A short video of the SICCE stand at this year’s Interzoo trade show, showing the breadth of the range of products on offer.
To see more of the range of SICCE products, go to: www.sicce.com
Tim Hayes, Midland Reefs, ©2010. Images, SICCE, ©2010
Here are a few videos showing SICCE products in action.
1. Demonstration of the silent start feature of the Voyager pump range.
2. Demonstration of the different flow patterns produced by the Voyager range of stream pumps.
3. A longer video (C. 7mins) demonstrating how simple it is to strip and re-assemble the Voyager stream pumps and showing the range of articulation provided by the pump mounting.
Note the unbreakable steel shaft on the smaller pumps and the heavy duty ceramic shaft on the larger HP range.
More videos coming soon.
Tim Hayes, Midland Reefs ©2010. Images SICCE ©2010.
The Shark ADV range of internal filters from SICCE is available in three versions with different flow rates ranging from 400 to 800 l/h, to suit aquariums between 90-180l, where it is the sole filtration. They can also be used as auxiliary circulation pumps for large aquariums and can be usefully employed in reef and marine aquariums as an inexpensive alternative to a media reactor. It’s far more effective to put a bag of carbon or phosphate media into a Shark ADV internal filter than just leaving the media passive in the sump or behind the rockwork of the aquarium.
The stand out feature of the Shark range is the quick release media cartridge system using SICCE’s patented magnetic connecting system (MCS). Instead of having to remove the entire filter from the aquarium you can just reach into the aquarium and easily separate the media cartridge from the body of the filter making media cleaning or replacement a quick and easy task that keep disturbance to the aquarium to a minimum.
The interchangeable cartridges can be used to house active-carbon, filter sponges, phosphate remover, or any other filtration media. Additional cartridges can also be added to increase the filtration capacity of the unit.
There is a sophisticated Venturi system to improve oxygenation featuring an airflow adjustment with four settings, it automatically compensates for low water flow in the tank by increasing the amount of aeration.
As well as controlling water flow, the adjustable intake at the base of the filter prevents small fish and other animals from being pulled into the filter, with the aperture adjusting from 1 - 4 mm.
Features:
Shark ADV 400 and 600
Models 400 and 600 have flow rates of 400 l/h and 600 l/h respectively.
They come with a single 320 cm3 cartridge but can be upgraded through the purchase of the add-on 210 cm3 modular cartridge.
Shark ADV 800
The Shark ADV 800 as well as having the highest flow rate of the range at 800 l/h comes complete with the add-on 210 cm3 modular cartridge giving a massive 530 cm3 volume for media
| Model |
Flow rate l/h |
Watts |
L/h per W |
Dimensions LxWxH mm |
Suggested Aquarium Volume |
| Shark ADV 400 |
400 l/h |
6.5 w |
61.5 |
78 x 60 x 225 |
60 - 130 litres |
| Shark ADV 600 |
600 l/h |
8.2 w |
73.2 |
78 x 60 x 225 |
100 -180 litres |
| Shark ADV 800 |
800 l/h |
8.6 w |
93.0 |
78 x 60 x 285 |
130 - 200 litres |
All Shark ADV filters have a 3 year Guarantee.
Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs ©2010
SICCE ©2010
Italian pump manufacturer, SICCE, is pleased to announce that the marine aquarium specialist, Midland Reefs, has been appointed UK distributor for its product range in the UK.
Established for more than 35 years, SICCE designs and manufactures a broad range of water pumps for all areas of aquatics, from small water fountains pumps up to pond and drainage pumps.
The aquarium range includes extremely quiet recirculation pumps with low power consumption, stream pumps, internal and external filters, power head pumps, high-precision heaters, air pumps, CO2 systems, and aquarium lines for both beginners and the demanding aquarium enthusiast.
For fountains, there are extremely quiet pumps for both indoor and outdoor applications, along with submersible lamps.
The garden range includes internal filters for ponds, pressure filters, fountains, submersible lights, and flexible folding pond kits complete with pump.
Of particular interest to reef keepers are the extremely quiet Synchra Silent return pumps, the high output, high head Multi return pumps, and the stream style Voyager range.
