by Saltwater Smarts | Sep 18, 2016 | Equipment, Invertebrates, Reef, Science
Ever notice that there are lots of articles and posts out there with titles like “The Top 10 Mistakes Novice Marine Aquarists Make”? Considering that newcomers are generally much more susceptible to making major errors than their experienced counterparts are, this stands to reason. However, just because the slip-up spotlight is usually focused on newbies doesn’t mean experienced hobbyists never make mistakes. In fact, they still make their share of blunders, most of which stem from complacency or overconfidence.So, turnabout being fair play—and to give hobby newcomers a break for a change—let’s look at what I would consider the 5 most common mistakes experienced marine aquarists make: 1. Failing to test Experienced hobbyists may like to believe they can ascertain the nitrate level in their tank by simply sniffing the water (“Mmm, smells like 20 ppm to me. Time for a water change!”), but the fact of the matter is, routine testing of water parameters is just as important for advanced hobbyists as it is for newbies. True, they probably have a pretty solid maintenance regimen in place, so water-quality problems aren’t likely to develop suddenly by Joe Rowlett | Sep 14, 2016 | Invertebrates
The typical amphipod is a grey little beastie that holds little appeal for most aquarists, but there are in fact some truly beautiful species within the group that can be found scurrying about the reefs of the tropical... by Chris Maupin | Sep 12, 2016 | Invertebrates, Science
As reefkeepers, and aquarists in general, know, most aquatic animals excrete ammonia as their primary nitrogenous waste product. What reefkeepers also know is that Tridacnid clams, like corals, host symbiotic zooxanthellae which utilize nitrogen, photosynthesize, and... by Admin | Aug 26, 2016 | Invertebrates, Science
Every so often I come across a headline, based on press releases from academic institutions, that isn’t quite accurate. So when I heard this new story and stumbled upon an older one, I had to take a closer... by AquaNerd | Aug 25, 2016 | Aquaculture, Conservation, Fish, Invertebrates, Reef, Science, Technology
August 23, 2016 – Los Angeles – Quality Marine is proud to announce the arrival of Aquacultured Royal Grammas from the Batavia Coast Maritime Institute (BCMI) in Australia. A testament to the biologists and aquarists who bred and reared them, these Fairy Basslets are exceptionally robust and healthy. Because of the limited number of specimens, they will only be available to public aquariums and educational facilities at this time. Royal Grammas represent just one of several species being aquacultured by BCMI, a campus of Durack Institute of Technology in Western Australia. by ReefBum | Aug 25, 2016 | Corals, Fish, Invertebrates, Reef, Science
In a captive reef aquarium both LPS and SPS corals require nutrition to thrive. In my SPS dominated reefs I have always had a lot of fish and relied on fish poop as a source of nutrition to improve SPS growth and coloration. To further supplement the diets of my corals, I have also used certain feeds such as Oyster-Feast from Reef Nutrition. According to Chad Clayton, Reef Nutrition’s Live Feeds Supervisor, Oyster-Feast is their best all-around base feed for the majority of invertebrates in a reef tank. The positives associated with this food are as follows: It’s a natural food source. It’s sized appropriately for SPS corals (the smallest particles are in the 1 micron range). There are a wide range of particle sizes
