GUIDES
Reef tank guides
Best beginner corals: light, flow and placement
Community-consensus light (PAR), water flow and placement needs for beginner corals — green star polyps, zoanthids, mushrooms, Kenya tree, Xenia, hammer, duncan and trumpet. A requirements reference, not a care guarantee.
Read →Best reef LED light for SPS, LPS and softies
Match reef light to coral by PAR: softies 50–150, LPS 100–200, SPS 200–400. Compares AI Prime, Hydra, Kessil, Radion and NooPsyche by wattage, coverage, PAR and price, with fixture-count math.
Read →Reef tank equipment list: what you actually need
A first reef tank needs 9 pieces of equipment: tank, light, flow, heat ×2, ATO, RO/DI, test kits, salt — and a skimmer only if you go beyond soft corals. Full list with sizing rules and real budget/mid/premium picks.
Read →Best protein skimmer for your reef tank (by size)
Size a protein skimmer to 1.5–2× system volume × bioload, then check it fits your sump and its rated water depth matches. Compares Bubble Magus, Reef Octopus, Nyos and IceCap by rating, footprint, depth and price.
Read →Best reef salt: match alkalinity to your tank
Match salt alkalinity to your husbandry: Red Sea Coral Pro ~12 dKH for SPS, Tropic Marin ~7 and Fritz RPM ~8.5 for low-nutrient or mixed, Instant Ocean for fish-only. Five salts compared on alk, cost per gallon and packaging.
Read →Best reef tank test kits (by stage)
During cycling test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH with an API Master Kit plus a refractometer. Add a Salifert or Red Sea alkalinity/calcium/magnesium kit for stony corals, and a Hanna HI772 checker when you dose.
Read →Best wavemaker for a reef tank (flow by coral type)
Size total flow to coral type: softies 10–20×, LPS 20–40×, mixed 25–40×, SPS 40–60× system volume, split across two opposed powerheads. Compares Jebao, AI Nero, IceCap Gyre, Maxspect and VorTech.
Read →How to set up a reef tank: the full timeline
Setting up a reef tank takes 6–8 weeks: plan the build, install tank and equipment, mix saltwater to 1.025, add rock and sand, cycle the nitrogen bacteria, then stock fish and corals in order. A step-by-step timeline with sizing rules.
Read →Radion vs Kessil vs AI: which reef light ecosystem?
Radion, Kessil and AquaIllumination all grow any coral — the choice is spread, control app and price. Radion and AI share Mobius; Kessil is a single-point-source look. Per-tank picks with 2026 pricing.
Read →VorTech MP40 vs AI Nero 5: which wavemaker?
MP40 mQD ($432) pushes 4,500 GPH from a dry external motor with native EcoTech battery backup; Nero 5 ($260) pushes 3,000 GPH all-in-tank for $172 less. Flow, motor placement, backup and ecosystem compared.
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