Reefing from Afar, Part 2: Automation Options

In Part 1 of this series, I laid down some of the expectations for success, and now we are ready to dive into the functions that we can automate. Automation can range from low-tech to high-tech and fit various budgets,…

6 Steps to Stable pH in a Saltwater System

Stability of water parameters is essential to success with marine aquariums, especially when it comes to keeping sensitive invertebrates. Among the various parameters that hobbyists often struggle to maintain at an appropriate level is pH, essentially a measure of how…

Tank Profile: Marco Pardun’s 104-gallon Room Divider Triton Reef

When I first came across this aquarium, it caught my eyes for a variety of reasons. First and foremost was the variety of color in its inhabitants. Next is the fact that it is a room divider (something I’ve always…

Marta Spano’s one year old reef tank puts all others to shame

Earlier this year we were invited to be a part of Goccia Blu‘s PetsFestival event in Picenza and before the talk, we toured a handful of different stores and private reef tanks in Tuscany. On one particular day we toured…

Fish Health Through Slime

Fish diseases—they are the meat of fish forums and the subject that takes up the most ink (or whatever causes words to form on a computer screen), so for today’s post, I am going to discuss fish immunity in relation…

Techniques for Maintaining Calcium and Alkalinity in Reef Tanks

Calcium and alkalinity are vitally important chemical parameters in reef aquariums. They are used by stony corals to build their calcium carbonate skeletons. A lack of calcium and alkalinity in the water will inhibit the growth of reef-building corals and…

Krzysztof Tryc shows the potential of using All in One Biopellets

Krzysztof Tryc is an experienced reef aquarist who has been in the “Low Nutrient Zone” for over five years using various methods including Zeovit and Biopellets. Krzysztof’s brilliant and colorful reef tanks have won him the coveted Dream Tank of The…

Top 12 new reef aquarium products of InterZoo 2014

If one thing became clear walking the floor of InterZoo 2014 a couple of weeks ago, it’s that there an avalanche of innovation happening in every sector of the marine aquarium hobby and industry. The marine aquarium companies who displayed…

Marine Aquarium Antacid: Understanding Alkalinity

When I first made the switch from freshwater to marine fishkeeping, I was somewhat befuddled by the term “alkalinity” as it’s typically used on the saltwater side of the hobby. During all my years of keeping freshwater systems, I had…

GFO for Reef Aquarium Phosphate Control

Granular ferric oxide, or GFO, is a widely used form of chemical filtration in the reef-keeping hobby today. Chemical filtration, as the name suggests, purifies water by binding up impurities at the molecular level. As water is sent through the…