Reef Ramblings

The CO2 Calcium Reactor.

In the third part of my series on methods of maintaining levels of calcium and carbonates in the reef aquarium I’m going to take a look at CO2 calcium reactors. These are, perhaps, the most expensive pieces of equipment commonly purchased to maintain calcium and carbonates, but they can be the cheapest to run. Why is this such an expensive route to take? Well, when you first go this route, you find you actually need to buy two items of equipment, not just one, which of course pushes the price up. For a calcium reactor to work you also have to buy a CO2 bottle plus control gear at the same time as buying the actual reactor.

How does it work?

A CO2 reactor is a container used to hold calcareous media through which tank water, mixed with CO2 gas, is passed. By adding CO2 gas to the tank water, the pH value of the water is reduced, when the pH drops into the range of 6 to 6.5 pH it’s then acidic enough to dissolve the calcareous media, The water that leaves the reactor is high in calcium and carbonates which are now available for corals to use in the process of calcification – skeleton building. What’s more, the calcium and carbonates made available by this method are in the correct balance that’s so important for the reef aquarium.

How do you set up a CO2 calcium reactor?

It’s common practise to run a calcium reactor of this type by either tee-ing off from existing pipe work or by using a small, dedicated pump for the purpose. The flow of water through one of these reactors is generally quite low, as you’ll see when I describe how they are controlled.

With this type of reactor you can control the output by both adjusting the rate at which CO2 is fed to the reactor and by regulating the flow of water through the reactor.

To help control the rate at which the gas is fed into the reactor a device called a bubble counter is employed. This is simplicity itself, a small transparent container that is part filled with water and positioned so that the gas flows through it on the way into the reactor. You can then observe bubbles of gas moving through the water and, as the name suggests you count the bubbles as a way of quantifying the delivery.

The amount of water passing through the reactor is controlled by restricting the flow before it reaches the reactor and, again, this flow is quantified by observation, only this time you measure the flow by counting the drops of water returning to the aquarium over a given period of time. So, at the simplest level, you can control the reactor by a combination of bubbles of CO2 per second and drops of water per second.

Now, just because this is such a simple method it certainly doesn’t mean that it’s an inferior one; in fact, although it may seem a bit basic, it has the virtue of simplicity. You can see at a glance that water and gas are feeding through the system, and a quick bit of mental arithmetic will confirm that the flow rates are correct. Compare that to the more high-tech approach, where it’s impossible to tell just by looking if a pH probe is running accurately, or if an electrically operated solenoid valve is open or closed.

The production of the reactor can be evaluated simply by testing the water being fed back to the tank. Measure the alkalinity (in this case the quantity of bicarbonates and carbonates not a measure of acidity) of this water; the value here will be most usually be read in either meq/l or dKH (1.0 meq/l = 2.8 dKH), the higher the reading, the higher the reactor’s output. Although this can be useful, remember it’s the levels of calcium and carbonates in the aquarium that really matter.

A more technical solution to controlling the output of this type of reactor is to add a probe to measure the pH level within the reactor, a solenoid to turn the flow of CO2 on and off, and a controller that can be set to operate the solenoid at a given level of pH. As the way this reactor operates is by acidifying the water we can use the resulting pH reading as a guide to the correct operating of the reactor. Generally we’d be looking at a pH of somewhere in the region of 6.0 to 6.5, although the optimum level will be dependent upon the media being used in the reactor. Different types and grades of media will differ in the ph required to bring about the release of calcium and carbonates, and ideally we would like to use the media that works for us at the highest pH level we can manage. The reason for this? Well, one of the downsides of this type of calcium reactor is that lowering of the tank’s pH can occur.

Note: in addition to type and grade of media influencing the pH level required to operate the reactor, poor quality media can also release phosphate into your reef system. I recommend checking the amount of phosphate your chosen media releases by using an appropriate test kit.

Correcting low pH.

The water returned to the tank is high in calcium and carbonates, but has a low pH in the range of 6.0 to 6.5. Over time this will tend to depress the overall tank pH. To a certain extent, a lower pH isn’t much of a problem, as corals will still calcify down to 7.8 pH. But what may happen is that the lower pH will be responsible for helping to fuel outbreaks of undesirable algal growth.