The new range of SICCE products will be on display for the first time in the UK on the Midland Reefs - SICCE stand at the AQUA2010 trade show in Telford, 6th - 7th October.
For more details on SICCE products, please contact Midland Reefs.
Telephone: 01543 685599. Email: tim@midlandreefs.co.uk
Websites:
SAIA, the Sustainable Aquarium Industry Association, the European organisation for everybody interested in an ethical and sustainable Marine Aquarium Trade and Industry, has published a list of unsuitable and unsustainable fish species.
This document can be freely downloaded from the SAIA website.
This is a consultation document and SAIA welcomes feedback and discussion from all aquarists regarding the listed species.
The primary objective of the list is to raise awareness for a responsible, ethical, and sustainable hobby and trade by considering the difficulties in keeping certain organisms alive in captivity. The list identifies species where there in no justification for their being traded in volume.
In the first instance, the aim is to raise awareness in the average hobbyists who bear the disappointment and cost of choosing an unsuitable species.
For the industry the list should serve as guideline on what to avoid when placing an order, with the exception of where the listed species is requested by a buyer with either proven record of being capable to keep such specimens or for the purpose of breeding or research. Such buyers are not the average hobbyists.
SAIA would like to point out that the number of species listed as unsuitable or unsustainable is represents a small proportion of what is traded, so no significant loss to business and economy would result from adhering to this list, nor does it restrict the hobby significantly in the variety of species on offer.
The majority of the species concerned are available only from the wild, and it has to be questioned why such species, which do not survive for long in captivity or are threatened with extinction, should be traded. The intent of the list of unsuitable & unsustainable species is not to totally ban the listed species from trade, but rather to raise awareness and hence decrease the demand for such species.
Before reading the list I would suggest first reading the criteria for inclusion, reproduced below from the SAIA website, to enable the reason for listing to be put into perspective.
Note: where a family or genus is listed, the criteria in question relates to all members of that family or genus.
Some species might hit several categories and criteria, some only one. Nevertheless, species marked as unsuitable or unsustainable should not be demanded by or sold to the average hobbyist.
The list is not exhaustive, it is a work in progress, currently only covering fish species, which will be updated and extended, over time.
If you have any comments regarding this list please contact SAIA directly through the SAIA website. If you have any queries regarding SAIA in the UK, please feel free to contact me.
Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs
©2010
SAIA
©2010
In this article I’m going to discuss a few commonly available species that are difficult, if not impossible, to maintain in captivity.
People often complain about the cost of the reef aquarium hobby, well one way you can save a little money is by only buying species that are within the capabilities of you and your reef system, avoiding those that are more difficult to maintain and, to be blunt about it, destined to die prematurely in captivity. Some more advanced reefkeepers may quibble with my views and there is always that exception to the rule, the aquarist who has managed to keep some impossible to maintain species for many years. That does not negate the fact that the vast majority of these species will die in the hands of less experienced reefkeepers.
In nearly every case, the problem is one of nutrition. The majority of the species listed below are heterotrophic, that is organisms that, unlike photosynthetic (or zooxanthellate) corals cannot manufacture their own food. This can be further broken down into the amount of food required by a particular organisms or whether there is a specialised feeding requirement.
It may be possible to maintain some heterotrophic species long-term if they are fed large quantities of planktonic food, phytoplankton and or zooplankton, but this has the downside of producing a polluted environment requiring an onerous amount of tank maintenance.
This mitigates against keeping these organisms with nutrient sensitive corals species.
This includes many factors: particle size, diets restricted to a single food source often a specific algae, sponge, or other invertebrate such as a coral species.
In particular, this applies to jelly species; with one exception, all jelly species need to be kept suspended in the water column. This requires the use of a specially designed system known as a Kreisel, which imparts a circular flow to the system, keeping the jellies in suspension.
Many of the animals discussed in this article have a short life span, depending on species this can be as short as a few months up to a year, possibly two, as a maximum. Although some aquarists may accept keeping an animal with a short life span, the major problem here is that is almost impossible to tell how old these organisms are; you may find you’ve been fortunate enough to have purchased a juvenile but you’re just as likely to have bought a specimen on the verge of senescence.
