BIG NORTH B1
APRIL 2013
Big North
Classifieds and Careers
B10
B Section
FREE PRESS
An undersea world in your own home TERESA MALLAM arts@pgfreepress.com
It is a beautiful water world, pristine and magical, with its own unique inhabitants. Coral, invertebrates, fish and other creatures of the sea live in perfect harmony. Their home is a 250-gallon coral reef tank built into a feature wall and its owner and visitors are totally captivated with its bright-coloured fish, white and pastel corals and interesting little caves and caverns. George Leven spent two years, carefully planning and preparing a large-scale saltwater tank for its eventual occupants – 40 different species of coral and 15 species of fish in an amazing array of vibrant colours. He can tell you facts and features about everything in the tank – even things you don’t at first notice, like starfish lying on the bottom. In 2005, Leven and his wife moved into a house with the proper space to set up and display his “dream” tank for family and friends to enjoy. The results are breathtaking. His tank is big enough (a 350gallon system) that resident fish can enjoy lots of room to play, rest and swim. “They tend to be a bit territorial,” says Leven. “They pick out their own little place where they like to go, and they defend it.” The fish are quite distinct in colour and character – like the bright yellow tang that glides by gracefully, then, when it turns sideways, becomes just a narrow sliver. There’s a smaller regal (bright blue) tang, black cap basslet, clown fish and a dotty back – to name a few. Leven points out a brightly coloured wrasse fish, a popular choice among reef tank enthusiasts and a member of one of the largest families of coral reef fish.
22
Prince George
Everyone who sees the aquarium is dazzled by its beauty but they are also somewhat daunted when they find out how much work it is, Leven says. The hard work is hidden in a tank room which houses equipment required to maintain a pristine tank such as: lights, heaters and filters. Like most hobbyists, saltwater tank enthusiasts, enjoy trading tips and ideas. “I have a sister and brotherin-law in Kelowna who got into reef tanks, so we ‘grew’ the hobby together,” says Leven whose own reef tank comes complete with a house. “The house is up for sale, so it will be kind of devastating to have to dismantle all this,” he said. Still, there’s a good chance any potential house buyer will love the aquarium as much as he does. Leven is a member of the Prince George Reef Tank Club. Members are inspired to start a salt water tank in many ways. Some go scuba diving or snorkeling in the ocean and marvel at the underwater paradise they create – in a much smaller version – at home. “I started my first saltwater aquarium because of a fish that I saw in a movie,” says club member Russell John Vander Ende. No it wasn’t the movie, Finding Nemo, he is quick to point out. “It was a Volitan lionfish in a ‘cheesy’ Rob Schneider comedy. I had kept freshwater tanks for quite a few years but when I saw the lionfish, I knew that I wanted to give saltwater a try. From that point on, I did a lot of reading, asked a lot of questions and tried a bit of everything as I experimented and upgraded through many tanks and pieces of equipment.” His oldest fish, a clown fish, is nine years old now. Vander Ende suggests new people to
Te re s a M A LLA M / Fre e Pre s s
George Leven with his underwater work of art, a reef tank of beautiful fish, corals and invertebrates. this fascinating hobby start by reading at least one good book on the subject and by chatting with some experienced hobbyists. “I have several books outlining the amount of dedication that these boxes of ocean require. This is a hobby that you define yourself with – you don’t simply have a fish tank with saltwater in it. You are a Saltwater Aquarist. It’s like a second career to some of us and it can require a considerable amount of start up funding, a steep learning curve, a daily commitment of time and unlimited amounts of patience. It’s certainly not for everyone but it’s very rewarding for those who put in the effort.” He also keeps a daily record. “I’ve kept a diary in which I recorded my aquarium’s chemistry: temperatures, PH levels, calcium phosphates, nitrates
(tank algae thrives on these nutrients) and I keep a close eye on everything that goes on in the tank and I record anything unusual that happens, such as deaths.” Maintaining a healthy reef tank is “a real balancing act,” says Vander Ende. “If any of the (necessary) parameters go out of whack, you can have casualties and where you lose coral and fish. Light is important. Some coral like light, some don’t like light at all, some like a combination. You have to do some reading before you buy coral or fish if you want good results.” Besides the personal loss, there’s an expense to replacing lost coral or fish. How expensive a hobby is it? “People pay an average of $50 per fish and per coral depending on its size, how rare or exotic it is, and where it comes from. You
can pay $5 or $300 and more. Some of the coral coming out of Australia is very expensive. Some (hobbyists) maintain a colony of coral and let people have fragments off it. We share a lot of coral by clippings.” Doing your research can avoid costly mistakes, he says. “Experimenting and constantly upgrading can be quite expensive, so it’s better to buy the right equipment and compatible fish and coral the first time around. It is for these reasons that we host the PG Reef Tank Tour so that beginners can meet experienced locals, view their systems, and ask questions and build a network of support.” Anyone interested in oining the group now or in 2014 can call Vander Ende at 250-6490465. Visit www.canreef.com for a hobbyist forum and subsection for northern B.C.