Amiga Plus 1995 #2/Amiga Plus CD - 1995 - No. 2.iso/internet/faq/englisch/reefkeepers

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Rec-aquaria-archive-name: reefkeeper-faq/part3
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Sci-aquaria-archive-name: reefkeeper-faq/part3
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Reef Keepers Frequently Asked Questions (Part 3 of 3)

Note: This header is copied into all three parts

(Well, more or less.  Actually, this is a composite document written
by many folks.  It contains information each participant felt was
basic information required for anyone considering maintaining a reef
tank.  In reality, it's turned into a bit of a reference document.
Some of the information has been taken from public forums like the
Internet UseNet *.aquaria groups.  Credit to the authors of such
information is given next to their contribution.)

Note that starting with 1.12, new and/or changed items are marked with
an "*" in the far left column.

*Release 1.12 - 17 Aug, 1994 (more corrections and minor area expansions)
Release 1.11 - 18 Apr, 1994 (some corrections and minor area expansions)
Release 1.10 - 9 Sep, 1993 (Significant additions to test kit and protein
                            skimming sections. Many spelling and grammar
                            corrections, some style and format alterations.)
Release 1.02 - September 1st, 1993    (Reorganized, split into 3 pieces)
Release 1.01 - July 1st, 1993     (First Public Release)
Release 1.00 - May 12th, 1993
*Copyright 1993, 1994, ReefKeepers, All Rights Reserved

ReefKeepers, for purposes of the copyright, is the group of authors
listed at the end of this 3-part document.  Permission is granted for
it to be copied (unmodified) in either electronic or hardcopy form by
nonprofit organizations if it is copied in its entirety and used in
stand-alone form.  This document may not otherwise be published,
posted, uploaded, replicated or copied by any method, electronic or
physical, without the explicit permission of ALL of the listed
contributors.

The authors of this document have kindly spent the time to bring you
their opinions.  They are not liable in any form or fashion, nor are
their employers, for how you use this information.  Their opinions
should not be construed as fact; don't blame them if your tank has
problems.

You may get a copy of this FAQ via FTP from the following sites:

percula.acs.uci.edu (128.200.34.15)     /reefkeepers/faq
*ftp.cco.caltech.edu (131.215.48.151)    /pub/aquaria/FAQfiles/Reefkeepers

/---------------------------------------------------------------------------/

Table of Contents

Basic Sections:

Part 1)

1.0    Water (Filters/Additives/Test Kits)
    1.1 Source Water -  City Mains Water Is Not Good Enough
        1.1.1 Background
        1.1.2 DI Filters
        1.1.3 RO Filters
        1.1.4 Further Comments About Water
    1.2 Additives
    1.3 Testable Parameters
        1.3.1 Alkalinity
        1.3.2 Calcium
        1.3.3 pH
        1.3.4 Nitrate (NO3)
        1.3.5 Phosphate (PO4)
        1.3.6 Specific Gravity
    1.4 Water Changes
2.0      Filtration and Equipment
    2.1 Live Rock
    2.2 Protein Skimmers
                2.2.1 Counter Current Air Driven Protein Skimmers
                2.2.2 Venturi Protein Skimmers
                2.2.3 Protein Skimmer Considerations
    2.3 Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)
    2.4 Other Chemical Filter Media (X-Whatever)
    2.5 Mechanical Filtration
    2.6 Under Gravel Filters (UGF)
    2.7 Reverse Flow UGFs (RUGF)
    2.8 Trickle Filters
    2.9 Algae Scrubbers (somewhat long)
    2.10 Live Sand
3.0    Lights
*    3.1 General Discussion
*    3.2 Detail Discussion
*    3.3 Lighting Data
4.0    Cost Estimates

Part 2)

5.0    Stock
    5.1 Common to Scientific Name Cross Reference
    5.2 Coral Aggression Chart
    5.3 Corals [Cnidaria (Anthozoa)]
    5.4 Shelled Things
    5.5 Algae
    5.6 Possible Problems
*    5.7 Hermit Crabs

Part 3)

6.0     General Catalogs
7.0     Questions and Answers
8.0     Book Review
9.0     Useful Tables
10.0    Credits

=============================================================================

6.0    General Catalogs

Here is a list of non-aquarium related catalogs that have items
that may be of use to the serious aquarist and DIYer.

Ayn Plastic 1-800-431-2451
  A nationwide plastic supplier.  They have about a dozen outlets
  and also ship orders.  The catalog contains info and specs on many
  types of plastics that are useful for DIY aquarium projects.  They have
  a $50 minimum order.

C.F. Bowman & Co.
38 Addington Court
East Brunswick, NJ  08816

PH [phone]
FX [phone]

C.F. Bowman & Co. I heard of by e-mail, but I later noticed their ad in
FAMA.  Their prices on acrylic tubing look very good, at least; a 60"
long 6" od 1/8" wall clear cast acrylic tube is $35.75, which is about
60% of what I paid.  I didn't find extruded tube, but they do say to call
for items not listed.  They are ostensibly wholesale only, so you may
need to give a company name.  They also have a $50 minimum order.

C and H Sales Company
P.O. Box 5356                   2176 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA   91117-9988       Pasadena, CA    91107

[phone]  (LA)
[phone]  (Pasadena)
[phone]

C & H sells a wide collection of surplus and used equipment, ranging from
fans, blowers, pumps (water, air, and otherwise), electronic components,
motors (ac, dc, gearhead, stepper), solenoids, laboratory glassware, chart
recorders, and tools through stranger things like gyrocompasses and a bit
of defense electronics.  Prices vary but are often quite good.  For those
in Southern California, their store has lots of odd items in quantities too
small to include in the catalog.

Cole-Palmer 1-800-323-4340 or 708 647-7600
  A huge catalog of test equipment and related industrial hardware.
  Like Markson, much is beyond the need and budget of a hobbiest
  but much is not.

Grainger Industrial 1-800-323-0620
  A nationwide chain of wholesalers of industrial needs.  They have
  many stores in most states.  There is probably one near you.  They
  have a huge catalog of all sorts of things for DIYers, float-switches,
  ballasts, tools, you name it.  They are a wholesaler so they
  technically won't sell to individuals.  If you walk in (they have
  a counter just like any retail hardware store) and pay cash and give
  the name of a local company, they will sell to you.  They just need
  to have the name of a company to put on the invoice because legal,
  they are a wholesaler.  You don't need a tax number when you are
  paying cash.  You can just go in and give them the name of the
  company where you work.  It is probably a good idea to call ahead and
  see if the item you want is in stock.

Hach - Products for Analysis 1-800-227-4224
  A catalog of testing items.  This is the next step if you want
  better test kits than best kits normally available to hobbiest
  (like Lamotte).  Many of their products are not beyond the budget
  of a serious hobbiest.  The also carry chemistry hardware like
  glassware.

Herbach and Rademan 1-800-848-8001
  A miscellaneous junk catalog with all sorts of electronic, mechanical,
  and pumping widgets and other gadgets.  Also, surplus junk like
  power supplies.

  A catalog of a variety of scientific equipment, mostly chemistry related.
  Many of their items are well beyond the need and budget of hobbiest but
  much of it is not.

The Surplus Center 1-???-???-????
  Another miscellaneous junk catalog with much the same stuff as H&R.

United States Plastic Corp.
1390 Neubrecht Rd.
Lima, Ohio  45801
1-800-537-9724

US Plastics sells a large selection of basic materials, plus an equally
large assortment of various manufactured items made of plastic and some
related items like fluid pumps.  A few of the less common items which
come to mind are clear pvc, plastic tanks up to a few thousand gallons,
ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene stock, flexible impeller pumps,
and plastic welders.  Of special interest to the diy'er would be items
like the thickened acrylic cement (IMHO required for the best and
strongest watertight acrylic joints), their rod, pipe, tube, and sheet
stock in pvc and acrylic (where else do you find clear sheet pvc, or
90 degree sweep fittings for lower backpressure?), and the large food-
quality drums for storing RO/DI water and mixed saltwater.  The fun of
finding stuff you didn't know existed shouldn't be under-rated, either.

7.0    Some Questions and Answers

Q: Can I do this cheaply?
A: No, relative to a similar size fish-only tank. (See cost estimate
   section)

Q: What if all I want to keep is Anemones?
A: Water quality requirements drop some (Nitrates should remain under
   20ppm NO3-).

Q: What are good test kits?
A: Tetra Hardness
   Hach Nitrate, Calcium, Iron, Phosphate - [phone]
   LaMotte Phosphate

   Hach Test kit details:

   Calcium:  Cat. No. 1457-01, Model HA-4P, $47.50, 100 test
             Dilute your sample 2:1 (Distilled:Saltwater).
             Each drop of titrant will equal 24mg/l of Ca++.
         Dilution saves titrant, and yields clearer results
         with sufficient accuracy.

   Iron:     Cat. No. 22993-00, Model IR-21, $57.50, 100 test
             Very important if Macro Algae growth of primary interest.

   Nitrate:  Cat. No. 14161-00, Model NI-14, $42.50, 50 test
         Suggest ordering Saltwater reagent, Cat. No. 20761-99, $18.50
         for 100 test.

   Phosphate: Cat. No. 2248-00, Model PO-19, $54.50, 100 test
         This test is 2.5 times more sensitive than the LaMotte
         test.  The Hach is rated down to 0.02ppm, the LaMotte 0.05ppm.

   Silica:   Cat. No. 22550-00, Model SI-7, $72.50, 100 test
         Not tested by any of the authors of this FAQ.  Mentioned
         due to its availability and track record of Hach kits.

Q: What about cheaper kits?
A: Kordon Ammonia, Nitrite, low-end Nitrate not bad for gross measurement,
   will need Hach Nitrate after water is in proper pollution range.

Q: Which Salt Mix is best?
A: Instant Ocean works for many.
   Reef Crystal has had reported problems.
   Tropic Marin recommended by some.
   Coralife dissolves fast, can sometimes be found cheap.

   Note that all 50 gallon bags of salt are not the same.  Instant
   Ocean bags weigh in at 16lbs each, Coralife at 14.5lbs each.  There
   is no magic here, at a given temperature, a bag of IO will make a
   solution of higher specific gravity (or more gallons at the same
   specific gravity) than a bag of Coralife will.

Q: How do I get rid of algae in my reef tank?

A: There are three types of undesirable "algae" that commonly grow in
   reef tanks: long green strands of hair algae, short fuzzy green turf
   algae, and brown or red slime algae.  Some people also consider fleshy
   macro algaes, such as Caulerpa, to be a pest as they can overgrow and
   choke out soft corals.  Desirable algaes are the calcarious ones, both
   encrusting coralline algae in pink, purple, white, yellow, maroon and
   brown, and larger calcarious algae such as halimeda.  Some believe that
   any Macroalgae (Caulerpa, Halimeda, etc.) do not belong in Reef tanks.

   "Slime" algae is actually cyanobacteria, not an algae.  While its
   growth is often a sign of poor water quality, it grows in some tanks
   with fairly good water quality.  Too much iodine and too little
   current are known to encourage its growth.  Nothing is known to eat
   it.  The best thing to do is to siphon this out as soon as it appears.
   If it threatens to overgrow everything, it can be treated chemically
   with a light dose of Maracyn, which has not been seen to harm the
   biofilter or hardy inverts.  Treat once with one 200mg table per 15-20
   gallons, leaving your skimmer off for 24 hours.  When you turn the
   skimmer back on, it will foam like crazy and remove the remaining
   medication very quickly.  This will clear the tank, although if water
   conditions are not otherwise improved, it may return in a few weeks.

   Others have found cyanobacteria surviving, and sometimes blooming,
   in tanks that have excellent water quality.  They used a somewhat
   different schedule of Maracyn treatment to eradicate the infestation:
   One 200 mg tablet per 50 gallons total water capacity (don't forget
   the sump and skimmers) dosed daily for 5 days.  Their experience is
   that this will permanently cure the problem, without any return.  Of
   course, if the bacteria is re-introduced to the tank, all bets are off.
   They also disable the skimmer during the treatment, and siphon off all
   dead and dying material after day 3.

   The best way to deal with hair and turf algae is not to let it grow to
   begin with.  Keep the tank dark while it is initially cycling.  Keep
   nitrates and phosphates as low as possible, and siphon out detritus.
   Keep herbivores in the tank.  Snails (as many as 1 for every 2-3
   gallons) will eat turf algae, and hair algae before it gets long.
   Tangs (especially Kole, Sailfin, and Yellow) and many small blennies
   will eat many forms of algae.  If the tank does become overgrown, pull
   as much as possible out by hand.  Reduce the light cycle, or if there
   is nothing light sensitive in the tank, leave it in darkness for a
   couple of weeks.  Get more herbivores.  Be sure to siphon out their
   droppings, which if left in the tank make great algae fertilizer.  I
   have found that urchins can help recover an overgrown tank, although
   they will knock things over and eat any kind of algae, including
   desirable calcarious algaes.

8.0    Book Review and Comments:

"The Marine Aquarium Handbook, Beginner to Breeder"
by Martin A. Moe, Jr.
1982.  Norns Publishing Company
ISBN 0-939960-02-08

                           Best way to learn the very basics, and an excellent
                           first reference on many topics afterwards.  Not
                           reef oriented.  A must buy for the beginner.

"The Marine Aquarium Reference, Systems and Invertebrates"
by Martin A. Moe, Jr.
1989. Green Turtle Publications, Florida
ISBN 0-939960-05-2

                           The place to begin looking for almost every topic.
                           Discussion of filtration is exhaustive, though
                           a bit spare on modern Berlin practice (is this
                           still true in the new edition?).  A must buy for
                           every reefkeeper.


"Advanced Reef Keeping I, A Comprehensive Guide to Setting up Your
Reef Tank."
by Albert J. Thiel
1989. Aardvark Press
ISBN 0-945777-01-9

"Small Reef Aquarium Basics, The Optimum Aquarium for the Reef Hobbyist"
by Albert J. Thiel
1989.  Aardvark Press
ISBN - 0945777-02-7

                           Some good information buried among dubious advice
                           and the most wretched editing ever conceived.  His
                           filtration ideas are rather old-fashioned.  This
                           guy sold the expensive equipment that he
                           recommends, so Caveat Emptor should be your motto.

Thiel advocates one particular way of maintaining reef aquaria.  It's
not the only way, and it may not be the best way, but it does work.
The usual advise is for people to read his books, but to do so skeptically.

"Corals of the World, Biology and Field Guide"
by Dr. Elizabeth M. Wood
1983. T.F.H. Publications
ISBN 0-87666-809-0
TFH# H-1049
                           A good reference for anyone who intends to keep
                           stony corals.  Like other books not specifically
                           written for the hobbyist, it does not discuss the
                           care of corals.  May be out of print.


Adey and Loveland
    Dynamic Aquaria        An attempt at designing reef (and other) aquaria
                           on sound ecological principles.  The hobby remains
                           very sceptical of the use of algal scrubbers with
                           stony corals; see the scrubber section of this FAQ.
               However, much of the book is devoted to a
                           discussion of ecology that any dedicated aquarist
                           will benefit from, if read warily.  Again, Caveat
               Emptor.

"The Reef Tank Owner's Manual"
by John H. Tullock
October 10, 1990.  Aardvark Press
ISBN 0-945777-06-x

                           Discussion of filtration is old-fashioned, similar
                           to Thiel's books but somewhat more grammatical.
                           Good discussions of individual animals and animal
                           choices aimed at the beginning and intermediate
                           reefkeeper.

"Invertebrates: Tube-, Soft-, and Branching Corals"
by Peter Wilkens / Johannes Birkholz
1986, Engelbert Pfriem Verlag, Wuppertal
ISBN 3-921677-14-9

"Invertebrates: Stone and False Corals, Colonial Anemones"
by Peter Wilkens
1990, Engelbert Pfriem Verlag, Wuppertal
ISBN 3-921677-15-7
                           The only books available which discusses the care
                           of individual species of corals.  The authors'
                           experience and reputation is vast.  Unfortunately
                           the production quality of the English translation
                           is poor, but there is no other comparable
                           reference.  A must buy for anyone intending to
                           keep corals.  These may be out of print, so finding
                           them may be very difficult.


"Fishes for the Invertebrate Aquarium, 3rd ed."
by Helmut Debelius
1989. Aquarium Systems

"Armored Knights of the Sea"
                           Absolutely fantastic shrimp book.  Out of
               print, gold if you can get your hand on it.

Helmut Debelius.  (An absolutely fascinating speaker, BTW.  If you
ever get a chance to hear him speak, do so!)  Quite a lot of good
information on reef-compatible fishes.

Veron
    Corals of Australia and   The definitive reference book for
    the Indo-Pacific          stony corals.  The original is out of print
                  and very difficult to find.  A reprint
                  run has recently been done.

"Living Corals"
by Douglas Faulkner & Richard Chesher
1979, Crown Publishers, Inc.
ISBN 0-517-53854-7
                              This is one of those big picture
                  books of corals, but it's the best
                  one I've ever seen.  The photos are
                  all top-notch, most show large groupings
                  of a single species.  The descriptions
                  are not with the pictures, which can be
                  disconcerting until you get used to it.

                  I believe this book is out-of-print,
                  though I often find used copies (fairly
                  cheap!) at a local bookstore.

"Marine Plants of the Caribbean, A Field Guide from Florida to Brazil"
by Diane Scullion Littler, Mark M. Littler, Katina E. Bucher,& James N. Norris
1989. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.
ISBN 0-87474-607-8

                              Quite a good reference book describing
                              various species of algae that are found
                  in the waters of the Caribbean.

"Seaweeds of Hawaii, A photographic Identification Guide"
by William H. Magruder and Jeffrey W. Hunt
1979.  The Oriental Publishing Company
ISBN 0-932596-12-6

                              Another excellent reference identifying
                  algae found around Hawaii.  Out of print.

"The Manual of Marine Invertebrates"
by Martyn Haywood and Sue Wells
1989. Salamander Books Ltd., London
ISBN 0-86101-474-X
                              I'd recommend the Manual of Marine
                  Invertebrates by Hayward.  While this
                  does not go into a great deal of detail
                  on anything, it covers every class of
                  inverts and is good for learning about
                  what's on your live rock and the basics
                  of care for different kinds of creatures.

                              Yes!  I'd forgotten about this one.  It
                  contains quite a few mistakes, but is a
                  good reference book nonetheless.

Walls, Jerry, "Encyclopedia of Marine Inverts",
(TFH, Neptune, NJ: 1988) ISBN 0-86622-141-7.

<Compared to Manual of Marine Invertebrates by Hayward> and found that the
later (Wall's book) appeared to have a lot more info.  It isn't a great
book from the aquarium point of view but does cover the basics of all the
Phyla.  It has a lot of color plates.  I was able to identify a number of
Live-Rock ReefCritters(tm) with it.

