Reefkeeping is such a beautiful hobby for many reasons. It has an appeal to most any sensibility, from the creative arts to medical or earth sciences, physics and chemistry… even electrical engineering and carpentry! At the heart of it all though is animal husbandry and the joy of caring for magical reef creatures.

The biological equation of a living coral reef is founded on energy as sunlight. Sunlight drives the food chain starting at the surface of the ocean with plankton, on through to the cnidarian animals that we cherish so dearly, and beyond. In turn, the most crucial component of a coral reef aquarium is light. Indeed, it is the most significant investment in any reef system, and it is generally the most researched issue by aquarists. Without reef quality lighting, a captive reef cannot survive, let alone thrive.

Despite the abundance of information at large about reef aquarium lighting, a seemingly like-weighted measure of mythinformation abounds. Too many reef aquarists spend considerable time and money on lighting yet still end up with inferior, if not dangerous, systems. I regret to say that my position is not a statement of superlative exaggeration for the purpose of emphasis, but rather poignant testimony to a sad reality in the marine lighting industry. It is an unfortunate fact that many aquarium hobby products at large get designed and released with little to no R&D. The reality is even more sobering for lighting products – domestic and imports alike. But, as the saying goes, the numbers never lie. The following is a short survey of what I’m calling “things you thought you knew” about T5 lighting. You can verify most of these statements on your own with little effort or expense.

By Anthony Calfo

Courtesy of Icecap Inc.

We at Ottawa Inverts are very proud to now carry the solution to these problems, the Coral Vue Lumen Bright reflectors!

How can the Lumen Bright reflectors solve these problems?  By raising them up!

The Lumen Bright reflectors are specifically designed to focus all of your tanks lighting down and into your tank as opposed to allowing the light to spill out and across the room.

In fact, these reflectors are so well designed for the purpose that it is highly recommended to mount the Lumen Bright reflectors to the specs below otherwise the incredibly high PAR values that these reflectors are directing toward your tank could in fact be too high and result in damage to your corals.

By raising your lighting up you also will be reducing if not eliminating the heating issues associated with metal halide lighting running in enclosed canopies. Higher lighting also means that your reflectors are out of harms way from pitting due to salt spray.

Traditional style reflectors are not designed to penetrate the light deep into your tank where as the Lumen Bright reflectors design allows them to deliver a greater amount of light to the corals deeper within your tank.

Now you may ask yourself the question “I have a wider tank, will this reflector be too concentrated in downwards direction for me?”  If your tank is under 24″ wide, the answer is NO – and here are some figures to prove it taken from “Lumen Bright Reflectors” by Jim Memije in Reef Keeping Magazine Online.

This is a comparison of the large Lumen Arc 3 reflectors and the large Lumen Bright reflectors on the same ballast, using the same bulb, and measuring outwards and downwards from the bulbs.

As you can see, the Lumen Bright reflectors are producing over 100% higher Par below the bulb and 3″ under the water surface and are still producing 25% higher par 24″ out from the bulb and 3″ below the water surface.

So to sum it up the Lumen Bright reflectors give you:

• Less heat,
• Less evaporation,
• More space to get into your tank as the reflector is placed higher above your tank, and
• Most importantly MORE LIGHT!!

If you would like to read the complete Reefkeeping Online article by Jim Memije, which contains a wealth of details about these reflectors and how very impressive they are, Click Here.

You can visit the Lumen Bright page on our web-site Here.

Ultralith Calculator now available! Calculates how much Ultralith, Ultra-Bio, Ultra-Bak and Ultra MinS you should be using, and helps you track your progress.

Click to download the Ultralith Calculator in Excel format.

Have you looked in amazement at the coral systems of other reefers?  Systems with high growth rates and stunning colouration – and wondered how you could have that in your own tank?

