I have been researching coral pathogens at my university for nearly three years. For several months, the Reef Builders team has been preparing for this moment. This is a summary of my research – this is the cure for brown…
To Truly Understand Coral Disease, We Must Shift Our Perception
In my time in the reef aquarium industry, I have seen much misinformation contradicting published peer-reviewed data. Some of these ideas stem from ignorance – many people haven’t been exposed to contradictory ideas to those pushed by mainstream media and…
What’s in Their Water: An Analysis of Core Chemical Parameters Among Vendors at a Coral Show
Last week, I went to Saint Louis (Remy’s stomping grounds) to make content and speak at the Reefing USA coral show. Before coming, Remy had the great idea of testing all the vendor’s systems at the show to analyze potential…
Video: Is the New Probiotic Concoction Coral Food Safe to Use?
In the latest episode of the Reef Builders Reef Therapy Podcast, Remy and Salem speak with Allan Vo of Critical Reef Theory about his “concoction” – a bacterial polyculture utilized as a coral food constructed from common dry goods in…
Shark Researcher Talks Baby White Shark Footage with Reef Builders
Drone footage shot off the coast of Southern California in January 2024 revealed what may have been the first-ever sighting of a newborn Great White Shark in the wild. Shark researcher Phillip Sternes and wildlife filmmaker Carlos Gauna captured that…
John Sorkness is the God of Gig Anemones
Salem Clemens talks to John Sorkness about Carpet Anemones, how to ID them, keep them, propagate them, and maybe even spawn them! Tell us what got you into the hobby, how long you’ve been in it, and your passion for…
Snake Polyps are the Oddballs of the Coral World
A fascinating soft coral rarely seen nowadays is the “snake polyp.” several species belong to this family, including Isaurus tuberculatus, I. cliftoni, and I. maculatus. These species are closely related to zoanthids. They have a long stalk with a central…
10 Gallon Nano Reef Tank Makeover
If you’ve ever kept multiple systems at once, you know that sometimes we all have those one tanks – the ones you don’t have time for. You tell yourself you’ll find time, but then you don’t – this repeats for…
Reef 2.0 – The Integration of Omics Technology
In this article, I will explain how new scientific methods are beginning to make their way into reefing and what the future may hold for applying such technology. Overview of the “omics” approach In the past two decades, science has…
Dysbiosis and the Pathobiome – A Molecular Pathway for Coral Disease
In previous articles, we briefly explored the idea of the coral holobiont and what a healthy microbiome looks like. In this article, I will provide a brief overview of the microbiome of a diseased coral and the steps that cause…