"Dr. Burgess's Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes"
by Dr. Warren E. Burgess, Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod, & Raymond E. Hunziker III
1988. T.F.H. Publications
TFH# H-1100
                              "The big picture book of fishes."
                  Considered the first book to look marine
                  fish up in.  Second edition has been
                  published.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

9.0    Useful Tables

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Temperature
  C      F
20.00  68.00
20.20  68.36
20.40  68.72
20.60  69.08
20.80  69.44
21.00  69.80
21.20  70.16
21.40  70.52
21.60  70.88
21.80  71.24
22.00  71.60
22.20  71.96
22.40  72.32
22.60  72.68
22.80  73.04
23.00  73.40
23.20  73.76
23.40  74.12
23.60  74.48
23.80  74.84
24.00  75.20
24.20  75.56
24.40  75.92
24.60  76.28
24.80  76.64
25.00  77.00
25.20  77.36
25.40  77.72
25.60  78.08
25.80  78.44
26.00  78.80
26.20  79.16
26.40  79.52
26.60  79.88
26.80  80.24
27.00  80.60
27.20  80.96
27.40  81.32
27.60  81.68
27.80  82.04
28.00  82.40
28.20  82.76
28.40  83.12
28.60  83.48
28.80  83.84
29.00  84.20
29.20  84.56
29.40  84.92
29.60  85.28
29.80  85.64
30.00  86.00
    Alkalinity
meq/l   ppm     KH
       CaCO3
0.00    0.00   0.00
0.05    2.50   0.14
0.10    5.00   0.28
0.15    7.50   0.42
0.20   10.00   0.56
0.25   12.50   0.70
0.30   15.00   0.84
0.35   17.50   0.98
0.40   20.00   1.12
0.45   22.50   1.26
0.50   25.00   1.40
0.55   27.50   1.54
0.60   30.00   1.68
0.65   32.50   1.82
0.70   35.00   1.96
0.75   37.50   2.10
0.80   40.00   2.24
0.85   42.50   2.38
0.90   45.00   2.52
0.95   47.50   2.66
1.00   50.00   2.80
1.10   55.00   3.08
1.20   60.00   3.36
1.30   65.00   3.64
1.40   70.00   3.92
1.50   75.00   4.20
1.60   80.00   4.48
1.70   85.00   4.76
1.80   90.00   5.04
1.90   95.00   5.32
2.00  100.00   5.60
2.10  105.00   5.88
2.20  110.00   6.16
2.30  115.00   6.44
2.40  120.00   6.72
2.50  125.00   7.00
2.60  130.00   7.28
2.70  135.00   7.56
2.80  140.00   7.84
2.90  145.00   8.12
3.00  150.00   8.40
3.10  155.00   8.68
3.20  160.00   8.96
3.30  165.00   9.24
3.40  170.00   9.52
3.50  175.00   9.80
3.60  180.00  10.08
3.70  185.00  10.36
3.80  190.00  10.64
3.90  195.00  10.92
4.00  200.00  11.20
4.20  210.00  11.76
4.40  220.00  12.32
4.60  230.00  12.88
4.80  240.00  13.44
5.00  250.00  14.00
 (1)   (50)   (2.8)
Nitrogen as Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate
  N       N     NH3    NO2    NO3
 ppm    uM/l    mg/l   mg/l   mg/l
 0.000   0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000
 0.005   0.357  0.006  0.016  0.022
 0.010   0.714  0.012  0.033  0.044
 0.015   1.071  0.018  0.049  0.066
 0.020   1.429  0.024  0.066  0.089
 0.025   1.786  0.030  0.082  0.111
 0.030   2.143  0.036  0.099  0.133
 0.035   2.500  0.043  0.115  0.155
 0.040   2.857  0.049  0.131  0.177
 0.045   3.214  0.055  0.148  0.199
 0.050   3.571  0.061  0.164  0.221
 0.055   3.929  0.067  0.181  0.244
 0.060   4.286  0.073  0.197  0.266
 0.065   4.643  0.079  0.214  0.288
 0.070   5.000  0.085  0.230  0.310
 0.075   5.357  0.091  0.246  0.332
 0.080   5.714  0.097  0.263  0.354
 0.085   6.071  0.103  0.279  0.376
 0.090   6.429  0.109  0.296  0.399
 0.095   6.786  0.115  0.312  0.421
 0.100   7.143  0.121  0.329  0.443
 0.15   10.71   0.18   0.49   0.66
 0.20   14.29   0.24   0.66   0.89
 0.25   17.86   0.30   0.82   1.11
 0.30   21.43   0.36   0.99   1.33
 0.35   25.00   0.42   1.15   1.55
 0.40   28.57   0.49   1.31   1.77
 0.45   32.14   0.55   1.48   1.99
 0.50   35.71   0.61   1.64   2.21
 0.55   39.29   0.67   1.81   2.44
 0.60   42.86   0.73   1.97   2.66
 0.65   46.43   0.79   2.14   2.88
 0.70   50.00   0.85   2.30   3.10
 0.75   53.57   0.91   2.46   3.32
 0.80   57.14   0.97   2.63   3.54
 0.85   60.71   1.03   2.79   3.76
 0.90   64.29   1.09   2.96   3.99
 0.95   67.86   1.15   3.12   4.21
 1.00   71.43   1.21   3.29   4.43
 1.50  107.14   1.82   4.93   6.64
 2.00  142.86   2.43   6.57   8.86
 2.50  178.57   3.04   8.21  11.07
 3.00  214.29   3.64   9.86  13.29
 3.50  250.00   4.25  11.50  15.50
 4.00  285.71   4.86  13.14  17.71
 4.50  321.43   5.46  14.79  19.93
 5.00  357.14   6.07  16.43  22.14
 5.50  392.86   6.68  18.07  24.36
 6.00  428.57   7.29  19.71  26.57
 6.50  464.29   7.89  21.36  28.79
 7.00  500.00   8.50  23.00  31.00
 7.50  535.71   9.11  24.64  33.21
 8.00  571.43   9.71  26.29  35.43
 8.50  607.14  10.32  27.93  37.64
 9.00  642.86  10.93  29.57  39.86
 9.50  678.57  11.54  31.21  42.07
10.00  714.29  12.14  32.86  44.29
 (1) (1000/14)(17/14)(46/14)(62/14)
       Calcium
  Ca     CaCO3     dH
 mg/l     ppm
  0.00     0.00   0.00
  5.00    12.50   0.70
 10.00    25.00   1.40
 15.00    37.50   2.10
 20.00    50.00   2.80
 25.00    62.50   3.50
 30.00    75.00   4.20
 35.00    87.50   4.90
 40.00   100.00   5.60
 45.00   112.50   6.30
 50.00   125.00   7.00
 55.00   137.50   7.70
 60.00   150.00   8.40
 65.00   162.50   9.10
 70.00   175.00   9.80
 75.00   187.50  10.50
 80.00   200.00  11.20
 85.00   212.50  11.90
 90.00   225.00  12.60
 95.00   237.50  13.30
100.00   250.00  14.00
110.00   275.00  15.40
120.00   300.00  16.80
130.00   325.00  18.20
140.00   350.00  19.60
150.00   375.00  21.00
160.00   400.00  22.40
170.00   425.00  23.80
180.00   450.00  25.20
190.00   475.00  26.60
200.00   500.00  28.00
210.00   525.00  29.40
220.00   550.00  30.80
230.00   575.00  32.20
240.00   600.00  33.60
250.00   625.00  35.00
260.00   650.00  36.40
270.00   675.00  37.80
280.00   700.00  39.20
290.00   725.00  40.60
300.00   750.00  42.00
320.00   800.00  44.80
340.00   850.00  47.60
360.00   900.00  50.40
380.00   950.00  53.20
400.00  1000.00  56.00
420.00  1050.00  58.80
440.00  1100.00  61.60
460.00  1150.00  64.40
480.00  1200.00  67.20
500.00  1250.00  70.00
 (1)   (100/40)(56/400)

10.0    Credits:

The original document was created by the joint effort of many individual
people, sharing a common interest in "Reef Keeping".  Those who allowed
their names published were:

Patti Beadles
Craig Bingman
*Kevin Carpenter (editor)
Gary Dudley
Frank M. Greco
Ken Koellner
*Dustin Laurence (FTP site sponser)
Teresa Moore
David O'Brien
Paul Prior
Keith Rogers
Mark Rosenstein
Greg Smith
Spass Stoiantschewsky
Anthony Tse
Steve Tyree
*John Ward (FTP site sponser)

=============  End of ReefKeepers FAQ Part 3 of 3 =================
--
Clues for the clueless, personal.peeves edition:

The net is _not_ the information superhighway.  There isn't one.
It isn't cyberspace either.
Archive-name: aquaria/reefkeeper-faq/part2
Rec-aquaria-archive-name: reefkeeper-faq/part2
Alt-aquaria-archive-name: reefkeeper-faq/part2
Sci-aquaria-archive-name: reefkeeper-faq/part2
Posting-Frequency: monthly

Reef Keepers Frequently Asked Questions (part 2 of 3)

Note: This header is copied into all three parts

(Well, more or less.  Actually, this is a composite document written
by many folks.  It contains information each participant felt was
basic information required for anyone considering maintaining a reef
tank.  In reality, it's turned into a bit of a reference document.
Some of the information has been taken from public forums like the
Internet UseNet *.aquaria groups.  Credit to the authors of such
information is given next to their contribution.)

Note that starting with 1.12, new and/or changed items are marked with
an "*" in the far left column.

*Release 1.12 - 17 Aug, 1994 (more corrections and minor area expansions)
Release 1.11 - 18 Apr, 1994 (some corrections and minor area expansions)
Release 1.10 - 9 Sep, 1993 (Significant additions to test kit and protein
                            skimming sections. Many spelling and grammar
                            corrections, some style and format alterations.)
Release 1.02 - September 1st, 1993    (Reorganized, split into 3 pieces)
Release 1.01 - July 1st, 1993     (First Public Release)
Release 1.00 - May 12th, 1993
*Copyright 1993, 1994, ReefKeepers, All Rights Reserved

ReefKeepers, for purposes of the copyright, is the group of authors
listed at the end of this 3-part document.  Permission is granted for
it to be copied (unmodified) in either electronic or hardcopy form by
nonprofit organizations if it is copied in its entirety and used in
stand-alone form.  This document may not otherwise be published,
posted, uploaded, replicated or copied by any method, electronic or
physical, without the explicit permission of ALL of the listed
contributors.

The authors of this document have kindly spent the time to bring you
their opinions.  They are not liable in any form or fashion, nor are
their employers, for how you use this information.  Their opinions
should not be construed as fact; don't blame them if your tank has
problems.

You may get a copy of this FAQ via FTP from the following sites:

percula.acs.uci.edu (128.200.34.15)     /reefkeepers/faq
*ftp.cco.caltech.edu (131.215.48.151)    /pub/aquaria/FAQfiles/Reefkeepers

/---------------------------------------------------------------------------/

Table of Contents

Basic Sections:

Part 1)

1.0    Water (Filters/Additives/Test Kits)
    1.1 Source Water -  City Mains Water Is Not Good Enough
        1.1.1 Background
        1.1.2 DI Filters
        1.1.3 RO Filters
        1.1.4 Further Comments About Water
    1.2 Additives
    1.3 Testable Parameters
        1.3.1 Alkalinity
        1.3.2 Calcium
        1.3.3 pH
        1.3.4 Nitrate (NO3)
        1.3.5 Phosphate (PO4)
        1.3.6 Specific Gravity
    1.4 Water Changes
2.0      Filtration and Equipment
    2.1 Live Rock
    2.2 Protein Skimmers
                2.2.1 Counter Current Air Driven Protein Skimmers
                2.2.2 Venturi Protein Skimmers
                2.2.3 Protein Skimmer Considerations
    2.3 Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)
    2.4 Other Chemical Filter Media (X-Whatever)
    2.5 Mechanical Filtration
    2.6 Under Gravel Filters (UGF)
    2.7 Reverse Flow UGFs (RUGF)
    2.8 Trickle Filters
    2.9 Algae Scrubbers (somewhat long)
    2.10 Live Sand
3.0    Lights
*    3.1 General Discussion
*    3.2 Detail Discussion
*    3.3 Lighting Data
4.0    Cost Estimates

Part 2)

5.0    Stock
    5.1 Common to Scientific Name Cross Reference
    5.2 Coral Aggression Chart
    5.3 Corals [Cnidaria (Anthozoa)]
    5.4 Shelled Things
    5.5 Algae
    5.6 Possible Problems
*    5.7 Hermit Crabs

Part 3)

6.0     General Catalogs
7.0     Questions and Answers
8.0     Book Review
9.0     Useful Tables
10.0    Credits

============================================================================

5.0    Stock

5.1    Common to Scientific Name Cross Reference

The following cross reference was originally provided by Steve Rader:

Bubble coral                       Plerogyra sinuosa
Closed Brain coral                 Favia sp, sometimes Diploria sp.
Clubbed Finger coral               Porites porites
Colony anemonies                   Telia sp
Common Star coral                  Montastrea annularis
Cup coral                          Turbinaria peltata
Dead brain coral                   Favia sp
Elegance coral                     Catalaphyllia jardinei (was plicata)
Elephant Ear coral                 Rhodactius sp
Elkhorn coral                      Acropora palmata
Fire coral                         Millepora alcicornis
Fire coral                         Sinalaris sp
Flower Pot coral                   Goniopora sp
Flower coral                       Eusmilia fastigiata
Frog's Spawn coral                 Euphyllia cristata, E. glabrescens
                                   Euphyllia divisa (Veron)
Giant Mushroom polyps              Rhodactius sp
Gorgonians                         Gorgonacea sp
Grape coral                        Physogyra lichensteini
Hammer coral                       Euphyllia ancora, E. fimbriata
Knobbed Brain coral                Diploria clivosa, D. strigosa
Labyrinthine Brain coral           Diploria labyrinthiformis
Large Flower coral                 Mussa angulosa
Large Star coral                   Montastrea cavernosa
Leather coral                      Sarcophyton sp
Lettuce coral                      Agaricia agaricites, Turbinaria sp
Mat anemonies                      Zoanthus pulchellus, other Z. sp
Moon coral                         Galaxea fascicalaris
Mushroom anemonies                 Actinodiscus sp
Mushroom coral                     Fungia actinoformis
Mushroom polyps                    Actinodiscus sp, Rhodactius sp, Sarcophyton sp
Open Brain coral                   Trachyphyllia geofroyi
Orange cup coral                   Balanophyllia elegans, Turbinaria sp
Pilar coral                        Dendrogyra cylindrus
Porous coral                       Porites astreoides
Rose coral                         Manicina areolata
Sea Mat anemonies                  Ricordia sp
Small Bubble coral                 Physosyra lichensteini
Staghorn coral                     Acropora cervicornis
Star polyps                        Clavularia sp
Strawberry anemonies               Telia sp
Tooth coral                        Catalaphyllia jardinei (was plicata)
Torch coral                        Euphyllia ancora, E. glabrescens (Veron)
Tree coral                         Sinularis sp
Waving Hand coral                  Anthelia sp
Xenia coral                        Xenia sp

And going the other way...

 Acropora cervicornis             Staghorn coral
 Acropora palmata                 Elkhorn coral
 Actinodiscus sp                  Mushroom anemonies
 Actinodiscus sp                  Mushroom polyps
 Agaricia agaricites              Lettuce coral
 Anthelia sp                      Waving Hand coral
 Balanophyllia elegans            Orange cup coral
 Catalaphyllia jardinei            Elegance coral, Tooth coral
 Clavularia sp                    Star polyps
 Dendrogyra cylindrus             Pilar coral
 Diploria clivosa                 Knobbed Brain coral
 Diploria labyrinthiformis        Labyrinthine Brain coral
 Diploria strigosa                Knobbed Brain coral
 Euphyllia ancora                 Hammer coral, Torch coral
 Euphyllia cristata               Frog's Spawn coral
 Euphyllia divisa        Frog's Spawn coral (Veron)
 Euphyllia fimbriata              Hammer coral
 Euphyllia glabrescens            Torch coral (Veron), Frog's Spawn coral
 Eusmilia fastigiata              Flower coral
 Favia sp                         Closed Brain coral, Dead brain coral

 Fungia actinoformis              Mushroom coral
 Galaxea fascicalaris             Moon coral
 Goniopora sp                     Flower Pot coral
 Gorgonacea sp                    Gorgonians
 Manicina areolata                Rose coral
 Millepora alcicornis             Fire coral
 Montastrea annularis             Common Star coral
 Montastrea cavernosa             Large Star coral
 Mussa angulosa                   Large Flower coral
 Physogyra lichensteini           Grape coral, Small Bubble coral
 Plerogyra sinuosa                Bubble coral
 Porites astreoides               Porous coral
 Porites porites                  Clubbed Finger coral
 Rhodactius sp                    Elephant Ear coral, Giant Mushroom polyps
 Ricordia sp                      Sea Mat anemonies
 Sarcophyton sp                   Leather coral, Mushroom polyps
 Sinularis sp                     Fire coral, Tree coral
 Tubastrea sp            Orange Cup coral
 Turbinaria peltata               Cup coral
 Telia sp                         Colony anemonies, Strawberry anemonies
 Trachyphyllia geofroyi           Open Brain coral
 Xenia sp                         Xenia coral
 Zoanthus pulchellus              Mat anemonies
 Zoanthus sp                      Mat anemonies

5.2   Coral Agression chart

Also provided by Steve Rader:

I've typed in a useful table from SeaScope (winter, '92) in which
Michael Paletta discusses coral aggression in reef aquaria.  It
describes the two major aggressive mechanisms of corals: the release of
terpenoid compounds and the use of sweeper tentacles or mesenteric
filaments.  I found it useful because it includes a majority of
imported live corals.

The entries marked with a tilde are my additions--Telia anemonies are
placed above open brain coral because I've observed them burn my red
open brain coral.  Both types of colonial zooanthid anemonies listed seem
to release terpenoids that keep mushroom polyps at bay somewhat.  Also,
I've included other common names I know of in quotes.

          Relative Aggressiveness of Commonly Kept Reef Invertebrates

MOST AGGRESSIVE...

