DIY Surface Skimmer Links for the Reef Aquarium Hobbyists

A good question before starting is, what is the job of a surface skimmer? You will not find a lot of information on the web about what a surface skimmer does. But here is what I found out about them.

1. It skims dissolved proteins to suppress nutrient buildup and preserve good water quality.

2. It improves oxygen exchange.

3. It allows better light penetration by getting rid of surface film.

4. It aids in bringing new layers of water to the surface.

If you are interested in making your own surface skimmer, then here are a few DIY links.

Micro Reef Surface Skimmer

Minimum Cost DIY Surface Skimmer

DIY Surface Skimmer for HOB

DIY Surface Skimmer Box

If you have come across any cool DIY sites, let me know about, and I will put a post here on my site.

PURCHASE NEW SURFACE SKIMMERS

If you are not into making things but you are still interested in adding a surface skimmer to your aquarium, then I have provided a few links for that as well. After doing some research I found out that the cost of a skimmer is pretty cheap. It may be better to buy one.

Fluval Surface Skimmer

JBJ Nano Cube M.S.S. (Modular Surface Skimmer) for 12G & 24G

Tom Aquatics Aquarium Surface Skimmer

Aqua Clear Surface Skimmer

Coral Reef Aquarium Hobby Information

Image via WikipediaImage via Wikipedia

Nothing can compare to the beauty of a live coral reef aquarium, with beautiful ocean creatures and intriguing critters moving around the rocks in the display. Having a coral reef aquarium, is basically having a tiny chunk of the ocean in your home. To get into reef aquariums as a hobby, what items are absolutely necessary for success?

LIVE ROCK

Live rock is the main form of biological filtration in a coral reef aquarium. Coral rock houses photosynthetic invertebrates, bacteria, and algae, which routinely removes the toxic waste that comes from corals, fish, and other creatures housed within your aquarium. Oftentimes, live rock will have tag along creatures that are also beneficial to your coral reef aquarium. Creatures such as worms, and shrimp, that ingest large toxic waste, thus breaking it down to dissolved ammonium, so that the bacteria, and algae can convert it to non-toxic waste.
PROTEIN SKIMMERS
These amazingly simple devices remove protein scum from your coral reef aquarium. It does this by creating minute bubbles in the water, using fine air. These tiny bubbles capture phosphate, amino acids, detritus, fats, and other nasty scum, and force them to rise to the top of the skimmer as a brown sludge, eliminating them from your coral reef aquarium. It's an amazing contraption, but the ocean has been doing the same thing for a lot longer. Crashing waves along the beach create an infinite amount of tiny bubbles which, in the same manner, separates the scum from the saltwater. We see it as foam along the beach.
GOOD LIGHTING
This aspect of a coral reef aquarium, cannot be understated. The ocean provides coral reefs with perfect lighting. In an aquarium, the lighting is obviously not as good. Natural light is good, but in order for corals and other creatures to thrive, they need the full spectrum of light. This can be provided by halogen lights, for example. Lighting in the coral reef aquarium also needs to be adjusted to mimic the days and nights that the corals would be exposed to in the ocean. Also, one needs to monitor the intensity of the lighting. Too much, or too little, can be detrimental. Proper maintenance of bulbs is needed to make sure intensity remains constant as well.
WATER MOVEMENT
Ocean currents and waves keep corals clean. Inside the coral reef aquarium, this can be simulated with oscillating pumps, surge machines, or other pumps that will keep the water constantly moving. It is important not to have any dead spots in your tank, when it comes to water movement.
WATER CHEMISTRY
The parameters of your water chemistry within the coral reef aquarium must be kept under close scrutiny. Ammonia, nitrate, nitrites, pH, alkalinity, and calcium, for example, must be monitored regularly and kept near perfect levels for your tank to thrive. Deviations, even small ones, can cause an aquarium to crash very quickly.
TEMPERATURE
The temperature of the ocean in certain areas determine where a coral reef will thrive. Below 70 degrees Fahrenheit and you will not see any reef building corals. If the water is above 86 degrees, then corals slowly die. So then, the temperature of your coral reef aquarium needs to be kept within these parameters, with very little fluctuation.
This obviously, has been a very generic course in having and maintaining a coral reef aquarium. There are many other elements that can come into play, to have a beautiful piece of the ocean in our home or place of work. The coral reefs of the ocean have, in some areas, begun to disappear, and so having an aquarium in your home is not only entertaining but it is also helping to preserve these amazing creations. As a hobby, coral reef aquariums can be fun and satisfying. Continue to learn and apply that learning, and you will have years of enjoyment with your coral reef aquarium.

