Harlequinmania

Located between 200 and 1,000 meters below the ocean surface is a "twilight zone" where insufficient sunlight penetrates for microorganisms to perform photosynthesis. Details are now emerging about a microbial metabolic pathway that helps solve the mystery of how certain bacteria capture carbon in the dark ocean, enabling a better understanding of what happens to the carbon that is fixed in the oceans every year. View the full article

SL still have adult size corzel angel, small blue and king angel, one queen angel, venatus ,multi bar angels . various Australia fishes left over from previous shipment ie personifier , and scribber ect.. Heard there is a hawaii shipment this sat.

It is widely acknowledged that human beings are largely responsible for the widespread alteration of ecosystems on the planet. A recent study traces the ways in which humans are the principal agents of dispersal of exotic earthworms in the forests of Northern America. Their findings suggest that humans spread earthworms both inadvertently via horticulture and land disturbance, in the tires and underbodies of vehicles, but also knowingly through composting and careless disposal of fish bait. View the full article

Scientists are quite literally getting to the bottom of the lakes in and around the Alps. The fish population is being documented scientifically in "Projet Lac" more systematically than ever before. Early investigations in the Murtensee have brought to light results that could not be ascertained from the fishery statistics in use up to now. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Ecotech Marine's new high-end lighting system will premiere at the upcoming MACNA , where they will demonstrate the exciting, advanced capabilities of their XR30w LED Light. No photos are provided at this time, but rest assured, Advanced Aquarist will post photos and more information soon. Read the full press release below to discover all the innovative features. EcoTech Marine Introduces the Radion XR30w LED Light September 1, 2011, Bethlehem PA – EcoTech Marine is proud to announce its latest product, the Radion XR30w. True to EcoTech Marine design standards, the functionality of Radion matches its sleek aesthetic. Created with the most discerning hobbyist in mind, the Radion includes top quality Cree and Osram LEDs and features fully adjustable color and intensity. “The Radion represents what we believe will be the next step for aquarium lighting: a smarter, easier to use, and more energy efficient alternative to existing lighting products,” said Tim Marks, president of EcoTech Marine. “Our hope is that our customers will enjoy the extensive thought and care put into the design of every feature, function, and the distinctive appearance of the Radion.” Radion was purpose-built to be upgradeable both through its modular driver and LED cluster design, modular optics, as well as its USB firmware. “Our goal was to deliver a product with the ability to evolve and get better over time, not become obsolete,” said Marks. “As technology moves forward, the Radion will be upgraded with new functionality in addition to what it has right out of the box.” Radion is an innovative addition to the EcoTech Marine line of VorTech pumps and aquarium products. With advanced features packed into an efficient and stylish product, the Radion is an LED that looks every bit as good as it performs. Radion will be available by the end of October through EcoTech Marine’s network of retail outlets around the country and will debut at the upcoming MACNA trade show in Des Moines, IA on September 9. Product Specifications * Radion XR30w dimensions Length: 11.8 in (30m) Width: 7 in (18cm) Thickness: 1.5” (3.9cm) Power Consumption ~130watts Premium Features 5-channel control of color and intensity, 6-channel capable 8x Cree XP-G Cool White LEDs run at 5w each 8x Cree XP-E Blue LEDs run at 3w each 10x Cree XP-E Royal Blue LEDs run at 3w each 4x Cree XP-E Green LEDs run at 3w each 4x Osram Oslon SSL Hyper Red LEDs run at 3w each RGB LED configuration allows infinite color possibilities Integrates wirelessly with VorTech pumps and other Radion fixtures USB Connectivity Computer configurable advanced settings Compatible with EcoTech Battery Backup Radion Features 34 Energy-efficient LEDs Fully adjustable for intensity and color appeal Output engineered for wide dispersion of light Minimal color banding through optimized optics Modular LED cluster, lens, and driver assemblies Fully upgradeable with evolving software and firmware Capacitive touch exterior controls Revolutionary heat sink design allows the Radion to be sleek Switching power supply for 110-220v operation EcoSmart™ multi-light wireless functionality Easy import and export of saved modes for online sharing Extremely quiet fan operation Real-time clock Note: Basic hanging kit supplied with light. Premium hanging kit sold separately. Usage Guidelines [*]One Radion fixture is comparable to one 250w metal halide[*]Generally, one Radion fixture should be used per 40 gallons (150L) of water volume.[*]Approximate surface coverage is 24x24 inches (60x60cm) Radion XR30w MSRP [*]$749 *All product specifications are subject to change. Foreign and domestic patents pending. View the full article

