Using Live Rocks in the marine aquarium - creating a natural environment

Many aquarist dedicated to fish-only setups are beginning to discover the benefits of having live rock in their system. Live rock produces a more natural environment for the fish and also aids in nitrification and de-nitrification. As such, in many tanks live rock is actually part of the filtration system. Although it is difficult to use live rock as the sole source of filtration it certainly can be used to reduce nitrates. The use of live rock must be closely monitored. If nutrient levels in the aquarium are high, the live rock will demonstrate this fact and will grow unhealthy amounts of hair algae, and in some cases, cyanobacteria (blue-green slime algae). To avoid outbreaks of these types of plague algae, a few simple rules must be followed.

First, you must start will high quality live rock; live rock which is highly encrusted in coralline algae. Avoid live rock which already has hair algae growing on it. Regular additions of calcium are needed to keep the coralline algae thriving. Keep nitrate levels low (~10ppm) and ensure you have nearly undetectable levels of phosphate (~0.02 ppm). Finally, feed sparingly; decomposing food is one of the main avenues for introducing phosphate/nitrate and contributing to algae problems. Remember live rock contains living organisms, so they can be killed just like any other organism if not treated carefully. It's a good idea to wait until the water is at the correct temperature, pH and salt level before buying live rock.

Wet/Dry Filter: best filtration systems for a fish-only tank?

Many people advocate wet/dry filters for marine tanks stating they are the only acceptable solution, but any one of the popular filtration systems may be used for a marine tank. The key to success is providing adequate biological filtration without trapping excess detritus (solid waste). Trapping too much detritus produces nitrates and leads to problem algae outbreaks. Whichever filtration system you choose, be sure to remove as much detritus as possible by doing water changes and siphoning off waste from the bottom of the tank and behind rocks at least once a fortnight. Ideally you should rinse any filter media which needs cleaning in old saltwater from the tank to minimize the disruption of any nitrifying bacteria growing on the media.

Protein Skimming

Protein skimmers are a must for most saltwater tank as they strip dissolved organic particles from the water before they can be converted to nitrates. There are models which fit into your tank or outside the aquarium. Air-driven protein skimmers use a wooden or glass air stone to produce bubbles in a column of water which strips waste from the tank water. Venturi skimmers use a venturi valve fed by a water pump to inject bubbles into the water column. Both air-driven and venturi have co-current and counter-current designs, with counter-current protein skimmers being far superior to co-current models as the water is treated.

Disclaimer:  This article is supplied for informative purposes only. Seapets Ltd has done its very best to make sure that the above information is up-to-date and correct, but takes no responsibility for any consequences resulting from the following of this advice. As always, it is recommended that you consult with your local vet regarding any concerns that you may have for your pet.

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