Articles

How about a complete reversal of nearly all of the preconceived essential rules to keeping our sps healthy? Now this really isn’t so new a concept, as I’ve been having this conversation with many of you over the years. In fact, so many that I felt it was finally time to just lay this one on...

This article is sponsored by SB Reef Lights Skimmate Locker DIY: So I'm on the road 3-4 nights a week and wanted something more reliable than just a 1 gallon jug that can still overflow. So I decided to make an automated Skimmate Locker. Skimmate goes into the 2.5 gallon container (Sam's Club...

So what's the deal with tangs? How do I keep them together? Why are they so aggressive and difficult to keep sometimes? It's a common discussion point. Some may dissent with what I have to share but I've never had less than three tanks running at a time, up to 7, and have been in the hobby ~15...

So you want to take pics of your reef and you have come to the realization that your smartphone just isn't cutting it. Congratulations! There is hope for you yet. ;-) Shiny, expensive new toys are always fun. But as an Every Day Reefer, we know that much of your disposable income is going...

The Bold and Curious Tinker’s Butterflyfish Chaetodon tinkeri The Tinker’s Butterflyfish (C. tinkeri) is a member of the marine butterflyfish genus Chaetodon (familyChaetodontidae) and one of five species in the subgenus Roaps. It isnamed for Spencer W. Tinker who discovered it in Hawaii...

Alright folks I wanted to share some pretty shameful realities about my past and dealing with Acanthurus tangs. To anyone that doesn't know, common Acanthurus tangs include Powder Blue, Powder Brown, Goldrim/white cheek, Achilles, Sohal, Clown, Carribean Blue, Orange Shoulder, Chocolate, and...

Reef2Reef Tank Spotlight July 2015: Bobby Melton (BobbyM) Tank Thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/90-gallons-of-frag.150639/ First, I want to say that I am so honored to receive Tank of the month here on Reef2Reef. I have always dreamed of one day winning an honor like this since the...

Most reefkeepers know they need to measure alkalinity, and most know it has something to do with carbonate. But what is alkalinity exactly? Why is it important? How is it measured? This article will answer those questions and give you all of the information that you need to fully understand one...

Acropora secale is buff. It works out. Not like a “10 minutes on the treadmill” kind of work out, either. This coral is one of the most dense that I have ever kept in my system. It is a high-energy, high-output kind of coral. It obviously loves to consume high amounts of calcium and other ions...

Male and female Macropharyngodon bipartitus in the author’s aquarium. The Blue Star Leopard Wrasse, also referred to as the Divided Wrasse, Vermiculite Wrasse (as well as a few other common names) is one of thirteen species of leopard wrasse in the Macropharyngodon genus. As with most leopard...

I get a lot of questions from the reef community about my photography. People always want to know what settings I use and what equipment I own. I can answer that very easily, but it's not really going to help anyone. Settings are changing constantly depending on what I'm shooting, and any dslr...

The phosphorus atom is one of living matter’s basic building blocks. It is present in every living creature and in the water of every reef aquarium. Unfortunately, it is often present in excess in reef aquaria and that excess has the potential to cause at least two substantial problems for...

Creating 3D-printed items has become extremely popular in recent years due, primarily, to the virtually unlimited potential of the technology. Cars, houses, clothing, food, and even functional human organs are not only printable, but are likely only a few years from becoming commonplace. It...

Figure 1. A close up look at the author’s “California Tort” (A. tortuosa) showing classic green and blue coloration. Tortuosa are an especially interesting species of Acropora. As SPS lovers have come to know, the variety of color and growth forms in this group of corals perpetually attracts...

The students and staff at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Oceanographic Center (OC), Dania Beach, FL, are engaged in several studies of marine life. For example, they are conducting studies on issues such as the invasive lion fish and how to eradicate them and Florida hard corals, why they’re...

The Indian Gold Ring Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus truncatus) is named for a short tail fin that does not have the elongated shape with pointed ends that is typical of other members of the genus. Other common names for this species are Spotted Bristletooth and Squaretail Bristletooth. C...

This Article is Sponsored by Legendary Corals. Hello fellow reefers, Darwin here with another blog like story time post! I've been talking about this subject with a couple of friends and it's very noticeable that the demand for these squishies has skyrocketed in the past couple of years. Some...

This Article is Sponsored by Legendary Corals. Hello fellow reefers! I was trolling the zoanthids section of this forum (as usual) and ran across a very interesting topic, asking what does a zoa name really mean (it was interesting because the reefer is a researcher interested in genetics...

Now I'm far from an expert on eels, but having been in this hobby for a few years now and owning/looking after quite a few eels in my time, I feel I can confidently write this guide on basic care of these impressive little guys. I want to stress the point that everything I say is based purely on...

Figure 1. A. efflorescens captive colony Last month, I wrote about the thick, fusing branches of Acropora austera. This month, I present another thickly growing SPS, the beautiful A. efflorescens. The “efflo” as is frequently called in the aquarium trade, is a plating coral that is rare by SPS...