Click through to see the images. This Friday, Marine Depot will run their annual Labor Day Sale, providing their customers a 5% discount on all orders. However, they have gone above and beyond for Advanced Aquarist by offering our readers twice the discount and twice the time to save! Beginning today @ 9am PDT (12pm EDT) and ending tomorrow September 2, 2011 @ 3pm PDT, use coupon code LABORDAY10 upon check-out to save 10% on your entire Marine Depot order. Share this code with your friends and favorite bulletin board. Big thanks to our sponsors such as Marine Depot for supporting Advanced Aquarist and our readers! View the full article

Click through to see the images. This Friday, Marine Depot will run their annual Labor Day Sale, providing their customers a 5% discount on all orders. However, they have gone above and beyond for Advanced Aquarist by offering our readers twice the discount and twice the time to save! Beginning today @ 9am PDT (12pm EDT) and ending tomorrow September 2, 2011 @ 3pm PDT, use coupon code LABORDAY10 upon check-out to save 10% on your entire Marine Depot order. We encourage you to share this code with your friends and favorite bulletin board. Big thanks to our sponsors such as Marine Depot for supporting Advanced Aquarist and our readers! View the full article

Upz for a nice reefer. Hope you come back soon...

Scientists have modified a toxic chemical produced by tiny marine microbes and successfully deployed it against laboratory models of colon cancer. More work is needed before a human treatment can be considered, but it appears to be a novel way to kill tumor cells. View the full article

Click through to see the images. The Illumagic Advance Version retains much of the ALC system and can be considered as the second generation ALC. The main engineering difference is that the LED circuit boards are further integrated into a complete modular system for better controllability and efficient assembly. The Advance Version is now fully programmable. The first generation ALC system operated with selectable but fixed lighting modes. That's all changed with the Advance Version. The new fixture allows users to program their own lighting curves for three distinct channels, allowing for fully customizable color and intensity output, including gradual ramp up/down sunrise/sunset programs and moonlight programs. Moreover, the new Advance Version fixtures are now equipped with 75 degree silicone optical lens modules to improve light penetration ... something the previous ALC system lacked. The lens is made of thermal and UV stable silicone material in consideration of the lifespan. According to Illumagic, the light intensity has been increased 100% without significant loss to light spread. The Advance Version can communicate from one unit to another via an I/O port in what Illumagic calls a Master/Slave system. Master fixtures contain the controller while more affordable slave fixtures do not. This allows for system expandability without redundant controllers, thus lowering cost while providing scalability. As for the LEDs themselves ... The Illumagic Advance Version (reef/saltwater "S" model) uses a mix of neutral white, cool white, blue and royal blue 3.5 watt Cree XP series LEDs and 1 watt Polar UV and purple LEDs. The diodes are linked in three distinct, independently-controllable channels. The two white LEDs are paired in one channel, the two blue LEDs in another, and the UV and purple LEDs form the the final grouping. All fixtures have built-in "thermo-sensitive" top-mounted cooling fans. The rotational speed of the fan is automatically controlled by a temperature sensor. The Fixture measures 6 inches wide and is available in the following lengths: 18”, 24”, 36”, 48”. All fixtures come with a hanging kit and mounting legs. Please visit Marinetech Innovations, Inc's MACNA booth and website for more information about Illumagic's new Advance Version LED lighting system. View the full article

