Export update, building a reef in nature and Ballin’ on a Budget Pt. 2. This week Jeremy is looking for answers as to why a few frags are doing poorly yet others are thriving. Peter is loving the Koi Tang and contemplating new fishy additions. All this and more on Episode 119 of the Reef News Network.

News:

Jeremy- Brazil’s New Export Laws Could Benefit Marine Aquarists
Brazil is primarily known for a dizzying diversity of freshwater aquarium species, including iconic species like the Imperial Zebra Pleco, Hypancistrus zebra, also known simply as L46. Lesser known, however, are Brazil’s tropical marine fishes; this is mostly because prior regulations kept some species entirely out of the aquarium trade, while others were readily available from other Caribbean sources. In the new policy, Brazil has created several common-sense processes for allowing the commercial exploitation of species that might otherwise not be permitted. This includes those that have yet to be formally described (mainly a problem with freshwater species), but also those that might otherwise exist on a red list of species that by default are not allowed for commercial collection and export, through a series of individual evaluations. Captive breeding also has prominent support in the new rules, and may be another pathway to market for species that would not otherwise be allowed for export. In addition, clear rules are laid out for the proper (and prohibited) collection methods of marine fishes.

Peter- Divers Cut, Plant Coral off UAE Coast to Build Reef
The divers, from the Fujairah Adventure Centre, are building artificial reefs they hope will spur a resurgence in sea life degraded over the years by climate change and development.
The small team and other volunteers have planted more than 9,000 corals over about 600 square meters in the past year. Within five years, they hope to cover 300,000 square meters with 1.5 million corals.
“It’s a fertile environment for coral reefs, and this diversity has started spreading and has helped bring back sea life,” diver Saeed al-Maamari told Reuters.

Admin Profiles-

Kyle Caminita- runs a small IT company in Hattiesburg, Mississippi taking care of Medical Offices, CPAs, and Law Offices. He also started RadReefs last year which is a multi-vendor coral marketplace.
As for the hobby, he has been in it for 3 years now and currently has 3 systems running. A 210 mixed reef DT, his coral system which consists of two low boys and a 100g Rubbermaid sump in his shop, and a little IM25 lagoon in his office. He loves the hobby, and loves helping folks work through any tech or tank issues.

Greg Cholewa- has been around aquariums most of his life. As a child, it was always freshwater. It wasn’t until he was stationed over in Okinawa that he fell in love with all things coral reef related. He quickly had 3 tanks while over there, and then a fourth came. He had a mixture of corals, freshwater planted, axolotls, and cichlids. Once coming back stateside, one of the first things he established was a FOWLR as he knew he would be leaving again soon and could not justify a full blown reef.
He is currently building out a WaterBox 130.4 that is plumbed to the basement where the sump, frag tank, and water mixing/change station all live, and QT stations for coral and fish are also in the works. It has been a long process that is still ongoing. He really enjoys the planning of the build and trying to design everything out to make it as easy as possible to maintain. Outside of equipment and the glass box, he tries to make sure everything else is custom and done by himself. The main focus is trying to have a very successful reef while attempting to keep everything as simple as possible.

Main Topic:

Whether just starting out, upgrading, or working with a tight budget you can have a baller system without breaking the bank! Some industry leaders and reefers may look down on the budget reefer, at least in jest (I think we have all looked for a more affordable option at least a few times). We think that there is a ton of resourcefulness and brilliance that can be born of working within the confines of a tight budget. The key is not just getting stuff on the cheap but finding options that work well and last.

Conclusion…
This week we dive into the DIY, cover bang for your buck options, and talk a bit about frags, trading, and selling.

Reef News Network: https://reefnewsnetwork.com/