There are a number of ways of dealing with this lowering of pH. A reef with high levels of surface agitation or excellent gas exchange may experience no problems whatsoever. So, one of the simplest methods is to just use increase gas exchange within the aquarium – this will gas off excess CO2, enabling a more natural pH to be maintained, say around 8.2. This can be done by increasing flow in the tank, or by increasing the rate water is returned to the sump. Simply adding an air pump to aerate water in the sump can also be an effective measure.

A more advanced method is to add a second reactor chamber containing more calcareous media, the theory here is that the acidic water will release more calcium and carbonates from this extra media, and that this, in turn, will use up the excess acidity. This reactor can also contain phosphate remover to negate any phosphate released from the media.

By running kalkwasser in conjunction with a CO2 reactor, you can take advantage of its high alkalinity to counterbalance the acidity produced through the use of CO2.

Safety.

There are a few potential dangers inherent to the CO2 reactor. Some of these are dangers to the aquarist and his family; others are to the reef tank.

The CO2 bottle containing the gas is pressurised to 50 bar or 725 pounds per square inch (PSI). This is a potential bomb or, more accurately, rocket. The greatest danger lies at the point where the valve or regulator attaches to the bottle – if the bottle falls over, damaging this region or possibly breaking off the regulator, the sudden escape of gas under pressure can propel the gas bottle in the same way as a rocket engine. This is a reaction that won’t stop until the gas is exhausted. A pressurized gas cylinder can, with the valve broken off, become a rocket attaining a speed of thirty-five miles per hour in around a tenth of a second. So, the number one tip here is to restrain the bottle to prevent it from being able to move. In the case of smaller bottles, many manufacturers supply simple brackets that hold the bottle securely in place. For larger bottles you may need to secure the bottle to a wall, or the side of your cabinet, with a chain of the sort used in industry.

CO2 bottles should be stored upright and away from heat. If a bottle overheats, the gas pressure within the bottle can rise to a point where the safety valve will release the contents of the bottle to the atmosphere. This can be both distressing and dangerous, particularly in an enclosed space, for example while transporting a gas bottle in your car on a hot day.

The danger to your reef is that if your system is incorrectly set-up or if “little fingers” start fiddling with the settings, it’s quite possible to depress the pH level of your reef to dangerous levels. So, firstly ensure that you set your reactor up properly, and that when first setting it up, you check and recheck the performance of your new acquisition until you’re happy that it is set correctly. As far as outside interference goes, well, there’s education, or perhaps more reliably, placing the bottle in a location where the settings can’t be changed by a third party. Some manufacturers have safety measures of one sort of another to prevent inadvertent or casual adjustments.

If your control mechanisms fail, you could end up with the entire contents of your gas cylinder being dumped into your aquarium, resulting in a devastating lowering of pH with the potential to wipe out your system.

Pros and cons.

Cons.

• Initial expense.
• Tendency to lower the pH of the system.
• The possibility of phosphate being released from the calcareous media.

Pros.

• Once you’ve got over the initial cost of this system you’ll find it very economical to run.
• For larger tanks, and ones with a high demand owing to a high population of stony corals, this can be the only economical of supplying the necessary amount of calcium and carbonates.
• Once set up, apart from a daily glance at the bubble counter and the drip rate, there’s nothing else to do except enjoy watching your corals grow.
• Gas or media replacement is only needed infrequently, giving you more time to spend on other tasks.
• Apart from carrying out a bit of appropriate equipment maintenance when you replace the media or gas bottle, this method requires very little input on behalf of the aquarist.

(I think that by this point you’ll have got the message that, if set up correctly, it’s a doddle, requiring little or no attention except for keeping an eye on bubble rate and drip rate. All in all a very low maintenance, non- time consuming method of keeping calcium and carbonates at the correct levels and balance.)

Hints ‘n’ Tips.

