| A maintenance free aquarium - no work at
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| | is backed up by a DSB. The system is
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| all! Just view and enjoy the coral
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| | stocked with hardy soft corals. The
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| colours and the various reef fish. Many
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| | lighting cycle is controlled by electric
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| or perhaps all aquarists would tend to
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| | timers. There is a very efficient and
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| call that aquatic heaven - maybe.
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| | properly set up protein skimmer in use.
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| Is it possible though? Is there a way
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| | The aquarist watches carefully until he
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| that the aquarist can design a marine
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| | she sees what type of algae appears.
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| system where, once all is settled and
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| | Snails are introduced to the aquarium to
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| mature, there is nothing else to do?
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| | control this. This is successful.
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| The first thing is to compare the
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| | An automatic top-up system using reverse
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| aquarium to the wild reef. Yes, there are
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| | osmosis water is employed. Hey, we're
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| the same kind of inhabitants in the
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| | maintenance free!
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| aquarium as on the wild reef, just fewer
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| | No we're not. Film algae appears on the
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| of them. Also, there are far fewer
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| | viewing glasses and the snails attack it
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| species of livestock on the captive reef.
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| | but have no ability to 'keep it clean,'
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| So, there's the first point - the wild
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| | efficient as they might be. The DSB needs
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| reef has far greater diversity of life.
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| | feeding to maintain the population of
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| The different species have their own
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| | minute life forms which keep it healthy.
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| niche on the wild reef, each having a
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| | The reef rocks need to be 'de-dusted'
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| food source. There are some overlaps of
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| | occasionally. The lighting tubes need to
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| course but generally it is all very well
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| | be replaced periodically. Seawater
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| organised. Nature has everything under
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| | quality, so important, needs to be tested
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| control. The first problem that the
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| | routinely.
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| aquarist is likely to face is in making
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| | Seawater quality brings up another
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| sure that all potential difficulties are
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| | question, and this is aquarium water
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| dealt with, from dealing with different
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| | changes. The seawater change amount
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| forms of nuisance algae to having enough
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| | varies system to system, aquarists
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| food for fish if kept.
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| | knowing, after a period, what the system
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| So what if fish are not kept, just a reef
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| | requires. All aquarists change seawater
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| with corals. This immediately makes the
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| | though. There have been those who have
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| question of water quality easier to deal
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| | experimented (or tried to save money)
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| with, as the wastes from the fish are
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| | without, but problems of various sorts
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| gone. In addition, there isn't any need
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| | have arisen.
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| to feed the fish. So, if the aquarium
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| | So they need to be done.
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| filtration is excellent, such as live
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| | No, a marine aquarium system cannot be
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| rock and a deep sand bed, will that
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| | maintenance free. The move towards
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| remove maintenance?
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| | natural methods such as live rock, DSB's,
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| The corals need looking at now. The hard
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| | algae filtration etc has improved things
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| corals generally need considerable light,
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| | immensely. Captive reefs run much closer
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| but that isn't a particular problem, with
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| | to how Nature intended nowadays. Add to
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| the availability of halide bulbs and the
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| | this the use of highly efficient protein
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| fast up and coming LED's. They also
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| | skimmers, calcium reactors,
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| require a sufficient level of calcium,
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| | electronically controlled seawater
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| magnesium etc which has to be provided.
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| | circulation, controlled temperature,
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| So in comes the calcium reactor, which
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| | accurate water level top-up systems,
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| can supply calcium along with magnesium,
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| | anti-nitrate reactors, anti- phosphate
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| and probably other minerals in traces, if
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| | reactors, sophisticated lighting systems
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| the correct media is used. That solves
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| | etc and the system is indeed looking
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| that. Wait a minute though, the calcium
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| | after itself to a considerable extent.
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| reactor needs servicing on occasion, and
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| | Correct livestock in the aquarium, not
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| also the media needs renewal
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| | only corals but snails etc enhances self
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| periodically.
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| | support. Experimentation by advanced
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| What about soft corals? These can exist
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| | aquarists goes on and in the future other
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| with less light, fluorescent tubes often
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| | innovative methods of control and
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| being employed. They also need less
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| | aquarium maintenance may come into use.
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| calcium. It is argued, from anecdotal
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| | A completely hands-off system will never
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| reports, that the addition of iodine is
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| | materialise in my view. There is always
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| good for soft coral growth and health,
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| | something there that 'needs doing,' be it
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| but as this is not scientifically proven
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| | a water change, cleaning the glass free
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| (as far as I know) it will be ignored.
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| | of algae, changing media etc. Thank
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| There isn't any absolute need to feed
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| | goodness I say. One of the joys of this
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| certain soft corals, they grow without
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| | hobby is the knowledge that actions are
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| it. So the maintenance free aquarium idea
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| | helping maintain such interesting life.
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| is intact at the moment.
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| | Also, in the extremely unlikely event
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| The marine system is set up with a live
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| | that a hands-off system did materialize,
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| rock reef, the live rock being in
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| | what aquarist could keep their hands off?
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| sufficient quantity. The rock filtration
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|