Good Hobby Information About Reef Aquariums

reef aquariums - Google Blog Search

• The Protein Skimmer And The Nano Reef Aquarium
  
  Nano aquariums are very small, ranging from 10 gallons or a little less to around 30 gallons or so. They are popular, at least partly because they have the advantage of being able to fit almost anywhere, so the aquarist ...
  
• Latest Reef Aquarium Science
  
  A complete resource for the latest reef aquarium science videos, photos, news, articles, and guides. All kinds of information and products can be found about coral reefs and saltwater aquariums. An excellent how-to site for those interested in ...
  
• The Different Types of Saltwater Aquariums
  
  The next kind of saltwater aquarium is the coral reef aquarium. Reef aquariums can be difficult to maintain and must be thoroughly researched before attempted. The last category of saltwater aquariums is the specialty aquarium. ...
  
• Hammer Coral
  
  I recently bought a medium size Euphyllia ancora. It seems to have been damaged at one end of the 'T' shaped branch and is developing a brown jelly infection. Is their anything I can do to save this coral? Vicki Chamness ...
  
• Reef Builders Swag Give-away: H20 Ocean Plus Salt
  
  Up for grabs is a 1 gallon bucket of H2O Ocean plus salt. The salt which is the number 1 seller in Europe has been getting remarkable reviews from aquarists from the United States. So how do you enter? Simple, just respond in comments ...
  
• Displacement - What Is It?
  
  With a fish only system the amount of rock work is most likely going to be less than a reef (though not necessarily so). This is fortunate as fish only aquariums are stocked more heavily than reef aquariums - the amount of seawater displaced will ...
  

Question for the Hobbyist-Should I use Carbon or no Carbon in my Reef Aquarium?

I want to start off this post by letting my readers know that running carbon in your reef tank is safe. Whether you choose to do it or not is up to you. I will give a few reasons why it is good and I will also give you some things you need to be aware of. In addition, I will provide you with some source material that will help you to make an informed decision.


Carbon can help in reducing toxins in your water, such as some bad toxins your corals may give off. It can also polish your water, making it crystal clear, and it can keep your water from smelling nasty. 


But you also need to be aware that if you choose to use carbon, you need to change it regularly. Why? Because carbon, once it is 'saturated' with something that it has absorbed, can release it back into the water very quickly. And that, my friends, is something we all want to avoid.


Something else you need to be aware of: cheap carbon can leach phosphates into your tank. If you have carbon already, you can test it by soaking it for a few days in RO, or perhaps distilled water, then do a PO4 test on the water. If your test shows no phosphates then go ahead and use it. Here is an article entitled "Activated Carbon and Phosphates" by Steven Pro - http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_4/V4I2/carbon/carbon_comparisons.htm. Steven compares a few carbons available on the market and how much phosphate they have in them.

It doesn't take much carbon to do a good job. As an example of how much, let's say you have a 90 gallon tank, you would only need about 2 or 3 heaping tablespoons of carbon. From this, you can kinda figure out how much to put in your tank.


Hopefully, this post has helped you in your decision to use carbon or not to use carbon. Always do research, keep reading, and keep learning. If you do, your reef tank will be around for a long time to enjoy.

Blue/green Chromis-Great for the Reef Aquarium Hobby

The photo was taken by SDGuy. Check out his gallery by clicking here.

If you want some fish for your reef tank that don't cost a lot of money, and that usually don't cause much trouble, then consider some blue/green Chromis!

These fish have a cool color that seem to change as they move across the light. Some people have issues with these fish, but the majority that have them love them. The issues come when they have been in a tank for awhile and one becomes bigger and more dominant. If you have good water flow, lots of rockwork, and stock bigger tank mates, you can prevent this. It is also recommended to keep them well fed with particle food.

These are beautiful, reflective fish that will add great color and movement to your aquarium

Hobbyists-Make Sure your Refractometer is Calibrated Correctly to your Reef Aquarium!

If you are using ro/di water to calibrate your refractometer, it's a possibility that your tank water may be off. Ro/di water is filtered water and whatever readings the filter puts out is what you get. You may not be accurately calibrating your refractometer if you are using this method. And we all know that inaccuracies in a reef tank, even if slight, can cause major problems with your fish and corals. Even distilled water can vary.

