FAUNATIC'S GUIDELINES
FOR GOOD AQUARIUM MAINTENANCE AND WATER CHEMISTRY
| REEF TANKS Dallas fort worth fish aquarium keepers, to keep a healthy aquarium, to prevent undesired algae growth, disease, and death in your fish tank, and to remove the build-up of nitrate, phosphate and other toxins present in the water due to fish waste and uneaten food, regular water changes and a good filtration system is necessary. Water parameters should be maintained as close to the natural sea water levels as possible. Faunatic recommends the following levels:
Calcium Calcium is one of the most important ions in reef tanks. It is essential to maintain is level above 380ppm for good coral growth. Natural sea water levels have approvimately 410 to 440 parts per million of calcium. There are many methods used for adding calcium to the reef tank. Faunatic suggests using a balanced additive like kalkwasser, also called lime water (a saturated solution of calcium hydroxide) or/and a calcium reactor for a bigger aquarium system. Alkalinity Calcium and Alkalinity are closely related. They should be balanced in the proper range to stay in solution. They are use for the formation of coral skeletons and the shells of many other organisms. Alkalinity is also needed to buffer possible pH changes. Natural sea water has a level of 7 dKH. A slightly higher alkalinity level of approvimately 8 to 9 dKH is recommended to successfully buffer a tank's pH. Magnesium Magnesium is a very important element for providing a stable aquarium water chemistry. It is needed at levels over 1200 parts per million (ppm) to hold calcium in solution at the desired levels. pH Aquarium PH is a logarithmic measure of a hydrogen ion concentration. The scale measures from 0 to 14. A Low pH is acidic, a high pH (high hydrogen ions) is alkaline, and a pH of 7 is neutral. Sea water is slightly alkaline so the actual pH of seawater is usually measured at 8.4. Even with good buffering, it is difficult to achieve the same pH stability and level as the sea. The very animals kept in the reef tanks work against maintaining a perfect pH. They produce CO2 (an acidic oxide that reacts with water to give carbonic acid) and waste products that release organic acids. These acids soak up hydrogen ions, lowering the aquarium pH. Using a combination of a calcium reactor and kalkwasser is an easy method for controlling the tank's pH. Calcium reactors tend to lower the pH. In contrast, kalkwasser can raise the pH level very high. When used together they tend to maintain a good pH level. Salinity Salinity is a measure of the concentration of dissolved salts in water. Normal seawater tends to run in the range of 34-36 with a specific gravity from 1.021 to 1.025. Salinity can be measured in the reef tank using a device called a hydrometer. Temperature Faunatic recommends keeping the aquarium temperature between 75-78° F. The key to a successful saltwater reef tank is stability. Coral and fish usually accept water parameters a little off the norm, as long as it remains fairly stable and within safe margins. Remember . . . FAUNATIC provides premium aquarium care to homes and businesses all over the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex. Just give us a call at 817-550-3454. Our trained professionals in aquarium water chemistry will take care of the water quality for you - hassle free! |
