Regular Saltwater Smarts visitors may recall that back in the spring of 2015, I closed down my 75-gallon reef tank and converted my 125-gallon (then) FOWLR tank to a reef system with the addition of some invertebrate livestock from the…
Down to One Marine Aquarium—and So Far I’m Loving It!
For quite some time, I had at least two marine aquariums up and running—a 75-gallon reef tank and a 125-gallon FOWLR tank. As regular Saltwater Smarts visitors know, that 75-gallon tank had become something of a thorn in my side.…
What to Consider when Converting a Fish-only Tank to a Reef System
“Caribbean Chris” and I are very frequently asked what it takes to convert a fish-only marine aquarium to a reef system containing corals and other sessile invertebrates. Can you just go ahead and add the invertebrates? Can you modify the…
Coral color is NOT necessarily an indicator of success or health
Lately, there have been various assaults on lighting in many popular reefkeeping forums: The white light zealots attacking the Windex blue fanboys, and the T5/Metal Halide fans using coral color as evidence that LEDs are bad or wrong; fanaticism doesn’t…
Break free from stale aquarium lighting design with PAR 38 LEDs & Ikea lamp shades
PAR 38 LED bulbs designed with aquariums in mind have been around for a while now. I’m quite pleased with the results using the Ecoxotic Panorama LED Fixture in growing various corals, so the decision was made to ditch the…
Blue Moon Aquatics adds 300W LED, new white and blue mix 90W to lineup
Blue Moon Aquatics recently brought their high-powered 300W LED panel to market giving plenty of punch for light-hungry hobbyists and adding a new blend of white and blue LEDs to its 90W version. The 300W fixture features 200 white and 100…
Giesemann Helios LED and T5 hybrid, gets European pricing
The new Giesemann Helios LED and T5 hybrid is one gorgeous looking light fixture and we’ve been waiting to hear about some pricing details and availability. No word yet on U.S. pricing and distribution but German online vendor Sewa Tec…
AquaMaxx 14,000K MHs compare very closely to Radium 20,000K
In a side-by-side comparison the latest AquaMaxx 400W 14,000K metal halide bulbs are shown to be very similar to Radium 400W 20,000K bulb in spectral output providing a more economical option for your reef. Lighting guru Sanjay Joshi put the…
Reader’s Choice Awards: Vote on the best lighting products of 2009
The technological advances in the hobby each year are fascinating to look back at and reef aquarium lighting is no exception. 2009 brought many new improved lighting on the market. Despite the fall of PFO and the LED patent war…
