This article is sponsored by SB Reef Lights
Skimmate Locker DIY:
So I'm on the road 3-4 nights a week and wanted something more reliable than just a 1 gallon jug that can still overflow. So I decided to make an automated Skimmate Locker. Skimmate goes into the 2.5 gallon container (Sam's Club Animal Crackers). When the level goes up high enough it trips the float valve which signals the Reef Keeper. The Reef Keeper then turns both skimmers off until it is emptied. It also sounds an alarm...
So what's the deal with tangs? How do I keep them together? Why are they so aggressive and difficult to keep sometimes? It's a common discussion point. Some may dissent with what I have to share but I've never had less than three tanks running at a time, up to 7, and have been in the hobby ~15 years with 2 of them spent working for an LFS running their saltwater fish dept largely, for what it's worth.
Root of Tang Aggression:
Understand that from a tangs point of view, more herbivores...
So you want to take pics of your reef and you have come to the realization that your smartphone just isn't cutting it. Congratulations! There is hope for you yet. ;-)
Shiny, expensive new toys are always fun. But as an Every Day Reefer, we know that much of your disposable income is going towards that beautiful aquarium. Photography is another disposable income black hole and if you are not careful, you run the risk of getting sucked right in. I'm a professional photographer myself so the...
The Bold and Curious Tinker’s Butterflyfish
Chaetodon tinkeri
The Tinker’s Butterflyfish (C. tinkeri) is a member of the marine butterflyfish genus Chaetodon (familyChaetodontidae) and one of five species in the subgenus Roaps. It isnamed for Spencer W. Tinker who discovered it in Hawaii back in 1949. Also commonly called the Hawaiian Butterflyfish, C. tinkeri has quite a limited distribution in the wild; inhabiting only Hawaii, Johnston Atoll and the Marshall Islands in the tropical...
Alright folks I wanted to share some pretty shameful realities about my past and dealing with Acanthurus tangs. To anyone that doesn't know, common Acanthurus tangs include Powder Blue, Powder Brown, Goldrim/white cheek, Achilles, Sohal, Clown, Carribean Blue, Orange Shoulder, Chocolate, and many less common tangs.
Photo of Orange Shoulder Tang by R2R member @RZ5T
I managed ich in my systems for years and killed perhaps 20-30% of my NON-Acanthurus tangs because they could not build up...
Reef2Reef Tank Spotlight July 2015: Bobby Melton (BobbyM)
Tank Thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/90-gallons-of-frag.150639/
First, I want to say that I am so honored to receive Tank of the month here on Reef2Reef. I have always dreamed of one day winning an honor like this since the early days of aquarium forums.
My name is Bobby Melton. I started my first aquarium with the help of my mother at the age of six. Back then, I would catch fish at the lake, bring them up to the...
Male and female Macropharyngodon bipartitus in the author’s aquarium.
The Blue Star Leopard Wrasse, also referred to as the Divided Wrasse, Vermiculite Wrasse (as well as a few other common names) is one of thirteen species of leopard wrasse in the Macropharyngodon genus. As with most leopard wrasses, Macropharyngodon bipartitus is sexually dichromatic (males and females differ in coloration). Interestingly, all leopard wrasses are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning they begin life as...
Acropora secale is buff. It works out. Not like a “10 minutes on the treadmill” kind of work out, either. This coral is one of the most dense that I have ever kept in my system. It is a high-energy, high-output kind of coral. It obviously loves to consume high amounts of calcium and other ions essential for building its really heavy and thick skeleton. Likewise, it loves high-intensity light and wave action. Like Acropora humilis, A. secale is one of the heavyweights of the reef builders...
Most reefkeepers know they need to measure alkalinity, and most know it has something to do with carbonate. But what is alkalinity exactly? Why is it important? How is it measured? This article will answer those questions and give you all of the information that you need to fully understand one of the most important chemical parameters in our reef aquaria.
Along with calcium, many corals also use “alkalinity” to form their skeletons, which are composed primarily of calcium carbonate. It is...
I get a lot of questions from the reef community about my photography. People always want to know what settings I use and what equipment I own. I can answer that very easily, but it's not really going to help anyone. Settings are changing constantly depending on what I'm shooting, and any dslr and macro lens will work just fine. What I try to tell people but it usually doesn't sink in, is if you already have the basics of photography down, shooting in RAW and learning how to process your own...
