A reef aquarium is generally seen as the 'final' step on a aquarium hobbyist's journey, given its complexity, compared to a freshwater setup. A reef is a delicate balance of living organisms, each feeling a niche that is necessary for the survival of the reef. From the corals that make up the bulk of the reef, whose skeleton are the building blocks of the reef itself, to the dinoflagellates living those corals, providing valuable sustenance. There are carnivores and herbivores, keeping other populations of organisms in check. There are detrivores, cycling through dead matter. There are bio-eroders, boring over and through the reef rocks, releasing valuable compounds into the water column.
A coral reef plays host to countless numbers of species of micro- and macro-organisms. How many can you spot here? Photo from The Telegraph.
The reef is also said to be the place with the most amount of mutualistic and commensalistic relationships, far surpassing forests and the likes. From anemonefish and their host anemones, to sponges and all the various shrimps and critters living inside them, to of course the aforementioned corals and zooxanthellae. There are cleaner fish that can safely swim into the mouth of ferocious sharks. There are algae that lives inside slugs, converting sunlight into energy for the molluscs. There are hermit crabs that attach anemones to their shells for protection.
Peek-a-boo! Were you expecting me inside this sponge? Picture by Ben Horton, from AllPosters.com.
And there are giant whales 30 meters long, yet probably can't eat you even if they tried to. There are sharks as peaceful as these whales, and whales that are meaner than sharks. There are jellyfish that reverts to their younger self to avoid death by old age, and lobsters are known to not 'age'. Tunicates start out with a nervous system, but decide to forgo all intelligence as adults. Portuguese Man-o-Wars are not one, but multiple organisms, each specializing in something different. Green turtles can swim beyond 50 kilometers an hour, as fast as your car in normal traffic.
There are fish that looks like stones, rocks, corals, algae, kelp, detritus, and everything in between. There are prey that mimick predators, and predators that mimick prey.
And that's just a very small number of examples of the diversity of life in the sea.
This is a sponge. Yes. Seriously. It is a sponge. Oh also it is carnivorous. Chondrocladia lyra. Credit: MBARI.
With all that, it is no wonder that we are so interested in setting up reef systems. Who wouldn't want to see all these amazing organisms and their interactions first hand, in their own home?
However, interest is one thing, and understanding is another. Precisely because of the complexities of a reef that we want to mimick, it is necessary to take a step back and realize the full scope of what we want to attempt.
This article is no where near comprehensive enough to cover all topics required, but is a good starting point to step back, think and consider (or reconsider) a reef aquarium and what it represents and requires.
A Reef Aquarium
A reef aquarium is by definition, an aquarium that replicates the compositions of that of a reef. However, it is unfortunate that we tend to direct our attention to corals (and fish), and leave it at that.
This, from the start, will cause problems. By focusing too much on just a few types of organisms, we forget that everything else is a natural part of a reef too. From shrimps to crabs to starfish to sea urchins to bristleworms to snails to clams to nudibranchs to sponges to hydroids to algae to tunicates to everything in between. All these make up a natural reef ecosystem.
The focus on corals is not wrong - after all, a 'reef' can't be called a 'reef' without corals (although a marine ecosystem does not necessary need to include corals). However, again, the over-focus is an issue. Let not forget for a second all the interactions mentioned above. One in particular interaction springs to mind, and that is the mutualistic relationship between zooxanthellae and corals. Zooxanthellae are a type of algae, specifically of the phylum dinoflagellata (dinoflagellates).
If you have been keeping reef aquariums for a while - or have done research on them, you'd know that 'dinoflagellates' is referred to commonly as a pest algae. So how can it be, that something is both a pest and an essential component of our reef systems? Well simply put, there are many, many, many species of dinoflagellates. Some are harmful and others are not.
