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Beginners Education

Arguably, there are few “pastimes” as challenging and all-consuming as marine (and especially reef) aquarium keeping. Longtime hobbyists might forget the relative ease with which they likely got “into” reef aquaria--very possibly with a lot of freshwater aquarium keeping experience behind them. While it is true that the foods, equipment and methodologies of today are greatly improved from those of yesteryear, there is now so much more to learn from the get-go. Definitely a lot of choices to make! With the massive amounts of (often contradictory) information out there, beginner reef aquarists might feel more intimidated now than ever before.

That’s totally cool. You’ll get “there” soon enough. The most important thing is to move forward step-by-step, and to have fun along the way. The whole point of spending all that money and time on this (or any) hobby is to relax and maybe learn something, right? The vast majority of saltwater aquarists who throw the term “newbie” around don’t really mean it as a pejorative; if anything, they recall that period with nostalgia (and maybe even a bit of envy), for it is the fleeting beginner stage where aquarium keeping is especially exciting and the animals so incredibly fascinating.

No one here would suggest that a beginning aquarist should avoid challenges, but we certainly would advise one against making some of those beginner mistakes. In reef aquarium keeping, there is no bigger virtue than patience!

In this section, you will learn how to avoid some of the most common pitfalls for novice aquarists as well as how to build the foundation of knowledge you’ll need to master the art.

188 Posts

Bulletproof Refugiums: Biodiversity

Welcome back to our discussion on building bulletproof refugiums! In the last few weeks, we have received a lot of questions here at
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Biodiversity

CADE Aquariums: Reef vs. Peninsula

Are you in the research and comparison stage of choosing a new system? Has your reef outgrown it's current home? If you’re just in the
Read More about CADE Aquariums: Reef vs. Peninsula

A Beginner’s Guide: How Reef Fish Balance the Ecosystem

Reef fish, whether they are predators or grazers, play a huge part in maintaining the balance of the coral reef ecosystem. Coral reefs
Read More about A Beginner’s Guide: How Reef Fish Balance the Ecosystem

Calcium Supplementation

Stony corals can use elements in the water to build their skeletons. It is a fantastic process that develops exciting structures.
Read More about Calcium Supplementation

Bulletproof Refugiums: Water Flow

Welcome back to our series on building bulletproof refugiums! At AlgaeBarn, we have gotten so many great questions on refugium design
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Water Flow

Dealing with Coral Aggression

It is easy to see a reef aquarium as a peaceful landscape for escaping worldly problems. While this is partially correct, corals are
Read More about Dealing with Coral Aggression

Bulletproof Refugiums: Maintenance

We're glad to have you back at the AlgaeLab for another post in our series on building bulletproof refugiums. It should come as no
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Maintenance

Curating the Reef Tank

Mixed reef tanks are well-loved because you can keep a diverse collection of corals in one tank. Many hobbyists like mixed reef tanks
Read More about Curating the Reef Tank

Bulletproof Refugiums: Equipment

We are excited to have you join us for this series on building bulletproof refugiums. It shouldn't come as a surprise that we receive a
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Equipment

A Closer Look at the CADE Reef 1800

Aquatic habitats are home to millions of species of flora and fauna. In fact, they are the largest and most diverse ecosystems in the
Read More about A Closer Look at the CADE Reef 1800

The Importance of Drip Loops

Cable management might be the least talked about aspect of setting up and maintaining an aquarium. Cable management is sometimes
Read More about The Importance of Drip Loops

Bulletproof Refugiums – Lighting

Welcome to our series on building bulletproof refugiums! It should come as no surprise that we field a lot of questions about how to
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums – Lighting

Building Bulletproof Refugiums: Substrate

Welcome back to our series on building bulletproof refugiums! At AlgaeBarn, we get a lot of questions on which products and methods
Read More about Building Bulletproof Refugiums: Substrate

Drilling Glass Aquariums

While most popular reef aquariums come pre-drilled with bulkheads and overflow boxes installed, there may come a time when you find the
Read More about Drilling Glass Aquariums

Aquarium Overflow Styles

Although you can have outstanding success with hang-on-the-back equipment, most aquariums utilize a filtration section of some kind.
Read More about Aquarium Overflow Styles

Bulletproof Refugiums: Macroalgae

Welcome to the next part of our series on how to build a bulletproof refugium. At AlgaeBarn, a lot of our customers have asked what the
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Macroalgae

Bulletproof Refugiums: Livestock

Welcome to the next part of our series on how to build bulletproof refugiums. At AlgaeBarn, we get a good number of questions from reef
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Livestock

A Closer Look at Clean Sea Lettuce

AlgaeBarn is committed to doing our part to help keep the planet clean and green. It's why we're talking about the ways we can keep a
Read More about A Closer Look at Clean Sea Lettuce

Bulletproof Refugiums: The Basics

Welcome to our series on building bulletproof refugiums! At AlgaeBarn, it is no surprise that we hear a lot of questions about
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: The Basics

Frequently Asked Questions: Keeping Giant Clams

At AlgaeBarn, we are always happy to hear from our customers and we often are asked a lot of questions about husbandry. Sometimes, we
Read More about Frequently Asked Questions: Keeping Giant Clams

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