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Dictionary |
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AC - Activated Carbon, or Alternating Current.
Acontia - White digestive filaments which are used by corals to attack
neighboring corals. Primarily noticed in SPS type corals.
Aerobic - Able to live only where oxygen is present.
ALK - Short for Alkalinity.
Alkalinity - Simply put, the alkalinity of the water is its measure of
being able to resist changes in PH, sometimes referred to as the buffering
capacity of the water. Alkalinity is a critical parameter to
measure and control in SPS tanks. Alkalinity is sometimes measured in meq/L
or dKH. A meq/lL of around 2.2 to 2.5 is normal seawater level. Reef
tanks are frequently keep at higher levels than NSW.
Ammonium (NH4) - Inorganic source of Nitrogen.
Anaerobic - Able to live where there is no oxygen present. Usually relates to types of bacteria.
Appressed - Pressed close to or flat against the surface. Frequently used to describe corallites.
Aragonite - A mined rock mineral which contains high levels of calcium. Often used as a reef tank substrate or as media for calcium reactors.
Arborescent - Tree-like shape.
Axial Corallite - Corallites found at the tip or end of a SPS coral branch. Usually the growing point for the coral.
Basal - Growing from the base
Bleaching - The phenomenon of corals or clams expelling their symbiotic algae usually due to stress. This usually results in a pale or white color in the specimen which may or may not recover from the result. Most commonly seen in SPS corals due to either sudden exposure to high intensity lighting or excessive water temperatures.
BOD - Biological Oxygen Demand. The depletion of oxygen from the tank water caused by consumption by biological processes such as fish respiration.
Bottlebrush - Having numerous short side branchlets projecting out from
the main branch. Often used to describe an SPS coral growth form.
Buffer - Is a descriptive term for a compound which is added to
the tank water to increase its alkalinity.
Byssus Gland - The organ in the base of the clam that produces the fibrous strands used to attach the clam to the substrate.
Ca - Calcium
CaCl2 - Calcium chloride
CaCO3 - Calcium carbonate
Caespitose - Bushy, composed of branches which interlock similarly in
three dimensions.
Calcium - Is an important compound in the water which is used to form
the skeletons of the corals, shells of the clams, etc. The level of
calcium should be measured and controlled to provide the following range.
Typical range for Soft coral tanks is 350 - 450
Typical range for SPS & clam tanks is 400-500
Ca(OH)2 - Calcium hydroxide
Cl - Chlorine
CO2 - Carbon dioxide
CO3 - Carbonate
Coelenterata - Phylum containing the stony corals, soft corals, hydroids, jellyfish and anemones.
Coenostrum - Skeletal structures between the corallites of SPS corals. Usually sponge-like.
Columnar - forms column type shape.
Coralline Algae - A calcareous encrusting algae usually colored pink, purple or red. Their growth requires the same basic water requirements as calcifying corals and their growth is considered a sign of a healthy tank. They can also add considerable color to the tank.
Corallite - The structure formed by an individual polyp in a colony. Shape of corallites is frequently used in the identification of SPS corals.
Corymbose - Broad, flat-topped growth pattern of main branches with
short upright branchlets.
CTA - Cellulose Triacetate, type of RO membrane used in RO water
purifiers
Cu - Copper
Cyano - Cyanobacteria, A blue-green algae/bacteria which forms mats,
usually pink or rust colored, and frequently located on the sand. These
mats can smother other specimens and are a nuisance algae. Their presence
generally indicates less than optimum tank conditions such as excessive organics
or inadequate water motion.
Detritus - This is the grey mulm that accumulates in piles in the tank in crevices and under rocks. It is the dust-bunnies of the reef tank and is made up of various cast-off particles from corals and other biological processes in the tank.
Diatoms - Golden brown nuisance algae that forms hard 'dots' on the tank glass which are hard to remove. They also can form films on the live rock. They utilize silicates in the water to form their 'shell', so control generally means controlling the amount silicates in the water.
DI - Deionisation, type of water purification. Generally used to remove silicates and phosphates from RO water.
Digitate - Finger like, often used to describe SPS coral growth form.
Dinoflagellates - A single-cell organism that is common in the reef
tank. The family includes the symbiotic algae that lives in coral, but it
also can be a pest that forms brown jelly like mats on living and non-living
surfaces in the reef tank.
DIY - Do It Yourself. Refers to a project that
is built or assembled by the hobbyist rather than purchased.
dKH - Degrees of carbonate hardness, measure of alkalinity
DO - Dissolved Oxygen
DOC - Dissolved Organic Compounds
DSB - Deep Sand Bed, A type of filtration device
based on a thick sand bed in the display tank or in an external sump.
