Tip of the Day – 8/29/2012

When hanging new hardware over your aquarium, be sure to cover the top of the tank so that things like screws and sheetrock dust don’t accidentally fall into the water. The screws can rust in a very short period of time, releasing heavy metals into the water that can cause all sorts of damage to delicate corals and invertebrates. Similarly, the sheetrock dust can fall into the tank, but instead of causing heavy metal issues that primarily affect inverts, the dust can cause all sorts of other issues that also impact fish. To keep these items out of your reef, place a sheet of thin plastic over the top of the tank while you’re working, making sure to remove it as soon as your done so that the water won’t become too deprived of oxygen.