Once a reef tank gets fully running and salted, the first order of business is to kickstart the biological cycle. In a typical fish aquarium, fresh or salt, cycling pretty much only pertains to developing the bacterial, biological cycle but…
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Calculating Actual Tank Volume Using Pre-Measured Salt Mix
Over the years the reef aquarium hobby has become increasingly analytical about many aspects of our reef tanks. We measure light levels using micromols of photosynthetically active radiation, send off water samples for ultra precise chemistry measurements using ICP testing…
Aussie Reef Tank Build Pt. 2: Aquascaping the Rock Wall
Aquascaping a brand new reef tank is at once one of the most exciting and also stressful periods of setting up a new coral aquarium. This is the period where the particular arrangement of rocks will determine the general look…
Aussie Reef Tank Build Pt.1: Installing the Equipment
If there’s one thing we’re about and Reef Builders is known for in the aquarium world it’s reef aquarium gear. Therefore it is with great excitement that we kick off our latest reef aquarium build and get to install a…
Moving New Fish to Displays After a Thorough Quarantine
Quarantining new fish is a necessary protocol to ensure the health and safety of the displays they will eventually be living in. This delayed gratification might be less desirable than enjoying your new fish in their new home right away,…
AI Nero 3 Pump Review – The Sweet Spot for Nano Reef Water Flow
The AI Nero 3 pump is the new, smaller successor to one of the best water moving powerheads on the market today, the AI Nero 5. Priced at only $149 the new AI Nero 3 propeller pump from AquaIllumination is a…
We Made a Hypnotic Spinning Barrel of Macroalgae
Pretty much as long as reef tanks have been around, mini reef keepers have employed algae in its various forms to control and reduce nutrients of the aquarium water. The popularity of using micro or macroalgae for this purpose has…
Reef Trigger Built an Impressive Modern Japanese Style Reef Aquarium
Ever since we posted our first story about a ‘Japanese Style Reef Tank’ almost 12 years ago we’ve been asked very often what exactly qualifies as a Japanese Style. We’ve yet to really be able to come up with a…
Top 10 Benefits of Keeping Mollies in a Saltwater Tank
Saltwater mollies are one of the least celebrated fish that aquarists can keep in a saltwater tank and this is very unfortunate. Of course all the new salt hobbyists are drawn to the hyper bright colors of saltwater fish compared…
Hanna Nitrate Checker Review; Extra Effort for a Lot More Accuracy
The Hanna Nitrate Checker is a brand new water testing kit which takes a very different approach to measuring nitrate compared to what is currently available in the aquarium hobby. This low range colorimeter is specially designed to measure NO3…