For additional information on calcium reactors, chillers, lighting, protein skimmers, pumps, RO filters and sumps, see our Beginner's School.

ALGAE CONTROL
What are ways to control the growth of nuisance algae?

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE
What must I do to maintain my aquarium properly?
What cleaning tools do you recommend?
How can I prevent scratches when I am cleaning?

CURING AND SETTING LIVE ROCK
Why is it so important to cure live rock before adding it to my aquarium?
How should I cure my live rock?
How should I set the rock in the aquarium?

DISEASE CONTROL
How can I control disease in my tank?
What is an ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer and how does it help prevent disease?

FEEDING
How much should I feed my fish?
What happens if I over-feed my tank?
What should I feed my coral and invertebrates?

FILTRATION
What filtration methods does Vivid Aquariums recommend?
What are the necessary components of a complete filter system?
Why do you recommend multiple return pumps instead of one big pump?
How do I select the right return pumps?
What is a refugium, and what does it do?

FISH BEHAVIOR
How should I choose new fish for my aquarium?
How can I be sure the new fish will be compatible with the fish I already have?
How can I stop my fish from fighting?
What should I do if certain fish will not stop fighting?
How do I know a fish will not eat my coral and invertebrates?

LIGHTING
What kind of light cycle is recommended?
What kind of lighting is required for a fish-only aquarium?
What kind of lighting is required for a reef aquarium?
What are metal halide lights?

TEMPERATURE
How will changes in temperature affect my tank?
What are the advantages of keeping my tank at lower temperatures?
What are ways to cool my tank?

WATER
What are the recommended water parameters?
How often should I test the aquarium water?
Why does the salinity of water increase and what should I do?
How can I automate the top-off process?
How do I connect a reverse osmosis (RO) water filter?

WATER MOVEMENT
Why is good water movement so important?
How can I increase water movement?
Why are wave makers so important?
What type of wave maker should I use?

What are ways to control the growth of nuisance algae?

• Keep your aquarium at a cool temperature between 76°-77°
• Light-cycle should not exceed 9 hours of daylight or 12 hours of actinic lighting
• Phosphates in the water you use for topping off your aquarium, or for mixing new saltwater can cause algae blooms.
  - The most effective way to eliminate phosphates is to use a reverse osmosis (RO) water filter to remove phosphates and other pollutants from your water supply.
  - You can also use a phosphate sponge, a type of filter media, to help absorb phosphates out of the aquarium water.
• Add an ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer to your aquarium system.
• Add a clean-up crew to establish a natural balance.
  - A small army of snails, hermit crabs, emerald crabs, sally lightfoot crabs, blennies, tangs, and sand sifting gobies will keep your aquarium looking its best, and save you work. See our Clean-up Crew Packages under Coral & Invertebrates.

What must I do to maintain my aquarium properly?

• Perform a water change of 20% per month or 10% every two weeks.
• Keep the aquarium glass free of algae using a scrub pad, cleaning magnets, and/or scraper.
• Clean, or replace, your filter pads every one to two weeks.
• Empty the collection cup from your protein skimmer whenever it becomes full- usually once a week.
• Stir the sand bed every week to make the water cloudy and allow the filter to catch the extra dirt.
• Create a storm. Using your hand, blow jets of water against the rock and behind the rocks. Make the water as cloudy as possible. Allow the filter to catch the extra dirt. This simulates a storm and flushes dirt out of your aquarium.
• Test your aquarium water at least once per month for established aquariums, and once a week for new aquariums.]
• Feed all of your fish, coral, and invertebrates.
• Add trace elements such as iodine, strontium, calcium, etc to maintain proper water chemistry.
• Use pH buffers to adjust the pH if necessary.
• Replace the carbon every 2-3 months.

What cleaning tools do you recommend?

• Use Aqua Gloves to save yourself from getting stung by toxic corals.
  - It is definitely worth protecting yourself.
  - Some people are more allergic to corals than others; however, it is also possible to become allergic to a coral over time.
• Use cleaning magnets to clean the aquarium glass, or acrylic.
  - Do not drag the magnets too close to the sand.
  - If they catch a piece of sand between them and the acrylic they will scratch your aquarium.
• Instead, use a long handle scraper to clean the bottom two inches of the aquarium just above the sand. This method will dramatically reduce the chances of scratching your aquarium.
• Use a short scraper to clean hard algae off of the glass, or acrylic.
• Use your hand and a turkey baster to blow jets of water against the rocks.