1)    Elegance Coral    (Catalaphyllia jardinei, "Tooth coral")
2)    Hammer Coral    (Euphyllia ancora, E. fimbriata, "Torch coral")
3)    Other Euphyllia (E. glabrescens, E. cristala., "Frog's spawn coral")
4)    Bubble Coral    (Plerogyra sinuosa)
5)    Grape Coral    (Physosyra lichensteini, "Small bubble coral")
6)    Mushroom Coral    (Fungia actinoformis)
7)    Flower Pot Coral (Goniopora sp.)
~)    Telia Anemonies (Telia sp, "Strawberry anemonies; Colony anemonies")

8)    Open Brain Coral (Trachyphyllia geofroyi)
9)    Cup Coral    (Taxbinaria peltata)
10)    Moon Coral    (Galaxea fascicalaris, )
11)    Closed Brain Coral (Favia sp, "Dead brain coral")
12)    Star Polyps    (Clavalaria sp.)
13)    Leather Coral    (Sarccphyton sp.)
14)    Tree Coral    (Sinalaris sp., "Fire coral")
15)    Gorgoniana    (Gorgonacea sp.)
16)    Waving Hand    (Anthelia sp.)
17)    Xenia        (Xenia sp.)
18)    Giant Mushrooms (Rhodactius sp., "Elephant ear coral")
~)    Sea Mat Anemonies (Zooanthus sp., "Sea mat rock")
~)    Ricordia Anemonies (Ricordia sp. "Sea mat rock")
19)    Mushroom Anemonies (Actinodiscus sp., "Mushroom polyps")

...LEAST AGGRESSIVE

5.3   Key to Stock detail
    Key    sp.  - generic species description.
           cdf  - captive difficulty
                   0-9   0=beginner,  5=experienced,  9=advanced
           fll  - florescent lighting (50% tri-color white and 50% actinic)
                   0-9   0=1.5 watts/gal, 5=4.5 watts/gal, 9=7.5 watts/gal
                     Multiply [fll] values with applicable inefficient factors.
*                          non-48" tubes  ((watts/gal) * 1.3)
*                          HO tubes ((watts/gal) * 1.3)
*                          VHO tubes ((watts/gal) * 1.7)
*                          non-tricolor tubes ((watts/gal) * 1.3)
           dff  - distance from florescent   0-36 inches
           mhl  - metal halide lighting
                   0-9   0=1 watt/gal, 5=3 watts/gal, 9=5 watts/gal
           dfm  - distance from metal halide   0-36 inches
           wcu  - water current level
                   0-9   0=stagnant, 5=medium, 9=turbulent
           hac  - hair algae comptatability.
                   0-9   0=none, 5=some algae, 9=heavy algae
           fod  - food source
                      sym - symbiotic algae nutrients
                      mpl  - microplankton
                      zpl  -  zooplankton (baby artemia)
                      lfd  -  liquid coral foods
                      chf  - chunk frozen foods
           add  - additives required
                      str - strontium        iod  - iodine
                      cal - calcium          irn  - iron
                      vit - vitamins         mlb  - molybendium
                      ptm - potassium
    note - This is not a listing of all known corals. Just those for which
              some data is known concerning captive requirements.

   Cnidaria [Anthozoa]
    a SubClass Zoantharia [Hexacorillia]
       Order Scleractinia [Madreporaria] (true stony corals) ~2,000 species.
         Family  Poritidae
          Porites (pore)
              sp. - (xmas rocks) Encrusting growths. Extremelly small polyp.
                       Most are brown but can be green, blue, pink and purple.
                       Massive, branched or encrusting.
                        cdf=6, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-5, dfm= >10
                        wcu=1-6, hac=0, fod=sym, add=cal/str
          Goniopora (flowerpot or daisy)
           Goniopora are similar to Alveopora, except that Goniopora
           have 24 tentacles on each polyp, and Alveopora have 12.
               lobata - (flowerpot)  Medium-polyp. Skeleton shapes are varied.
                       Very difficult and rarely kept more then two years.
                       Flower-like polyps extend out from base.
                        cdf=9, fll=5-9, dff= <20, mhl=1-7, dfm= <30
                        wcu=2-6, fod=sym
               stokesi - (flowerpot) Medium-polyp. Longer polyps than lobata
                       (10-15cm). Polyps extend out very far. Brown, gray,
                       green or blue. Skeleton is spherical or half spherical
                       in shape.
                        cdf=9, fll=5-9, dff= <20, mhl=1-7, dfm= <30
                        wcu=2-6, fod=sym
          Alveopora (flower)
               sp. -  Medium-polyp. Very similar to goniopora but polyp ten-
                       tacles are shorter. Brown or bluish. Stung by Euphyllia
                       and Plerogyra.  Alveopora has 12 tentacles on each
               polyp while Gonipora have 24.
                        cdf=7, fll=5-9, dff= <20, mhl=1-7, dfm= <30
                        wcu=2-6, fod=sym/zpl

         Family Pocilloporidae
          Pocillopora (cauliflower stony)
               sp. -  Very small polyp. UV pigments green, turquoise or pink.
                       Most are arborescent, ocassionally massive or encrust-
                       ing. Branched ecomorphs have rounded tips.
                        cdf=9, mhl=5-9, dfm= <15, wcu=3-7, hac=0,
                        fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str
          Seriatopora (bush)
               sp. -  Small polyp. Pink, white, brown or green. Long, slender
                       and tapered btanches. Stung by Actinodiscus and
                       Cladiella. Can be propagated by fragmentation.
                        cdf=5, mhl=4-9, dfm= <15, wcu=3-7, hac=0,
                        fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str

         Family Acroporidae
          Acropora (finger and branch)
               sp. -  Small-polyp. Most have branching ecomorphs. Rare
                       massive and encrusting growths occur. Branching forms
                       include staghorns, clusters, plates and tables. Colors
                       include blue, green, purple, pink, cream, yellow, brown
                       or red. Well over 100 species exist. Can be propagated
                       by fragmentation. Stung by Actinodiscus
                        cdf=8, mhl=4-9, dfm= <15, wcu=4-9, hac=0,
                        fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str
               palmata - (elkhorn)  Atlantic. Stout thick branches or encrust-
                       ing. Flattened horizontally. Can be fragmented.
                        cdf=8, mhl=4-9, dfm= <15, wcu=4-9, hac=0,
                        fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str
               cervicornis - (staghorn) Atlantic. Long thin branches. Very
                       rapid growth rate.
                        cdf=8, mhl=4-9, dfm= <15, wcu=4-9, hac=0,
                        fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str

         Family Faviidae
          Favia (moon or star)
               sp. -  Medium-polyp. Leaf, flat or half-sphere forms. Polyps in
                       large cups. Tentacles unfold at night. Brown, white or
                       yellow. UV pigments green. Can sting other corals with
                       tentacles or secretions.
                        cdf=4, fll=4-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-6, dfm= <24, wcu=3-7,
                        hac=2, fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str
          Favites (moon or star)
               sp. -  Medium-polyps. Leaf, flat or half-sphere forms. Polyps in

                       large cups. Tentacles unfold at night. Brown, pink or
                       red. UV pigments green. Can sting other corals with ten-
                       tacles or secretions.
                        cdf=4, fll=4-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-6, dfm= <24, wcu=3-7,
                        hac=2, fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str
          Leptoria (closed brain)
               phrygia -  Small polyps. Massive growths. Tentacles retracted
                       during day. Brown or green. Patterned valleys.
                        cdf=5, fll=5-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-3 dfm= <36, wcu=2-7,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str
          Diploria (closed brain)
               sp. -  Massive and rounded. Can be flattened or encrusted.
                       Yellow, brown, greenish or gray-brown. Tentacles ex-
                       pand out at night.
                        cdf=5, fll=5-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-3, dfm= <36, wcu=2-7,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str
          Manicina (folded)
               areolata - Large-polyps. Very similar to Trachyphyllia geofroyi.

                       Tentacles extend at night.
                        cdf=3, fll=3-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-3, dfm= <36, wcu=4-8,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str
          Caulastrea (tooth)
               sp. -  Large-polyp. Branching coral. Each branch end has a
                       large rounded polyp. Tentacles extend out a night.
                       Green, brown, gray and blue. Similar to some Euphyllia
                       species.
                        cdf=5, fll=3-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-3, dfm= <36, wcu=4-8,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str

         Family Oculinidae
          Galaxea (crystal or scapel)
               fascicularis - (crystal or galaxy) Medium-polyps. Small rounded
                       heads. UV pigments green. Tentacles extended during
                       the day.
                        cdf=7, mhl=0-6, dfm= <36, wcu=4-8,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str

         Family Agariciidae
          Pachyseris (phonograph-record)
               speciosa - Large-Polyp. Valleys form grooves. Green or red
                       natural pigment.
                        cdf=4, fll=4-9, dff= <24, mhl=0-3, dfm= <36, wcu=4-8,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/mpl, add=cal/str

         Family Caryophylliidae
          Euphyllia (bouquet)
               fimbriata - (hammer or anchor or ridge) Large-polyp. Straight
                       tentacles with u-shaped or hammer shaped tips. Can
                       extend tentacles out very far and sting other corals.
                        cdf=6, fll=4-9, dff= <24, mhl=0-7, dfm= <36, wcu=3-7,
                        hac=1, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str
               crista - (bubble-tentacled) Large-polyp. Beige or light brown.
                       Some are green. Tentacles branch into 3 or more twigs
                       at end. Rounded tips are white. Can extend tentacles
                       out very far and sting other corals.
                        cdf=5, fll=4-9, dff= <24, mhl=0-7, dfm= <36, wcu=3-7,
                        hac=1, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str
               glabrescens - (torch) Large-polyp. Straight tentacles with
                       white tips. Can extend tentacles out very far and
                       sting other corals.
                        cdf=7, fll=4-9, dff= <24, mhl=0-7, dfm= <36, wcu=3-7,
                        hac=1, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str
               divisa - (frogspawn or wall or vase) Large-polyp. Green or
                       light brown.Tentacles sub-branch with numerous rounded
                       bumps. These are white or yellow. Can extend tentacles
                       out very far .
                        cdf=5, fll=4-9, dff= <24, mhl=0-6, dfm= <36, wcu=3-7,
                        hac=1, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str
          Catalaphyllia (wonder or scalloped)
               jardinei - (elegance, meat, wonder) Large-polyp. Tentacles alway
s
                       extended. Have white or red tips. UV pigment green. Can
                       sting very strongly.
                        cdf=2, fll=4-9, dff= <24, mhl=0-7, dfm= <36, wcu=2-7,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str
          Plerogyra (bladder)
               sinuosa - (bubble or bladder) Large-polyp. Expand to bubble
                       polyps in day and tentacles at night. Natural pigment
                       white. Can be green or pink.Very strong sting.
                        cdf=1, fll=3-9, dff= <24, mhl=0-5, dfm= <36, wcu=2-7,
                        hac=1, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str

         Family Mussidae
          Lobophyllia (umbel)
               sp. - Large-polyp. Fleshy mantle. Olive to dark green. Some-
                       times pinkish or red.
                        cdf=3, fll=4-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-2, dfm= <36, wcu=4-8,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str
          Isophyllia (atlantic folded)
               sp. - Large-polyp. Deep red natural pigment for deep specimens.
                       Green, beige or turquoise for shallow water.
                        cdf=3, fll=4-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-2, dfm= <36, wcu=3-7,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str
          Scolymia (caribbean goblet)
               vitiensis - Large one polyp coral. Fleshy mantle. Tentacles out
                       at night. UV pigments green.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-3, dfm= <36, wcu=2-5,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str
          Cynarina [Acanthophyllia] (goblet)
               lacrymalis - Large one polyp coral. Fleshy mantle. Tentacles out

                       at night. UV pigments green.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-3, dfm= <36, wcu=2-5,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str

         Family Dendrophylliidae
          Tubastrea (red or yellow cup)
               aurea - (red or yellow cup) Natural pigment yellow to shiny
                       orange. Medium large polyp. Tentacles partially extend-
                       ed during day and fully at night.
                        cdf=1, fll=0-4, dff= <30, wcu=4-8,
                        hac=0, fod=zpl/chf, add=cal/str
          Turbinaria (dish or crater)
               sp. -  Large-polyp. Vase shaped, leaf, fans or folds. Brownish,
                       yellow, white or green. Tentacles partially or fully
                       extended during the day.
                        cdf=5, fll=3-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-3, dfm= <36, wcu=2-7,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str

         Family Trachyphylliidae
          Trachyphyllia (large polyp or open brain)
               geofroyi - (open-brain or crater or puff) Large-polyps. Natural
                       pigment color gray-green, beige-brown, rust brown to
                       deep red. UV pigment green, torquoise or blue. Ten-
                       tacles extend at night.
                        cdf=3, fll=3-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-3, dfm= <36, wcu=2-6,
                        hac=3, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str

         Family Fungiidae
          Fungia (mushroom stony corals)
               sp. -  Single large-polyp. Pale-brown, pink, purple, blue and
                       green. Short tentacles are usually retracted during
                       the day. Usually round but can take on different eco-
                       morphs. Elongated forms have groved mouth.
                        cdf=8, fll=3-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-5, dfm= <36, wcu=3-8,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str
          Heliofungia (plate)
               actiniformis - Single large polyp. Gray, blue or green long
                       tentacles always extended during the day. Paler tips.
                       Prefers sandy substrate.
                        cdf=7, fll=3-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-4, dfm= <36, wcu=2-7,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str
          Polyphllia (boomerang)
               talpina - Large-polyp. Extremelly elongated. Tentacles extend-
                       ed during the day and short Has central groove. Brown
                       or paler in color.
                        cdf=4, fll=3-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-5, dfm= <36, wcu=3-7,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str
          Herpolitha (hedgehog)
               limax - Large-polyp. Extremelly elongated. Tentacles extended
                       during the day and short Has central groove. Brown or
                       paler in color. Very similar to Polyphyllia talpina.
                        cdf=4, fll=3-9, dff= <20, mhl=0-5, dfm= <36, wcu=3-7,
                        hac=0, fod=sym/zpl/chf, add=cal/str

       - Order Corallimorpharia (mushroom or false corals)
          Family Actinodiscidae
           Actinodiscus (disk anemones or mushroom coral)
               malaccensis - (brown or fuzzy) Surface covered with small bush
                       like forms. Light or beige brown and gray green. Brown
                       specimens found in deeper water. Gray green will fade
                       if light to low.
                        cdf=1, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-4, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-4, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/vit
               mutabilis - (color changing) Light to dusty brown. They are
                       often speckled with green and with irridescent edges.
                       Can change some color. Smooth surface with wide bumps.
                       In nature, below 10 meters.
                        cdf=1, fll=3-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-4, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/vit
               ferrugatus - (red-brown) Color is from red-brown to rust-brown.
                       Smooth surface with wide bumps. Do not like direct metal

                       halide. In nature exist at around 10 meters.
                        cdf=1, fll=3-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-4, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/vit
               ruber - (reddish-fluorescent or mettalic red mushrooms) Pink to
                       bright fluorescent red due to UV pigments. Do not like
                       direct metal halide light. Radial groves and very small
                       bumps on smooth surface.
                        cdf=1, fll=3-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-4, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/vit
               nummiferus - (burled) From light pink through reddish brown to
                       a dusty violet. Darker ones occur in shallow waters.
                       Slightly fluorescent. Small bumps on smooth surface.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-4, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/vit
               cardinalis - (shiny red) Deep red. Darker red bumps over smooth
                       surface. Expensive and rare. Like actinic light but not
                       direct metal halide.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-4, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/vit
               marmoratus - (marbled or green marble mushrooms) Found in less
                       than 5 meters. Slightly rough surface with numerous
                       bumps of different color. Do not like direct metal
                       halide light.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-3, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/vit
               coeruleus - (shiny blue or metallic blue mushrooms) Smooth blue
                       surface with faint radial lines. Very small bumps can
                       occur. Very deep dwelling > 20 meters. Never tolerates
                       direct metal halide light. Can expand very large.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-4, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/vit
               striatus - (striped) Many different color patterns. Beige-green
                       ones have symbiotic algae pigment dominate the uv pig-
                       ment and assimilation pigment. Can have perfectly smooth
                       disk or contain small bumps. All have radial brightly
                       colored stripes.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-4, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/vit
               punctatus - (dotted) Main surface body smooth and brown. Have
                       very large colorful bumps with uv pigment. Direct metal
                       halide light could be fatal.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-4, hac=0, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/vit
           Ricordia (caribbean disk anemones)
               florida - (caribbean or flower anemones) Colors range from light
                       green to a very beautiful dark green to blue and orange.
                       Surface is covered with short tentacles which can in-
                       flate to become bubble-like. Usually found between 10
                       and 40 feet in the ocean. When tentacles on rim of disk
                       extended will accept small peices of brine shrimp, etc.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-5, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-4, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/chf, add=iod/vit
           Rhodactis [Discosoma] (elephant ear)
               viridis - (green elephant ear) Luminescent turquoise-green ten-
                       tacle disk. Like a giant fuzzy mushroom.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-4, dfm= <36
                        wcu=2-6, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/chf, add=iod/vit
               neglecta - (caribbean elephant ear) Green with some surface.
                       Radial lines and bumps along with sharp points on edge.
                       Can become ballon shaped greedy eaters. Do not like
                       direct metal halide light.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-5, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/chf, add=iod/vit
               maeandrinea - (large or folded elephant ear) Very large with a
                       diameter greater than 15 cm. Can grow to 40 cm in cap-
                       tivity. Sandy to dark brown or gray green. Smooth disk
                       with vertical smooth tenatcles. Do not like strong
                       current or direct metal halide light. Can catch fish or
                       shrimps in ballon-like trap.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=1-5, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/chf, add=iod/vit
               plumosa - (carpet elephant ear or carpet mushrooms) Large fuzzy
                       coral with bushy tentacles. Will eat some chunk food.
                       Can form bubble trap.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= <36
                        wcu=2-5, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/chf, add=iod/vit

       - Order Zoanthiniaria [Zoantharia][Zoanthidea] ~300 species
                       (Encrusting anemones)
          Family Epizoanthidae
           Parazoanthus (yellow polyps)
              sp. - Small polyps with very long thin tentacles. Bright yel-
                       low to dark yellow. Polyps not connected.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-7, dfm= <24
                        wcu=4-7, hac=0, fod=sym/lfd/zpl, add=iod/vit
           Epizoanthus
              sp. - Medium sized small colonial polyp disks with medium sized
                       tentacles. Fedd mostly on zooplankton. Brown to cinna-
                       mon colored.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-7, dfm= <24
                        wcu=4-7, hac=0, fod=sym/lfd/zpl, add=iod/vit
          Family Zoanthidae
           Zoanthus (encrusting anemones)
              sp. - Small circular colonial polyps which have a ring of short
                       tentacles around the rim. Shallow water species have
                       UV pigmentation from red, green, turquoise, lemon yel-
                       low to orange. The mouth, disk and tentacles can be of
                       different coloration. Polyps connected at base.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-7, dfm= <24
                        wcu=3-7, hac=0, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/vit
              sociatus - Small circular colonial polyps which have a ring of
                       short tentacles around the rim. Turquoise to yellow-
                       green. UV coloration will remain under metal halide or
                       actinic lighting. Polyps connected at base.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-7, dfm= <24
                        wcu=3-7, hac=0, fod=sym/lfd/zpl, add=iod/vit
           Palythoa
              sp. - Larger polyp disk than Zoanthus with long pointy tentacles
                       around the rim. Beige-brown, cinnamon to dar "milk cof-
                       fee" brown, graygreen or shiny green. Might not tole-
                       rate direct metal halide. Polyps connected at base.
                        cdf=1, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-4, dfm= <36
                        wcu=3-7, hac=0, fod=sym/lfd/zpl, add=iod/vit

