Author: risalat

Many aquarium enthusiasts eventually find themselves wanting to explore the beauty and diversity of saltwater marine life. Freshwater aquariums are simpler, less expensive, and easier to care for, but as your experience grows, the stunning colors and unique appeal of a saltwater aquarium can become increasingly attractive. Converting a freshwater tank to a saltwater tank…

Dry rock and live rock serve as the structural bedrock for marine aquariums, shaping their aesthetic appeal, biological processes, and overall ecosystem. According to a research article in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, these rock types, despite their stark differences, are equally capable of supporting vibrant marine life. Dry rock, as its name…

Clownfish are colorful and fascinating marine creatures that often raise questions regarding their behavior and life cycle. One such question revolves around whether or not clownfish eat their own eggs. Understanding the reasoning behind this behavior is essential for both saltwater aquarium enthusiasts and those interested in marine life in general. Male clownfish are in…

For those who are new to the world of saltwater aquariums, one of the most common questions that arises is whether tap water can be used. While it may seem like a simple question, the answer is not as straightforward as one might think. The use of tap water in a saltwater aquarium can have…

As reef tank enthusiasts, we know that lighting plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy and thriving environment for our marine life. However, finding the perfect balance between too little and too much light can be a delicate dance. The initial sign of too much light is coral bleaching, losing tissue, and losing color….

If you have a cat or a dog, you know they often get bored and need toys and outdoor activities for entertainment. But as an aquarium enthusiast, what can you do for your fish to keep them healthy and happy? Do they get bored swimming aimlessly? Do they need toys to get out of boredom?…

Hermit crabs are fascinating pets to have. Most of the aquarists get impressed by their ornamental color pattern and low maintenance and decide to add some to their tank. But after checking hermit crabs groups on the internet, I found out that all most all the beginners are struggling to figure out how many hermit…

Because of their pretty appearance and easy care, turbo snails have always been one of the favorite pet snails for aquarists. Apart from this, these little creatures are very handy in keeping the tank clean as they have a never-ending appetite for algae. But because of their high algae-eating habits, new aquarists always need help…

A FOWLR (Fish Only with Live Rock) tank represents a specialized approach to marine aquaria, focusing on maintaining fish alongside live rocks. Live rocks, contrary to their name, are not living rocks but are home to a variety of marine organisms. These organisms, as highlighted by a study in the Journal of Marine Science, play…

When you see your favorite pet fish swimming in the tank, have you ever wondered if it has emotions? Does it cry when sad or depressed? If so, you are not alone. There has been a big question mark on this topic for decades. Indeed there has been a huge debate among scientists about fish…

Have you ever seen a fish swimming backward? I’m sure, right now, you must be rewinding your mind and imagining a fish swimming, right? Like you when I first started researching this topic, I couldn’t think of any backward swimming fish. So can fish swim backward actually? Yes, most bony fish and some cartilaginous fish…

Reef tanks are a popular way to create a miniature underwater ecosystem in the comfort of your own home. These tanks are home to a variety of marine life, including coral, fish, and invertebrates. One important aspect of a healthy reef tank is the presence of microfauna, such as pods. Pods, short for copepods and…

Coralline algae are a type of algae that are commonly found in reef environments. These algae are important for the health of the reef ecosystem, as they provide a hard surface for other marine organisms to attach to and grow on. In addition, coralline algae are known for their beautiful pink, purple, or red colors,…

When you watch your pet fish goofing around in the tank, looking clueless and lost, you probably start to wonder how dumb they are! But what I am about to tell you may shock you to the core. Fish, indeed, have brains. Not only that, but their brains are also quite superior compared to other…

We understand a pet mom or dad’s urgency and eagerness to keep their place as close to them as possible. But sometimes, we are driven to establish a ‘no bedroom’ policy for our cats and dogs. Does that rule establish for aquarium pets too? You can certainly put a fish tank in the bedroom since…

