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Italiano11 Jan Basic elements and notions of Salt Water Reef aquarium functioning
Saltwater Reef aquarium, apparently and partly similar to freshwater aquarium, is very different because all the tools for the treatment of water are hidden in the cabinet below, and olso by set up.
So let’s see the element that characterize it:
The tank: I suggest an open glass tank, without lid, for easier maintenance and for increased ventilation and oxygenation. It will be better dont have ties at the top because it easily covered of salt and limestone. Remember that a higher quantity of water is better for water values stability.
Lighting: It is essential for the life of corals and fishes inside the tank, is generally composed of various types of LED lamp, fluorescent or metal halide, placed 30 to 70 cm from the water surface.
Motion pumps, wave pumps, powerhead: are installed inside of the tank and are used to simulate the currents which occur in nature, they can be 220v or 12v pulse, with alternating operation.
Treatment of water: the extraction takes place by overflow, then fall to the water overflows from the highest point of the tank and ends up in the so-called SUMP, an additional glass tank, located in the compartment below, it composed of various compartments and equipped with all the accessories useful for the maintenance of values and the water clean.
External accessories: such as the cultivation of zooxanthellae and phytoplankton.
Inside the SUMP, designed by us according to the requirements, will be present:
Compartment with reverse osmosis water; with a floating potential that will report the refilling of evaporated water.
Protein skimmer; fundamental accessory for the elimination of excess protein, it emulsify the water that forming foam and then bubbles will separate the part to be deleted (proteins) from that still good (water), by the effect of the surface tension of the bubble that will tend to bring the dirty upwards and deposit it in the appropriate contenitor.
Heaters and Coolers; will be used to administer the water temperature in summer and winter seasons
Mechanical filters; compounds simply by sponges, rock wool and filter floss.
Chemical filters; generally we use porous stones or carbon, but the most work of chemical and biological filtration is carried out in a tank by means of live rocks.
Finally is important to know that for the Ca Mg and Kh balance there are two method: Calcium Reactor method, with the help of a special instruments or Balling method which consists in to enter the Ca and Mg solutions directly in sump through metering pumps. The water, after having completed this “route” and after being properly treated, is returned from the sump into the aquarium with the help of a return pump.