That Fish Blog – Aquarium Advice and Information

Hi everyone, Justin here. Working on the sales floor, we get a lot of technical aquarium questions, many involving water quality.  Today, I’d like to talk a little about reverse osmosis and what RO units do.  RO, or Reverse Osmosis units are the best way to ensure that your water is perfectly clean. Reverse osmosis is a process in which dissolved solids are removed from water. The pressure from your tap forces the water through a semi permeable membrane that allows only water to pass through. The contaminants are then washed out in the waste water.

There are many factors that will determine the efficiency of your RO filter. Incoming water pressure should be around 60 psi. This is standard pressure coming from most hoses and sink faucets. If the pressure is too low, a booster pump may be necessary to increase the pressure into the RO unit. Water temperature is another important factor. Water that is too cold will cause a drop in pressure, while water that is too hot will damage the membrane. A suitable temperature range is 60-75 degrees F. Total dissolved solids, or TDS, is the measure of the amount of solids dissolved into your water. The higher the TDS in the tap, the quicker the membrane will wear out and need to be replaced. The age and quality of the membrane will also determine the effectiveness of the RO. A new membrane will pull out more TDS than an older membrane. A higher quality membrane will also be more efficient and last longer.

RO membranes will remove contaminants on an ionic level. This means that the membranes will remove single ions and particles as small as 0.001 microns. As a reference, the smallest known bacteria is approxiamately 0.200 microns. Below is list of the ions removed and an average percentage removed:

TYPICAL REJECTION CHARACTERISTICS OF R.O. MEMBRANES Elements and the Percent R.O. Membranes will remove
	Sodium Sulfate Calcium Potassium Nitrate Iron Zinc Mercury Selenium Phosphate Lead Arsenic Magnesium Nickel Fluoride Manganese Cadmium Barium Cyanide Chloride	85 – 94% 96 – 98% 94 – 98% 85 – 95% 60 –75% 94 – 98% 95 – 98% 95 – 98% 94 – 96% 96 – 98% 95 – 98% 92 – 96% 94 – 98% 96 – 98% 85 – 92% 94 – 98% 95 – 98% 95 – 98% 84 – 92% 85 – 92%
% may vary based on membrane type water pressure, temperature & TDS

There are two different types of membranes commonly available, CTA and TFC. CTA stands for cellulose tri-acetate and is safe for use with chlorine-based water sources. CTA membranes should be used for City Water sources. TFC stands for thin film composite and is not safe for use with chlorine based water sources. TFC membranes must be used with well water, or chlorine free water sources only.

Inside the lines of each RO unit are flow restrictors to ensure proper pressure and flow over the membrane. These flow restrictors are small “dams” or nozzles that allow only a certain amount of water flow through the lines. The membranes coupled with these flow restrictors are made to handle the maximum flow of water through the restrictors. Placing a membrane rated too low into the unit will ruin the membrane, while placing a membrane rated too high will not increase production of water.

There are many different styles of RO filters available. 2 Stage and 3 stage filters are the most commonly available, but other higher stage filters are also available. On all two stage RO filters, there is the membrane, a micron cartridge, and a carbon block. The micron cartridge pulls out tiny particles that may be in the water. The carbon block will pull out any organic contaminents before entering the membrane. The membrane is the last stage in all 2 stage filters. In 3 stage filters, the last stage is a deionization cartridge. The deionization cartridge or DI removes any ions that may have passed through the membrane. The 3 stage RO/DI filters are the most efficient and will guarantee clean water.

I hope this article helps you to understand what RO units do and how they benefit your aquarium and the fish you keep.  Feel free to comment or ask any questions you may have!

Thanks,

Justin

Hey all, Cory here.  Ever hear of a coral that walks where it needs to be?  If not, you’re in for a treat as I introduce you to a new arrival, the Walking Dendro.

We just received our first Walking Dendro, Heteropsammia cochlea, last week. At first glance, you may think this was a solitary coral that you would find on the backside of your new Clove Polyp or Mushroom rock. However, upon further inspection, this small coral has a very intricate story.

Walking Dendro Coral is now being imported from Australia for the first time for the aquarium trade. Previously, these corals were imported for research and not so much sale. It may look like a Balanophyllia, but the Walking Dendro is far from a solitary coral.  A symbiotic worm gives it mobility!