  SubClass Alcyonria [Octocorallia]
   Order Alcyonacea (leather and soft corals)
     Family Alcyonidae
      Alcyonium
       fulvum - (yellow encrusting leather) Encrusting beige-yellow to
               ivory-colored leather coral often many millimetres thick.
               Finger-like projections develop which have 2 to 5 cm long
               polyps with 8 flower tentacles. Polyps resemble Sarcophyton
               species polyps.
                    cdf=2, fll=7-9, dff= >5, mhl=3-9, dfm= >10
                    wcu=3-6, hac=0, fod=sym/lfd/mpl, add=iod
      Sarcophyton
       sp. - (mushroom leather) Mushroom shaped leather coral. Grow better
               in fluorescent lighting. Need adaption time to tolerate long
               photoperiods of metal halide lighting. Can be propagated via
               cuttings. Long polyp stems with small flower-like tentacles.
                    cdf=2, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-5, dfm= >12
                    wcu=4-7, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd/mpl, add=iod
       trocheliophorum - (trough leather) Very attractive. Folding lobes
               of leather coral with short polyps. Can double size in one
               year. May not tolerate extended metal halide photoperiods and
               need adaption time. Will shed skin regularly. Can be propagted
               via cutting from edge lobe. Lives primarily in reef pools and
               can reach a diameter of more than one meter.
                    cdf=2, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-5, dfm= >12
                    wcu=4-7, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd/mpl, add=iod
       lobulatum - (leather) Flat, mushroomed-shaped leather. Medium brown
               base. Similar to mushroom leather coral with very small polyps
               and larger overall size. Can be propagated via cuttings of
               base. Will become lighter under adequate lighting.
                    cdf=2, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-5, dfm= >12
                    wcu=4-7, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd/mpl, add=iod
       latum -  Dish-like with thick, lobate projections. Polyps are beige-
               yellow to shiny green. Shallow water coral. Can be propagated
               via cuttings. Also similar to trocheliophorum in morphology.
               Will grow fast under metal halides.
                    cdf=2, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-8, dfm= >12
                    wcu=5-8, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd/mpl, add=iod
       glaucum - Common mushroom shaped leather coral. Beige to sandy color-
               ed or olive to bottle-green. May need to be slowly acclimated
               to bright metal halides. Can be reproduced by cutting of
               entire mushroom cap.
                    cdf=2, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-5, dfm= >12
                    wcu=5-8, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd/mpl, add=iod
       sp. - Mushroom based leather coral with high, upward-arching lobate
               edges. Long pure-white polyps. Mushroom from light beige to
               sandy grey or light yellow in color. Need lots of light for
               polyps to extend. When acclimated to metal halides, polyps will
               extend to 5 cm and have star shaped tentacles. Can be cultivat-
               ed with cuttings.
                    cdf=3, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-8, dfm= >12
                    wcu=3-6, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd/zpl, add=iod
       ehrenbergi - Similar to glaucum. Mostly pure white, occasionally
               yellowish or greenish gray secondary polyps. Tentacles of
               polyps easily distinguished. Skin shed less often. Needs slow
               acclimation to metal halide lighting. Can be fragmented via
               cuttings bu is more sensitive.
                    cdf=2, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-5, dfm= >12
                    wcu=4-7, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd/mpl, add=iod
      Carotalcyon
        sagamianum - Carrot-like leather coral. Deep water orange to crim-
               son red. Has a carrot like body appearance with large polyps
               which extend out from the body.
                    cdf=2, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-5, dfm= >12
                    wcu=5-8, hac=1, fod=lfd/zpl, add=iod
      Sphaerella
        krempfi - (christmas tree) Resemble evergreen tree and lack symbio-
               tic algae. Brown color. Like strong current and do best on
               substrate.
                    cdf=3, fll=2-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= >15
                    wcu=5-9, hac=1, fod=lfd/zpl, add=iod
      Lobophytum
        pauciflorum - Encrusting leather with lobed, finger-shaped and occa-
               sionally bushy projections or folds. Can be propagated via cut-
               tings. Grow well under flouorescent lights. Have calcareous
               needle growths.
                    cdf=2, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-3, dfm= >12
                    wcu=4-7, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/mpl, add=iod/cal/str
        crassum - An encrusting leather coral similar to pauciflorum. Thick-
               er polyps. Very robust coral. Can also be propagated via cut-
               tings.
                    cdf=2, fll=4-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-3, dfm= >12
                    wcu=4-7, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/mpl, add=iod/cal/str
      Sinularia
        sp - Branching soft coral with a flat body on a thick column 3-4 cm
               tall. Finger-like appendages extend from body and have polyps.
               Prefer to grow out horizontally. Color is ivory to light gray
               but under intense light will become symbiotic brown. Occasion-
               ally sheds skin.
                    cdf=3, fll=2-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= >15
                    wcu=5-9, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/zpl/vit, add=iod/cal/str
        macropodia - Branching soft coral with thick-fleshed foot and base.
               Thick branches rise from this base and branch into finger like
               projections. These are densly covered with polyps. Color is
               light-beige or grayish white to light brown. Shed skin once a
               week. Do not like direct halide lite. Can be propagated via
               cuttings. Contain calcareous needles.
                    cdf=3, fll=2-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= >15
                    wcu=5-9, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/zpl/vit, add=iod/cal/str
        notanda - This corals morphology lies between the above generic
               species and macropodia. Grows well but introduce to halides
               slowly. See sp. for info.
        hirta -(dark brown sea hand) Similar to generic species with stubby
               fingers and fat nobbed appendages. From shallow water. Grow
               rapidly under metal halides. Color is ivory to cream white when
               retracted, turn milk coffee brown when extended.
                    cdf=3, fll=2-9, dff= >5, mhl=3-9, dfm= >8
                    wcu=5-9, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/zpl/vit, add=iod/cal/str
        prodigiosa - Similar to macropodia but fingerlobes branch out twice
               into secondary branches. These are thickly set with polyps. See
               macropodia for info.
        frondosa - Flat crusts with nobbed extensions. Will produce finger
               like appendages in low current areas. Under intense light will
               grow long fingers with large polyps. Like metal halide.
                    cdf=3, fll=2-9, dff= >5, mhl=3-9, dfm= >8
                    wcu=5-9, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/zpl/vit, add=iod/cal/str
        dura - Solid cushion like bodies with burled to stubby finger pro-
               jections. See sp. for info.
        brassica - Colonies resemble cauliflower heads. Dark brown polyps
               on short stalks. Branches and base are creamy white to light
               beige.
                    cdf=2, fll=2-9, dff= >5, mhl=3-9, dfm= >8
                    wcu=1-4, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/zpl/vit, add=iod/cal/str
        asterolobata - Morphology that resembles macropodia. Strong polyp-
               less base column splits itself into two or more secondary co-
               lumns from which long finger like branches protrude. These
               branches can divide again. Branches are round and thickly
               covered with delicate polyps. Will shed skin. Base color from
               ivory, light grey or light olive. Will develop uv protection
               matter under halides which is yellowish to greenish and slight-
               ly luminescent.
                    cdf=2, fll=2-9, dff= >5, mhl=3-9, dfm= >8
                    wcu=5-9, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/zpl/vit, add=iod/cal/str
        polydactyla - (many fingered) Squat column from 20 to 50 mm tall
               is polypless. On upper side of column is a flat polyparywith
               40-50 mm long fingers which are thickly polyped. Base color is
               gray-white to creamy-yellow. Polyps are light to dark brown.
               Under halides polyps will become darker and then symbiotic
               algae are released which lightens the color. Grows well under
               fluorescent lighting.
                    cdf=2, fll=2-9, dff= >5, mhl=3-9, dfm= >8
                    wcu=5-9, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/zpl/vit, add=iod/cal/str
   Cladiella
        sp - Squat column from which many branches extend and divide fur-
               thur upward. Base column lacks polyps while they become more
               dense closer to the ends of branches. Polyps are 3 to 4 cm
               large. Can be propagated via branch "pinching". Can be acclimat-
               ed to halides. Will grow very fast toward surface of captive
               reef. Do not shed skin but will release mucus. Not very com-
               patable with hexacorillia.
                    cdf=4, fll=2-9, dff= >5, mhl=3-9, dfm= >8
                    wcu=5-9, hac=1, fod=sym/lfd/zpl/vit, add=iod/cal/str
    Alcyonium
        sp. - Bushy or crusty short tree like soft coral. Color is bright
               yellow, orange or red. Shady locations. Reach 40 to 50 mm tall.
                    cdf=3, fll=2-7, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= >15
                    wcu=5-9, hac=1, fod=lfd/zpl, add=iod/cal/str
        sp. - Encrusting orange colored bushy soft coral. Very small orange
               polyps on bushy orange base. Can be propagated via cuttings.
                    cdf=3, fll=2-7, dff= >5, mhl=1-2, dfm= >15
                    wcu=5-9, hac=4, fod=lfd/zpl, add=iod/cal/str

    Family Xeniidae
     Xenia (also Cespitularia)
         sp. - Large polyps with thin stems connected at the base. Polyps
               do not fully retract. Very tiny calcareous needles or complete-
               ly lack skeleton. Polyps can be up to 15 mm long under intense
               lighting. Tentacles are pinnated. Some will move polyps in
               rhythmic motion to help exchange gases. Color is beige, cream
               or light brown. Will develope uv protection matter under ha-
               lides and color will be red, green, blue or irridescent. Can
               be acclimated to halides well. Can do well under fluorescent
               if high levels used. Can overgrow stony corals. Propagated
               via cuttings.
                    cdf=5, fll=6-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-7, dfm= >10
                    wcu=5-9, hac=4, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/cal/str
         umbellata - Mushroom shaped with seperate polyped branches up to
               50 mm long. Polyps will open and close in rhythmic fashion.
               Tentacles are short and wide and form little cups on thin
               branches. Branches radiate out from base.
                    cdf=5, fll=6-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-7, dfm= >10
                    wcu=5-9, hac=4, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/cal/str
            elongata - Similar to Xenia sp.. Has a more branched form. See
               sp. for info.
     Anthelia
         glauca - Very similar to Xenia sp.. Has large polyps. Colonies
               grow very fast.
                    cdf=5, fll=6-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-7, dfm= >10
                    wcu=5-9, hac=4, fod=sym/lfd, add=iod/cal/str

    Family Nephteidae
     Litophyton
         arboreum - Standard bushy and tree shaped soft coral. Must be
               acclimated to halides slowly. Will do well under fluorescents.
               Can be propagated via cuttings. Pale colors with symbiotic
               algae. May not be compatable with hexacorillia.
                    cdf=3, fll=6-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-6, dfm= >10
                    wcu=5-9, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd/zpl, add=iod/cal/str
     Nephthea
         sp. - Tall bushy like soft coral. Smooth thick base with numerous
               small thickly polyped smaller branches extending from main
               trunks. May not be compatable with hexacorillia.
                    cdf=6, fll=6-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-6, dfm= >10
                    wcu=5-9, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd/zpl, add=iod/cal/str
     Lemnalia
         sp. -  Tall tree-like soft corals. Polyps are not as dense as
               Nephthea. Long finger branches extend out from main clolumn.
               Must be slowly acclimated to halides. Might not be too com-
               patable with hexacorillia.
                    cdf=7, fll=6-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-6, dfm= >10
                    wcu=5-9, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd/zpl, add=iod/cal/str
     Dendronephythya
         sp. - Very colorful tree-like corals. Deep water or cave corals
               which require low lighting and frequent feedings of zooplank-
               ton. Will collapse occasionally. Calcareous needles are visi-
               ble in branches. Thin secondary branches extend from main stem.
                    cdf=9, fll=3-7, dff= >10, mhl=1-2, dfm= >20
                    wcu=5-9, hac=2, fod=sym/lfd/zpl, add=iod/cal/str
         rubeola - Ployps are very thick on short secondary branches which
               protrude from main column. Prefer sand or silt substrates.
               Need frequent feedings and will open polyps if substrate
               stirred up. Brightly colored coral from low light areas.
                    cdf=9, fll=3-7, dff= >10, mhl=1-2, dfm= >20
                    wcu=5-9, hac=2, fod=lfd/zpl, add=iod/cal/str
         mirabilis - Snowy white polyps exist in thick groups protruding
               from short secondary branches. Form similar to rubeola.
               No symbiotic algae. Need very low light.
                    cdf=9, fll=3-7, dff= >10, mhl=1-2, dfm= >20
                    wcu=5-9, hac=2, fod=lfd/zpl, add=iod/cal/str

   Order Gorgonacea (gorgonians)
     Family Plexauridae
      Anthoplexaura (also Euplexaura)
          sp. - Flexible thin branched tree-like skeleton. Composed of
               horny or calcareous skeletal elements. Polyps embedded in
               crusty layer of living material which surronds skeleton. This
               gorgonian species has few branches and are thickly polyped.
               Some species from caribbean sea contain symbiotic algae. Will
               shed skin. Polyps are up to 5 mm long. Only feed zooplankton
               when polyps are open. Can stir up sediment to entice polyps
               to open.
                    cdf=6, fll=3-7, dff= >10, mhl=1-2, dfm= >20
                    wcu=4-8, hac=0, fod=lfd/zpl, add=iod/cal/str

     Family Gorgonidae
      Eugorgia
          sp. - Very similar to Plexauridae. Branches are thicker.
                    cdf=5, fll=3-7, dff= >10, mhl=1-2, dfm= >20
                    wcu=4-8, hac=0, fod=lfd/zpl, add=iod/cal/str

   Order Stolonifera (pipe corals)
     Family Tubiporidae (organ pipe corals)
      Tubipora
          musica - (red organ pipe) Flower polyps in red tube-like calcareous
               systems. Will do well under metal halides. Colonies should be
               whole and not broken off (statement questioned by some).
                    cdf=2, fll=7-9, dff= >5, mhl=3-9, dfm= >10
                    wcu=3-6, hac=0, fod=sym/lfd, add=cal/str

     Family Clavulariidae
      Clavularia
          viridis - (green pipe, green star polyps) Encrusting colonies of
               small pipe shaped flower polyps. The tentacles are very bright
               green and a calcareous webbing connects the polyp stems. Coral
               is found in fist sized colonies existing in shallow water.
               Will maintain bright green color under metal halide lighting.
                    cdf=2, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-9, dfm= >10
                    wcu=4-8, hac=0, fod=sym/lfd, add=cal/str

     Family Cornulariidae
       Cornularia
          sp. - (brown pipe) Encrusting colonies of small pipe shaped flower
               polyps. The tentacles are brown and lack the calcareous web-
               bing found in Clavularia viridis. A horny protective shell is
               built around stolon.
                    cdf=2, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-9, dfm= >10
                    wcu=4-8, hac=0, fod=sym/lfd, add=cal/str

   Order Telestacea (branched pipe corals)
     Family Telestidae
       Coelogorgia
          palmosa - (branched pipe) Appears like branching gorgonian corals.
               Branches have short stems from which polyps extend.
                    cdf=2, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-9, dfm= >10
                    wcu=5-9, hac=0, fod=sym/zpl, add=cal/str

   Order Pennatulacea (sea pens)
     Family Veretillidae
        Cavernularia
           obesa - (sea pen)Cylinder shaped coral from which large tentacles
               extend. Color can be orange, yellow, buff or white. These
               animals are not very compatable to reef tanks due to half-
               sessile existence. Require thick substrate.
                    cdf=3, fll=3-8, dff= >5, mhl=1-3, dfm= >20
                    wcu=2-5, hac=0, fod=zpl, add=iod/cal/str

   Order Coenothecalia
      Family Helioporidae (blue coral)
         Heliopora
            coerulea - (blue coral) Beige to olive colored coral. Smooth sur-
               face with small calices. Polyps are hair-thin tubes about 1 mm
               long. Very small tentacles. Sheds skin. Grows very well under
               metal halides. Shapes can consist of nobs, columns, fingers or
               thick lobes. Dead corals are blue colored.
                    cdf=4, fll=5-9, dff= >5, mhl=1-9, dfm= >10
                    wcu=3-7, hac=0, fod=sym/mpl, add=cal/str
    d Anemones

5.4    Shelled things
    a Clams

          Tridacna Maxima (expensive)
                       Purple, blue, green, pink, or combination.
                       cdf=3, fll=5-9, dff <18, mhl=1-7, dfm= >8
                       wcu=1-5, hac=5, fod=sym, add=cal/str
          Tridacna crocea
                       Purple, blue, green, or combination.
                       cdf=5, fll=5-9, dff <6 mhl=1-7, dfm= >5
                       wcu=1-5, hac=5, fod=sym, add=cal/str
          Tridacna squamosa
                       brown, yellow, usually with green rim, black and red??.
                       cdf=3, fll=5-9, dff <18, mhl=1-7, dfm= >5
                       wcu=1-5, hac=5, fod=sym, add=cal/str
          Tridacna derasa
                       brown, sometimes with green strips.
                       cdf=1, fll=5-9, dff <18, mhl=1-7, dfm= >5
                       wcu=1-5, hac=5, fod=sym, add=cal/str
          Tridacna gigas
                       almost always brown with tiny blue dots,
                       very rarely green, blue or combination.
                       cdf=3, fll=5-9, dff <18, mhl=1-7, dfm= >5
                       wcu=1-5, hac=5, fod=sym, add=cal/str
      Hippopus hippopus
        Very light cream-color mantle with many short tan
        lines.  Shell is lighter in color and much smoother
        than Tridacna clams.  I believe the H.h clams are
                at least as hardy has the hardy T. clams.  They are also
        supposed to be tank-raised.  They are certainly the
        cheapest costing at most 1/3 to 1/2 that of a similiar-sized
        Tridacna (excepting derasa which are almost as cheap).
        The mantle of Hippopus sp clams does not extend beyond
        the shell as it does in Tridacna sp (Delbeek).

    b Snails
    c Crustaceans

5.5    A LISTING OF THE MORE COMMON coralline ALGAE (Rhodophyta)

FAMILY:  Chaetangiaceae

GenSpec: _Galaxaura marginata_ (Lamouroux)
Des.     Small, mounded seaweed of loosly compressed blades.
         Dichotomous branches often show faint cross banding
         near the tip. Lightly calcified .
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Galaxaura oblongata_ (Lamouroux)
Des.     Bushy, creamy red plant having cylindrical smooth
         dichotomous branches with flexible joints. Well
         calcified.
Range:   Caribbean


GenSpec: _Galaxaura subverticillata_ (Kjellman)
Des.     Cylindircal, dark red dichotomous branches ringed by
         minute hairlike filaments, giving the algae a fuzzy
         appearance. Moderatly calcified.
Range:   Caribbean


