Frogfish Friend

 Hi friends! I get asked a lot of questions every week about my reef tank. One of the more common questions I get asked is along the lines of: "How do I get to the next level in reef keeping?".  I LOVE vague questions like that. Everyone's reef tank experience is different and everyone learns at different paces. So this is a hard question to blindly answer for everyone. But if I were to give a general blanket statement, I would recommend everyone brush up on their biology and chemistry. Learning the basics of these two sciences can greatly expand what you know and connect all of the dots.    There is a lot of overlap for the two, so it helps to know a little of everything. First, if you have not checked out my posts about cycling a tank, check them out here:  Cycling a tank  Ways to cycle a tank Its the nitrogen cycle! These links will help you understand a little more about the biology process going on inside of the tank and why things such as live rock are so important

 Hi friends!   I have a question for you today! What if coral became the new "betta"?  What do I mean by this? Well, betta fish are sold in small cups in stores across the country. This is because they sell them so fast (they claim). It leads people to believe they do not need a bigger home too. Along with this, companies market small containers and wild gadgets that really do not promote the health of the fish.  So what if we changed betta for coral? At first I was not sure what that would do... But now I actually think it would be an amazing achievement.  See, coral do not need a certain size container to live in. As long as they have light and good water they should be able to grow healthy. I think this alone would reduce the ethical issues around bettas in a cup. Coral in a cup!  The downside to this is I do not see it taking off. Everyone likes a fish because it swims around and "does stuff". It is active and bright and catches people's attention. Coral ten

 Hi friends!  As many of you may be learning, there are a lot of ways to accomplish something in the hobby. It typically comes down to what kind of care and maintenance you are willing to do and fit into your routine.  So tell me... What is your favorite way to cycle a tank? My personal favorite is to blind feed an empty tank. In my opinion, this is the most ethical approach to starting a cycle. All you simply have to do is drop 1-3 pellets into the tank every other day. Then you wait for it to decompose which breaks down into ammonia.  Another way to start a cycle is with a fish. The idea is similar. But instead of the food breaking down, the fish eats it and breaks it down directly to ammonia.  In my opinion, that is a cruel way to start a cycle. You are putting a fish in a dangerous environment. The ammonia burns the fish's gills and reduces its lifespan greatly. It is still a really common cycle method which is troublesome. There is virtually no gain from doing this. You do not

  Hi friends :) Here is a chance to own your very own FFF gifts for the holiday season! Act fast! Clownfish in Zoanthid 8x10 Canvas Print   Clownfish in Zoanthid Tile Coaster Clownfish in Zoanthid Mugs These are my three favorite items from the shop.  The canvas print is great for when I am away from the tanks. It makes my desk look nice and brings a lot of color to my day. The tile coaster is great when you are busy working in a tank and splash water everywhere. Or for resting your drinks on! Finally, as an avid coffee drinker I strongly recommend these mugs with a cute clown fish. It goes perfectly with the tile coasters!

This is a quick link to my HubPages account.     I am also posting great reef tank information there, so dont miss out! Check out these articles I have already posted: "Introducing a clownfish pair" "Coral Reef Tank Water Basics" "Coral Reef Tank Basics" 

 Hi Friends! Today I am going over how we categorize coral in the hobby. The three main groups we use are: 1. SPS (Small polyp stony coral) 2. LPS (Large polyp stony coral)  3. Softy   I will go over each of these categories in their own posts for more specific care and details. Things change often in the hobby and one of the more typical changes is how a coral is named and classified. These are not hard rules. Instead it is a tool to assist people in the hobby. SPS coral are what a lot of people imagine when they think about a coral reef. It is typically seen as a "reef builder" and it makes up a lot of the structure on the reef. The small polyps sit over a calcium carbonate skeleton. As the polyps stretch and expand towards the light they secrete the materials to grow their skeleton and tissue. Here are two examples close up. Below is a green Acro with small polyps. Above is a red Monti.   Typically the calcium carbonate skeleton grows first, followed closely by the tissue