You might think you don’t have the time, the patience, or the know-how.  Think again.  The Fauna Marin Ultralith-System is a balanced approach to achieving and maintaining a natural low-nutrient environment that will help your corals do their very best.Your reef aquarium is a complex biological system, housing many different organisms with diverse water quality and nutritional requirements.  In order to fulfil these requirements, Fauna Marin have developed novel and user-friendly systems usable even by beginners.  Unlike many other manufacturers, Fauna Marin think about complete systems that work together rather than individual products which can give mixed results.

What is the Ultralith-System?

The Ultralith-System is based on the application of Zeolite.  Zeolites are minerals that have a microporous structure with pores smaller than 2nm.  The natural Zeolite used in Ultralith has been specifically selected to bind Ammonium, and has pores down to 1nm (one billionth of a meter) in diameter.

The Ultralith-System is suitable for use in marine aquaria that use the classic Berlin Method of filtration (live rock and protien skimmer) and is not suiable for DSB, Jaubert Plenum or Mud filtration systems.

When used to reduce nutrient concentration in your aquarium, Ultralith prevents the masking effect on colour (due to excess Zooxanthellae) that can turn your corals brown.

Almost as an added bonus, Ultralith was designed for general filtration and water purification – not just to produce pastel-coloured SPS corals.  Filtration with the Ultralith-System can enhance the natural colouration of all corals, and is suitable for maintaining water quality in tanks set up to house azooxanthellate (non-photosynthetic) corals.

When combined with Fauna Marin’s special Ultra-BAK and Ultra-Min S foods, Ultralith is a simple and safe method of keeping even the most delicate and sensitive animals.  The Ultralith-System makes it possible to set up and cycle new tanks quickly and safely, and older tanks can be rejuvenated – safely avoiding “Old Tank Syndrome”.

The basic Ultralith-System contains four products.  In this most basic form you will have very effective water filtration and a tank with healthy and colourful corals:

1. Ultralith: Marine Zeolite Mix,
2. Ultra-Min S: Basic Nutrient and Trace Element Solution,
3. Ultra-BAK: Bacterial Food, Carbon and Vitamin Source, and
4. Ultra-Bio: A specially formulated blend of bacteria for rapid nutrient reduction.

Though the Ultralith-System is very easy to use, when first using the Ultralith-System, please read the manual very carefully.

Click to download the Ultralith-System Manual in PDF format.

The Ultralith-System needs some time to achieve optimal results and should therefore be started slowly and carefully.  Patience is perhaps the most important factor for a successful start.

Additonal additives can be employed if required or desired:

• UltraAMIN: Food and colour booster for SPS/LPS corals
• Ultra-Carb: Highly-activated carbon for rapid removal of yellowness, turbidity and toxins,
• ULTRA Organic: Solution with organic trace elements and nutrients, and
• Ultra Power-Trace: Four trace element solutions for specific addition of: 1: Strontium/Calcium, 2: Iron/Zinc, 3: Iodine/Boron, and 4: Magnesium

The Ultralith-System has to be adjusted to each tank and requires a certain discipline. The basic system is designed for modern reef tanks with mixed livestock.  More extreme, but still natural colours can be achieved with careful higher dosing.

How does the Ultralith system work in the Aquarium?

Ultralith removes Ammonium and Ammonia from the water and binds it to its mineral structure.  The specially formulated bacterial strains (Ultra-Bio) will colonize the mineral grains and use the bound nutrients, thereby avoiding the buildup of Nitrate in the Aquarium.

Ultralith also removes certain trace elements from the water, which can be replenished with our specially formulated trace element solutions (Ultra Power-Trace 1-4) and our general nutrient and trace element solution (Ultra-Min S).

Ultralith does not remove phosphates directly from the water. However, by using Ultralith, skimming efficiency, bacterial as well as coral growth will be increased, thereby removing phosphate from the water. The result are concentrations that are below the detection limit of standard hobbyist aquarium tests.

The trick, or rather the success of the method is to maintain extremely nutrient poor conditions and to add exactly those nutrients and trace elements which are necessary to maintain maximum growth rates and colouration.  Only through additions of bacteria, nutrients and trace elements can the corals be maintained at optimal conditions.

