Articles by Seawitch
Beginner Topic
Reef2Reef FAQ #2 Freshwater Versus Saltwater
This tank was Reef of the Month in January 2018. Pretty spectacular, eh?
Photo from the Reef2Reef archives courtesy of forum member robert s. b. ©2018, All Rights Reserved.
At R2R, we suspect there are plenty of freshwater aquarists contemplating a change to saltwater. There are likely...
Personal Experience
'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Reef Style
Photo courtesy of the Reef2Reef archives, ©2018, All Rights Reserved.
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a wrasse;
The stockings were hung on the live rock with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The fishes were...
Beginner Topic
Reef2Reef's First Ever Crossword: Reef Magic
So, here's our first crossword. I recommend printing it out and enlarging it if possible, both the puzzle and the clues. If you see two numbers in a box, separated by a dash (-), the first number is across and the second number is down.
The puzzle was started with a simple (free) crossword...
Beginner Topic
Acronyms, Abbreviations, Vocabulary, and Slang for the Reef Aquarist, Revised December 2018
The Pacific Ocean
Photo is a royalty-free image from Pixabay.
Okay, one more time. If at first you don’t succeed, try try again.
Some years ago, Uninja, with the help of forum members Raggamuffin, Wy Renegade, Swannyson, Skinz78, Tabasco 1, Jordan 3548, fsu1dolfan, Stray40, and Rayzback...
Spotlight
Profile of a Reef Aquarist (#2)
Today's profile number two (2) is of a reef aquarist who has had saltwater tanks for more than 15 years. R.L. lives in Florida, and after numerous snorkeling trips, on a lark he picked up a 35G aquarium at a garage sale and figured he give saltwater a try.
He’s also an expert on seashells, and...
Beginner Topic
Reef Aquarium Rock Explained, Part 2
Or, What Rock Can I Put in My Saltwater Tank?
In Part 1 of this article, we talked about live rock, and most reef aquarists use at least a little of it in their tank. Spontaneous generation does not exist, and if all of your rock is dead, then it will not magically come alive just by putting...
Beginner Topic
Reef2Reef FAQ #1: Substrates
A reef aquarium with a black sand substrate.
Photo is from the Reef2Reef archives, 2018.
It’s time for some FAQ’s. I’ve said before, but it bears repeating, there are often many different ways to do things when you have a saltwater aquarium. This document will by no means be an exhaustive...
Beginner Topic
Acronyms and Abbreviations for the Reef Aquarist
Some years ago, Uninja, with the help of forum members Raggamuffin, Wy Renegade, Swannyson, Skinz78, Tabasco 1, Jordan 3548, fsu1dolfan, Stray40, and Rayzback, prepared a list of acronyms. We thought we’d kick it up a notch, update it, expand it, and post it as an article.
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Looking to...
Beginner Topic
Taking the Plunge: Starting Your First Reef Aquarium
Zoanthid close-up.
Photo is from the Reef2Reef archives.
We think there are plenty of readers out there who are considering starting a reef tank but who hesitate to move forward for a number of reasons. So, this article is intended for those who have never had any kind of aquarium, or those...
Beginner Topic
10 Do's and Don'ts for the Beginner Reef Aquarist
Learning something new can feel complicated. We're going to help you.
Photo is a royalty-free image from freerangestock.com.
We have many readers who are complete novices. Total newbies. Zero experience. And these aquarists deserve regular articles destined for them.
Because, let’s face it...
A "red planaria" flatworm problem in a saltwater aquarium. Photo has been enlarged with a macro lens.
Photo is from the Reef2Reef archives.
Welcome to the second part and conclusion of the flatworm article. For Part 1, just go here, but I warn you, it’s a long one.
As I mentioned last time...
Intermediate Topic
Flatworms: The Good, the Bad, and the Pretty Terrifying, Part 1
A marine flatworm magnified 60X.
Photo is from the Reef2Reef archives.
Flatworms are a perennial topic in our forums because some marine aquarists have problems with them. I wanted to devote an article (or two) to aquarium flatworms and how we (try to) deal with them. If you need some help...
Intermediate Topic
Keeping Your Marine Fish Healthy Part 2: The Reef Aquarium Medicine Cabinet
A gorgeous 250G tank
Photo is from the Reef2Reef archives
As I mentioned in Part 1, we have in our forum an excellent area for the discussion of fish disease, treatment, and diagnosis. Our venerable Humblefish even created a “sticky” thread (one that stays permanently on top) called...
Intermediate Topic
Keeping Your Marine Fish Healthy Part 1: Separation and Sterilization
A healthy Hawkfish:
Photo from the Reef2Reef Archives
Before I start this article, I want to make a couple of points. First, we have in our forum, an excellent area for the discussion of fish disease, treatment, and diagnosis. Our venerable Humblefish even created a “sticky” thread (one that...
Personal Experience
Advice to Those New to Reefkeeping From Our Elders
This photo is from the Reef2Reef archives.
In many cultures, those who are more experienced or older are revered. China even has an International Day of Elder Persons. In the western world, employees who have been with a company for a long time often have varied tangible benefits. Why? Because...
Beginner Topic
Why Is My Saltwater Aquarium Water Cloudy?
Wondering why your tank water is cloudy and how to fix it is a perennial problem that comes up often in our discussion forum. There are a variety of reasons why your saltwater aquarium water may be cloudy. In order to figure out what the problem is—which is the first step toward solving it—there...
If you’re new to reef aquariums, you may not be familiar with having a sump and are wondering just exactly what it is. We’re going to tell you all about it here.
Basically, a sump is like another aquarium that is plumbed to the main aquarium, often called the display tank (DT). We have some...
