My Experience with Madracis pharensis – a Rare Beauty
A couple years ago I came across the most beautiful coral I’ve ever seen – Madracis pharensis. When I purchased the coral, I was under the assumption it was an encrusting Goniopora and would do just fine with some extra care. It wasn’t until a couple years later until I found out I was completely … Continue reading
Rescuing Dying Corals: Ricordea
When I saw a rock with two ricordea bleached to zero color, I knew I had to try to save them. One is coloring up quite nicely, but the other is still straggling along. Although hard to tell, this ricordea closed-up is nearly colorless – March 14, 2012 Bleaching is often a sign of too … Continue reading
Rescuing Dying Corals: Caulestrea
I was given this “Candy Cane” coral and was told it had “brown jelly disease”. Although I’ve seen plenty of corals with “brown jelly”-like substances, I haven’t had the mass contagion and mortality that some reefkeepers claim. I viewed this coral as a good challenge. Without having a microscope, I knew I was taking a … Continue reading
DIY Glass Sumps
As someone who has made a few glass sumps, and one fully customized acrylic sump, I don’t get the excitement over acrylic sumps. Glass sumps are cheaper, easier to build, and hold up to abuse better than acrylic for the average user. I buy non-reef-ready aquariums at the local pet store $1/gallon sale, design the … Continue reading
Product Review: Prodibio BioClean
Disclosure Statement: I am not employed in the aquarium industry, am not paid or receive “kickbacks” for my reviews, and I am not involved in any sort of sketchy deal. These reviews are purely my honest assessments, and I apologize for any personal bias that may arise during these reviews. Prodibio BioClean: A I’m always … Continue reading
DIY pH Probe Calibration Solution
A while back I dropped my cheapo pH probe, and I had no calibration fluid handy. ARGH! What a pain! I tried seeing if it was anywhere near correct…nope…my water tested at almost 9 instead of the typical 8.2. So I did some research online (links below) to see if I could make … Continue reading
How to Move a Reef Tank Successfully
Just moving an aquarium from one side of a room to the other side can be extremely stressful and catastrophic to the aquarium inhabitants. But what about moving a 150 gallon SPS-dominant aquarium 2000 miles across the country?? Oh yeah, we did it, and here’s how: Several days before moving the tank, you’ll need to … Continue reading
Algae: Green
Algae isn’t just for the ocean anymore. It’s all around us, and its use in daily life is growing more frequently. Even as I’m sitting here writing this, my husband brought home a fruit drink for me – Naked’s “Green Machine” that contains spirulina and blue green algae. Cool coincidence! Reef aquarium macroalgae amaze me for their beauty, … Continue reading
Algae: Red
Red algae (Rhodophyta) can be a beautiful addition to a reef aquarium, with some species being a favorite treat for fish. On the flip side, other red algae can be quite noxious to other fish…or even invasive to coral. With several thousand of species, red marine algae can be very difficult to identify or to … Continue reading
Invertebrates: Hydroids
Hydroids (Staurocladia oahuensis): Reef Safe with Caution These tiny hydroids are typically found on aquarium glass. Their population tends to wax and wane with tank nutrient levels. Although they do have some stinging potential, they do not appear to bother anything significantly. Staghorn Crab (Manucomplanus varians): Not Reef Safe This neat crab has a symbiotic … Continue reading
Reef'd Up Aquatics 