. The light began flickering and died. So this time I purchased Current USA LED light. The review is still out. I shall report back in a month or two:

Robin eggs

Kind of out of the topic, but instead of taking the wild home, the wild came to me! An American robin decided to nest on my backyard light and laid two turquoise eggs!

Tank update

Update photo from the top. All the fish got excited thinking I was going to feed- not quite, just taking a picture!

2014-05-19 Species Spotlight- Linchia sp. Starfish

Linckia stars are jewels of the South Pacific. They come in vibrant colors and patterns. Yet they are mysterious as we know little of all the species out there, let along the diet of all different species. Like many other marine creatures, just because they are called a "starfish" doesn't mean they are not picking on what they eat.

linty starfish as seen on Live Aquaria

There is this super attractive Linckia star for sell at Diver's Den:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden

Now, I am not saying it's impossible to keep a Linchia star, but it can be tricky as many of them prefer difference diet from another- ranging from easy and simple detritus (left over), coral (dangerous), other stars, fish, crustaceans, sponges, etc. Many of these items are either not abundantly available in a small home aquarium, some of them are too pricy to purchase or to be eaten by the star. The store I used to manage had a 180 Gallon mature reef tank with an abundance of "EVERYTHING", yet we couldn't keep a linckia in there alive for more than 3 months at a time.

If you have a really large tank- larger than 500 Gallon, mature, and is full of a variety of reef creature, you might have a shot. Otherwise, I'd advise saving your money for something not as finicky, or don't get to attached to it.

Clam update

Just another update to my clam!

Coral trio bragging!

Just a little bragging on my corals! the newly (two weeks) acquired wall golden hammer, my almost year old ricordia, and newly fragged purple head branching hammer

2014-05-17 Gear Spotlight- Chiller

So what's the deal with Chillers? Until I began keeping salt-water aquariums, I've never even heard of it! Why chillers? Well, there is an excellent article here on Marine Depot taking about it: http://www.marinedepot.com
I also want to credit Marine Depot for this illustration below:

Tank Chiller Set up according to Marine Depot

So why do you need Chiller, if you already have to use a heater to "heat" up your tank?

Well, While terrestrial day time and night time temperature swings can be quite big- here in Wisconsin we have 80 degree days with nights in the 30's, it's ridiculous!

Also, while fluorescent lights and LEDs do not emit as much heat, reef tanks with metal halide can boil eggs and more! So it is vital to ensure your tanks does not over head by the end of your photoperiod (light-on hours). 

A couple ways you can get by without a chiller- have well ventilated tank/sump area with central air/AC on for the house, not just for the tank but for your own comfort. But let's face it, it's cheaper to cool down the tank than the entire house.

Or, you can choose a low-heat emission lighting system such as LED light, which can emit almost as much, if not more energy than that of metal halide.

But if the above are not in your option, a chiller might be the better choice.

Natural tropical sea water's temperature range from low 70's to mid 80's, depends on the current, time of day, and the depth. Many people say the sea water is very constant, that's not true. 

I used to spend years living in Belize and swim in the barrier reef on weekends. The real ocean water comes in waves of warm pockets followed by cool pockets, and the surface (top 3 feet) is significantly warmer than the deeper region (5-30 feet). So don't worry too much if your temperature swings a little between day and night. It's OK and it's natural.

2014-05-16 Species Spotlight- Derasa

This is the third Derasa clam I've kept in my personal aquarium.
My first clam came as a birthday present, a 5" derasa, had the tiger spotted marking.
Second one is similar to the one below, also a 5" derasa, with a slightly lighter color. That one unfortunately died due to disease introduced by another clam.

The current clam I have is between 8-9" and has beautiful stripes down its mantle.

In many people's opinion, Derasa clam is one of the hardiest, and easiest clams to keep.

In my opinion, squamosa is the hardiest and easiest, but Derasa clam is a close second.

