Articles

For 13 years, Georgia Aquarium has consistently raised the bar when it comes to captive marine animal care.

Hollywood explores the idea that Megalodon sharks still exist with the new film The Meg. Yet, is it feasible to think that gigantic prehistoric sharks inhabit the ocean's darkest depths, just waiting to swim to shallow water?

Whenever you buy new livestock, you can place it in a QT (Quarantine Tank) or put it directly into your DT (Display Tank). The choice, of course, is yours, and it's important to understand that there are pros & cons no matter what you decide. We live in a day and age when everyone is looking for a "perfect answer" - although no such thing actually exists. o_O First, there is much debate on exactly how to QT in the first place: Some choose to prophylactically treat for parasites, worms,...

We're already super stoked about the upcoming Aquashella Aquarium Festival but today it just got cranked up a notch with the release of the official floor plan! This is just the inaugural year of this highly anticipated show but the team at Aquashella is coming out with a bang! The show floor is larger than we anticipated and includes some of the biggest players in the saltwater and freshwater aquarium industry! The likes of EcoTech Marine, Planet Aquariums, Fritz Aquatics, Rod's Food,...

Aquashella showcases the underwater world of freshwater and saltwater aquariums in Chicago, IL on August 18-19th. You'll be greeted by the best aquarium vendors from across the country! Aquashella offers a unique experience by transforming a typical showroom floor into an alternate underwater universe. You will be surrounded by incredible visual displays of live aquatic animals in unison with art. The official lineup of over 80 vendors, and 10 artists featuring paints, sculptures and designs...

I want to start this month's article by saying that this month's feature is a bit different. Where we normally feature a particular noteworthy reef for our Reef of the Month Spotlight, this month, we have decided to spotlight an innovative reefer and show off 2 of his current systems (he has 3 going at present). @Elder1945 is an extremely creative reefer, and we are glad to share his systems with you! Be sure to follow his builds and other innovative projects as he shares them with our...

Tenji is pleased to present a series of exclusive articles for Reef2Reef members. We will be delving into the various aspects of reef keeping, focusing on tried and true methods that can be implemented by aquarists of all levels. _____________ Choosing your display aquarium is the most important equipment decision you will make. If the display fails, everything else is all for naught. The two basic material choices we have for aquariums under 500-gallons are glass or acrylic. Tenji...

It's the "CHOOSE YOUR OWN PRIZE" Giveaway from Octo Aquatics! This is your opportunity to choose your own amazing prize from Octo Aquatics' amazing line of acrylic innovations (such as the Octo Lid™, FFF™, Magnetic Heater Holders and MORE)! Click here to enter to win a $150 credit towards any products of your choice!

What is a calcium reactor? What are the advantages & disadvantages of a calcium reactor? What do you need to setup a calcium reactor? This is Part 1 of a 3-part video series dedicated to calcium reactors. Our goal at CoralVue is to help reefers like you maintain successful reef tanks by providing you with the key information that will make using a calcium reactor easy to understand and use.

Well here I am finally getting this together. By now many of you should already have seen the R2R Logo on one of your Bulk Reef Supply order boxes. A while back I told you to keep a box for a upcoming contest and here it is sponsored by BRS themselves!

Not too long ago I asked a senior reef hobbyist how he deals with long vacations and his answer shocked me. His words inspired me to create a “smart aquarium.” What I need is a hobby to enjoy and to unwind from work. Yet, does so without pressuring other family members, and still allows me to be free long (3~4 weeks) vacations. These days, ULM (Ultra Low Maintenance) tanks have become a popular topic. Click here to read more...

Fang blennies are perfect for reef tanks. They can be kept in harems, or individually. This article documents the early life stages of the Komahara blenny.

The Shadow™™ Overflow is the evolution of the Synergy Reef® overflow system. Now 100% Injection Molded! Featuring a removable weir for ease of maintenance and our molded design for fail-safe operation. Our ultra slim design has revolutionized the aquarium overflow and how aquariums get water into their filtration systems. It is a very simple to install, plug and play overflow system. Completely quiet operation when used to our specifications. Our years of testing and development are what...

Everything you wanted to know about how scientists are getting corals to spawn in captivity!

With modern reefkeeping, more people are wanting to filter their tanks the same way that all natural reefs (and lakes and rivers) are filtered, which is by using algae. We are going to look at the main types of algal filtration methods you can put on your system: Algae turf scrubbers (ATS) Chaeto reactors (algae reactors) Refugiums (“fuge”) All grow macroalgae, which for our purposes is the same as “macro” or “algae” or “seaweed,” and all can be DIY’d or purchased. We at Santa Monica...

Tenji is pleased to present a series of exclusive articles for Reef2Reef members. We will be delving into the various aspects of reef keeping, focusing on tried and true methods that can be implemented by aquarists of all levels. Once you are producing 0 TDS water from your RO/DI system it’s time to create the ideal reef water by mixing in a synthetic salt. Choosing your salt...

