Aquariums almost inevitably become more complicated over time. In the course of months of operation, the “system” can incorporate more and more components. And, the livestock collection grows. Eventually, what started as a simple fish tank can develop into an intricate mess of plumbing lines and gadgets; what started as a fish and a few …
Intermediate Education
So here you are. You’ve spent countless hours studying, dropped some pretty serious cash, tried a lot of the animals on your dream species list–maybe suffered some devastating and demoralizing mistakes. But where many other half-hearted hobbyists are hawking tanks on Craigslist and saying goodbye, you’re ready to move on. Sure, maybe you still exhaust the folks on your favorite online forum, or the lady at the LFS, with your burning questions. Maybe you don’t feel like an expert quite yet. But you do have some valuable experience under your belt and a healthy, stable tank to show for it. Congratulate yourself, as you’ve advanced to the rank of “intermediate aquarist.” You started out with the so-called basics. Animals have (perhaps to your surprise) survived under your care; now, you want to see them thrive. To that end, like so many other reef aquarists at this stage, you have become fascinated by (1) relatively advanced techniques such as phyto dosing and (2) somewhat specialized equipment/components such as refugia. In this section, you will learn how to beef up (if not totally replace) that first aquarium, try species beyond the short list of “beginner species,” etc. These works are not just intended to instruct, but are also meant to inspire intermediate-level aquarists to push into the less-beaten paths.
Liquid Carbon Dosing in the Marine Aquarium
When we see the crystal-clear waters of a coral reef, some of us might think “pristine” or “pure.” A marine ecologist, however, is most likely thinking “infertile.” Like a desert. Yes, there is an undeniable abundance and diversity of life there; but that is possible only because of the incredibly efficient nutrient cycling between the …
Do You Really Want Seahorses?
No doubt about it, seahorses are really weird and cool. For sure, they make great aquarium subjects. Seahorses are fairly simple to keep if they are housed in the proper type of aquarium system, kept with mellow, peaceful tankmates and offered the right sort of foods. But are they worth it? That depends upon the …
Controlling Phosphate in Saltwater Aquaria
To take on the responsibility of maintaining a marine aquarium is to take a crash course in water chemistry. By the time you’ve successfully navigated the nitrogen cycle, you’re already faced with new, threatening chemical imbalances. Of these, one of the most persistent (though frequently unnoticed) is excessive phosphate. Perhaps the best way to start …
Creating a Suitable Growing Space for Your Mangrove
As of late, a few varieties of mangrove have become more available to saltwater aquarium hobbyists. With this, it will likely be a bit more common to see one of these beautiful plants poking somewhere out of one’s aquarium system. However, as keeping mangroves becomes more common, there may develop a tendency for aquarists (especially …
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Why You Need a Quarantine Tank
Most of us invest a lot into our aquarium systems. Some of us invest a whole lot. The best means of protecting your growing livestock collection (i.e. investment) is a rigorously maintained and monitored system of quarantine. But we all already know that, right? A quarantine (QT) tank is that one thing we should have. …
Power Outage Preparedness
Some aspects of this hobby are often overlooked until problems actually arise. Marine aquariums require a lot of time and dedication, so it is easy to understand how small things may be missed. But, sometimes small things can snowball into a disaster. If the aquarist had been prepared sooner and had the proper equipment on …
Quarantine and Dip Treatment Method
Anyone can agree that having a tank wiped out by disease is a terrible experience and having to treat a reef system for ich or marine velvet is a lot of frustrating work. The best thing a hobbyist can do is avoid the issue from the start. There are generally two ways of treatment for …
Nitrate Management in Your Saltwater Aquarium
When setting up new aquariums, most people worry about and focus on ammonia and nitrites. Everyone knows that cycling a tank with fish is dangerous because of these two compounds, as they burn the gills and body of the fish as the tank matures. But, once these get to zero, most people are satisfied and …
Uncommon Saltwater Diseases and Infections
All saltwater aquarists will deal with common diseases in the beginning of their tank keeping journey. These include the infamous Ich, or “white spot disease,” skin and gill flukes, HLLE, Lymphocystis, velvet, and possibly even Brookynella, or “Clownfish Disease.” These each come with their own remedy, but the cures are well documented and easily available …
Advanced Testing and Trace Elements
Starting out in the aquarium hobby, most people simply buy test strips (which I do not recommend whatsoever) or “master” liquid test kits. While these liquid tritration tests are pretty accurate, it can be extremely difficult to decipher color charts and differentiate between ever so slightly differing shades of yellow, green, and red. This leads …
A Copepod Cornucopia: How to Maintain a Continuous Live Food Source in Your Reef Aquarium
Some of us aquarists are satisfied just to find a pod or two in our systems—just to know that they’re still there! Then again, some of us are always reaching for that endless bumper crop. Those who push for ever higher copepod yields might indeed be on to something really big. Let Them Eat Pods …