How to Cycle a Reef Aquarium Right Away – With Corals First

Forever and a day we have been schooled in how to set up and cycle an aquarium. Set it up, wet it, add bacteria, test, add fish, test again, and then eventually add corals. But here at Reef Builders we can’t help but think there’s another way to fast reef tank cycling, and that actually, people have been doing it wrong all along…

Cantharellus is an Actually RARE Stony Coral

We’ve been window shopping the supply of corals for sale online for the past few weeks just to take stock of what most vendors are selling and we’ve come away with a couple thoughts. First of all, we understand the…

Updates and Lessons Learned From Our 90 Gallon Reef Tank

As the days get shorter heading into winter we’re even more excited to come home to a bright tropical reef tank. Earlier this year we picked up a seven-year-old 90gallon reef tank and all the hard work we’ve put in…

Cetus 2 LED Offers The Ideal Wavelength For Low To Medium Light Corals

The Cetus 2 is a pendant-style LED by HME Electronics is ideal for small aquariums with low to medium light corals. The Cetus 2 comes with an updated smartphone app (HME AquaMaster) allowing users to customize and select various light…

What Should You Add First To A New Saltwater Reef Tank

Adding your first tank inhabitants is fun and exhilarating. But, it’s important to add the right creatures at the right time to ensure their survival and the health of your newly established reef tank. Start With A Clean Up Crew…

Our Biggest Aquarium Project Yet! Moving a 90 Gallon Saltwater Aquarium

Last month we started our most ambitious aquarium project to date moving a seven-year-old 90-gallon aquarium! Now over three weeks later, and with minimal losses in the process, the reef is happy and settled into its new location.  When we…

Fast Growing Corals To Quickly Fill Your Saltwater Aquarium

Fill Your Tank Quickly Does your tank look like a barren rock garden, peppered with bite-sized frags? Patience is the key to keeping a successful reef aquarium but waiting around for tiny frags to grow isn’t very rewarding especially for…

Tools for Fragging Corals

Fragmenting coral or ‘fragging’ may look complicated but with the right tools, the job can be quick and rewarding. Once you have the right tools for fragging you’ll be on your way to multiplying your coral supply. To make it…

Five Full Tanks From Instagram With #ReefBuilders

Last week we featured five nano tanks using #reefbuilders, and couldn’t help but browse the # again only this time for full tanks. Running full-size tanks like these requires dedication, and we can only imagine the time and money spent…

The Flower Anemone: A Hardy Caribbean Beauty

Anemones are iconic marine organisms that have long captured the imagination of saltwater aquarium hobbyists. Unfortunately, many of these iconic critters are poorly suited to life in the average home aquarium. Even those that are generally considered good aquarium candidates,…