Back in the sixth grade, I had my sights set on a BB gun for Christmas. No, it didn’t necessarily have to be the Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action, Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle so famously coveted by Ralphie in A…
Equipment
Some Thoughts on Reclaiming Reverse-Osmosis Waste Water
While reverse-osmosis units are among the more practical, affordable means for producing purified tap water suitable for sensitive reef systems, there’s no question that they tend to generate a lot of waste water relative to the volume of purified product.…
More Gift Ideas for the Reefkeeper in Your Life
Let’s face it, if we marine aquarists had our way, every gift we received during the holiday season would be hobby-related. Trouble is, ours is such a specialized pastime that few, if any, of our loved ones really understand it…
How Simple Can You Get with Your Marine Aquarium?
While the title of this post puts me in mind of a song performed by Nick Rivers in the 1984 comedy film Top Secret, it’s a question many a novice has posed before setting up his or her first marine…
4 Good Reasons to Be a Marine Aquarium Mentor
Though in many ways keeping a marine aquarium is easier today than it’s ever been, entry into our hobby is still fraught with confusion. To a large extent, this can be attributed to the incredible variety of choices available nowadays…
Shed Some Varied Light on Your Reef
The other night, as I was watching the debate on TV, I noticed that my reef tank got darker. Just a little, but it was darker and yellower. I opened the front (it is in a wall) and noticed that…
The Pros and Cons of Aquascaping Marine Aquariums with Dry Rock
When aquascaping their tanks, marine aquarium hobbyists have the option of using live rock or dry rock (or some combination thereof) to create the foundational reef structure. Each of these options is completely workable but, as with every aspect of…
Failure to Launch: 5 Reasons New Marine Aquarium Hobbyists “Crash and Burn”
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…
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,…