Sir Galahad searched for the Holy Grail, Ponce de Leon the Fountain of Youth, and Indiana Jones for the Arc of the Covenant, like them, we hobbyists search for something that at times seems just as unobtainable: the perfect reef…
Pros and Cons of Multiple Reef Tanks
One of the interesting observations I have made after years of being a coral hoarder is that one characteristic that I share with many of my fellow hoarders is that our hoarding has often led to us having multiple tanks.…
Are You a Coral Collector or a Coral Hoarder?
Do you circle the dates for coral sales and frag swaps, but forget birthdays and anniversaries? Or have a frag tank filled with frags, yet there is no chance that any of these frags will make it into your display…
Is Ammonia Dosing a Possible New Way to Provide Coral Nutrition?
Understanding Coral Diseases as well the nutritional needs of corals has been one of the shortcomings of science and the hobby since Jacques Cousteau introduced us to the coral reefs in the 1960s. We have made extensive progress in improving…
Mike Paletta Beginner Series: The Grand Finale
How do you write the ending for a story that isn’t finished? For the past 52 weeks, I have been writing articles designed to help newcomers to the hobby. The idea for this was not my own, but rather that…
Top Tips for Beginners and New Reef Aquarium Hobbyists
During my early years in the hobby virtually everyone I came into contact with, from shops to other hobbyists all said the same thing: “Keeping a saltwater tank is too difficult so don’t even bother trying”. Looking back I can…
Understanding the Coral Biome and Microbiome
As our understanding of corals and coral reefs has increased over the past few decades it has become increasingly clear that a coral reef and even each individual coral is far more diverse than we ever would have expected. Having…
Only Bad Things Happen Fast: How to Avoid Beginner Mistakes
Wouldn’t it be nice if before you started a project you knew what to look out for so that you could avoid costly mistakes? Like when you started to drive you understood that the police would be looking at you…
How to Manage Reef Tank Pests
Typically when starting a new project we only see the positive aspects and every task is filled with excitement and anticipation. For instance, when setting up a new garden in the Spring, we cultivate the soil, plant the seeds fertilize…
What to Consider When Buying Frags
This hobby has seen a lot of changes over the last forty years. Lighting, ICP testing, trace elements and flow to name a few items have all been improved upon and have helped change the hobby completely. However, even more…