Like all clams, it does require full reef water condition with extra care in calcium level for proper growth. It will also need slightly nutrient rich water (i.e. plenty of fish waste) to thrive as it absorbs phosphorous from water to build its body parts. Hence it's nearly impossible to keep clams in an aquarium with no fish in it.

Although Derasa doesn't require as much intensity in light as Maxima and Crocea do, it still need a decent light source. I've been able to keep it healthy under power compact at at least 5W/gallon with slower growth. Currently I have it under my AI sol blue LED fixture at around 70% at peak time and it's growing rapidly. Many others keep it under Metal Halide, which is more than enough light but can really suck up your energy bill.

Unlike Maxima and Crocea, you should place this clam on a sand bed. And give it plenty of room to "rotate" as it has a mind of its own in choosing what direction it wants to face. Lastly, keep the tank free of potential clam eaters. I had a flame angel who would nip at my Squamosa before. That flame took its own life one day, and my flame angel II has been very well fed and has not touched the clam.

One other conscience complier is that most of these clams you find in the trade are now aquacultures with minimum to none impact to the reef. And the bonus of aquacultured livestock is they are far hardier than those wild collected.

2014-05-15 Species Spotlight- Dogface Puffer

OK,
This might not be the rarest fish, but they sure are one of the more popular in tanks for fish only with live rock. Yes, it's unfortunate they are definitely not reef safe as they are capable of devour anything that can fit through the mouth with shell- snail, clam, scallop, shrimp, crab, you name it!

Dogface Puffer as seen on Live Aquaria

Found this guy at Liveaquaria- I have seen many dog face puffers but never one this dark and handsome! And at a very affordable price (for salt water fish anyways)!

I don't think I need to write too much about how to keep this fish- proper seawater level, proper temperature, probably not a ton of water flow since they aren't fast swimmers. But they are very hardy and rarely come down with diseases. The only disease I've encountered with this species in the past is pop eye, which could have been caused by an injury.

Although you never have to worry about this fish not eating, feeing the right thing is the key to success. All puffers have a "beak" like mouth that, without shellfish to grind it down, will grow infinitely. So if you are used to feeding only artificial flake/pellet food or even shrimp, your puffer may eventually suffer starvation from not able to eat with its over grown beak. 

I have personally seen people take their puffer out of the water, take a grinder to grind down the beak- no joke!

So then what can you do to help grind this down? Well, the natural diet of a puffer is mainly made of shellfish. So the most economic way is to hit up your local grocery store and get some clams. Crab legs would be a nice workout for them to crack and grind down as well.

You can also purchase some high-protein mix and freeze it inside the clam shells to entice the puffer to "chew" it down.

Feeding time

Feeding time at my tank!
First I want to describe my fish food: fresh headless shrimp + Swordfish + red seaweed all blended together, then add in Selcon, rotifer, phytoplankton, mysis shrimp, spiraling enriched brine shrimp, plankton, all mixed then frozen in ice cubes.

When I feed, this food is so rich in protein I must turn the skimmer off for at least 12 hours before turning it back on! Ever since I began this diet all the coral's growth rate has tripled and fish became so wide they have a hard time squeeze through the rock cracks!

Scaling the clam growth

I've been trying really hard to photography my 10" stardust squamosa clam. But I think it has to do with the camera none of the photos I take end up doing justice to how huge and beautiful this clam is.
The photo below is probably as good of a testimony as it can be:

The yellow tang is fully grown- 5" and thick! it was about 5-6" over the clam as this was taken so picture the fish a bit smaller if it was a bit closer to the clam. I think seriously thinking of investing on an underwater camera (or even a go-pro!)

Squamosa clam has a special place in my aquarium keeping- My interest in salt water aquarium started when I visited the Waikiki Aquarium- There was a huge Squamosa clam at its entrance (must have been ver a foot) with small clowns swimming freely through it. Here is a video.

