Modern ReefKeeping

I often see hundreds of threads across dozens of on-line community sites every month regarding water source. What filter type, if any?  Is home supplied tap water safe to use?  As well as many other questions on this very important subject . I am not an expert on water quality in the home marine aquarium. Far from it.  I’m still learning myself.  Even after more than 2 years concentrating purely on reefs and nothing else, experimenting and getting through dozens of test kits, I still feel I need to know more about water quality. I have learned a lot, but crave far more knowledge. Here is some information for newcomers to the hobby. It is about this totally essential subject. This is the difference between success and failure in my view, and what I’ve learned so far.

What water source/type for me?

I was personally very confused when I first started looking into keeping a reef aquarium. For years I only kept fish, and when I started seriously thinking about my future dream SPS reef aquarium I wasn’t sure where to start. I started reading threads and articles from outstanding, knowledgeable reefers such as Eric Boreman, Randy Holmes Farley and Tom Murphy just to mention a few. The information these very intelligent, successful and almost brilliant reefers gave me through their articles and on-line threads was priceless. There was also plenty of other reef aquarists I have not mentioned by name here as well, however at the time I just didn’t know where to start. I understood, through nearly 30 years experience of keeping and breeding fish, that water quality is absolutely paramount in success with all types of aquaria. This is certainly the case with keeping marine fish. I believed I understood the complex make up of the water which needed to be right, or very close to natural sea water levels at the very least for the fish to thrive. However, I had no idea just how important stability of parameters needed to be to keep a coral reef. I now realize without a doubt, that a pure water source is totally essential for success in a marine reef aquarium. From what I have personally learned and also what has been confirmed through my bedtime readings written by others, there are many parameters that need to be considered. Firstly and most importantly, it is essential to ensure the water which is added to the aquarium is totally pure. This can be achieved by a RO-DI filtration system. I am by no means an expert on these systems; however, I have discovered that a system of this type is absolutely essential if you want to become a successful reef aquarist with a stunning show/display tank. This type of water filtration system strips out many harmful chemicals and metals which are very dangerous to our marine invertebrates, and will help the new aquarist to beat nuisance algae which thrives on nutrient rich water. Unless you can confirm your tap water is nutrient, chemical and metal free, I would suggest you do not consider using tap water in your system at all.

What parameter levels will I need for my reef?

It is essential you decide on what you intend to keep in your aquarium. This is important as you will need to use a synthetic salt mix powder which will mix with your RO-DI water to create the proper conditions for your intended stock. If you decide on a soft coral reef then the levels will not need as much attention as a hard coral SPS reef. There are literally dozens of brands of synthetic salts available in stores today. Most are very similar in makeup except for a few nuances in the levels of basic elements.  For instance one type of synthetic salt will have a high calcium and alkalinity level compared to another type of synthetic salt. When you first set up your new saltwater aquarium these parameters/elements won’t be too much of an issue. Testing for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate takes  priority over testing for calcium, magnesium and alkalinity. When you have decided on your type of biotope and are happy to commit fully to it, then it’s time to work out what the levels will need to be. Obviously it is best to try to re-create natural sea water levels so our prized livestock will thrive, but unfortunately our little glass boxes are nothing like the ocean. The ocean is a massive volume of water which never gets dirty or suddenly gets saturated with ammonia and of course does not need to be replaced regularly.

Keeping levels stable.

Due to the fact the corals in our tanks will deplete some of the parameter levels, we will need to replenish these ourselves. Let’s assume hypothetically we have a 75 gallon mixed reef aquarium with a mixture of hard and soft corals. Firstly I would suggest a synthetic reef salt with a decent level of magnesium, calcium and alkalinity. A mix like D&D H20, Red Sea Pro Reef or Tropic Marin Pro Reef would be a good choice. With regular water changes the parameters may not need much attention. Perhaps dosing occasionally via a 2 part or just kalkwasser may be enough to maintain this type of reef with the regular water changes. This would depend of course on regular testing of parameters via test kits. I personally like Salifert kits, for the home hobbyist. They are more than adequate to carry out the task of accurate results. If  however, you decide to keep a full blown SPS reef, then a quality salt and 2 part dosing won’t really be enough to maintain the reefs parameters. In this case I’d suggest a calcium reactor, as well as kalkwasser. A magnesium supplement may also be required. I would recommend, that for a complete beginner to a home reef aquarium, a soft or mixed reef aquarium is the best way to start off. It is a lot easier to maintain water quality in this type of reef.

Long term success.

From what I have learned to date, it is very important to constantly test parameters and dose accordingly if required, to maintain the levels. It is equally important to replace water regularly to keep nutrient levels low and replinish trace elements. This not only dilutes any nitrate or phosphate in the water stream, it also ensures nuisance algae cannot get a foot hold in the aquarium. When you purchase your RO-DI filtration system make sure you also buy a TDS meter. This checks that the filters and membrane in the system are still working and not exhausted. Dirty filters will only create problems and it is essential the water added to the aquarium is totally pure so you get the best possible start with creating a dream aquarium. There is so much knowledge required to run a reef aquarium. Water quality alone is just one factor, however in my opinion it is the absolute top priority to get success. Obviously flow, biological filtration, heating, salinity levels, lighting and skimming are other factors as well. I intend to discuss salinity and actual parameter levels at a later date in a new article. I hope this short writing is helpful. As usual if you want to discuss this further, then visit me at our forums, the usual web site address is http://modernreefkeeping.com/

Regards and Good luck

Mike

My thanks to Randy Holmes Farley, Eric Boreman and Tom Murphy, without your articles and on-line threads to read, I’d still be using tap water, crushed coral substrate and bleached corals and probably table salt!

Edited by Adam J