Captive Aquatics: An Aquarium and Ecology Blog

Sustainable Aquatics Launches a New Website

I like to keep aquarists informed of the latest from companies that go above and beyond, and whos actions benefit people, the environment, push the hobby forward, or all three. Ultimately how a hobbyist spends his or her dollar that dictates where this hobby goes, so spending wisely is important for the future of our hobby and ecosystem.

The Demise of Bluefin Tuna

Once again the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has decided to not put Bluefin Tuna on the Endangered Species Act. They feel the species does not need protected but worldwide collaboration in the sustainabilty of the Bluefin Tuna.

"Based on careful scientific review, we have decided the best way to ensure the long-term sustainability of bluefin tuna is through international cooperation and strong domestic fishery management," said Eric Schwaab, assistant NOAA administrator for NOAA's Fisheries Service."

 

Sustainable Aquatics Breeds Upside-Down Jellyfish

Sustainable Aquatics has been my favorite source for captive bred and tank raised livestock for almost two years, and they continue to add to their repertoire almost every month.  This month, however, I was surprised more than usual: they've started breeding Cassiopeia upside-down jellyfish! 

Eye Candy - 150g SPS Display

These photos feature my buddy Mark's 150g mixed SPS display tank. His beautiful tank is a prime example of successful simplicity when it comes to running a tank. Enjoy!

What You Should Know Before Purchasing an LED Light

The following musings began as a simple post on 3reef and ended up being quite long.  However, I think the info is valuable to anyone in the market for LED lighting.



There is much, much more that goes into an LED unit besides the diodes used. Top quality emitters can be used, but if you have supbar electronics, drivers, etc on the inside, then you have a subpar light. Sure, the diode might be rated to last 50k hours with a 30% output loss over that period, but what if the drivers used are only rated for 10k hours (plus, what are the specs of said driver: is it constant-current, constant voltage, what is the tolerance, variance range, etc?).

SWC150 BMK Protein Skimmer Review

Saltwater Connection has yet another product to be proud of. Their Xtreme Cone 120 and 160 are favorites among many aquarists, and the 150 BMK is going to be no different, I expect!

 

Great Coral ID Resource Unveiled by SDMAS

Remember the AIMS coral ID site?  It's an amazing yet relatively untapped online representation of JEN Veron's Corals of the World books.  I say "relatively untapped" because it's nearly unuseable - navigating and searching AIMS is about as user friendly as this intersection.  You'll notice the AIMS link is to an Acro valida, because after 15 minutes I still couldn't find the index page for that site.

Well, fortunately for us the good people at SDMAS said "no more!", and through an incredible amount of work they put together a hobbyist-friendly version of the AIMS site.  The link is right here, enjoy!

Review: Plusrite Metal Halide Bulbs

 

Introduction:

As with every hobby, there are the name brand products, and the poorly constructed knock offs.  Products that are a fair combination of practicality and cost are few and far between.  Yet, the cheaply made products often draw us in with their exorbitantly low prices.  Affordableaquatic.com was generous enough to send me a lamp, and let me try it for myself.

 

Refractometer Calibration: the Myth and Risks of using RO/DI Water

I recently got a new refractometer over the holidays, and immediately after my first water change my tank began having problems.  Well, to be fair my wallet was what immediately had a problem being that those have gotten ridiculously expensive in my area, especially when combined with California's seemingly 3,000% sales tax these days.  I couldn't figure out what was wrong, I mean, my water was at 1.025-1.026, my refractometer came with instructions that said to zero it out with distilled water, and they wouldn't give out bad information would they?  Turns out yes, yes they would.

An Aquarium as a Christmas Present! Now What?

Christmas is one of the best times to purchase an aquarium for any interested hobbyist.  Especially since many aquarium providers offer special deals on entire aquarium packages that are a great start for any hobbyist to be able to geat into the magnificent aquarium hobby.  But, once having all the materials to setup an aquarium can be overwhelming especially if you are not complely sure how it all works.  Well, lets clear up that confusion and I will add some tips too!