So, you finally got that scope, the pièce de resistance of your reefing gear. You put your beautiful eyes to the lens, eager to finally see what dinos are plaguing you. Maybe to check your phytoplankton culture. To just enjoy…
Study Says Corals (Not Algae,) Contribute to the Growth of Harmful Bacteria
A study led by the University of Bremen suggests that on algae-dominated coral reefs, it is not the algae but the corals themselves that may contribute to the growth of harmful bacteria. This discovery suggests that a disturbance in the…
Maras Reef is one of the Best SPS Tanks on the Planet [Video]
Ahh, Germany – a land of engineering marvels, renowned beer, and, as I recently discovered, some of the most dedicated reef keepers in the world. My recent trip was more than just sightseeing; it was a deep dive into Germany’s…
Growing Nuisance Algae to Feed Your Fish
Today is payday, Your local fish store has just unpacked a new shipment of marine animals and your significant other has given you the greenlight to go and pick out a new fish (or two)…What an exciting day! While driving…
Are Feather Stars STILL Best Left in the Ocean?
Feather stars and sea lilies are echinoderms classified within Class Crinoidea. They easily capture the hearts of new and seasoned hobbyists alike, and find their way into home aquariums due to their beautiful outer appearance and the graceful way they…
Reef Builders Celebrates its 20th Anniversary!
Reef Builders, the World’s Biggest Reef Aquarium Blog, is celebrating 20 years since its conception. Founded in 2004, Reef Builders’ original mantra was to “obsessively cover the saltwater aquarium industry,” and 14,830 articles, (and twenty years later,) it’s still doing…
New Fish Species Discovered: “The Grumpy Dwarf Goby” (Sueviota aethon)
Only a week has passed since researchers released exciting news announcing the discovery of a new fish species determined to belong to the Gobiidae family. The small fish, measuring 9 - 17 millimeters in length, was identified in the Red…
Algae – The Solution to All Your Problems
I know what you’re thinking. Why would I keep ALGAE on purpose? Much less buy it to PUT in my tank?I would have agreed with you almost 15 years ago. When I got my first saltwater fish tank as a…
A Research-Based Approach to Dendrophyllid Corals
Though the overwhelming majority of articles intended to be applied as guidelines for marine aquarists are based on anecdotes and present personal, undocumented evidence as husbandry guidelines and recommendations, an explanation as to ‘why’ a technique or practice works is…
An Interview with NPS Coral Pioneer Boris Bielan
You think keeping NPS corals is difficult now? Try doing it 11 years ago! Florian Gaudig speaks to NPS coral-keeping pioneer Boris Bielan. While researching for my last article, I came across a ReefBuilders feature I had read years ago…