The point of consideration though, is that dinoflagellates, as algae, thrive under very similar conditions - and so something growing zooxanthellae can also grow the unwanted species of dinoflagellates. I say here 'unwanted', as it is quite obvious that there is nowhere near as much growth of 'unwanted' dinoflagellates in the wild, as there is in our aquariums.
The truth about this is that 'unwanted' dinoflagellates are just part of the complex food web in the wild, in which it is preyed upon by many organisms.
This, is how the ecosystem is always kept in check. Organisms are constantly eating and being eaten, out-competing and being out-competed, living and dying and growing and shrinking and so on. This keep things in 'balance', and 'balance' here is used quite liberally. In truth there is no such thing as a complete balance in the wild. Species composition change all the time within an area, as species go extinct or evolve, migrate in or migrate out. Regardless of what species it is though, the important thing is that all niches are filled.
Of course, we can not hope to at all easily replicate this at all in our home aquariums. The first and foremost issue is that we can not hope to at all easily source organisms to fill in all the niches. Many 'pests' are actually important parts of the ecosystem. Algae provides sustenance for many types of fish, whilst predators of corals make way for new additions to the system. Much like trees in a forest, corals are considered the crux of it all, and much like how a tree dying (and falling over) results in space opening up, a dead coral may leave behind a skeleton, that will become the backbone of something new. However, many interactions are highly specific, and many types of algae are only fed upon by certain species of organisms, be it through preference, or due to specific chemical defenses. Either way, combined with the limitation of space, there is no hope to ever be able to fully replicate the conditions of a reef.
Many times our aquariums are only overran by pests, simply because there is nothing feeding on said pests. Space plays an important role, as even if the natural predator of said pest existed before, if the pest existed in low enough numbers, the predators could have died out long before.
This also plays a role in recovery as well. Marine angelfish commonly feed on corals, which makes them a hazard in reef aquariums. In the wild though, they seem to be all over reefs - so why have these reefs not been decimated yet?
The answer here, as with many other things, is moderation. In general, in nature except for perhaps one or two basal organisms, everything else exists in moderation. The fact that everything seems to be eaten by something else means that their numbers are always in check. This is without a doubt not the case in a reef aquarium. We often see bloom of organisms that sometimes just suddenly disappear, but sometimes also take over completely. In a similar way to cattle farming, where cattle moves from one area to the next to allow a desolated area to recover, predators would move from one area of excess numbers of prey to another. When given a choice between an area that is desolated (but may still have some prey left), and another with much easier access to prey, the latter is preferred.
In our aquariums, an angelfish could easily feed on all corals, before they have a chance to regrow. Given that it is a closed system, without any other 'areas' around, the angelfish would just keep wandering around the same area, picking at corals until they are all gone. In the wild, it doesn't matter so much - as when one coral dies, plenty more is growing elsewhere.
So not only are we not going to be able to easily have the full complement of organisms necessarily to cover all niches, but the lack of space means that things can go out of flux much easier. Eventually some of the 'balances' of nature do appear, especially for larger tanks, but it does take time.
We have to admit that therefore, we are not going to be able to fully stimulate reef environments, not easily. For the most part, whatever we do will be very artificial, and much of the niches and occurrences on the reef will have to be supplemented by us - via dosing, equipments or other products.
Imagine as if we have a cake that is multi-colored and multi-flavoured, each area of the cake tasting different, thanks to the many ingredients within.
Not only can we sample just a small slice of it, we are removing a number of ingredients out of that slice - and it may just not taste well at all, as is. We have to either remove further ingredients, or add others to have it taste good.
Limited by size - a small aquarium means some live stock are just impossible to keep.
It is the same with reef aquariums. What we have there will not just be a small slice of nature, but a drastically altered version of it. The best way to handle a reef aquarium, at least at the very beginning, is to choose a very specific aspect of the reef, and play around with it. This also means that is fine to majorly hate something, but remember that none of it is inherently good or bad. All organisms are creations of nature, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Knowing Your Reef Aquarium Requirements
Now that we understand the complexities of a reef, and the difficulties associated, the first thing to remember is - don't panic. If we can only enjoy a slice of cake, then let's just enjoy that slice of cake.
