FISHIOLOGY

The ban with coral is getting tougher and we aquarist feels the pressure nowadays. Coral Chip has long been the buffer source for most of us because it WAS inexpensive and plentiful. But that is then and this is now, it ain't cheap anymore. I kept hearing this every time I go mamak with hobbyist and I told them my last purchase of coral chip was I think somewhere 4 or 5 years ago. Most will look at me puzzled and asked me what do I use for buffering nowadays? I told them the same batch of coral chip!!! A little information about coral chip, What you need to understand about coral or coral chip is they are made entirely of calcium carbonate. They releases calcium ions when exposed to CO2 and also acid during nitrification process. But bacteria will soon take resident in the coral chip and produces a slime that covers the entire coral chip. This is the part when hobbyist feels their coral chip no longer functions and throw them away. The slime protect the coral chip from relea...