Maintenance

How do calcium reactors work?

A Guide to Using Calcium Reactors by Simon Huntington - Reefkeeping.com

Melevsreef.com - Calcium Reactor

Diatoms are actually single cell algae. They commonly occur when cycling a tank and occassionally in established tanks. Diatoms can get quite ugly during a cycle, but letting the tank cycle and being patient is all that required for them to go away. Get the water parameters to zero, they'll pass.

Cyanobacteria is that red slime that comes around occassionally. Cyano colors range... it can be crimson, red, blue-green, etc. Many folks recommend additional flow to get rid of cyanobacteria,...

Aglae : The Bane of Reef Aquariums Part 2

Solutions : Limit Nutrient Sources

1) Use RO/DI Water

2) Test dKH, adjust to 10-11.

3) Don’t overfeed and allow uneaten food to accumulate

4) Remove anything dead ASAP

5) Clean filters, foam, etc. much more often than you think necessary.

6) Eliminate as many detritus traps in your tank system as possible.

7) Use a turkey baster to clean off...

Skimmer Cup : Empty and Clean weekly
Granular Activated Carbon : Replace 2 cups/110gallons every 4 weeks.
Light Bulbs : Replace every 9 months.

Algae : The Bane of Reef Aquariums.

John Maloney's Ultimate Nuisance Algae Thread - A MUST READ

Nothing is more frustrating to me in reef aquariums than the seemingly continual battle against algae. I would also venture a guess that algae problems are one of the most popular posts on the forums. Particularly amongst new reef aquarists suffering through the initial algae blooms that often occur in new tanks.

The purpose of this blog entry is to capture a...