A | B | C |
D | E | F | G
| H | I | J | K
| L | M | N
O
| P | Q | R | S |
T | U | V | W
| X | Y | Z
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| AC | Activated carbon Should I run Carbon in my reef tank? |
| Acontia | Poisons used by coral to attack other corals |
| Aerobic | Needs oxygen to survive |
| ALK | Alkalinity What is Alkalinity? |
| NH4 | Amonium |
| Anaerobic | Bacteria that need oxygen to survive |
| Appressed | Corallites that are pressed against the surface |
| Aragonite | A rock that is rich in calcium and other trace element |
| Arborescent | Shaped like a tree |
| Axial Corallite | Branch-tip. Growing tip of SPS coral |
| Arborescent | Shaped like a tree |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| BB | Bare bottom/no sand BB or deep sand bed? |
| Basal | Coral that grow from a base |
| Bleaching | Coral urning white due to death/exit of symbiotic algae within coral |
| BOD | Biological oxygen demand |
| Bottlebrush | Coral with several branches off-shotting from the main body/branch. |
| Buffer | Describes an added compund used to increase alkalinity |
| Byssus Gland | An organ used to clams to attach to substrate |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Ca | Calcium Calcium and the reef tank |
| CaCL | Calcium chloride |
| CaCO | Calcium carbonate |
| Caespitose | Bush-like. Has lots of branches |
| Ca(OH)2 | Calcium hydroxide |
| CL | Chlorine |
| Co2 | Carbon dioxide |
| Co3 | Carbonate |
| Coelenterata | Phylum containing the stony corals, soft corals, hydroids, jellyfish and anemones |
| Coenostrum | Sponge-like Skeletal structures between corallites of SPS |
| Columnar | Forms column |
| Coralline Algae | A beneficial algae usually pink or purple Grow Coralline algae in your tank |
| Corallite | Structure formed by an individual polyp in a colony. |
| Corymbose | Broad/flat-topped growth pattern of main branches with short upright branchlets. |
| CTA | Cellulose. Triacetate, type of RO membrane used in RO Filters |
| CU | Copper |
| Cyano | Cyanobacteria. Non-beneficial bacteria caused by access nutrients |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Detritus | Waste particles |
| Diatoms | Nuisance algae What it is and how to get rid of it |
| DI | Deionization RO/DI water and the reef tank |
| Digitate | Like a finger. Term used to describe SPS growth form |
| Dinoflagellates | Single cell organisms |
| DKH | Measure of alkalinity what is your alkalinity |
| DO | Dissolve |
| DOC | Dissolved organic compound |
| DSB | Deep sand bed DSB or no sand at all? |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Elongate | Strech |
| Encrust | Cover the rock/substrate. Grow a base. Attach |
| Exsert | Extend out. |
| Digitate | Like a finger. Term used to describe SPS growth form |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Fe | Iron |
| FO | Fish-Only. Aquarium with no live corals |
| FOWLR | Fish only with live rock. Aquarium with live rock and fish but no corals! |
| Fuge | Refugium. A refuge for animals with low chance of survival within display tank |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| G | Gallon |
| GAC | Granular activated |
| GAL | Gallon |
| GPH | Gallons per hour |
| Exsert | Extend out. |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| HCO | Hydrogen Carbonate |
| Herbivore | Vegetarian |
| Hitchhiker | creatures that find their way into aquariums via live rock/live sand Hitchhiker photo thread! |
| HO | High-output. Term used to describe fluorescent light. |
| GPH | Gallons per hour |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| I | Iodide or Iodine |
| Imersed | Not extended |
| Incipient | Not noticeable |
| Invertebrate | Lacking a backbone or spinal column; not vertebrate. |
| IO3 | Iodate |
| Intergrade | to merge one into another |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Nothing for J | Suggest one: ReefCollege@live.com |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| KALK | Kalkwasser What is Kalkwasser? |
| KI | Potassium iodide |
| Incipient | Not noticeable |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| L | Liter |
