Whether scouting for your first aquarium, or “graduating” from a freshwater aquarium, there is something about a saltwater aquarium that is mesmerizing. For many lifelong aquarists, that feeling of captivating awe never goes away. Thankfully, the intimidating task of learning how to actually build and maintain a saltwater aquarium system does go away. In fact, …
Beginners Education
Arguably, there are few “pastimes” as challenging and all-consuming as marine (and especially reef) aquarium keeping. Longtime hobbyists might forget the relative ease with which they likely got “into” reef aquaria–very possibly with a lot of freshwater aquarium keeping experience behind them. While it is true that the foods, equipment and methodologies of today are greatly improved from those of yesteryear, there is now so much more to learn from the get-go. Definitely a lot of choices to make! With the massive amounts of (often contradictory) information out there, beginner reef aquarists might feel more intimidated now than ever before.
That’s totally cool. You’ll get “there” soon enough. The most important thing is to move forward step-by-step, and to have fun along the way. The whole point of spending all that money and time on this (or any) hobby is to relax and maybe learn something, right? The vast majority of saltwater aquarists who throw the term “newbie” around don’t really mean it as a pejorative; if anything, they recall that period with nostalgia (and maybe even a bit of envy), for it is the fleeting beginner stage where aquarium keeping is especially exciting and the animals so incredibly fascinating.
No one here would suggest that a beginning aquarist should avoid challenges, but we certainly would advise one against making some of those beginner mistakes. In reef aquarium keeping, there is no bigger virtue than patience!
In this section, you will learn how to avoid some of the most common pitfalls for novice aquarists as well as how to build the foundation of knowledge you’ll need to master the art.
An Overview of the Filefishes
In the Age of the Reef Tank, many cool (but not reef-safe) saltwater fish families that were once extremely population are now relative rarities. One such group, for sure, is the filefishes. This is too bad, as filefish are intelligent and possess abundant character. They are also quite “marine” in appearance and behavior; even the …
Keeping a Coldwater Marine Aquarium
Marine aquarists have always had access to temperate species. In fact, in the days before improved packaging/shipping procedures allowed for the massive import of tropical species that we enjoy today, most saltwater aquarium livestock originated from temperate waters. Catalina gobies, waratah anemones, garibaldi damsels… At least half of the seahorses… The coolest boxfishes… Anyone who …
Building Your Mangrove Biotope
Ahhh, the planted refugium… It’s become something much bigger and much more engaging than the mere “filter” it was just a few years ago. Where we once were happy just to keep a big wad of chaeto or some such seaweed in an otherwise empty tank, we moved on to try a broad variety of …
3 Saltwater Aquarium Pests
There are a few things that any hobbyist dreads finding in their aquarium. Aquarium pests can appear out of nowhere and can spread like a wildfire. Even with all of the preventative measures that are available, at some point we’ve all had one pest sneak into our tank. It happens to all of us and …
4 Tangs For Beginners
Tangs are very common in larger aquariums because of their constant movement along with their stunning color. That being said, no tang is considered easy to keep. All tangs require a different diet than most fish (mainly herbivorous) and can be quite shy and timid when first added to the aquarium. Also, they require lots …
3 Symbiotic Relationships in the Marine Aquarium
Symbiotic relationships are perhaps the most amazing thing that occurs in marine environments. While there are some that you can deliberately recreate in aquaria, there are also many others taking place all on their own. In this article, I’m going to be discussing a few of the symbiotic relationships you can build in your aquarium. …
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3 Unique Invertebrates
There are many types of invertebrates in the marine aquarium trade and typically you will see the same 10-20 types. However, this article will be showing you some of the more unique invertebrate additions you could add to your tank. One reason these aren’t usually recommended for your tank is that these aren’t technically part …
4 Macroalgae for Beginners
Macroalgae are a great addition to any aquarium. They remove excess nutrients in the water column (such as phosphates and nitrates) and provide shelter for copepods which helps with successfully breeding them in your tank. There are many different types of macroalgae; in this article I will be discussing the best types for beginners. Macroalga …
Utilizing the Peppermint Shrimp for General Tank Clean-Up
Maintaining a squeaky clean aquarium environment is no easy task. It requires frequent water changes, constantly rinsing mechanical filters, gravel vacuuming, algae wiping, and so on. It also requires a substantial amount of cash; top-quality filters and filter media are not cheap. If we are to be honest, few of us can say that we …
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4 Gobies For Beginners
There are hundreds of different goby species, and they all require all kinds of diets and housing. This list names the top four gobies for beginners that I usually recommend for people just starting out in the hobby. When adding any goby to your aquarium, it is important to make sure that you can cater …
3 Oddball Saltwater Fish
Sure, clownfish and damsels are cool… But you may be looking to add something that isn’t seen much in the hobby. One thing to keep in mind is that most oddball fish have more husbandry requirements and can be very finicky in home aquariums. That’s why it is crucial to conduct all due research before …
Knowing the Zoanthid
The zoanthid is one of the most stunning yet simplistic coral-like animals in this hobby. It can come in any color combination that you can imagine–along with any price point. This is why this particular anthozoan deserves an article of its own. There are over 100 species of zoanthids alone and the identification process can …
3 Most Expensive Corals
For people that are new to this hobby, it is sometimes hard to grasp just how expensive certain corals can be. In this article I will be discussing the most expensive corals (well, corallimorpharians and zoanthids, to be technical) and the reasoning behind the price. Most of the time, the price is due to high …
4 Underrated Saltwater Fish For Beginners
When looking at fish for beginners, you are usually going to see the same fish recommended repeatedly. This list is for the people who want to see the “non-traditional” options of beginner fish. All of these fish are very hardy and easy to feed and work great in beginner saltwater aquariums. Always complete thorough research …
Are You Ready to Keep Jellyfish?
There have been a few times that I’ve been asked how to care for jellyfish. And, long story short, it’s complicated! In this short article, I describe the complications of keeping these fascinating creatures in captivity. Some creatures should just stay in the wild, and the jellyfish usually is one of them. Jellyfish tanks Meticulously …
What Clownfish Is Best For My Aquarium?
There are many different species of clownfish to choose from! Some look very different from others. Some are hardier than others. And, some are more docile than others. I am going to be discussing the top four species in this hobby and which one might be best for your aquarium. Ocellaris clownfish The most popular …
5 Overlooked Algae-Eaters
When it comes to your clean-up crew in your saltwater aquarium, you usually will think of snails, crabs and starfish. However, there are some other cool inverts and fish you can add that can help tremendously with your aquarium algae clean-up. There are so many saltwater fish that eat algae and this is just my …
How to Get Rid of Aiptasia
When you’re first starting out your aquarium, you usually will spend all day checking on everything in your tank ensuring everything is still intact. Then, one day you look and you see this translucent looking pink flower… I receive one of two reactions from customers when they first come across Aiptasia anemones. One is panic. …
3 Monster Saltwater Fish
Just like on the freshwater side, which has its big arowanas, catfish, pacus, etc., there is a niche for “monster” fishkeeping amongst marine aquarists. If you have a massive tank and don’t plan on keeping a conventional reef system, these fish might be perfect for you. Indeed, there are many people in this hobby that …