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Glossary
Of Terms
A B C D E F G H I J K M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
- A
- AIR LIFT
- A type of non-traumatic pump used here in the
facility is an airlift pump, the Water Blower. Pressurized air is pumped to the
bottom of a well that contains a long pipe. Air bubbles rise up the pipe, driving
water up and into distribution boxes built high above our systems.
- ALGAE
- Aquatic plant life that thrives in fresh
and salt water.
-
- ALGAE SCREEN
- A double layer of stitched nylon screen used as
a medium to support the algae.
-
- ARCHIMEDES SCREW PUMP
- This is one type of non-traumatic
pump. Internal fins, located within the spinning tubes, are twisted in a
screw-like pattern. Turning slowly, they carrying the water gently up through the pump
housing without damaging the planktonic life within the water.
- ARAGONITIC SUBSTRATE
- Our recommended mixture includes: 15% Live
Oolitic Aragonite Sand, to seed the bed, 45% Dry Oolitic Aragonite Sand, 25% CaribSea Reef
Sand, 15% CaribSea Aruba Shell. These are parts of a healthy live sand substrate.
- AUTOMATIC TOP-OFF
SYSTEM
-
- B
- BIODIVERSITY
-
- BIOFILTRATION
-
- BULB PLANTS
-
- BUNCH PLANTS
-
- C
- CAPTIVE REARED (CR)
- Organisms are collected as larvae/post-larvae
from the ocean with plankton collectors. These larvae are held past metamorphosis near the
point of collection and then shipped to Puerto Rico or the US to be grown-out. Though they
are removed from the wild, they are collected at at time when the have an EXTREMELY low
survival rate; hence, there is virtually no impact on the environment. Captive Reared
animals spend their "formative years" in captive care, so they share most of the
benefits of their Tank Raised cousins.
- CARIB SEA REEF SAND /
ARUBA SHELL
- Dried reef sand used to help create a reef/sand
substrate.
- CHITONS
- Invertebrates that eat detritus. (only for use
in glass tanks)
- CORAL
-
-
- D
- DENITRIFICATION
- A process that lessens the dependence on
regular water changes natural source of calcium, strontium and trace elements which
eliminates the need to siphon clean the system providing habitat for burrowing fish,
anenomes and otherinvertebrates.
- DETRITUS
- Any waste created by living creatures.
- DETRITIVORES
- Animals that eat detritus.
- DETRITIVORE STARTER
KIT
- Our kit consists of Spaghetti Worms, Chitons,
Amphipods, baby Bristle Worms, and other detritus eating organisms.
- DUMP BUCKET
- Creates surge, simulating natural wave
action, providing added circulation, and adding to the health of the ecosystem by
delivering food to, and flushing waste materials away from, sessile invertebrates.
- DYNAMIC AQUARIA
- A living reef system
should look alive and a truly dynamic aquarium depends on many different types of
creatures. Their life cycle is part of the ecosystem, the enjoyment is in observing
it.
- E
- EROSION
- A dynamic substrate depends on peaks
and valleys to keep the sand from equalizing throughout the display.
- F
- FAUNA KIT
- The organisms in our Fauna Kits have been
selected because they readily reproduce adding to the planktonic community of the system
as a whole, and/or because of their beneficial contributions to the Refugium environment
specifically. Our kits may include several or all of the following: Amphipods,
Burrowing Urchins, Mysis Shrimp, Copepods and Chitons.
- FOUNDATION ROCK
- Base rock (preferred) or dead rock flat on two
sides, used to support the rock work. This is the "blueprint" for a coral reef.
Without it, the reef structure is doomed to collapse, as the sand bed dissolves.
- FILAMENTOUS ALGAE
- is a small, thread-like species that is
much more efficient at nutrient uptake than mature colonies.
- FLORA KIT
- The algae included in our Flora Kits have been
chosen based upon their overall resilience, their ability to provide substantial shelter
and surface area due to growth patterns, "algal filtering" contribution, and the
general aesthetic. Algae with a tendency to sexually "bloom", have been
excluded, as we feel these are not good choices for most Refugia. These kits may
include the following: Dictyota sp., red "kelp", Ochtodes sp., Grassilaria and
delicate C. Brachypus.
