As was discussed in Part 1 the cost of getting into the hobby, equipment-wise was surprisingly not as expensive as I had thought. This was the case even when some of the best equipment was being used. Even when inflation…
The Benefits of Modern Reef Tank Technology
As with all technology, the technology related to the hobby and maintaining a successful reef tank has also improved significantly over the decades. In the early years technology consisted of small microprocessors that were only able to measure temperature, pH,…
Substrate versus Bare Bottom Reef Aquariums
As with many aspects of reefkeeping, there is no perfect way. Even something as seemingly simple as whether to choose substrate or go bare bottom leads to a discussion. As someone who has run both types of systems and is…
Clean-up Crew, and Their Role in the Reef Aquarium
As mentioned in last week’s article algae and how to manage it is still the biggest problem/concern of many hobbyists both new and old. I would love to say that if everything is kept in balance and nutrients are kept…
How to keep Algae from Becoming Problematic
Whether you are starting out or have been keeping a reef tank for a long time the number one worry that most hobbyists still seem to have is how to keep algae in check. Since the start of the hobby…
It’s Always Something!
There are few universal things in this hobby, as every tank is different and how every tank is managed is different as well. But there are a few such as the need for being patient, and there being no benefit…
How to Manage the Ugly Stage of a New Reef Tank
There are few inevitable things in life and even fewer in this hobby. But the one inevitable that everyone encounters when they set up a new tank is that there will be an ugly phase. It does not matter if…
How to Aquascape a Reef Aquarium
Once the live rock has been cured and cycled one of the most fun aspects, at least to me, of setting up a new reef tank has finally arrived. Aquascaping a tank, that is designing and positioning the live rock…
Has the Hobby Gotten Too Expensive?
Let’s face it, this hobby has never been an inexpensive one. Even during the early years of the hobby, it was expensive for a number of reasons. Corals and saltwater fish have always been more expensive than their freshwater counterparts.…
How to Cure Live Rock
Up until now, everything that has been necessary to do has been relatively easy. This next step in setting up a reef tank properly is what starts to separate those who will be successful long-term from those who will not.…