That doesn't mean it has to be a small slice of life - though obviously a larger slice will require more work, and that is where it is all at. Imagine as if all these live stock are cities, and each way they interact are the many roads, connecting them.
The thing is that they, in the wild, have many roads connecting to cities. Therefore, if we want to keep these live stock - we just have to do one oef two things, much like my idea with the slices of cakes and ingredients. We either add the other cities in to have the roads lead somewhere, or... cut it off.
That's essentially how we have to work here. So long as we can take care of all these odds and ends, then there is hope for an amazing replication.
A reef aquarium at Majestic Aquariums. This aquarium is many a reefer's dream, a balance that has been achieved through advanced equipment and reef-keeping techniques.
So how do we do that? Well, through the deep understanding of each and every organism we add, and its requirements - both for growth and control. Pest algae for example, are controlled in the wild through various means - usually through predation.
Whilst algae-predator interactions in the wild may be highly specific, in the aquarium our live stock may learn to expand its preferences.
Pictured and a number of Hippo Tangs and one Clown Tang, from the same aquarium at Majestic Aquariums. Tangs are known to be good algae-eaters.
Corals are also known for allelopathy, or basically chemical warfare. This is done by corals in the wild, and is effective when there are high concentrations of corals. In many cases though, the currents are enough to drive the toxic biochemicals away, before much harm is done. In our aquarium though, with the limited space, the biochemicals can quickly build up (with results that just isn't pretty). In this case, something like carbon is necessary to sequester those toxins.
These are just two examples of necessary steps that we may need to take. Of course, this is not to say that the above solutions are the only solutions. What matters is that you find the solutions that work best for your aquarium.
Much of this will come down to trying to minimize the amount of work or additions that needs to be done just as a response to a loose-end. For example, don't just add a Tang into your tank to control algae, if it is going to be aggressive towards your other fish or if your tank will be overstocked. That would just be more trouble than it is worth. There are other methods, such as for example, setting up a refugium with chaeto, or maybe even just manually removing algae. Perhaps, your tank is simply missing some Clean-Up Crew such as snails.
Setting Up Your Reef Aquarium
Knowing your reef aquarium requirements will allow for knowing the best way to set up your aquarium.
There are essentially two starting points out there - either start with a planned stocklist and organize your setup around that, or choose your setup and fit your stock to the setup.
Each is just as important as the other, and you have to decide what is more important to you, for your specific next tank. Usually though, the choice will boil down to a compromise between the two - of course there will always be limits to your tank sizes and equipment, and not everything you want to keep, well, you can actually keep easily.
Usually though, the choices boil down to tank size first, then potential stock, then the rest of the equipment. But let's have a look at the general tank sizes, and its effect on the stock you can keep.
Pico Aquariums - are the smallest of aquariums, being any aquarium less than 5 gallons in volume. These are not suitable for most fish, and tend to be geared towards invertebrates. Corals and anemones are possible, but will be heavily dependent on species. Pico aquariums are though, considered hard to keep as the fluctuations in parameters can be immense. The bright side is that the equipment required can be minimal.
Nano Aquariums - are larger aquariums, generally considered to be within the 5-50 gallon range, these aquariums are much better suited to keeping fish, although it is still species dependent. Even then, the number of fish that can be kept still is not a whole lot, so be wary of that. Medium-sized anemones are possible (such as Bubble-Tip Anemones) and most corals will do fine. These are considered a good starting point - not too small that parameters swing too wildly, but not too large that the amount of equipment required is daunting.
Medium-Sized Aquariums - are around 50-150 gallons in range, these aquariums can host a lot more fish, and more variety of fish too. Most anemones and corals will do just fine here, but still need to be species-specific.Here, equipments such as reactors, skimmers or various other products are starting to be deemed a requirement.