How can I prevent scratches when I am cleaning?

• Always checking your scrub pads and cleaning magnets for even the smallest piece of sand that may have become stuck on them. The one time you rush and don’t take the time to check them carefully is the time you will scratch your aquarium.
• Never ever use cleaning magnets, or scrub pads, near the surface of the sand.
  - Always keep at least 1-2 inches above the top of the sand and go slowly above the sand so you don’t stir up the sand.
• Use a long handle scrapper to clean the bottom few inches to the aquarium just above the sand.
  - Scrap downwards into the sand bed then move the scraper away from the glass to let any sand fall away from it and again scrap downwards. Repeat this all the way around the visible part of the aquarium.

Why is it so important to cure live rock before adding it to my aquarium?

• Freshly imported live rock has some die-off which occurs during the shipping process.
• If you place uncured rock directly into your aquarium this die-off will create excess ammonia, which can be toxic to fish.
• We recommend that you cure live rock for at least ten days before adding it to your aquarium.
• For brand new aquariums without any fish, you may add as much live rock as you want directly to your aquarium. It will actually expedite the cycling process of your aquarium as it cures.
• If you don't want to cure the rock yourself, try our fully cured live rock.
• Our fully cured live rock may be added directly to your aquarium. Just rinse it in a bucket of saltwater first.

How should I cure my live rock?

• Fill a new trashcan or large plastic tub with saltwater.
• Place the new live rock into the tub or trashcan.
• Place one or two powerheads into the tub or trashcan with the live rock to create water movement.
• Make sure the powerheads are submerged and cannot turn to where they could pump water out of the tub.
• After 4-6 days perform a 50% water change on the tub or trashcan.
• After 10-14 days you may remove the rock and place it in your aquarium.
• Dunk the rock in a clean bucket of saltwater to rinse it off one last time before placing it in your aquarium.
• Remember, cured live rock should not have the same pungent smell as uncured rock.

How should I set the rock in the aquarium?

• Please note: Be careful not to let the rocks touch the front of the aquarium or fall against the aquarium, because they will definitely scratch it.
• Always use two hands when setting rock.
• For new aquariums, it is much better and easier to set the rock into an empty aquarium with only a sand bed and then fill it with saltwater.
• First, make sure that you wiggle the bottom layer of rocks down through the sand so that they rest firmly on the bottom of the aquarium.
• Stagger the rocks on the bottom layer creating interesting caves and passageways through them. Use bigger, heavier rocks for the bottom layer.
• For the next layer use longer flatter rocks to bridge the gaps between the rocks on the first layer. Make sure to wedge the rocks in securely.
• If the rocks don’t seem to fit together try adjusting some of the rocks on the bottom layer.
• If the rocks don’t fit together tightly, use smaller rocks to act as spacers and give the larger rocks a sound foundation.
• If you need smaller rocks, use a hammer to break one of the larger rocks into pieces.
• Use the bottom palm of your hand to hit the rocks and wedge them tightly into place.
• When setting the rock, think about creating caves and hiding places, as well as many levels of platforms for your coral to sit on.
• When you are finished, tap your hand around on the rocks to make sure they are secure and not wobbly. You do not want rocks to fall down or get knocked over.

How can I control disease in my tank?

• There are many things one can do to reduce disease in an aquarium. Medicine should be the last option.
• Maintaining proper water parameters and keeping the temperature constant will go a long way towards keeping your fish healthy.
• Maintaining a separate quarantine tank for new fish will help prevent diseases by giving you a chance to make sure all new fish are healthy before you add them to your display aquarium where they are often hard to remove and medicate.
• We recommend quarantining new fish for at least one week before adding them to your display aquarium.
• Add an ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer to your aquarium.

What is an ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer and how does it help prevent disease?

• Adding an ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer to your aquarium is a very cost-effective way to help prevent the spread of disease from one fish to another in the aquarium.
  - It passes the aquarium water next to an ultraviolet light that kills many harmful parasites such as the ich parasite.
  - For reef aquariums you may set the UV sterilizer on a timer and run it for 6-8 hours a day normally, and 24 hours a day when you add new fish or notice a sick fish.

