Gulf oil spill threatens reef restoration project

For Meaghan Johnson monitoring the forecast for the loop current in the Gulf of Mexico has been a daily ritual since the disastrous BP oil spill began. The “loop” is the current that seasonally carries water and everything in it…

Coral Nurseries of Elkhorn and Staghorn Acropora need our support, adopt a coral today

Elkhorn and Staghorn coral nurseries in the Florida Keys are beginning to bear the fruits of their labor. Now that the coral farm founded by Ken Nedimeyer has been in operation for several years, it’s thousands of coral pieces ranging…

Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2007

President Bush seems to have decided that he stands a better chance of history remembering him favorably for marine conservation rather than nation-building in Iraq or human rights in Guantanamo Bay. First he designated the world’s largest marine protected area,…

Martin Moe Diadema urchin spawning work documented in video

If you want to understand why the coral reefs of the Caribbean went from wonderful to wasteland, a lot of the ecological change seems to hinge on a plague that nearly wiped out Diadema sea urchins in 1983. With that idea…

Reef Suds is a reef safe soap for before and after tank-play

Aquarium soap is a new one on us and a new company called Reef Suds is aiming to make hand washing a thing before working on the tank. As lifelong aquarists, we have just taken it as a given to not wash…

A Personal Recap of MACNA 2013

Thirteen years ago, I attended MACNA 2000 in Ft. Lauderdale. I had just finished my undergraduate studies, and happened to be in the area for other reasons. It was a memorable event for me, my first MACNA experience, and I…

Friday Smorgasbord: World Ocean Day edition (June 8)

Saturday, June 8 is World Ocean Day (WOD) and to commemorate the day, we’re dedicating our Friday Smorgasbord to observe the day. First off, the WOD organizers are asking you to “Wear blue and tell two!” tomorrow. Wearing blue is…

Caribbean reefs are nearly all dead says grim, new IUCN report

Where once there were 50 to 60 percent coverage of coral on Caribbean reefs in the 1960s and 70s, now surveys measure coral cover at a meager 10 percent marking a significant environmental statement — coral reefs in the Caribbean…

Aquapparel offers fun t-shirts, donates to a good cause

Aquapparel is a new company printing some interesting t-shirts for people interested in aquatic activities from aquariums to diving to paddle boarding. Besides offering some fun shirts (and a few corny ones too), Aquaparel is going to donate $1 from…

Looking at MACNA from a purely hobbyist point of view (where are the kids?)

Here at Reef Builders we tirelessly work our fins to the spine to stay on top of the news and to make sure our readership is the most informed about everything related to the aquarium world. Whether it’s new fish,…