Dump Bucket - Is a type of surge device which creates 'waves'
in the tank by pumping water into an external device which periodically spills
that water back into the tank in large surges.
Elongate - Long and narrow, stretched looking.
Encrust - Cover the substrate.
Exsert - Protrude out or project. Frequently used to describe SPS corallites
Fe - Iron
FO - Fish Only type of marine aquarium
FOWLR - Fish Only With Live Rock type of reef aquarium
GAC - Granular Activated Carbon
GAL - Gallon
GPH - Gallons Per Hour. Measurement of water
motion.
HCO3 - Hydrogen carbonate
Herbivore - An animal that eats plants.
HO - High Output fluorescent light.
I - Iodide
I2 - Iodine
ID - Identity
Immersed - Embedded. In the case of corallites, indicates the corallite is embedded into the main skeleton of the coral and does not protrude.
Incipient - Barely noticeable
Intergrade - Pass into another form by passing through a series of intermediate forms.
Invertebrates - Animals without backbones. Describes most reef
tank inhabitants other than fish.
IO3 - Iodate
KALK - Kalkwasser. German for calcium hydroxide solution or limewater.
A solution sometimes used to maintain calcium, alkalinity and pH in the reef
tank.
KI - Potassium iodide
L - Liter
LFS (Local Fish Store) - Your local pet store that sells reef supplies.
Live Rock - Is (normally) calcareous rock which comes from the ocean with some of the life forms on it still living. These may include bacteria, coralline algae, sponges, worms, crustaceans and other invertebrates. Live rock forms the all important biological backbone for a successful reef tank. When live rock is referred to as 'Uncured' it means the rock still contains all the organisms that populated it in the ocean some of which may be dead or dieing. 'Cured' live rock means the rock has had those dead or dieing life forms removed through mechanical removal and/or the process of decay.
Live Sand - Live sand is a term used to describe sand which is either taken from the ocean with it's life forms intact, or sand which started as dry and lifeless, but by virtue of being in a reef tank has become populated with various life forms. Live sand is often used to 'seed' the sand bed of a new reef tank with the organisms that normally populate a sand bed.
LPS (Large Polyp Scleractinian / Stony) - Corals which have
calcareous skeletons and relatively large polyps. Some LPS only have one
or a
couple of polyps.
LR - Live rock
Macro algae - Are the true plants of the ocean. These are the fairly large and obvious plants (actually algaes) of the reef tank. Common types include the various forms of Caulerpa and Halimeda. These are sometime grown in the reef tank or in external sumps, filter and refugia for decoration, food or nutrient export.
Mantle - The fleshy portion of a tridacnid clam that extends out past its shell to collect the light.
Massive - Describes coral colonies that are solid and similar in size
in all dimensions.
Meq/L - Milli-equivalents per liter, measure of alkalinity
Metal Halide Lights - Are a high powered light formed by an arc drawn
across two electrodes which ignite gases with a glass envelope. Metal
halide lights are the premium reef tank lights and come in a range of color
temperatures (5500-20,000K) and wattages(70W - 1000W).
Mg - Magnesium
Mg/L - Milligrams per litre
MH - Metal Halide, type of lighting
Micro Algae - Very small, microscopic algae. Most
often recognized as the green slime that forms on the front glass of the tank.
MO - Mail order
Na - Sodium
NaCO3 - Sodium carbonate
NaOH - Sodium hydroxide
NH3 - Ammonia
NH4 - Ammonium
Nitrogen Cycle - The process by which animal waste products are covered from ammonia to nitrites then to nitrates through the actions of specialized bacteria.
Nitrosomonas - The bacteria that is responsible for converting ammonia to nitrite as part of the nitrogen cycle in the tank.
Nitrobacter - The bacteria that is responsible for converting nitrites
to nitrate as part of the nitrogen cycle in the tank.
NNR - Natural nitrate reduction, reef setup technique
NO - Normal Output fluorescent light
NO2 - Nitrite
NO3 - Nitrate
NSW - Natural Seawater
O2 - Oxygen
ORP - Oxidative Redox Potential
PAR - Photosynthetically Available Radiation. A measure of light
intensity in the useful wavelength spectrum.
PC Lights (Power Compact) - are a type of high intensity fluorescent
lights. The provide more light intensity in a smaller size than regular
fluorescent lamps do. A PC light is single-ended and requires a special PC
ballast to operate. This is the same basic technology used in many of the
new long-life and low power light fixtures you see at places like Home Depot.
pH - Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions on a scale where a pH
is 7. Lower is acidic, higher is alkaline.