So what is the safe alternative? Use calibration fluid. Calibration fluid is consistent by design and tightly controlled.

One person learned this before it was too late:

"I was at my LFS and bought a bottle of pinpoint salinity monitor 53 ms calibration solution. I checked it with my refractometer and it read 1.031.... Whoa!!! so i calibrated it to this solution to read 1.026 then checked my tank water and it read 1.020... Holy toledo!!! i guess this explains why some of my SPS are looking like crapola!!!"

So to avoid any possible problems buy a $3 bottle of solution and check your refractometer with it. Especially if you have been calibrating it to read 0 using ro/di water, your meter will be off. Yes, it works in theory (in an ideal world), if the ro/di unit is very accurate in every section of the scale. However, in reality, most are not--even more expensive models.

Soft & Stony Corals Guides-Perfect for Beginners

I have found two great tools for beginner hobbyists who are interested in adding corals to their tanks, but haven't done so yet. These are two posters that list soft and stony corals that can be added to your tank along with additional information that you will need to know.


Anthony Calfo's reef posters feature great photos of fascinating reef creatures, plus lots of interesting facts. This Soft Corals Poster features interesting species such as pipe organs, leathers, various polyps, and many more.


This stony corals poster has great information and photos of corals like open brain corals, bubble corals, and more.

These are two great quick, reference guides that I'm sure beginners can use.
You can click on the posters to learn more.

Derasa Clams and the Hobby of Reef Aquariums

The photo is courtesy of Froggy. You can see his 75 gal tank pictures by clicking here.

The scientific name for the Derasa Clam is Tridacna derasa. It is also known as the Southern Giant Clam or Smooth Giant Clam.

It is a very conspicuous clam, as seen from the photo. It has a stripped or wavy line mantle pattern with colors like orange, yellow, black, blue and white. It can grow very quickly in a reef tank. It can go from 2" to 6" in just a year!

It needs bright lighting supplied by intense fluorescent or metal halide lamps to live, grow, and keep its bright colors.

The clams feeding is mostly photosynthetic. However, they can benefit from feedings of phytoplankton, but it is not required.

Position the clam on your substrate in the bottom of the tank, in a low to moderate water flow area. This is a good place to position it as well, if you have extremely intense lights. But you can position it higher up in the tank, if it is in a secure location, where it is not in danger of falling.

Proper calcium levels (400-450 ppm) are important for growth as is maintaining good alkalinity levels. Proper levels of strontium and iodine are also needed.

This is a very hardy clam and it is a great one for the beginning hobbyist. If you provide it with quality water, and proper lighting, you will enjoy this beautiful creature for a long time. Prices for a Derasa clam range from $39.00 to $89.00 depending on the size.

For Those In The Hobby-Is a Protein Skimmer Necessary for a Reef Aquarium?

Do I need a protein skimmer for my reef aquarium?

This is a subject that I think will always be debated on. If you go to any of the reef aquarium forums, I'm sure you will find a discussion dealing with this very question right now. In fact, that's why I decided to do a post on the subject.

I'm not quite sure if you "need" one. But it does help in removing organics before they break down and become part of the nitrogen cycle. However, a skimmer could over skim and end up removing beneficial nutrients taken in by corals and inverts. And that would not be good. So if you don't want to skim then you must do small, weekly water changes. This is a must!

Skimming also provides aeration for the water, oxygenating it, thus improving the overall health of your fish and corals. But if the skimmer does not produce enough bubbles it may not remove the bad organics in the water. It must be fine tuned. Again, you can avoid this worry by doing weekly water changes, but they have to be done religiously!

But how many of us fail in doing regular water changes? A protein skimmer could add a little bit of a buffer, if you cannot do a change on a regular basis. And it can provide some protection if some catastrophe happens in the tank. Like for example, a creature dies and leaks excessive junk into the tank, the skimmer would help in removing that junk quickly, way before you even know about it.

If you have a skimmer and you are thinking of removing it from your system, keep in mind that you will want to do it gradually, so their will be no undo stress on the ecosystem of your tank. If you are thinking of adding one, remember to get a good one. Now I didn't say an expensive one, but a good one. Check out the online marine forums for information on which skimmers are the best, and then choose one that matches best with the size and the type of creatures you have in your aquarium.

