Reef Safe?

[itafx]

I'm a newbie at SW. What does reef safe really mean? Does it mean the fauna won't hurt the coral? Does it mean the other way around? Does it have to do with aggression or venomousness?

 

[fijiwigi]

It has to do mainly with the fact that aggresive fish will eat the corals and rip them apart as far as I know.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Just to clarify a bit, whether or not the fish is aggressive really doesn't have anything to do with being "reef safe". There are plenty of peaceful fish that are not reef safe. Reef safe just means the fish won't eat coral.

 

[lando]

I would also add reef-dwelling monbile inverts such as shrimp, crabs and snails to the list along with corals. There are some fish that will eat both, some that will leave the corals alone and some that will leave the mobile inverts alone. Best bet is to stick with fish that will leave them all alone.

 

[itafx]

At the LFS, the "expert" told me not to get anemones because all anemones grow huge and move around and sting the coral. Is that accurate? Are there some options with anemones? They sure look nice.

Isn't a high rate of water flow important for a reef tank? Does reef safe have anything to do with the amount of water flow a species can tolerate?

To what extent are WCs important in a SW tank? Can you achieve a balanced ecosystem where SW WCs aren't needed? It seems like doing extensive SW WCs would be cost prohibitive. I just acquired a 125 gallon tank that I'm considering whether to use as a SW tank. I feel like doing weekly WCs on that would send me to the poor house quickly.

 

[melosu58]

To what extent are WCs important in a SW tank? Can you achieve a balanced ecosystem where SW WCs aren't needed? It seems like doing extensive SW WCs would be cost prohibitive. I just acquired a 125 gallon tank that I'm considering whether to use as a SW tank. I feel like doing weekly WCs on that would send me to the poor house quickly.

PWC`s are very important IMO. They take care of several things. They replace trace elements that are depleted through fish and invert processes. They help to naturally buffer your tank water. They also help to dillute excessive nutrients. I too have a 125 gallon tank and to me it`s not cost prohibitive. Yes I could add a bunch of chemicals but I prefer to do it the natural way and not a way that might crash my tank. That`s speaking from over 10 yrs of experience. IMO smaller frequent PWC`s are the key.

 

[Sadielynn]

At the LFS, the "expert" told me not to get anemones because all anemones grow huge and move around and sting the coral. Is that accurate? Are there some options with anemones? They sure look nice. Answer yes they can grow huge and walk and sting other corals they also can get caught up in PH's and be sliced and diced , crashing your tank aswell
Isn't a high rate of water flow important for a reef tank? Does reef safe have anything to do with the amount of water flow a species can tolerate?
answer this depends on what corals you want some take high flow others take a lower flow
To what extent are WCs important in a SW tank? Can you achieve a balanced ecosystem where SW WCs aren't needed? It seems like doing extensive SW WCs would be cost prohibitive. I just acquired a 125 gallon tank that I'm considering whether to use as a SW tank. I feel like doing weekly WCs on that would send me to the poor house quickly. answer They are quite important not only do they remove organic wastes such a poo they replenish your trace elements , yes they can get expensive however you need to understand that in an enclosed system the pollutants have no where to go and will build up eventually , your corals ,fish , LR and even coraline algea need the trace elements to thrive , you may beable to do a water change monthly which would be about 30 gallons but giving the investment you have in these systems it is realitvly cheep

HTH

 

[itafx]

Ok. I guess I'm a little confused. One can dose a FW tank with trace elements. Wouldn't that work for a SW tank? Also, in a FW tank you have a balanced system with biofilters, and replaceable physical filtration media, etc to take care of the poo. Why wouldn't it be the same with a SW tank?

 

[Sadielynn]

Most of your trace elements are found in salt such as your iodine calcium stronium (SP) mag and many more things as well that fresh does not use ... you can dose in SW but must test and really still may need to but water changes help to replace and dilute your fish poo.
With the removal of water change to remove disolved solids ect it should be done in fresh water as well

 

[melosu58]

PWC`s are much more safer than added supplements. I`ve seen tanks crash from added chems but never seen one crash because of a PWC. It`s really not confusing.

 

[cmor1701d]

Most commercial salt mix manufacturers boast of containing the 70+ trace elements/minerals that are found in the ocean. Supplements are sold for just a handful of those.

Even with over skimming, use of charcoal and poly filters, macro algae and LR, the water will still not be as pristine as a freshly made batch of NSW. Also, all that skimming and filtering will remove some of those trace elements.

A bucket of salt that makes 200 gallons of mixed NSW goes for around $50.00. The cost for making RODI water is pennies per gallon. The cost of trace supplements is quite high by comparison.

PWC's are the way to go in both FW and SW, IMHO.

 

[usmcmarc]

I'm proof that supplements are a VERY risky thing. I tested my water for Iodine levels and it was quite low. I added a Kent Marine Iodine supplement and lost an Open Brain, and a Hammer Coral and almost lost my Bubble Coral. I think it may have led to the demise of my Firefish Goby and a Neon Goby. Thats about a $200 loss.

PWC's are the way to go, IMO as well.

 

[Innovator]

"Reef Safe" is a verbal anomaly that is quite misleading. Technically speaking, nothing is "reef safe" since the majority of animals we are able to house inherently feed from the reef in one way or another, thus affecting an ever-so changing system. The term usually implies anything that is aggressive and/or a possible threat towards invertebrates. IMO the term is better to be ignored due to incorrect categorization of fish behaviorism.

 

[Lance M.]

At the LFS, the "expert" told me not to get anemones because all anemones grow huge and move around and sting the coral. Is that accurate? Are there some options with anemones? They sure look nice.

Not all anemones get "huge." Certainly clownfish host anemones get large from the bta that will get around 12''+ in diameter to S. Mertensi that will get 36''+ in diameter if cared for properly.

Rock anemones (E. crucifer) do not get huge usually under 12'' in diameter and the growth can be controlled by feeding (don't feed and it grows slowly, feed and it grows fast).

S. tapetum and other mini-carpets come in beautiful colors and usually stay ~10''. There are several other anemones I didn't mention.

Also, yes the anemones can move around and kill every coral they come into contact with, BUT the only reason they move is becuase something is irritating them so they move to find a better location. If given the proper care (water conditions, lighting, etc.) they could stay in the same spot and not move for many months if not years and then you can place corals around them.

Another thing to keep in mind is that anemones are not for beginners and if not given the proper environment and it dies (unless in a large system or your lucky)- there goes everything in your tank. They can dissolve rather quickly.

 

[beachbumin]

Hands down PWC's are key. Also I tend to shy away from adding anything that moves from my tank. While they may be "reef safe" they can still annoy and knock over corals and start trouble.....