Reefkeeping South Africa » Items by Brian Blank

AZOX Macro Diet coral food by Aqua-Tech launches

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 1:30am CST by Brian Blank

Aqua-Tech is releasing its new AZOX Macro Diet coral food. The maker of Phyto2 is extending its product line with this coral food addressing the dietary needs of both photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic (azoox) corals. We don’t have the full rundown of the ingredient list but from the press release the company issued, the AZOX Macro Diet is made up of gutloaded zooplankton including nine types of copepods, two different rotifer strains, two different strains of brine shrimp nauplii, three different types of phytoplankton and an appetite stimulation ingredient (garlic maybe?). AZOX Macro Diet comes in a pump dispenser that should make feeding a cinch. No word on pricing yet but looks like the company will be on hand at the Marine Aquarium Conference of Illinois (MACI 2012) on March 11 showing it off. Full press release after the jump.

Aqua-Tech Co., manufacturer of Phyto2, has announced the launch of it’s newest product will coincide with the Marine Aquarium Conference of Illinois (MACI 2012). AZOX Macro Diet is a nutritious diet scientifically designed for the nutritional needs of both Photosynthetic and Non-Photosynthetic coral, Gorgonia, larval and planktivorous fish. Aqua-Tech Co. will be awarding free product, making AZOX available for purchase and demonstrating microscopy of it’s components.

AZOX Macro Coral diet is comprised of various size zooplankton gut loaded with phytoplankton and selected for their size, nutrition and attraction by coral. These small meaty particles are neutrally buoyant, packed with energy and ideal in aquariums with Non-Photosynthtic specimens such as gorgonia and tentacled corals. The product includes 9 types of copepod, two strains of rotifer, two strains of brine shrimp nauplii, 3 strains of phytoplankton and appetite stimulators. Packaged in a convenient pump dispenser the product is easily broadcast fed.

Marine Aquarium Conference of Illinois (MACI) will show at the Pheasant’s Run Resort in St. Charles, IL on March 11th, 2012.

Marine Geek and Chicago Marine Aquarium Society proudly present a new exciting conference featuring a full day of speakers, a workshop, kids activities and a huge show floor including a build a Reefball and your favorite vendors, local fish stores and frag shops display and selling their goods and livestock.

The event will include presentations from Kevin Kohen (Director, Live Aquaria), George Parsons (Curator, John G. Shedd Aquarium), Tal Sweet (MBI) and Julian Sprung (Owner, Two Little Fishies). There will be over 40 vendors including: Marineland, Seachem, Drs. Foster and Smith, and Two Little Fishies.

[via TCMAS]
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Monterey Bay Aquarium’s renovated “Open Sea Gallery” on video

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 10:03pm CST by Brian Blank

The Monterey Bay Aquarium recently opened its transformed “Open Sea Gallery” giving visitors some of the old familiar favorites along with new exhibits and perspectives and this great video showcases the exhibit exquisitely. On Vimeo, producer Yasmin Mawaz-Khan shared a great video The Open Sea Gallery showcasing the amazing renovation. The million gallon aquarium is still the focal point but new additions bring in new animals, habitats and interactive displays to inform and mesmerize visitors.

The updated exhibit lets you get up close and personal with some of the oceans seabirds, jellies, sharks and turtles. New additions include the diving seabird exhibit, an art gallery, interactive multimedia displays and more. Keeping to their mission of conserving the world’s oceans, the Aquarium brings to light many of the challenges that the oceans creatures face by creating this awe inspiring exhibit. Copyright restrictions prevent us from linking the video directly so make sure you click here or on the image above to watch it.