If you don't have a skimmer and you notice that your SPS corals, for example, are not coloring up (not turning brown), then maybe you don't need a skimmer. But if you notice something wrong with your sensitive animals then maybe a skimmer is needed.

So, I have to sum it up this way, whether you have a skimmer or not, their will never be a substitute for frequent, small water changes!

Reef Aquarium Lighting-What Those in the Hobby Should Know

Aquarium Lighting
Oftentimes, one of the areas that is confusing and quite expensive is lighting your aquarium. A marine tank needs to have the proper light for your corals, anemones, and clams, for example, to thrive. If your tank is a fish only tank, then you can get away with pretty much any kind of light that is suited to your personal taste, but if you have other delicate creatures, they need great lighting to suit their tastes and to keep the photosynthesis process going.

The symbiotic relationship between corals and algae, for example, depends on light. If the algae that lives in the tissue of corals gets enough light, then they produce food which the coral can eat. If the coral is happy, then the algae remains protected from harm. So as you can see, in this one example, you need to choose the correct lighting to have success. To get a very detailed explanation of which lights to choose, then see the article entitled, "Ho! Ho! Ho! - Let’s Light 'em Up!", in the Reefkeeping online magazine.

But what it comes down is this, which kind of light or lights are needed to keep your little world of the ocean alive and well? Should you use Metal Halide lights, flourescents, or LED lights? Should you use a combination. Please check out the above article. It rambles on, but it is very detailed and the author even gives his recommendations as to what combinations of lights work the best.

Happy Reefing,

Chris

Be Patient Hobbyists and Let Your Reef Aquarium Cycle!

Oftentimes when new ones are setting up a marine tank, they get a little impatient and start adding things into the water that should not be there, yet. Things such as fish or corals. You can add your substrate and live rock but you must allow the the tank to cycle. How long does this take? The time varies, but what is a good indicator is when all your parameters are stabilized. You want nitrates and nitrites to be zero. You want to make sure that their is no ammonia present. You need to make sure your salinity is stable and your temperature is within the required parameters. This does not take only a week, though. It can take many weeks to a few months depending on how much live rock you have. So you need to hold off from buying fish and corals, and concentrate on making sure you tank has properly cycled. Because if you don't, you are going to have dead livestock on your hands.


So be patient and enjoy,

Chris

Hobby Question: Is an Upside-Down Jellyfish Safe in a Reef Aquarium?

Are upside-down Jellyfish reef safe? That is a good question. From the research that I have done on these creatures, I'd have to say not to get one. Upside-down jellyfish oftentimes do not survive long in a reef tank and they can sting. Most people that have been stung by them, do not have an adverse reaction to them, most just suffer from an itching sensation on the skin. For that reason alone I would not have one in my aquarium. I want to enjoy my aquarium world with not having to worry about getting zapped by a jellyfish.

However, if you really want to have one in your reef aquarium, it is best that you put it into a large tank. They can reach 12-14 inches in size so you need to provide a lot of space for them.

The best aquarium setup for these kinds of jellyfish is an aquarium with a wide sandy bottom. The sand layer should be thin. The best type of filter would be an external wet/dry filter. Just make sure that the water intake does not trap the jellyfish. They can easily get trapped by the intake and could cause them great harm. And you definitely will want to have a protein skimmer. A skimmer is absolutely needed to keep the water quality high. It is a must with this type of creature!

In addition, you will need to provide a low current in the aquarium. Metal halide lighting is generally recommended to help Upside-Down Jellyfish thrive, though some have had success with bright flourescent lighting. Brine shrimp are most commonly offered as food but this oftentimes is not needed.

So if you really want to add one to your reef aquarium hobby go ahead. Just remember they are sensitive creatures and in my personal opinion, they are best left in the ocean.

Helpful Hobby Resouces for Reef Aquariums

This is my affiliates page where you will find additional resources to help you in your quest to have the perfect reef aquarium.

Experts Guide to Saltwater Aquariums
Expert advice for setting up a Saltwater Aquarium like the pros.

Tropical Fish Secrets
Definitive Guide To Everything You Need To Know About Tropical Fish.

Detritus In The Reef Aquarium at Blog for pet lovers

Reef Ramblings » Blog Archive » A Sustainable Aquarium Indus..

Reef Forums, Reef Aquarium Blog, Coral Reef Aquarium, Reef Magazine »..

nakieshal » Marine Reef Aquarium Supplies Saltwater Aquarium Pics

Home Reef Plan - Saltwater aquarium club Toronto - Marine Aquarium Society ..

