As mentioned in my last article, water testing is one of the least fun aspects of the hobby. I have discussed water testing and ICP testing with a lot of other hobbyists and one of the interesting things I have…
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Why Water Testing is Important for a Reef Tank
Like equipment maintenance, water changes, quarantining animals, and cleaning the glass, water testing is an unglamorous task that nonetheless is one of the most crucial aspects for having long-term success in the hobby. I don’t care how good your lights…
The Role of Nutrients in a Reef Tank
One aspect of this hobby that may help some to stay interested in it is that there is almost constant debate as to what is the best way to do anything in a reef tank. Whether it is halides versus…
The Basics of Minor Trace Elements in Reef Aquariums
As the hobby has continued to expand and the knowledge to be successful with it, some aspects have been found to be more important than originally thought. Foremost among these is water chemistry and specifically minor trace elements. While the…
The Reef Builders’ Big ICP Test Review, by Sanjay Joshi
Initially introduced to the hobby market by Triton, ICP tests have been around for several years now and have become a staple in the hobby. The allure of these tests has been the relatively cheap ability to get a reading of…
Water Chemistry Part 1: Salinity and Temperature
There are a lot of sexy aspects of having a reef tank including planning and setting it up, aquascaping it, and then selecting the fish and corals to go in it. And you can also get excited about choosing the…
Water changes: Are you Pro, or No?
We’re sitting here while mixing up a batch of saltwater for our new 120-gallon tank. Nothing terrible has happened, our last ICP test was okay… but we like to do regular partial water changes with our reef tanks, just as…
MBARI Periodic Table of Elements in the Ocean is a Super Useful Website
Ever wonder what the “right” concentration of a particular element in your aquarium is? With ICP tests becoming more and more popular you may be wondering exactly what a “normal” concentration of some trace element should be, like manganese or zinc,…
Paletta on Protein Skimming
Through the years I have seen marine aquarium filtration go from under gravel filters through canister filters and then trickle filters, all producing various levels of success. But the only filtration method that truly changed filtration was when the hobby…
What you need to know about Refugia
A reef tank is different from other types of tanks in a lot of ways, with one of the biggest being that most reef tanks utilize a sump to hold the equipment and to add volume to the system. An…