• When you’re preparing to fit a new or refilled bottle, it’s worth “cracking” the bottle. This term refers to the practice of opening the valve of the bottle a little way, then closing it again prior to fitting the regulator. This results in a loud crack, and the resultant displacement of any muck from the valve that might other wise block up the regulator, preventing the flow of gas.
• When the gas in your bottle is nearly used up you’ll find it becomes empty very quickly. Don’t get caught out.
• As most CO2 kits come with a small capacity bottle, I’d recommend purchasing a more realistically sized bottle, say one of two litre capacity. When the larger bottle is exhausted, use the small bottle to run your tank while you wait for the empty bottle to be refilled.
• If using an air pump to help bubble off excess CO2, try using a rigid pipe in place of an air stone.
• Don’t be tempted to cut costs by using cheaper calcareous media. Poor quality media may have the unwanted side effect of releasing phosphates into your reef.
• If phosphates are released from the media this can be easily remedied by dripping the product water into the aquarium through a quality phosphate remover such as that produced by Reef Scientific.

Conclusions.

The three different ways of maintaining calcium and carbonates that I’ve covered in this series all have their own pros and cons:
If you have a small reef, then you can’t really go wrong using a Balanced Two Part Additive. It also provides a useful supply of calcium and carbonates when correcting an imbalance in the aquarium.
Kalkwasser has unique characteristics making it useful as an additional supplement. It is used in conjunction with a protein skimmer as a means of reducing phosphate levels, and, given the high pH value, its use in helping to balance the potential acidification of the CO2 calcium reactor.
The CO2 calcium reactor is the most economical way of replacing calcium and carbonates in larger aquaria, or ones exhibiting a higher than average demand. It’s also the least time consuming method of the three.

From a personal perspective, I’m inclined towards a combination of methods as the need arises. A CO2 calcium reactor plus Kalkwasser, to prevent a tendency toward low levels of pH, makes very good sense. Add in the use of a Balanced Two Part Additive, but at a lower level than is needed to maintain correct levels on its own. You may find you can benefit from the pros of each of the methods, at the same time as cancelling out the cons.

Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs
©2009

MarinePure was originally launched in the UK in 2008 under the name ReefresH2O.  The product was taken over by Cermedia in 2010.

There’s been quite a buzz about the MarinePure media since we debuted it at the UK trade industry show, GLEE, back in September 2008. With the recent review of the media in Marine World magazine this buzz has turned into an avalanche of enquiries and purchases, consequently I thought it was about time I put together some information about the product and the best way to utilise it.

MarinePure brings you a better way to keep your aquarium water clean through the use of Cell-Pore™ technology. With more surface area than other bio-media products, it gives beneficial bacteria more room to grow and enhance your aquarium’s capacity for biological filtration.
Its non-clogging, interconnected pore structure provides an efficient home for biofilms of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to grow. Water is able to pass through quickly and easily, providing contact with both types of bacteria.
It mimics nature, providing the perfect balance of biological filtration, one of the most important factors in the health of your aquarium.
Importantly for marine systems, working in just the same way as natural products such as live rock,

Biological Filtration.

Any closed environment accumulates waste from inhabitants, decomposing plants, uneaten food and other organic matter. An effective biological system uses beneficial bacteria to break down waste before it can become toxic to the aquarium’s inhabitants. These bacteria grow on surfaces as thin biofilms and need the right environment, depending on whether they are aerobic or anaerobic, to thrive – ReefresH2O provides those surfaces in both environments.
Aerobic bacteria change toxic ammonia to nitrites, and then into nitrates.
Anaerobic (denitrifying) bacteria change nitrates into free nitrogen gas and water.
The greater the surface area available for these two types of bacteria, the better the bioremediation of the aquarium system, since the total biomass produced is spread much thinner over all of this area, any tendency to clog is reduced.
Again, important for marine systems given the common problem of high levels of nitrates as a result of overstocking or of insufficient capacity for denitrification.

Products and Applications.

Currently MarinePure is available in a number of different forms:

• 1- 1/2” diameter spheres
• 8” x 8” x 1” plates
• 8” x 8” x 1” blocks

5/8” diameter spheres. Not in the MarinePure range. Limited quantities remain.

