• Last updated 5/18/12 by Manta

Describe 'light spectrums and photosynthesis' here I have been reading quite a bit about a company that came together with some horticulture experts and they did some serious research about what specific light wavelengths plants use almost entirely to accomplish photosynthesis very efficiently-and it turns out that they use the blue spectrum and the red spectrum pretty much exclusively for photosynthesis as far as light is concerned. They have given the specific wavelengths that plants use there are 4 of the major ones-2 in the blue and 2 in the red in specific... read more

• Last updated 10/18/11 by rainbow grouper

One problem with this hobby is finding out what works in your tank and how many and what fish to put in your tank as the bigger fish almost always look much prettier but think of it from the fishes point of view... an overstocked undersized tank stresses the fish out a lot. Here are a few fish that are commonly put in undersized tanks.   KEY: fish- minimum tank size Sailfin tang- 180 gallons long Emperor angel- 220 gallons Regal blue tang- 140 gallons long Yellow tang- 140 gallons long Copperband butterflyfish- 140 gallons Naso tang- 240 gallons... read more

• Last updated 8/13/11 by MichaelTX

New hobbyists 101 Here are a few things that a new hobbyist needs to take into account Before setting up a tank think of these things 1) Where is the tank going to go a) You will want a place that is out of sunlight this will cause algae and a lot of headaches b) you will want somewhere for it to be a show piece and you can show it off easily c) there is some noise associated with the tanks so you dont want it where it will disturb daily life or sleeping d) You will want to have easy access to the area so that tank cleaning will be less... read more

• Last updated 8/13/11 by MichaelTX

3rd installment for SWF.com The first installment so you decided to setup a tank is here http://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=293520 The second installment here is the cost cutting tips post http://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=293907 First after figuring out where you want the tank and using the cost saving tips now you are ready to begin actually setting up the tank. Now the fun begins. Did you remember the Ro filter? if not you will need to find a water source to fill your tank. contrary to some beliefs tap water is not all... read more

• Last updated 8/13/11 by MichaelTX

so you have answered some of the questions here and were totally confused. So youve decided to create your own tank This is a good place to start having a lot of questions that you need to ask yourself to start out with. alright so you decided to setup the tank. Now you need to figure out where to put this tank! weight is going to be a major factor on where you put it look at it this way a 100 gallon tank weighs about 100# give or take estimate. Now once you add water to the tank its going to weigh 900# water weighs 8# for one gallon of water!!! If your floors... read more

• Last updated 8/13/11 by MichaelTX

So youve decided to take the plunge and setup a saltwater tank but dont know where to start? well there are some decsions you have to make to start with. 1 what type of tank you are wanting to create a- a FO tank a tank with only fish a cheap way to go but needs expensive filtration this type of tank setup seems to be the cheapest but in all actuality it can be more expensive than going with LR b- a FOWLR a tank with Live rock and Fish only no corals This type of setup beeds minimual additional filtration and no expensive lighting c- a living reef tank with LR,... read more

• Last updated 8/2/11 by travelerjp98

The hobby of keeping saltwater fish can seem like it's overwhelming at first. Many beginner hobbyists make poor decisions which can lead to many headaches in the future. Since it is easy to get confused and overwhelmed with all the information starting off as a salt water hobbyist; here are some basic tips and suggestions to follow.   Always do your research prior to buying any livestock or supplies. Plan out the livestock you want in your tank prior to buying it, especially if it's your first tank. It's always a good idea to get even a very brief general... read more

• Last updated 2/22/11 by SLurker

What is Following? Following is like subscribing to another member; you'll receive notifications of their activity in public areas.   How do I follow another member? To follow a member, visit their profile page and click the "Follow Member" link under their avatar. You will be able to "unfollow" someone in the same place.   What will I be notified about? When following another member, you'll be notified about many of the same things that appear in their activity feed: replying to threads, writing reviews, and other actions they take around the... read more

• Last updated 10/2/11 by BTLDreef

http://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/373943/algae-identification-thread     Hair algae, for the most part another of the invasive varieties. With the noted exception of Chaetomorpha. Derbesia sp. Bryopsis sp.     read more

• Last updated 10/10/11 by Beth

By Bang Guy.   The success rate in keeping Mandarin/Dragonettes fish with small tanks and new setups is dismal. Copepods, Amphipods, and smallish Isopods are only usually available for Mandarins in established tanks. Refugiums help a lot as far as growing critters to feed Dragonettes.     There are no sure fire frozen foods for Dragonettes. Once in a while one can be trained to eat frozen foods but it's not all that common. Brine Shrimp are not an acceptable substitute. Dragonettes will eat them but they are nutritionally deficient. Frozen Mysis... read more