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Monday, August 12, 2013

Recreate Nature With A Reef Aquarium!

Let us clarify that the end effect is extremely attractive but achieving this may be a Herculean task! Still many try to delve into the reef aquarium design and successfully bring the "down under" continent's remarkable features to their homes be it anywhere in the rest of the four continents!

How does one create a Reef Aquarium

There are five basic features of this type of aquarium. The tank itself, filtration unit, lighting system, temperature control and the water flow mechanism. The widely popular term of "reef ready aquariums" creates formidable but achievable challenges to the fish lover. Nothing can be more imaginative and creative than bringing the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef to your living room! Let us therefore begin our re-creation adventure.

Reef Aquarium Tank:

The reef tank is unique in this case and quite different from conventional home hobby aquariums. The major difference lies in the water system and in these types of aquariums the water is constantly flowing as it does in the nature it is trying to emulate. A closed circuit is established in an ingenious manner to keep the water flowing and pure at a constant temperature and salinity. Briefly, the assembly is easily visualized. Reputed companies supply reef aquarium tanks that do the job perfectly well and it is recommended to buy complete units owing to the complexity of the assembly.

Filtration Unit

A unique filter system is implemented in reef aquarium in as much as "live" rock is used for cleaning of the flowing water. In aquaculture rocks use is made of protein skimmers. The system operates on the biological filter principle and here again closely resembles the natural occurrence in the Coral Sea.

Lighting system

Lighting assembly for reef aquarium is rather complex since it is based on the photosynthesis principle wherein the coral synthesizes chemicals that are necessary for its food production and survival. New systems based on LED lights are now available that combine the best needs of the live rocks and other supplies required in these aquariums. This is a vast topic and the experts at your reef aquarium shop can best be consulted for the most suitable system for you.

Temperature Control

This is another important aspect where a lot of research and development has been done. The main purpose here is to maintain a overall temperature between 78 and 83 degree F or 26 to 28 degree C. Depending on the ambient temperatures encountered at different locations one may have to install chillers or heaters as the case may be. In temperate zones conventional fans or air conditioning may suffice.

Water flow mechanism

As mentioned earlier this is one of the most important features of maintaining a reef aquarium in your home. Coral require assistance in removing waste and cleaning up the aquarium water and therefore one has to install a flow mechanism that provides good clean healthy water to the coral's growth. A rough estimate states that the flow of water must be around ten times the tank's capacity. Different types of corals require different flow rates and one must consult the reef aquarium expert as to what is best for the system in use. A siphoning and return channel system is used to keep the water flowing inside the fish tank and it is imperative to understand the basic theory of coral and other invertebrate's growth and sustenance in order to successfully breed coral reef organisms.

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