How much should I feed my fish?

• Most saltwater fish should be fed twice per day. The best way to determine how much is by looking at your fish.
• If their bellies are plump, you are feeding enough.
• If you see uneaten food sitting on the bottom, you are over-feeding.
• If their bellies are at all concave, either they are not eating well, or you should feed them more.

What happens if I over-feed my tank?

• Over-feeding your fish results in a lot of extra waste in your aquarium system making it harder to maintain good water quality. It will also require you to clean your aquarium more often.

What should I feed my coral and invertebrates?

• Many invertebrates will scavenge your aquarium eating scraps of food left over by your fish. Some will catch plankton and other free-floating foods out of the water.
• Most corals feed on different types of plankton such as photoplankton or zooplankton.
• Some corals and all anemones will eat a small piece of marine flesh such as squid or shrimp if you place it on them.

What filtration methods does Vivid Aquariums recommend?

• Our concept of filtration is that it should mimic the natural reef ecosystem as closely as possible, and should include a UV sterilizer to control disease.
• As water passes through masses of live rock and sand in the coral reef bacteria living within the rock and sand break down waste removing toxic ammonia and nitrites. Live rock and sand will do the same in your aquarium.
• On coral reefs, waves sloshing around mix air with saltwater causing dissolved waste to separate from the water creating foam, which often washes ashore.
  - Protein skimmers do the very same for our aquariums.
• Creating a balanced eco-system that includes, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and detrivores (scavengers) is a tremendous help in keeping your aquarium clean and your water quality good. See our Clean-up Crew Packages.
• Good water movement causes more water to pass through the live rock keeping your aquarium cleaner.

What are the necessary components of a complete filter system?

• Live rock acts as a biological filter.
  - As water passes through the live rock bacteria within the rock break down waste removing toxic ammonia and nitrites.
  - Try placing some pieces of live rock in your sump as well.
• A sump, or wet/dry filter is the center of all complete saltwater filter systems.
  - Water that drains from the overflow box enters the sump.
  - Provide mechanical filters such as filter pad or filter socks to remove waste from the water entering the sump, and carbon to help keep the water clear.
• A protein skimmer can hang on the sump or sit inside of it.
  - Protein skimmers mix air and saltwater rapidly causing dissolved waste to separate from the water, creating foam which collects in the cup of the protein skimmer.
  - Protein skimmers require a separate pump that pumps water from the sump, along with air, into the skimmer.
  - All of the skimmers we sell include a pump.
• Ultraviolet sterilizers kill free-floating parasites, such as the ich parasite, dramatically reducing the spread of disease in the aquarium.
  - They also help to control the growth of nuisance algae.
  - You may use a separate pump, or connect the UV in-line with one of your return lines to create water flow through the UV.
  - Water enters the UV sterilizer and passes by an ultraviolet light that kills the free-floating parasites.
• Water heaters prevent the temperature from dropping at night when the lights are off.
• Return pumps (either in-line or submersible) pump water from the sump back into the aquarium.
  - They should be strong enough to turn over the full volume of the aquarium 10-15 times per hour.
  - For example, a 100 gallon aquarium should have between 1000-1500 gallons pumped through it every hour.
  - Return pumps also create water movement in the aquarium, and can easily be connected to SCWD wavemakers to create changing currents.

Why do you recommend multiple return pumps instead of one big pump?

• We have seen too many customers throughout the years leave for a vacation only to return home and find that their one return pump stopped working, causing them to lose everything.
  - Using two return pumps greatly reduces the chance of your aquarium system shutting down completely.
  - If one pump stops working you still have another pump running that will keep everything alive until you have a chance to fix or replace the broken pump.
  - Remember, even the best pumps will burn out eventually.
  - Using two return pumps gives you peace of mind.
  - The two pumps combined should cycle the volume of the aquarium 10-15 times per hour.

How do I select the right return pumps?