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Elos E-style chamber a great addition for external filters, media reactors

Posted: February 20th, 2012, 9:30pm CST by Brian Blank

The Elos E-style chamber is a new product providing a compact way to get water back-and-forth between the main aquarium and your external filters or media reactors. Anyone using a canister filter or standalone media reactor knows the pain of the large, swooping bends of the plumbing pipes or getting algae growth in the bends where it is hardest to clean and the Elos E-style chamber eliminates both of those. Only available in Japan at the moment, the simple, black acrylic box sits nicely on your aquarium and routes the water to eliminate the need for the bulking transitions. Plus the black acrylic blocks the light from growing algae in tough spots to clean.

Two versions are available. One with a strainer sponge and another without. Both versions of the Elos E-style chamber are available in different sizes to accommodate different thickness of glass along with length of strainer tube and size of the 90-degree “jet pipe” return to fit different sized aquariums. The Elos E-style chamber are pretty affordable, starting out at ¥4,800 (around $60 USD) with optional parts available.

[via Elos Japan]

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$5 LED light bulb shows there is always a need for mid-range lighting

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 6:16pm CST by Brian Blank

We might like writing about LED lights and when we saw this article about a $5 LED light bulb we got pretty excited — until we read the fine print. Less power, no mercury and a longer lifespan are HUGE selling points for LED technology all across the board but the price tag has kept many people away from adopting the technology in the home but the Pharox 200 Blu is a start in the right direction even though it only produces as much light at a traditional 20W light bulb.

The 240 lumens is pretty meager making it an option for accent lighting but not for most conventional uses. So why does this get us excited? This at least gets consumers on board with the LED train and as the technology progresses, soon enough the $4.95 bulb with be 40W, then 60W then 100W, etc. Plus it can add some heat to the other main bulb makers to produce a higher output light at a lower cost. The manufacturer also has the larger Pharox 300 Blu that pushes out 360 lumens, about what you see in a 40W bulb, for $6.95.

In the aquarium side of things, we see affordable LEDs that don’t hit the major performance numbers as the larger, more powerful fixtures but do play a role in getting the average hobbyist exploring LEDs. Whether it’s putting an affordable spotlight over a nano tank or a supplemental strip adding another color to your system, affordable and lower performing LEDs do have a place in the market. We’ll probably grab one of these and drop it into a desk lamp and wish it had more power but at least it will only cost $5.

[Lemnis Lighting via Cnet, Gizmodo]
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Frag Tree 360 by Thrive Aquatics is a unique way to store and grow your frags

Posted: February 15th, 2012, 12:48am CST by Brian Blank

The Frag Tree 360 by Thrive Aquatics is a unique and efficient way to store and display your coral frags. Building on the design concept of the Thrive Aquatics Coral Frag plug Tree, the The Frag Tree 360 holds up to 27 frag plugs in a tiered tree approach that has an 8×8 in. footprint and measures in at 8 1/2 in. tall, making it a pretty tight package for even the smallest of frag tanks.

Since each arm of the Frag Tree 360 is independently attached to the center post, you can adjust it to accommodate a variety of configurations so no two Frag Tree 360 have to look alike. The arms and base is laser cut from ABS plastic and is designed to allow ample water flow over and between the plugs all the while giving your little fraglings enough light.

The Frag Tree 360 is definitely a welcome change from a flat “egg crate” rack giving your frags a cleaner and unique look. As the company suggests, these would be a great way to show off frags in a store or at a tradeshow or other event. No word on pricing or availability yet but we’ll pass it along as soon as we can get it.

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Kessil unveiling A150W Amazon Sun daylight version

Posted: February 13th, 2012, 9:26pm CST by Brian Blank

The Kessil A150W Amazon Sun is the daylight version of the company’s popular LED pendant fixtures that is being unveiled today. The Kessil Amazon Sun mimics a natural, 6,700K white light and although it is geared towards the freshwater market, this would be a great fixture to give you a PAR boost, in conjunction with the Kessil Deep Ocean Blue spotlight or other blue LED supplementation for a reef tank or as an option for a refugium or grow-out tank.