These small spheres are best suited to facilitating nitrification in freshwater aquaria, both tropical and coldwater.
Limited application in reef aquaria except as a substrate to provide a habitat for micro crustacea such as Gammarids.

Reported to have some utility when added to the rear compartment of nano aquaria such as the  JBJ and D&D nano cubes.

Originally 1-1/4” diameter spheres – MarinePure now comes as 1-1/2″ spheres, increasing both surface area and capacity for de-nitrification.

These spheres are the same size as conventional bio-balls but have many times the surface area. Ideal for use in trickle towers where their fantastic surface area will facilitate extremely efficient nitrification. Aside from surface area these spheres bring an additional advantage in this application, in the event of a power failure their ability to retain moisture means that the bacteria will remain alive for a far longer time than would be the case when using plastic bio-balls. The water adsorption of MarinePure is such that it holds its own weight in water even after hours after draining.

If used in a low flow application where they are not subject to a flow of heavily aerated water these spheres will facilitate de-nitrification as their interior region will become anaerobic.

Keep a handful or so of these spheres in your sump and you have an instant filter available for adding to a quarantine tank for new fishes or for use with a hospital tank when medication is required that would be deleterious to live rock.

A single bacterially live sphere added to a shipping bag will make for a safer way of moving livestock. Although do be aware of the importance of using a bag of sufficient size to ensure the fish isn’t forced into contact with the media. May not be suitable in this application for use with some substrate dwelling fishes.

Originally 9” x 9” x 1” plates – MarinePure comes as 8″ x 8″ x 1″ owing to improved manufacturing technology.

The 9” x 9” x 1” plates are very versatile.  When placed in a high flow area of oxygenated (aerated) water, these plates will provide an excellent substrate for the nitrification of ammonia and nitrite.  In addition, these highly versatile plates (like their larger counter parts, the 9” x 9” x 4” blocks) will facilitate passive de-nitrification. For the best de-nitrification, place these plates in an area of gentle to low water flow, keep them out of the flow of heavily aerated water and do not use in a position where water would flow rapidly through the plate.

Suggested usage:
Use in place of a sand or gravel substrate on the base of the aquarium. If you’re nervous about placing live rock directly on the glass the plates will spread the load at the same time as providing de-nitrification. For aesthetics I’d suggest using a sacrificial layer of sand, just a thin scattering to cover the plates, which can then be periodically syphoned out along with accumulated detritus.

The plates are very easy to cut, I’ve used what I believe to be a tile saw for this job, and can be used in a similar way to egg crate to create ledges and shelves for supporting rockwork. If desired small holes can be drilled through the plates to enable structures to be tied together using nylon electrical cable ties.

“Top Tip – use black cable ties in preference to white or coloured cable ones as they seem to be more resistant to UV hence last much longer.”

Using plates vertically against the back or sides of the reef aquarium provides you with a great substrate for corals to grow on, this way you can get away from seeing all that glass and have corals growing all the way to the water line without having to build a water displacing rock wall.

Originally 9” x 9” x 4” blocks – MarinePure comes as 8″ x 8″ x 4″ owing to improved manufacturing technology.

The blocks are the most efficient way of facilitating de-nitrification. Simply place in an area of your sump where the block is subject to a gentle to low water flow. Make sure to keep it out of the flow of heavily aerated water and avoid any position where water would be forced to flow through the block too quickly. A slow, consistent flow of nitrate laden water through these blocks allows sufficient time to create the ideal anaerobic environment necessary for de-nitrification to take place and for waste products (nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide) to be efficiently carried away.

Depending on the size of your aquarium, the quantity, and size of your fishes, and the amount of food you feed, multiple blocks can be used to control the nitrate level of your water. Some customers in the States have seen as much as a 2 gram reduction in nitrate-nitrogen levels per block per day when used in this “passive” format.

Coral frag plugs. Not in the MarinePure range. Limited quantities remain.