Large Aquariums - around the 150-650 gallons range, these are what most reef aquarists gravitate to eventually. But these take effort to maintain. Though once established, these tanks can look amazing. These also have the size required to afford much of the biodiversity the smaller sizes cannot cope with.
Extra-Large Aquariums - basically above 650 gallons. These are amazing to watch, and can house certain fish (like sharks) that most can only dream of keeping. Equipments required are a nightmare, but it is worth it. These require a lot of research and experience to establish.
There are some 'special consideration' aquariums that have to be mentioned, regardless of their volume. These are:
Shallow Reef Aquariums - aquariums that are considered to be much shorter than they are wide/long. These are a popular aquarium type, as the short height means that light diffusion is not too different between the highest and lowest submersion points. This means that lighting options are a lot more varied, as there is a larger amount of lights that can work over these type of aquarium. After all, it may not matter too much if they can punch deep into the water, or not so much. These type of aquarium also has the advantage of allowing viewing from above, which can be extremely satisfying. Corals, for example, in general love to be exposed to light as much as possible and therefore would prefer to stand upright, facing the light above. However, for the most part we view aquariums from the side, and so may not see the prettiest side of the coral. On the other hand, placing corals so that it faces sideways means that we can see it, but it may not be receiving as much light as it prefers. shallow reefs solve that.
Tall Aquariums - the reverse of shallow reefs, tall aquariums are designed to be taller in relation to their width/length. These tend to be for live stock that requires specific requirements, such as angelfish - animals that require a tall column of water for breeding purposes. Alternatively, it is for those who want to see the diffusion of light over the varying depths, keeping different types of organisms suited to each condition at each depth. There are, for example, non-photosynthetic coral that prefer low or no light. On the other hand, there are corals such as Acropora species that prefer high light. These type of tank provides variety.
The above is just a brief guide to the different types of aquariums out there, for your consideration as to what best fits your available space, and preference in live stock. Of course, each and every species is unique, and you need to research the requirements of each before each addition, and to see if you can handle the complexities associated with each.
Remember what I wrote above - each organism is a city - and each city has its own connections. Do you have all the connections required? Just because you have two fish and someone else have two fish as well for example, doesn't mean the work cut out for you both is the same.
Mandarin Dragonets for example, generally only feed on copepods. If you are not able to get them to feed on anything else, you need to supply copepods (another city), and they must come from somewhere, and require different nutrition, and requires proper living quarters and so on (so many more roads to other cities). You can cut away the need for all those cities by simply buying and adding them to your aquarium, but of course that will then be part of your maintenance and care schedule. If you decide to at the same time add something like a lionfish (let just assume for a moment that Mandarin Dragonets and lionfish can coexist), the lionfish may only eat a particular type of food - such as live feeder fish. That's something else you need to supply, and something else you need to worry about. So even if you have only those two fish, it could be a big hassle. Especially since in this case, you have to constantly source live food.
On the other hand, someone else might simply be keeping a Clownfish and a Dottyback. They can be generally easily reared to take processed food, and so are quite simple to feed.
So just in terms of feeding, it could be vastly different.
Imagine everything else - taking care of waste, territories, behaviours and more.
Some fish love to dig in the sand repeatedly, burying corals near the ground - something you have to think of.
Others eat algae off the rocks and tend to scrape bits and pieces of debris off the rocks, and you have to deal with that constant bio-erosion.
The simple rule of thumb is this - be ready for what your live stock require. So long as that is the case, you will find that your problems will be much fewer.
Livestock Requirements (Or 'What Equipments Do I Need?')
When you have chosen the tank size you'd want, there is a number of things to consider, in the following order:
1.) What type of filtration setup do you want? A sump? An external filter? Or an internal filter?
1.a.) If a sump, are you looking for an attached sump or a separate sump?
1.b.) If an external filter, are you looking for a canister or a hang-on-the-back?