The majority of the decorative sponges do poorly in captivity, they are heterotrophic animals i.e. organisms that, unlike photosynthetic (or zooxanthellate corals) cannot manufacture their own food. The exceptions to this tend to be the autotrophic sponges coloured green, through blue, to purple, that contain symbiotic blue-green algae which can utilise light, contributing towards the sponge’s nutritional requirements much as in zooxanthellate corals.
Heterotrophic sponges however are filter feeders and are reliant on a combination of dissolved organics, bacteria, and phytoplankton. For their aquarium maintenance, I would suggest feeding with a quality live phytoplankton such as DT’s.
Many sponges produce toxins as a form of defence, hence limiting the number of animals that predate on them. Dead sponges can release these toxins to the detriment of soft corals. On the whole it’s difficult to say which sponges are heterotrophic, which are autotrophic, which are toxic, etc as, with the exception of a handful of distinctive species, these are difficult animals to ID with any certainty. This also makes it difficult to make recommendations on placement, although many sponges will benefit from lower levels of light, there are also those which can be found in shallow water even though they have no photosynthesising symbiont.
A further factor in lack of success with sponges may be that of Silicate limitation owing to the widespread use of RO water in reef aquaria.
Stylaster and Distichopora species. Common Name: Lace Corals
These hydrozoan corals don’t have as powerful a sting as their close relations, the Fire Corals, what they do have though is vivid colouration making them attractive to aquarists. Unfortunately, these azooxanthellate corals are very difficult to maintain owing to their dietary requirements of plankton and possibly nutrients absorbed directly from the water. The colours, blues, violet, pink, through to red are derived from foods rich in the caratanoid, astaxanthin, so perhaps CyclopEeze FreezerBar may be a useful addition to their diet. They are also adapted to strong current, which may also be a factor in their poor survival in the aquarium.
Cassiopaea species. Common Name: Upside-down Jellies. Aurelia species. Common Name: Moon Jellies.
Whereas Upside-down jellies can be accommodated in a conventional aquarium if attention is paid to their requirements, all other species of jelly need to be kept suspended in the water column.
Jellies have a complicated life cycle and none but the most advanced aquarists or public aquariums will have much success in raising these animals. Life span is dependent upon species and environment, can be from months up to a year in the wild. Note: Aurelia species are cold water, not tropical.
Cavernularia species. Common name: Sea Pens
In addition to being a heterotroph requiring targeted feeding of planktonic food, sea pens need a very deep substrate. These unusual and interesting soft corals dig their peduncle or “foot’ into the substrate as an anchor, this can be more than half the body length of the animal, depending on species, and considering that some species can grow to a height of 40 cms or more, we can be looking at a considerable depth of substrate, deeper than some aquaria.
Stereonephthya, Scleronephthya, Dendronephthya, Siphonogorgia species. Common name: Carnation Corals
Heterotrophic. These gorgeous, brightly coloured corals are difficult to accurately identify to genus, let alone species level. All require large amounts of food if they are to be kept alive for any length of time but all are destined to waste away over time
Sometime over the last couple of years a long-time US aquarium writer, I can’t remember whom, made an observation to the affect, “Back in the eighties, when corals led short lives in the aquarium, we used to feel that we’d done well when a specimen of Goniopora lasted as long as twelve months. Today we can keep most corals indefinitely, yet Goniopora still rarely survive for more than a year!”
Unfortunately, this species remains one of the corals imported in greatest quantities and one of the species least likely to last out a year.
Goniopora species contain zooxanthellae but even that is not enough for the coral to survive without wasting away. There is speculation that a large part of their food take up in the wild consists of a combination of phytoplankton and small particle zooplankton.
Nemenzophyllia turbida. Common name: Fox Coral.
Another zooxanthellate coral that does poorly in the reef aquarium. Again, it is possible that like Goniopora it has a particular feeding requirement that cannot be easily accommodated in the aquarium, in this case the animal may be reliant on absorbing nutrients from the water.
Additionally there is concern about the restricted distribution of this coral; hence, sustainability of collection is in question
Tubastrea species. Common name: Sun Corals.
