ReefBum
  • My goal is to help hobbyists create the reef tank of their dreams. That’s it. And to do that I focus on three main areas: Cultivation, Education and Inspiration. My blog, online course, and book are the educational tools I use to share knowledge I have accumulated over the years, providing a roadmap for success.

    View all posts

Recent Content

Peninsula Tank Build – Controlling Excess Nutrients

Peninsula Tank Build – Controlling Excess Nutrients

I like to keep a slightly “dirty” tank for SPS and to do that I rely on a high import/export system. I target 2 to 5 ppm for nitrates and .03 to .07 ppm for phosphates.

On the import side, I like to keep a good number of fish and feed them heavily.…

How To Set Up an SPS Quarantine Tank

How To Set Up an SPS Quarantine Tank

Acro Eating Flatworms (AEFW), Red Bugs and other parasitic pests are unwanted guests in a SPS dominant reef tank. They can severely impact the health of corals and can be difficult to eradicate.

The Equipment

Setting up a SPS quarantine tank is a great way to keep a display tank pest free.…

Peninsula Tank Build – Lighting

Peninsula Tank Build – Lighting

I have never, ever used LEDs over any of my SPS dominated reef tanks but that is going to change with this peninsula tank. I have had great success with metal halides and supplemental T5’s and, as a result, have stuck with what works.…

Peninsula Tank Build – Cycling The Tank

Peninsula Tank Build – Cycling The Tank


Good old live rock is not so easy to find these days but there are a couple of places that do sell aquacultured rock. I have had great experiences cycling tanks with live rock so I wanted to use it again for this build.…

Peninsula Tank Build – Going Bare Bottom

Peninsula Tank Build – Going Bare Bottom

I have never had a bare bottom reef tank but that is going to change with this new aquarium. Why, well, strong flow is very important for SPS since it helps to deliver nutrients and with a peninsula tank I think it will be a real challenge to keep sand in place.…

Peninsula Tank Build – Aquascaping

Peninsula Tank Build – Aquascaping

Minimalistic aquascapes have become very popular today and I am certainly a fan of some of the Negative Space Aquascapes folks have created using dry rock. However, when you do things right with a SPS dominant tank the acros will eventually hide most, if not all, of that rock.…

Peninsula Tank Build – Live Rock or Dry Rock?

Peninsula Tank Build – Live Rock or Dry Rock?


For years I had always started my reef tanks with live rock and had great success. Live rock comes with a good population of bacteria and you can cycle a tank pretty quickly.

However, about 5 years ago I decided to give it a go with dry rock.…

Peninsula Tank Build – Tank Plumbing

Peninsula Tank Build – Tank Plumbing

https://reefbum.com/instructional/peninsula-tank-build-tank-plumbing/

When I set up plumbing for a reef tank I have two things in mind. Make it failsafe over the long haul and design something to make tank maintenance easier.…

Peninsula Tank Build – The Custom Aquarium

Peninsula Tank Build – The Custom Aquarium

The largest tank I have ever owned was a 225 gallon aquarium that measured 72”L x 30”W x 24”T. It seemed like a big tank and I was not gung-ho about going bigger with this new tank. A bigger tank equates to more money for the tank, equipment and livestock and I didn’t want to go overboard.…