Top Saltwater Aquarium Myths
Since the beginning of time,
successfully keeping a saltwater aquarium has seemed a total mystery to
a vast majority of people. Over the past few decades, the science of saltwater
aquaria has increased by leaps and bounds. In spite of the new knowledge,
many of the old myths which arose during the years of experimentation are
still professed by some as facts. Here are some of the most popular myths
which are still in circulation:
1. It takes at least 6 weeks to cycle a saltwater aquarium
MYTH:
It takes 6
weeks to cycle (establish the biological filter) a new saltwater aquarium.
FACT:
The original
method used for cycling a tank consisted of putting a
fish or two in a new tank, then waiting up to 6 weeks for the nitrobacter
and nitrosoma bacteria to form and grow. It is now known that there are
a number of methods which can cycle a tank in as little as one day.
- Cycling with Live Rock
- Cycling with Live Sand
- Cycling with Bacterial Additives
MYTH:
Water changes
are the only way to reduce nitrates which are the end product of the nitrification
process in a saltwater aquarium.
FACT:
There are
a number of methods which can be used to reduce or even prevent nitrate
build up without performing a water change.
- Denitrator Units
- Mangroves
- Some types of Algae
- Live Rock in conjunction with a Berlin Filtration System
- Live Sand in conjunction with a Jaubert/Plenum System
- Nitrate Absorbing Products
MYTH:
The ideal
reef tank temperature is between 76° and 78° Fahrenheit.
FACT:
The water
temperatures of most of the reefs where your corals came from are a lot
higher than 78° F. Read about it in: How
High is Too High?
4. Tangs (Surgeonfish) are very sensitive to nitrates.
MYTH:
Tangs (Surgeonfish)
are more sensitive to nitrates than other fish.
FACT:
Surgeonfish
are no more sensitive to nitrates than any other species. Tangs have endured
nitrate levels of hundreds of ppm for extended periods of time with no
ill affects.
5. Massive water changes are harmful to saltwater fish and invertebrates.
MYTH:
Massive water
changes to quickly reduce nitrates and other toxins are harmful to saltwater
fish and invertebrates.
FACT:
While a rapid
change in salinity, temperature or pH can be harmful to fish and invertebrates,
a rapid reduction in nitrates does not adversely affect them.
6. Coral Banded Shrimp kill fish.
MYTH:
Coral Banded
Shrimp kill fish.
FACT:
The Coral
Banded Shrimp is a scavenger as well as a parasite picker, and may
attack other shrimp, but will not normally attack fish. Many people who
find their Coral Banded Shrimp consuming a dead fish or invertebrate assume
that it was killed by the shrimp. However the shrimp is just doing
what it does for a living: Scavenging.
7. All LFS people are knowledgeable and always give you good advice.
MYTH:
You can depend on the people in
your LFS to be knowledgeable and to give you good advice.
FACT:
There are a great number of LFS
owners/employees who are well experienced in saltwater aquariums and will
give you good advice. However a majority of them (usually younger workers)
have little or no knowledge or experience in this subject which requires
time to learn.
8. Bio-Balls are nitrate factories.
MYTH: Bio-Balls or wet/dry filters create nitrates in a saltwater aquarium.
FACT: Bio-Balls and wet/dry filter material can trap detritus and other tank debris which break down and eventually create nitrates. If the Bio-Balls are cleaned regulary, they don't create any more nitrates than a substrate with the same materials in it.
