The importance of testing reef aquarium water

During the first semester in my biochemistry class the professor started the class by bringing out two clear beakers into which he appeared to pour two identical clear fluids.  Once they were full, he pulled out a worm and placed it…

Red Sea Reef-Spec carbon is lab tested for quality & performance

Red Sea Reef-Spec carbon is a new high quality activated carbon that Red Sea believes is one of the best on the market. Red Sea is very particular about what products they label as Reef-Spec and they vetted many different…

Why we love the reef aquarium hobby

While my daughter Catherine was home for Spring break last week, I took her out shopping one day, and I am happy to report there is something more addicting than this hobby: shopping for a teenage girl. While we drove…

The Top 5 Tips for Beginner Reefkeepers

I started the hobby before the internet became widely used, and information was sourced mainly through local fish stores. I was lucky enough to have some decent ones, but it was limited, no doubt. Today, beginning hobbyists have to deal…

Salty Q&A: Is RO/DI Water All It’s Cracked Up to Be?

Question I’ve been keeping saltwater aquariums for five years, and in all that time I’ve never used RO/DI water for top offs or mixing up clean salt water. I just use tap water treated with a dechlorinator / dechloraminator, and…

Poseidon’s Feast and OceanMagik from AlgaeBarn

We met with the team from AlgaeBarn at this years ReefStock event to learn more about their Poseidon’s Feast copepod mix and OceanMagik live phytoplankton. On their own, each product will feed your reef, but together they can help create a live food…

ME Amino POLYP Extender for coral growth, coloration

ME Amino POLYP Extender by ME Coral is a highly concentrated amino acid solution that is designed to encourage coral growth and coloration, minus all the phosphates. So what is in ME Amino Polyp Xtender? It is made primarily a…

An Ultra-Low-Nutrient System for Acropora and other SPS

Welcome to the next level of coral care. By now I am assuming you have at least understood all the key general practices to maintain some of the hardier corals, from soft corals to large-polyp stony (LPS) corals to some…

Aquarium Technologies Borrowed from Other Industries

We marine aquarists use a variety of tools to help keep our tanks healthy by either changing or removing the waste products of the animals we keep. But did you know virtually all of the devices we use were originally…

Need Help from Fellow Hobbyists? Don’t Spare the Details!

We’ve all been there at one time or another: A major problem arises that’s causing livestock losses—and/or loss of sanity—and we need advice from local fish store staffers, the members of our favorite forum, website moderators, or just friendly local…