Reef aquarium secrets, good or bad, we need to share them

Coca-Cola has secret ingredient 7X. What goes into Chanel No. 5 is known by only a couple of people and we have all seen a movie where discovering the secret formula was the plot. And truth-be-told, most of us know…

Marine Aquarium Acronyms: PE Defined

The marine aquarium hobby is second only to the US military when it comes to the number of acronyms its members throw around. (Quite fittingly, this past Monday was the 27th anniversary of my DOE. Shortly after that date, I…

Asterina starfish, an introduction to this common reef aquarium critter

Have you ever wondered what that itsy bitsy starfish is doing in your tank? The sneaky starfish probably hitchhiked its way in on some live rock or new coral, but now there are dozens of small grayish starfish roaming your tank. It’s…

Top 10 most overpriced reef aquarium products

It’s no secret that the keeping saltwater fish and live corals in aquariums can be a very expensive hobby. Like any other hobby or purchase in general, the old adage “you get what you pay for” is generally true. Whether you…

Diving Menjangan Island, Bali Indonesia

Menjangan is a small island off the North West coast of Bali. Menjangan is a popular day trip and has many beautiful dive sites. The small island of Menjangan is surrounded by a vibrant corals reef that fridges the islands shores.…

Acropora for Beginners

With the introduction of more aquaculture and mariculture facilities, there has been a boom in specimens available at the local fish stores these days. But I will say for certain that if you can get a frag from a successful…

The Iconic Raccoon Butterflyfish

Some of the marine fish we like to keep are surprisingly recognizable to both hobbyists and non-hobbyists alike—probably because they’re frequently depicted in photographs and artwork. Among these iconic fishes is the raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) of the Indo-Pacific and…

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…

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…

Top 10 Traits of a Successful Reefkeeper

As marine aquarium hobbyists, we can buy a lot of things to make our experience better and easier, but when it comes to long-term reefkeeping success, the “right stuff” doesn’t come from a store. In addition to a genuine love…