Using Kessil’s proprietary Dense Matrix LED and that sips only 36W of power and is estimated to last 40,000 hours. The light has been tested at Albany Aquarium, a LFS specializing in planted aquariums in northern California, for almost a year with success (see YouTube video below). After working on different color temperatures, the team settled on the 6,700K look that combined the functionality of grow lights, aesthetics of the fixture and how best to display the planted freshwater tank.

“Kessil’s engineering team perfected a special LED phosphor recipe to illuminate and enhance plant growth and color in your freshwater aquarium,” said Brian Chiang, Vice President of Marketing. “Amazon Sun simulates a bright, sunny day. It’s the ideal color temperature for freshwater tanks.”

According to Kessil, what makes the Amazon Sun a bit more unique is the phosphor formula and mix of wavelengths that create the look and function. The challenge for them was to create something with strong visual appeal that produced good growth.

Kessil’s A150W Amazon Sun will be immediately available in the U.S. market. For more information on A150W Amazon Sun or other Kessil products,visit www.kessil.com.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Ruggedized Olympus TG-820 latest addition to Tough line

Posted: February 10th, 2012, 11:31pm CST by Brian Blank

We are always happy to see gadget manufacturers creating new products that make a great option for us hobbyists. First off, we love water and love taking pictures and this environment isn’t always the best for sensitive and expensive gadgets so we love to see products like the “ruggedized” Olympus TG-820 camera. The newest member of the Tough line of cameras, the TG-820 is waterproof up to 33 feet, shockproof, freezeproof and crushproof — making it a fine choice for many of us ~~clumsy~~ active hobbyists.
Beyond being “tough” the Olympus TG-820 shoots using a 12-megapixel, back-side illuminated CMOS sensor, records HD video at 1080p, and sports a 5X optical and 4X digital zoom. Additionally the TG-820 has a 3-inch, HyperCrystal LCD. Although it comes with your typical array of “shooting modes” to choose from, swe’re sure they don’t have underwater-super-blue-reef mode but would be cool. Get your Olympus TG-820 next month for $299. The press release follows.

[via Engadget]

NEW OLYMPUS TG-820 ihs IS TOUGHER ON the OUTSIDE AND SMARTER ON THE INSIDE for incredible image quality anywhere

iHS Technology Brings Intelligence, High-Sensitivity and High-Speed Performance to Active Families and Adrenaline Junkies Alike So They Can Focus on Fun

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., February 7, 2012 – The Olympus digital camera line-up for spring features a next-generation Olympus TOUGH compact that sets a new benchmark for Waterproof, Shockproof, Freezeproof, Crushproof and Dustproof performance. Combining proven durability with superb image quality courtesy of the new iHS (Intelligent, High-Sensitivity and High-Speed) family of technologies, the Olympus Tough TG-820 iHS has both brains and brawn. iHS harnesses the power of a new 12-megapixel BSI (Back-Side Illuminated) CMOS sensor and the TruePic VI image processor (originally developed for DSLR cameras) to dramatically improve low-light performance, speed up camera response time, enhance scene and subject recognition and double zoom magnification without losing image quality.

Whether you’re using it at a neighbor’s pool party or snorkeling near a tropical reef, out-and-about at your local park or hiking Yellowstone, the Olympus Tough TG-820 iHS is the perfect travel companion for active families and adventurers looking for a camera that delivers outstanding image quality with a worry-free guarantee. Advanced iHS technology ensures that even people with an action-packed lifestyle can capture brilliant photos and 1080p Full HD Videos, no matter how fast their subject is moving or how poor the lighting is.

iHS powers a number of new Olympus features that take all the work out of capturing difficult shots. A blazing quick autofocus and HDR Backlight Adjustment takes a collage of separate photos and blends them into one perfectly exposed image regardless of difficult lighting. Multi-Motion Movie IS (Image Stabilization) records virtually blur-free videos even when you’re moving. The versatile lens on the Olympus Tough TG-820 iHS pulls out wide or zooms in twice as close with its 10x Super-Resolution Zoom that digitally extends the range of the optical zoom with nearly no loss of image quality. Capture beautiful images and videos effortlessly; Enhanced iAuto enables the camera to automatically detect 34 different scenes (portrait, landscape, macro, etc.)