2.) What sort of aquascape are you looking to create?
3.) What sort of filtration will be necessary to handle the bioload and scape you have in mind?
4.) What sort of supplements are required?
These steps will help you broadly envision what you need. Let's look at the specifics.
1.) Type of Filtration
Regardless of the filtration of preference, they all work based on one principle: tank water is drawn through an inlet through various filter media which 'cleanses' the water, and then out the outlet.
This is true no matter what. And that also means that you may have a number of filtrative sytems in place at once.
In a marine system, the display itself is one system (unless you are going for minimal sand/rock). This is because the rock and sand you have in your display will itself act as filters, with benefical microbes living within to deal with waste products and anything else floating around. A good system will have plenty of microbes in the water itself, so that any dead matter in the aquarium will be quickly decomposed.
Then there is whatever system we decide to add. The types of filtration setups are diverse, but are broken down into broad categories as above.
An internal filter is one of the more 'basic' forms of filtration, though generally not enough for a marine tank as it is regarded as not having the adequate filtration media required. Sumps are the preferred method, as it can generally house plenty of media - at the same time being much more accessible.
The importance of putting this step first, is that on top of the tank itself, we need to determine if all the filtrative equipment will fit. There is no point to planning for a sump, if there is not enough space for plumbing for example.
2.) The Aquascape
Why the aquascape as the next step? Simple. This is because once we have established the necessary basics, the next part is determining the final 'look' that we want in the display. From there, we can determine what extras are necessary.
Some people will have enough rock and sand in the display to act as their main biological filtration system. However, when this is not the case, then it is absolutely necessary to rely on the other filtration system(s) you have set up.
This is why it is necessary to know your intended final display first, before anything else.
3.) Filtration Media
Your choice of filtration media is important, to handle whatever you are planning to keep. In essence, it is quite simple. So long as your filtration system can handle whatever you throw at it, you are sweet! But what you throw at it may not be just simply PANN (phosphate, ammonia, nitrite and/or nitrate) but also toxins and various biochemicals. And inorganic molecules whilst we are at it. An example is for example, when you have bio-eroders and whatever is in your rocks for example, is released, which can include calcium carbonate and many other substances.
Of the different filtration media, one can broadly divide them into three categories - mechanical, biological and chemical filtration media.
Mechanical filtration media are anything that physically stop particles, preventing them from flowing back into the tank. Micron socks are common, as the sizes available allows for the filtration of very small particles.
-Advantages: Easy to use, easy to replace, can be replenished, removes large particles.
-Disadvantages: Can clog up easily, does not filter minute particles (such as PANN).
Biological filtration media are well, organisms (and its housing). So this include things like artificial products such as Marine Pure, chaeto, live rock and so on. Essentially, you are relying on the power of biology to break down biology.
-Advantages: Can be highly effective (as there are almost always something to break down/sequester something), does not need replenishment, can be a form of nutrient export, can be highly effective, does not require electricity to run (in and of itself).
-Disadvantages: Can die, can grow more than preferred.
Chemical filtration media relies on the power of chemistry. The chemicals inside the media reacts with chemicals in the water, removing them. An example is activated carbon.
-Advantages: Can be highly effective in removing what it is intended to remove.
-Disadvantages: Cannot be replenished (easily), can be used up without knowing, can release 'captured' chemicals into the water.
As you can see, each and every media has their own advantages and disadvantages. There are various products that acts as multiple media at once. For example, many biological filtration media (live rock, Marine Pure, etc.) can also be regarded as mechanical filtration media (obviously, as it can trap particles). Poly-Filter is a common chemical filtration medium, but also acts as a mechanical filtration medium. In these cases, the filtration media will have both the advantages and disadvantages of the filtration type it is (though some cancel each other out).
It is best to decide on the filtration media you need based on how few you can get away with. The more filtration media (and equipment) you have, the more potential for something to go wrong.