• First, you must decide whether you want to use submersible pumps in the sump, or in-line pumps that sit outside the sump and suck water through holes in the side of the sump.
  - There is not a major advantage to either type of pump, both methods work equally well.
• If space in your aquarium cabinet is a concern submersible pumps take up less space since they sit insidehe sump.
• Measure how high the return pumps must pump the water to get it from the sump back to the aquarium.
  - This is known as the head.
  - A pump will not pump as much water through a return jet that is five feet above it as it will to a return jet that is four feet above it.
• All water pumps are rated for different gallons per hour at different heads, or heights.
• Choose pumps that will combine to cycle the full volume of the aquarium 10-15 times per hour.

What is a refugium, and what does it do?

• A refugium is a sepreate tank, connected to your aquarium system, that acts as a refuge for nitrate reducing macro-algae and provides a place for tiny invertebrates such as copepods and amphipods to grow.
• Excess macro-algae that grows in a refugium can be used as a natural food source for tangs, and other herbivores in your display aquarium.
• Tiny invertebrates such as copepods and amphipods will flourish in a refugium since there are no fish to eat them.
  - Many will eventually make their way into the display aquarium where the will act as a natural food source for many of the fish in your display aquarium.
• Many hard to keep fish, such as the Green Mandarinfish, will thrive in aquarium systems that include a refugium.
  - They will feed off of the copepods and amphipods that make their way from the refugium to the aquarium. See Refugiums.

• Please note: If there is one thing we have learned through years of keeping hundreds of species of fish, it is that there are exceptions to every rule. The information on the fish pages of our website was written from hands-on experience.

How should I choose new fish for my aquarium?

• Educate yourself about the fish you already have, the fish you want to get, and the fish you may want further in the future. Try reading about them on our website. We have included as much information as possible.
• Remember there are two major ways predators attack their prey.
  - One, they will only eat what they can swallow whole. This is true for Groupers, Lionfish, Anglers, and most Eels.
  - Two, they may attack a fish several times their own size, picking away at it until they kill it. Triggers, large Wrasses, Puffers, Hogfish, and Damsels will attack in this way.

How can I be sure the new fish will be compatible with the fish I already have?

• You can never be 100% sure about the compatibility of your new fish until you release it into your aquarium and watch how it gets along.
  - Fish do have individual personalities, and their personalities may change as they mature.
  - What you can do is educate yourself, make educated selections, and hope for the best. It is what all hobbyists must do.

How can I stop my fish from fighting?

• Sometimes rearranging some of the rock in your aquarium will prevent squabbles by creating new territories and breaking up old “established” territories.
• Create new hiding places using the rocks.
• Make sure your fish are well fed. Fat predators are not as likely to harass their tank-mates.

What should I do if certain fish will not stop fighting?

• At this point you must remove the aggressive fish from your aquarium.
• If you have trouble catching them try dropping some of their favorite food on the surface and catch them quickly with a net when they come up to eat it.
• If you still can’t catch them try using a trap.

How do I know a fish will not eat my coral and invertebrates?

• You can never be 100% sure about the compatibility of your new fish until you release it into your aquarium and watch its behavior.
• What you can do is educate yourself, make educated selections, and hope for the best. It is what all hobbyists must do.
• Please note: Most fish that eat coral have only a few selected types of coral that they will eat and will not bother other corals. Read about the fish and corals on our website for more specific details about compatibility.
• With corals, it is easy to remove them and trade with a friend.

What kind of light cycle is recommended?

• In any aquarium, the light cycle, or amount of time the lights are on per day, can have a dramatic effect on the growth of nuisance algae.
• If you have a lighting system with both daylight (white bulbs) and actinic (blue bulbs) lights, it is best to have the actinic blue lights come on 1 hour to 1½ hours before the daylight lights and stay on 1 hour to 1½ hours after the daylight bulbs turn off. This can be easily accomplished with the use of two timers.
• We recommend a white daylight cycle of 8-9 hours with the actinic blue lights coming on before and remaining on after the daylights.
• If you have rapid growth of nuisance algae, try cutting you light cycle back by 15-30 minutes.
• Sometimes it only takes a small decrease in the light cycle to make a big difference.

What kind of lighting is required for a fish-only aquarium?

• Fish-only aquariums with live rock do not require bright lighting.
• Adding bright lights to a fish only aquarium will cause the growth of excess nuisance algae, resulting in more cleaning for you.
• Provide 1-2 watts of light per gallon.

