I have noticed that UV sterilization is often a subject of wonder or uncertainty. I personally have one unit on my largest of four tanks. UV sterilizers do what their name suggests; they sterilize free-floating algae which has to travel through the sterilizer to be sterilized. If the microorganisms can't be sent through the UV unit, they will not get sterilized. Additionally, they will treat and eliminate protozoan parasites such as ich during the new born, free swimming life cycle and...
After we have chosen our display aquarium and sump, it’s time to start planning the life support system (LSS). Protein skimmers are the digestive tract of our LSS. They remove waste, excess food and other organic compounds prior to breaking down into algae fuel. The pump is the heart of your protein skimmer. A quality handcrafted acrylic reaction chamber fitted with an el cheapo pump won’t get you far. Go the extra mile when it comes to budgeting for your skimmer to avoid premature failure...
Once you have chosen your display aquarium and paired it with an appropriate top, the next step is to pick out your sump. Sumps offer a space to hide equipment, and generally speaking, make keeping a reef tank significantly easier than trying to hang everything off the side of your aquarium. Oftentimes you can even perform your water changes exclusively from your sump (still have to maintain substrate – more on that in a future installment) which will help prevent stressing out your animals...
As a young aquarist working in a local fish store I had a 16” lionfish launch itself out of a tank during feeding time. I quickly placed the fish back into his home, and after a couple hours, the animal returned to normal behavior. However, that event changed my views on the potential for fishes to jump forever. How often do we see threads titled, “Which fish for open top aquariums?” The truth is that every fish has the potential to jump, even the frumpy frogfish. Think of a top as a seat...
Marine Depot is back with another amazing contest for REEF2REEF members! The AMAZING ATO GIVEAWAY is co-sponsorsed by XP Aqua and Innovative Marine! Keep your tank topped off in style with equipment you can trust! Your aquarium inhabitants will benefit from more stable water chemistry and filtration equipment that is running optimally.
The Venustus Angelfish or Purple Masked Angelfish, or Paracentropyge venusta, is one of the rare fish species, but it is becoming more available recently in the aquarium fish industry. It is expert only fish, reef safe with caution. In my tank, it rarely nip on Acropora corals. But leave other corals and clams alone.
Summer may be coming to an end, but Cultivated Reef is HEATING THINGS UP with this awesome $250 giveaway!! One lucky winner will be selected to go on a coral shopping spree with a $250 gift card at [URL="http://www.cultivatedreef.com"]www.cultivatedreef.com[/URL]!! Will that be you? It MIGHT, but ONLY IF YOU ENTER, so get started!! Check out the 5 entry options below:
Did you know an unlubricated refractometer will produce funny numbers? Your refractometer has a hinged cover that goes over the angled plate of the refractometer. What happens over time is the hinges stiffen up from salt deposits, causing this cover to not sit all the way down on the angled plate. You can not see this by your own eye, but believe me, it's not fully resting on the angled plate. When this occurs, the numbers you see are no longer true. Actually this typically occurs...
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,...
Marine Depot is excited to announce that they've teamed up with Brightwell Aquatics and Reef2Reef for a BRIGHTWELL AQUATICS SHOPPING SPREE! 1 participant will be randomly selected on August 31st to receive $250 to spend on ANY Brightwell Aquatics products they like! That's right: YOU get to pick your own prizes! It's super-duper easy to enter and YOU CAN ENTER UP TO 3 TIMES (or more with bonus entry options)!
WOW! It's definitely summer, and @AquaSD is bringing THE HEAT with this AWESOME DRAWING! Not 1, not 2, but 3 (yep... THREE) R2R members will WIN BIG with this $600 CORAL GRAB GIVEAWAY! Will you be one of the 3??? Only if you enter! So get started!!
Great news, everyone!! Hanna Instruments and SaltwaterAquarium.com are teaming up with Reef2Reef to bring you the Professional Water Tester Giveaway! This giveaway will take one lucky winner's water testing to a Whole New Level!!
As I wrote in my last article for ReefBuilders last December, I am planning on setting up one last tank for myself. Over the years I have set up a fair number of tanks for myself as well as assisted on over 100 more for others. As a result, I am confident that with this new tank I can achieve the many goals I want, which is more than just growing healthy colorful corals. First, unlike all of my current tanks, this tank will not be an experiment, in that for the most part tried and true...
We're excited to announce that World Wide Corals is sponsoring a fun contest where 3 winners will win a 3 Month Enthusiast Silver Coral Subscription! WWC is one of the premier places for coral and fish and have one of the best saltwater reef stores in the world! WWC is top notch in stock and customer service and now you can subscribe to a shipment of monthly corals!
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,...
Crystal Reef Aquatics does AMAZING work whether it's building your custom designed reef aquarium or bringing you one of their stealth sumps (including models specifically designed for the Triton Reef System and Red Sea Reef Series) or one of their other great products. They are also a retailer for all possible aquarium equipment and can work you up an amazing package deal if you are putting together a new build! These guys know what they are doing! And now we're excited because Crystal Reef...
While it has been a great decade for reefing not so much so for IP protection. With free flow of information and public’s demand for more info on any given product, technology or item the line between IP protection and providing clear information to public has become somehow convoluted.
ELOS has teamed up with Bashsea and as usual they have taken something very simple and made it extraordinary! We're excited and thankful for Elos and this wonderful opportunity to present this awesome sump to you and give you a chance to WIN IT!
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...
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.
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.
