If you saw our rave “review” of Joe Yauillo’s magnificent mini-ocean he calls a reef tank yesterday, or have seen the tank in person and wonder “How it’s Made?”, then you’re going to love this multi part installment where we…
5 Myths About Marine Quarantine Tanks
Quarantine tanks are often discussed/written about as though they require very little effort, planning, or expense. Just dust off that 10-gallon plastic “critter keeper” sitting on the shelf, fill it with salt water, drop in a heater and sponge filter,…
Good at Gardening? Try Reefkeeping!
Having once worked in the nursery and landscaping business, it often occurs to me that there are a surprising number of similarities between terrestrial gardening/landscaping and reefkeeping. I would even suggest that, in some ways, reefkeeping has more in common…
Leptoseris A Stunning Newcomer to the Reefkeeping Scene
When you have been in the hobby a long time, you tend to see a lot of the same things over and over again. I often become desensitized to some of the most beautiful fish in the world because I’ve…
Astreopora and Cyphastrea—So Similar, Yet Different
A few years ago, if you asked me about Astreopora or Cyphastrea, I probably would not have a whole lot to contribute to the discussion. They were (and still are to a large degree) some of the most rare corals…
The Beautiful, Beginner-Friendly Bubble Coral
Recently, I found myself musing over the livestock lineup I had in my first reef tank many years ago. Along with a variety of easy-to-keep soft corals and a handful of hardy fish, I fondly recalled that I also had…
Rock Flower Anemones Resurge in Popularity
Rock flower anemones are trending in popularity as of late in the reef aquarium hobby. They have always been readily available in the industry, as they are harvested close by in the Caribbean. But despite their relatively easy accessibility, they’ve…
Discosoma Mushrooms: Beautiful, Adaptable, Beginner-Friendly Corals
Some of the most beautiful creatures in this hobby are neither rare nor difficult to keep but get glossed over by experienced reef aquarists because they are not the “latest and greatest” coral specimens that landed on our shores. So…
The Translucent Allure of Cynarina Corals
Cynarina are commonly referred to as meat corals or cat’s eye corals. They are large-polyp stony (LPS) corals that grow as a single massive polyp. In many ways, Cynarina share similar traits to Scolymia, Acanthophyllia, and bubble corals of the…
Zoanthids: Tough as Nails but Powerfully Potent
They belong to genera with names like Zoanthus, Parazoanthus, and Palythoa. They’re sometimes called sea mats, button polyps, or colonial anemones. Reef hobbyists commonly refer to them as “zoas.” Whatever name you apply to them, the zoanthids (family Zoanthidae) enjoy…
