The Archive
Reporting, comparisons, and field notes — newest first.
filtration-and-water-quality
Choosing a protein skimmer that's too small is one of the most common—and costly—mistakes reef keepers make. Here's how to match skimmer capacity to your
·8 min read
filtration-and-water-quality
Comparing the Coralife BioCube Skimmer, IOAOI Nano Skimmer, and Tunze 9001 to help you pick the right protein skimmer for a small reef tank — without wasting
·10 min read
lighting-and-flow
Not every LED fixture lights every tank evenly — learn how to match beam spread, PAR output, and mounting height to your specific reef footprint so your corals
·9 min read
filtration-and-water-quality
Damaged buckets, inconsistent parameters, and delayed deliveries are more common than most reef salt brands advertise. Here's what the pattern looks like
·10 min read
equipment-and-controllers
An honest look at why automatic top-off systems fail, which failure modes matter most for reef tanks, and how to choose a unit that won't leave your salinity
·10 min read
lighting-and-flow
Not all reef lights are created equal — and the wrong fixture can stall coral growth or bleach your investment. Here's how to match your budget to your build
·9 min read