Click through to see the images. Don't forget to eat your sunscreen? Dr. Paul Long states: "What we have found is that the algae living within the coral makes a compound that we think is transported to the coral, which then modifies it into a sunscreen for the benefit of both the coral and the algae. Not only does this protect them both from UV damage, but we have seen that fish that feed on the coral also benefit from this sunscreen protection, so it is clearly passed up the food chain." Earlier in the year, scientists cracked the genome of two Acropora species: Acropora millepora and Acropora digitifera. The King's College London team plans to copy the genes responsible for generating these UV-protective compounds and replicate them en masse using bacteria (because culturing this compound in great quantities with coral is impractical). The scientists can then possibly manufacturer tablets with this compound to create the world's first consumable suncreen pill. But to start, the team will create a topical lotion for clinical trials on human skin discarded after cosmetic surgery tummy tucks to see how effective these compounds are at protecting against UV. There are innumerable applications this coral research may make possible. The research team is also investigating the use of this compound to increase agricultural sustainability, especially in third world countries. The UV-protective qualities of the coral compound could increase crops' resistance to the intense sunlight of tropical and desert geographies. The study is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. [via BBC News] View the full article

Researchers have discovered how coral produces natural sunscreen compounds to protect itself from damaging UV rays, leading scientists to believe these compounds could form the basis of a new type of sunscreen for humans. View the full article

Researchers have discovered how coral produces natural sunscreen compounds to protect itself from damaging UV rays, leading scientists to believe these compounds could form the basis of a new type of sunscreen for humans. View the full article

Some time it's due to the wrong size of the pallets being feed if it is too big for their mouth . Try using a smaller pallet as well.

Click through to see the images. Nebraska Aquatic Supply in Omaha has received shipment of two of the rarest hogfish/wrasses in our hobby, the Hawaiian deepwater endemic Bodianus sanguineus. This species is virtually unobtainable, and the vast majority collected are destined for Asia, so it is surprisingly to see not one but two specimens appear in the United States ... and Nebraska of all places! The asking price? $4,500 each. [via NewAgeReefs.com] View the full article

Azoox tanks are popping up more and more, but very few can match the beauty or Mariusz' 550L (145g) reef. This aquarium utilizes six 80w Korallen Zucht T5 tubes, 4 Marine Light and 2 Fiji Purple. The end result is a warmer light that highlights the orange, red and pink tones of his non-photosynthetic animals like his hundreds of Sun Corals (Tubastraea spp.), 9 Rhizotrochus typus and 24 tube anemones (Cerianthus spp.). As we've written before, 20K's are not the only way to make colors pop. This look is a stark contrast to the deep blue 20K illumination over many SPS reefs. However, Mariusz still achieves his splashes of blue but with sponges and rather monochromatic fish: 10 Allens Damsels (Pomacentrus alleni), a Bicolor Angelfish (Centropyge bicolor), various wrasses (Cirhillabrus spp.), and a coupe of Niger Triggers (Odonus niger). Mariusz feeds 40 (yes forty – 10 mysis & 30 brine) cubes of frozen food a day to feed all of the azoox polyps in the tank. To handle the nutrient load he employs a Deltec apf851 and Korallin NO3 Denitrator, while dosing 6ml of vodka a day. Mariusz also uses Lanthanum chloride (liquid po4 remover) to reduce creeping phosphates. Weekly 80l (~20g) water changes are performed, and Korallen Zucht's ZeoZyme is also used frequently and is believed to increase skimmer performance. In one of the photos above, you will notice the pink and red Dendronephthya and Scleronephthya. At one point Mariusz stocked these finicky "carnation" corals, but he was not happy with the tank or the animals success. The sun corals began to dominate, and he allowed them to creating what you see today–A stunning aquarium, that should be considered art. ** Article extracted from Glass Box Design