FAMILY:  Corallinaceae

GenSpec: _Jania adherens_ (Lamouroux)
Des:     Fine, cylindrical, pink segments connected by flexible
        joints. Dichotomous branching. Forms small tangled
        clumps. Highly calcified.
Range:  Caribbean

GenSpec: _Jania rubens_ (Lamouroux)
Des:     Rose red somewhat straight segments tightly connected by
         flexible joints. Branching is dichotomous with narrow
         angles (branches almost parallel). Highly calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Haliptilon subulatum_ (Johansen)
Des:     Small, compressed plants, feather-like in appearance.
         Composed of brittle, chalky segments connected by
         flexible joints. Segments appear ringed. Heavily
         calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Amphiroa fragilissima_ (Lamouroux)
Des:     Dense clumps of entangled, fragile, thin jointed
         branches. Generally yellowish pink in color. The
         dichotomous branches form very wide angles (broad
         "Y"'s) at each joint. Highly calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Amphiroa rigida var. antillana_
Des:     Open, brittle species with thin, narrow cylindrical
         branches. Light, off white clumps. Branches dichotomous.
         Highly calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Amphiroa brasiliana_ (Decaisne)
Des:     Pink, joited, dichotomus, somewhat flattened branches.
         Highly calcified
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Amphiroa tribulus_ (Lamouroux)
Des:     Thin, brittle, flattened, sparse branches, forming
         pinkish red bushy clumps. Edges of branches are often
         flattened. Highly calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Amphiroa hancockii_ (W. Taylor)
Des:     Irregualr to dichotomous branching. Colour is pinkish
         purple. Branches composed of thick, flattened segements.
         Heavily calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Neogoniolithon spectabile_ (Setchell and Mason)
Des:     Hard, stony pink plant forming knobby hemispherical
         clumps tighly attached to rocks. Branching is irregular
         to dichotomous, and segments are thick. Heavily
         calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Neogoniolithon strictum_ (Setchell and Mason)
Des:     Hard, brittle pinkish red plant with blunt branching
         and no joints. Branches thick, and tend to grow
         upright. Heavily calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Lithophyllum congestum_ (Foslie)
Des:     Pink to purplish branched, headlike plants that look
         similar to coral. Branches are crowded, stout,
         projections, and are wafer-like. Heavily calcifed.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Mesophyllum mesomorphum_ (Adey)
Des:     An encrusting coralline algae. Dark red to pink over-
         lapping shelves or lobes. Fragil. Heavily calcified.
Range:   Caribbean, Indo-Pacific

GenSpec: _Titanoderma_ sp. (Chamberlain)
Des:     An encrusting coralline algae found growing epiphytically
         on many species of algae. Forms thin, pinkish crusts.
         Heavily calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Fosliella farinosa f. callithamnoides (Chamberlain)
Des:     An articualted coralline algae found growing
         epiphytically on many species of algae. Forms thin,
         dichotomously branched colonies. Heavily calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Titanoderma prototypum_ (Woelkerling)
Des:     Cream coloured to red encrusting algae, often with
         a circular pattern present. Heavily calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Titanoderma bermudense_ (Foslie and Howe)
Des:     A grayish to pale red encrusting algae consisting of
         overlapping layers. Often with striations or greyish
         lines present on the surface. Heavily calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Porolithon pachydermum_ (Weber-van Bosse & Foslie)
Des:     Pinkish grey encrusting algae often containing holes
         (caused by a chiton). An important reef builder. Heavily
         calcifed.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Sporolithon episporum_ (Dawson)
Des:     A reddish brown encrusting algae, often growing in
         layers that overlap each other. When broken, exposed
         surface is white. Heavily calcifed.
Range:   Caribbean

GenSpec: _Hydrolithon boergesenii_ (Foslie)
Des:     A purple/lavender knobby encrusting algae. Highly
         calcified.
Range:   Caribbean

FAMILY:  Squamariaceae

GenSpec: _Peyssonnelia_ sp.
Des:     A dark red to maroon encrusting algae. Edges sometimes
         raised above substrate.
Range:   Caribbean

5.6     Possible Problems
        a Mantis Shrimp
        b bristle worms

*5.7    Hermit Crabs

************BY Gregory Schiemer*************************
The hermit crabs I'm listing are the ones that I know are safe inhabitants for
a
reef aquarium.  They are all relatively small (less than one inch), eat algae,
will not bother other invertebrates or fish (although they occasionally
each other during molts), are mostly active at night, are generally
long-lived, and definitely fun to watch. All have been offered for sale at one
time or another, but never regularly.  So, here they are:

>From the Caribbean and Tropical Atlantic:

-Red Hermit Crab (Paguristes cadenati)- A bright red body and legs with yellow
eye stalks.  Very pretty, but active usually after the lights go out. Found onl
y
on the reef as solitary individuals, never in aggregations.  My personal
favorite.  They gently remove micro-algae from in and around corals and polyps.
Gr  Usually stays on the rocks, but will sift through the
substrate.

-Orange-Claw Hermit (Calcinus tibicen)-Has a dark red or orange body with one
slightly enlarged claw. Found both on coral reefs and rocky substrates, never i
n
large numbers.  Very good at eating micro-algae and some macro-algae. Bolder
than the Red Hermit, as it will be active during the day. Grows to one inch.
Spends almost all of it's time on the rocks.

-Polkadotted Hermit (Phimochirus operculatus)-Has a distinctive polkadot red an
d
white, greatly enlarged claw, and blue eyes.  Found on coral reefs. This is
probably the most aggressive and active of the small hermits. Also eats algae
and sifts through the substrate. Grows to about one inch.

-Red-Stripe Hermit (Phimochirus holthuisi)-Similar to the Polkadotted Hermit.
Found on coral reefs.  Active and bold.  Will eat algae and anything else it ca
n
gets it's claws on, but doesn't seem to bother corals. Grows to about one inch.

-Red, White and Blue Hermit (Paguristes sp.?)-Blue legs with a touch of red,
white and black.  Found in large aggregations in the sand along the shore line.
This is the crab that is being sold in quantity from Florida dealers. They are
active all day, but more so at night. They will feed on detritus and
micro-algae.  Bolder and m not as
much as the Polkadotted Hermit. They will occasionally climb on corals, but
apparently cause no harm. It's strange that although they are collecin the
sand, mine have spent the majority of their time on the rocks in the aquarium.
Grows to about three-quarters of an inch.

>From the Pacific (including Mexico):

-Red-Leg Hermit (Calcinus californiensis)-Has rrange legs and a greenish
black body.  Found on rocky inshore substrates in large aggregations.  Will eat
micro-algae and other bits of food missed by the fish.  More active at night,
but will forage when the lights are on.  Relatively bold and aggressive.  Grows
to about three-quarters of an inch.

-Blue-Eye Hermit (Paguristes sanguinimanus)-Orange body with bright blue eyes.
Found on sand flats and patch reefs in aggregations.  Good micro-algae eater.
Grows to about one-half inch.

-Blue-Spotted Hermit (Clibanarius digueti)-Reddish-brown legs with bluish spots
.
Found on rocky inshore substrates where it feeds on algae.  Grows to only
one-half inch.

***************************************************************

================== End of ReefKeepers FAQ Part 2 of 3 ==================
--
Clues for the clueless, personal.peeves edition:

The net is _not_ the information superhighway.  There isn't one.
It isn't cyberspace either.
Archive-name: aquaria/reefkeeper-faq/part1
Rec-aquaria-archive-name: reefkeeper-faq/part1
Alt-aquaria-archive-name: reefkeeper-faq/part1
Sci-aquaria-archive-name: reefkeeper-faq/part1
Posting-Frequency: monthly

Reef Keepers Frequently Asked Questions  (Part 1 of 3)

Note: This header is copied into all three parts

(Well, more or less.  Actually, this is a composite document written
by many folks.  It contains information each participant felt was
basic information required for anyone considering maintaining a reef
tank.  In reality, it's turned into a bit of a reference document.
Some of the information has been taken from public forums like the
Internet UseNet *.aquaria groups.  Credit to the authors of such
information is given next to their contribution.)

Note that starting with 1.12, new and/or changed items are marked with
an "*" in the far left column.

*Release 1.12 - 17 Aug, 1994 (more corrections and minor area expansions)
Release 1.11 - 18 Apr, 1994 (some corrections and minor area expansions)
Release 1.10 - 9 Sep, 1993 (Significant additions to test kit and protein
                            skimming sections. Many spelling and grammar
                            corrections, some style and format alterations.)
Release 1.02 - September 1st, 1993    (Reorganized, split into 3 pieces)
Release 1.01 - July 1st, 1993     (First Public Release)
Release 1.00 - May 12th, 1993
*Copyright 1993, 1994, ReefKeepers, All Rights Reserved

ReefKeepers, for purposes of the copyright, is the group of authors
listed at the end of this 3-part document.  Permission is granted for
it to be copied (unmodified) in either electronic or hardcopy form by
nonprofit organizations if it is copied in its entirety and used in
stand-alone form.  This document may not otherwise be published,
posted, uploaded, replicated or copied by any method, electronic or
physical, without the explicit permission of ALL of the listed
contributors.

The authors of this document have kindly spent the time to bring you
their opinions.  They are not liable in any form or fashion, nor are
their employers, for how you use this information.  Their opinions
should not be construed as fact; don't blame them if your tank has
problems.

You may get a copy of this FAQ via FTP from the following sites:

percula.acs.uci.edu (128.200.34.15)     /reefkeepers/faq
*ftp.cco.caltech.edu (131.215.48.151)    /pub/aquaria/FAQfiles/Reefkeepers

/---------------------------------------------------------------------------/

Table of Contents

Basic Sections:

Part 1)

1.0    Water (Filters/Additives/Test Kits)
    1.1 Source Water -  City Mains Water Is Not Good Enough
        1.1.1 Background
        1.1.2 DI Filters
        1.1.3 RO Filters
        1.1.4 Further Comments About Water
    1.2 Additives
    1.3 Testable Parameters
        1.3.1 Alkalinity
        1.3.2 Calcium
        1.3.3 pH
        1.3.4 Nitrate (NO3)
        1.3.5 Phosphate (PO4)
        1.3.6 Specific Gravity
    1.4 Water Changes
2.0      Filtration and Equipment
    2.1 Live Rock
    2.2 Protein Skimmers
                2.2.1 Counter Current Air Driven Protein Skimmers
                2.2.2 Venturi Protein Skimmers
                2.2.3 Protein Skimmer Considerations
    2.3 Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)
    2.4 Other Chemical Filter Media (X-Whatever)
    2.5 Mechanical Filtration
    2.6 Under Gravel Filters (UGF)
    2.7 Reverse Flow UGFs (RUGF)
    2.8 Trickle Filters
    2.9 Algae Scrubbers (somewhat long)
    2.10 Live Sand
3.0    Lights
*    3.1 General Discussion
*    3.2 Detail Discussion
*    3.3 Lighting Data
4.0    Cost Estimates

Part 2)

5.0    Stock
    5.1 Common to Scientific Name Cross Reference
    5.2 Coral Aggression Chart
    5.3 Corals [Cnidaria (Anthozoa)]
    5.4 Shelled Things
    5.5 Algae
    5.6 Possible Problems
*    5.7 Hermit Crabs

Part 3)

6.0     General Catalogs
7.0     Questions and Answers
8.0     Book Review
9.0     Useful Tables
10.0    Credits

=========================================================================
1.0      Water

1.1      Source Water - City Mains Water Is Not Good Enough

1.1.1    Background

*   US EPA requirements for water quality from municipal sources are
    insufficiently pure for reef tank usage.  For instance, the EPA
    standard for Nitrate (as NO3-N) is 10.0 mg/l, over twice the
    recommended maximum level.  Extremely toxic (to inverts) heavy
    metals such as copper are allowed at levels as high as 1 mg/l.

    Most public water supplies have contaminates well below the EPA
    levels and some reef tanks have done fine on some public supplies.
    In general, however, it is recommended that some form of post
    processing be performed on public water before it is introduced
    into the reef tank.

    Although some people have access to distilled, de-ionized or
    reverse osmosis water from public sources, most will use a home
    sized system to produce their tank water.  The two most common
    systems used are de-ionization resins, and reverse osmosis
    membranes.

1.1.2    DI filters

    De-ionization (DI) units come in two basic varieties: mixed bed and
    separate bed.  Two chambers are used in separate bed units, one
    for anion resins (to filter negatively charged ions), the other
    for cation resins (to filter positively charged ions).  Mixed bed
    units use a single chamber with a mix of anion and cation resins.

    DI units are 100% water efficient with no waste water.  They are
    typically rated in terms of grains of capacity (a grain is 0.065
    grams).  Once the capacity of the unit is reached it either needs
    to be replaced or recharged (using strong acids and bases).
    Recharging is normally only an option for separate bed units.

    A quick check of the local water quality charts (normally
    available free from the water supply company) will reveal the
    water purification capacity of a given DI unit.  For example, if a
    unit rated at 1000 grains is purchased and the local water supply
    has a hardness of 123 mg/l (Missouri River, USA), then the unit
    capacity is (1000*0.065)/0.123 = 528 liters = 139.5 gallons of
    purified water.

    Water production rates for DI units varies, but is typically
    around 10-15 gallons/hour.

1.1.3    RO Filters

    Reverse osmosis (RO) units are normally based upon one of two
    membrane technologies: cellulose triacetate (CTA) and thin film
    composite (TFC).  CTA based systems are typically cheaper and do
    not filter as well (90-95% rejection rates).  TFC based systems
    cost more but have higher pollution rejection rates (95%-98%).
    CTA membranes break down over time due to bacterial attack whereas
    TFC membranes are more or less impervious to this.  CTA units are
    not recommended for reef tank purposes.

    RO filters work by forcing water under pressure against the
    membrane.  The membranes allow the small water molecules to pass
    through while rejecting most of the larger contaminates.

    RO units waste a lot of water.  The membrane usually has 4-6 times
    as much water passing by it as it allows though.  Unfortunately,
    the more water wasted, the better the membrane usually is at
    rejecting pollutants.  Also, higher waste water flows are usually
    associated with longer membrane life.  What this means in practice
    is that 300 gallons of total water may be required to produce 50
    gallons of purified water.

    Like any filter, RO membranes will eventually clog and need to be
    replaced.  Replacement membranes cost around $50-$100.  Prefilters
    are often placed in front of the membrane to help lengthen the
    lifetime.  These filters commonly consist of a micron sediment
    filter and a carbon block filter.  The micron filter removes large
    particles and the carbon filter removes chlorine, large organic
    molecules and some heavy metals.  Of course, the use of prefilters
    makes initial unit cost more expensive but they should pay for
    themselves in longer membrane life.

    RO units are rated in terms of gallons per day of output with
    10-50 gallon/day units typically available.  Note that the waste
    water produced by a RO unit is fine for hard water loving
    freshwater fish such as Rift Lake cichlids.  Some route the reject
    water to the family garden.

    The Spectapure brand of RO units has a good reputation.

1.1.4    Further Comments About Water

    The ultimate in home water purification comes from combining the
    two technologies and processing the water from an RO unit though a
    DI unit.  If a very high grade DI unit is used, water equivalent
    to triple distillation purification levels can be achieved.  Since
    the water entering the DI unit can be 50 times purer than
    tapwater, the DI unit can process 50 times as much before the
    resins are exhausted.  This significantly reduces the replacement
    or recharging cost of the DI unit.

    If only one filter can be afforded, and waste water is not a concern,
    then it is recommended that a TFC RO unit with pre-filters be purchased.
    If waste water is a concern, or if only a small quantity of make-up
    water will be required (say, for a single 20 gallon tank), then a DI
    unit would be the preferred choice.

    City water is unstable.  Many cities modify their treatment
    process several times a year, dramatically changing its
    suitability for reef usage.  For instance, Portland has great reef
    water - most, but not all, of the year.

1.2     Additives

    Calcium (Ca) - required addition.  A range of 400-450 ppm Ca++
    (10-11 mM) is recommended.  The preferred method is the usage of
    Kalkwasser (Limewater) for all evaporation make-up water.  The use
    of Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) is known to cause problems with alkalinity
    (provable by balancing the relavent chemical reactions occuring in the
    tank when CaCl2 is added).  Still, CaCl2 is occassionally useful to
    repair serious Ca++ deficits.

    Chelated calcium:

    The efficacy of chelated calcium products available for reef aquaria is
    questionable.  To the best of our knowledge, there exists no scientific
    evidence indicating that chelated calcium is especially available to
    corals and other CaCO3 depositing invertebrates.  Nothing is known about
    the uptake of chelated calcium products by coral.  And most importantly,
    there exists no evidence showing that chelated calcium products support
    stony coral growth rates in excess of, or even *comparable to* growth
    rates documented in aquaria where calcium is supplied as aqueous Ca(OH)2
    [kalkwasser.]

    Chelated calcium products also interfere with the ability to measure
    actual calcium levels in the aquarium.  In particular, chelated calcium
    cannot be measured by any kit which uses EDTA titration, including the
    highly recommended HACH kit.  Some people find the SeaChem kit, which
    does measure chelated calcium, to be impossible to read with any
    accuracy.

    Until such a time as vendors supplying chelated calcium products make
    available well conceived, carefully documented uptake and growth studies
    with their products, or the same experiments are performed and published
    by third parties, we regard the use of chelated calcium products in the
    reef aquarium to be experimental at best, especially when kalkwasser
    and other non-chelated calcium sources are KNOWN to us to support the
    growth and even reproduction of stony corals in the home aquarium.

    Iodine (I) - enhances soft coral growth.  It is removed by
    skimming.

    Strontium (Sr) - used rapidly by most hard corals (weekly
    additions usually performed).

    Buffers - increase alkalinity and control pH. Desired range is
    2.5-3.5 meq/L (7-10 dKH) alkalinity.  Alkalinity can be raised by the
    addition of one of many commercial buffer compounds.  The addition of
    kalkwasser (saturated Ca(OH)2 solution - also known as
    "limewater"), which is often done to maintain calcium levels, will
    also raise the alkalinity level.  SeaChem's Marine Buffer, Reef
    Builder and Kent's Superbuffer dKH are popular.  The Coralife and
    Thiel buffer products have had less favorable reviews.

    Iron (Fe) - Used by algaes.  Add this if you want good macroalgae
    growth.  Be sure that macroalgae growth is favored or else plague
    levels of hair algae may result.

    Copper (Cu) - Used as a medication in fish-only tanks.  Copper is
    highly toxic to invertebrates, even in very small concentrations.
    DO NOT USE THIS, IN ANY FORM, EVER, IN A REEF TANK OR ANY TANK
    WHICH CONTAINS INVERTEBRATES.  PERIOD!

    Other additives, especially the commercial "secret formula"
    mixtures, are more controversial.  Some people report good results
    from some of them other people report disaster or no effect.
    Experiment cautiously with them if desired.

