For many years I used Bayer Advanced Complete Insect Killer as a dip to kill AEFW on SPS frags. Bayer is a garden insecticide and it will not only kill AEFW, but Red Bugs as well. But here is the thing, Bayer is hazardous to humans and, thus, you must be extremely careful when using the product as a dip.…
Years ago when I started to keep reef tanks the only bacteria on my radar were nitrifying bacteria. The goal after cycling a tank was to have a healthy population of this good guy bacteria. Nitrifying bacteria provide biological filtration and are responsible for breaking down organic waste in a reef tank.…
Growing out SPS to cultivate frags can be both a rewarding as well as a frustrating experience. Most of my farmed Acros have thrived while a few have sputtered. Quit frankly, it is a mystery to me as to why a few have been dormant.…
I am a big fan of tabling Acropora and one classic I dig is the Crayola Plana. This Acropora plana has a cream colored base, purple tips and green polyps. It is a beautiful mix of contrasting colors, worthy of its Crayola Crayon nickname.…
Most of the equipment and supplies used for a reef tank are purchased at a local fish store (LFS) or an online aquarium supply store. But what about shopping at a grocery store or hardware store? Yes, these types of stores stock plenty of handy household items for a reef tank.…
Perhaps you have heard the saying that nothing good happens fast in a reef tank. It is so true. Patience is a key ingredient for success in this hobby, on a number of fronts.
Avoid Instant Gratification
Let’s start by talking about instant gratification.…
Whether you use PVC pipe for a fish tank or another application, there are certain best practices you can follow when gluing it to achieve the best results.
Why I use PVC
When setting up a reef tank I like to hard plumb the tank to the sump with PVC pipe instead of using flexible tubing.…
These days rainbow Acropora tenuis are very popular among SPS collectors. Many of these corals are shown under blue lights to highlight their florescent colors. Furthermore, some vendors will “photoshop” their pictures to create even more unrealistic images of the corals.…
There are SO many SPS corals to choose from these days and many are being sold at ridiculously high prices. Sorry, but I can’t justify paying a few hundred dollars for a half inch frag. Unfortunately, many sellers lean on photoshop and marketing hype to drive up prices.…
You can ask successful reefkeepers what they dose for SPS in terms of supplements, additives and coral food and chances are you will get a few different answers. Some use amino acids while others may use a powder food like Reef-Roids.…