How to Articles

Perhaps I should begin this article by admitting that I'm not a reef addict. I used to have a heavily planted freshwater tank, but I do not (and never have) had a reef tank of my own. If I had a marine tank, there is no question that it would be a reef tank, and they are endlessly fascinating to me... but I don't have one. So, when I call something an anemone that is (to all of you) quite obviously a large polyp coral, feel free to point and laugh, but don't take any more enjoyment out of ...

When the Vortech pump starts rattling, the first thing to do is realign the motor with the wetside. If it goes back to running silently, that's all it took. However over time, the rattle may return and refuse to go away. When this happens, you need to replace a small part inside the wetside.

I had this problem recently with one MP40w, and obtained some new parts prior to beginning this little project. ...

Over time, protein skimmers often need to be restored to their original state, which means they need a deep cleaning. If the sump contains a lighted refugium, coralline algae may have grown within the skimmer's reaction chamber. The pump(s) will also require full dis-assembly to clean out slime or calcification on the impeller's magnet section. With a thorough cleaning, the skimmer should return to peak performance pulling out the maximum amount of skimmate daily. By doing this periodic maintenance, hobbyists can quickly discern if parts are in need of replacement or repair, hopefully prior to sudden failure.
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Or maybe you just want to raise a batch of clowns for the sheer joy of saying you did it...

Over the last couple of weeks and months many great reefers and aspiring breeders have approached me online and in person and have asked me what is takes to do this. Figured it was time to put together some of my thoughts on how to get started, what it will take, what it could cost, etc.... I cannot begin to tell you how many countless folks have shot me a message exclaiming.


"Oh my gosh, my clownfish have eggs! What do I do?"
or
"I got eggs!, and I just went to Amazon and bought every book with Clownfish in the title, I have twenty two 55 gallon tanks on standby and half a zillion rotifers, is this gonna cut it?" Sheesh.
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With my recent blogs, you've read about how the power has been going out due to the snowfall in Fort Worth, Tx:

Snow - my favorite topic; & a power outage to deal with

No Power Again

Let me describe how I run the generator when an emergency strikes. If the power doesn't resume within one hour, the generator is used.
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How to organize a successful tank tour:

If you want to plan a tank tour for your club members to attend, take the lead and organize it. Check with your leadership to make sure you aren't stepping on anyone's toes, but usually this type of initiative is well-received. Set a date as soon as you can, and ask via your club's site for any volunteers. ...