Reef tanks can be a very rewarding side of the marine hobby, culturing and growing a beautiful coral garden can be most satisfying.
However, reefs take a little extra care and can be a little more complicated to run than your typical fish tank.
In this series of guides we will explain how reef keeping works and how you can successfully keep a miniature piece of the ocean in your home.
Types of reef tanks
Which species and groupings of corals are best for your tank, what type of reef do you want to run; SPS, LPS or soft corals, anemone reef?
how to provide the proper setup and care for each coral / polyp type.
Reef Safe fish
Which marine fish are best suited for your reef tank, and which fish to avoid.
How to care for each fish, tank size, feeding etc. And how they can be beneficial to a reef aquarium.
How to care for corals
What goes into caring for a reef tank, how to grow corals and keep them healthy, things to look out for in unhealthy corals. How to deal with aggression and general husbandry advice.
How to feed corals and anemones
Should you be feeding your corals? What do specific corals need in terms of foods and nutrients, when should you feed corals and how should you go about dosing your corals with minerals and buffers?
Reef safe invertebrates
Which inverts are safe with your corals and which species will cause issues.
How to identify and react to pest species within your reef tank, starfish, crustaceans, nudibranchs etc.
Equipment for a reef tank
What do you really need to keep your reef running without issues, protein skimmers, sump filters and specialised lighting, what do your corals really need in order to grow and thrive.
Science and biology of corals
The anatomy and physiology of corals and cnidarians, their life cycles and how their bodies work to be self-sufficient in producing energy.
Symbiotic relationships, strange behaviours and reproductive cycles as well as the importance of corals in the wild.