1.3     Testable Parameters

    Note: parts per million (ppm) and milligrams per liter (mg/l) are
    virtually identical in seawater and the units are used
    synonymously in this document.

1.3.1   Alkalinity

    Alkalinity is a measure of the acid buffering capacity of a solution.
    That is, it is a measure of the ability of a solution to resist a
    decrease in pH when acids are added.  Since acids are
    normally produced by the biological action of the reef tank
    contents, alkalinity in a closed system has a natural tendency to
    go down.  Additives are used to keep it at a proper level.

    Correct alkalinity levels allow hard corals and coralline algae to
    properly secrete new skeletal material.  When alkalinity levels
    drop, the carbonate ions needed are not available and the process
    slows or stops.

    Alkalinity is measured in one of three units: milliequivalents per
    liter (meq/l), German degrees of hardness (dKH) or parts per
    million of calcium carbonate (ppm CaCO3).  Any of the units may be
    employed but dKH is most commonly used in the aquarium hobby and
    meq/l is used exclusively in modern scientific literature.  The
    conversion for the three units is:

            1 meq/l = 2.8 dKH = 50 ppm CaCO3

    [As an aside, there is an imperial unit of alkalinity and hardness
    which is 'grains per gallon'.  The water softening industry uses
    this unit.  1 gpg = 17 ppm CaCO3.]

    A word of caution about the ppm CaCO3 unit is in order. The 'ppm
    CaCO3' unit reports the concentration of CaCO3 in pure water that
    would provide the same buffering capacity as the water sample in
    question.  This does not mean the sample contains that much CaCO3.
    In fact, it tells you nothing about how much of the buffering is
    due to carbonates, it is only a measure of equivalency.

    Alkalinity is often confused with carbonate hardness since both
    participate in acid neutralization and test kits may express both
    in either of the three units.  However, carbonate hardness is
    technically a measure of only the carbonate species in equilibria
    whereas alkalinity measures the total acid binding ions present
    which may include sulfates, hydroxides, borates and others in
    addition to carbonates.  In natural seawater, though, carbonates
    make up 96% of the alkalinity so equating alkalinity with
    carbonate hardness isn't too far off.

    Recommended values for alkalinity vary depending on who's work you
    read.  Natural surface seawater has an alkalinity of about 2.4
    meq/l.  Following are levels recommended by various authors.

    From John Tullock (1991) "The Reef Tank Owner's Manual":
    page 46 - Alkalinity range should be 3.5 to 5.0 meq/l.
    page 94 - Alkalinity reading of 2.5-5.0 meq/l is proper.
    page 188- Alkalinity should be about 3.5 meq/l. (In reference
          to maintaining Tridacna clams.)

    Albert Thiel (1989), in "Small Reef Aquarium Basics" recommends
    5.35-6.45 meq/l.  This is an artificially high level which may
    initiate a "snowstorm" of CaCO3 precipitate.  Most reef aquarists
    do not believe in such extreme and unnatural levels and recommend
    3.0-3.5 meq/l as a good range instead.

    The chemistry of how alkalinity, pH, CO2, carbonate, bicarbonate,
    and other ions interrelate is fairly complex and is beyond the
    scope and detail of this document.

    Some recommended test kits for alkalinity are the SeaTest kit and
    the LaMotte kit.  The SeaTest kit is very inexpensive and is one
*   of the few SeaTest kits suitable for reef use.  The SeaTest kit
    measures in division of 0.5 meq/l or, if the amount of solution is
    doubled, 0.25 meq/l.  The SeaTest kit uses titration in which the
    acid and indicator are included in the same reagent.  The LaMotte
    kit is a little more expensive, though still fairly cheap, and is
    somewhat more accurate.  The unit of titration is 4 ppm CaCO3
    although in practice, one drop from the titration tube may be up
    to twice this amount making the resolution about 0.15 meq/l.  The
    Lamotte kit has a separate indicator tablet and acid reagent which
    is a nice feature.

1.3.2   Calcium

    Calcium content is referred to as 'calcium hardness' and is
    measured either in parts per million of calcium ion (ppm Ca++) or
    parts per million equivalent calcium carbonate (ppm CaCO3).
    Calcium hardness is often confused with alkalinity and carbonate
    hardness since the 'ppm CaCO3' unit may be used for all three.  As
    with alkalinity, a calcium level expressed as X ppm CaCO3 does not
    imply that X ppm of calcium carbonate is present in the tank; it
    merely states that the sample contains an equivalent amount of
    calcium as if X ppm of CaCO3 were added to pure water.  The
    reading also does not tell you how much carbonate is present.

    Calcium hardness test kits are different from alkalinity kits.
    Some people have reported difficulties with the LaMotte calcium
    hardness kit.  The Hach 'Total Hardness and Calcium' kit has not
    had these reports.  Both express results in ppm CaCO3.  The
    relationship between CaCO3 and Ca++ is:

            1 ppm CaCO3 = 0.4 ppm Ca++

    The results from a test kit reading in ppm CaCO3 may be converted
    to the molar concentration scale by dividing by 100.

        100 ppm CaCO3 = 1 mM Ca++
         40 ppm Ca++  = 1 mM Ca++

    Calcium levels of natural surface seawater are around 420 ppm
    Ca++ (10.5 mM).  In a well running reef tank you will notice, sometimes
    dramatic, calcium depletion.  Calcium addition in some form is
    essential.  A calcium level above 400 ppm is required and a range
    of 400-450 ppm Ca++ is recommended.  Most reefkeeping books (see
    bibliography) explain the options for calcium addition.

1.3.3    pH

    The suggested reef tank range is 8.0 to 8.3.  The pH should hold
    its own unless alkalinity is low.  If alkalinity is OK but pH is
    low there is probably a buildup of organic acids or a serious lack
    of gas exchange (low water surface area to volume ratio).

1.3.4    Nitrate (NO3)

    Two units are used to measure nitrates: nitrate (NO3-) and nitrate
    nitrogen (NO3-N or just N).  The ratio is:

            1 ppm NO3-N = 4.4 ppm NO3-.

    Nitrates themselves may not be a problem but serve as an easily
    measured indicator of general water quality.  Many hard to test
    for compounds like dissolved organics tend to have levels that
    correlate well with nitrate levels in typical tanks.

    Different authors cite varying upper nitrate values permissible.
    No higher than 5 ppm NO3- is a good number with less than 0.25 ppm
    recommended.  Unpolluted seawater has nitrate values below
    detectable levels of hobbyist test kits, so "unmeasurable" is the
    goal to strive for.

    Most test kits measure nitrate-nitrogen.  Do not forget to
    multiply by 4.4 to get the ionic nitrate reading.  LaMotte makes a
    nitrate test kit that will measure down to 0.25 ppm NO3-N.  Hach
    makes one good to 0.02 ppm NO3-N, about 10x more sensitive, but
    you must be sure to order the saltwater reagents.  They will only
    sell you the saltwater reagents in addition to the regular kit
    with the freshwater reagents, not in place of them, which is
    annoying.  This makes the Hach kit about twice as expensive in the
    end as the LaMotte kit but the 10x increase in performance makes
    this more acceptable.

1.3.5    Phosphate (PO4)

    Phosphates, along with nitrates, are a primary nutrient of algae.
    Tanks with "high" levels of phosphates tend to be infested with
    hair algae.  All authors cite zero ppm PO4 as a good goal.  An
    upper level 0.1 ppm is recommended by Tullock (1991) with less
    than 0.05 ppm given by Thiel (1991).

1.3.6    Specific Gravity

* Short form:
*   Specific Gravity is temperature dependant.  See the next table for
*   a quick lookup of the recommended hydrometer readings.  They are
*   based upon our recommended S.G. of 1.025 at 60 degrees F.
*
*Degrees F.    Hydrometer reading.
*   50                1.0255
*   55                1.0252
*   60              1.0250
*   65              1.0246
*   70              1.0240
*   75              1.0233
*   80                1.0226
*   85              1.0218  (rather hot for most tanks)
*   90              1.0210  (very hot for most tanks)
*
* In more detail:
*   1.025 recommended for reef tanks.  Note that virtually all hydrometers
*   are calibrated for measurements at a temperature of 60 F.  Included
*   below is a short table of temperature adjustments.  Add the value
*   shown to your hydrometer reading to get an accurate reading.
*
*Degrees F.    Correction
*   50           -0.0005
*   55           -0.0002
*   60          0.0000
*   65          0.0004
*   70          0.0010
*   75          0.0017
*   80            0.0024
*   85          0.0032
*   90          0.0040
*
*For example:  If the hydrometer reads 1.0235 at 80F, the actual
*           Specific Gravity is 1.0235 + 0.0024 = 1.0259
*
*Note:    If your tank is between 75F and 80F, this means you should
*       try and keep your Specific Gravity around 1.0230 to 1.0235.
*
*For all practicle purposes, the scale is linear between data points,
*so you can simply extrapolate between table entrys.  For instance,
*78F is 3/5 the distance between 75F and 80F; the difference in corrections
*is 0.0024-0.0017 = 0.0007.  3/5th of 0.0007 is 0.0004.  Add the offset
*0.0004 to the base value for 75F of 0.0017 and you get a correction
*value for 78F of 0.0021.
*
*It is fairly common in literature to see references to salinity in terms
*of Parts Per Thousand (PPT).  For salinities in the range we are interested
*in, the conversion formulas are:
*
*  Salinity = 1.1 + 1300 * (Temperature corrected Specific Gravity - 0.999)
*  Temperatur corrected Specific Gravity = ((Salinity - 1.1) / 1300) + 0.999;
*
*Here is a short table of some common values:
*
* Salinity       Specific Gravity
*  20 PPT        1.0135
*  25 PPT        1.0174
*  30 PPT        1.0212
*  35 PPT        1.0251        * Typical Ocean Value *
*  40 PPT        1.0289

1.4    Water Changes

    "The solution to pollution is dilution".  Water changes are used to
    correct problems.  Minimal changes of 5%/year when all is set up
    and running smoothly may suffice.  Some feel that an occasional
    water change of about 20% every 1-3 month is a reasonable safety
    net that may help prevent contaminate buildup and trace element
*   depletion problems.  Others recommend 5%-10% per week.

2.0    Filtration and Equipment

2.1    Live Rock

    Live rock is simply old coral skeletons that have become the home
    to multiple small creatures.  Typically reef tanks have 1-2 lbs of
    live rock per gallon of capacity.  Pieces vary in size and shape
    from baseball size to dinner plate size in typical tanks.  In large
    tanks (> 500 gallons) very large pieces of live rock tend to be used.
    These pieces may individually weight up to 85lbs (about the limit of
    what one person can handle).

    The use of live rock greatly increases the bio-diversity in a tank.
    However, its primary purpose is to provide a home for bacteria that
    provide the biological filtration for the aquarium.

    Cheap rock has low amounts of coralline algae and tends to grow
    hair algae well.  It may be suitable for a soft coral only tank.
    Hair algae free coralline encrusted live rock (high quality
    Florida and/or pacific (Marshall and Tonga Island) rock is highly
    desirable.  "Berlin" style tanks use high quality live rock (and
    protein skimming) as the primary filtration method with great
    success.

2.2    Protein Skimmers

    Required equipment.  Don't undersize.  Common wisdom is that you
    can't overskim a tank.  Many of the more available commercial
    units are useful for tanks only in the 10-20 gallon range.
    Anything shorter than about a foot tall is essentially useless.

    Unfortunetly, there is no formula to determine the required size
    of a skimmer.  Amount of organic waste generating organisms (fish,
    coral, live rock, etc.) will obviously be the primary variable.
    All skimmers should be filled with TINY bubbles and have a milky
    white appearance.  Any skimmer that doesn't match that requirement
    is not working optimally.

    Two basic styles of skimmers exist: counter current air driven and
    venturi driven.  Both styles work fine, both have tradeoffs.  Both
    require tuning.  Expect to spend some time over the first month or
    so learning how to keep your skimmer tuned.  Below is some
    discussion about the two styles.

2.2.1   Counter Current Air Driven Protein Skimmer

    These skimmers usually require three pieces of equipment typically
    not sold with them: an air pump, air stones and a water pump.
    Total skimmer cost depends upon the kinds of equipment needed to
    run the skimmer properly.

    The water pump injects the water to be skimmed into the unit.
    Some people use gravity to feed surface overflow water to the
    skimmer or divert part of the main circulation pump's return flow
    into the skimmer to eliminate the need for a dedicated pump.
    Otherwise a powerhead in the sump usually suffices for the water
    pump.

    The air pump must be large enough and a sufficient number of air
    stones must be driven to make the skimming column milky white.  In
    some skimmers one medium sized air pump like a Tetra Luft G and
    one air stone will be sufficient.  Other skimmers need more to
    perform optimally.

    Air driven skimmers should use limewood air stones which will need
    to be replaced from time to time.  Cheap limewood air stones have
    a reputation of needing to be replaced much more often than high
    quality stones.  Coralife limewood air stones have a good
    reputation.  Air stone replacement rate depends on your tank and
    skimmer; some people need to change them every 2 weeks others only
    after 3-4 months.

    A.J. Nilsen recommends a 1x tank volume per hour turnover of both
    water and air by counter current air driven skimmers.  Others feel
    each skimmer has an optimal rate of air and water processing and
    that if more skimming is desired then more or bigger skimmers
    should be added rather than trying to operate the current one
    beyond its optimal performance range.

    Some hold that any skimmer under 4' high and 4" in diameter is too
    small for anything over about a 20 gallon reef.

2.2.2   Venturi Protein Skimmers

    These skimmers use the Bernoulli effect of the venturi valve to
    inject air bubbles into the water.  This obviates the need of an
    air pump and air stones.  The penalty is that a relatively large,
    high pressure (read expensive and powerhungry) dedicated water
    pump is mandatory for the venturi unit to inject sufficient
    amounts of air.

    A particular commercial venturi skimmer may or may not come with a
    water pump.  If it does supply a pump, it may or may not be
    sufficiently large to run the skimmer properly.  At least some of
    the venturi skimmers easily available are not very well designed.

    Venturi valves require occasional cleaning of the air opening.
    This is as simple as reaming the opening out with pipe cleaner
    every few days.  An acid bath may be required if the unit clogs or
    gets coated with mineral deposits.

    Most venturi style skimmers are more compact that CC skimmers.
    Manufactures state that they are more efficient, since they
    (supposedly) inject more air.  Many suspect that design constaints
    (back pressure severely affects venturi performance) have more
    to do with the manufactured height (who would want a top injected
    4' skimmer with air only in the top foot of water?).  Properly
    designed venturi skimmers are tall to maximize air contact time,
    and require pumps that can handle backpressure.

2.2.3   Protein Skimmer Considerations

    Below are some pros and cons of venturi vs. CC skimmers.  Some
    people will debate some of the statements.

    Venturi skimmers, due to the large water pump needed, have a
    higher initial purchase price than CC units for the same amount of
    skimming.

    The operational cost of a venturi unit is basically just the
    electricity bill.  A CC unit must sum in electricity consumption
    for the water pump and air pump (usually small) plus air stone and
    diaphragm replacement.  Which one is more cost effective for you
    depends upon which equipment you had to buy to run the skimmer
    properly, your electricity rate and how often air stones need to
    be replaced.  Most people find CC skimmers less expensive to both
    purchase and operate for the same amount of skimming.

    Venturi skimmers are less cumbersome in appearance and in
    operation.  They are usually smaller and quieter.  They are on the
*   whole more hassle free.  The powerful pump required for venturi
*   skimmers may, however, add considerable heat to the water.

*   One general note on water pumps:  The amount of heat added to
*   the water varies by brand, design, usage, and placement.  Basically,
*   the more efficient the pump (gallons delivered at a given pressure
*   for a given power usage), the cooler it will run.  Restricting
*   the output of the pump will generally increase the water temperature.
*   (Never restrict the intake of a centrifigal pump!) Obviously, an
*   air cooled pump will increase your tank temperature less than a
*   submersible (and therefore tank water cooled) pump will.

2.3       Granular Activated Carbon

    Some debate about its usage.  Most use it at least a few days a
    month, some continuously.  Many brands have problems with
    phosphate leaching.

2.4    Other Chemical Filter Media

    X-Nitrate, X-Phosphate, Polyfilters, Chemi-pure, etc. - probably
    not needed in established, balanced reef aquaria.  A prominent
    manufacturer of these materials was either unwilling or unable
    to supply capacities for removing the named compounds from
    seawater.  May cause adverse reactions in some inverts.

2.5    Mechanical filtration

    This is an area of interest currently being debated.  Originally
    the FAQ stated:

       Good idea to pre-filter skimmer water.  Floss works fine and is
       cheap and disposable.  Sponges work well, but require cleaning
       twice a week or so.  Natural sponges with a medium fine or fine
       pore size are recommended.  Some people don't use mechanical
       filtration, allowing detritus to settle in places for removal by
       siphoning.  Some of these people make dedicated "settling tanks"
       to trap debris in a convenient place.

    Julian Sprung suggests not pre-filtering skimmer water as skimmers
    will remove particulates (rather than trapping them as a pre-filter
    would do).  Spotte confirms this and terms this filtering mechanism
    as 'froth floatation'.

    Many members of the group of authors do not use mechanical filtration.
    They believe that such systems filter out the plankton that is used
    as food by many marine organisms.  Some members use "live sand" setups,
    with detrivores.  Others routinely siphon accumulated detritus.

    Use of a mechanical filter for short periods may help when attempting to
    resolve specific problems, such as a hair algae outbreak.

2.6    Under Gravel Filters (UGF)

    Not appropriate for a Reef Tank.  Although they will work for 6
    months or so, eventually detritus buildup will cause a nitrate
    problem.  Long term, it's virtually impossible to keep nitrates
    below about 40 ppm NO3- which is way too high for corals.

2.7    Reverse Flow UGFs

    An attempt to solve the detritus buildup problem associated with
    normal flow UGFs.  It's a good idea that doesn't work well in
    practice.  This system has problems with uneven water flow due to
    channeling within the bottom gravel.

2.8    Trickle Filters

    Also known as Wet/Dry Filters.  An improvement over UGF and RUGF
    filters.  Nitrates can be kept low (say, around 5 ppm) with
    adequate water changes.  It does not seem to be possible to keep
    nitrates very low (less than 1 ppm) if a trickle filter is the
    sole biological filtration.  Those that report less than 1 ppm
    normally have adequate live rock, and find that their Nitrates
    remain low even (and often get lower) when they remove all the
    bio-material from their trickle filters (turning them into plain
    sumps, useful for holding carbon and as a water reservoir).

2.9    Algae Scrubbers (long)

    Summary: the jury is still out.  May help, may hurt, not currently
    recommended, especially as the sole filter.  The topic is
    controversial.  Below is some discussion about it.

