Imagine for a second how food energy from grass, a primary producer, is transferred to a bluebird. The bluebirds don’t eat grass.
Read More about Copepods
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
Sea Lettuce (Ulva lactuca): The Most Underappreciated Macroalgae?
The use of macroalgae in marine aquaria has steadily increased over the years. Ever since they have become more widespread in the
Read More about Sea Lettuce (Ulva lactuca): The Most Underappreciated Macroalgae?
Increasing the Efficiency of Your Sump to Decrease Water Changes
Water changes are the most dreaded part of regular tank maintenance to most hobbyists. So much so, that many people start skipping
Read More about Increasing the Efficiency of Your Sump to Decrease Water Changes
A Look at Seven Great Red Macroalgae For the Refugium
It's been a looong time since there was a "typical" refugium. And even if there was a typical sort of refugium today, it wouldn't look
Read More about A Look at Seven Great Red Macroalgae For the Refugium
Lighting the Refugium
There are plenty of reasons that you might consider installing a refugium in your marine aquarium system. Yours might be to add water
Read More about Lighting the Refugium
A Beginners Guide to a Saltwater Aquarium Clean Up Crew
By: Haley Fitch
2018 Writers Contest Winner!
When setting up your new saltwater aquarium, it is vital to include a strong clean up
Read More about A Beginners Guide to a Saltwater Aquarium Clean Up Crew
Mandarin Dragonets for Beginners
By Nathan Peel - 2018 Writers contest award recipient!
The Mandarin dragonet (also known as the mandarin goby), is the arguably the
Read More about Mandarin Dragonets for Beginners
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
Read More about A Copepod Cornucopia: How to Maintain a Continuous Live Food Source in Your Reef Aquarium
Boosting Reef Aquarium Diversity With Live Phytoplankton
Saltwater aquarium keeping certainly come a long way in a relatively short period of time. Heck, we only started widely using live rock
Read More about Boosting Reef Aquarium Diversity With Live Phytoplankton
Stocking a Refugium
Marine aquaria have a peculiar way of growing (in terms of both size and complexity) over time. These “add-ons,” be they filtration
Read More about Stocking a Refugium
A Look at the Harlequin Shrimp
It is probably safe to say that the majority of aquarists (especially marine aquarists) are initially awestruck by the visual impact
Read More about A Look at the Harlequin Shrimp
Utilizing the Trochus Snail (Trochus spp.)
Algae, of course, is not an inherently bad thing; without it, the natural world could not exist as we know it. However, there are many
Read More about Utilizing the Trochus Snail (Trochus spp.)
Eliminating Nuisance Dinoflagellates with Ocean Magik Live Phytoplankton
Eliminating harmful and ugly dinoflagellates remains one of the most common—and challenging—tasks for the marine aquarist. Not only can
Read More about Eliminating Nuisance Dinoflagellates with Ocean Magik Live Phytoplankton
Aquariums: The New Medicine
Aquariums: The New Medicine
You enter the waiting room of your doctor’s office and you know she’s not going to be happy about your
Read More about Aquariums: The New Medicine
Sustainable Aquariums
What are Sustainable Aquariums?
An aquarium is a cornerstone of many homes and apartments, but how often have you come home to find
Read More about Sustainable Aquariums