What kind of lighting is required for a reef aquarium?

• Proper lighting is an absolute necessity for any reef aquarium.
• Most soft corals can do well under VHO fluorescent or PC fluorescent lighting.
• Provide approximately 3-5 watts of light per gallon. Example: A 60-gallon aquarium with soft corals should have from 180 to 300 watts of light no matter how much live rock you have in the aquarium.
• Aquariums with soft and large-polyped stony corals should have approximately 4-6 watts of light per gallon.
• For SPS (small-polyped stony) coral reefs we recommend 7-10 watts of light per gallon.

What are metal halide lights?

• Metal halide lights are the best choice for reef aquariums with stony corals of any type.
• They also create a soothing shimmer all over the aquarium.
• The only downfall of metal halides is that they produce much more heat than fluorescent bulbs and therefore require a taller canopy, better ventilation, and sometimes a chiller to prevent them from overheating your aquarium.
• Metal halides should be mounted in a 12”-15” high canopy, or at least 6 inches from the top of the aquarium.
• The results they will help you achieve in reef keeping are tremendous.

How will changes in temperature affect my tank?

• Keeping the water temperature constant is important for any aquarium. The temperature should not change by more than 2 degrees within any 24-hour period.
• Faster changes in temperature can cause fish to become sick, especially through outbreaks of ich.

What are the advantages of keeping my tank at lower temperatures?

• Running your aquarium at a lower temperature of 76°-77° will greatly reduce the amount of nuisance algae that grows in your aquarium.
• It will save you time because you will not have to clean the aquarium as often.
• It will also reduce the amount of waste in your aquarium system.
• Remember, when you clean algae off of the glass much of it will die, creating excess waste in your aquarium.

What are ways to cool my tank?

• If your aquarium is running too hot, there are two solutions to cool it down.
• The first is to ventilate the canopy area by mounting cooling fans and making sure to provide spaces in the canopy where hot air can escape.
  - Using a cover for the aquarium that is slotted will allow water to evaporate.
  - It is possible to cool an aquarium by 5 or 6 degrees using this method of ventilation and evaporative cooling.
  - You will have to add more fresh top-off water than before to replace the extra amount of water lost to evaporation.
  - See keeping specific gravity (salinity) constant for tips on how to automate the topping off of your aquarium.
• The second method for is to connect a water chiller to your aquarium system.
  - Chillers range from $400 to more than $1000 depending on the size of your aquarium, but they are well worth the expense long-term.
  - They allow you to always keep the temperature of your aquarium constant and to keep it cooler so as to reduce the growth of nuisance algae.
  - Unlike the above method they will not create added evaporation of aquarium water.
  - Most in-line chillers are easily installed by placing a submersible pump in your aquarium sump that pumps water through the chiller and back to either the sump or the aquarium.

What are the recommended water parameters?

• Vivid Aquariums recommends maintaining a constant water temperature between 75°-80°. Higher temperatures, up to 83°, are OK, but will result in the growth of excess nuisance algae.
• An established aquarium should maintain Ammonia levels of 0.0ppm, Nitrite levels of 0.0 ppm, Nitrate levels of 0.0-30ppm, pH of 8.1-8.4, and dKH of 8-12.
• For reef aquariums, the specific gravity (sg), or salinity, should remain constant between 1.023-1.025.
• Using a lower specific gravity of 1.020-1.022 in fish only aquariums can help to keep fish healthier. Live rock will not be harmed by lower salinity levels.
• Reef aquariums should maintain a calcium level of 400-450ppm to allow stony corals and invertebrates the calcium they need to grow their skeletons and shells.
  - Maintaining a good calcium level is also vital to encouraging the growth of desirable pink and purple coraline algae.

How often should I test the aquarium water?

• For newer aquariums less than three months old, you should test your aquarium water every 4-5 days until you find that all levels have remained constant for at least one month.
• Unless you have an automatic top-off system to replace water lost to evaporation, you should check the specific gravity twice a week and use fresh top-off water to keep the salinity constant.
• For established aquariums you can reduce your water testing to once every 1-2 weeks. It is a good idea to test the aquarium water before adding new fish and several days after their introduction.
• Anytime you notice potential problems in your aquarium you should test the water. Poor water quality is the root of most problems one experiences when keeping a saltwater aquarium.
• Remember, maintaining proper water quality saves lives.