While the new imaging technology delivers optimal results with fast-moving subjects, night scenes and other tricky shots, the Olympus Tough TG-820 iHS is also Waterproof to 33 feet, Shockproof to 6.6 feet, Freezeproof to 14 °F and even Crushproof to a weight of 220 pounds*1. Focus on fun, without worrying about damaging your camera’s high-grade components like the OLYMPUS 5x Wide-Angle Zoom Lens (28 mm-140 mm*2). The 3.0-inch, 1,030,000-dot HyperCrystal III LCD offers super high-resolution with scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coatings for added protection and better visibility in bright and low light.

When you’re back from your adventures, the camera’s HDMI Control makes playback a breeze. Simply connect the camera to an HDTV with an optional HDMI cable and use your HDTV’s remote to control playback functions and navigate the camera’s menus from the comfort of your couch.

*1 Waterproof according to IEC standard publication 529 IPX8. Shockproof figures equivalent to MIL Standard (Olympus test conditions). Freezeproof according to Olympus test conditions. *2 35 mm camera equivalent.

U.S. Pricing and Availability
The Olympus Tough TG-820 iHS will be available in March and ships with a Wrist Strap, USB Cable, A/V Cable, USB-to-AC Adapter (F-2AC), Lithium-Ion Battery (LI-50B), Quick Start Guide, Instruction Manual on CD-ROM, a software CD-ROM featuring [ib] (Windows) and OLYMPUS Viewer 2 (Win/Mac), and a Warranty Card.
Estimated Street Price: $299.99 (Available in Silver, Black, and Blue)
For a complete list of specifications, visit the Olympus website: http://olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1592

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Aquarium app ads life to Google TV

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 7:46pm CST by Brian Blank

If you happen to be an owner of a Google TV or device with access to Google TV, a fun new app helps you get your aquarium fix and will save you tons of money on salt mix, additives, food, controllers, LED lighting, rare fish and exotic coral. This isn’t a new concept as aquarium screen savers have been out for years and of course don’t forget the yule log, but this one definitely is a great way to get your quick aqauarium fix.

There are five different scenes from a goldfish and bubbling castle motif, to a poor version of a “reef” and some other saltwater fish choices. There is even an option to play some soothing music in the background but apparently doesn’t allow you to play your own Google Music in the background instead.

While apps and screen savers like these are novel ideas aimed at the general market, we really wish the developer Arrowhead Technologies, would touch base with us for some better suggestions for more realistic and more impressive saltwater aquarium scenes. Heck, we could even give some recommendations for some awesome planted tanks that would supercharge this app.

Overall, if you have $0.99 and a Google TV, this is worth the change but we’d definitely love to see some better scenery choices.

[via Android Central]

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Reef Octopus gets into the “luxury” aquarium and stand market

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 9:25pm CST by Brian Blank

Reef Octopus has unveiled it foray into the luxury aquarium and stand market. Considering the company’s other range of products, the term luxury may be a stretch compared to brands like Elos or Vitrea but the Reef Octopus luxury aquariums may hold some promise for the aquarist looking to save a little but still have a good product. As aquariums move from the clunky glass boxes and enormous wooden stands and canopies to the open top, Starfire glass and sleek pendant fixture look, Reef Octopus is looking to deliver for this market.

To start, Reef Octopus is coming on board with two models of aquariums, stands, a sump, and an overflow system. On the smaller side, the T-60 Reef Octopus 32 gallon luxury aquarium and stand hit the smaller to moderate side of the hobby and if you are looking for a little more room the T-90 Reef Octopus 48 gallon luxury aquarium and stand is the next option. Each aquarium and stand are sold separately so if you want you can build your own or use an existing stand.