2014-05-10 Deal of the Day- 30% Off all Livestock

Spring clearance at Pacific East Aqualculture- 30% off all livestock!

http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com

For limited time enter coupon code "Spring30" at checkout to receive 30% off!

Depends on what you are planning to add into your tank, this basically can offset your shipping charge!

Don't miss out!

By the way, I have done extensive research on all online-retailers before I order. And all companies, even the most reputable, as long as they do enough business will inevitably have some tough cases to receive negative reviews. That said, please do not take my word on who's good and who isn't as each shipment with each livestock and have different results. Even livestock I purchase at a local store can end up having defects that I wasn't able to see at the store. For clams, if they have been infected with boring sponge while young, you can only see the defect by sawing open the shell after their death.

Anyways, best wishes to everyone's order!

2014-05-09 Species spotlight- Macro algae

Macro-algae, it's actually kind of a cool word!
So we hear a LOT about macro algae, just what's the big deal?
Well, algae, to be specific, phytoplankton is the most abundant living creature in the world. It basically is responsible for sustaining the entire marine eco-system, in term, sustain the entire world's life. Phytoplankton is mono cellular and thus are known as micro algae.
in contrast, algae that forms sustainable size are known as macro algae; or commonly known as seaweed

Seaweed comes in more species than anyone realize as it is grown in ALL coastal areas around the world in all climates. Because it is fast growing, richly nutritious, and easily accessible, it is also a major food source for creatures both aquatic and terrestrial- including human.
Also because it is fast growing, it has the ability to absorb excessive nutrient and waste from the surrounding water, acting as a filter or water purification machine for the coastal area. And because of its complex texture and formation, it can be a safe haven for many creatures to take refuge.

Some of the most commonly known macro algae in the marine aquarium trade are chaetomorpha, caulerpa sp, and gracilaria sp. I have experience of housing one or more species of them (including all of the above) at one point or another. While chaetomorpha is fast growing and easy to arrange since it does not root, it isn't very visually pleasing. Caulerpa and gracilaria are relatively cute but they can root in both rock and sand, and become quite a pest once they begin to grow like wildfire in the refugium. So I began to look for inexpensive, easy to maintain, fast growing, yet visually pleasing substitute: I found the red cryptonemia.
When housed in a tight space, this plan will continue to grow at a fast rate but form a tight clump. As soon as you provide more room, it will then loosen up and being to expand. It does not root so they are very easy to deal with when you need to remove excessive growth or to separate them for propagation. And lastly, they have this bright red color that's just unique from most other commonly available species.

2014-05-08 Save $$$ on electricity

I have heard and seen many discussions on how much energy their reef tanks draw and that they can see a BIG difference in energy bill with/without the tank operating. Today I want to make an attempt to break it down by using my own tank as an analysis.

First of all let's understand how do power companies charge your energy usage

Below is an example of one of my recent bills:

  Customer Charge                  30 DAYS   AT $    .34308  $       10.29       
  State Low-Income Asst Fee        30 DAYS   AT $    .10333  $        3.10       
  Distribution Service           1356 KWH    AT $    .03000  $       40.68       
  Electricity Service            1356 KWH    AT $    .10992  $      149.05       

    Subtotal Electric Meter     250177 ---------------------------$      203.12  

Note the items in line 1 and 2 are things you cannot change- you are paying those regardless how much energy you use.

And line 3 and 4 are basically two of the same thing, so I am going to add it together and call it approximately $.14 for each KWH of energy we use in the house.

