The Ocean Agency together with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, Adobe, HP Inc. and other key partners announced the official launch of the Ocean Decade Exhibition – a global exhibition of creativity that aims to raise awareness of the importance of the ocean and inspire greater ocean knowledge and conservation during the pivotal UN Ocean Decade for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (the Ocean Decade). The exhibition kicked off this month in the center of Paris at UNESCO headquarters. Over the course of the next months, it will then travel to other UN locations, beginning wi ..read more

Dinoflagellates. The word alone can send shivers down the spine of reef hobbyists. In fact, I would presume that more reef tanks have been dismantled and shut down because of dinos than any other pest in the hobby. I’m going to be quite frank. There is no easy method to rid your reef aquarium of dinos. The battle will be long, frustrating, and tiresome. But with proper identification and planning, you can destroy those damn dinoflagellates! Identification is the first and most important step in our battle. Hint, most likely you are going to need a microscope. Let’s take a look at the most comm ..read more

Red slime in your reef aquarium got you down? Let’s look at 5 actionable ways to kick some cyanobacteria ass! Red Slime Cyanobacteria covering the sand bed in a reef aquariumThe Attack There’s nothing quite as sublime as sitting back with a cold beer and watching your corals sway like wheat in a field. After all, you’ve invested a lot of hard work and money to bring a small piece of the ocean inside your home. You’ve spent hours making sure the live rock was positioned oh so perfectly to display your majestic coral. You’ve reached utopia! But then, like a scene from Mars Attacks, you notice an ..read more

Coral reefs that are in close proximity to larger populations of people tend to have fewer sharks and other fish due to higher fishing pressure — and more moray eels. Scientists from Florida International University’s Institute of Environment used a combination of video data from Global FinPrint — the world’s first and largest shark and ray survey — and environmental DNA analysis to conduct the largest study in the Caribbean on moray eel populations. https://aroundthereef.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Movie-S2.mp4 “Global FinPrint was set up to study sharks but an added be ..read more

Bare Bottom VS Sand. Which is a better choice for your reef tank? I recently decided to start-up an additional reef tank. One of the first things that I was debating is whether or not I wanted to go bare bottom on this build. Without a doubt, bare bottom tanks have their benefits. But, are they actually a better option than sand? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of bare bottom vs sand. Bare Bottom Reef Tank Bare bottom reef tank setup.Pros Flow: One of the greatest benefits of a bare bottom tank is the flow. Unlike sand, which will blow around and cause sand storms, bare bottom tanks can ..read more

What is palytoxin and why should I be concerned about it as a reef tank enthusiast? Palytoxin is one of the most toxic nonprotein poisons in the world. Reef aquarium owners should be cautious when handling zoanthid coral, palythoa coral, sea anemones, and dinoflagellates such as Ostrepsis siamensis, all of which contain palytoxin. Palytoxin Palytoxin (PTX) is one of the most potent toxins known to humankind. It is water-soluble, thermo-stable (isn’t deactivated by extreme temperatures), and can be aerosolized. Although it was discovered over 50 years ago, very little is known about how the tox ..read more

In honor of World Whale Day this Sunday, Clearwater Marine Aquarium proudly announces a fully immersive new exhibition that explores the fascinating world of these marine mammals. Whales: Living with Giants will occupy 20,000 sq ft. of space in CMA’s newly expanded visitor center. The activities include multi-media exhibits, a virtual reality experience, a walk-through life-size whale gallery, a kid’s interactive zone, and a theater featuring whale-related films and speakers. The exhibit runs from March 13 through August 31. “This exhibit brings our guests into an undersea experience where the ..read more

This Reef of the Month is owned by Ryan Oliveira. Let’s learn more about him and his beautiful reef aquarium! About The Owner My name is Ryan Oliveira and I am a good old Florida boy living in the Pacific Northwest! I moved from Florida to Seattle Washington three years ago following my completion of grad school to begin my career as an occupational therapist. My current tank was created in May of 2018, however, I have been a member of the reefing hobby since I was in high school (go class of 07!) where I had my first 55-gallon FOWLR setup from 2004-2008. During my college and grad school year ..read more

A good understanding of water chemistry is essential in keeping a healthy reef aquarium. To the beginner, it can also quite overwhelming! This water chemistry guide will help you on your reefing journey. I have also included my favorite test kit for each parameter we will be testing based on accuracy and ease of use. Remember, not all test kits are created equal, even amongst the same brand. Ammonia Target value: 0 Extremely toxic to fish and coral above 0.25 The first part of the nitrogen cycle Aquatic plants can uptake and benefit from ammonia Can be remedied by water changes and/or SeaChem ..read more

The Pew Charitable Trusts today praised the government of Costa Rica for committing to protect coastal wetlands within its updated nationally determined contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement. As outlined in the NDC, the country’s actions will help reduce carbon emissions and build resilience to the impacts of climate change:”Costa Rica will continue to lead in conservation, responsible use and restoration of coastal wetlands through deepening scientific knowledge of the ecosystem services these habitats provide and will take steps to better protect and restore these spaces.” Coastal wetlan ..read more