Tropical Houston Connection

    • Understanding Nutrient Control in a Reef

       It has recently been brought to my attention the topic of nutrient control in a reef. I'd like to write up a quick little article on why its important to try to keep these elements low and why it could be detrimental to your reef. I'd like to explain it in a few easy question and answer type examples. What are nutrients and where do they come from?...

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      Advanced Nutrient Control Techniques - Saltwater

       In a previous article, I covered the definition of nutrients in a reef as well covering basic control techniques. Here I will try to explain advanced techniques to deal with nitrates and phosphates as well as go deeper into setting up a fuge. I will briefly go over dsb and anaerobic bacteria in a different article. Caution should be used with applying these...

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      Saltwater Build - Start to Finish (Photolog)

       Old stand and canopy from my 40 gallon breeder Sanding down the tank and canopy for new paint Got the tank from craigslist and had...

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      Desert Goby (Chlamydogobius eremius)

       Desert Gobies are interesting in shape, color, and personality. These are fun fish for a small aquarium. They spend all their time 'hopping' from one place in the tank to another, so a sandy substrate is a must. A nice thing about Desert Gobies is that they can handle large fluctuations in temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen. ...

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      Wall Hammer (Euphyllia ancora)

       Large Polyp Stony (LPS) The Hammer Coral is an LPS coral and is often referred to as Hammer or Anchor Coral. Its common names are derived from the appearance of its hammer-, or anchor-shaped tentacles. Its polyps are visible throughout the day and night and hide its skeletal base. Hammers come in many different color variations from colored...

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      How to know if your API test kits have expired

       Each bottle has a Lot # printed on the bottle. The last four digits are the month and year they were manufactured. Last 3 years Ammonia High Range pH Nitrate GH Last 4 years Nitrite KH Last 5 years pH

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      Building a Canopy for a 125 Gallon Tank

       Well, its 2 AM and I just got pretty much done with the canopy. Supplies: 1 4x8 plywood (red oak) 16 ft. large molding trim 16 ft small molding trim 17 ft smal angle modling trim (to make the cabinet doors) 2 sets of hinges. 1st: Cut the ply wood into strips to make the front and side of the...

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      Horizontal Tank Divider

       OK, so the entire thing took about 20 minutes to build! Of course, as I suspected, hubby wouldn't let me play with sharp objects. While he was cutting, I removed the filter, gathered some marbles for the sides & then realized I forgot to take pictures of the material before we started. Oops. I didn't remember till he had already cut the mesh, egg crate & had started with the zip ties. Hubby...

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      Buffalohead cichlid (Steatocranus casuarius)

       Also known as African Blockhead. Both male and female have a pronounced fatty lump on their forehead, with the male's being significantly larger. They are blue-gray in color, and spend most all of their time on the bottom of the tank, much like a Goby. Often they mate for life. If one of the pair dies, the surviving buffalo head will not take on a...

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    • Local Fish Stores Map


    • Complexity

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