This Article is Sponsored by @uniquecorals
As you might have noticed, we offer and sell a lot of coral frags here at Unique Corals. When you work a lot with frags, even the most dense reefer (hey, that might be me!) can pick up some priceless gems of information that can add to the body of knowledge on the subject.
I don't need to remind you of the many benefits of coral frags, but since this is my forum, I will anyways!:mod:
Bottom line is this- among the many reasons why frags are so...
By: Justin Leoni of Reef Savers Aquatic Services
Introduction
Having been around saltwater aquariums for most of my now almost forty years, I’ve seen many gizmos and gadgets. I’ve seen a hobby that one was only for the most advanced aquarist become affordable and available to the masses because of the continued success of both professional marine biologist and the joint effort that the hobby community has put forth to educate. In this article I want to open your eyes if you currently use...
This is one of the strangest cephalapods in the sea. They resemble a squid or an octopus but also resemble a fish from another dimension. Another interesting fact about these invertebrates is that they are not native to the United States. The cuttlefish has been purely an import species until recent advances in breeding. Still, the cuttlefish’s majority is imported until a large enough cephalapod farm is built. Most of the specimens you will see have traveled across the globe and may have a...
By definition a sump is a pit or hollow in which liquid collects, in particular. (Wiki). If you are new to the aquarium hobby, you may have heard the word sump before. In the aquarium hobby, and even in professional setups like those in zoos and public aquariums the use of a sump is by far the most efficient means of moving water in your tank. Since this is a hobbyist website we will keep it “sumple.”
Sump in use with equipment. image via R2R member @Poseidon
In the past, we have used...
We are a very mobile race of beings. We have access to every square inch of the planet and even the moon. Staying in one place for your whole life just is not an option to some. Jobs call for relocation. Families grow and need space to grow. Sometimes we cut in line at the zoo, only to be put on witness protection after we find out it was a mob bosses nephew. Either way, we have to go. So how do you take your reef with you? Lucky you! I have the perfect method. This can be applied to nearly...
We all want waves! They look great on the beach, and they look awesome in our tanks. Some of the waves people produce in aquariums are outstandingly realistic and benefit their corals ten times more than the linear flow that most affordable companies allow us to achieve. So how do we get more motion in our ocean?
image via firsthdwallpapers.com
POWERHEADS
Linear flow powerheads are much harder to achieve a random flow, but is not impossible. Pointing them towards the same spot from...
This is one amazingly hard to keep coral. If you are one of the few who have made it longer than a year than you are truly a supreme reefer. These are known as one of the hardest corals to keep alive…period. Generally these corals die within the first 6-12 months of captivity, but are still available across the nation to even the most beginner of hobbyist.
image via R2R member @Ninjapotamus
The Flower Pot is a Large Polyp Stony coral, or LPS, from the Indo-Pacific region that grows its...
Live rock is often harvested from the ocean, which leaves a void in the once full reef. A few pounds is not going to effect the ecosystem, but when a few thousand people set up a few thousand gallons worth of water it starts to add up. That can easily be a few hundred thousand pounds of rock in no time at all! Unlike animals, there is no chance in the world that a rock will have babies. There is no way for the rock to quickly replenish itself in the reefs since they are mostly composed of...
Reverse Osmosis and Deionization is a standard in water purification for use in reef keeping. It allows for 100% H, 2, and O. There are tap water conditioners out there, but adding chemicals may not be for you. When you use RO/DI water you minimize the risk of nuisance algae or diatoms. You may have seen sinks with a skinny faucet off to the side. This is actually an RO faucet most of the time, however the kind we use for reef tanks and the ones designed for drinking have one major...
The art of stability is an amazing ability developed as you become smarter and learn the signs of change. As we get more in tune with our tanks, technology is being developed every day to allow us to take a more hands off approach. Normally when we have to make a change in the tank we would have to get out the old maintenance tools like measuring spoons and what not. This is a thing of the past now. Complete control over each aspect of our aquariums can be had nearly anywhere in the world...