If you are wondering how big these puppies are the smaller T-60 Reef Octopus 32 gallon luxury aquarium comes in at 23.6 x 17.7 x 17.7 in. and the matching ST-60 Aquarium Stand/Cabinet
measuring 23.6 x 17.7 x 39.3 in. The larger T-90 Reef Octopus 48 gallon luxury aquarium comes in at 35.4 x 17.7 x 17.7 in. with the ST-90 stand measuring in 35.4 x 17.7 x 39.3 in.

The tanks themselves are made from clear, low-iron glass with black glue joints and come pre-drilled with a hole in the bottom of the tank for the use of the Reef Octopus Black Tube Water Flow System. Without having the exact dimensions of the hole, its not clear if this would fit your typical bulkheads but overflow box and system look promising so far. With both the return and overflow pipes going through one bulkhead it needs just one hole in the tank. The system also comes with a “smart silencer” to reduce water flow noise in the system. no information was available on the size of the tubes and the approximate water flow through the overflow.

The stands are made of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) from E1 grade materials, similar to what is used for custom cabinetry in the home. Like most other aquarium stands, the owner needs to do the assembly on their end but with most cabinets and do-it-yourself projects, if it comes with clear, concise directions, it shouldn’t be too difficult but if the translation on the CoralVue website is any indicator, you might want to take a bit more time studying all the parts before putting it all together.

Not to be outdone, Reef Octopus is offering up a small sump for the system that should work for either system and stand. The Reef Octopus Small 80 Sump measures in at 18.75 x 12 x 16 in. and has a FB-200 filter bag hang on brackets and a multi-purpose probe holder. The sump also appears to have an adjustable baffle wall to adjust the water levels in the sump to accommodate a skimmer or return pump.

No word yet on the pricing and availability of the products but as soon as we hear something, you know we’ll pass it on.

[via CoralVue, AquaNerd]

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Giant amphipods discovered near New Zealand at a depth of 7 km

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 7:48pm CST by Brian Blank

A giant amphipod measuring nearly a foot long is making the news circuit after being discovered near New Zealand at a depth of 7 kilometers. This was not an isolated occurrence as scientists were able to capture seven of these giants that measured in at 28 cm (around 11 in.) that are 10 times larger than your “normal” deap-sea amphipods and three times larger than your typical giant amphipods.

Ever so often a stray giant is found, like the giant isopod that made the Reddit rounds nearly two years ago, but this time the research team was able to film them in their own environment and capture multiple giant amphipods to study. Not to be outdone, there is one supergiant amphipod that got away that scientists estimate measured 34 cm (over 13 in.).

According to new reports, scientists with the university and New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research were hunting for deep-sea snailfish when a trap they were using made the unexpected catch of these giant amphipods.

These supergiant creatures were found around Hawaii in the 1970s and 80s but haven’t really been reported since. Being caught 7 km (around 4 miles) beneath the surface also marks the deepest point these supergiant amphipods were found. Check out the video below more more detail.

Thanks Mr. Sprung for the tip!

[via CNN]

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Waterproof your gadgets with Liquipel

Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 8:17pm CST by Brian Blank

Click here to view the embedded video.

Liquipel, A southern California startup, has developed a way to at a water-repellent coating to smartphones and other electronic devices to prevent accidental exposure to water. A nano coating is applied as a vapor that even protects the sensitive parts of the phone but also allows you to use the headphone jack, charging port and microphone and speakers without any disruption. The nice thing about this system is it’s nearly invisible and is not noticeable like other bulky waterproof casings. Even on the sound side, they say you won’t even notice a drop in voice clarity on either end. Although the company does not suggest you submerge your device or take it swimming, the coating will work wonders for accidental splashes, dunking or exposure to moisture.

