ARKA REEF CERAMICS User manual
INSTRUCTIONS
REEF CERAMICS
How to get your dream reef
Thank you for choosing ARKA Aquatics reef ceramics.
It provides the following benets:
100% natural raw materials, no articial additives
Biologically active after a short time
Ideal settlement space for benecial bacteria
Can be tailored to your needs
Non-toxic
Entirely handmade
Actively contributes to
Environmental protection
Made in Germany
First steps:
ARKA Aquatics reef ceramics can be used immediately. Due to the production process and the
base material used, slight release of silicate through the reef ceramics and the abrasion that
usually occurs during transport cannot be avoided. To prevent this minimal release of silicate,
we recommend the following two options:
Option 1 – Inserting the reef ceramics directly
✓ ✓
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Place the reef ceramics into your aquarium as desired.
B
We recommend that you use our MICROBELIFT Sili-Out II silicate
absorber for about 1-2 weeks to bind any silicate that is released.
We recommend that you use our
MICROBELIFT
Sili-Out II
silicate
absorber for about 1-2 weeks to bind any silicate that is released.
C
How to get your dream reef
A
Rinse the reef ceramics well with osmosis or tap water to remove
abrasions and prevent unwanted silicate release.
Tip: In areas with heavily polluted tap water (e.g. PO4), we
recommend the use of osmosis water, as these substances could
be absorbed via the reef ceramics.
Option 2 – Previous soaking of the reef ceramic
Place the reef ceramic into a large container made from food-safe
material.
A
Fill the container with osmosis or ultrapure water until the reef
ceramic is well covered.
B
Change the water in the container every two days and,
depending on the quantity of the reef ceramics to be
watered, also change the MICROBELIFT SILIOUT II
silicate absorber.
Ideally, wet the reef ceramics for at least one week!
D
Place the reef ceramics in your aquarium as desired.
E
Ensure that there is sucient water circulation using ow pumps or a cartridge lter
and add our MICROBELIFT Sili-Out II using the lter bag provided.
If you use a cartridge lter, it can be lled with the Sili-Out ll along with cotton wool.
C
Tips on the correct set-up and handling of the reef ceramics:
Carefully place the reef ceramics into your aquarium and make sure that you do not touch
the panes to avoid scratching them.
Place the reef ceramics directly on the bottom pane or the substrate and do not use any
underlay such as styrofoam or acrylic glass to prevent the release of pollutants and
detritus deposits.
To securely connect reef ceramics to each other or with other reef structures, we recom-
mend using our MICROBELIFT Reefscaper reef cement and for later set ups under water
our MICROBELIFT Coralscraper Epoxy.
This is particularly recommended for higher structures and it also allows you to customise
your reef.
If you want to work on your reef ceramics later, we recommend the following tools:
Small angle grinder with stone leaf
·Edge tongs
Hammer in combination with a chisel or flat screwdriver
Do calcareous red algae grow quickly on ARKA Aquatics reef ceramics?
Yes. Thanks to the special structure of our reef ceramics, it oers the optimal surface for red coral-
line algae and you will soon no longer be able to visually distinguish it from living stone.
In aquariums which already have sucient coralline algae, this usually happens within a few
weeks.
For new aquariums or aquariums with low coralline growth we recommend the following:
1. Check the water levels in your aquarium.
2. Obtain a small stone that is already covered with red coralline algae.
3. Take a glass scraper (e.g. for ceramic hobs) and scrape the red coral from the stone into the
aquarium – ideally close to a ow pump to ensure that the coralline algae are distributed well.
4. Add our MICROBE-LIFT Coralline to improve coralline growth.
What do I need to ensure the best biological start of my aquarium?
By using our highly porous ARKA Aquatics reef ceramics, you can oer useful bacteria an ideal
place to settle and thus create the best possible basis for a stable and well functioning overall
biology in your aquarium.
There are of course several ways to add useful bacteria to your aquarium and build biology.
However, to create well functioning biological cycles (e.g. nitrication and de-nitrication)
immediately, we recommend our products MICROBE-LIFT
Nite-Out ll, Special Blend and TheraP.
Thanks to their unique properties and the fact that they con-
tain only living and fully developed bacteria, your aqua-
rium will be ready and can be lled with corals within one
day. Thanks to these products, sh can also be added after a
few days given the right water values.
Tip: In addition, you can lightly coat the reef ceramics with MICROBE-LIFT Gel Filter in order
to immediately biologically activate them and improve the already excellent space for bacte-
ria to settle even more.
The combination of ARKA Aquatics reef ceramics and MICROBE-LIFT products
thus provides the perfect basis for your dream reef!
Reef Mushroom
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RP20 20×14×20 cm
RP30 30×18×30 cm
RP40 40×24×20 cm
Reef Arch EXTRA
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RBE30 24×30×15 cm
RBE40 27×40×22 cm
RBE50 50×32×17 cm
Reef Arch
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RB2010 20×10×10 cm
RB3020 30×12×11 cm
RB4030 40×18×16 cm
RB5040 50×20×17 cm
3D Ribogen
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
3DRB2020 10×20×20 cm
3DRB3030 12×30×30 cm
3DRB4040 15×40×40 cm
3DRB5050 22×50×50 cm
Reef Plateau
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RPA2010 20×15×10 cm
RPA3020 30×23×10 cm
RPA4030 40×30×13 cm
RPA5040 50×35×13 cm
Reef Column EXTRA
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RSE4040 41×34×38 cm
RSE4050 51×34×38 cm
Reef Column Slim
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
SSM20 20×19×11cm
SSM30 30×21×20 cm
SSM40 40×24×22 cm
SSM50 50×26×26 cm
Flying Reef
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
FR30 30×19×19cm
FR40 40×24×22 cm
FR50 50×28×25 cm
FR60 60×32×28 cm
ARKA Aquatics reef ceramics product range:
Reef Column Nature
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
SN20 20×30×17 cm
SN30 30×29×29 cm
SN40 40×35×30 cm
SN50 50×38×36 cm
Reef Plate
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RPUE20 23×14×5 cm
RPUE30 30×17×5 cm
Reef Back Plane Modul
Puzzle
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RWMP20 4×14×20 cm
RWMP30 4×16×30 cm
Shell Holder
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
MHS 7×5×2 cm
MHM 11×9×3 cm
MHL 15×12×4 cm
Frag-Stones round
Article Dimensions
ASSM 100 pcs.
ASLG 100 pcs.
ASSM10 10 pcs.
ASLG10 10 pcs.
Frag-Stones Nature
Article Dimensions
ASNSM 100 pcs.
ASNLG 100 pcs.
ASNSM10 10 pcs.
ASNLG10 10 pcs.
Reef Branch
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RA1 30×15×4 cm
Reef Cave 2 Holes
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RHL10 10×11×8 cm
RHL15 15×14×10 cm
Reef Cave
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RH10 10×11×8 cm
RH15 15×14×10 cm
RH20 20×16×12 cm
Reef Branch Nature
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RAN20 20×15×13 cm
RAN30 30×25×15 cm
RAN40 40×33×16 cm
RAN50 50×30×20 cm
RAN60 60×32×22 cm
RAN70 70×35×28 cm
Puzzle
Reef 3D Back Plane Modul
Front Back
Article Dimensions
(approx.)
RWM5050 20×14×20 cm
RWM5060 30×18×30 cm
RWM6060 40×24×20 cm
Special
production
The reef cera-
mics can also be
tailored to your
needs.
ARKA Biotechnologie GmbH
Mühllach 53-55 • D-90552 Röthenbach
Tel: +49 (0)911 / 56 98610-00
www.arka-biotech.de
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