This is a heterotrophic or azooxanthellate coral, and is completely dependent on receiving sufficient zooplankton to survive. I have mixed feelings about this coral as, although it is azooxanthellate, it is also the species I’d recommend to any one interested in trying to maintain heterotrophic corals. I would categorise it as being the easiest non-photosynthetic coral to keep alive long-term but to do this requires real dedication to its care. The finest example of an aquarium featuring this species belongs to Swiss aquarist, Daniela Stettler; her dedication is such that she feeds each individual polyp with artemia every evening.
Pseudoceros species. Common name, Flatworms
Phylidiidae species, Hexabranchus species, Chromodoridea species. Common Name: Nudibranchs, Sea Slugs.
Both Flatworms and Nudibranchs are often difficult to identify. They share the two main limitations of diet and longevity. They may have very specific diets relying on one single species of algae or animal and these foodstuffs may not be present in the aquarium. Although some of these animals may have vivid colouration making them attractive to aquarists, they appear to have short life spans so, even if you were fortunate enough to have the appropriate diet available, you may be dealing with a species that lives for six months or less. Some species may also be toxic with the potential to pollute the tank when they die.
Lima scabra. Common Name: Flame Scallops. Spondylus species. Common Name: Thorny Oysters.
Heterotrophic. Another couple of animals that require large amounts of food if they are to be kept alive for any significant length of time. Both species feed predominantly on phytoplankton although the addition of small particle size zooplankton such as rotifers may increase survival.
Flame scallops are short lived, maximum of three years, so given retailers preference for stocking bigger animals it may be that most of those in the trade are of an advanced age, explaining why they rarely survive for more than six months.
Order Octopoda - Octopuses, and Order Sepiida - Cuttlefish
These highly intelligent molluscs have specialised requirements for housing. Nearly every public aquarium, livestock supplier, and retailer that has kept octopuses will have tales to tell of these Houdini’s of the deep. These animals are master escapologists, capable of squeezing through the smallest gap and there are many stories of mysterious fish losses that have eventually been traced back to an octopus leaving it’s tank at night for a takeaway meal, then returning to it’s own aquarium afterwards.
Octopus and cuttlefish have short lives, living for one year, possibly two at the most. It can be distressing seeing these fantastic animals fade into senescence towards the end of their life and knowing that there is nothing you can do to help them.
Crinoidea Feather Stars and Ophiuroidea Basket Stars
These close relatives of the more familiar Sea Stars and Brittle Stars are filter feeders that rarely survive in captivity for any length of time. It is currently unknown whether this down to lack of food or selectivity of diet.
As they die there is a tendency for their arms to fragment, which can often be seen to continue moving after separation.
Pseudocolochirus species. Common name: Sea Apple
Heterotrophic. A brightly coloured member of the holothurids this animal is highly toxic. If not fed sufficient quantities of food it will waste away and die, this frequently results in the death of any fishes in the aquarium as the powerful toxin, holurathin, is released.
There are a couple of possible explanations for those reports of aquarists having managed to keep seemingly impossible to maintain species long-term, which may hold out some hope of being able to maintain some of the animals in the future.
Given the difficulty in identifying many reef organisms accurately there is the possibility that these species may have been misidentified and that they have different requirements to the species in question. This includes the possibility that some look-alike species that do survive longer than usual in aquaria are undescribed species.
The animal in question may have been collected from a different part of the reef to where it would normally be found, and has adapted to conditions differing from its usual habitat making it more suited to life in the aquarium. For example, it has been reported that crinoids living in plankton poor environments may have arms that are longer and more highly branched than those inhabiting plankton rich environments.
These animals collected from abnormal habitats along with their adaptation to the environment, may mean that we are seeing organisms in the process of evolving into new species.
Although I have highlighted a number of factors that may improve the chances of keeping many of the animals discussed for longer periods, I do want to emphasise that the overwhelming majority of the animals listed will die in the marine aquarium within a few months of introduction.
Azooxanthellate coral - a coral that does not have symbiotic zooxanthellae in its tissues.
Heterotroph - an organism that cannot manufacture its own food, and therefore requires external sources of energy.
Hydrozoa - a class within the phylum Cnidaria, contains five orders that include colonial forms with massive aragonite skeletons, fire corals and Lace Corals.
Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs
©2010
Sicce has taken the synchronous motor to the highest level in the pumps’ industry with the New MULTI 9000e -14000e-16000e models.
These pumps have a maximum head height of over 8 m maintaining low power consumption and extremely high performance, which are a standard of all Sicce engineered products. These pumps are silent, powerful, compact and easy to maintaining. They can work both submersed and out of water (Wet & Dry application).
The Wet & Dry application allows the Multi pump range to be used either completely submersed or outside of the water.
When operating out of the water, the pump will not overheat owing to the design and the materials used in its manufacture. In case of impeller blockage or malfunction, an automatic thermal protector stops the flow of current to the motor, preventing any possible damage of the pump.
A new generation of high performances pumps with NRG system, made for submersed and in line applications. The NRG system is a revolution in permanent magnet synchronous motors and allows exceptional power, reduced consumption, great reliability and very low noise levels in comparison to asynchronous motor with similar performances. Features low wear, virtually unbreakable ceramic shafts.
There are three pre-chamber options for these two pumps: long pre-chamber with 1′ threaded inlet, short pre-chamber (no threaded inlet), and pre-chamber with Air Mix system (allows large quantities of air to be mixed with the water, considerably increasing the concentration of Oxygen).
The Multi 4000 comes with the short pre-chamber as standard, while the Multi 5800 comes with the long pre-chamber with threaded inlet. Both pumps come with a threaded hosetail for the outlet.
|
Multi 4000 |
Multi 5800 |
|
| Flow rate l/h |
3,800 |
5,800 |
| Watts |
52 w |
90 w |
| Ampere |
0.42 A |
0.80 A |
| Max Head metres |
3.1 m |
3.8 m |
| L/h per W |
73.1 |
64.4 |
| Dimensions LxWxH mm |
131×95x104 |
160×111x133 |
| Threaded Inlet |
1″ |
1″ |
| Threaded outlet |
1″ |
1″ |
The new Sicce Multi Electronic pumps offer very high performance thanks to patented advanced technology and feature an inbuilt electronic board with extensive management software.
These are the most powerful synchronous motor pumps available on the market.
Pumps come complete with 1-1/2 threaded couplings and can be used immersed or in-line.
Multi 9000e is equipped with a unidirectional electronic start-up system. The system is capable of determining the correct direction of rotation of the impeller if the pump should start in the incorrect direction. The system continues carrying out the necessary attempts to individualize the correct operating direction.
Multi 14000e and 16000e are equipped with a unidirectional electronic start-up system, and are capable of determining the correct direction of rotation of the impeller if the pump should start up in the incorrect direction. The system determines the correct sense of direction of the impeller, and permits a gradual start-up of the pump until it reaches normal operation. Thanks to this system, the pumps have a higher performance when compared to asynchronous motor pumps.
|
Multi 9000e |
Multi 14000e |
Multi 16000e |
|
| Flow rate l/h |
8,300 |
13,100 |
15,700 |
| Watts |
120 w |
220 w |
230 w |
| Ampere |
0.90 A |
1.65 A |
1.75 A |
| Max Head metres |
5.0 m |
8.5 m |
5.0 m |
| L/h per W |
69.2 |
59.5 |
68.3 |
| Dimensions LxWxH mm |
242×190x161 |
242×190x161 |
242×190x161 |
| Threaded Inlet |
1-1/2″ |
1-1/2″ |
1-1/2″ |
| Threaded outlet |
1-1/2″ |
1-1/2″ |
1-1/2″ |
Apart from their use as reef aquarium sump return pumps, this versatile range of permanent magnet synchronous motor pumps is suitable for use in many different applications, garden ponds, koi ponds, swimming pools,water recirculation, water-cooling, above-ground pools, hydroponics, irrigation, filtration, fish farms, tooling machines, etc.
To see the available range go to Midland Reefs
All pumps in the Multi range have a three-year warranty.
Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs
©2010
Italian pump manufacturer SICCE has just launched a new range of return pumps in the UK. Currently there are nine pumps in the range Syncra 0.5 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 5.0 delivering from 700 litres per hour up to 5,000 litres per hour.
The Syncra Silent range was created to provide high performance with silent operation and high energy efficiency through the use of synchronous motors and advanced rotor design.
