For many of us, 2023 was a rough year. But as I typically do during a tough year I start looking at the future and hopefully better times. 2024 will mark the fortieth year I have been in reefkeeping. The…
Opinion
Are Fish Necessary in a Reef Tank?
After keeping reef tanks for almost forty years, and having viewed literally thousands of successful tanks, including a few recently sans fish, it got me to thinking are fish necessary in a reef tank. Now before you think I have…
Are Reef Tanks Stress-Reducing or Stress-Inducing?
Since we are in the midst of the holiday season, we are all familiar with how the family get-togethers, shopping, and hustle and bustle can be both stress-relieving in some ways and also stress-inducing. I have come to realize that…
Is the Hobby Getting Too Expensive? Part II Livestock
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…
Why Cyanobacteria is the Most Important Organism that Ever Lived
The word Cyano conjures up images of nuisance “algae,” slimy, stinking bacterial sheets that plague our aquariums, smothering our plants, decor, and corals and bringing misery to reefkeepers all over the world. Cyanobacteria is a scourge, an indicator of poor…
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…
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.…
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,…
Five Things That Can Get You Down About Reefkeeping
We’re never going to throw the towel in with this hobby, but we admit that sometimes, some things do inevitably get us down. Here are just a few of the things that are getting to us this week. “Silent” equipment…
Why Coral Videos Can Make You Happier
We all know that too much screen time is bad for us; there’s loads of information out there that supports stepping away from our screen and stepping out into nature. I’m a huge advocate of doing just that, but some…