All aquariums are susceptible to algae and an overabundance of it can be detrimental.  We have all seen it growing in our own aquariums or friends and we all have tried to avoid it at all costs.  Algae can not only create an unsightly vista, but algae growth can cause the death of corals and other life on your live rock.  There are many forms of algae and many solutions to reducing it.  This article covers the underline causes of most algae problems.

To reduce or eradicate algae, we first must look at the cause.  Two of the main causes of algae are organic matter and light.

Organic Matter

Organic matter is fish waste and food.  The more fish you have in your tank that are producing waste, the more food algae has to grow.  Over feeding can also create excess algae in your aquarium. Although fish are constant feeders, they tend to only eat for about 5 minutes after being fed.  Any food left over, falls to the bottom of the tank or gets sucked up by the filtration system. Excess food than decays and feeds the algae instead of the fish.

Improper filtration can add to your algae problems.  Good water movement will keep your water oxygenated and proper filtration will insure that you can handle whatever bio-load you choose to put in your aquarium.  Proper research and talking to your Local Fish Store (LFS) will help determine which type of filtration is right for you.

Lighting

Light is extremely important for your corals and the right lighting can reduce algae growth. Algae loves to grow in red spectrum lighting. This means that you should use lighting that is made specifically for aquariums.  Regular fluorescent bulbs, like what are used in commercial buildings, are NOT to be used.  These put out a lot of red spectrum and will cause tons of algae growth and not help your livestock.  Light is, arguably, more important than filtration in some instances.  There are many, many types and choices of lighting.  Again, it is a good idea to do loads of research, talk to other hobbyists, and your LFS when deciding what lighting system and what light bulbs are best.

Control of your lighting and the amount of organic matter will help keep your algae problem in check.  Other things that will keep algae away are doing regular water changes, use Reverse Osmosis (R/O) water when doing your changes (in freshwater aquariums it is a good idea to supplement some minerals before adding R/O water.)  Putting creatures in your tank that will eat the algae can also help.  In freshwater, there are several fish that are good algae eaters.  I personally don’t care for snails as algae eaters in a freshwater aquarium as they are a good host for parasites.  In a saltwater aquarium, snails and small crabs will go after the algae and keep it in check.

 -Kevin Ellwanger

 

Many people believe that cleaning an aquarium on a regular basis is an extremely daunting chore. They have anxiety over the thought of emptying all of the water and rinsing out the gravel every single month. Luckily, that is not how an aquarium should be cleaned.  Once a month maintenance is ideal, but instead of tearing down the aquarium each time, only small ¼ water changes are needed.  By using a gravel siphon, you can drain a partial amount of water from the aquarium while leaving the fish, ornaments and substrate in the aquarium.  Just topping off an aquarium when the water level is low is not cleaning. When water evaporates, all the ammonia and gasses are still in the tank.  Filling up an aquarium when the water evaporates, doesn’t count as a partial water change. You need to extract a portion of water periodically.  This process takes only 5 – 10 minutes for the average size aquarium.

There is such a thing as cleaning your aquarium too much.  Beneficial bacteria that grows on the substrate is a necessity for a healthy aquarium. It eats away at the toxic ammonia that the fish produce. If you take the gravel out of the aquarium and give it a good cleaning, you are destroying all that good bacteria that is needed.  The gravel siphon allows you to remove the dirt along with a partial amount of water from the aquarium without destroying the bacteria. I highly suggest getting an aquarium siphon if you don’t have one.  These simple devices are designed to get into the gravel and siphon out the dirt without destroying the good bacteria.  Creating a healthy environment for you fish doesn’t mean a sterile environment.

-Kevin Ellwanger  

 

So, you have just brought home your brand new aquarium and have finished setting it up.  The gravel is in place. The tank is filled to the brim with water that has reached a comfortable temperature for the type of fish you are planning on keeping.  Now it’s time to go to the local fish store and purchase your new aquarium occupants. 

Whether you are stocking a small 10 gallon, 55 or a larger 100 gallon plus size aquarium, you may feel a need to immediately fill the tank with lots of fish. But putting a large population of fish into a brand new aquarium is a recipe for disaster.  Every aquarium must go through a cycling process or “New Tank Syndrome”. 

Beneficial bacteria are what helps keep fish alive. The bacteria will eat away at the toxic ammonia that fish produce as waste.  The bacteria convert the toxic ammonia to a slightly less toxic nitrite.  The nitrite is than converted to scarcely toxic nitrate.  Nitrate is taken out of the aquarium by water changes and absorbed by plants and algae. In a new aquarium with no established bacteria, the fish produce ammonia and then start breathing that ammonia causing death. It takes 4-6 weeks for these bacteria do develop naturally after fish are added.

In order for these Nitrifying bacteria to get started in your aquarium, you must feed it a bit of ammonia.  Having the tank running empty for a month will not accomplish anything. One way a person can help break in their new aquarium is by adding a handful or two of gravel from an already establish aquarium.  Sprinkle the gravel on top of the new gravel or by placing it in a mesh bag and inserting it into the filter area.  There are also products available that help speed up the cycling process.  These products can be very helpful in a new tank but I do not suggest using them as a sole substitute for patience and careful cycling.

When you do stock the aquarium, start with inexpensive and hardy fish.  Medium tetras or barbs can be a good first choice for the aquarium. Fish that you should not start the aquarium are any types of catfish or algae eaters.  These fish should be avoided in new tanks not only because there is little to no food for them yet, but since these fish are bottom dwellers, where the ammonia is more concentrated and there is less oxygen, they are more susceptible to toxic ammonia.

In saltwater aquariums, live rock is a perfect seed for beneficial bacteria.  Just add several pounds of live rock to your new aquariums and in two to three weeks the aquarium will be ready for your new fish.

