ReefBum

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How To Grow Live Phyto – Step by Step Guide

How To Grow Live Phyto – Step by Step Guide

Why raise live phyto? Well, they are an important part of the food chain in a reef tank. Phytoplankton is a small, photosynthetic, micro-algae that takes in nutrients and carbon dioxide to create fatty acids that are very important for all organisms in the tank. Phyto...

Let Corals Breathe: Insights From a Shipping Experiment

Let Corals Breathe: Insights From a Shipping Experiment

  Over the years I have shipped a lot of coral frags overnight to customers using either FedEx or UPS. Initially, I used FedEx but I switched to UPS after FedEx screwed up and delivered some packages a day late. Frags are much more prone to die when in transit...

Captiv8 Aquaculture Salt: Initial Insights

Captiv8 Aquaculture Salt: Initial Insights

It has been just about four months since I started using Captiv8 Aquaculture salt and I wanted to provide my initial thoughts on what I have been seeing with my tanks and also some interesting tidbits about the salt itself. I had been using Instant Ocean salt for a...

Our Top 10 Must Have SPS Corals

Our Top 10 Must Have SPS Corals

I have many, many favorite SPS corals and my tastes have changed over the years. But some of my early favorites are still at the top of my list of must have SPS. Granted, a list of top SPS is very subjective since it comes down to personal preference and taste. What...

A Blueprint For Rebooting a Reef Tank

A Blueprint For Rebooting a Reef Tank

Does it make sense to tear down a thriving, healthy reef tank? On the surface it would seem to be a foolish move but a tank with too much coral growth can spell trouble. Growing corals can cause a drop in circulation and make it easier for detritus to settle inside a...

Rappin’ With ReefBum: Guest – Josh Saul

Rappin’ With ReefBum: Guest – Josh Saul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNp7punk8kM&list=PL3bGPPz-sMoPZc1QEiiYlAdK963m8nRo9&index=3 Rappin' With ReefBum is a LIVE talk show with host Keith Berkelhamer and guests from the reef keeping community. In this episode I chat with Josh Saul from Manhattan Reefs,...

Managing Phosphate in a Reef Tank

Managing Phosphate in a Reef Tank

It is very important to prevent phosphate from accumulating in a reef tank since high levels will stress out corals and invertebrates and feed the growth of unwanted algae. Corals suffer because high phosphate levels inhibit calcification but some phosphate is...

Using Lanthanum Chloride in a Reef, Too Risky?

Using Lanthanum Chloride in a Reef, Too Risky?

There are a number of ways to control phosphates in a reef tank. A protein skimmer and regular water changes will help to keep phosphates in check as will bio pellets. You can also use macro algae in an algae scrubber, algae reactor or refugium. Another alternative is...

Best Method For Keeping SPS: Ca Reactor or 2-Part?

Best Method For Keeping SPS: Ca Reactor or 2-Part?


It is always good to have options and in reef keeping there are usually many available to run and maintain a reef tank.  For instance, you do have choices when it comes to keeping up with the calcium and alkalinity demands of a reef aquarium, especially one that is SPS dominant.…

Aquascaping With CaribSea Life Rock

Aquascaping With CaribSea Life Rock


Years ago I tried to start a reef tank with dry rock and I had a terrible experience. It was one problem after another, including dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria and a bacterial bloom. I just couldn’t grow SPS like I had done so with live rock and I vowed to never use dry rock again.…