The Spawning of a Bubble Tip

Spawning Bubble Tip Anemone

One night I noticed that the demo tank from The Reef Aquarium DVD, A Set Up and Maintenance Guide had very cloudy water. Upon looking further, I saw that one of the Bubble Tip Anemones was spawning, sending out a milky white substance into the tank water. It almost looked like it was smoking. I quickly checked

Spawning Bubble Tip

the parameters of the water: Ph, Nitrite, Nitrate, Amonia,

Phosphate and dkh. Everything was in a good range. The Nitrite and Amonia were each zero, Nitrate was one, Ph was 8.3, dkh was 8 and Phospahte was zero.  The fish were swimming around happily and there seemed to be no ill effects other than the cloudy water.

The demo tank from The Reef Aquarium DVD, A Set Up & Maintenance Guide is a large tank, 210 gallons with a 35 gallon sump. This is a perfect example why sometimes it is easier to keep a large tank than a small tank. When an amemome spawns,

clowdy water from spawning

it uses a lot of oxygen in the water. I have heard stories of the fish being killed in a small tank because of lack of oxygen. If you have a small tank, I recommend an immediate water change. However, in our large tank, we could easily handle the spawning just by the size of the tank. Also, we run ozone into the tank, thus increasing the oxygen in the tank.

spawning

After the spawning the Bubble Tip Anemone was noticeably smaller and a little shriveled. However, the next day he was at full size and the tank looked fine. Also by then, the protein skimmer had pulled out all the milkiness from the water.

The Most Beautiful Artwork

Art in Motion

Which is more beautiful, above or below?

Wall Art

This holiday weekend my wife and I took our family to the Newark Museum in Newark, New Jersey.  There were vastly different sections, from several hands on kids sections to several very hands off art sections.  My wish is not to praise or put down the museum. Although they did have only one salt water reef tank that had loads of red hair algae, poor water circulation and unhealthy fish. The maintenance people of the museum could really use A Reef Aquarium DVD, A Set Up & Maintenance Guide My wish is to point out that as far as art work there is no comparison. A well kept fish tank is infinitely more beautiful than any still painting or sculpture could hope to be.  A fish tank is ever changing, evolving, and growing. A fish tank can be watched for hours.  The display of changing colors and shapes are an absolute feast for the eyes and mind.

Real beauty on your wall

There is a living sole to a fish tank. All of the live creatures inside make each tank an amazing and special community of life. You get the tremendous privilege of viewing a beautiful slice of nature right in your own home.  The richest Kings and Queens of the world even 100 years ago never had a chance to have anything so beautiful in their homes.

Here, check out these pictures that I took of The Reef Aquarium DVD, A Set Up & Maintenance Guide demo tank. All these pictures were taken in about one minute. These are all different views the the changing art in my life.

Art in Motion

Art in Motion

Art in Motion

Art in Motion

Art in Motion

Art in Motion

Now please don’t misunderstand that I don’t think there are great paintings or works of art. There are. And the craftsmanship that can be reached is truly phenomenal. However, I think try as man can, I don’t think he can hold up in a comparison to mother nature herself.  Nature has billions of years on her side. That is why for me, a well kept reef tank is the greatest work of art any person can wish to have in their home. We are truly privileged to be living in an era that allows us this amazing opportunity to make our own work of art that has no equal.

Keith Behrle