KWH stands for Kilowatt hour. Basically if you add up all the wattage your household electronics' and appliances' labels you are looking at this. To illustrate:

1356/ 30 days= roughly 45 KWH for each of the 30 days this month, meaning I use 45KWH each day. To divide that by 24 hours, I am using nearly 2KWH each hour. 2KWH= 2000W= 20 X 100W lightbulbs on simultaneously for the entire 24 hour cycle each day. Using this principle above, let's estimate what % of my household energy contributes to my tank:

Tank energy:

Light: 2X70W Aqua Illumination Sol Blue LED on for 10 hours at an average of 35% of the 70W= 70 X 2 X 35% X 10= 526W

Heater: 200W, but not on constantly, probably on for approximately 70% of the time- 200 X 70% X 24= 3360W

Return Pump: Mag drive 7- 60W X 24hours= 1440W

Powerhead/wave makers: 3X 15W X 24hours= 1080W

Skimmer Pump: 60W X 23 Hours (minus feeding time)=1380

Total= 7786W

Here is the kick, even though electronics may label as 100W. Few to none ever operate at exactly that amount. Most of them actually consumes 20-40% more energy to operate at the energy level labelled. In another words, if a light build is labeled 100W, it might actually consume 140W in reality. 

For that reason, we will multiply 7786 X 140%= 10900W

10900W=10.9Kilowatt, let's call it 11 KWh

So each day out of the 45 KWh, 11 goes to the tank, roughly a quarter of my household energy! and if you look at my monthly charge- that's about $50

Now, things actually used to be worse- Metal Halide bulbs. I used to use a fixture containing 1X250W Metal halide + 4X24W T-5 tubes, a whopping 342W. And this fixture did not have the ramping and % control like the LED lights do. So if I have this light on for 10 hours/day- 342X10= 3420W 

Add this up with other parts (heater, pumps, skimmer)-10680 X 140%= 14952W

14952W is roughly 15KWh

So let's do the math: 15KWh - 11KWh=4KWh/day

4KWh X 30= 120KWh/month X $.14= roughly $17 a month of energy bill difference.- $200 a year in energy savings!

A Good LED lighting system cost between $400-$900 and lasts 10,000 hours - if you can keep the light for more than 2 years you got your money back.

A Good Metal Halide system cost about the same amount and definitely does not last as long - at least you need to replace the $50 bulb annually for optimum performance.

So next time if your significant other questions why you need to upgrade to the LED and other energy efficient pieces, please show her this post and tell her- you are saving money on the energy bill in the long run.

2014-05-07 Livestock Sportlight- Rock Anemone

So I have not seen many great deals online recently. Instead of writing and sharing any coupons or discounts, I think I'll share something about rock anemone (or flower anemone):
Here is a really beautiful specimen at Pacific East Aquaculture: http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com

Rock anemone as seen on Pacific East Aquaculture

In my opinion, They are one of the most beautiful, lower-price point (in comparison to other reef critters) marine animals you can find.

I have personally kept a few of them in the past and present. They really are not very demanding at all. Moderate to strong light (if you feed frequently, I think you might even get away with low light).

medium to low water flow (anemones, in general, don't like strong flow). They don't really host clownfish, so you might be disappointed if that's your goal. And they might be aggressive enough to consume small (and very dumb) fish. So if you have small and slow fish such as mandarine, seahorse, etc, please don't bother.

They will take food from you, but not larger chunks. Sometimes they are a bit picky with what they want, so keep trying different things across the menu and eventually when you find what they like, you can then just stick with it. I've seen some beautiful tanks stocked with a bunch of this as a species tank. They come in a wide array of metallic to pastel colors. So I urge you to not settle for an ordinary one, and go out to find a truly colorful one.

2014-05-05 Keeping Clams under LED

I just curious to see what other reefers are saying about the LED light's effect on keeping giant clams. So I did some research:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-588034.html

http://www.3reef.com/forums/clams/clams-under-leds-growth-130747-7.html#.U2Rq7l5k4y4

I've went through a few different forums but found that these two have the most constructive answers I was looking for. 

In general, the answer is yes. But it depends on how the light was made (home made, cheaply made in China, etc), the total wattage of the light, distance of light from water, distance of clam from water surface etc.

I can definitely attest that clams not only survive, but thrive under LED.