As pet owners, we must prepare ourselves to face the death of our favorite pets, no matter how devastating that must feel. Just because death is indispensable and inevitable, we can’t neglect our duty as pet owners and ignore our fish on the verge of their death. You can comfort your dying fish by keeping…

Having a reef tank is challenging for a lot of reasons. Since there is life in the water, something will always go on, requiring you to stay alert. One such thing to make you lose your sleep is red slime. If you leave it to flourish, it will coat live rock, substrate, and sessile invertebrates,…

The number of fish you can put in a reef depends on the bio-load, the bacterial and algae buildup, fish species, filtration systems, tank size, temperature management, experience, and more. For a new reef tank, you can add 1 inch of fish per 5 gallons. Tanks over 40 gallons can hold more fish than allotted…

Canister filters are considered top-of-the-line filtration systems for freshwater tanks. They are silent, have up to 3 mediums of filtration packed into a single system, and can handle large water tanks easily. These seem to be the perfect qualities for a saltwater tank, but is it safe for you to do so? A canister filter…

A refugium is an integral component in any saltwater or reef tank. It’s a self-sustaining system in your tank that balances all the minerals in the water and reduces toxin buildup. But to ensure that your refugium works as intended, you have to pick the right macroalgae for it. To get a fully functional toxin…

Evaporation is an inevitable process in an open system like a fish tank. In a freshwater tank, it isn’t a major concern, but in a reef tank, it can be lethal. Saltwater evaporates slower than freshwater, but multiple factors in a reef tank can increase the evaporation rate drastically. High temperature, water agitation, airflow, and…

I call a reef tank a tiny piece of the ocean inside glass walls. When you think of an aquascape, adding various reef animals or creatures is a part of it. But what type of animal can you have in a reef tank? You can add many creatures, such as fishes, various corals, and invertebrates…

The effects of a dirty reef tank sand bed extend beyond aesthetic issues. The reef tank sand bed may be a tremendous advantage for helpful bacteria to eliminate nitrates and phosphates when kept clean and well-maintained. A filthy sand bed may increase nitrate, phosphate, and ammonia. So, how to clean the sand bed of your…

As an aquarist, it’s imperative to know the physicochemical conditions of marine water to maintain coral reef tanks. Without calcium, proper and timely calcification can’t take place for the prolific growth of both LPS and SPS corals. Hence, if you want to breed colorful calcareous corals, you should know how often to dose calcium in…

Copepods are a natural cleaner for fish tanks. They feed on leftover fish food, algae or chaeto, and other tank matter as they feed on pretty much anything, keeping the tank water naturally clean. Nevertheless, cleaning the aquarium from time to time is essential to keep the environment healthier. But before that, you need to…

If you have been walking the lanes of an aquarist life long enough, you should know by now that most reef tank coral and fish species thrive better in relatively cold water. For consistency/longevity, chillers work wonders for reef tanks. However, it’s not a great idea to use chillers for reef tanks right away as…

Refugium has become a trending topic among hobbyist aquarists. However, it is nothing new as refugium has been around for longer than you think and benefits saltwater reef tanks in many ways. It can be convenient if you know how to set up a refugium. First, find a place inside or outside your fish tank…

If you have a refugium set up to improve your fish tank’s environment, you would want to ensure the best of everything. And one of the things that affect the refugium’s ecosystem and tank life is copepods. Cultivating copepods is highly beneficial but requires providing them with the best food to help them grow well….