This seems like a must-do process for anyone working in a fish store, aquaculture facility, wholesaler or service industry where you need your phone but just so happen to be around a lot of water. The downside of the process is you will need to be without your device for a day or so since you have to ship your phone to their facility to have the Liquipel coating applied to the device. According to a story on Geek.com, a representative from Liquipel described how it works:

“The process we use is a specialized coating in the form of a vapor. We put the device in a chamber, fill it with the vapor where it bonds at the molecular level to protect the phone. Since vapor is so small, when the process is finished you can’t see or detect the coating, which makes it perfect for phones.”

The cost is around $59 to have the Liquipel coating applied and they even have a five-point tracking system so you can monitor the progress of your device. It would be wonderful for electronics providers in the hobby to team up with Liquipel to have the coating applied to controllers and other sensitive devices we have around the aquarium. As we said before, they don’t recommend immersion in water at all but its good to see the product tested to extremes in the video at the top of the page. For an explanation about how the process works, check out the video below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Deep Sea Aquatics Neo Storm getting video setup walkthrough

Posted: January 31st, 2012, 8:41pm CST by Brian Blank

Click here to view the embedded video.

A few years ago we were impressed with Deep Sea Aquatics’ Neo Nano and were happy to hear about the big brother coming out in the last part of 2011. While we are hoping to get more details on this system, it appears the 50 gallon system also incorporates the innovative cascade filtration and design to increase water flow without the need for a crazy amount of pumps. We’ll keep digging around for more information on this bad boy but word on the street is it will cost you somewhere north of $1,500 USD but includes the tank and stand, sump, return pump and T5 lighting.
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Scientist to freeze, cryogenically preserve Great Barrier Reef corals

Posted: January 30th, 2012, 9:35pm CST by Brian Blank

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cryogenics and coral banks are nothing new but as one of the largest and most famous reefs in the world, Australian scientists are exploring using cryogenics to preserve corals from the Great Barrier Reef. We’ve previously seen the University of Hawaii and the Zoological Society of London start similar coral banks and we are hoping to see the Australian coral bank find success before it would need to be used. By taking and freezing eggs and sperm from the coral, the research teams can then fertilize and regrow the coral in the lab. As some scientists predict the GBR not surviving past 2050 with the drastic effects global warming and human interference are causing on the reefs. The research teams are hoping to not only have species preserved in case of an emergency, but to create stronger, more resilient coral as well.
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Home automation still a hot topic at tech trade shows, hoping 2012 is the year it comes “home”

Posted: January 27th, 2012, 10:20pm CST by Brian Blank

As hobbyists, we’ve been resourceful when it comes to managing our systems. From the simple use of lamp timers to complex X10 systems to modern day controllers and iPhone apps, we as hobbyists like to push the envelope and do creative mods to try and make our lives simpler. Home automation has been a topic we’ve covered quite a bit over the past few years and while we get excited when we hear about the dream coming closer to a reality, we are beginning to wonder if 2012 will be the year home automation becomes a mainstream reality.

Tech tradeshows have been hyping these types of products for years and while last year Google teased us with Android@Home and we even had the Actiontec MegaPlug to network our aquarium controller to the interwebz and a slew of proprietary apps and controllers that may not play nice with the other parts of our homes. Even early on in 2012 we are seeing two interesting products entering the consumer marketplace. First off we saw the Belkin WeMo system at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month and this week Creston is showing a more robust “Apple-like” system at Macworld this week.

Why does having mainstream success have an impact on our hobby? The simple answer is economy of scale and availability of more robust technology allowing the hobby to build upon what is already out there and ensuring our aquariums lighting system, home furnace and sprinkler system can all be monitored and controlled remotely. Besides having one gateway, one system, one dashboard makes things a lot easier and the benefits of automation can be spread around the entire homestead.

The two systems — Belkin’s WeMo and the Creston — are vastly different with the Belkin system spearheaded for simple applications that don’t break the bank and Creston is looking to offer a more robust offering.

Currently the Belkin WeMo system is using a series of motion sensors and power outlet adapters that connect to your home’s wireless network. While having motion sensors attached to your lights might make sense in the fish room, there is promise in having the ability to tap into more advanced home automation features where you can control what turns on and off with specified parameters and being able to control it all through a web connection or application.