| LFS | Local fish store Buy fish online? |
| LS | Live sand Is it really live? |
| LPS | Large polyp stony |
| LR | Live rock POLL: LR or dry rock? |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Macro algae | Saltwater plants grown in refugiums Your favorite macro algae? |
| Mantle | Fleshy parts of a clam that etend out of the shell |
| Massive | Similarly sized coral colonies |
| Meq/L | Mesure of ALK. Milli-equivalents per liter |
| MG | Magnesium Should you dose MG? |
| Mg/L | Milligrams per litre |
| MH | Metal Halide New to reef lighting? |
| Micro algae | Microscopic algae. Green slime on glass or rocks |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Na | Sodium |
| NaCo3 | Sodium Carbonate |
| NaOh | Sodium hydroxide |
| NH3 | Amonia |
| NH4 | Ammonium |
| Nitrogen Cycle | The process by which animal waste products are convered
from ammonia to nitrites then to nitrates How to cycle a new tank |
| Nitrosomonas | Bacteria that converts Amonia to Nitrites |
| Nitrobacter | Bacteria that converts Nitrites to Nitrates |
| NNR | Natural nitrate reduction |
| NO2 | Nitrite |
| NO3 | Nitrates |
| NWSWtd> | Natural sea water |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| o2 | Oxygen |
| oPR | Oxidative redox potential |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| PAR | Mesure of light intensity |
| PC | Power compact lighting |
| PH | Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions |
| Photoperiod | When daytime lighting is ON |
| Po4 | Phosphate |
| Polyp | Fleshy part of coral that has mouth and tentacles |
| PPM | Parts per million |
| Prostrate | Unable to rise. Laying on sand |
| PVC | Poly Vynil Chloride |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Nothing for Q | Suggest one: ReefCollege@live.com |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Radial Corallite | Corallites growing on the edge of SPS |
| Refugium | A refuge for animals with low chance of survival within display tank More on refugiums |
| RO | Reverse Osmosis |
| RO/DI | Reverse Osmosis/Deionize RO/DI water and the reef tank |
| RTN | Rapid Tissue Necrosis. Comon cause of death in SPS corals |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Salinity | Measure of dissoved solids/salt |
| Scleractinia | Stoney Corals |
| SG | specific Gravity. Measure salt concentration |
| SHO | Super High Output. Type of florescent lighting |
| SI | Silicon |
| SiO | Silicon dioxide |
| Spinules | Thorns |
| SPS | Smal Polyp Stoney corals |
| Sr | Strontium |
| Staghorn | SPS corals with large branches that grow upwards |
| SW | SaltWater |
| Sump | Additional body of water. a tank usually placed inside stand What's the difference between refugium and sump? |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| TDS | Total Dissolved Solids. TDS meter: Small device used to measure TDA levels. |
| Tentacles | An elongated flexible unsegmented extension surrounding the mouth or oral cavity |
| TFC | Thin Film Composite. An RO filter membrane |
| Tuberculae | Small, hard, tumor-like growth |
| Tubular | Shaped like a tube |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| UV | Ultraviolet light or the ultraviolet part of the spectrum. |
| UV Sterilizers | A device used to kill free floating microbes - bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites and algae Why do I need one? |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Vermetid | A hitchhiker snail Video |
| VHO | very High Output |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| W | Watts |
| Wave Maker | An electronic device that creates waves/current withink aquarium Whos using them? |
| Wet/dry | A type of filter used in aquarium |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Xenia | Zenia. Type of coral |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Nothing for Y | Suggest one: ReefCollege@live.com |
| Abbr | Definition |
|---|---|
| Zoa | Zoanthids. Type of coral Zoanthid Photos! |
| Zoapox | White lesions on zoanthids and palythoas. Learn more. |
| Zooplankton | Tiny animals found near the surface in aquatic environments |
| Zooxanthellae | Photosynthetic algae that live in coral tissues. |