Maintaining the right level of salinity is a significant task for reef aquarists since the longevity of sea corals depends on the salinity level of the aquariums. Without timely supervision & proper measurement of salinity levels, the state of an ecosystem can decline immensely. And that’s why aquarists have been opting to get refractometers to…

If you are a beginner reefer having concerns about dosing your reef tank, you are in the right place. When a hobbyist starts reef keeping, everything seems overwhelming since it is no piece of cake to maintain a reef aquarium. It is alright for you to be nervous about keeping your corals healthy. But the…

Searching for food is one of the topmost prioritized activities on the to-do list of a reef tank fish, followed by staying alive and reproducing. So, when you adopt some reef babies, it is normal to get concerned regarding how often should I feed my reef tank. More importantly, what food should I feed? You…

Your reef aquarium’s water flow has a cardinal role in maintaining the water environment. It is especially crucial if you have corals. In the case of fish, a proper flow produces lots of oxygen and gas exchange, helping move nutrients and waste into your filtration system. The flow delivers vital nutrients and food while washing…

Having a reef tank means you know the ABC of its maintenance, one of which includes the filtration system. It is of three types: mechanical, biological, and chemical. We will talk about the first one today. Mechanical filtration keeps your aquarium free of wastes and organic particles for your aquatic pets to stay healthy. You…

Since it is mandatory to keep the phosphate levels optimum in your reef tank, you have to arrange appropriate tools for that. There are a handful of options in the market, such as PhosGuard and GFO. You would be right to have concerns about which one to use. Both PhosGuard and GFO remove silicates and…

A protein skimmer is an indispensable part of setting up a reef tank. It helps keep your tank water clean, stabilize the parameters, and keep your aquatic animals healthy. But if you are a new reefer, you most probably do not know how to set a protein skimmer. That is what we will help you…

Biopellets and GFO are essential mechanisms to keep your tank environment safe and healthy for your fish friends. Both have similar tasks with some differences that new reefers may not know due to their lack of experience. So here goes an intro session for biopellets VS GFO. The prime difference between a GFO reactor and…

Having a reef tank means carrying out a continuous process of maintenance. After all, you have the responsibility to take care of the lives inside your aquarium. It is mandatory to check on all the areas to ensure their well-being. For example, the protein skimmer you have got to keep your tank clean needs tuning…

You need to have a collection of useful tools if you have a reef tank. Among them, a protein skimmer is one whose demand has been scaling up since people’s increasing interest in reefing. You can use it for all aquariums. But it may not always be that effective, depending on your tank type and…

Introducing corals to your new saltwater aquarium is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and fun steps of building a reef tank. It is rewarding to see how they look in the tank and get them the comfiest place there while they settle in the tank. It is as if all your efforts into getting…

When you begin your journey as a saltwater aquarist, you will come across different unfamiliar terminologies. You may have knowledge about freshwater tanks, but that will not be much help. The fundamental equipment in these two tanks differs from one another. A perfect example of that is a protein skimmer. A protein skimmer is a…

Having a coral reef tank requires you to have knowledge about a lot of things other than managing the reef tank and the corals. You may have or will have heard of the term zooxanthellae if you talk or have talked about reefing with experienced reefers. Zooxanthellae, a type of photosynthesis algae, are plant cells…

Before the excitement of getting the long-desired reef tank gets you, you should think of the preparation first because you cannot just buy a tank and throw some coral, fish, sand, water, and rocks in it. If that is the case, be aware because you need some learning about how to cycle a reed tank….

Sumps are saviors for fish tanks. I realized that after I got mine. It helps to keep the tank environment stable and allows the fish to thrive. But as time passed and the tank started getting dirty, I had one thing in my mind: how to clean my reef tank sump. You can clean a…

Kalkwassar is basically Calcium Hydroxide in the German language. It is an additive for reef tanks and is not much costly compared to others. It helps you raise the levels of pH and calcium in your reef tank. For beginner and intermediate hobbyists, it is a simple and economical way to maintain the alkalinity and…

Even if you are a beginner, it should not come as a shock to you that maintaining a reef tank is not a piece of cake. There are a number of things to take care of and an important one of them is maintaining the right temperature in a reef tank. This is because the…

A canister filter is capable of handling all the filtration needs of a reef tank. It actively forces the water of a tank to enter the canister and pass through the media and makes sure that the water cannot get any chance to channel around the media. It means that a canister filter is very…