Equipment and Supplies:
Start Slowly: Begin with a very low dose of vodka. A common starting point is around 0.1 ml of vodka per 25 gallons of water per day. It's important to start slowly to allow the bacterial population to adjust and avoid any sudden changes in water chemistry.
Monitor Nutrient Levels: Regularly test your aquarium's water for nitrate and phosphate levels. The goal of vodka dosing is to maintain low nutrient levels. Adjust the dosage as needed based on your test results. If nitrate and phosphate levels drop too quickly, reduce the vodka dosage.
Protein Skimming: Protein skimming is crucial in a vodka-dosed system. It helps remove excess bacteria and organic matter that may accumulate as a result of the increased bacterial growth.
Activated Carbon: The use of activated carbon in your filtration system can help remove any impurities or toxins that may be released during vodka dosing.
Maintain Consistency: Consistency in dosing is essential. Any sudden changes in the vodka dosage can impact the bacterial population and water quality.
Caution and Observation: Be cautious when dosing vodka and monitor your aquarium closely. Inexperienced aquarists should proceed with caution and consider consulting with an experienced hobbyist or a professional to ensure that vodka dosing is appropriate for their specific setup.
It's important to note that vodka dosing should not be used as a standalone solution for nutrient control. It should be part of an overall nutrient management strategy that includes proper feeding, water changes, and the use of other filtration methods. Furthermore, it's essential to monitor and adjust dosing based on the specific needs of your aquarium, as different systems may respond differently to carbon dosing methods.
Always exercise caution when using any form of carbon dosing in your aquarium and closely monitor water parameters to ensure that you do not create any unintended imbalances in your system.
1. Your first step is to test your system’s NO3 and PO4 levels. Do not try this method if you don’t know this!!!!!
2. Estimate the net water volume of your system. The water volume is the sum of the aquarium volume, the sump, and refuge minus live rock displacement. It is ok to underestimate the net water volume but it is risky to overestimate it.
3. Start with 0.1 ml of vodka per 25 gallons (100 L) daily for the first three days.
4. Then, double the daily dosage to 0.2 ml per 25 gallons (100 L) for days 4 to 7.
5. On week two, add an additional 0.5ml to the daily dosage, regardless of the aquarium volume. Always test your system’s NO3 and PO4 levels. If your NO3 and PO4 levels start to drop during that 2nd week, maintain the current daily dose. If your NO3 and PO4 do not drop, add an additional 0.5 ml of vodka to the daily dosage on week three. Add 0.5 ml to the daily dosage every week until your NO3 and PO4 start to drop.
6. When your NO3 and PO4 levels drop near undetectable levels, cut your current dose in half. This will be your daily dose.
7. Keep dosing vodka every day (the dose on point 6) and keep monitoring your NO3 and PO4. If levels become detectable again, increase your daily dose by 0.1ml per week until the levels start to decrease again. Your NO3 and PO4 levels will eventually drop back to undetectable. This will become your new daily dose.
Note: These instructions are for 80 proof vodka only (40% ethanol by volume).
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Corals are Animals
Reef keepers aim to keep some of the most exotic and unusual animals that come from the farthest corners of the Earth inside their little glass boxes. This is no small endeavor. These animals usually have very specific requirements, and sometimes two animals that look very much alike have completely different requirements.
If you want to do your corals justice and take good care of them, you need to be well educated about their care and natural history. So do some research and read up.
]]>I used the Low Boy breeder aquarium from Zoo Med, which is a 50 gallon aquarium, that has an area of 48 by 24 inches, and is only 10 inches tall. They are reasonably priced around $135 to $150 depending on the area you live in. I used two AI 26 for lights and some old heaters that i had laying around.
]]>I used the Low Boy breeder aquarium from Zoo Med, which is a 50 gallon aquarium, that has an area of 48 by 24 inches, and is only 10 inches tall. They are reasonably priced around $135 to $150 depending on the area you live in. I used two AI 26 for lights and some old heaters that i had laying around.
For flow I am using one small hydor pump in the back and Jebao SCP-70M cross flow at the other end. I drilled to 3 holes in the back side of the frag tank, one line at each end of the back of the frag tank and 1 in the middle for Eclipse Overflow "Medium" that i plumbed to a Sump 20 gallon long DIY.
