Captive Aquatics: An Aquarium and Ecology Blog

What you Need to Know About Photosynthesis

 Photosynthesis is an incredibly complex process, but luckily for most aquarists only a basic understanding is required, but the time should be taken to understand that basic definition.  Photosynthesis is the “synthesizing by organisms of organic chemical compounds (Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology [1997]), mainly carbohydrates, from carbon dioxide using energy obtained by light rather than the oxidation of chemical compounds”. Instead of consuming carbohydrates like we do for energy, photosynthesis can create carbohydrates for invertebrates and plants.  More simply, this means that plant cells can use energy gathered from light to produce cellular chemical energy (ATP) and carbon products (carbohydrates) when combined with carbon dioxide.  

Earthquake in Indonesia!

An earthquake has hit off the Indonesian Island of Bali early Thursday morning causing many injuries and property damage throughout the island.

 

The U.S geological survey said the earthquake was a 6.0-magnitude and hit about 62 miles southwest of Bali.

 

So far 50 people have been taken to local hospitals with only five suffering from major injuries. 

 

Indonesia is located on the "Ring of Fire" which is a arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin.  This makes the area prone to earthquakes from the constant motion of the faults moving on each other.  In fact, Indonesia suffered a 9.1-magnitude earthquake that occured underwater and caused a tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people in 2004.

 

For this earthquake the U.S Geological Survey has issued no stunami alert and hopefully those who have suffered will recover soon.

 

Picture from www.worldwidehomestay.com

New X-Aqua LED Light Coming Soon

They say a picture is worth a thousand words: the above is a picture of X-Aqua's foray into LED reef aquarium lighting.  Pictures, specs, and hands-on experience coming soon...