Calibrate Good Times, Come On!

Floating the calibration solutions in the tank

Manufacturers recommend that you calibrate electronic probes frequently. Once every month or two is recommended. This helps keep the probes accurate, and allows you to get an idea of when its time to change the probe. A pH probe is generally good for 12-18 months.

My pH probe is an American Marine Standard Grade pH probe. It is connected to my Digital Aquatics Reefkeeper Elite. I have the probe in my sump to provide real time pH readings.

Oppa Chromie Style

Rearranged the rock and coral a bit...

Saturday was reef maintenance day. To go along with the BioPellet experiment, I should post my test results:

Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: 0
Calcium: 420
Alkalinity: 7 dkh
Magnesium: 1500
Salinity (SG): 1.025
pH: 8.1

So far, Nitrates look good... BioPellets seem to be doing their job. The test results were decent enough considering the lack of attention I had paid to my aquarium. I do want to increase the Alkalinity and pH a little bit, but not too worried in the short term.

AquaticLife Impresses Reefers with new Expert Series LED light

I hate to brag (no really, I do), but I got some hands on experience with the AquaticLife Expert Series LED system today. I can honestly say, this reefer was impressed.

Expert Series LED (image credit: AquaticLife.com)

AquaticLife makes some great light fixtures. They stood out among other light manufacturers in the industry by producing high quality, user friendly compact fluorescent and T5 fixtures. They started entering the LED market about a year ago with the Expandable LED fixtures, and followed up with some Single Watt LED reef fixtures. Then the introduced a new "Expert Series" led light.

I will be honest. When I first saw the Expert Series light online, it didn't tickle my fancy (so to speak). It looked like a plain, plastic box (looked like): nothing too flashy. Then I went to the Reef-a-palooza show, and saw the unit in person at the AquaticLife and Marine Depot booths. I got to touch it and hold it; my impression quickly changed. It was solid. It was metal. It was sleek. I needed to learn more about this light.

More after the link...

P.P.E. - Personal Protective Equipment

The Ohhh Nooo's Lady is back again

I worked in a large chain pet store (won't mention the name) for many years. With O.S.H.A. regulations and the like, there was a term we used for protective gear: P.P.E.

It was uncomfortable and difficult to work in. The glasses fogged up, the gloves would rip half the time, and the face masks made it difficult to breathe. It was something we all hated, and wanted to avoid at all cost... but we stuck with it for many reasons.

I was reminded of the importance of protective equipment after reading a post on Advanced Aquarist*: How NOT to frag zoanthids. (*Bloggers note: While certainly a good read, Advanced Aquarist has no affiliation with ChromisReef.com). The video shows a hobbyists casually fragging some Zoanthids: he is using a sharp tool and no protective hand, face, or eye wear. In the article, the reality of danger is brought home through an actual story shared on 3Reef, where a hobbyist and LFS employee has lost vision in one eye due to the effects of Palytoxin. I suggest reading the thread here: Don't Rub Your Eyes After Handling Zoanthids/Palythoa.