"We know MHL works, but LED can work better" In celebration of Coral Magazine's upcoming issue focused on LED lighting, I wanted to take this opportunity to share a write up about LED lighting by Shawn Wilson (Mr. Wilson on Reefcentral and Canreef) and his company, Reef and Rainforest Design. As many of you probably know from his 300+ page thread on Reefcentral, Shawn is installing a 1350 gallon reef aquarium for the system's owner, Peter with a money-is-no-object approach. Both are committed to providing and implementing best-practice information for the benefit of hobbyists everywhere. Here's what Shawn has to say about the processes behind the decision to use LED lights in this awesome system! "The idea of using LEDs in the first place was something we did with great caution. I have been in the Marine hobby since 1979, with some experience in freshwater before that, so I have watched the evolution from 20w incandescent > fluorescent > mercury vapour > metal halide > compact fluorescent etc. The two new players have been plasma which we tried and passed on, and LED. We tried four different forms of LED and only one appealed to us. We were not having any temperature problems, running consistently at 80˚F even in the middle of a heat wave. We do not use the chiller and plan on removing it some time soon. The electrical cost is always a factor, but in our case the quality of light for the corals and overall aesthetics was the main concern. The cost of lighting Peters tank with MHL was $6,000.00 and consumed 3200 watts, but we could have doubled up the fixtures if we had the room. The operating cost of lighting the tank with LED is half, but the capital cost is about $20,000.00. To compare apples to apples, that would be $12,000.00 capital cost for MHL vs. $20,000.00 for an $8,000.00 difference. The operating cost of MHL (if we doubled up) would be $280/mo. vs. $131/mo. for LED. If we were just relying on energy savings to pay for the fixtures, it would take 4.5 years, but we are also saving in bulb replacement. The annual cost of replacing all the bulbs would be $2,900.00 ($242/mo.). The pay off for just the bulb savings alone would take 2.75 years, so energy savings is not the main cost initiative for LED. If you combine the two ($391 savings per month), the LED upgrade is paid off in 20 months. You could also make an argument about the limited life span of MHL capacitors and lamp holders. At no point in time was cost a major concern here. Peter is not foolish with his money, and there are a few tear stains on his check book to back that up. His concern is for the best possible reef display, even if that means tearing up what we have and starting from scratch. When I came on the scene, Peter had already purchased $14,000.00 worth of 150 watt HCI MHL fixtures. We weren't going to change anything just for the sake of doing it, so we tested them out before making any decisions. They did score high on the quantum meter but the beam was so focused it rendered them useless for our application. The light was also very white. I'm not a fan of eerie blue tanks, but this was really white and we were getting more hair algae as a result. If you look way back in the thread you will see some silly pictures of the many fixtures (8) that we tried over the tank (400w mogul, 250w HQI, 150w HCI, 290w plasma and several LEDs). We settled on a nice MHL unit from Aqua-Medic when we were not completely sold on LED. The wide nature of our reef formation led us to explore alternative ways of lighting the outer margins of the reef. At the time, Chingchai had just added some LED strips to punch up the colour so we decided to try some of the 120w LED fixtures we had in the Mars coral system. We flanked the 6' MHL fixtures on both sides (front & back) and we were very happy with the results immediately. The first thing we noticed was the fish colour was much more vibrant. The high CRI also gave the corals a more natural look and the blue moon light was absolutely stunning. The ATI actinic T5 we had been using was a joke in comparison. The 48 watts of blue LED completely eclipsed the 160 watts of T5 over the same 6' length. Peter fell in love with night viewing, and I'm not sure if Peter's wife Judy is happy with him staying up late with his new hobby! Within 2-3 weeks we started to see some colours in SPS that were lacking before. These were corals that had been in the tank for a few months and I had thought that was their full potential. We put 16 of Orphek's PR-156 fixtures up around the tank's outer margins and pointed them in a few degrees