FOREWARD:

Although quite a few books on the subject of keeping marine fish, invertebrates, corals, as well as macro-algae already exist, and even though many articles have appeared in hobby magazines, there still exists a void in the area of the type of equipment to use on reef aquariums, and what the specific purpose of the many products offered for sale really is.

The literature void is even larger where it comes to sophisticated systems that utilize instruments and controllers to automate functions that the hobbyist has been accustomed to performing manually, mostly on fish-only tanks, before the advent of reef aquariums.

For years much of the equipment advocated was imported, until a few U.S. manufacturers decided to offer their own lines of marine reef duplicating systems and products. I am referring to companies such as Coralife, Energy Savers Unlimited, Marine Technical Concepts, Scott's True Reef, THIEL*AQUA*TECH, Lifereef Systems, Nautilus Aquatics (Canada), Summit Aquatics and many more.

A lot of the imported equipment suffered from the typical foreign product's syndrome: either no instructions, or badly translated ones. Such did not help much, of course, especially since the equipment we are talking about is by no means easy to install and use, and is certainly not inexpensive. Then again, it is quite sophisticated stuff.

On the positive side, the introduction of all this equipment, both foreign and U.S. made, allows the implementation of more novel ways of keeping tanks, especially the reef type ones we are concerned with in this book and which are growing in popularity very quickly.

Reef-like systems that are equipped with the right filters and devices allow each and every hobbyist to maintain vibrant looking tanks, providing the equipment is installed correctly, and providing also, that the hobbyist maintains the aquarium by adhering to a strict husbandry program of both the tank itself, and the equipment used.

Marine fishkeeping still has a certain mystique attached to it. Why this should be so is not quite clear. Perhaps the reason is that many hobbyists think that the saltwater side of the hobby is far more complicated than the fresh water one, or perhaps the perceived expense of getting into salt water aquariums and reefs is such, that hobbyists feel that they cannot afford to get into it.

Fortunately this is slowly changing. Articles published in magazines such as MARINE REEF and FRESHWATER AND MARINE AQUARIUM (FAMA) are certainly one of the main reasons for this additional interest in keeping salt water aquariums, especially reef aquariums such as the ones described in this book. Marine Reef, the newsletter published by Aardvark Press, deals exclusively with reef aquariums and is highly recommended reading for any hobbyist wishing to maintain a reef system.

Still, a lot needs to change for the reef hobby to become as popular as it is in Europe. Knowledge on the part of the hobbyist and store owner/manager is, in my mind, where progress needs to be made. Store owners' interest has been growing very rapidly over the last year or so, and more and more reef products are finding their way into wholesalers and onto shelves in stores. Such is a very good sign.

Unfortunately, a lot of conflicting information is still found in magazines and heard at aquarium society meetings and in pet stores. This often leads to the appearance of hybrid systems, systems in which the hobbyist uses some of the technology of one manufacturer and mixes it with different types of technology from other manufacturers. This can only lead to a lot of confusion, especially when things go wrong, since who does one call then to get advice? Too many different approaches are mixed, often making it difficult for anyone to come up with a recommended solution to a problem the hobbyist may have.

It seems as if hobbyists are buying insurance against problems by mixing various approaches to keeping reef tanks. Such may seem like a good idea, but it is in reality not. Techniques used in one approach may be detracting from the efficiency of techniques used in another one. Ideally, you should stick with one approach that you find both believable, and can live with in terms of the labor involved, and the finances required to set it up.

Many approaches are designed to be synergistic, meaning all parts together produce more the sum of the individual components. Using only part of such a system is, therefore, not an efficient use of the approach. Mixing several approaches seems even less appropriate and when things go wrong, perhaps as a result of such hybridism, the hobbyist gets frustrated, and he or she may even decide to get out of the hobby altogether. Such is unfortunate and should not be so. Additionally, a lot of animal life and dollars will have been lost and wasted in the process.

Sadly enough, store owners and their personnel cannot always be relied on for sound advice. They too have a lot of catching up to do. Sometimes in their eagerness to make a sale, they may recommend products that the hobbyist does not really need, or substitute others for the ones requested. Such substitutions may not always be appropriate replacements for what the hobbyist intended to buy in the first place, and may in fact not perform the function that was necessary for the tank's water chemistry.

As a hobbyist in need of answers, you should, as a result, get a second opinion, and get more expert advice. As an analogy, when you buy a car, you go to the show room and buy from a car salesperson. When you have a problem with your car, however, you go to a mechanic, not the sales staff.

You should use the same approach when it comes to your tank. Find a knowledgeable person in a pet store, at a manufacturer's, or at an aquarium society, and discuss your problems with that person as well. Then make a decision. You will be a more educated consumer.

As long as you take the time and have the determination, you will find the answers to your questions without having to reinvent the wheel, sometimes at great expense.

