Sneak Peak: JBJ Cubey All-in-one Biotope

The JBJ Cubey is best described as "cute". I mean look at it! It's petite and functional, and has a real LED system in it. The item has yet to hit shelves, but is expect to be released for pre-order on retailer's sites very soon.

The JBJ Cubey - Inside is the filter sponge and media basket

I saw the "little guy" at Reef-a-palooza 2012. I saw the white version which was certainly nice, but I was excited to see the black color version today. I definitely like the look. Check out my photos after the jump.

*Update (12/28/2012): Item now available at Marine Depot: JBJ Cubey 3 Gallon Pico LED Aquarium. Available in black and white.

PetStore.com Promotion! Save 10%!

With the holidays approaching fast, it's time to start building your holiday wish list! Your aquarium (and other pets) are not forgotten in this holiday season.

• Did you miss those Black Friday specials?
• Have you been pondering getting a new Neptune Apex controller?
• How about changing out those old VHO's for a Maxspect Razor or AquaticLife Expert Series LED?
• I know a calcium reactor would really help keep your Calcium stable, and give you more time to enjoy that SPS garden.
• How about getting junior into the hobby with a new Innovative Marine Nuvo aquarium?

I could go on for hours, but I'm sure I got your gears spinning! ChromisReef.com is excited to present a limited time referral program with our friends at PetStore.com!

New PetStore.com layout!

PetStore.com carries more than 25,000 high-quality pet-related products to help you care for the lifetime needs of your pets, including aquarium supplies found at other high end aquarium websites. PetStore offers low prices and a flat rate shipping of $5.99 for UPS ground, and free ground shipping for orders over $75!!

I am happy to have partnered with PetStore.com for a limited time referral program that will offer 10% off your online order!

This promotion is available to you by entering "VIPCHRIS" in the promotional code box at checkout. This coupon applies to orders placed online at www.PetStore.com and is valid for U.S. customers for ALL PET ITMES (excluding Ecotech Marine products). This coupon can be used for more than one order, and can be shared with friends and family for multiple orders. Their is no catch to you for ordering, simply remember to use the "VIPCHRIS" code when checking out! Go visit www.PetStore.com, and take advantage of this great deal, available for a limited time only!

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.

Money down the drain

Ever felt that nature is taking you away from your fish time? Need a place to get away? Well you can now bring your hobby into your office/ private get away: the bathroom. For only $300, this fine gem can be yours. The fish tank toilet is classy, compact, a great conversation piece. It's fish when you flush!

October pictures

I haven't added any tank photos for several months, so here you go! I didn't want to grab my camera, so I just used the iPad.

More images after the jump...

North American Reptile Breeders Conference - Anaheim

In addition to reef tanks, I also have an interest in reptiles. A few of my coworkers and I decided to check out the NARNC in Anaheim, CA. I didn't bring an outright camera, so I had to settle for my iPhone (with scratched camera lens).

We saw lots of animals including snakes, turtles, and even spiders. For the record, I'm not a fan of spiders.

Reef A Palooza 2012

SCMAS is once again hosting the annual Reef A Palooza show! This show will be held at the Orange County Fair Grounds and will feature many big industry names like Seachem, Tunze, AquaticLife, Kessil Lighting, ATI, Hikari USA, Digital Aquatics, Marine Depot, and many others! This year's featured speakers include Scott Fellman, Bob Fenner, Dr. Tim Hovanec, and reality TV star Brett Raymer from Discovery Channel's Tanked and more! 

The show continues to grow each year and is fun for all hobbyists. There are also many frag farmers and other great vendors. You can see new products and purchase available items at great prices. If you're in the Southern California Area, be sure to stop by!

Dates:

Saturday,  October 20 , 2012 10AM-6PM 

Sunday, October 21, 2012 10AM- 4PM

$10 Admission Fee
$5 -Seniors 60 and over
Free – Children 12 and younger

Visit the show's website for more information! http://www.reefapaloozashow.org/

Let's Get Social!

Socialize, receive updates, and have access to more media!