I have had my aqua illumination sol blue for more than 6 months now. And I've kept my three big clams in there for almost 5 months. I programmed my light to mimic the natural sunlight intensity bell curve throughout the day with the highest being 3pm at about 85% and down to 15% at beginning and ending of the day. The largest of the three squamosa grew 2", from 7" to 9", the derasa is a bit more sensitive to fish swim by so grew a bit slower, about 1.5", from 6 to 7.5". The smallest of the three is also a squamosa, grew from 5" to about 7" now. My calcium level was around 500 before these clams were in. And now I am struggling to keep it over 350 when they grow this fast! My tank is 92 Corner and they are all sitting at the very bottom. So yes, you can definitely keep clams happy with LED lights.

2014-05-05 Cinco De Mayo Harvest~ Gold wall hammer/anchor

Happen to travel to Chicago over the weekend with my wife to attend Stars on Ice. While in the area, I can't resist but to stop by Beyond the Reed in Schaumburg, IL. If you live anywhere within 2-3 hours from the Chicago area and are looking for great corals, frags, and invert both in quality and price, you cannot miss this store.
The new prize I scored is this beautiful 5" piece of Gold wall anchor/hammer coral. I've seen a comparable coral's online priced at the low to mid $100's. This piece was $98, retail! It is now happily expanding in my tank (shot below), and I am looking forward for this to wow any guests over!

A bit more about Beyond the Reef- Their staff is nice and knowledgable. And the store floor is DRY and CLEAN! The store's crown jewel is a huge (my estimate 1500 gallon) all glass FOWLR tank housing a pair of magnificent foot long uniform tang, along with a foot long Queen angel, 10" orange leopard spotted rabbitfish, full grown harlequin tusk, an almost full-grown black moray eel, along with many other beautiful fish. The only downside of the store I'd say is it didn't offer much of a clam selection. But they have 3 cubic inch acro frags (a full tank of them) for $49 each- a steal. Plus many other corals that you'd normally find 2-3X price in any other retailers, even online.

Even though I hate driving to Chicago area, even though the tax is higher down there, but I am almost getting ready to make this place my go-to store for all future coral excursions!

2014-05-04 Livestock Spotlight

Saw this amazing looking clown at Alpha Aquaculture:
http://alphaaquaculture.com

I think the marking on this fish looks crazy! And one feature I really love this site is you get a video footage of the fish on top of the picture of WYSWYG- As far as I know, no one else does that!

2014-05-03 Livestock Spotlight- Clam again!

Disclaimer- I do not recommend anyone purchase this clam, unless you are an expert:
http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/

I am sharing this image truly in honor of God's great creation on how beautiful these creatures are.

Look at the turquoise and gold trim with the blue green center mantle.

The reason why I do not recommend any ordinary reefer to purchase this claim is because of its size- a mere 2 incher.

I am not saying it is impossible to keep. But from my observation and forum reading- very few have successfully been able to kept and grown small clams, especially nutrient and light craving maximas. 

But, if you have a tank with adequate amount of nutrient, lighting that rivals that of the sun, and a constant source of phytoplankton- the key food for juvenile clams.

So, if you have the stomach for it, please go for it and let us know the progress of this little guy's growth.

2014-05-02 Discussion: pH Level for Marine Aquarium

You might have heard how important pH level is, but you might not have experienced what it can do to your tank if your pH level is really off target- Well, this winter I've battled the pH war and have a lot to share:
Background
The first mistake- probably a success in many other ways- is that I have my fish tank sitting in my finished basement. The reason for this placement made all the senses when I set it up- basement's air temperature does not fluctuate like that of upper levels, it also has the most solid, salt resistant floor surface- concrete underneath carpet to support the weight of the tank. And an easy access to the nearby utility sink. But I forgot one thing- without any open windows, the oxygen level tends to be lower than any other floor levels.