Like the rest of the product range, the frag plugs are made of the same foamed ceramic material, but at a slightly higher density. This means that, when mounting a coral frag to grow-on, you have the advantage that it can adsorb nutrients from the aquarium water in a the same way it would in the natural reef environment. When a frag starts growing onto the plug from it’s initial point of glued attachment (we recommend Reef Gel for this job) the porous nature of the substrate results in faster plating out than is seen when using a non-porous material, especially plastic or concrete plugs.

The improved growth is mainly due to the porosity of the frag plug allowing nutrition to reach the growing base of the coral.

Unlike coral plugs bonded with conventional Portland cement, there’s no danger of experiencing a high pH spike when using MarinePure frag plugs. MarinePure propagation plugs arrive sterile from the ceramic firing process and are ready to use without any post cure or conditioning.

For technical data about the MarinePure range please download the data sheet as a PDF:

MarinePure Technical Data Sheet

MarinePure with Cell-Pore™ technology offers aquarists many advantages:

10-100 x more surface area per cubic inch than any other biomedia.

Mimics biological filtration found in nature without harvesting live rock.

Compatible with existing filtration systems.

Smaller material & equipment footprint.

Far less maintenance than with other manmade methods of de-nitrification.

Less time spent cleaning your aquatic environment.

Can result in fewer water changes being required.

Works in coldwater and tropical applications, in freshwater & marine aquariums, and in ponds.

Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs
©2009 – 2011

Following on from part 1 of this article, I’ll continue to look at pumps and water movement by examining energy efficient ways of achieving increased flow and of generating surge or wave movement.

Eductors.

Fancy increasing your water flow for no additional energy cost? Well then, try using an Eductor.
This is a special form of nozzle that can increase the flow rate of a given pump by a factor of 4 through the use of a venturi effect. At the same time the Eductor also modifies the pattern of water flow, spreading the flow making it more suited to reef organisms, much in the way that a Koralia pump does.

For best results with an Eductor it should be used with a high-pressure pump, in aquarium terms the higher the Q max of the pump the better. I wouldn’t recommend use on anything less than a 1200 litre per hour pump. It can be used directly attached to a pump in the aquarium or as a nozzle used in conjunction with a plumbed in system.

Note: many Koralia style pumps impart a rotational component to the water flow as a result of the flow being generated by a screw type impellor of the type used to propel model boats. This form of flow is not commonly found in the wild. The design of the Koralia impellor minimises this effect, while an Eductor imparts no rotation to the flow at all.

Mechanically Generated Surge.

A very cost effective way of improving your water movement is to employ some form of mechanically generated surge such as a SCWD or Hydor Flo.

The SCWD is a water switching or current generating device, best described as being a tee piece on steroids, water is fed into the bottom of the tee by a pump and is then directed alternately out of the two outlet ports giving a surge effect. The higher the volume of water flowing through the SCWD, the faster the switching response.

The Hydor Flo is best described as a rotating water deflector. It fits directly on the outlet nozzle of a powerhead style pump, such as a Hydor Pico evolution. The water flow from the pump makes the Flo rotate and, as the outlet of the Flo is off centre, this constantly changes the direction of the water flow, creating a surge effect.

This is a useful inexpensive device for adding an element of surge in even the smallest reef aquaria.

The beauty of both these devices is that no additional electricity is required to generate beneficial water movement and they have none of the disadvantages associated with mains voltage pumps being turned on and off to create surge.

Closed- Loop Systems.

It’s not just the electricity consumption in generating water movement that is a concern, there’s also the heat transferred to the water by the pumps employed. Getting rid of excess heat in the reef aquarium can be an expensive process, both in terms of purchasing equipment such as chillers and air conditioners and in the electricity costs of running them. If you take the pumps out of the water less heat gets passed on to the aquarium water so there’s less requirement for cooling the system.

So instead of having lots of pumps cluttering up your reef (and your power outlets) why no try using a larger more powerful pump, such as a Hydor Seltz, outside the aquarium, which is dedicated to water movement. This pump just sucks water out and then returns it to the reef to generate water movement, a closed–loop system. It’s quite possible that by choosing the right pump you might actually be consuming less electricity than if you were to use multiple pumps in the aquarium.

