SALIFERT

The pH value can have a major impact on the growth of corals and calcareous algae and on many biological processes. The pH should not be allowed to fluctuate more than approx. 0.3 units during 24 hours and should preferably be kept between 8.0 and 8.2.

When an aquarium has insufficient regions deprived of oxygen (= anaerobic zones) or denitrification proceeds incompletely then nitrate will build-up. A too high nitrate concentration can result in unwanted algae-growth and these might irritate corals in their neighborhood. Nitrate as such also retards coral growth. The nitrate concentration in a proper functioning reef aquarium should preferably be lower than 1 mg/L. Fish-only aquariums would usually show much higher nitrate concentrations.

Salifert’s Nitrite test kit does not suffer from such an amine interference because very special ingredients are used. These same ingredients also result in a full color development within minutes. The developed color is very intense making detection of even minute traces of nitrite easy. It probably is the most sensitive, accurate and fastest nitrite test kit available.

The Salifert Ammonia test is very straightforward and measures the sum of toxic ammonia and ammonium in just a few minutes. The kit can perform approx. 50 measurements and can detect 0.5 ppm of total ammonia easily.

Washing fish food, which is a rich source for phosphates in a sieve after thawing reduces the input of phosphate tremendously. Also avoiding use of phosphate-rich low-grade activated carbon helps keep phosphate levels as low as possible. Checking the activated carbon for phosphate prior to use is therefore highly recommended.

The Salifert test kit offers a very sensitive and accurate test for measuring dissolved or weakly chelated copper with a pH of 7.5–9. Lasts for several copper cures or provides sufficient for up to 50 tests on tap or aquarium water as a routine check. Ca be used for marine, fresh and garden pond water

Magnesium is an element which was neglected for a long time. The magnesium content of some aquariums appears to be rather low when tested. Corrective measures have to taken for a balanced reef system.

In a healthy aquarium growth and multiplication of corals, desired calcareous algae and other organisms results in calcium depletion. Because of the importance of calcium timely corrective measures would have to be taken. For that purpose a proper calcium additive together with an accurate test kit are required.

Calcium alone cannot form the skeletal material of corals and allow calcareous algae to grow. Some other substances are needed as well. A few other constituents are carbonate and bicarbonate. These two substances also have a major impact on the stabilization of the pH in the proper range of 8.1 – 8.4. Such stabilization is also called buffering.

Do not underestimate the number of flatworms in your system. In a few cases a significant number of flatworms can be hiding in for example crevices. Blow in such and any other potential hiding places water to blow any flatworm out of there. For that purpose you can use a powerhead or a turkey baster. Siphon out those flatworms as well.