Review # 3 for The Reef Aquarium DVD, A Set Up & Maintenance Guide &laq..

Does a Reef Tank Need Carbon? « Joe Jaworski’s Weblog

Home Reef Plan - Saltwater aquarium club Toronto - Marine Aquarium Society ..

The New Marine Aquarium Free Book Source

The Differences of Marine Aquarium

Keeping Aquarium Fish Articles Taking Care of Our Animal Friends

WHY IS AQUARIUM FILTRATION SUCH A HOT TOPIC? by Peter Cunningham

Proper filtration for a reef aquarium cannot be understated. The more you know the better off you will be.

Why Is Aquarium Filtration Such A Hot Topic

by Peter Cunningham

The marine aquarium hobby was once viewed as very hard, very expensive, and needing a touch of magic. The first two were correct, but not the latter, that simply being how it probably appeared to anyone not in the hobby but perhaps with a spattering of knowledge. There was little knowledge of the needs of captive marine life, and for the most part (the biggest most part) only very hardy life in very small numbers survived for any length of time, and that was usually measured in months.

I can just see those pioneer marine aquarists sitting arguing over the possibly best way to proceed. If they could see us now, their flabber would certainly be gasted.

The first real breakthrough in filtration came with the under-gravel filter. I hang my head in shame as I forget the aquarist who did it, but a plate was put under the sand and water pumped through it to keep the sand clean. Keep it clean physically that is. However, after a while it was noticed that life was surviving for quite a while, much longer than usual. So experimentation ensued, with the same results. Eventually the reason was obtained for the extended life of the livestock (from a scientist maybe?) and of course the reason was that an 'army' of ammonia and nitrite destroying bacteria had been established.

Despite my lean knowledge of the event (I'm not that old!), I do recall that the aquarist didn't believe that the answer to keeping marine life could be that simple, he continued to believe that it was because the sand was clean.

Anyway, the door was open. Filtration capable of supporting marine life had arrived, or at least capable of supporting fish on the whole. This must have caused a leap in the desire to keep marines, and indeed the hobby from that time did open up and expand considerably.

Jumping forward a decade or so (great when you can time travel), look at us now! The under gravel filter continued in great popularity for quite a while, but now that marine aquarium keeping was much more popular there were higher numbers of innovative minds wondering if they could 'do it better', and, of course, the commercial manufacturers started taking an interest, first in under-gravel equipment, and then in canister filter equipment and media suitable for marines.

From there the hobby has leapt forward. There are now highly efficient protein skimmers (what an aid to water quality they are), biological 'trickle towers, denitrators, anti-phosphate reactors, water level top-up systems, calcium reactors etc. Seawater quality in the modern saltwater aquarium is unbelievably good compared to how it was not that long ago.

The very latest move has been to natural filtration techniques. Modern marine aquarists consider this to be the best, this is what nature does so it is considered that lead should be followed. The obvious example is 'live' rock, with all its bacteria, doing the work that the old under-gravel filter used to do but doing it so much better - used properly it even gets rid of the nitrate. Then there is the DSB (deep sand bed), the plenum (a raised DSB), further examples of nature's way. Very good and successful they are too.

Looking at all the above it can be seen why filtration is such a hot topic, though it depends which angle the aquarist is coming from.

There are aquarists who may or may not have tried different filtration techniques, but now have one which has worked very well for them. Their fish and corals are a sight to marvel at. Water quality is very high, and without doubt they have done well. They will often argue vehemently that their filtration or filtration combination is best. Well, so it seems to them. Truth is, there could be another aquarist who uses different methods and gets just as good results. They're not going to agree, more discussion!

Then there are the more serious aquarists. They too have marvellous aquariums, usually filtered by live rock and often linked to a sump with a DSB etc in. Maybe they use algae (Caulerpa) to enhance filtration. Maybe they use other means. What they do is keep up to date with new ideas and emerging technology that they may be able to use to enhance their systems. Of course, they will discuss and argue over the potential benefits or otherwise of new filtration equipment etc.

