At AlgaeBarn, we are always happy to hear from our customers and we often are asked a lot of questions about husbandry. Sometimes, we
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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.
189 Posts
The Chalk Bass – A Commonly Overlooked Charmer
The Caribbean Chalk Bass is one of the smallest bass in their family and is often overlooked in the reef keeping hobby. The
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Sustainable Reef Tanks
At AlgaeBarn, we are on a mission to create a more sustainable hobby. Sustainable reef keeping entails maintaining a system that
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Ocean Pollinators
We have some very exciting news to share about ocean pollinators! Marine researchers in France have just released exciting news that
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AlgaeBarn is celebrating the octopus!
Everyone's favorite eight-armed mollusk is having its very own day! October 8th is Octopus Day, and what better way to celebrate than
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All about Tisbe pods
Recently, we have been hearing a lot of questions about the unique harpacticoid copepod, Tisbe biminiensis. Tisbe pods are a super
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Galaxy Pods in the Ultimate Galaxy Pack
The Ultimate Galaxy Pack is our newest live feeding system designed to provide the most balanced nutritional profile. AlgaeBarn has put
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How PNS ProBio works in the Ultimate Galaxy Pack
Using minimally processed or live foods like those in the Ultimate Galaxy Pack, may be the simplest and safest way to bring nutrition
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How PNS YelloSno Works in the Ultimate Galaxy Pack
As reef keepers, we are all too aware of how intricate the ecosystems of coral reefs are. And at AlgaeBarn, we are mindful that every
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What is the Best Macroalgae for a Reef Tank?
Marine aquarists and reef keepers are using macroalgae in their tanks as a source of natural filtration more frequently. Many reef
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Should I Add Snails to My Refugium?
If you guessed that a refugium is a wordplay on refuge and aquarium, you guessed right! A refugium is simply a tank for plant and
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Frag Tanks Done Right: The CADE Frag Series
If you love the style of CADE Aquariums but find that a tank with deep dimensions isn’t what you want, then we have great news! The
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Conservation Week: Celebrating Aquaculture
Welcome to Conservation Week! Although we talk about conservation and sustainability on the regular here at AlgaeBarn, we are going the
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Conservation Week – Frags, Frags, Frags
In honor of conservation week, we are talking about how we can take action for our oceans. The efforts we make as hobbyists can have
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Everything You Need to Know About OceanMagik
Whether you're a regular here at AlgaeBarn or a newcomer, we always get tons of questions about live phyto. So, we thought, there’s no
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To Tumble or Not to Tumble?
If you decided to use a refugium for filtration of the reef tank than you most likely know how you want to stock it. But, if you’re
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Conservation Week – Can Phytoplankton Save the World?
Phytoplankton are more important than most people realize. Yes, as reef keepers we understand that these little creatures can make a
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What Copepods are Best for the Reef Tank?
One of the most fascinating parts of this hobby is the colossal variety of creatures that will take up residence in the reef tank. This
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Is Sea Lettuce a Good Macroalgae for the Refugium?
If you are looking for a way to control nutrient levels in the reef tank, macroalgae is a great way to do it! You may have heard about
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How Long Does Live Phytoplankton Last?
Phytoplankton is a crucial part of the ocean’s food web. So, it only makes sense that phyto should also be a crucial part of our
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