    In most healthy natural communities, particularly coral reefs,
    dissolved nutrients are scarce.  In aquaria, by contrast,
    nutrients in the form of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, or DIN, (a
    collective term for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates) accumulate
    very rapidly as fish and other organisms excrete these wastes.
    The most basic problem in any aquarium is limiting the
    accumulation of DIN.

    In reef aquaria, DIN is consumed by the community of organisms on
    the live rock.  It is uncertain what relative contribution is made
    by bacteria as opposed to algaes, but it is certain that the live
    rock community as a whole can remove a substantial amount of DIN
    from a reef aquarium.  In fact, it is quite possible to run a reef
    tank with no biological filtration (DIN consumption) other than
    that which takes place on the rock.  This method is part of what
    is now known in the United States as the "Berlin school" of
    reefkeeping.

    Other schools of thought utilize additional biological filtration
    in separate filters.  Traditional reef tanks supplement the
    filtration provided by the reef (often not acknowledging the role
    of the reef itself) with bacteria-based trickle filters.  Many
    readers probably learned this technique first, as it has been the
    dominant method in the United States amateur hobby for some time.
    Yet another approach uses algaes, which are also capable of
    utilizing inorganic nitrogen directly.  An algae filter, or algal
    scrubber as it is usually called, is simply a biological filter
    which utilizes a colony of algae rather than bacteria as consumers
    of inorganic nitrogen.

    Algal scrubbers are not new; they are discussed in Martin Moe's
    (1989) excellent _Marine Aquarium Reference: Systems and
    Invertebrates_, for example.  However, algae filters have been
    regarded in the past as too bulky and inefficient to be the sole
    filter for a aquarium.  The recent surge of interest in algal
    scrubbers seems to have been generated by Adey and Loveland's book
    _Dynamic Aquaria_ (1991).  They discuss both techniques which
    allow an algal scrubber to be compact and efficient and also a
    number of arguments as to why they are preferable to other
    filtration methods.

    One reason to use an algal scrubber according to Adey and Loveland
    is that it mirrors the way DIN is cycled in nature.  They claim
    that perhaps 70-90% of the DIN in reef communities is consumed by
    algae, rather than by bacteria.  The two methods produce rather
    different water chemistry; for example, algae are net producers of
    oxygen and remove carbon dioxide, while a bacterial filter
    consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide.  They argue that it
    should be easier to maintain the type of water chemistry found
    over a natural reef by relying on an algal scrubber.

    Also, algae remove the nitrogen from the water in order to build
    tissue, while filter bacteria simply put it into a less toxic
    form.  The excess nitrogen can be removed completely by periodic
    algae harvests, while dissolved nitrogen in the form of nitrate is
    not as easy to remove. Adey and Loveland claim that their methods
    can bring levels of DIN down to a few hundredths of a ppm, far
    below (in their opinion) the levels reachable with other methods.
    A related argument in favor of algal scrubbers is that stability
    in natural ecosystems seems to come from locking up nutrients in
    biomass, not in allowing it to be free in the environment.  An
    algal scrubber does precisely this, while a bacterial filter
    converts it to free nitrate dissolved in the water.

    A final reason to use an algal scrubber according to Adey and
    Loveland is that many other kinds of filtration (including protein
    skimmers) remove plankton from the water. An algal filter
    naturally does not do this, and can actually provide a refuge for
    some forms of plankton.  The importance of this effect is,
    however, a matter of some debate.

    As compelling as some find the above arguments in theory, there
    seem to be serious problems with algal scrubbing in practice.
    Many attempts by public aquaria at implementing reef tanks using
    only algal scrubbing have been failures.  In particular, it seems
    difficult to find successful long term success with Scleractinia
    (stony corals) in such tanks, and those success stories which can
    be found are quite difficult to verify and often contradicted by
    others.

    Various public and private aquaria have used algae scrubber
    filters on their reef aquaria, with disastrous results. The
    microcosm at the Smithsonain Institution has yet to keep
    scleractinia alive for more than a year. While Dr. Adey has stated
    how well corals grow in this system, those viewing the system have
    failed to find these corals. In an interview with Jill Johnson,
    one of the techs responsible for the Smithsonian tank, she stated
    to Frank M. Greco that frequent collecting trips were needed to
    keep the system stocked with live scleractinia.

    The Pittsburgh AquaZoo also has a "reef" tank based on Dr. Adey's
    algal scrubbers.  This tank is nothing more than a pile of rocks
    covered with filimentous green algae, and the water is QUITE
    yellow (as is the Smithsonian tank) from the presence of dissolved
    organics (ORP readings have been around 165). As with the
    Smithsonian tank, scleractinia do not survive longer than a few
    months. The same applies to soft corals as well. When I (Frank M.
    Greco) saw this tank on May 3, 1993, there were NO living corals
    to be found even though a collecting trip to Belize was made
    several months earlier and 81 pieces of living scleractinia were
    brought back.  There were, however, two piles of dead Atlantic
    scleractinia: one right behind the tank and the other in the
    greenhouse housing the algal scrubbers.

    The Carnegie Science Museum (Pittsburgh, PA) also uses an algal
    scrubber system, but with significant modifications.  This tank
    looks the best of the three.  There are several species of hardy
    Scleractinia and soft corals that are doing quite well.  The water
    is clear (a bit cloudy). The major differences between this system
    and the other two is the use of carbon, a small, barely
    functioning algal scrubber, about 1000 lbs. of excellent quality
    live rock (Florida), water changes, and the addition of Sr and Ca.

    The last system I know of that uses an algal scrubber is the Great
    Barrier Reef Microcosm in Townsville, Australia. As of this
    writing, the system is not maintaining live Scleractinia, and
    frequent collecting trips are needed in order to replenish the
    exhibit. It should also be noted here that while Dr. Adey has
    claimed in his book Dynamic Aquaria that corals have spawned in
    this system, what he doesn't mention is that the corals which
    spawned were collected only months before the known spawning
    season. From these few examples, it should be clear that algal
    scrubbers are NOT to be used in systems containing live
    scleractinia.

    Possible reasons why algal scrubbers seem to fall short center
    around the observation that it seems difficult to control hair
    algae growth in scrubbed aquaria.  Hobbyists have for many years
    seen their stony corals slowly pushed back off of their skeleton
    and killed by encroaching algaes, and much effort in the hobby has
    been devoted to controlling this growth. Only with strict control
    of algaes does coral survival seem possible.  Most or all reefs
    with algal scrubbers seem to have heavy algal growth in the tank
    as well, which the experience of the hobby suggests is
    incompatible with stony coral survival.

    The main method used by hobbyists to restrict algal growth is to
    reduce nutrient availability; in fact, the claim that other
    methods cannot reach the same low levels of DIN achieved by algal
    scrubbing is probably not true.  Advanced hobbyists are beginning
    to use better tests, such as HACH's low level nitrate test, and
    are finding that they can achieve nitrate levels below 0.02 ppm.
    Berlin methods seem particularly able to reach these levels, which
    are comparable to that on natural coral reefs.

    If low nutrient levels can be achieved by both methods, then why
    is algal growth a much greater problem with scrubber methods?  The
    answer is not known, but there are two factors which probably
    contribute.

    First, the discussion so far has mentioned only inorganic
    nitrogen. Algaes seem to release much of the inorganic nitrogen
    which they take up in the form of dissolved organic compounds
    (DON), which can also be later utilized by algaes.  The very low
    levels of DIN measured in scrubbed tanks may mask the very high
    levels of DON which persist, providing nutrients for strong algal
    growth.  This is borne out by many reports that the water in
    scrubbed tanks often has a pronounced yellow cast, characteristic
    of dissolved organic compounds.  Since the water over natural
    reefs is very low in DON, high levels may be directly harmful to
    many corals, in addition to promoting uncontrolled algal growth.

    Another possible effect of algal scrubbing is more subtle.  Algal
    growth is never completely halted in any marine tank, merely
    reduced to the point where macro- and micrograzers can keep them
    in close check.  The net rate of new growth depends not only on
    the availability of nutrients, but also on the amount of existing
    algal growth releasing free-floating cells into the water to
    colonize new sites.  Even if the rate of growth of individual
    algal colonies is equal, a scrubbed tank has a growth of algae in
    the scrubber much larger than a reef tank with little algal growth
    anywhere in the system.  This possibility suggests that the
    presence of the scrubber itself and not merely high levels of DON
    is an obstacle to the successful long-term maintenance of stony
    corals.

    The weight of evidence at this point seems to be against the use
    of algal scrubbing in reef tanks, and the method should be
    considered to be highly experimental.  Beginners particularly are
    advised to avoid this technique until they have considerably more
    experience with reefkeeping. The advanced aquarist may well wish
    to experiment with this interesting and controversial method, but
    it would be unwise to risk the lives of an entire reef tank full
    of coral.  Such experiments should progress slowly, beginning with
    the most hardy of inhabitants.  Many of the objections center on
    stony coral survival, and it is possible that scrubbed tanks with
    fish and hardy invertebrates may do quite well.

2.10 Live Sand

    Of relatively recent interest in the hobby is the use of "live sand".
    Live sand consist of small grain (0.5mm-1.0mm) coral sand that is
    populated with crustations and bacteria.  It is normally used at a
    rate of 10lbs per square foot of bottom area - which yields about a
    1" deep covering.  Variations from 1/8" to 3"s of covering have been
    reported.

    If you decide to have a live sand substrate bottom, you should
    include several creatures that will turn-over, or otherwise, move
    the sand around.  Recommendations include: Sea Cucumbers, Brittle
    Starfish, Serpant Starfish, Golden Headed Sleeper Gobies, Yellow
    Jawfish, Watchman Gobies, and other detrivoirs.  A mix of the above
    is recommended, since each creature moves the sand around differently.

    Live sand has a reputation of eliminating the final traces of nitrates
    in otherwise well run tanks.  It also provides an environment for
    additional bio-diversity in the tank.  Additionally, some feel that
    the chemical balance and stability of a tank's water is improved when
    live sand is present.

*   Note that live sand usage should still be considered experimental.
*   Usage is dependant upon have the sand sifted and otherwise moved
*   around to prevent detritus from accumulating.  Many people have reported
*   problems keeping their turn-over creatures alive for long periods
*   of time.  Some have not seen the reported nitrate reductions.  Keep
*   in mind that many reef tanks have operated for years without a substrate
*   and have no detectable nitrate concentrations.

3.0    Lights

*3.1    General Discussion

    A rough "rule of thumb" is 4 Watts/gallon with successful tanks
    using from 1.5 - 6 Watts/gallon.

    1) Fluorescent fine (some prefer) for shallow (<20") tanks.  Use
    mix of bulbs (50-50, 03s, etc.)

    2) Metal Halide (MH) required for deeper tanks.

    3) Mercury Vapor, Halogen, HPS, etc. - avoid, wrong spectral
    output.

*3.2    Detail Discussion

    For most aquarium lighting applications, the bottom line is
    getting the needed intensity and spectrum of light at the lowest
    cost while remaining within aesthetic limits.

    A lighting analysis is now presented.  Everyone has their own sets
    of numbers they would plug in here, for now lets assume the
    following for comparison.  Many will debate specifics found below.
    Feel free to substitute your own numbers, but the methodology is
    sound.

    Bulb cost and performance:

    NO lumens per lamp    = 2600 (Phillips F40D daylight, initial)
    NO watts per lamp    = 40 (ditto)
    NO cost per lamp    = ~$20 (from memory, DLS actinic day)

    VHO lumens per lamp    = 5940 (Phillips F48T12/D/VHO daylight, initial
)
    VHO watts per lamp    = 110 (ditto)
    VHO cost per lamp    = ~$30 (ditto)

    MH lumens per lamp    = 36000 (Philips MH400/U, initial)
    MH watts per lamp    = 400 (ditto)
    MH cost per lamp    = ~$70 (from memory, Venture 5200K)

    operate lamps 12 hours/day
    replace lamps once per year
    electricity cost    = $.09 / KWH (your mileage may vary)

    Annual cost per lumen:

    cost = ( cost-per-lamp / lumens-per-lamp )
         + ( watts-per-lamp / lumens-per-lamp ) * 12 * 365 * .09 / 1000

    NO cost  = .0077 + .0061 = .0138 dollars per year per lumen
    VHO cost = .0051 + .0073 = .0124 dollars per year per lumen
    MH cost  = .0019 + .0044 = .0063 dollars per year per lumen

    Basically, in fluorescents, the VHO lamps give a higher operating
    cost but a lower replacement cost for the same total amount of
    light.  But it's close, and you should plug in your own numbers to
    see what's best for you.  If you replace lamps more frequently
    then VHO is better, if you pay more for power, NO is better.

    There is a greater variety of lamps available for NO than VHO.
    OTOH, it seems that NO lamps can be operated at VHO power levels,
    with a somewhat shortened lifetime (the higher replacement
    frequency is offset by lower lamp cost), so this may not be an
    issue.

    The initial installation cost (basically the ballast cost) is
    higher for VHO, even in terms of per-lumen, but this is a pretty
    small part of the total cost of the lighting system over the
    years.

    NO requires more lamps for a given total light intensity, so you
    may not be able to fit enough NO bulbs in your hood if you need a
    lot of light.

    MH seems to be a winner in both replacement and operating costs,
    but there are a couple of caveats.  The math ignores the effect of
    the ballasts on power consumption, whereas I've measured
    fluorescent power consumption as less than the lamp wattage (even
    on conventional transformer ballasts) and MH power consumption as
    slightly higher than the lamp wattage.  The other caveat is just
    the EXTREMELY limited choice of spectrums for MH, which is why few
    people use MH without any fluorescent.

    MH vs fluorescent also gets into the aesthetic and biological
    considerations.  Water surface ripples causing light ripples in
    the aquarium and room are pronounced with MH lighting.  Many
    people appreciate this effect.  Some (e.g. Julian Sprung) feel the
    variation in light intensity is actually important for some
    photosynthetic organisms.

    Many people are under the impression MH runs hot, whereas
    fluorescent doesn't.  In reality, the efficiencies are similar,
    with MH producing slightly LESS heat than the equivalent
    fluorescent.  The difference is MH dumps all the heat in a small
    space so the local temperature rise is greater.  But if you want
    to try to get rid of the heat it's actually easier to do it if the
    heat is concentrated in one spot, since its easier to get rid of a
    small amount of very hot air than a very large amount of warm air.

    A separate issue, so far only applicable to fluorescent, is the
    selection of a conventional ballast vs an electronic one. There is
    no doubt the electronic ones are more expensive to purchase, but
    the savings in electricity offset the high initial cost in a year
    or so.  Also, if heat production is an issue, the electronic
    ballasts are to be favored.  The Icecap VHO electronic ballast is
    widely advertised, however its advertised claims are also
    frequently questioned.  Advance makes a series of NO electronic
    ballasts.

    There are yet two more issues, for which there are a lot of
    questions and too few answers.  Specifically, the short term
    flicker in light intensity, and radiated electromagnetic fields.

    Fluorescent lamps on conventional ballasts flicker at 120 Hz,
    which is above the human visual response, so we don't see it
    (actually, the flicker is both in intensity and spectrum).  But
    that doesn't mean other creatures can't see it, or whether they
    benefit or are disadvantaged by it.  Electronic ballasts cause
    flicker at ~30 KHz; it is seriously doubtful that any creature can
    detect this, so it would appear constant.

    The flicker doesn't have to be visible to have an effect: it
    causes any movement to appear strobed, and this may affect the
    feeding efficiency of visual hunters.

    The fields issue is even more obscure.  At least many
    cartilaginous fish (sharks, rays, etc) are known to be extremely
    sensitive to electric fields, and many crustaceans are sensitive
    to magnetic fields (crabs with pieces of magnetite in internal
    sensory organs).  Fluorescent lamps, with the large area they
    cover, tend to radiate (using the term pretty loosely) fairly
    strongly, but MH, and the wiring, and the ballasts can radiate
    too.  It's unknown on how significant this could be in an aquarium
    (but its known sharks preferentially attack undersea cables
    because of the fields, so there is at least indirect evidence its
    an issue worth some thought).

    BTW, a grounding device reduces the level of induced voltages in
    the tank, but this is achieved at the expense of increased induced
    current, so its effect (if any) may depend on the species.  Also,
    note if you have a titanium coil chiller on the tank, it is probably
    already grounded through the chiller, and an additional ground may in
    fact increase the electric current.  This should not be an issue
    with epoxy or ceramic coated chiller coils.

*3.3    Lighting Data (whole section new, and copyrighted!)