Then there are those leading aquarists who are not really content just to achieve a great captive reef display. They wonder if there is any new way to enhance their systems. There already is a display aquarium, of course, and an attached sump with a DSB and probably Caulerpa. Some attach another area that is in total darkness permanently, so that some sponges and other filtering life forms can develop. There are other experiments being done. One leading aquarist even pondered the possible beneficial qualities of Aiptasia anemones. These anemones usually make the average aquarist go on the offensive. But what is being considered is their filtration ability if they are allowed to multiply and grow. Any spread out of the designated area would be controlled. However, spread within the designated area would presumably be controlled by the supply of food. I can see aquarists arguing about that one!

All of this is an effort to make the display aquarium part of as natural a system as possible, where interference from the aquarist is minimised. It is my opinion that there will always need to be some interference and action by the aquarist as, no matter how big the aquarium system, compared to its wild counterpart it is very tiny.

So the marine aquarium hobby is advancing. From the inexperienced newcomer who is simply researching the systems and methods available right through to the pioneer who is adding another experimental area to an advanced system, there is discussion and argument. The absolute beginner can puzzle over and discuss filtration when one system appears, at least theoretically, to be 'better' than another. The very advanced aquarist or pioneer can argue in great technical depth about the merits of the latest potential advancement in filtration techniques. All those in the middle, the majority, can discuss and argue about just about any type of filtration in general.

It is a hot subject, filtration. It should be. It is an essential part of a successful, healthy, and vibrant aquarium. It is also the way forward, all this discussion, argument, and experimentation. It is also one of the things that make this hobby of ours so fascinating.

About the author:

Peter Cunningham and John Cunningham between them have been keeping saltwater aquariums for over 35 years. Check out their Aquarists Online website if you are interested in learn more about aquarium filtration hobby.

Cool Links to Other Sites Who Love the Hobby of Reef Aquariums

Here are a few links to other reef aquarium sites. And answers to some really cool questions. If you would like to have your link added email me here.

How to secure progageted corals to hard hard substrates

Reefkeeping...an online magazine for the marine aquarist

Joseph Weatherson’s (240G) Reef Aquarium

Mike's Mixed Reef

Janet's reef

Aquarium search

Jim Curry's 180-gallon Mixed Reef

Rob & Eva's Tank at Coral Seas Pets

Juin21

The Aquarium of Richard Kurzydlo

Dennis Schneiders' 55 Gallon Reef

Chingchai Uekrongtham's Reef Aquarium

A freshwater aquarium page covering all aspects of the hobby

Aquarium Glossary

When should your corals eat?

A must read: 2008 Year of the Reef

To Be Successful in the Reef Aquarium Hobby World, You Need The Proper Cycling Techniques

If you want a simple article that explains how to properly cycle your marine/reef tank(s), then check out Richard Wiltshire's blog that deals with this subject.

To read more, CLICK HERE.

Chris

Tonga Live Rock and Filtration-Great for Reef Aquarium Hobby

Reef enthusiasts know the importance of having adequate filtration. One way to provide excellent filtration is using live rock. The rock itself is not alive, but what lives in the rock is alive. Inside these rocks are all kinds of micro and macroscopic marine life. Using adequate live rock can be your main biological nitrification base or biological filter for your saltwater aquarium. It also provides shelter and security for your marine life, and it looks good, too.

However, their are a number of types of live rock. One kind that is available to use is Tonga live rock. What is it, and can it be used as your main source of filtration?

Click here to get the answer to that question.

Photo's from Christa Richert, Piotr Ciuchta, and Donna Adenine

These photos was taken by Christa Richert who lives in Berlin, Germany. You can view her profile here.

These photo's were taken by Piotr Ciuchta. You can view additonal photo's by Piotr by clicking here.

This photo was taken by Donna Adenine from Saint Ignace, MI (USA). Please view her other photo's by clicking here.

Reef Aquarium Hobby Photo's from Massimo Zunino in Milano, Italy

These 6 photo's were taken by Massimo Zunino who lives in Milano, Italy. You can view his profile by clicking here. Or you can view his website by clicking here.

My Favorite Forum for Reef Aquarium Hobbyists

I love reading everything I can in regards to aquariums, corals, plants, fish, diy projects, etc. So when I find a site that features everything I love to read about, I just have to let people know about it. If you are new and you want information about anything related to reefing, then you need to check out Reef Central Online Community. This forum is awesome!!

They have a discussion group, they deal with the chemistry aspect of keeping a saltwater tank, they have a whole section devoted to those who want to DIY. Lighting, filtration, marine fish, corals, inverts, plants, large tanks, nano tanks, items to buy or sell, covers the basics that this forum has to offer. Check them out, if you already haven't.

Chris