I used a Rio pump with a check valve, a Ice Cap protein skimmer and 2 Biological marine pure blocks in the sump. I am currently running a UFO light for the refugium and JBJ water auto top off for evaporation.
]]>Until one day i decided to make room in my garage and buy an RO/DI system and setup a saltwater mixing station at the house. My first obstacle was trying to find the space to store RO/DI filters, water storage containers, and saltwater mixing buckets. After some thought, I decided to use (2) 32 gallon BRUTE trashcans and will mix up about 25-30 gallons at a time.
I started the saltwater mixing station build with a stand that i would make out of (5) 2 x 4's and one piece of pre cut plywood at 48" x 24" x 1/2 inch.
After the stand was built, i set the BRUTE trashcans side by side and began to drill and pipe. I installed a auto shut off float valve to keep the system from over filling my holding container and with use of a pump, union valves and some ball valves to adjust the flow water, i was on my way to making the hobby a lot easier.
Every build you will read will always talk about unions. Use as many unions as you can. They are more pricey but it’ll be worth it when you have to take out a dead pump or pipe and replace/clean it. They will make it easy to unhook everything as well so you can take it down for cleaning or a move!
The BRUTE trashcan to the left will hold my RO/DI water and by opening the valves and plugin in the pump, water will be fed to the barrel to the right. Once the valves are closed and salt has been added to the BRUTE trashcan on the right, valves will be opened on the saltwater side, that will circulate the water through the pump and back into the BRUTE trashcan for mixing. I also used a internal aquarium filter pump to circulate the water and heater to keep the temperature at 78 degree.
RO water will automatic refill the BRUTE trashcan on the left, until it hits the auto shut off valve, so that water is ready for use. When i am ready for fresh saltwater or RO water all i need to do is turn the ball valve on either side to get the water that i need.
When you have invested your time and hard earned money into this hobby, water changes with tap water is really not a good option. The main reason is that you are not able to control the parameters in tap water. There is no easy way to determine every mineral and chemical that comes out of our tap, nor in what quantities. To avoid using tap water most aquarists will start with RO/DI (Reverse Osmosis/ DeIonized) water.
RO/DI water is any water that has been purified of any minerals or chemicals that occur naturally or that have been added by the water company. RO/DI filters will take all the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) out of the water and make it safe for your aquarium livestock.
]]>A quarantine system can also be used to breed certain types a marine fish. Such as, clown fish and bang eyed cardinals.
I started the project by building the saltwater quarantine fish stand, exactly like i did with my low boy frag tank display. As well, in the past i used the same type of stand for my R/O and saltwater mixing station.
As well, i wanted to quarantine different types of saltwater fish, with out the use of just one aquarium with dividers, so i used three 10 gallon aquariums and lined them up vertical next to each other. This also gives me the ability to isolate one of the aquariums from the rest of the system, with a hang on canister if needed.
I drilled holes at the end of each aquarium and installed 3/4 bulkheads. Inside of the aquariums i used 3/4 piping and attached drains, so that fish could not possibly get sucked down into the sump or get lodged in the PVC.
From the back side of the bulkheads, i increased from 3/4 to 1" PVC to drain back to the sump below. I used a 30 gallon tank that already had been set up with baffles for the sump and used a old pump that i had laying around. I used 3/4 PVC and ball valves to connect each tank to the pump. I also used a check valve and union connections in case i need to change out the pump. As well, it also makes it easy to remove the pump for maintenance.
Union connections and ball valves are a must, for all my tank builds. Ball valves are great to control water flow and union connections make it easy to plug and play different parts of the tank set up.
In this case, if one of the 10 gallon tanks starts to leak and needs to be replaced. I could close the ball valve off and drain the water out of the one 10 gallon tank, loosen the union connection in the back of the display and slide the individual tank out and replace it with a new 10 gallon aquarium. This can be very helpful and can all be done with out shutting down the rest of the quarantine system.
In my case, after i cut and dry fitting the PVC to the quarantine display, i grabbed the tank by union connection and lifted the tank. It was enough to crack the thin glass and i really did not notice it until i did the water test. That is when i noticed, water leaking under the bulkhead. I did not notice it before because the paint was hiding the crack in the aquarium.