Google+ will provide an alternate platform to post more images of my aquarium, additional product photos, and other reef related material that may not fit in a standard blog post.

Chromis' Reef is now on Google+

Stop by and drop me a line. I'd love to hear from you or answer any questions you may have! Chromis' Reef - Google+

VIDEO: AquaMaxx EcoMaxx 100

Here's a short video I've been meaning to post since the first day I started running biopellets. You can see the Hydra Biopellet Reactor and my new AquaMaxx EcoMaxx EM100 In-Sump Protein Skimmer. Skimmer cup needed some cleaning, but you can see the dark skim it's removed.

The noise in the video is NOT the skimmer, it's the biopellets and pump. The skimmer is essentially silent! Full review coming soon!

Biopellet Progress

We're almost a month into Project Biopellet - Take II (name still tentative). For the first two weeks, I added 1/4 cups of Biopellets weekly. For the first two weeks, I also added Two Little Fishies Bioactiv8 on a daily basis. I would turn off the return pump for a few minutes and add the bacterial innoculant directly into the sump chamber where the biopellet reactor is located. I would then leave my protein skimmer off for an hour after adding this.

So far, no problems. I have seen a huge reduction in cyano bacteria growth that was present before I started the biopellet system again. There has also been a reduction in the growth of hair algae, though some still exists. I will continue to remove either cyano or algae as I see it during water changes. Coral look healthy. I'm seeing polyp extension and no loss of color. 

Trying Biopellets... Again.

My previous experience with biopellets wasn't bad. I removed the system to see if the low nutrient environment was causing some issues with my soft coral. I had some zoanthids that were closed up and were dying off. I removed the system, and figured out there were a few unrelated issues (including a hitch hiking crab) that were at fault. Oops.

(Read more after the jump!)

Sneak Peak - Maxspect Razor R420R LED!

I got to take a look at the newest LED fixture from Maxspect. The Maxspect Razor R420R LED Light Fixture is an impressive lady. Sleek, thin, attractive. Can be mounted on the aquarium using the included mounting legs, hung from the ceiling or from hanging arms, or using the Maxspect mounting system. It's quite versatile.

(More information and images after the jump!)

Tanks are everywhere

Wow! Beautiful aquarium at the Mirage Casino, Las Vegas, NV

Very amateur tank photography...

Older Image - (not from today's set)

I was reading on a forum about how to take photographs of an aquarium. In the past year, I have purchased a DSLR camera and tried to learn as much as I can. I've gotten a little better, but still have a long ways to improve. When I've tried to take photos of my tank, they are usually pretty bad. Luckily, I came across this website: http://www.ximinasphotography.com/lessons/index.html.  I was inspired to try some things and see how much better my photos would now be.

It's been a month...

A month has passed since my last update. Here's a run down of what's happened:

I added some more fish this week:

• Copper Banded Butterfly
• 5x additional Chromis
• Royal Gramma
• 1x additional tiger conch

I moved my yellow tang to a quarantine tank as he was relentlessly harassing the CBB. I kind of expected this being the nature of the fish and my smaller aquarium, so I may have found him a new home in case things don't work out here.

In the past months, I have also added some more frags including some favita and favites, some acans, and some zoas.

A "FishEye" View

Hitchhiker?!

"Are you the little guy causing all that big noise?" 

I've had some random "hauntings" and deaths in my tank, I have been on the lookout for a culprit. I'm wondering if this little guy had anything to do with it. I found him by chance after I turned the actinics on to look for my RBA. The RBT was on the sand bed, in a cave, and this crab was moving him around. Not sure if he was just decorating or preparing for a meal. I grabbed my aquarium tongs and pulled him out. 

I haven't positively identified the perp, but he will get no trial and no jury. It's out of the tank he goes. Let's hope this is the solution to my angry coral and hiding anemones...

Weekend photos

Last weekend I removed what was left of the biopellets in my system. I was having problems with coral dying, and I figured it might be related to the bio pellets. While I can't prove the pellets were the problem, my coral (specifically my zoas that were still alive) are doing much better and are opening up fully. The biopellet experiment lasted 8 months, and was overall inconclusive. There are too many factors as to why it may or may not have worked including my irregular maintenance (I've been busy) and the use of a reactor that wasn't designed for this type of media. I haven't ruled out the system for use in the future, but for now I'm sticking with the proven, old fashioned way: heavy skimming, light feeding, and water changes.

