by Saltwater Smarts | Aug 8, 2016 | Corals, Fish, Invertebrates, Reef, Science, Tanks
Freckled hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri)When it comes to keeping hawkfishes in aquaria, one of the more common admonitions is to avoid housing these predators with fish or crustaceans small enough to swallow. For most of the hawkfish species that grace our tanks, which generally have a maximum size somewhere between 3 and 5 inches, only very small tankmates are truly at risk. A noteworthy exception is the freckled hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri), which can reach a rather prodigious size and has a mouth to match. You really have to take that warning seriously with this species! That said, P. forsteri is a hardy, easy-to-care-for hawk that makes a worthy aquarium candidate provided tankmates and housing are chosen judiciously.Physical traits P. forsteri has the deep, stout body and high-set eyes, typical of the hawkfishes. Its maximum size is approximately 8½ inches. by ReefBum | Aug 7, 2016 | Equipment, Fish, Reef, Science, Tanks
Coast To Coast Custom Aquariums. This aquarium, a 187 gallon low iron tank with euro bracing and an external overflow, was a piece of art as the quality and craftsmanship were top notch. It was the Porsche of fish tanks! Yes, it was time to rethink my frag tank setup. For my prior setup I went with an acrylic frag tank since it was much cheaper and lighter then glass. Nonetheless, there were some tradeoffs, as the acrylic on this 44 gallon tank scratched easily and the eurobracing began to warp. I have always been an advocate of investing in quality products (you get what you pay for) since well built products are engineered to last long and are trustworthy. Yes, a frag tank is typically not on “display” by AquaNerd | Jul 29, 2016 | Aquaculture, Conservation, Fish, Industry, Invertebrates, Reef, Science, Sustainability, Tanks
Quality Marine Press Release Announcement available for the public – The First Ever Aquacultured Yasha Gobies Headed to Quality Marine Pursuant to our continued efforts to support captive breeding initiatives, as well as our dedication to remaining a leading source of aquacultured specimens whenever available, Quality Marine is excited to announce we’re adding yet another breakthrough species to our growing list – the Yasha Goby (Stonogoniops yasha). S. yasha is easily one of the most desirable species of goby available to aquarists. Known as the Yasha Goby (or, alternatively, the White Ray Shrimpgoby), this tiny fish is definitely not small in beauty or personality, with its vibrant red and white patterning and its greatly elongated dorsal fin. Like others in its genus, the Yasha Goby associates by Saltwater Smarts | Jul 21, 2016 | Equipment, Fish, Invertebrates, Reef, Science, Tanks
Using the Rule of Thirds to aquascape your reef can result in a more visually appealing appearanceAficionados of freshwater planted aquariums have long understood that observing certain rules of composition when aquascaping with plants, rocks, driftwood, and other features can have a tremendous impact on an aquarium’s overall aesthetic impression. While we reefkeepers haven’t traditionally placed much emphasis on composition in our aquascaping approach—at least not in a formal sense—we can certainly enhance our enjoyment of the hobby by implementing some of these same rules. Among these is the “Rule of Thirds.” To apply the Rule of Thirds, imagine that a grid pattern consisting of two equidistant vertical lines and two equidistant horizontal lines is superimposed over the front of your tank. This grid creates nine equal-sized, rectangular sections and visually divides the image in front of you into thirds both vertically and horizontally. Picture that famous image at the beginning of The Brady Bunch TV series (sans the Bradys and Alice, of course), and you’ll have the general idea.Place aquascaping elements and sessile inverts along the grid lines with strong focal points positioned where lines intersect Great, so you’ve got a mental grid floating in front of your tank and the theme to The Brady Bunch running in a constant loop through your head. Now what? Well, according to the Rule of Thirds, compositional elements—for our purposes, aquascaping elements and sessile invertebrates—should be placed along the grid lines and strong focal points should be positioned at points where the lines intersect. For our purposes, a strong focal point could be a particularly impressive coral specimen, a prominent rock projection, etc. by Saltwater Smarts | Jul 11, 2016 | Fish, Reef, Science, Tanks, Travel
Public aquariums can provide hobbyists with numerous insights that can apply to their home systemsHere in the US, the summer travel season is well underway, and popular attractions all across the nation are swarming with tourists. For those of us enamored with marine life, vacation travel often involves a visit to major public aquariums, where we can spend several quality hours figuratively immersed in the underwater realm. (Turns out most facilities get pretty upset if you try to do this literally!) As a reefkeeper, what I find particularly interesting about visiting public aquariums is not just the enthralling experience they provide while I’m there, but also the information I glean from the exhibits that can be applied to my own systems back home.Here are just a few examples: Aquascaping inspiration The smaller display tanks that are often peripheral to the gazillion-gallon crowd-pleaser tanks in public aquariums can provide excellent insights on how to configure rockwork and other aquascaping features in your home aquarium for optimum aesthetic appeal. Sure, artificial elements (e.g., faux coral inserts, etc.) often stand in for the real thing in these tanks, but it’s easy enough to extrapolate from the design concepts on exhibit. Which fish species might coexist Seeing different fish species or conspecific groups “playing nice” in a public aquarium display tank can be helpful in determining whether they’re likely to get along in a home aquarium. However, you do have to take the size of the exhibit into account because both heterospecific and conspecific aggression tends to become more intensified as tank size diminishes. by Marcin Smok | Jun 29, 2016 | Equipment, Industry, Photography, Tanks, Technology
 Small, rimless aquariums have been gaining a lot of attention in the US, and until recently, this branch of aquarium manufacturing was dominated by a single company, and the only other choice was to invest in a custom-made glass...
