Many thanks to Cody for creating a new list of previous Tanks of the Month.

The list can be found here as well as in the menu at the top and bottom of each page.

Check out the lastest edition of Coral Magazine online:

January/February 2010

Are you a big fan of Ricordea sp. corals? Well, after you look at the hundreds of beautiful pictures of them in this thread, you most certainly will be! Here's a sample courtesy of FragJunky:

Check the thread out here: Post Insane Ric Pics!!

Wondering how to set up your new calcium reactor? Look no further than this comprehensive article by Jose Dieck. Part 2 addresses all the issues surrounding the actual set up and operation of a calcium reactor, as well as its tweaking for best performance.

Calcium Reactors… In, Out and Everything in Between - Part 2

Looking for some definitions of chemical terms that you don't understand? Randy Holmes-Farley went to the trouble of creating just such a reference work back in 2005 in a previous issue of Reefkeeping Magazine. Next time you're confused over a chemical term or unit of measure, take a look here:

The Units of Measure of Reefkeeping

Manhattan Reefs has a beautifully produced quarterly publication, Reefs Magazine, and the site has some interesting articles for reefkeepers.

Check out the latest issue:

• Diving the Reefs of Anilao, Philippines by J. Charles Delbeek
• Epic Fail – the Anatomy of a Disaster by Richard Ross
• Moving A Saltwater Aquarium by Lissa Mann
• Reef Disturbance and Resilience by Chris Jury
• Interview with Rob Toonen
• Fish Tales by Christine Williams

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes before your local fish store or online vendor gets their livestock? In this video, provided by Jim Stines of LA Fishguys, you'll be able to take a tour of a coral/fish wholesaler in Los Angeles, CA. Jim has quite a library of interesting videos available, ranging from the basics of setting up a reef tank to following him as he makes his rounds in his professional capacity as he maintains various customers' aquariums.

Visit a Fish - Coral Wholesaler

View the rest of his video library here.

What do you tell your inquistive neighbors when they ask, "Why do you do all of this?" Well, a thread was recently started on Reef Central that includes lots of reefkeepers opinions on the subject. Check it out here:

Why do you reef?

Take a close look at what just hitchhiked into this reefkeeper's tank. Is this Santa's latest attempt to spread the word of Christmas into the reefkeeping world?

I think not! Anyhow, check out how Dr. Ron Shimek identified this unusual critter here:

Live rock hitchhikers

There's an interesting thread in the Reef Chemistry Forum showing results from a recent salt study. Twenty popular brands were tested to determine their levels of calcium, alkalinity and magnesium. Take a look and see how your particular salt faired in the comparison.

Synthetic Salt Mixes

Are you setting up a new tank and wondering how to aquascape your new toy? Do-it-yourself foam structures offer a way to build a unique, custom-designed reef. Check out this thread in the Do-it-Yourself forum:

My DIY Rock/Foam Reef

Have you ever thought of modifying your VorTech? Well, Adam Blundell has done just that. In this new article in Reefkeeping Magazine, Adam explains the process...

"I’ve been working with the EcoTech Marine VorTech pump for over a year now. I’ve burned them up, broken parts, run them dry and done all sorts of things you wouldn’t normally try on a $400 pump. Thankfully, it’s my job. Overall, I’d have to say I am very pleased and certainly impressed by these pumps. For people (like me) who are fascinated with water flow patterns, the use of sync/anti-sync technology is a playground of wonder. Additionally, the shear volume and direction of the flow creates many opportunities. Read more...