Phosphate (PO4) - A nutrient that causes excessive plant/algae growth
if it reaches excessive levels in the reef tank.
Photoperiod - The period of time that the lights over the tank are
turn on (length of day).
Photosynthetic - Able to utilize light to synthesize chemical compounds needed to support life.
Phytoplankon - Composed of microscopic algae floating in the
water. It is used for food by filter feeders in the reef tank.
PO4 - Phosphate
Polyp - The basic living unit of a coral which has a mouth and is
normally surround by tentacles.
PPM - Parts Per Million, equivalent to mg/l (milligrams per
litre)
Prostrate - Laying flat, prone or supine. Colonies sprawl over
the substrate.
Protein Skimmer - Is a type of filter that uses small air bubbles
passing through a cylinder to collect proteineous wastes materials from the
water and deposit them in a collection cup for disposal. Most reef tanks
can benefit from inclusion of a protein skimmer.
PVC - Poly Vinyl Chloride, typical tubing used for piping/plumbing
Radial Corallite - The corallites which cover the surface of the
none-growing edge of SPS corals.
Refugia - Is a tank which is separate from the main tank, but shares
plumbing with the main tank. It provides refuge for the small crustaceans that normally are preyed upon in the main tank. Water is normally pumped
into the refugia and then overflows by gravity back into the main tank.
The refugia usually houses macro algae and large populations of small crustaceans
which actively breed since no predators are included in the tank. Water flowing out of the
refugia and back into the main tank contains live food which live in the refugia.
RO - Reverse Osmosis, type of water purification
RO/DI - Reverse Osmosis, followed by Deionisation, type of water
purification. DI tends to remove more silicates than RO alone and gives a
higher water purity.
RTN - Rapid Tissue Necrosis. A common cause of
bacterial death in SPS corals which is characterized by rapid tissue disintegration.
Salinity - A measure of the amount of dissolved solids in the water.
Scleractinia - Order of animals belonging to the Phylum Coelenterata
which include the stony corals.
SG - Specific Gravity, typically used to measure the
concentration of salt in seawater.
SHO - Super High Output fluorescent light, equivalent to power compact
fluorescent
Si - Silicon
SiO2 - Silicon dioxide
Specific Gravity - The ratio of the density of the saltwater as
compared to distilled water. The reef tank saltwater should be kept in a
specific gravity range of between 1.023 to 1.025.
Spinules - Small spines.
SPS (Small Polyp Scleractinian or Stoney) - Corals which have calcareous skeletons and relatively many small polyps.
Sr - Strontium
Staghorn - Consist of large upright branches.
SW - Saltwater/Seawater
Sump - A water containing device which normally sits in the stand
under the main display tank. A sump can be a converted aquarium, a plastic
tub or it can be built specifically for the purpose of being a sump.
Wet/dry filters are a form of sump.
Surge Device - Describes a mechanism, such as a dump bucket, that
causes water to be slowly pumped out of the tank and then rapidly dumped back in
to cause a water surge through the tank. This method most closely
duplicates wave motion on a real reef.
Tentacles - Any of a variety of long, slender, flexible growths found around the head or mouths of invertebrates
TFC - Thin Film Composite, type of RO membrane
Tuberculae - Wart like protrusions
Tubular - Shaped like a tube. Round and long. Used to describe SPS corallites.
Turbid - Cloudy from stirred up sediments.
UV - Ultra Violet, type of light, shorter wavelength than visible light.
Same light that causes sunburn with overexposure to the sun.
VHO - Very High Output fluorescent light
W - Watts
Wave Maker - This is an electrical device that alternately controls AC to one
or more powerhead in the tank to provide changing water flow conditions.
This helps to simulate the turbulent, non-linear water flow conditions found on
a natural reef. This device is not usually used for small or soft coral
tanks.
Wet/Dry Filter - is a filter that mounts below the tank which trickled water over various types of biomedia. Biomedia was overpriced plastic balls or other material which was used to grow colonies of bacteria for biological filtration. This type of filter was popular in the early to mid 90's, but has lost popularity in current day reef tanks. Most users of Wet/Dry filters have removed the biomedia from them and simply use them as expensive sumps to house their heaters and pumps. An inexpensive aquarium tank does the same thing for a lot less money.
Zooplankton - Are small animals floating in the water, mainly consisting of small crustaceans or larval forms of larger organisms. Zooplankton is an important food source on a real reef which cannot easily be duplicated in a reef tank. Reef keepers sometime use new hatched brine shrimp to try to duplicate this food.
Zooxanthellae - The symbiotic algae that lives within the tissues of corals and tridacnid clams.