The price looks right too with power outlet adapters selling for $50 when they’re available in May and motion sensors coming in at just $10 more. This is also a great option for renters who aren’t willing to sock a lot of money into a more permanent solution but who are looking to take advantage of automation.

Cresten is taking the Apple approach of building the hardware and the software to ensure they are getting a quality system that does play nice with each other. While this may be a good fit for those of you with a higher budget, the fun aspect of this is the technology integrates well with Apple’s iOS allowing you to monitor and control the products through an iPhone or iPad app. The company even mentioned in the Macworld article about clients using the system to automate feeding the fish. Granted I can think out hundred of other hobby applications I’d rather automate but the technology is promising.

Either way the market goes, having standards and inter-connectivity of devices and products will make entire home automation a reality and we’re hoping it can be intuitive enough to be able to program and utilize off-the-shelf mainstream technology in a simple way to create a more robust aquarium automation system that won’t break the bank and can all be controlled from your device of choice.

Here is a fun video of what happens when the sky is the limit and you are doing a statement installation at Trump Tower in New York.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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ReadyAquatics has some smoking deals on Kati Ani De-Ionizers

Posted: January 26th, 2012, 1:06am CST by Brian Blank

Click here to view the embedded video.

Kati Ani de-Ionization is a preferred method for water and is more efficient and can tend to give you a purer end product than traditional reverse osmosis systems and if you ever thought they were too expensive, ReadyAquatics.com has some units on sale for a great price. Besides making your water more pure, other benefits of Kati Ani systems are not really needing sediment or prefilters, not producing waste water, and the cation (Kati) portion can be regenerated. Each system comes with two reactors plus the amount of media needed for each part of the system.

For the Kati Ani Model one that is suggested for systems up to 100 gallons, the cost is now just $116.98 (marked down from $179.99) and includes one liter of resin. For larger systems you can get the Model Two for $168.98 with two liters of resins (for tanks up to 200 gallons), the Model Five for $361.98 with five liters of resin (for tanks up to 500 gallons) and the Model 10 for $611.88 with 1o liters of resin (for systems up to 1,000 gallons). Check out the ReadyAquatics website for more information.
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HM Digital FM-2 filter monitor, volumizer keeps tabs on your RO/DI system

Adjustable light hanging mod is pretty clever

Posted: January 26th, 2012, 8:08pm CST by Brian Blank

Click here to view the embedded video.

This short video show a pretty clever modification to automatically adjust the height of your light fixture. Looks like some pretty great DIY ingenuity that would allow you to raise or lower the fixture to either adjust the intensity or get into the system for cleanup or maintenance. From the look of the system, there appears to be some sort of motor assembly on the ceiling allowing it to be raised and since we don’t see a person or cables strung all over in the video, we have to assume its remote controlled at least by a switch.

This system of raising and lowering the aquarium lights is an ideal way to adjust the intensity of light with traditional bulb systems like when you are breaking in new bulbs or acclimating a bunch of new corals. We always like ingenious ways to raise and lower lights but this one definitely looks easier than the counter-weighted system we saw at the Salsa King way back in 2008. There is no description of the setup on the video’s page or the owner’s channel but if you happen to know ricardoleonelprata1, tell them we’d love to hear all about it.
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Schuber Wright Titan HQI + LED hybrid looks interesting

Posted: January 26th, 2012, 4:29pm CST by Brian Blank

The Schuber Wright Titan HQI + LED hybrid is a sleek looking fixture that uses screw in LED bulbs for the actinic lighting. Constructed out of aluminum, the sleek fixture uses a double-ended HQI bulb and eight of Shuber Wright’s Actinic AC light bulbs for the supplemental lighting. More images and details after the jump.