Your closed-loop can be made even more effective by running it in conjunction with a SCWD plus eductors as you’ll increase water flow and gain surge at the same time. All with less visible equipment in your reef.

Low Voltage versus Mains Voltage Surge Systems.

The majority of wave makers or surge systems employing mains voltage have the disadvantage of long term damage to pumps and impellors resulting in shorter pump life.
By using a low voltage surge system, such as the Hydor Koralia Wavemaker 2, long pump life is assured along with the advantage of a modern pump with low energy consumption. Additional advantages are the many different settings possible with electronic control: alternate flow, synchronous flow, surge periods of anywhere between 2 seconds and 6 hours, low flow night mode (automatic with the use of a photocell or manual), and low flow when feeding at the touch of a button.

Pump Modifications.

You can get more flow, delivered in a far better manner, by modifying an existing Maxi-Jet pump with a Sure Flow 1600 Maxi-Jet Upgrade Kit. This modifies any Maxi-Jet 400, 600, 900, or 1200 into a Koralia style pump delivering a massive 6000 litres an hour!

The Sure Flow 1600 Kit is made up of a Shroud with a built in anti-vortex shield (see note above, under eductors), a full rotation bracket (designed for use with a Sure Grip magnetic powerhead holder), a medium flow propeller with impeller magnet plus Stainless Steel shaft and end caps, and an adapter bracket to attach the original Maxi-Jet brackets to the full rotation bracket.

It works very well with Sure Grip magnet holders, indeed you can mount two modified Maxi-Jets off of one Sure Grip magnetic powerhead holder.

So. if you’ve got some of the ubiquitous Maxi-Jets lying around in your bits box this is a very cost effective way of getting Koralia performance on the cheap.

Any questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch with me: tim@midlandreefs.co.uk

Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs
©2008

In this second article, aimed at aquarists concerned about the costs of running their reef tanks, I’m looking at pumps and water movement.

Your concerns may be purely about the financial cost of running your reef or you may have wider environmental concerns regarding the carbon footprint of your reef, either way, this article looks at how you can make economies that will effect both areas of concern.

Pumps.

If you’re looking at having to buy new pumps, protein skimmers, or the like don’t buy cheap, no-name Chinese manufactured items, indeed this could also apply to some items from known names which are simply the same items re-branded. Why not? Two factors often render these products poor value for money, poor build quality / quality control and energy efficiency. (There’s also a third factor, that of product safety, but that’s not strictly relevant to this article)
To me, a cheap item that fails in under a year and then needs replacing does not represent good value for money. I’d much prefer to purchase a product that will work reliably and consistently for years rather than be continually buying cheaper products that need frequent replacement. Then there’re also phenomena such as rusty impellor shafts on supposedly marine safe pumps as a result of using inferior materials …

Don’t forget, that where the reef aquarium is concerned, reliability is a major factor in equipment choice given the potential costs in dead or injured livestock in the event of a failure.

Energy Efficiency.

Many of the cheaper pumps prove to be inefficient when it comes to energy consumption. You can check the energy consumption of a pump by looking at the label that’s usually attached to the pump body. This will detail the voltage and frequency, the wattage, and the capacity of the pump in litres per hour (l/h). It should also feature the letters “CE”. The CE marking indicates that the product has been tested for safety under the “EU Low Voltage Directive” (this is for equipment using between 50 and 1,000V AC or 75-1,500V DC) and for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) by a Notified Body laboratory. It’s worth noting that there may be products on the market that appear to be CE marked but have been tested in a non-recognised Chinese lab.
For Europe the voltage and frequency should read 230V – 50Hz. The wattage (W) will read, for example, 9W and the flow capacity  1050 l/h. Broadly speaking, to compare the efficiency of two different pumps look at both the wattage and the flow rate; the lower the wattage for a given flow rate the more efficient the pump. Good examples of energy efficient pumps are those manufactured by Hydor.

 Sump Pumps.

