| A maintenance free aquarium - no work at all! Just | | | | controlled by electric timers. There is a very efficient |
| view and enjoy the coral colours and the various reef | | | | and properly set up protein skimmer in use. |
| fish. Many or perhaps all aquarists would tend to call | | | | The aquarist watches carefully until he/she sees |
| that aquatic heaven - maybe. | | | | what type of algae appears. Snails are introduced to |
| Is it possible though? Is there a way that the | | | | the aquarium to control this. This is successful. |
| aquarist can design a marine system where, once all | | | | An automatic top-up system using reverse osmosis |
| is settled and mature, there is nothing else to do? | | | | water is employed. Hey, we're maintenance free! |
| The first thing is to compare the aquarium to the wild | | | | No we're not. Film algae appears on the viewing |
| reef. Yes, there are the same kind of inhabitants in | | | | glasses and the snails attack it but have no ability to |
| the aquarium as on the wild reef, just fewer of | | | | 'keep it clean,' efficient as they might be. The DSB |
| them. Also, there are far fewer species of livestock | | | | needs feeding to maintain the population of minute |
| on the captive reef. So, there's the first point - the | | | | life forms which keep it healthy. The reef rocks need |
| wild reef has far greater diversity of life. The | | | | to be 'de-dusted' occasionally. The lighting tubes need |
| different species have their own niche on the wild | | | | to be replaced periodically. Seawater quality, so |
| reef, each having a food source. There are some | | | | important, needs to be tested routinely. |
| overlaps of course but generally it is all very well | | | | Seawater quality brings up another question, and this |
| organised. Nature has everything under control. The | | | | is aquarium water changes. The seawater change |
| first problem that the aquarist is likely to face is in | | | | amount varies system to system, aquarists knowing, |
| making sure that all potential difficulties are dealt with, | | | | after a period, what the system requires. All aquarists |
| from dealing with different forms of nuisance algae | | | | change seawater though. There have been those |
| to having enough food for fish if kept. | | | | who have experimented (or tried to save money) |
| So what if fish are not kept, just a reef with corals. | | | | without, but problems of various sorts have arisen. |
| This immediately makes the question of water quality | | | | So they need to be done. |
| easier to deal with, as the wastes from the fish are | | | | No, a marine aquarium system cannot be |
| gone. In addition, there isn't any need to feed the | | | | maintenance free. The move towards natural |
| fish. So, if the aquarium filtration is excellent, such as | | | | methods such as live rock, DSB's, algae filtration etc |
| live rock and a deep sand bed, will that remove | | | | has improved things immensely. Captive reefs run |
| maintenance? | | | | much closer to how Nature intended nowadays. Add |
| The corals need looking at now. The hard corals | | | | to this the use of highly efficient protein skimmers, |
| generally need considerable light, but that isn't a | | | | calcium reactors, electronically controlled seawater |
| particular problem, with the availability of halide bulbs | | | | circulation, controlled temperature, accurate water |
| and the fast up and coming LED's. They also require | | | | level top-up systems, anti-nitrate reactors, anti- |
| a sufficient level of calcium, magnesium etc which has | | | | phosphate reactors, sophisticated lighting systems |
| to be provided. So in comes the calcium reactor, | | | | etc and the system is indeed looking after itself to a |
| which can supply calcium along with magnesium, and | | | | considerable extent. Correct livestock in the aquarium, |
| probably other minerals in traces, if the correct media | | | | not only corals but snails etc enhances self support. |
| is used. That solves that. Wait a minute though, the | | | | Experimentation by advanced aquarists goes on and |
| calcium reactor needs servicing on occasion, and also | | | | in the future other innovative methods of control and |
| the media needs renewal periodically. | | | | aquarium maintenance may come into use. |
| What about soft corals? These can exist with less | | | | A completely hands-off system will never materialise |
| light, fluorescent tubes often being employed. They | | | | in my view. There is always something there that |
| also need less calcium. It is argued, from anecdotal | | | | 'needs doing,' be it a water change, cleaning the glass |
| reports, that the addition of iodine is good for soft | | | | free of algae, changing media etc. Thank goodness I |
| coral growth and health, but as this is not scientifically | | | | say. One of the joys of this hobby is the knowledge |
| proven (as far as I know) it will be ignored. There | | | | that actions are helping maintain such interesting life. |
| isn't any absolute need to feed certain soft corals, | | | | Also, in the extremely unlikely event that a hands-off |
| they grow without it. So the maintenance free | | | | system did materialize, what aquarist could keep their |
| aquarium idea is intact at the moment. | | | | hands off? Peter Cunningham and John Cunningham |
| The marine system is set up with a live rock reef, | | | | between them have been keeping saltwater |
| the live rock being in sufficient quantity. The rock | | | | aquariums for over 35 years. Visit Aquarists Online if |
| filtration is backed up by a DSB. The system is | | | | you are interested in learning more about the |
| stocked with hardy soft corals. The lighting cycle is | | | | saltwater aquarium hobby. |