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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Saltwater Aquariums
In his book Ocean Gardens: The History of the Marine Aquarium, naturalist H. Noel Humphreys wrote, “The marine Aquarium is, as yet, a plaything, a mere toy; but it is destined to become a far more important means of advancing science, and ministering to popular instruction, amusement, and wonder, than is yet dreamt of.” This he wrote in 1857. That wasn’t a typo; apparently, saltwater aquarium keeping was already a thing, and had a history, prior to the American Civil War. It might boggle one’s mind to imagine the lengths these hobbyists must have went through to keep and study marine life in private fish tanks. Saltwater aquaria (if you prefer proper Latin) are quite impressive today. They certainly are a lot more advanced. Yet, you could say that some things have come full circle. Consider the renewed value we place on live foods (e.g. pods, phyto, etc.). Consider also the rekindled interest in biological filters; new developments in natural filtration (i.e. using refugium algae and/or various types of bacteria) are still coming to light. And perhaps most significantly, many aquarium species are now available as captive bred! In this section, you will learn how to build an advanced, modern saltwater aquarium system as well as how to establish a healthy, natural biological community.
135 Posts
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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Why Peppermint Shrimp are a Good Choice for Reef Tanks
Peppermint shrimp make fantastic additions for community reef tanks! The peppermint shrimp, sometimes known as a sweeper shrimp, has
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What Light is Good for a Refugium?
Back in the early days of the hobby, there were not many choices when it came to lighting. The basic options for light fixtures were
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How Often Should I Add Copepods to the Reef Tank?
A reef tank is a complex system with a lot of different components. All these moving parts must be fully functioning for the ecosystem
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What are the Best Live Foods for Coral?
Many invertebrates need a consistent source of food to thrive in a reef tank. This is especially true for coral. While there are many
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How Fast Does Macroalgae Grow?
A good portion of hobbyists will grow macroalgae in their reef tank systems. It has even become more common to see planted display
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Does CADE Make Good Aquariums for Beginners?
Choosing the right aquarium system as a beginner can be an overwhelming task. The honest truth is that this decision has the potential
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Enter the AlgaeBarn Upcycle Contest to Win the New Ultimate Galaxy Pack!
Coral reef ecosystems are incredibly intricate and delicate. There are thousands of different species that live on reefs, from tiny
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Enter AlgaeBarn’s Upcycle Contest to Win BIG!
Are you looking for a way to help with conservation efforts and have fun while doing it? Look no further because AlgaeBarn has just
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Introducing the Ultimate Galaxy Pack
We would like to introduce our newest feeding system – The Ultimate Galaxy Pack! As reef keepers, we know all too well that coral reef
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How Red Mangrove Aquaculture is Improving the Waters of the Gulf of Mexico
Mangroves are trees that grow in the coastal waters in tropical and subtropical regions. The term mangrove is also used for referring
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