Reefkeeper Elite

Look what I got. RKE head unit to upgrade my RKL system. More info to follow.

New Photos: March 2012

For those who'd prefer to see my tank as apposed to read my long posts, I will keep this short and sweet.(Except for this intro).

New Clam!

Something is irritating the button polyps

Full tank shot

Be sure to check out the Photo Page for a visual tank chronology. Until next time...

Is Your Refractometer Calibrated?

I've had some odd happenings with some coral, and in the process of narrowing down the culprit, I figured it was time to give the ol' refractometer some attention. I calibrate it every so often with RO/DI water, but after reading a few online articles, I was convinced that calibration with RO/DI water wasn't providing accurate results.

There are recipes to make a calibration solution at home... and in retrospect, that would have made a great DIY article... but I went the easier, more accurate route and purchased some American Marine Pinpoint Salinity Calibration Fluid. The calibration solution will allow you to calibrate to a higher point on the scale, which provides a better level of accuracy for the ranges we were commonly testing in.

The calibration solution will allow you to dial in salinity to 35 ppt, which is about 1.026 sg. To ensure better accuracy, I set up a "calibration station". I put warm water into a cup (measuring cup) and dropped in my handy dandy cooking thermometer (which I have calibrated recently). I waited until the temperature was about 80 degrees and dropped the bottle of calibration solution in there. When the temperature of the solution was at 78, I took a sample with a syringe and dropped a few drops onto the glass testing surface of the refractometer. (It's starting to feel like high school chemistry all over again). I closed the cover plate, and took a visual reading. 

The reading was right on: 35ppt. "Wow," I thought, "that was uneventful." Indeed it was. I rinsed the refractometer with some clean RO/DI water and tried again. To attain a sense of satisfaction, I moved the calibration screw with a small screwdriver. I moved it up, I moved it down, and then I carefully dialed it back in. Rinsed it, and tried with some more solution (why not, I have a huge bottle of it). Bam. It was set. I tired with some RO/DI. Bam, set.

While I didn't have any "A-ha" moment with testing, it was certainly good to know my refractometer was calibrated accurately. A little insurance goes a long ways, and I now can calibrate my refractometer with a level of accuracy going forward.

Until next time...

*ReefKeeper Alarm Triggered*

Well my aquarium has been giving me grief, off and on, for some time now. Between float switches sticking, temperature fluctuations, and faulty/clogged Aqualifter dosing pumps I've had my aquarium overflow already. After the overflow, I added a float switch to my aquarium that will 1) trigger an alarm and 2) shut off the return pump.

Today while in class, I was notified by my ReefKeeper Lite by email that one of my float switches had activated, triggering an alarm. This float switch is located in my display, and is only activated when the water level gets dangerously high.

Upon notification, I was able to completely shut down the return pump and my ATO pump. I was also lucky enough to have someone close by to check on the tank. Sure enough, the tank had filled up and my sump was full to the rim, but no water had spilled out on the floor; a disaster was averted! Floors were dry, fish were safe, and I could breathe a sigh of relief.

While I'm going to have to do some investigation and tinkering to see what I can do to prevent this issue from happening again, I was lucky that my ReefKeeper emailed me. I didn't have to leave class, and I didn't have to worry all night about what was happening. it also prevented I'd come home to in 9 hours had I not been able to catch this.

While aquarium controllers aren't necessary for every tank, I'd have to say that today my ReefKeeper earned its spot as the best (and coolest) gadget on my aquarium.

My Experience with Biopellets

AquaMaxx BioMaxx Plus BioPellets

Organic carbon dosing has proven to be an effective method for reducing and controlling nitrates and phosphates in a reef aquarium. One of the latest methods to hit the reef scene is the use of solid polymers, often referred to "biopellets" or "bioplastics". These pellets provide a carbon source and home for bacteria to colonize. These bacteria consume this carbon source and also take in nitrates and phosphates, reducing and removing these nutrients from the water. The bacteria are mostly removed by protein skimming, but a small amount are consumed as food in the aquarium. There's so much mixed information and for as many positive experiences, there seems to be as many negative experiences.