-Kevin Ellwanger

Hi Everyone,

Here is a list of the new marine fish and invertebrates that just arrived!!

Fish:
Flame Angel
Lg. Royal Gramma
White algae blenny
Cardinal bangaii
Percula clown
2 striped damsel
3 striped damsel
green file
magenta dotty
royal dotty
yellow dotty
sm. blue hippo
humu humu trigger
niger trigger
red coris

Invertebrates:
LT Anemone
Arrow crab
blue leg hermit crabs
red leg hermit crabs
emerald crabs
Feather duster
cleaner shrimp
astrea snails
margarita snails
bali star
chocolate chip star

Coral:
Green frogspawn
Green hammer
green star polyp
lg. green plate

Stop in and check them out or give us a call : 231.347.5970

We are also on Facebook!!

NEW ARRIVALS THIS WEEK:

MARINE FISH:

Bicolor Angel
Emperor Juv
Purple Queen Anthias
Royal Gramma
Canary Blenny
Scooter Blenny
Blue Eye Cardinal
Percula Clownfish
Green Chromis
Domino Damsel
Royal Damsel
Snowflake Moray Eel
Sleeper Goby
Spotted Mandarin
Yashia Goby
Kole Tang
Six Line Wrasse

Condylactus Anemone
Long Tentacle Anemone
Arrow Crab
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
Turbo Snails
Nerite Snails
Blue Linckia Starfish

Pohnpei Fiji Live Rock



We also have Hydor Koralia Pumps at 10% OFF, these are the generation 2 pumps made to shut on/off for wave motion

We are doing a Pre-order Aquarium Sale this summer

29 Gallon         $199.00

37 G Column    $250.00

55 Gallon        $299.00

56 G Column    $325.00

75 Gallon        $375.00

125 Gallon        $650.00

All Aquariums come with Stand, Hood and Fluorescent light

29, 55 and 75 gallons have a choice of Black or Woodgrain

and the column tanks come with a back filter

Just pre-order the tank between now and July 27th and allow one to two weeks for arrival

Call us for more details
231.347.5970 or questions@tropiccove.net

Hi Everyone, 
Here's a list of the new Marine livestock that came in last night.  Also, Soon I will be posting some great Aquarium specials and we have Reef Crystal and Instant Ocean on sale this month for 20% OFF reg price.

Coral Beauty Angel
Scooter Blenny
Starry Blenny
Banner Cardinal
True Percula Clown, Tank Raised
Green Chromis
Yellowtail Blue Damsel
Firefish Goby
Diamond Goby
Green Mandarin Dragonets
Orange Banded (Trimma) Goby
Rainfordi Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby
Geometric Pygmy Hawkfish
Volitan Lionfish
Strawberry Basslet
Yellow belly Blue Tangs
Sailfin Tang
Yellow Tang
Six Line Wrasse
Bubble Anemone
Purple Long Tentacle Anemone
Blue Leg Reef Hermit Crabs
Emerald Crabs
Neon Blue Stripe Hermit Crab
Blue Spot Sea Hare
Cleaner Shrimp
Peppermint Shrimp
Pistol Shrimp
Bumble Bee Snails
Nassarius Sand snails
Trochus Snail
Zebra Stripe Turbo
Black Brittle Starfish
Dalmation Linkia Starfish
Long Spine Urchin
Royal Urchin
Cocoworm
Feather Dusters

Hi Everyone, Here is a list of some new fish just in:

FRESHWATER:
    Small Angelfish, Cherry Barbs, African Butterfly, Johanni Electric Blue Cichlid, Cory Catfish, Discus, Male Betta, Blood Gourami, Kuhlii Loaches, Mollies, Gold & Twinbar & Mickey Mouse Platies, Small Plecostomus, RAinbow and redtail Sharks, Swordtails Velvet, Congo Tetras, Head Tail Lite Tetra, Lemon Tetras, Neon Tetras and White Clouds.

POND FISH:
    3" Butterfly Koi, 3-4" Red & White Comets, 5-6" Red & White Comets, 4" Silver Koi, 4-5" Shubunkins and Trapdoor Snails
    Along with Pond Lillies and Anacharis and Hornwort Plants

SALTWATER:
    Sebae Anemone, Arrow Crab, Sea Hare, Thorny Starfish, Algae Blenny, Smiths Blenny, Green Chromis, Percula Clownfish, Goatfish, Sixline Wrasse.

REPTILE:
    Baby Leopard Geckos and Green Anoles

Hi Everyone,
Here is a list of new saltwater livestock that arrived this Friday

Flame Angel, Lawnmower Blenny, Copperband Butterfly, Banner Cardinal, Green Chromis, Green Clown Goby
Green Mandarin Goby, Yellow Clown Goby, Yellow Watchman, Kelloggi Seahorse, Blue Hippo Tang, Yellow Tang
Bubble Anemone, Rose Bubble Anemone, Long Tentacle Anemone, Chalice Coral, Blue Leg Reef Hermit Crab
Emerald Crab, Eagle Eye Zoanthus, Cleaner Shrimp, Fire Shrimp, Astrea Snails, Zebra STripe Turbo Snails and Orange Star Linkia

New Arrivals in Saltwater this week:
    Neon Goby
    Royal Gramma
    Canary Blenny
    Diamond Sleeper Goby
    Dragon Goby
    Green Mandarin
    Yellowhead Jawfish
    Dart Goby
    Lg Red Hermit Crab
    Orange Gorgonia
    Banded Coral Shrimp
    Trumpet Coral
    Plate Coral
    Hydnaphora Coral
    Goniopora Flower Pot Coral
    Tongue Coral
    Torch Coral

     Lace Rock - Base
    Pohnpei Live Rock

Also Just In:  Herbtana Parasite medication (REEF SAFE)