Coral Care
Coral Color Boost: Lighting, Nutrients, and the Color Triangle
How to manipulate lighting spectrum, nitrate, and phosphate to bring out vibrant pinks, greens, and oranges in SPS.
The magazine
All Articles, Guides & Reviews
Everything published on Saltwater Aquarium Guide, newest first. Use the links below to narrow it down by type or topic.
Tanks & Sumps
Reef Tank Plumbing: Bulkheads, Unions, and Silent Overflows
Plumbing fundamentals from bulkhead torque to bean animal overflow design for whisper-quiet reef tanks.
Fish & Invertebrates
Cleanup Crew Selection: Snails, Crabs, and Shrimp for Every Tank Size
Exact CUC counts for 20, 40, 75, and 120-gallon reefs — trochus, nassarius, hermits, and shrimp ratios.
Fish & Invertebrates
Beginner Anemones: Bubble Tip vs Long Tentacle vs Sebae
Three anemone species, ranked by difficulty, lighting needs, and clownfish hosting reliability.
Water Chemistry
GFO vs Lanthanum Chloride: Choosing a Phosphate Removal Method
How GFO media and LaCl3 dosing compare for stripping phosphate, plus the best workflow for each.
Coral Care
Coral Dipping: How to Stop Aiptasia, Flatworms, and Red Bugs at the Door
A comprehensive guide to dipping new corals to prevent pest outbreaks — products, contact times, and post-dip rinses.
Beginner & Setup Guides
Aquascape Foundation Guide: Building a Stable Rockwork Skeleton
How to use marco rock, putty, and structural anchors to build aquascapes that survive flow and earthquakes.
Water Chemistry
Reef Tank Temperature: Stability, Chillers, and the 78F Sweet Spot
Why 78°F is the reef target, when you need a chiller, and how to use room AC strategically to avoid…
Water Chemistry
Biopellets vs Carbon Dosing: Two Roads to Low Nutrients
Both export nitrate and phosphate by feeding bacteria. Here is when each approach fits and which one is safer.
Water Chemistry
Alkalinity Dosing: Two-Part, Kalkwasser, and Stability Strategy
How to dose alkalinity for stable reef chemistry — daily test cadence, calculator math, and which method fits your tank.
Water Chemistry
Calcium Reactor vs Two-Part Dosing: Which Is Right for Your Reef?
A full comparison of the two main reef dosing methods by cost, complexity, parameter stability, and tank size.
Beginner & Setup Guides
Budget Reef Build: A Beautiful Reef on $1000 Total
A complete equipment list and livestock plan for a $1000 reef build that does not compromise on coral health.
Coral Care
Coral Fragging Guide: Cutting, Mounting, and Healing Frags
How to safely frag mother colonies of zoas, LPS, and SPS for trading or sale — tools, technique, and aftercare.