Well, there are many aspects to this type of system, and before implementing this method on YOUR system, there's a lot you should look into. While I have had a positive experience with bio pellets, they are by no means a miracle tool; they won't eliminate the need for water changes and they will not magically fix months of neglect. Remember, nothing good happens in a reef tank overnight. With that said, let me share my experience with the product.

I introduced the biopellet system to my aquarium in August of last year (2011) (You can read a bit about the installation from a previous article, "Aquarium Update" from August). I used AquaMaxx Biomaxx Pellets, and put them into a Two Little Fishies Phosban Reactor 150. I removed the two foam sponges, and purchased and installed a set of screens to prevent the pellets from escaping the reactor. There is a set amount of media to add for your system. Look it up, do some conversions, and remember that number. Got it? Good.

TLF Phosban Reactor 150 w/ Biopellets

For simplicity and round numbers, we're going to say that your system requires 1 cup of biopellets. You will want to add this final amount to your reactor of the period of several weeks. What I would recommend is to start the reactor with 1/4 cup (or 25% of the total amount you need), and add another 1/4 cup about a week later, and do this for the next 2 weeks until the reactor is full. This provides a month for the reactor to slowly take form on your system. During this time, you will want to start inoculating your tank (and the reactor) with a bacterial additive; I used Brightwell's Microbacter 7. You should do this every day for 2 weeks, and then add a maintenance dose about once every two weeks.

The pellets require a good amount of flow. I would suggest somewhere along the line of 350 gph. While a Maxi-Jet 1200 was previously recommended, I would suggest stepping up to a larger pump (I'm currently using a Mag-Drive 3.5 (offers 350 gph of flow). It's easier to dial back the flow with a ball valve than to deal with not enough flow. Low flow will cause the pellets to clump, either leaving the reactor ineffective or possibly causing problems for your aquarium.

In fact, anecdotal evidence I've come across online shows that control of the flow of the pellets AND flow of the water into the reactor may be key to this process. I would suggest taking a look at the two-part video series from LA Fish Guys. (Be warned, the videos are a little long). I found the information discussed to be informative and provides some valid points in regards to the current use of bioplastics and the reactors we are currently utilizing. The control of the flow of water from the aquarium and the tumbling of the pellets were not related; this is something most current reactors are not taking into consideration. The theory that the tumbling of pellets causes the reduction of waste, and more tumble reduces the reaction further is interesting and something I want to learn more about. You can view the videos at the links below.
Part 1: LA Fishguys, Bio Pellets, Episode 107 pt1
Part 2: LA Fishguys, Bio Pellets, Episode 107 pt2

The pellets themselves are not a disposable media that needs to be changed. You will replenish your pellets about once every six months on average. You will simply add more pellets to the existing pellets in the reactor. One helpful tip would be to mark the level of pellets on the side of the reactor when the flow is off. When your pellets are below this level, you can top it off to this line. You can mark it with tape, a marker, whatever.

Feeding your tank rather heavily seems to also be an important aspect to this system. I noticed that with my normal feeding regimen, my corals were not growing and my Zoas seemed to be shrinking. The bioplastics seem to rob the system of nutrients, and drop the levels so low that the coral can starve. To help combat this, you should feed a hefty amount of food to your fish and coral daily. I recently started adding liquid foods to the tank daily in addition to prepared fish foods and frozen foods. This seems to be doing the trick. My coral seem to be growing again.

Low nitrates

Finally, your dosing regiment seems to be somewhat important for use on a biopellet system. One common recommendation is to keep Alkalinity low, at around 8 dkh. All other levels should be maintained at normal acceptable levels. I have also been adding an amino acid supplement, a trace element supplement, and Lugol's solution. While there is no evidence that MY dosing system is doing anything for the biopellet system, it doesn't hurt, and so far my tank is doing well. Keep in mind, that while nitrates are reduced, you still want to preform regular water changes to help replenish trace elements.