What does oxygen level has to do with pH? There is actually a very useful article on pH by Randy Holmes here: http://www.reefkeeping.com
In summary, pH is the measurement of hydrogen particles in the water, and the concentration of hydrogen particles relays heavily on the amount of oxygen present in the water.

When pH level is low, the water is acidic, and it will become difficult for your invertebrates including snails, corals, and clams to build skeleton as their bodies must allow the use of calcium carbonate (basic) to help neutralize the pH level within their bodies. (similarly, if a person constantly resides in an oxygen deprives environment, this person's body will be more acidic, and hence be more prone to osteoporosis as the body is unable to retain calcium)

So what happens in my basement over the cold-long winter here in Wisconsin is the low oxygen level due to closed window causes the tanks' pH level to drop below 8.0. This almost entirely stops the growth of all my stony corals and my clams.

To solve this problem, I began employee the help of kalkwasser. Each week I mix 1tsp of kalwasser with RO water per 25 gallon of water volume and pour the solution directly into a high flow area of my tank. This maintained the pH level of my tank between 8.0 to 8.2 through the rest of the winter. With the help of higher pH level, my corals and clams resumed growth and are happier than ever.

With my detailed documented water test results- on a spreadsheet- I discovered the dramatic change of pH level once the snow has melted on the ground and that I was able to open the windows of my house- pH level shut up from 8.0 to 8.3/4 within a week without requiring any further kalkwasser dosing.

So if you have noticed a slow to none growth with your coral or clam despite strong lighting and adequate calcium levels, you might want to give pH adjustment a shot!

2014-05-02 Livestock Spotlight- Pearl Tang

Ok, not everyone is willing to drop $3,000 on a fish.

But how often do you come across a fish this elegant and beautiful?

behold the pearl tang- zebra soma gemmatum:

You can now own this fish in your tank through Liveaquaria http://www.liveaquaria.com

Do you have a tank at least 120G? Do you have the perfect reef setting?

And most importantly, do you have $3000 in your saving's account?

2014-05-01 Deal of the Day- Free Reef Package

Got a message from saltwaterfish.com on a super special deal:

If you purchase more than $89
you'll receive ALL of the following for FREE:
#1  =  1 False Percula Clownfish
#2  =  5 Turbo/Astrea Snails
#3  =  5 Nassarius Snails
#4  =  5 Red Leg Hermit Crabs
#5  =  5 Blue Leg Hermit Crabs
#6  =  5 Dwarf White Leg Hermit Crabs
#7  =  1 Cleaner Clam
#8  =  1 Coral Frag or Mushroom Polyp
#9  =  1 Marine Plant or Macro Algae
#10 =  1 Peppermint Shrimp
use coupon code: Awesome
http://www.saltwaterfish.com
Hurry this ends tomorrow!

2014-05-01 Store Spotlight

I don't even know how did I come across it, or heard about it, but this is quite interesting- pretty much like an ebay for livestock- http://www.aquabid.com

I honestly don't know how this site works and/or the reputation of it. So check it out, have some fun, but puchase at your own risk! Although even with the bidding process, this doesn't seem to be a particularly better deal than any other store.

2014-05-01 Livestock Spotlight

My heart almost stopped when I saw this clam...
Yes, I have a thing for clam. In fact it was when I laid my eyes on the giant clams in display in Waikiki aquarium that made me fell in love with this hobby.
http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com

maxima clam as seen on Pacific East Aquaculture

This is a 5" Tahitian Maxima clam with golden turquoise leopard spotted mantle.
To keep this claim, please have nothing short of Metal Halide (at least 250W, 400W preferred) or LED. You will also need adequate calcium level (400+), 8.3pH, and slightly dirty water (nutrient rich) so the clam can feed on the nitrate and phosphate in it.
Believe me, if I have room in my tank I would have snatched this up in a heartbeat!
But at the moment my tank is a bit crowded with an 8"Squamosa, 8"Derasa, and 7"Squamosa...
and are all growing rapidly.