But unlike traditional surface mount (SMT) LEDs that use a transformer to take AC voltage and convert it into DC, the Shuber Wright 4W LEDs are screw in us on-chip AC voltage conversion eliminating additional heat and weight in the fixture design without the need for a transformer. These are the same LEDs we are seeing on the Shuber Wright Safari spotlight we brought you yesterday. The company also points out the life of the bulb is also extended by running cooler.

The Titan HQI + LED hybrid comes stock with a Sylvania 150 Watt DE 10,000k HQI bulb that might pose more of a yellow look than what reefers may want but would be interesting to see how crisp the coloration is with the supplemental actinic LEDs provide. The HQI ballast is a thermally-protected GoldenWay Ballast. These electronic ballasts run on 15-20% less than standard magnetic ballasts.

The fixture measures in at 25.4 x 17.7 x 3.1 in. in size and they even throw in a hanging kit and legs all for $699.99.

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ATB Normal Size skimmer gets dual-water washdown and automatic collection cup cleaning

Posted: January 24th, 2012, 7:54pm CST by Brian Blank

ATB has released a new Normal Size protein skimmer with an automatic collection cup cleaning system using a combination of freshwater and saltwater. Not too much information is available right at the moment but it appears the new ATB automatic pot cleaning system incorporates a squeegee system running off a 12VDC motor and the inside cleaning of the skimmer uses a small pump to feed the washdown system (ATB recommends an Aquabee 2001 or similar pump). The inside of the collection cup foam riser tube uses saltwater for cleaning but from what we can gather in the brief statement the company made, the wash down of the collection cup and lid uses the freshwater to conserve the amount of water taken out of the system. The freshwater supply could, in theory, be run off your automatic top off reservoir and shouldn’t impact it in a major way (plus you are saving taking saltwater out of the system and replenishing it with freshwater via the ATO). As we get more details on the exact specification and pricing we’ll be sure to pass it on.

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Seaweed biofuel getting closer to reach with help from E.coli

Posted: January 23rd, 2012, 11:14pm CST by Brian Blank

Seaweed biofuel might be the next generation of fuels thanks to ally in E. Coli. The benefits of seaweed over land-based crops is it grows underwater and requires no watering or fertilizer like corn or other land plants plus it contains no lignin — a strong strand of complex sugars that stiffens plant stalks but is a big challenge to converting the sugars to ethanol.

Recently researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle and Bio Architecture Lab, Inc., (BAL) built a microbe capable of digesting seaweed and converting it into ethanol or other fuels or chemicals. According to synthetic biologist Yasuo Yoshikuni, a co-founder of BAL, they took Escherichia coli, a bacterium most infamous as a food contaminant, threw in a few genetic modifications and now can take the sugars from edible kelp (called kombu) and turn it into fuel.

The team reported their findings in the January 20 issue of the journal Science. The analysis of the research hints that the U.S. could supply 1% of its annual gasoline needs growing the seaweed in less than 1% of its territorial waters. And if you fear, this engineered E. coli escaping into the wild and consuming the seaweed already out there or something else drastic, Yoshikuni states. “E. coli loves the human gut, it doesn’t like the ocean environment,” he says. “I can hardly imagine it would do something. It would just be dead.”

[via Gizmodo and the Scientific American, image via Laguna Bluebelt Coalition]
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“Diversity and Evolution of Coral Reef Fishes” lecture tomorrow at California Academy of Sciences

Posted: January 23rd, 2012, 9:19pm CST by Brian Blank

The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco is presenting “Diversity and Evolution of Coral Reef Fishes,” a lecture by Dr. Luiz Rocha, as part of the Pritzker Lecture series. Rocha is the Assistant Curator, Ichthyology at the academy and will talk about the evolution, biogeography, and ecology of coral reef fishes. His overarching goal is to understand what drives the extremely high biodiversity found in tropical reefs. The lecture takes place from 7-9 p.m. and costs $12 for adults (seniors $10) and is free to academy members. Since space is limited, make sure to reserve your seat online or on the phone at 415-379-8000.
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