It’s a tale as old as the hobby itself: A novice marine aquarist sets up his or her first system, runs headlong into every conceivable obstacle and pitfall, responds with a series of misguided decisions, loses a whole tank’s worth…
Please Watch this Important Video on Palytoxin!
Many of us are inspired to keep marine life for its exotic beauty or interesting behavior. But if we’re being perfectly honest, we have to admit there’s also something intriguing about keeping—and displaying to our friends and family—marine organisms that…
Don’t Neglect These 5 Critical Marine Aquarium Maintenance Tasks!
Keeping a marine aquarium healthy and thriving requires a significant level of maintenance. For the most part, we hobbyists are pretty good at tackling chores in a timely manner, but in some cases we’re a little more prone to procrastination—usually…
The Striated Frogfish: a Great Choice for the Oddball Fish Aficionado
Marine aquarists who are drawn to cryptic species with unusual morphology rather than bright colors might want to give the striated frogfish (Antennarius striatus) a second look. Actually, depending on the system it’s kept in, it may be necessary to…
Discount Marine Fish Aren’t Always Such a Bargain!
There’s no question that many of the marine fish we keep in our aquariums come with a pretty hefty price tag. Even relatively inexpensive “bread-and-butter” species can cause a surprising degree of sticker shock compared to their freshwater counterparts. So,…
Blackcap Basslet: A Comely Deepwater Cousin to the Royal Gramma
Most marine aquarium hobbyists are well acquainted with the royal gramma (Gramma loreto), a worthy tank inhabitant by virtually any measure. But G. loreto isn’t the only member of the Gramma genus that is well worth its salt. Another is…
ReefRack Customizes Coral Frag Storage and Display
Over my many years in the marine aquarium hobby, I’ve constructed various and sundry coral frag racks out of egg crate light diffuser, ranging from simple one-tiered platforms to somewhat more complex stair-step configurations. It’s relatively easy to do; I…
The Reef Aquarium After Hours: Four Reasons to Keep That Flashlight Handy
Anyone who has done any night diving knows that nighttime activity on coral reefs is very, very different from what goes on there during the day. A dramatic “changing of the guard” occurs, with diurnal fish seeking refuge in the…
Innovative Marine Launches Line of Versatile Lagoon-style Aquariums
An interesting trend in marine aquarium aquascaping is taking advantage of the space above the water surface to create more complex habitats for livestock while enhancing the system’s visual impact. With their new Fusion Lagoon aquariums, Innovative Marine taps into…
How Much Live Rock Do You Really Need?
Once hobby newcomers learn what live rock is and all the benefits it can provide in marine aquariums, the next big question they invariably ask is, “How much of it do I need for my tank?” More experienced fellow hobbyists,…