to side light fish and corals and minimize algae on the viewing panels. We were happy with the hybrid of MHL & LED but after a couple of months, we decided to experiment by taking out one 6' MHL fixture and see if colour would improve. It has been about a month and the pure Orphek LED section of the tank has the least amount of algae on the glass and the nicest coral pigmentation. The lack of nuisance algae, energy savings and cooler operating temperature means that we can extend the photoperiod by a few hours so corals can grow more and we can enjoy the tank more. The extra blue moonlights in the middle really make it worth the switch. We have started to buy more night glow corals for their fluorescence. Like anything in the reefing hobby, it has to be in balance; we have some corals like blue zoanthids that look great during the day, but become invisible at night, and conversely some yellow polyped acros that look dull during the day and explode at night. We are planning on replacing the other two MHL fixtures soon with additional Orphek fixtures. We are just waiting on some new dimmable drivers from the manufacturer. Unfortunately, the space above the tank is very limited so multichip pendent LEDs like Orphek's DIF series are not an option. I prefer the idea of a multichip and believe that is the direction the hobby is going in. They don't create weird blue & yellow shadows the way some LED fixtures do, the footprint is smaller for better viewing from above, and the shimmer is more realistic. A homogenous all-in-one chip is the way of the future and much more efficient than a mix and match of red, green, violet, blue and white chips scattered randomly over a pegboard. Here is the criteria we looked at when evaluating LED lighting technology along with some general tips... 1) Make sure the light does not cast weird blue and yellow shadows under rocks and corals. 2) Look for a calming shimmer rather than the rapid flicker that is generated by some LEDs. 3) The light has to look natural, as if it was sunlight, not artificial, cold & clinical like some LEDs and T5. 4) Some emitters have a narrow spectrum and coral pigmentation is lacking in blue, purple and red, but green is vivid. Do a search and find other hobbyists who are using the light and see what their coral colour is like. <br style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">5) The CRI (colour rendering index) has to be high so fish and corals look natural and the sand is white, not blue. 6) Take a look at the spectrograph and see if it shows a lot of green & yellow light which is of little use to coral. This wavelength is put there so we recognize it as "bright" light for home and office applications. The green/yellow peak encourages nuisance algae and browns out corals with too much zooxanthellae. This peak lowers the PUR value. 7) The pegboard design creates hot spots and deficiencies with one green here and one red there (Lightbright) configurations. An all-in-one chip is homogenous and much more efficient. 8) Some manufacturers use tight 40˚ optics to fool quantum & LUX meters then use wider 70˚ optics on the outside to make it look like coverage is better (at the cost of intensity). 9) Some lights have a high percentage (often > 50/50) of blue LEDs which also give false high PAR readings. 10) Try to find a fixture that gives you the aesthetic you want for a reasonable price. Some feature heavy models are priced beyond reach and offer features that you may never utilize. 11) As with MHL, find a high kelvin white chip mixed with some blue and perhaps violet emitters for extra punch. A 7,000k LED is no better than using a 7,000k MHL bulb. 12) Pick a manufacturer who is developing new products and moving the technology forward, not just rebranding generic fixtures with standard industry components. 13) Take a look at who is using the product. Are they seasoned reefers with a lot at risk, or are they newbies who are trying products without doing thorough research and experimentation. <br style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">14) Review the pictures on the manufacturer's website. Often they are the owners tank and the coral colour is still weak. 15) Pick an adaptable technology where you can upgrade drivers and emitters, as the technology continues to grow, such as multichip LED. We know MHL works, but LED can work better." Thanks very much to Mr. Shawn Wilson for this work of art and for pushing the boundaries of the hobby and sharing his findings with us all in great detail. ** Article extracted from coral magazines