Versus manually dosing your tank daily with a liquid carbon source, biopellets provide an alternative system that is supposed to provide many of the same benefits as the liquid systems. Is it better or anything more than snake oil? Well, to be honest, I can't really say. This is just what has worked for me and a many others who share similar stories. Research is lacking to explain exactly why biopellets are providing such a variable response. There isn't a whole lot of information available as to the who's and whats of why it works. With this method, we're at the mercy of trial and error- something I know I'm comfortable with, but understand that the guy running a 300 gallon SPS dominated tank he's had running nicely for 3 years may not want to mess with. This is KEY to why you have to really balance this approach out and decide whether this is right for your system. If it doesn't work out, it can cause problems for your tank if you remove the system too quickly without weaning it off.

If you're thinking of starting this type of system, I urge you to do your research and be willing to give it time. This is not an immediate cure for high nitrate and phosphate levels, and it is not a replacement for regular maintenance and water changes. I've included some bioplastics resources I found useful below.

Recommended Resources:

• Forum: Probiotics and Labile Organic Carbon Dosing - by Murray Camp
• Article: Probiotics Demystified, Coral Magazine - by Murray Camp
• Article: Solid Polymers for Nutrient Control, Coral Magazine - by Murray Camp
• Video: LA Fishguys, Bio Pellets, Episode 107 pt1
• Video: LA Fishguys, Bio Pellets, Episode 107 pt2

Until next time...

**Updates & Related Articles: (links add October 2013).

• Trying Biopellets... Again. (August 2012).
• Biopellet Progress (September 2012).

The 28 Gallon JBJ - NanoCube

So I haven't really posted about my the new tank... Ok, so it's not REALLY mine, but I completely helped set it up and will be taking care of it. It actually belongs to my girlfriend, Mal (you can thank me when you're famous, Love). I guess I can say I'm "consulting" on the setup (that means pointing fingers, complaining about water changes, making top-off water, providing some frags, etc...). Well, we set it up and it's been running for about a month now. We moved an existing 12 gallon nano aquarium into the new 28-gallon Nano tank (including rock, fishes, and coral). Don't worry, we set it up right. We started it with just base rock and started dosing Brightwell's Microbacter7 immediately for almost 2 weeks. We also added a handful of live sand and a few gallons of aquarium water from the existing aquarium. We then added the live rock and fish, and tada...

But Oh No's! It wasn't 9 months of cycling!!! Yes folks, it's possible to stock a tank in a matter of just a few DAYS. Do your homework, plan it out, and stock it slowly... Don't worry, I'm a professional. In all reality, I've set up new aquariums in a day in a pinch, and have never had problems. I have ALWAYS stocked slowly, though...

So far the tank is doing well. The previous aquarium was running a 70 watt metal halide fixture, and the new aquarium is running JBJ's 89 watt Advanced LED light (JBJ 28 Gallon Nano Cube LED Aquarium - 89 Watt Advanced). Not too shabby! The soft coral all did pretty well during the switch, however a frag of my Pink and Green Damicornis bleached out; this was not a result of the light.

Anyways, I'll be posting updates from time to time to track the progress, and here's the latest picture...

 And no, I haven't downsized (yet). I have some good things going on with MY 60-gallon reef, and plan on posting more soon... So until next time...

Heater Off!

Well the power went out briefly on Monday, and somehow my heater was turned off. All other devices were fine, except the heater. Unfortunately for my coral and fishes, I didn't realize the aquarium was so cold until today. When I noticed the problem, it was at 69 degrees. In fact, I only thought to check the temperature after I put my hand in the tank to target feed my coral.



After checking the graph of the temperature, it looks like there is only a couple of days of data showing, indicating the power loss we briefly experienced on Monday. Going forward, I think I'll change the default status of the heater to "ON", and I'll make sure to check the temperature more often. While there is no loss yet, my Maxi-mini Anemone and my Torch Coral are looking unhappy. I'll keep an eye on this closely.