==========================================================================
FILE|WATTS|MANUFACTURER|DESCRIPTION      |HOURS      |TYPE      |
T1   400   IWASAKI      6500K                          M/H
T2    20   LIGHTSOURCE  UVB                            FL
T3    20   LIGHTSOURCE  UVB WITH FILTER                FL
T4   400   VENTURE      4000K                          M/H
T5   400   VENTURE      4000K WITH FILTER              M/H
T6   400   SYLVANIA     4000K             2400 HOURS   M/H
T7    60   CHROMALUX                                   TUNGSTEN
T8    40   CORALIFE     50/50                          FL
T9    40   ACTINIC SUN                                 FL
T10   40   PHILLIPS     ACTINIC 03        3650 HOURS   FL
T11   40   PHILLIPS     ACTINIC 03                     FL
T12   40   RAINBOW      PRIMETINIC                     FL
T13   40   RAINBOW      FLORA_GLOW                     FL
T14   40   RAINBOW      BIO_LUME                       FL
T15   40   TRITON                         3650 HOURS   FL
T16   40   DURALIFE     POWER TWIST                    FL
T17   40   HAMILTON     SUPER ACTINIC     3650 HOURS   FL
T18   40   PKILLIPS     ULTRALUME         3650 HOURS   FL
T19   40   PERFECTO     PERFECTALIGHT                  FL
T20   40   SYLVANIA     350EL BLACKLIGHT  3650 HOURS   FL
T21   40   SYLVANIA     350EL BLACKLIGHT               FL

nm    T1    T2    T3    T4    T5    T6    T7    T8    T9
280        0    0
290        0.00369    0
300        0.01136    0
310        0.0173    0
320        0.01326    0
330        0.00725    0
340        0.00366    0
350    0.00928    0.00126    0    0.00173    0    0.01344    0.00156    0    0
360    0.01185    0.00155    0    0.03944    0    0.07642    0.00071    0.00012    0.00011
370    0.02    0.00199    0    0.03428    0    0.07363    0.00166    0.00115    0.00104
380    0.03036    0.0007    0    0.0043    0    0.03063    0.00361    0.00086    0.00075
390    0.0446    0.00084    0    0.01287    0    0.05199    0.00574    0.00422    0.00329
400    0.07903    0.00544    0.0014    0.07214    0.01949    0.14805    0.01098    0.02255    0.01686
410    0.08931    0.0058    0.00188    0.06103    0.02356    0.1331    0.01644    0.05968    0.04407
420    0.16201    0.00126    0.00076    0.01713    0.01747    0.06811    0.02291    0.08731    0.06047
430    0.09997    0.01352    0.01175    0.13073    0.13383    0.2202    0.02654    0.09023    0.06469
440    0.08765    0.02331    0.02023    0.1601    0.1598    0.2264    0.03179    0.0736    0.05465
450    0.07976    0.00053    0.00041    0.01077    0.01184    0.04449    0.03795    0.02631    0.02099
460    0.12665    0.00078    0.00072    0.00687    0.00716    0.03796    0.04864    0.01588    0.01347
470    0.15064    0.00074    0.00069    0.01622    0.02078    0.07935    0.06293    0.01061    0.00931
480    0.16282    0.00071    0.00066    0.01501    0.01751    0.07474    0.08342    0.01361    0.0122
490    0.262    0.00081    0.00075    0.01746    0.01798    0.07031    0.10565    0.02889    0.02518
500    0.1875    0.00074    0.00069    0.01715    0.01926    0.07363    0.11878    0.01326    0.01125
510    0.1742            0.03241    0.03973    0.12924    0.11684    0.00561    0.00456
520    0.1746            0.01067    0.01085    0.06063    0.11877    0.00424    0.00337
530    0.1903            0.01495    0.01622    0.06525    0.11566    0.00658    0.00568
540    0.2163            0.2472    0.2453    0.3389    0.17133    0.0945    0.08678
550    0.2249            0.3589    0.3569    0.4931    0.2222    0.10093    0.08811
560    0.1535            0.01939    0.02075    0.07519    0.2276    0.00777    0.00829
570    0.1721            0.15115    0.15653    0.2859    0.11034    0.00485    0.00444
580    0.2015            0.4783    0.47    0.6035    0.04333    0.02203    0.0205
590    0.11089            0.1499    0.10326    0.4279    0.04889    0.02291    0.02103
600    0.13418            0.015    0.01253    0.07882    0.15686    0.01332    0.01218
610    0.12794            0.01226    0.01103    0.0517    0.2926    0.07374    0.06906
620    0.14258            0.02842    0.0302    0.10766    0.3906    0.04382    0.03969
630    0.13358            0.03349    0.03673    0.10084    0.4227    0.02397    0.02217
640    0.11311            0.014    0.01398    0.05127    0.4511    0.00603    0.00571
650    0.09402            0.01115    0.01077    0.04064    0.4742    0.00692    0.00652
660    0.10513            0.01143    0.01088    0.04971    0.4899    0.00584    0.00544
670    0.085            0.01551    0.01315    0.08427    0.4922    0.00403    0.00386
680    0.08657            0.01111    0.01079    0.03203    0.4808    0.0037    0.00358
690    0.09202            0.01929    0.01898    0.03834    0.4944    0.00411    0.00377
700    0.08359            0.00975    0.01033    0.03056    0.5355    0.00286    0.00277
710    0.04801            0.01305    0.01273    0.02949    0.5522    0.00911    0.00917
720    0.05045            0.01045    0.01025    0.03059    0.5485    0.00149    0.0014
730    0.04745            0.00957    0.00941    0.0182    0.4476    0.00042    0.0004
740    0.04609            0.00985    0.00964    0.02177    0.2395    0.00041    0.00039
750    0.04023            0.00983    0.00959    0.01954    0.2498    0.00037    0.00035

nm    T10    T11    T12    T13    T14    T15    T16    T17    T18
350    0    0    0.0001    0    0    0    0    0    0.00011
360    0    0    0.00167    0    0    0    0.00144    0    0.00147
370    0    0.00016    0.00087    0.00119    0.00126    0.00145    0.00196    0    0.00133
380    0.00011    0.0007    0.00063    0.00027    0.00017    0.00023    0.00145    0.00011    0.0007
390    0.00403    0.00563    0.00399    0.00033    0.00012    0.00018    0.0021    0.00155    0.00066
400    0.01468    0.0379    0.02569    0.00377    0.00299    0.0037    0.00745    0.02094    0.00546
410    0.04403    0.12285    0.07521    0.00446    0.00432    0.00611    0.00952    0.08984    0.0083
420    0.06681    0.1955    0.12078    0.00138    0.00651    0.00983    0.0078    0.15751    0.00904
430    0.06231    0.1714    0.13584    0.01281    0.03371    0.03597    0.02406    0.14212    0.03191
440    0.04237    0.10573    0.1221    0.0229    0.0599    0.05814    0.03307    0.08825    0.04797
450    0.01287    0.03535    0.05784    0.00225    0.04818    0.04703    0.0128    0.03013    0.02376
460    0.00567    0.01538    0.03935    0.00271    0.04462    0.05381    0.01496    0.01326    0.02429
470    0.00268    0.00698    0.02608    0.00332    0.03433    0.0541    0.01834    0.0061    0.02294
480    0.00125    0.00319    0.02679    0.00396    0.02981    0.05097    0.02108    0.00287    0.03173
490    0.00082    0.00195    0.05095    0.00486    0.03909    0.04972    0.02354    0.00178    0.05773
500    0.00062    0.00051    0.02319    0.00537    0.02092    0.03006    0.02579    0.00056    0.02643
510    0.00037    0.00073    0.00728    0.00672    0.01013    0.01802    0.02974    0.00079    0.01024
520    0.0003    0.00056    0.00496    0.00985    0.00732    0.01111    0.03445    0.00064    0.0078
530    0.00027    0.00049    0.00645    0.016    0.00668    0.01075    0.03592    0.00056    0.013
540    0.00623    0.01053    0.13192    0.03586    0.07958    0.0697    0.04315    0.00846    0.1921
550    0.01079    0.0185    0.1251    0.05488    0.07655    0.06983    0.04723    0.01463    0.1743
560    0.00028    0.00038    0.01025    0.04627    0.00731    0.0088    0.02902    0.00035    0.02394
570    0.00061    0.00085    0.00549    0.05201    0.00444    0.00586    0.02876    0.00069    0.01534
580    0.00314    0.00569    0.03686    0.0556    0.02172    0.0227    0.032    0.00446    0.04439
590    0.00039    0.00047    0.03892    0.04418    0.01716    0.02913    0.02544    0.00044    0.04907
600    0.00013    0.00051    0.01518    0.04409    0.00375    0.02508    0.0284    0.00036    0.03261
610    0.00126    0.00136    0.09569    0.04722    0.01159    0.16014    0.03433    0.00087    0.14292
620    0.0009    0.0015    0.06356    0.05247    0.04658    0.07106    0.03533    0.0013    0.08503
630    0.00057    0.00087    0.0269    0.06004    0.06313    0.03852    0.03461    0.00084    0.04806
640    0.0003    0.0006    0.00674    0.05213    0.05384    0.0087    0.03259    0.00043    0.01323
650    0.00025    0.00047    0.00797    0.07652    0.1192    0.01039    0.0305    0.00036    0.01485
660    0.00026    0.00049    0.00564    0.10016    0.1775    0.00799    0.02782    0.00039    0.01222
670    0.00023    0.00043    0.00554    0.04559    0.06493    0.00461    0.02474    0.00035    0.00851
680    0.0002    0.00039    0.00499    0.02232    0.01908    0.00396    0.02155    0.00031    0.00761
690    0.00032    0.00056    0.00425    0.01701    0.00976    0.00639    0.01861    0.00047    0.00787
700    0.00022    0.00041    0.00348    0.01193    0.00434    0.00551    0.01536    0.00032    0.00583
710    0.00041    0.00077    0.01145    0.00964    0.00302    0.01905    0.01322    0.0006    0.01719
720    0.00022    0.00049    0.00167    0.00712    0.0013    0.00286    0.01038    0.00034    0.00305
730    0    0.00013    0.00044    0.00546    0.00072    0.00068    0.00827    0    0.00054
740    0    0.00012    0.00045    0.0044    0.00059    0.00075    0.00685    0    0.00098
750    0    0.00013    0.0004    0.00352    0.00045    0.00071    0.00559    0    0.00093

nm    T19    T20    T21
300            0
310            0.01441
320            0.00473
330            0.01484
340            0.03041
350    0    0.01513    0.02693
360    0.0001    0.01831    0.03403
370    0.00144    0.01491    0.02582
380    0.00097    0.00948    0.01617
390    0.00474    0.0052    0.00903
400    0.00806    0.00633    0.00942
410    0.01157    0.00532    0.00778
420    0.01243    0.00154    0.00258
430    0.02928    0.01093    0.01555
440    0.0403    0.01854    0.02698
450    0.0223    0.00053    0.00163
460    0.0258    0.00069    0.00137
470    0.02929    0.00061    0.00124
480    0.03084    0.00057    0.00072
490    0.03039    0.00076    0.00119
500    0.02779    0.00063    0.00101
510    0.02431    0.00037    0.0007
520    0.02064    0.00029    0.00056
530    0.01756    0.00028    0.00048
540    0.02217    0.00924    0.00974
550    0.02535    0.01594    0.01769
560    0.00816    0.00029    0.00033
570    0.00725    0.00062    0.00081
580    0.0119    0.00497    0.00639
590    0.00888    0.00044    0.00042
600    0.00953    0.00035    0.00037
610    0.05257    0.00111    0.00114
620    0.03046    0.00129    0.00145
630    0.03244    0.00082    0.00089
640    0.02281    0.00047    0.00047
650    0.04607    0.00035    0.00037
660    0.06831    0.00039    0.00038
670    0.02469    0.00033    0.00034
680    0.00813    0.0003    0.0003
690    0.00567    0.00046    0.00047
700    0.00362    0.00031    0.00032
710    0.0071    0.00062
720    0.00146    0.00033
730    0.00059    0
740    0.00052    0
750    0.00045    0

ALL DATA CONTAINED WITHIN IS COPTRIGHT 1994 BY FRANK M. GRECO
([e-mail]) AND BRUCE ROBERTS ([e-mail]) AND TO BE USED
ONLY WITH PERMISSION OF ONE OR BOTH OF THESE PEOPLE.
=========================================================================

4.0    Cost Estimates

    Here is a rough estimate of what setting up a reef tank may cost.
    Two cases are included: a 20g micro-reef and a 70g mini-reef.  The
    estimates show the min and max for most of the common pieces of
    equipment.  The estimates assume a standard type of filtration
    that is popular today.  If a different setup is used, the price
    could be more or less.  The equipment includes a tank with some
    sort of siphon/drain to a sump and then a return pump back to the
    tank.  A protein skimmer is installed in the sump.  This setup is
    similar to a typical wet/dry trickle filter except there is no
    trickle section with media.  This allows the use of simpler, less
    expensive sump although a commercial W/D without media could be
    used. A trickle media could be utilized at greater cost although
    many reefkeepers think it is unnecessary.  Keep in mind that
    prices sometimes vary geographically.  Also, availability may
    vary.  For example, reasonable Florida live rock may soon no
    longer be available (at least not for $2-4/lb).

    The estimates include the cost of the initial set-up.  There is
    also a section on ongoing costs.  The ongoing cost will vary
    greatly, especially considering that you will stock your tank
    gradually.  Keep in mind that you always end up spending more than
    you think you will. If you set up a reef, you will end up stopping
    at the hardware store and/or aquarium store for timers, extensions
    cords, GFIs (a must!), buckets, hoses, and books, don't for forget
    books.  You should read a few books on reefkeeping before even
    planning your setup.  An extra hundred bucks or three _is_ going
    to leak out of your wallet whether you plan on it or not.

    Another factor is that more advanced equipment may translate into
    less or easier maintenance.  You should keep in mind that if you
    go with inferior equipment, maintaining the tank will be more
    work.  More expense will mean more automated equipment and less
    work.  Also, some varieties of inverts require more exacting
    condition, more light, etc.  Plan your purchases so that the stock
    you buy has a chance of surviving with the equipment you are
    using.  If you have a bare minimum system, stick hardy items like
    soft-corals, polyps, mushrooms, etc.

    The minimum included is close to rock-bottom as far as an
    acceptable systems goes.  It assumes that you are DIYing much of
    the equipment as cheaply as possible.  The maximum in the estimate
    is in some areas a little extravagant but not unreasonable. A good
    system that is not extravagant could be put together for somewhere
    in between the two extremes.  Perhaps, for 1.25 to 2 times the
    minimum, you would have a very nice system.  Some areas are easier
    to cut-corners on than others and some of the initial cost may be
    incremental, like buying test kits as needed.  Also, you may have
    some of the equipment already from previous set-ups or be buying
    it used. Seek out the advice of an experienced reefkeeper when
    planning and pricing your system.

-------------------------------Micro-Reef(20g)-------------------------------
Tank        $  20/ 140    Glass/
                Acrylic.
Stand               0/ 250    Sturdy piece of furniture/
                                Fancy acrylic stand.
Lights            100/ 300      DIY 60W fluorescent/
                70W or 150W MH hood or pendant.
Main Pump          20/  60      Large powerhead/
                Hobby pump.
Sump           10/ 120      A plastic storage container from the
                hardware store / A small commercial W/D
                without media.  (A nice DIY acrylic
                sump can be built for about $40.)
Skimmer            60/ 220      DIY skimmer, power head, air pump/
                Small commercial venturi unit with
                integral pump.
Plumbing           30/ 100      DIY overflow and misc pipes, etc/
                Drilled tank or commercial overflow box
                plus misc pipes, etc.
Live-Rock      140/ 400    35lb case of Fla rock plus shipping/
                30lbs of Pacific rock plus shipping.
Water Treatment      100/ 600      DIY mixed-bed DI with carbon prefilter/
                TFC RO unit with DI postfilter and
                automated top-off.
Test Kits          100/ 500      A SW combo kit plus and Alk and Ca test/
                Most of the Lamotte and/or Hach kits
                         you think you might need.
Salt           10/  20      One 50g bag, price varies.
Accessories       20/ 200      There are a variety of gadgets you could
                get.  You might want to start with a
                net or two and maybe a pair of tongs.
         ---- ----
Setup Total    $ 610 2910

--------------------------------Mini-Reef(70g)-------------------------------

Tank        $ 140/ 350     Glass/
                Acrylic.
Stand          100/ 500      Cheap wood or iron stand/
p                Fancy acrylic stand.
Lights          200/ 600      DIY 160W fluorescent/
                2x150-175 MH hood (possibly with Actinics).
Main Pump          80/ 140      400-600gph, price varies with brand.
Sump           10/ 200      A plastic storage container from the
                hardware store / a commercial W/D
                without media.  A nice DIY acrylic
                sump can be built for about $50.
Skimmer           80/ 450      A DIY skimmer,powerhead,air pump/
                A large commercial venturi unit
                with a large pump driving it.
Plumbing           50/ 150      DIY overflow and misc pipes, etc/
                Drilled tank or commercial overflow box
                plus misc pipes, etc.
Live-Rock          460/1200      140lbs Fla rock plus shipping/
                 110lbs Pacific rock plus shipping.
Water Treatment      100/ 600      DIY mixed-bed DI with carbon prefilter/
                TFC RO unit with mixed-bed DI
                postfilter and automated top-off.
Test Kits          100/ 500      A SW combo kit plus and Alk and Ca test/
                Most of the Lamotte and/or Hach kits
                         you think you might need.
Salt           20/  40      Two 50g bags, price varies.
Accessories       40/ 500      There are a variety of gadgets you could
                get.  You might want to start with a
                net or two and maybe a pair of tongs.
                You could get wave-makers, circulation
                pumps and lots of other do-dads.
Chiller            0/ 600      Don't use a chiller, live somewhere cool,
                keep the tank in the basement, or an
                adequately air-conditioned room/
                A commercial chiller.
         ---- ----
Setup-Total     1380 5830

--------------------------------Ongoing Costs---------------------------------

Additives- Most reefkeepers believe that some additives are necessary.
    At minimum, a buffer compound is needed to maintain the alkalinity.
    Also, some Calcium supplement such as Kalkwasser or Cacl2 should
    be used.  A few trace additives like Strontium and Iodine/Iodide
    should also be added.  The initial supply of these products will
    be around $50.  The ongoing rate will vary depending on the size
    of the tank.

Water Purifier- If you go with a DI system, you will have to replace
    and/or recharge resin.  An RO system will require periodic
    replacement of the membrane.  In the long run, maintenance
    of the RO is likely cheaper.

Test Kits Reagents- You will need replace reagents for the tests kits.
    Also, the minimum given above is may not be adequate.  The
    typical SW combo kits are not of low enough range for reef work.
    They will only be of use during the first few weeks of
    cycling/curing.  That estimate assume that you will acquire
    the better tests over time or have access to someone else's
    expensive tests should you need to diagnose a problem.

Electricity- You will need it to run the pumps and lights.  It won't be
    insignificant.  Electric costs vary.  Check the KW cost
    on your electric bill.  Add up wattage of all the equipment you
    are using, pumps 24hrs/day, lights 12hrs/day.  Calculate what
    the electricity will cost.  Don't forget cooling, in many areas,
    you will need either a chiller or will have to air-condition the
    room where the reef is kept.  The lights will generate heat.  At
    minimum, your AC bill will also go up accordingly.  Electricity
    mini-reef system could easily be a couple hundred bucks a year.

Water-    In some areas, water is expensive.  RO units waste several times
    what they produce in water.  This could    add a little more expense.

Salt-   You may want to do water changes in which case you will
*    eventually need more salt.   Salt mixes run $10-$25 per 50 gallon
*    mix.

Lights- Fluorescent tubes and MH bulbs wear out.  Fluorescent tubes
    are usually okay for nine months to a year before spectrum
    shifts and/output reduced significantly.  Some tubes, like
    actinics, may need replacement as frequently as every six
    months.  Replacement MH bulbs is recommended about every one to
    two years (depending upon spectral shift and output degradation).
    Add up the cost of your tubes and figure in the
    replacement cost based on the estimated lifetime.

Stocking- This can really vary.  You probably shouldn't have more
    than a couple fish in the micro-reef and not more than
    a handful in the mini-reef.  The typical fish suitable
    for a reef will be from $10(small goby or blenny) to
    $30(small angel or tang).  You could spend $300 on one purple
    tang though.  Pieces of coral, decorative rocks, giant
    clams and other sessile inverts start at around $20 a piece
    and go to many hundreds a piece.  Snails range from about
    $1/each to about $8/each and are recommended for controlling
    algae.  Other motive inverts likes shrimp range from about
    $10 to $30.

    You probably should start with the snails as soon as the
    live rock is in the tank.  You don't have to have any fish
    if you don't want any.  You don't have to have inverts either
    although that is probably why you set up a reef tank. Just
    quality live-rock is very of nice to look at but sooner    or
    later you will likely want something else in your tank.  The
    invert stocking will be very incremental and should be.
    It is not heathly to add a lot of stock at once.  You can
    spread you stocking over up to several years.  You could spend
    anywhere from say $100 to $750 on the micro-reef and $200 to
    $10,000 on the mini-reef.

=================== End of ReefKeepers FAQ Part 1 of 3 =======================
--
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