Activated carbon is a porous form of carbon that can be used to absorb or remove dissolved organics that give water its yellow tint. Removing these materials will help with biological filtration and increase water clarity.…
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.
Recent Content
Hanna HI736 Phosphorous ULR Checker: Tips For Accuracy
Recently I had been having issues getting some consistent and, I believe, accurate readings with my Hanna HI736 Phosphorous Ultra Low Range Checker. Here are some tips to help ensure you do get the most accurate readings possible.…
SPS Corals: Up Close and Personal
A while ago I blogged about how you can shoot macro videos without a macro lens, providing a step by step guide on this neat procedure. Recently, I purchased a Blackmagic Design Video Assist Recorder to help me shoot ultra close-up videos using a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro Lens on my Canon EOS 5D Mark III.…
How I Averted a Complete Tank Crash
AÂ few months ago my tank was spiraling downhill pretty quickly, as I was mysteriously losing a large number of corals, including many LPS colonies and SPS frags. I probably lost 50% of my corals and the ones remaining were not looking good.…
Designing a Plumbing Roadmap For a Reef Tank
When starting a reef tank it is always a great idea to lay out your plans for how you want to plumb together or connect all of your equipment. I call it a plumbing roadmap. I start by breaking out a pad of paper and doodling some sketches to see what works and what doesn’t work.…
Focus on Fish – Leopard Wrasse
Some reef keepers out there are considered wrasse guys or gals and feature as many of these beautiful creatures as they can in their reef tanks. I don’t consider myself to be a wrasse guy or wrasse head (excuse the pun, but I like the Grateful Dead) but I do come close.…
How I Beat Dinoflagellates
In my 25+ years keeping reef tanks I figured I had seen it all. Well, this can be a humbling hobby and I was reminded of this when I discovered dinos, short for dinoflagellates, in my 187 gallon tank about two years ago.  …
Guide For Basic ARID Algae Reactor Care
In this video I am going to take you through my weekly routine on how I clean my Pax Bellum ARID algae reactor and harvest the chaeto. I am then going to turn it over to Tristan Wilson, the owner of Pax Bellum, so he can demonstrate the proper way to swap out a light tube.…
Tank Tour: Mike Shur’s 280 Gallon Reef
During my recent trip to New York I stopped in to visit another long-time reef keeping buddy, Mike Shur, to check out his amazing 280 gallon reef tank. I believe the last time I saw Mike’s tank was nearly three years ago and boy has it grown into a spectacular reef tank!…
How to Live Stream a Webcam to YouTube
Are you thinking about setting up a live webcam for your aquarium or something else you would like to broadcast or monitor in real time? Â If so, read on!
For years I have employed webcams to monitor my reef tanks while I was away from home. Â …