This is another thing i like to do when building my displays, is to paint the bottom and back of the tank in black, to hide the piping and wiring. This gives a cleaner look to the aquarium display in my opinion.
I used a cheap LED for lighting, a filter sock and No substrate will be used. As well, i will add a heater to maintain a stable temp and use a auto top off for water evaporation.
Also i will use a cheap digital thermometer to keep track of water temp and of some sort of lid, even if it is just a piece of plastic (eggcrate works well for this). I will use a variety of PVC pipes/fittings to give the fish hiding area and to reduce the stress of the fish.
]]>Whether it is a Freshwater system or a Saltwater Reef environment, allow us to take the labor out of keeping your aquarium in pristine shape and working order, so that you may simply enjoy the beauty of your aquarium while saving yourself the effort of maintaining it.
Our main goal at Discount Coral, is to maintain your aquarium to its optimal performance and pay attention to every detail. Our aquarium service team will arrive on a timely manner at your home or office for your professional aquarium cleaning. In addition, we’ll assess your system and offer our expert aquarium advice on the ways you can improve your aquarium.
A typical aquarium service includes cleaning the aquarium, 20% water change, filtration system, gravel/sand vacuum, water testing and visual inspection of the aquarium, equipment maintenance, and its inhabitants. This ensures optimal conditions for supporting different types of life.
Or, do you simply need a helping hand in revamping a system that has managed to get away from you? We are more than happy to come on an as needed basis, just give us a 2-week notification (preferably) and well be on our way!
]]>The Euphyllia Torch Coral is a large polyp stony (LPS) coral, often referred to as Trumpet Coral or Pom-Pom Coral. It has long and flowing polyps with single rounded colored tips, which are visible throughout the day and night, hiding its branching skeletal base most of the time. Colors vary widely ranging from yellow, red, brown, and green.
]]>The Euphyllia Torch Coral is a large polyp stony (LPS) coral, often referred to as Trumpet Coral or Pom-Pom Coral. It has long and flowing polyps with single rounded colored tips, which are visible throughout the day and night, hiding its branching skeletal base most of the time. Colors vary widely ranging from yellow, red, brown, and green.
Overall, the Torch Coral is an excellent coral for an intermediate aquarist looking to add some complexity and color into a reef tank.
Black Friday to Cyber Monday weekend is one of the best times of the year to stock up and save on quality aquarium equipment that is usually full price. We will have exclusive discount offers at nearly wholesale prices on a wide variety of aquarium accessories, invertebrates, live corals and saltwater fish.
]]>Black Friday to Cyber Monday weekend is one of the best times of the year to stock up and save on quality aquarium equipment that is usually full price. We will have exclusive discount offers at nearly wholesale prices on a wide variety of aquarium accessories, invertebrates, live corals and saltwater fish.
Whether you have always dreamed about owning fish, you are buying it as a gift for your kids, or you want to spruce up the waiting room at the office, you will be able to find a sale on the aquarium that you are looking for and stock it full of corals or saltwater fish to enjoy.
We prepare for this event well in advance and while our supply is well stocked, highly sought after items WILL sell out! Check back on November 1st 2020 for Discount Corals, Next Black Friday Sales Promotion.
]]>Zoanthid coral are one of the most well-known and are easy to maintain making them a great choice for beginner reef aquarists. Zoas are fairly tolerant and as long as, the water quality is good, the system is fully cycled and care is taken with lighting, flow and placement.
]]>Zoanthid coral are one of the most well-known and are easy to maintain making them a great choice for beginner reef aquarists. Zoas are fairly tolerant and as long as, the water quality is good, the system is fully cycled and care is taken with lighting, flow and placement.
The electric colors on zoa frags come from the photosynthetic and symbiotic zooxanthellae algae living in the tissue of the zoas. Zooanthid corals are native to most of the world’s tropical oceans, with most found in the shallow, warm waters of the Pacific and the Caribbean.