All pumps come with a pre-chamber and flow regulator, plus threaded hosetails, and a set of suction cups.
The quietest pumps on the market chosen by many major manufacturers for their reliability and performance.
Syncra Silent 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5.
The three smallest pumps in the range make for useful general utility pumps suitable for running media reactors or for providing flow in smaller aquaria. As with the rest of the range these pumps feature a thermal cutout to prevent overheating, making them suitable for use both submerged and out of water.
|
Syncra 0.5 |
Syncra 1.0 |
Syncra 1.5 |
|
| Flow rate l/h |
700 |
950 |
1,350 |
| Watts |
8 |
16 |
23 |
| Amperes |
0.06 A |
0.14 A |
0.17 A |
| Max Head metres |
1.2 m |
1.5 m |
1.8 m |
| L/h per W |
87.5 |
59.4 |
58.7 |
| Dimensions LxWxH mm |
90×48x72 |
90×48x72 |
103×60x78 |
| Hosetail in Ø mm |
13 - 18 |
13 - 18 |
15 - 20 |
| Hosetail out Ø mm |
13 - 18 |
13 - 18 |
15 - 20 |
Syncra Silent 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 5.0.
With their compact size and high performance, these make the ideal sump return pump for the reef aquarium. The silent nature of these pumps is a bonus for those with a reef in their main living area.
|
Syncra 2.0 |
Syncra 2.5 |
Syncra 3.0 |
|
| Flow rate l/h |
2,150 |
2.400 |
2,700 |
| Watts |
32 |
40 |
45 |
| Amperes |
0.30 A |
0.30 A |
0.21 A |
| Max Head metres |
2.0 m |
2.4 m |
3.0 m |
| L/h per W |
67.2 |
60.0 |
60.0 |
| Dimensions LxWxH mm |
123×85x105 |
123×85x105 |
123×85x105 |
| Hosetail in Ø mm |
20 - 25 |
20 - 25 |
20 - 25 |
| Hosetail out Ø mm |
20 - 25 |
20 - 25 |
20 - 25 |
|
Syncra 3.5 |
Syncra 4.0 |
Syncra 5.0 |
|
| Flow rate l/h |
2,500 |
3,500 |
5,000 |
| Watts |
65 |
80 |
105 |
| Amperes |
0.34 A |
0.40 A |
0.60 A |
| Max Head metres |
3.7 m |
3.7 m |
3.8 m |
| L/h per W |
38.5 |
43.8 |
47.6 |
| Dimensions LxWxH mm |
173×99x118 |
173×99x118 |
173×99x118 |
| Hosetail in Ø mm |
25 - 32 |
25 - 32 |
25 - 32 |
| Hosetail out Ø mm |
20 - 25 |
20 - 25 |
20 - 25 |
With their innovative technology, these versatile pumps are not just for marine aquarium usage and can be used in a great number of different applications. In fact, Syncra Silent pumps are ideal for fresh water and marine aquariums, terrariums and turtle tanks, protein skimmers, water-cooling, indoor and outdoor fountains and for any other application that requires a high performance, silent pump.
All Syncra pumps come with a three-year guarantee.
To see the available range go to Midland Reefs
Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs
©2010
Italian pump manufacturer SICCE has just launched a new range of Stream pumps in the UK. The range can be broadly divided into Voyager 1, Voyager 2, 3, & 4, and Voyager 7, 8, 9, & 10. All Voyager pumps come with a three-year guarantee.
The smallest in the range is the Voyager 1. This has a flow rate adjustable between 1000 and 2300 l/h and is suitable for marine aquariums, nano reefs, and freshwater aquariums.
This pump includes a number of novel features:
As well as this all adding up to the ideal pump for the nano reef or smaller marine aquarium, SICCE also suggest that the Voyager 1 can be usefully employed in freshwater aquariums; thanks to the flow deflector and rotation system, it can raise detritus from the bottom of the tank, allowing the filter system to remove it from the water, contributing to a cleaner healthier aquarium. Indeed, this describes one of the best ways of utilising this pump in any aquarium, freshwater or saltwater.
The pump comes complete with a mounting featuring a combination of suction cups and magnets ensuring secure positioning on the glass (up to 15 mm thick).