The story begins with a single coral larvae finding a small snail shell on which to attach and begin it’s life. From this point the coral can begin to lay down its structure, quickly overgrowing the shell. For one reason or another a Sipunculid Worm moves into the shell, only to become engulfed and trapped inside the coral. This symbiotic relationship allows for constant movement for the coral and safety for the worm. The coral will have a small hole on the bottom allowing for movement and the uptake of sediment by the worm, preferably a fine sand. The worm is a deposit feeder, taking up sand and consuming nutritious organics found in or on the sand. The coral itself is photosynthetic, but with the presence of tentacles during the day, I would suspect they are also planktonic feeders.

Since there is very little known about this coral, it’s difficulty and hardiness are hard to specify. The coral itself should be easily kept, it is the Sipunculid worm or peanut worm that may be difficult to satisfy.

It is always exciting to see a new coral introduced into the hobby, because it is not only another organism to add to the inventory list, but a learning experience to even the most knowledgeable. As soon as there is any new information regarding the Walking Dendro to report, I will be sure to bring it to you.  Stop in and check them out!

Thanks, Until next time,

Cory

That’s right! The NCPARS/That Fish Place Winter Frag Event will be back again in just a few short weeks! On Saturday January 30th from 11 pm-5 pm, we’ll be hosting NCPARS (North Central PA Aquarium Reef Society) members and  coral fraggers and collectors from near and far for the biggest fragging event of the season. Industry experts and vendors will be here to help you with reefing and fragging needs, there will be fragging demos, and LOTS of frags, fish, inverts and other goods. Save the date for this fun and frag-filled event!

Last year’s event was a big success and hundreds of beautiful coral frags found new homes. For more details and to register visit fragswapper.com. and watch for more updates at ThatFishPlace.com closer to the big day!  Admission will be 5.00 for members and 10.oo for non-members, and there will be bargins galore. 

See you then!

Hey guys, Craig here again. With an increase in technology, the economic crunch, and just the versatility of smaller tanks in general, the popularity of nano tanks has exploded in the past 5 years. Not surprising, since many kits are now available with everything you need to get started. In addition to the obvious advantages of these tanks, I feel these small tanks give aquarists an opportunity to go back to their roots, so to speak, and focus on why they started in the hobby in the first place, their love of aquatic species. Nano tanks bring to the forefront the activities of the creatures within, and more accurately, provide access to a wealth of animal behaviors that may be missed in a large aquarium environment.  Sam has talked about some of his experiences with marine nano tanks, now let’s explore some freshwater ideas!

The Shell Dwellers – Small in Size, Big on Attitude

Perhaps one of the most amazing behaviors exhibited by any fish is that of the shell dwelling cichlids from Lake Tanganyika. Several species exist, each of them exhibiting the curious habit of living in abandoned snail shells. Not only do they use the shells as shelter, they even spawn and rear their young the shells! Neolamprologus multifasciatus, for example, can thrive in a small aquarium and may exhibit courting and dominance behaviors within its own colony. In a small aquarium, each member of the colony will pop in and out of its own shell and guard the entrance like a little bulldog. Even when cleaning the aquarium, your giant hand does nothing to discourage a dominant male from nipping at you to protect its little home! A sandy substrate and some empty snail shells that are about 2 or 3 inches in diameter are about all you need to give these fish the décor that they need to perform!

Dwarf Rasboras – Fish for the Smallest of Spaces

Smaller freshwater tanks can have their mini-fascinations too. With several new species of tiny fish being brought into the hobby, putting together a stunning little freshwater nano tank is easy! One of the little fish from Thailand, Boraras sp. “South Thailand”, could easily be the centerpiece to such a tank. These little guys are less than an inch long at adult size. In a 12 gallon aquarium, you could easily keep a school of 10 to 12 fish. Given their diminutive size, keeping these fish with anything else would be extremely hazardous to their health, making them ideal candidates for a small species set-up. Dwarf Rasboras also show some interesting behaviors.  Males of this species will often move away from the school and stake out a little territory in an attempt to coax willing females down to spawn. In an aquarium with many other fish, intriguing little actions like this might easily go unnoticed.