The collection of ornamental fish in Hawaii: BANNED. The collection and sale of live rock and coral from Fiji: BANNED. The permits for shipping coral, anemones and live rock from Indonesia: HALTED and now going on its second month. Two major bleaching events in the Great Barrier Reef leading to an estimated loss of 50% or more of the coral cover during two of the last three years. Needless to say these headlines do not produce a whole lot of optimism about the long-term prospects for the...

Tunze Skimmer Giveaway! Enter to win the Tunze 9404 Skimmer. The DOC Skimmer 9404 compact is very easy to install, features silicone feet for a completely silent operation and can be easily positioned in every nano cabinet filter. This month we're making it EASY to have many entries! All you have to do is one or more of the following things to qualify to win prize combo...

I decided to finally quiet down my CPR CS90 overflow after years of the gurgling and sucking sound in the background. Wow! What a difference!? It only took about 10 minutes to build. Since I had to wait 24 hours for the glue to dry right for safety for the system, after building the Durso. I decided to use the Stockman standpipe first because no glue is needed.

A short summary of our work on the bellus angelfish. Enjoy and please make a comment!

It's no secret that we need you! Reef2Reef is a place to share good content that pertains to the saltwater aquarium hobby. Without YOU creating content, posting questions, comments, photos, we are pretty worthless. But together we make a KILLER team! So in return for you doing your part we offer things in return like a family friendly place to connect with others, a stable and secure platform and among other things.....GIVEAWAYS!

I have often been asked many of these questions, and thought it would be useful to post here. I'm basing my observations and tips here on what I have seen work and not work over the years, what seems to work better in my opinion, and offers the greatest chance of success. There is not a "one size fits all" and there are certainly success stories that follow different "rules", so to each their own. But for me, this has the highest % of success, so here it is!

Over the last several years, there seems to be a higher need to QT your fish. Most of the fish I receive on line have internal parasites. This is found by watching for white poop in your fish. About 60% of the fish I get these days have internal parasites. This is not an issue with the fish. The fish come from all the same place…..the ocean. I don’t believe that the fish have very many issues straight from the ocean. Once they are collected they are placed on holding facilities and they are...

Reef-A-Palooza is a two-day event with over 140 of the industry’s leading coral, fish, and dry goods vendors. The main purpose of the show is to provide an enjoyable, positive atmosphere that promotes education and product knowledge for everyone, from the beginning hobbyist to the advanced hobbyist. Participating exhibitors range from large manufacturers and retailers and small livestock sellers. Make plans to check out the educational speakers. There will be speakers scheduled both Saturday...

Limitless Possibilities. Reef keeping has never been so easy. Your eKoral devices take over your duties so you can enjoy your fish tank. When you want to make fine adjustments, you can adjust the settings of light, temperature, and the wave pump of your aquarium with one simple swipe on your smartphone. Not at home? Not a problem. Stay in touch with your tank anywhere, anytime. Your aquarium always remains within your reach, no matter where you are. With the help of cloud-based technology,...

The crew at LRS Foods, LLC has been working diligently for the last six years producing premium food blends for our aquariums. This month the “Reef Frenzy®” flagship blend which launched it all turns six years old. In typical LRS fashion they want to celebrate with the Reef2Reef community by sponsoring a giveaway.

Pseudocheilinops ataenia, better known to most hobbyists as the Pink-Streaked Wrasse, is a very suitable wrasse for nano aquariums and gets along with most fish, as long as they are not too aggressive themselves. Feel free to add your own experiences with this inquisitive little fish in the discussion after you are done reading the species spotlight!

While I always think its better to buy aquaculture frags from established tanks as the colors are already mature and you know what you're going to get, getting some mariculture colonies is a nice way to jump start your tank and have it look mature quicker.

My current system is a 410-gallon reef tank featuring mostly SPS corals. I designed the tank room when we built our current home. I wanted the tank to be the main feature when you walked in our front door so the side of the tank can be seen as soon as you enter the house. The tank is three feet wide by eight feet long. It’s always fun to see people’s reactions when they walk in. I have had several delivery guys ask if they could come in and check out the tank.

While sitting here in the gray of Pittsburgh, it has rained or snowed almost every day this Spring, I started thinking about my trip to Reefaplaooza in March and went back and looked at my notes. Yes, I take notes when I go to a show to remind me of what I saw that I found interesting as well as what products or corals I wanted to follow up on, i.e, buy, and the people I talked with. Probably a sign I am getting older, but I prefer to think I am getting wiser as at shows like Reefapalooza...

Have Trouble reading visual tests when using copper to treat fish for parasites? Problem Solved! I first want to start off saying, I have been in the hobby a little under a year. I have done about everything you can do wrong and had many expensive lessons. That is what brings me to this article and the discovery of the Hanna Instruments High Range Copper Checker. Even though at the time Hanna Instruments could not validate the accuracy of the High Range Copper Checker HI702 in the presence...

Based on the title alone, you are probably thinking to yourself that this article is a piece of satire or a big joke. Well that couldn’t be further from the truth. Although it may seem rather simple and not at all as complex or intricate as other reef keeping equipment, the Poking Stick in itself is worth its weight in gold in my aquarium experience.