Articles

Note from the Editor: Not long ago, I asked on the forum for funny or crazy stories related to their reef aquarium. Below is a compilation of the posts received so far in the thread. Some will make you laugh and some will make you grimace, but they're all true. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ @SDK: I made the mistake of putting a decorator crab into a holding tank with a bright blue sponge filter. The crab tore it to shreds and completely covered himself in the pieces. I had what looked like a...

Note from the Editor: Starting a saltwater aquarium can be frustrating. There is a lot to learn, a steep learning curve, and many learn what they need to know after they needed to know it. Many experienced reefers look back on the days when they first started and shake their heads. There is so much they wish they had known; so many rules that those beginners didn't think applied to them. So, in a departure from our regular fare, we have below an article written by one of our forum members...

There are really two kinds of snorkeling that people do in the Keys. The most common is taking a charter boat out about 5-10 miles offshore to one of a dozen nice sections of the barrier reef that has large coral colonies and lots of tropical fish. These are very protected and the water varies from 5 to 30 feet deep at most sites. Typical charters will give you about 90 minutes in the water. Some do two sites and 45-60 minutes at each site. These are very interesting and what most people...

From time to time I like to reflect on what I’ve been through during my reefkeeping years. From almost day one of this marvelous hobby, I was told, “You have to have patience” or “If you don’t have patience then you might as well stop." This got me thinking as of late. A good friend of mine assured me that I don’t have patience, but I am the most persistent person he’s met. I didn’t know if I should take this as a compliment or a slap in the face? Let’s look at the definitions shall we...

Banggai cardinalfish. Photo is from the Reef2Reef archives, courtesy of @MarvinsReef, ©2019, All Rights Reserved. Banggai cardinalfish, Pterapogon kauderni, are native to a small area around Indonesia. They are very popular in the marine aquarium trade and considered endangered in the wild. A few years ago, there was a lot of discussion and debate regarding whether these fish should be included in CITES II. It was finally decided to make some recommendations to the Indonesian government...

Photo courtesy of the Reef2Reef archives, ©2018, All Rights Reserved. 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a wrasse; The stockings were hung on the live rock with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The fishes were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of surge buckets danced in their heads; Mantis shrimp rested to polish their parts, While clams opened mantles for the meals soon to start. When outside...

Today's article is brought to us from R.L., who we profiled recently. He has more than 15 years of experience keeping reef tanks, and he also has the good fortune to live on the west coast of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. In his own words, you can read about beachcombing and wild collecting. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ West coast of Florida. Photos courtesy of R.L., ©2018, All Rights Reserved. OK, so I consider myself very lucky to live just 30 minutes from the beautiful sandy beaches of Sanibel...

This photo is from the Reef2Reef archives. In many cultures, those who are more experienced or older are revered. China even has an International Day of Elder Persons. In the western world, employees who have been with a company for a long time often have varied tangible benefits. Why? Because the older and more experience know more stuff. They’re valuable to have around. So, I asked some of reef2reef’s experienced reefkeepers what advice they would give to those starting out with...