Why does the salinity of water increase and what should I do?

• When water evaporates from your aquarium the salinity of your water increases because the salt does not evaporate.
  - Therefore, it is necessary to add fresh water to top-off your aquarium system to replace the water that evaporated.
  - Adding this top-off water will dilute the aquarium water and bring the salinity back to normal.

How can I automate the top-off process?

• Topping-off your aquarium can become quite a chore for some hobbyists, especially those who use cooling fans. There is a simple way to automate the topping-off process.
• Connect a reverse osmosis (RO) water filter from a water line in your home to a float valve in your aquarium sump.
• When water evaporates from your aquarium system, the water level in your sump will drop, and the float valve will open releasing perfect RO water into the sump to replace the evaporated water.
• As it fills the sump, the float valve will close to prevent too much water from being added.
• This way you never have to top-off your aquarium again. Instead, you only have to replace the RO filter cartridges about once per year.

How do I connect a reverse osmosis (RO) water filter?

• To connect an RO water filter, you can use a piercing valve on any ½” cold water pipe in your home to connect your home water supply to the RO filter.
• To install the float valve, you must drill a small hole in the sump at the level you want the water to stay.
• Make sure you leave enough space in the sump to accommodate any water that would drain down from the aquarium should your power shut off.
• Once you have affixed the float valve in the sump, attach the filtered (blue) hose from the RO filter to the end of the float valve protruding from the sump.
• RO Filters also have a waste water (orange) line coming out from them that must be attached to a drain in your home.
• Usually you can drill a ¼” hole in the top of a sinks drain pipe just after the trap and stick the waste water line through the hole into the drain pipe.
• Make sure to use silicone to seal around where the tubing enters the drain pipe.
• Finally, turn on the piercing valve all the way and check for any leaks.
• No leaks - you are finished.
  - If you find any leaks turn off the piercing valve and fix them.
  - If you need help call a plumber to install it for you.

Why is good water movement so important?

• Good water circulation helps the filter system to do its job by stirring up waste and allowing the filter to trap it. This results in a cleaner aquarium.
• For fish only aquariums, good water movement keeps fish in shape by creating natural currents like the ones they must swim against in the ocean.
• For reef aquariums, good water movement is important for corals as well. It circulates plankton and other free-floating foods that corals must eat for survival.
• Without good water movement many corals do not have enough food floating by to keep them well fed.
• Changing water currents create the most natural water movement for all marine livestock. Ocean currents change constantly as a result of weather and tides.
• Corals will thrive under changing currents, waving back and forth beautifully.

How can I increase water movement?

• The easiest way is to add powerheads to your aquarium.
  - Place several powerheads on opposite sides of the aquarium and direct their flow at an angle to the aquarium glass.
  - This will create a nice deflected current throughout your aquarium.
  - The total gallons per hour of all of your powerheads should equal about 6-10 times the size of your aquarium in gallons depending on what type of livestock you are keeping.
• Another way, which alleviates having powerheads in your aquarium, is to use an additional return pump, or stronger return pumps, to pump more water from the sump through the aquarium.
  - Make sure your overflow box can handle the excess water volume, or you could have a flood.
  - Saltwater aquariums should cycle 10-15 times per hour.
  - For example, a 100 gallon aquarium should have between 1000-1500 gallons pumped through it every hour.

Why are wave makers so important?

• Using a wavemaker to create changing currents is easy and will make a big difference in the success and appearance of any reef aquarium.
• Wavemakers allow us to simulate the changing water currents of a real coral reef, on a small scale.

What type of wave maker should I use?

• If you are using powerheads in your aquarium, use a Wavemaster Pro Controller to turn your powerheads on and off at ramdom intervals.
• If you have connected return lines from your sump to the aquarium, use a SCWD Wavemaker to T off one or two return lines.
  - Simply install the SCWD on the return line from the pump and connect each of the two returns from the SCWD to return jets on opposite sides of the aquarium.
  - The SCWD will alternate the water from the return pump from one return jet to the other creating constantly changing currents. Your corals will come alive with movement as they sway in the currents.
  

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