Cherry Shrimp Colonies for Tiny Tanks

Nano tanks aren’t just suited for observing fish. You may want to consider keeping freshwater shimp! Little Cherry Shrimp are fascinating to watch as they graze on algae and skitter around the aquarium. In a small aquarium, you could start with 5 or 6 of these shrimp and you may have double that number within several weeks. Cherry Shrimp are known to be prolific, and with no fish in the aquarium to eat the baby shrimp, you can see the development of your very own little colony. An easy set up for these would include dark, natural sand with a couple of moss balls and a nice small piece of driftwood for decoration. The moss balls will help to provide natural food as well as an intriguing habitat for your shrimp.

Something for Everyone

These are just a few of the exciting freshwater creatures and aquatic behaviors you may have missed in a larger tank. From cichlids to shrimp, just a little creativity can really make something small into something special. Does anyone out there have their own little stunning aquarium they would like to share? Please feel free to comment and tell us what you keep in a nano tank.

Until Next Time,

Craig

What’s up everyone, Jose here again. I’m back for another installment of my top 10 Cichlids. This time, I’m going to talk about some of my favs from Lake Victoria.

In the last 20 to 30 years many Victorian species have been driven to extinction by a variety of factors, including the introduction of
the Nile perch, increased human population and also increased pollution. It’s a real shame, too considering many species were still undiscovered. One more reason why we should never release non-native species.

Vics are very hardy and easy to keep and will do well in most dechlorinated tap water with a ph of 7.5 and up.

Many people have asked me why I would keep certain fish over others and it’s tough to give one  reason. I like them for their rarity, color, attitude and spawning behaviors just to name a few, and most Vics do well in an easy-to-mange 36×18 tank. Well let’s begin with my top 10 in no order.

Astatotilapia Aneocolor– Known as the Yellow Belly Albert this 3 to 5 inch species is a stunner with a red back

and a yellow belly and blue dorsal. One year I put one in my patio pond for the summer and when i brought him back

in he had a purple back and his belly was gold. I would keep them in a 55 as they are pretty aggressive.
Astatotilapia nubilus– If there was ever a candidate for anger management this is the guy. The nubilus tops out

at 4 inches. I like this fish because it is jet black with red fins and some striking egg spots in the anal fin.

 

Haplochromis sp. Dayglow– This 4.5 inch herbivore has a powder blue head, a black verticle bar across the eyes,

red tail fin that contrasts a yellow green body, a red blotch behind the gill and 3 to 4 orange egg spots outlined

in black.

Hap sp. Ruby green– This 4 inch herbivore is sometimes confused with hap Flameback. Males have a red back with a

green bottom, they also have a blue dorsal and large orange egg spots in the anal fin. I have kept and bred this

species and can say that I have had males color at 2 inches. Highly recommended.

 

Paralabidochromis Chilotes– This 5 inch carnivore has many geographical color morphs. The particular strain I like

has a blue face and back, a red body and a blue anal fin. It also has fleshy lips. A very odd and awesome fish to try.

 

Pytochromis sp “hippo point” – Another 5 inch carnivore that is mildly aggressive towards other fish except that it

hates other males. It also likes to feed on the snails Bellamya and Melanoides. Its most striking feature is the

bright crimson red on the majority of its body with the remainder being green. During breeding and fights it also

has a white face with a black bar going through its eye.

 

Pundamilia Nyererei “ruti island” – A 4 inch fish, this is another one of those species that has a few different

color morphs. I chose the ruti island because i thought the red was really intense  with its mixture of green

and yellow body, black barring and red dorsal. I’m happy i did.

 

Xystichromis phytophagus– The christmas fulu. This 4.5 inch herbivore lives up to its name with its red,yellow,

green,marroon body and blue dorsal. It also has a black bar going through the eye and on its cheek; and a red tail.

 

Harpagochromis sp “blue rock hunter“– This 5 inch piscivore is an aggressive species that needs plenty of room.

Males are mostly blue with some tints of yellow or green in the body and a white dorsal edge.

 

Haplochromis sp “all red”- This 6 inch herbivore is a relatively peaceful species except towards its own kind.

It colors up pretty much like a Nyererei except that it has more red in the head and chest area.

 

So there it is: my top 10 vics. I hope this blog might get someone interested in these awesome species. Check out my top 10 Malawis if you haven’t.  Until next time.

Jose