Zoanthid corals do best in rich nutrient tanks where they can filter feed daily. These "flowers of the reef" are one of the fastest growing corals and usually prefer to be placed near medium-high light and high indirect flow areas. To help with excellent growth and health the will require the addition of iodine and other trace elements. Check out our selection of Zoanthid coral for sale to find the coral frags for your tank!
]]>Our mushroom corals are highly recommended for beginning coral enthusiasts, as they require very little care and grow at a faster pace than many other corals. As well mushrooms are also suitable for coral enthusiasts at any other levels. They are easy to self-propagate under favorable conditions, and prefer areas in your display that many other corals don’t, making them a valuable, interesting and attractive addition to most any coral reef display.
Mushroom corals are quite often very affordable. Also our mushroom corals are mostly aquaculture in-house, which reduces collection pressure on wild reefs, allows us to carefully screen them for potential parasites and other unwanted hitchhikers and allows us to provide high quality ‘shrooms and other soft corals to our clients.
]]>Hard Corals aka Stony Corals, are compromised of 2 types - Large Polyp Stony (LPS) and Small Polyp Stony (SPS) - referring to the size of the polyp.
]]>Technically, corals themselves are living organisms, that are made of tiny animals called coral polyps and are usually classified as either hard corals or soft corals.
Hard Corals aka Stony Corals, are compromised of 2 types - Large Polyp Stony (LPS) and Small Polyp Stony (SPS) - referring to the size of the polyp.
LPS coral is great for beginner-level hobbyists and veterans alike, featuring unique colors, shapes and sizes, usually found as either plate like, or branching corals. All LPS corals have a hard or stony skeleton created by aragonite, and often formed into cup-shaped structures called corallites, and is covered by a thin layer of tissue called the coenosarc. The foot of the polyps then grow from the coenosarc on these colonial corals, or attached directly to the substrate connected by a pedal disc. The rate that this occurs depends on the species. Some varieties of LPS such as Favites can grow very quickly while some massive LPS like Scolymia can take years to grow an inch.
LPS coral get all of there nutrients through a process known as photosynthesis, and will also feed on small meaty foods found in the water column, such as zooplankton. As well, Large Polyp Stony Corals benefit from clean water and a consistent source of calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. Our selection of LPS corals for sale includes a huge variety of species to choose from, including rainbow LPS coral, Favia coral, Alveopora, Cyphastrea, and much more.
SPS coral, is a favorite among experienced coral hobbyists. They can be found in a variety of unique colors, shapes and sizes, usually found as either plate like, or branching corals. All SPS corals have a hard or stony skeleton created by aragonite, and often formed into cup-shaped structures called corallites, and is covered by a thin layer of tissue called the coenosarc. The foot of the polyps then grow from the coenosarc on these colonial corals, or attached directly to the substrate connected by a pedal disc. The rate that this occurs depends on the species. Some varieties of SPS corals can grow very quickly while some other varieties take seemingly forever to show any growth.
As well, due to its skeleton, SPS coral frags require a consistent source of calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium to thrive. They also require a good amount of light and high-water flow compared to LPS. Also, SPS are generally considered more difficult to keep than the LPS or soft corals and are not recommended for beginners.
]]>Soft Corals, which are also known as Alcyonacea, are a favorite among beginners and new hobbyists due to their ease of care and spectacular, colorful structures. However, unlike their stony coral relatives, soft corals do not build an internal fleshy / woody skeleton that bolsters the appearance of the reef. These flexible corals bend with the flow of water to give them the appearance of waving blissfully in your tank. Soft corals generally prefer moderate light and are much more resilient to changes in chemistry within the tank, making them extremely hardy. Almost all Soft Corals use symbiotic photosynthesizing zooxanthella as a major energy source, but will also readily eat any free floating food, such as zooplankton from the water column.
]]>If you have a specific topic or question you would like us to address please contact us and we will cover it in an upcoming post.
Our first series of posts are going to focus on some of the basic equipment that is required to set up an aquarium. We often get asked what do I need to get a tank started? So it seems like a great place to start our knowledge base.
]]>If you have a specific topic or question you would like us to address please contact us and we will cover it in an upcoming post.
Our first series of posts are going to focus on some of the basic equipment that is required to set up an aquarium. We often get asked what do I need to get a tank started? So it seems like a great place to start our knowledge base.
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