These 3 models range from 3.000 l/h, through 4.500 l/h, up to 6.000 l/h and include features such as:
The design of the pump mounting with its high degree of articulation and magnetic support offers great versatility in positioning with endless orientation possibilities. The versatility in movement and positioning makes it possible to hide it almost anywhere.
The rotation of the water flow regulator on the front of the pump allows you to adjust the flow according to the requirements of your corals.
The unique bidirectional design of the rotor ensures that everytime the pump starts it does so silently in the correct direction. The rotor and shaft of the Voyager are highly wear-resistant and virtually unbreakable.
See what influential US blog, Reef Builders, had so say about these pumps when they were introduced in the US: www.reefbuilders.com
The New Voyager HP or High Performance series builds upon the features and technology of Voyager models 1 through 4 but takes them to another level.
These four models produce, respectively 10,500 l/h, 12,000 l/h, 13,500 l/h and 15,000 l/h, features include:
The design of the pump mounting with its high degree of articulation and magnetic support offers great versatility in positioning with endless orientation possibilities. The versatility in movement and positioning makes it possible to hide it almost anywhere.
This unique feature allows the units to be mounted on the rear glass of the aquarium without sacrificing its directional range.
The removable front ring insert allows the water flow to be adjusted wide or narrow according to the requirements of your corals. The units have durable rotor, ceramic seats, and a ceramic shaft. This, combined with the electronic engineering of the motor, assures that the pump always starts in the correct direction without vibration or noise. . The magnetic supports prevents slippage, vibration, and wear on the glass
Safe for use with timers.
|
Model |
Flow rate l/h |
Watts |
L/h per W |
|
Voyager 1 |
2,300 |
6 |
383.3 |
|
Voyager 2 |
3,000 |
7 |
428.6 |
|
Voyager 3 |
4,500 |
10 |
450.0 |
|
Voyager 4 |
6,000 |
14 |
428.6 |
|
Voyager 7 |
10,600 |
17 |
623.5 |
|
Voyager 8 |
12,000 |
18 |
666.7 |
|
Voyager 9 |
13,500 |
24 |
562.5 |
|
Voyager 10 |
15,000 |
25 |
600.0 |
To see the available range go to Midland Reefs
Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs
©2010
The reef aquarium industry comes under threat again as scientists call on the US to stem the ecological impact of trade in coral reef wildlife.
A paper in the journal, Marine Policy, from a team of 18 scientists says that International law has failed to protect coral reefs and tropical fish from being decimated by a growing collectors market, but that U.S. reforms could lead the way in making the trade more responsible, ecologically sustainable, and humane.
Using data from the United Nation’s conservation monitoring program the authors say trade in coral and coral reef species is substantial and growing, removing 30 million fish and 1.5 million live stony corals a year. The aquarium industry targets some 1,500 species of reef fishes. Many die in transit, leading collectors to gather even more animals to compensate for their losses.
“Our actions have a big impact on these coral reef ecosystems, which are already hit hard by global warming, ocean acidification, and over fishing,” said Brian Tissot, lead author and professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Washington State University, Vancouver. The result is some species have gone “virtually extinct,” citing as an example the Banggai Cardinalfish, unique to a remote Indonesian archipelago, which has had its numbers reduced and even eliminated through much of its range after it became a popular aquarium fish in the late 1990s.
The paper’s origin goes back to a meeting of more than 40 scientists, NGOs, and policy experts during the 2009 International Marine Conservation Congress. When the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) took no action on key groups of corals this March, concerns grew. Authors include experts from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the National Marine Fisheries Service, Humane Society International, the Pew Environment Group, and the Environmental Defense Fund.
The U.S. accounts for more than half the world trade in live coral, fishes, and invertebrates, the authors recommend using U.S. market power to reduce the trade’s environmental effects. They suggest laws to protect a wider variety of species, enforcement that includes tracking a product’s chain of custody, and reforms in source countries. Also recommended are changes in marketing to promote the sales of species certified as being humane and sustainable. The authors add, “The U.S. should assume its role as an international leader in coral reef conservation and take steps to reform the international trade it drives.”
Tim Hayes
Midland Reefs
2010