We are looking at our oceans and the impact our hobby has made on them. No matter where you are, we are all ultimately sharing a planet
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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
How Red Ogo is Helping to Restore the US Pacific Coastline
We are taking a dive deep into the world’s oceans and reefs! At AlgaeBarn, one of our top priorities is promoting more sustainability
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Keeping the Saddleback Clownfish
Every marine aquarist is well acquainted with the clownfishes (Amphiprion spp.). The most recognizable of the group are the ocellaris
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Keeping the Frogfish
The marine aquarium hobby has been dominated by corals--reef tanks--for quite a while now. As a consequence, over time, aquarists have
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Tuxedo Urchins for Hair Algae Control
Hair algae is not just one of the common forms of nuisance algae, it is also among the most difficult to eradicate. Indeed, despite the
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Do I Need a Protein Skimmer?
There are a lot of tough calls in reef aquarium keeping. While the focus of attention should be on creating the healthiest and most
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Feeding Your NPS Aquarium
Photosynthetic corals dominate natural, shallow tropical coral reefs. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that they are so
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5 Tips for Increasing Aquarium Fish Compatibility
You purchased only the very best aquarium filtration equipment. You tested the water every other day. You feed top-shelf foods. You did
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Quarantining Your Mandarin Fish
If you have even worked at the retail or wholesale end of the aquarium fish industry--even for just a week--you are probably keenly
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A Look at the CADE Frag Series Tanks
There are more than a few All-In-One aquarium manufacturers out there. Some of them make pretty decent tanks. A much smaller handful of
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Keeping the Purple Tang
Some fish require little introduction. Instantly recognized even by newbie fishkeepers and regarded as a high-value species by
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Keeping Toadstool Leather Corals
These days, soft corals don’t get quite the attention they once did. One reason for this simply is the abundance of wildly colorful
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7 Newbie Aquascaping Mistakes
Undoubtedly, aquascaping is an art form. Designing and building the rock structure in a reef tank can be as satisfying as keeping the
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Blue Hypnea: The Next Hot Refugium Macro?
Though it sells out quickly when available, blue hypnea is out there for the grabs. And it’s well worth it for those that cater to its
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Upgrading to the ULTIMATE Ecopack
Pods. Phyto. At AlgaeBarn, these are the bread and butter of the reef aquarium diet. And for sure, these two items form the base of
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Why CADE Aluminum Aquarium Stands are the Best
If you’ve been keeping aquariums for a long time, you’ve almost certainly owned a pressboard stand at some point. And if you had that
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Natural Water Quality Management for Non-Photosynthetic Reef Aquaria
There was once a time when zooxanthellate corals (especially SPS corals) were considered impossible to keep in captivity. Then
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An Overview of the Firefishes
Marine aquarists are blessed with a gigantic selection of beautiful fish species to keep. Among these, only some are peaceful,
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What Do I Need for a Saltwater Fish Tank?
Whether scouting for your first aquarium, or “graduating” from a freshwater aquarium, there is something about a saltwater aquarium
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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
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