When it comes to pumps that are lifting against gravity, like a sump return pump, there’s the additional factor of the static head of the pump, often shown as Q max, which is the maximum height it can pump water. The capacity of the pump can be read from its Q-H curve (flow vs. height). This information should be available from reputable manufacturers. It’s important to understand that even though a pump may be labeled as, say 3000 litres /hour, this flow rate will gradually reduce to zero the higher it’s required to pump. I’ll cover this at greater length in a future article.

Hints ‘n’ tips.

It’s worth noting that quoted wattage isn’t always given accurately. Buy an energy meter and check the consumption of your existing pumps. Discard any pumps using excessive amounts of energy and replace with modern, low energy pumps such as Hydor Koralia and Hydor Pico Evolution (Picos are an inexpensive, high quality, replacement for Juwel aquarium pumps).

Maintenance.

Regularly stripping and cleaning all the pumps used in your aquarium will help in a number of ways.
It’ll prolong the serviceable life of your pumps.
It will maintain the efficiency of the pump along with optimal water flow within your reef.

Hints ‘n’ tips.

If you’re running Koralia pumps don’t let calcareous algae or corals grow over the pump body, as this will reduce flow. Placing your hand over the front aperture of the pump while it’s running will allow any loose debris effecting the flow to drop free of the pump body (just be careful not to insert any part of you anatomy inside a working pump!). Any attached algae or corals will need to be mechanically removed; this can usually be carried out with a plastic bladed scraper. Pumps that are heavily encrusted with calcareous algae may benefit form being left to soak in a mild acid, such as white vinegar, which will dissolve away the build up of the calcium carbonate based algae.

Next time, in part 2 of this article, I’ll continue to look at pumps and water movement by examining energy efficient ways of achieving increased flow and of generating surge or wave movement.

Any questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch with me: tim@midlandreefs.co.uk

Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs
©2008

Welcome to a new series of articles aimed at those aquarists concerned about the costs of running their reef tanks. Your concerns may be purely about the financial cost of running your reef or you may have wider concerns regarding the carbon footprint of your reef, either way, in this series of articles I’ll be looking at how you can make economies that will effect both areas of concern.

All of a sudden times seem hard, food prices are up and energy prices, both electricity and petrol, have risen substantially in a short period of time. You’re feeling the pinch and may be worrying whether you can continue to afford to run your reef.
The question is what should you do? If you pack your reef in you’ll make a large monetary loss, as you’ll never realise the full amount of money you’ve spent on it over the years. But you can make your existing reef more energy efficient and cheaper to run by reviewing the equipment you’re running.
You can also save money by reviewing the kind of reef you keep and by looking at the way you feed and maintain your reef.

Although I’m going to cover lighting in a future article in this series, I am going to briefly touch on the subject in this first introductory article.

Do You Really Need All That Light?

The cost of lighting a captive reef is often the greatest expense reefkeepers have to contend with. There are two expenses involved here, the cost of replacement lamps, the cost of the electricity consumed by the light. On top of this there may also be the less obvious cost of managing the heat build up, resulting from the level of lighting used. This heat build up often necessitates the use of chillers, or other means of cooling, to maintain a safe temperature within the aquarium.
Guess what?
That additional cooling can be as much as your lighting bill if not more!

So What to do?

There’s been a trend over the last few years to use more and more light over reef aquaria, the question is whether it’s really necessary. If faced with the choice of having to give up your reef as it’s becoming too expensive to run, why not consider scaling back the amount of lighting used?
Just remember, there’s no “best” level of lighting, just the level of lighting appropriate to the species being kept.     If you’ve been keeping SPS, maybe consider selling them or trading them, and then change the theme of your reef, making it into a soft coral or LPS reef. LPS corals and soft corals are often found in lagoonal conditions where the water may be turbid, hence they can be maintained happily under lower levels of lighting than required by SPS corals such as Acropora.
There are many different types of reef and these can be split into many different zones. If you need to reduce the amount of money you’re spending lighting your reef tank I’d suggest doing a bit of research into these different forms of reefs and the different zones that they can be split into. I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to find something that will suit you and save you money by reducing your electricity bill.

For coral information I’d suggest: Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman.

For more book recommendations see my review of reef aquarium literature.

Any questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch with me: tim@midlandreefs.co.uk

Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs
©2008