When Georg Smit and Alf Nilsen introduced live rock to American hobbyists in the 1980’s the keeping of saltwater animals changed forever. Up until this time, undergravel filters were the main means for biological filtration and most tanks were decorated…
Why Successful Reefing Is All About Incrementalism
Over the course of the last forty years, many changes have taken place that have made the hobby better. Looking back, it is safe to say that while all of these changes seem large now, they were all done incrementally,…
How to Control Reef Tank Temperature and Excess Humidity
In terms of simple things about the hobby, at first glance, it would appear that understanding temperature would be at the top of the list. It is simple, in that since the average temperature on natural coral reefs ranges from…
How to Select a Reef Salt
When someone finds out that I keep saltwater aquariums they often ask where I get the saltwater from. Obviously, since I do not live by the ocean it is not from there, so they are surprised when I tell them…
How to Overcome a Total Tank Wipeout
We hate to hear about it happening to someone. We hate to see it when someone posts about it happening to them. But more than anything we hate to experience it. Sadly, almost everyone I know who has been in…
The importance of pH in the reef tank
Over the years a number of different aspects of reefkeeping have either become a hot topic or have been forgotten by the hobby. When I was starting out one of the parameters that was focused on was pH, which stands…
A Beginner’s Guide to ICP Testing
As mentioned in my last article, water testing is one of the least fun aspects of the hobby. I have discussed water testing and ICP testing with a lot of other hobbyists and one of the interesting things I have…
Why Water Testing is Important for a Reef Tank
Like equipment maintenance, water changes, quarantining animals, and cleaning the glass, water testing is an unglamorous task that nonetheless is one of the most crucial aspects for having long-term success in the hobby. I don’t care how good your lights…
How to Move a Reef Tank and Cabinet
We reefkeepers are a fickle bunch. We achieve a thriving healthy tank full of corals and then we break the tank down so we can go bigger as we never seem to have enough. I say this from experience as…
The Role of Nutrients in a Reef Tank
One aspect of this hobby that may help some to stay interested in it is that there is almost constant debate as to what is the best way to do anything in a reef tank. Whether it is halides versus…