- G
- H
- I
- INVERTEBRATE
"SIFTERS"
- Thee most common "sifters" are
Jawfish and Sleeper Gobies. However, we recommend adding invertebrate Sifters first.
Some of our favorites include: Sand Dwelling Stars, Sand Dollars, Baby Sea Biscui, Sand
Eating Cucumbers, Pistol Shrimp and Globe Urchins.
- J
-
- K
-
- L
- LIVE ROCK
- Pieces of rock that are encrusted with coraline
algae with the detritivores living in the porus holes in the rock, tube worms, gammaras
shrimp, etc.
- LIVE SAND
- Consists of anerobic bacteria enriched oolitic
sand. See our Live Sand Information.
-
- M
- MACROALGAE
- Large multicellular algae. (green red and brown
varieties)
- MICROALGAE
- Microscopic single celled algae.
- MINI JET
- Power head pump used to move water, recommended
for use with refugium.
- METAL HALIDE LIGHTS
- These bulbs reproduce, most closely,
the full spectrum of the sun, providing ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths.
-
- N
- NITRIFYING BACTERIA
- Nitrosomonas spp. oxidize ammonia,
converting it into nitrite, while Nitrobacter spp. oxidize nitrite into nitrate.
These bacteria, however, do not remove nitrate, phosphates or other undesirable elements
such as silicates and heavy metals like copper and lead.
- NON-TRAUMATIC PUMPS
- Significantly larger and less energy
efficient than traditional pumps. The non- traumatic pumps move liquids
with minimal sheer stress. Both the Air Lift (Water Blower) and the Archemedes Screw Pump
uses gravity to force the water back down through the tanks.
-
- O
- OOLITIC
- sugar fine sand
-
- P
- PARTICULATE
- Nutrients that can cause explosive growth of
algae in the marine environment. Although essential for algae growth, limiting is
necessary in a closed aquarium.
- PHOTOSYNTHETIC
ORGANISMS
- Any animals that
use photosynthesis to produce food and energy.
-
- PHOTO PERIOD
- The amount of time the lights are on, the
length of a day.
- PLANKTON
- A complex mixture composed of the
larvae of fish, corals and other invertebrates, algae, and numerous single cell
organisms. It is a universal food source for the creatures of the deep.
-
-
- Q
-
- R
- REEF
- An ecosystem that sustains marine life.
- REEF RUBBLE
- A mixture of mostly dead Acropora skeletons,
Astrea shells and dead rock rubble.
- REFUGIUM
- A physically sectioned off portion of
the water column (and accompanying substrate), inaccessible to predators, such that it
allows and promotes the proliferation of micro crustaceans and other plankton
producing organisms. See also : Refugium
Information
-
- ROOTED PLANTS
-
- S
- SHEER STRESS
- The enormous trauma that is produced by
traditional pumping techniques. Traditional pumps use fast motors that turn at high
speeds to achieve desired flowrates. The differential in speed between the pumping
mechanism and the water itself causes a great deal of sheer stress which is too traumatic
for most planktonic life.
- SKIMMER BOX
- Removes accumulated proteins from the
surface of the water by creating a cascade (water fall) between the water level of the
tank and that of the skimmer box.
-
- T
TANK RAISED (TR)
- Animals that are hatched in captivity and
raised from eggs.
-
- U V W
- WATER BLOWER
- A type of non-traumatic pump used here
in the facility is a type of airlift pump. Pressurized air is pumped to the bottom
of a well that contains a long pipe. Air bubbles rise up the pipe, driving
water up and into distribution boxes built high above our systems.
- X Y Z
- ZOOPLANKTON
- Small and
microscopic organisms that live in the water column.
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ossary">T
TANK RAISED (TR)
Animals that are hatched in captivity and raised
from eggs. U V W WATER BLOWER A type of non-traumatic pump used here in the
facility is a type of airlift pump. Pressurized air is pumped to the bottom of a
well that contains a long pipe. Air bubbles rise up the pipe, driving water up
and into distribution boxes built high above our systems. X
Y Z ZOOPLANKTON Small and microscopic organisms
that live in the water column.
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CHANGING THE WAY