Of course, that also doesn't mean that you can skimp no the essentials. If it is needed, then it is needed.
So what equipments do you need? Some suggest refugiums. Other say skimmers are a must. Then there are those that swear by Marine Pure. Others see activated carbon as a must have. In the end, it doesn't matter. They can all work, whether for a specific purpose, or to generally lower PANN.
Either way, so long as you have all your bases covered, then you are fine. For example, some people rely solely on a combination of a bacterial grower such as Marine Pure or Matrix in combination with chaeto or gracilaria to reduce PANN, and it works. Others perhaps rely more so on dosing LaCl to reduce phosphates.
Regardless of the method, so long as your maintenance and care schedule includes all the necessary products and techniques, then you are fine. Remember though, the keyword is moderation. For example, in the end your live stock such as corals do need phosphates and nitrates to survive (well, the zooxanthellae do). If you somehow many to skim too much out of the water, then your corals will not be happy.
But that leads into:
4.) Supplements
What does your aquarium need to thrive? An aquarium is after all, not a painting to be gawked at simply. We need to constantly maintain it, and that includes all the critters in there, from bacteria to corals to fish.
Determine early on what types of chemicals are necessary for each type of live stock you have. Will your coral need calcium supplements? What type of food will your fish need? Does anything need magnesium? Iodide? Amino acids? Plankton? Brine shrimp?
Make sure you know the requirements of each organism you want to keep, and decide on how to supplement it.
Sometimes this may be through reactors, or dosing pumps.
Either way, that will be extra equipment you need to add to the setup.
One special mention is lights. Lights are also a 'supplement' for various photosynthetic organisms, and many require specific types of lighting. Think about that when choosing your equipments.
Knowing what equipments you will need will ensure that you can plan ahead, in terms of where to place all the equipments, and whether or not they will actually all fit. If they don't... well, you then will need to think about alternatives. Bigger aquarium? Bigger sump? Etc. etc.
This is also why I prefer to go for the minimal you need for your aquarium to thrive. You don't want to waste space, money and time on things you don't need.
Next up is knowing when to set up each piece of equipment. It isn't quite as straightforward as 'putting them all in'. Some requires time to 'establish', whilst there are those that will hamper the establishment of others.
For example, biological filtration media such as your rocks, sand and so on are simply housing, and so you actually need to build up microbial populations within. To do that, one needs to provide organics - but that can be taken away by a skimmer, and so running a skimmer whilst you are establishing your microbial colonies is a big no-no.
In general, the steps are as follows:
-Establish microbes.
-Establish skimmer.
-Establish reactors.
-Establish dosing pumps.
-Everything else.
It will still depend on your particular piece of equipment though. Just remember this - there is really no need to bring it online early, if it is not going to do anything. Bring it online when it is not going to hamper anything else, and when it is time to be established.
The first step in the list above is what most would refer to as the 'cycle', or preferably, the 'bacteria/microbe propagation phase' or 'BPP/MPP' for short.
To test that your aquarium's filtration is up to par, try 'ghostfeeding' your aquarium, or essentially 'feeding as if there is something there, but there isn't'. This way, you can test how well your aquarium deals with the potential bioload of your fish (which comes from the food you feed).
Stock the Aquarium!
By now, your aquarium should be ready for the planned live stock. Be it corals or anemones or shrimps or clams or fish or crabs or nudibranches or algae or turtles or whatever it is you have planned for, you should, by now, prepared the necessary equipments and have it all set up. And so by now, it should all be ready!
(Of course, how to stock your live stock is an entirely different story).
Conclusion
This is a short guide to provide the basics of what makes a reef aquarium a reef aquarium. The long-story-short is that you need to decide on your live stock beforehand, set up your aquarium geared towards keeping them, understanding all that is required for that process (including any 'loose ends' you need to tie up), set it all up in order, and once everything is ready (and you have tested that it is ready), have fun!
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