This book, then, is an attempt to demystify the equipment and the instrumentation that is being advocated, and show you how it all fits into the holistic, overall that is, approach to keeping reef tanks. Knowing that the equipment exists is one thing, understanding how to use it, and what the technology behind it is - basically why does it work - is a different matter altogether, one we will explain to you in this book, where appropriate.

As time goes on, newer techniques and newer instruments will appear on the market. Therefore, even though this book is up-to-date as far as where the hobby stands today is concerned, you may wish to keep yourself informed of new developments by subscribing to the _MARINE REEF NEWSLETTER_, or similar publications, and by reading other books. A. Thiel published two more books in his Reef Series so far :_ADVANCED REEF KEEPING MADE SIMPLE (I)_, and SMALL REEF AQUARIUM BASICS. _ADVANCED REEF KEEPING II: THE ANIMALS_, is planned for June of 1990. Call Aardvark Press for more details if you need them, or if you want to order.

Applying the techniques advocated in this book will not only ensure that your tank looks vibrant, but it will give you much greater joy, while teaching you a lot about the marvelous environment that a reef aquarium is. It will also greatly reduce your fish and invertebrate losses, thus you will be contributing in a small way to the preservation of the natural reefs.

Acquiring all the instrumentation listed, and discussed, in this book at once, is obviously one way to go. More than likely, however, you will be buying it piecemeal, and improve the efficiency and automation of the aquarium, over a period of time. At least that is the experience we had, in the last five years, with people who have been buying THIEL*AQUA*TECH products and instruments. Complete reef aquariums are not inexpensive by any stretch of the imagination. Anyone getting into the hobby at this level, should therefore budget carefully.

We welcome any suggestions for additions and improvements to this seventh completely revised and updated edition of: _THE MARINE FISH AND INVERT REEF AQUARIUM_. Send your letters to Aardvark Press, a division of THIEL*AQUA*TECH INC. The book was completely rewritten over an 8 month period of time, and includes all information on the latest known requirements of reef aquariums as developed by Albert J. Thiel.

Those scientists, and other chemists, who read this book, will forgive me for having tried to keep the terminology used to the lay level. This book is intended as a guide, not as a text book. Reef keeping is an art, not a science. Not yet, anyway.

Albert J. Thiel

Notes Regarding the Seventh Printing:

THE MARINE FISH and INVERT REEF AQUARIUM has gone through 6 printings already. Quite a feat for a book that deals with such advanced technology, and obviously a sign of the healthy interest that exists in reef aquariums and the technology needed, or recommended, to run them.

All six initial printings were materially the same, except for some changes in photographs and the correction of some typographical errors. The sixth printing contained a 32 page addendum with updates on various subjects, and a long article on marine macro-algae.

The seventh printing is a totally different book. It still incorporates what is to be found in printings one through six, but it is written in a different style, and includes a lot of new material as well. It is hoped that it covers the subject in a still more thorough and better organized fashion. As a result of all the changes and updates, we have given the book a new ISBN number. Copies of the original 6 printings are no longer available from the publisher, but may still be available form resellers.

Only 25 hardbound copies of the first printing are in circulation in hobby circles. All are signed and numbered, and are to be considered collector's items. Anyone wishing to sell such a hardbound edition can contact Aardvark Press, who will try to find a buyer for the book. A recent sale fetched $185.00 for a book that cost about $45.00 at the time it was purchased, about 15 months ago, in early 1988. Some hard bound copies of this 7^th totally revised printing of the _MARINE FISH and INVERT REEF AQUARIUM_ will also be made, and should be available towards July 1990. Call Aardvark Press for more details.

I hope you will enjoy reading this revised edition of the book as much as I enjoyed writing, or should I say rewriting, it. Anyone having questions regarding material contained in this issue may contact:

Information on MARINE REEF, the newsletter on reef tanks, can be obtained there as well. We highly recommend it. Subscription pricing for one year, or the equivalent of 17 issues (about one every three weeks) is US $40.00. Stores should call for resale store pricing.

Albert Thiel has written two other books on reef tanks: _ADVANCED REEF KEEPING MADE SIMPLE I_, a 440 page book that describes how to easily set up highly sophisticated reef setups, and SMALL REEF AQUARIUM BASICS, a 175 page book, that details how to run and set up a reef tank without automation. The latter book is a must for anyone who finds the level of this one a little too technical.

A fourth book is being completed: ADVANCED REEF KEEPING II, a book that deals more specifically with the animals kept in the reef tank, and how to care for them. ADVANCED REEF KEEPING II should be out in June 1990. Advance payments for that book are now being taken by Aardvark Press. Call them for more details, as advance orders for the first printing are large. ADVANCED REEF KEEPING II is a hardbound book, with color photography, and its price is tentatively set at $34.99.