Thaumoctopus mimicus, the Mimic Octopus, may be the most astonishing marine invertebrate yet discovered. Using changes of body posture, shape, and coloration, it can very rapidly transform itself to resemble an amazing number of other animals, obviously a tool it uses to startle and deter would-be predators.

One of the world's strangest animals -- a unique fish that lives on land and can leap large distances despite having no legs -- has a rich and complex social life, a new study has found. The odd lifestyle of the Pacific leaping blenny (Alticus arnoldorum) has been detailed for the first time in research findings that throw new light on how animal life first evolved to colonize the land. View the full article

One of the world's strangest animals -- a unique fish that lives on land and can leap large distances despite having no legs -- has a rich and complex social life, a new study has found. The odd lifestyle of the Pacific leaping blenny (Alticus arnoldorum) has been detailed for the first time in research findings that throw new light on how animal life first evolved to colonize the land. View the full article

An underwater “field” as big as a Norwegian county could provide two billion liters of kelp-based fuel a year. Researchers are working to cultivate seaweed and kelp on a large scale. View the full article

An underwater ?field? as big as a Norwegian county could provide two billion liters of kelp-based fuel a year. Researchers are working to cultivate seaweed and kelp on a large scale. View the full article

A researcher in Hawaii has come up with a new explanation for the effects of ocean acidification on coral reefs: the "proton flux hypothesis" is that calcification of coral skeletons are dependent on the passage of hydrogen ions between the water column and the coral tissue. View the full article

Click through to see the images. The first thing you'll notice is the simple yet sophisticated design of the AI Nano box; clean lines and an image of the fixture make it clear as to what's inside. Additionally, on the back of the box, you'll find details about what's included inside, along with some basic specifications about the light itself. Upon unboxing, the first thing we noticed was how small the fixture was; At 4.28 x 5.57 x 1.47 inches (10.9 x 14.1 x 3.7 cm), it's less than half the size of the 12'' AI Sol. The fixture includes (2) Cool White XM-Ls, (4) Blue Cree XP-Es and (4) Royal Blue Cree XP'Es mounted in a pair of five-in-one lenses. With 35 watts of LED power, this fixture is extremely energy efficient but at the same time packs a punch when it comes to light output. The touch controls are visible on the front side of the unit. Owners can adjust the three different LED colors independently to tailor the color and intensity of the AI Nano to their aquariums. Simply select the LED bulb you want to adjust and swipe left and right to increase and decrease intensity. Aside from the module itself, included is a user manual, power supply and cord, data cable and a mounting arm. The black plastic arm is lightweight and very easy to mount on glass/acrylic up to half inch thick. While perhaps not the most elegant design (especially compared with the sleek fixture itself), the mounting arm blends well and hides the cords neatly. Our initial reaction of this LED fixture is that it's a great fit for nano aquariums from 10 to 35 gallons. The efficient, compact, and all-in-all design represents a nice new product from the folks at AquaIllumination that's surely going to get the nano crowd excited. View the full article

Click through to see the images. The first thing you'll notice is the simple yet sophisticated design of the AI Nano box; clean lines and an image of the fixture make it clear as to what's inside. Additionally, on the back of the box, you'll find details about what's included inside, along with some basic specifications about the light itself. Upon unboxing, the first thing we noticed was how small the fixture was; At 4.28 x 5.57 x 1.47 inches (10.9 x 14.1 x 3.7 cm), it's less than half the size of the 12'' AI Sol. The fixture includes (2) Cool White XM-Ls, (4) Blue Cree XP-Es and (4) Royal Blue Cree XP'Es mounted in a pair of five-in-one lenses. With 35 watts of LED power, this fixture is extremely energy efficient but at the same time packs a punch when it comes to light output. Aside from the module itself, included is a user manual, power supply and cord, data cable and a mounting arm. The black plastic arm is lightweight and very easy to mount on glass/acrylic up to half inch thick. While perhaps not the most elegant design (especially compared with the sleek fixture itself), the mounting arm blends well and hides the cords neatly. We are excited to do more testing of this fixture in the near future. Our initial reaction of this LED fixture is that it's a great fit for nano aquariums from 10 to 35 gallons. The efficient, compact, and all-in-all design represents a nice new product from the folks at AquaIllumination that's surely going to get the nano crowd excited. View the full article