In the natural reef environment the corals have the necessary amount of nutrients constantly available, although the water is basically devoid of any measurable nutrients. Such conditions are simulated with our Ultralith system.  Growth and colouration of the corals can be influenced by dosing of trace elements and nutrients.

As you can see, Fauna Marin’s Ultralith-System is quite different from others on the market.  Having their origins in the respected German reef aquarium market, Fauna Marin are respected for their easy to use products and the great success they bring to their customers.

And best of all, it’s easier than you think.

The materials used for the walls were well researched, mainly from threads on ReefCentral. All materials used in this project are reported to be reef-safe from numerous threads. However, as none of the sources where PhD’s in biochemistry – by following this process you are taking your own risks. To ensure reliable test results, it was ensuresd that all products referenced had been used in tanks for a period of at least 1 year.

All times where the products were referenced had at least one reference to the walls being in the tanks for 1yr or more. The hardest one to find that level of “reference” for was the epoxy… but I did find it.

Mounting Your Rocks

I used Egg Crate and Zip Ties for the Rock. I would recommend using small pieces, the size of the palm of your hand. I found that some of my pieces stuck a bit further horizontally into my tank than I would have prefered. Also, I would recommend using a larger rock and smashing it with a hammer and chisel and using the pieces created. I did this toward the end, and the result was much more interesting shapes. I would also recommend creating “feet” for your wall so that it is able to stand on its own. This has little to do with the tank but so many times when “crafting” I was able to stand the project wall up on its own feet and work for one wall that had feet and it was easier than the other wall that constantly needed to be balanced. Another option would be to working with a friend.

Don’t forget to plan where you are going to mount your pumps to the walls. Create an outline before you start the next step, so that you can work around those areas and leave them clear.

Applying the Foam

Foam used was Great Stuff (red can with yellow cap) from Home Depot. The most important tip here is to make sure to throw down the covering layer quickly. Cover everything with about 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch of foam. You’re looking for the foam to expand within the first 20 seconds to fill in the entire working surface. You’re not going to use too much unless you try. I was most successfull when I used a back and fourth painting motion for the large open areas of egg-crate. This did look like it was going to create ugly ridges for the end-project but do not worry, it does not. Be sure to get under and around the rocks to give them lots of support. It is important to note that you can easily break and rip off excess later and you will not be able to notice any difference once it is covered with sand. Another important tip is to come back after ~20min when there is a good surface crust on the foam (If you touch it and it sticks to your hands it’s too soon, you need to touch it and not have anything stick to you, then you know you are ready to work it). You want to start to flatten the air out of the foam at this point. Work the foam until it is flat, push it in around the rocks and down into the egg crate. 

I was able to complete my project using 4 cans. However, I wanted flat walls with rocks on them, if you want thick walls, use more rocks and still flatten the foam. I’ve hear of people having issues with walls floating, but by adding rocks and therefore weight, there is little chance that your wall will float. My walls were about 20lbs each and did not float.

Resin and Sand

After letting the foam cure for 24 hours, get some Z-POXY Finishing Resin from Zap Glue. I got mine at Dynamic Hobbies here in town. They are on Colonnade Rd. and it costs $20/box and 1 box did my project with a minimal amount left over. I recommend planing your sq. footage and assume that one box will cover about 10 sqr feet. By using the assumption that each box will give you approximately 10 srq feet you will be able to estimate how much to buy. In case you buy a little too much, unopened/undamaged boxes can be returned to most stores.

The next step is to mix equal parts of the resin as directed. It is advisable for spreading the resin onto the walls that a 1″ paint brush is used. It is important to note that the product has a working time of approximately 20min, so it is suggested to work in 1 aqe foot sections at a time, as I did. I recommend Blobbing on the resin, then holding the brush straight up and down, push down and swirl the resin into every nook and cranny, you need this resin everywhere you want sand to stick, so be sure to use a far amount.

Don’t wait too long before putting the sand on your project or else the resin might dry too quickly. For my project I painted for approximately 2-4min, then started pressing in hand-fulls of sand/substrate. Anticipate loosing approximately 90% of your sand, as it falls off of the project, so make sure to use alot of sand. Because I used alot of sand and epoxy on my first coat, I only had to go over the project with one coat of sand/epoxy. Take your time and make sure to cover zip-ties, foam, etc. I also chose to cover some sections of rock with the sand as well. The basic purpose of the sand is astetics, so that you don’t have to look at yellow foam while you wait for coraline and other similar encrusting algeas to cover the foam.

Mounting the Walls In-Tank

Now that the walls are ready for your tank, which has been cleaned and dried, get yourself some silicone from Home Depot. It costs approximately $5.00/tube and I used 1 tube per wall. I do not think you can go “overboard” on the silicone here, get it stuck good and goopy to the walls to avoid dead-spots of water/detritus being created behind the walls. Home Depot sells several different kinds of Silicone. The one you want is a BLUE TUBE with TYPE I on it. It does NOT say that it is safe for aquariums, however it is. The Home Depot guy even pulled out a manufactures guide to the product and showed me that the manufacture even recommends aquarium usage for the BLUE TUBE TYPE I silicone.

Wait 72 hrs for the silicone to dry/cure and bleed-off all of the nasty smell.  That being said, during the first 24hrs, you will have to find ways to push/hold your project to the walls of the aquarium while the silocone dries. Using 2×4’s or scrap wood is one option, but difficult to engineer. There is no easy & cheap ways of doing this. Take the time when you are dry-fitting the walls to your tank to figure out how to support the walls.

Wrap-up

My walls were 24″ tall, by 26.5″ long (approximately, 4 square feet each). This measurement is good as a reference for how far the materials used in this project can go.

This article was originally posted on the OVAS forum here, by Tim.

First off, once you receive your magnets you will need some cyanoacrylate super glue and a small piece of rubble. For flat frags such as montipora caps I try to find a piece of rubble that will sit on the magnet and have a surface that is somewhat flat and at 90 degrees to your work surface. It does not have to be exact but the flatter it is the easier it is to mount your monti cap. For any other frags, though, I try and find a piece of rubble with an interesting shape and only one flat side.

Separate your magnets and put the other magnet a fair distance away from the magnet that you plan on gluing (a foot or more away). These magnet are quite powerful, and if yours are close together and one gets nudged by accident once the glue is applied and your magnets stick together you may have a very sticky situation on your hands.

Apply liberal amounts of super glue to one magnet.

Place rock on magnet and press firmly.

Now at this point the longer you can allow the super glue to dry the better. Allowing the super glue to completely dry overnight is preferable but not required. Once your super glue has sufficiently dried you can pick up your piece. Now apply liberal amounts of super glue where you plan on attaching your frag.

This is where the technique of attaching your frags will differ. I chose a piece of cap as it is the most challenging to attach.
Dry the bottom of your cap with a piece of paper towel. I usually just put my cap on a piece of paper towel and let it sit there for a few minutes.  Turn your cap upside down and place your magnet + rubble + glue onto it.  Be sure to give yourself a bit of space between the frag and where the glass will be once its in the tank.

Allow the glue to set for a few min and place your piece in the tank.
Now this part is important. When you put your piece into the tank keep the magnets separate and do not allow the magnets to get to close to each other. I find it easiest to place the frag in the tank and figure out where i want it while the other magnet is in my pocket. Once you know where you want it for sure grab the other magnet and place it on the other side of the glass.

On one of the first magnets that I put together I made the mistake of allowing the magnet to get too close together while I was putting my frag into the tank. The magnets jumped together and pushed my frag off of the rock. Both my magnets and frag and subsequently fingers were covered in superglue so it would be great if I can help you avoid making my mistake.

If you are attaching a frag with a flat side already it is much easier and faster.

Here we took a piece of encrusting orange monti that we fragged off of a very large colony here. We cut the piece in half with a diamond wheel on a Dremel to give us a nice flat surface.

Again apply your super glue.

Place your coral on the magnet.

And you are done!

You can purchase Mag Mounts or Thumb Crushers Here.