Reefing Radio

Sorry for the several months hiatus, but we are back! This episode was recorded back in August, and Alex and Ryan have since decided to end their livestream, but Alex's is still producing new and exciting videos on his channel - go check it out!In this episode of Reefing Radio, we're turning the tables on one of the biggest names in the UK reefing community: Alex, the creator behind the hugely popular Reef Dork YouTube channel. With over 80K subscribers and millions of views, Alex has spent years interviewing others, reviewing gear, and hosting the popular Sunday evening live stream, The Prestige Reef Talk Show. This week, he’s the one in the hot seat! We dive into Alex’s journey over more than a decade in the hobby, from his early days researching for two years straight to building one of the most recognizable platforms in saltwater fishkeeping. Alex shares an honest look at the reality of running a YouTube channel, balancing algorithm pressures with authenticity, and navigating brand independence and product reviews. We also discuss his personal reefing style, why he transitioned from SPS to LPS, his favourite fish and coral picks, and his best advice for keeping things simple. Whether you're a long-time follower of Reef Dork, an aspiring content creator, or simply looking for insightful reefing chat from one of the hobby's most passionate voices, this episode offers a brilliant behind-the-scenes look at the person behind the camera.Find Alex and Reef Dork:📺 YouTube: Reef Dork📸 Instagram: @reefdork Support the show: 👉 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@reefing_radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📘 Find us on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reefing Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠💬 Drop us an email at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Subscribe to hear more reefing chat every week

In this episode of Reefing Radio, Chris and Gareth strip reef keeping back to basics and ask a simple question: what do you genuinely need to run a successful reef tank?From ATOs, flow and temperature control to test kits, live rock and backup equipment, we work through the gear and practices we think are truly essential. Along the way, we also challenge some of the hobby's biggest assumptions, including whether you really need to dip every coral and if clean-up crews are as important as they're made out to be.Whether you're setting up your very first reef tank or rethinking how you run an established system, this episode is packed with practical advice, personal experiences, and a few opinions that might spark some debate.As always, we'd love to hear what you think is essential... and what you'd happily leave out.Support the show: 👉 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@reefing_radio⁠⁠⁠⁠📘 Find us on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Reefing Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠💬 Drop us an email at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Subscribe to hear more reefing chat every week

In this episode of Reefing Radio, Chris, James, and Gareth have a catch-up after a run of guest episodes. We chat about what's been happening in our own tanks, the lessons we've learned over the past few months, and how our approach to reefing is starting to change.Gareth shares the plans for his brand new custom-built reef, explaining why he's finally replacing his ageing Red Sea tank, the thinking behind his bespoke wavebox design, and how he's aiming for a simpler, more natural-looking display with fewer coral species and larger groups of fish.Chris talks through the recent heatwave, the challenges it's created for his SPS system, and why he's seriously considering moving away from an SPS-dominated tank in favour of something that's better suited to his lifestyle. James gives an update on his thriving soft coral reef, including how higher temperatures unexpectedly accelerated coral growth, why he's embraced a more relaxed approach to reef keeping, and what happens when you simply let soft corals do their thing.Support the show: 👉 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@reefing_radio⁠⁠⁠📘 Find us on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠Reefing Radio⁠⁠⁠💬 Drop us an email at: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠🎧 Subscribe to hear more reefing chat every week

In this episode of Reefing Radio, we're joined by Mark Bindefeld from MB Aquariums to explore the world of professional aquarium maintenance. Mark has built a successful business maintaining everything from tropical aquariums and reef tanks to large commercial displays, giving us a fascinating insight into a side of the hobby that most reef keepers never see.We discuss what it's like looking after other people's aquariums, the types of clients who use professional maintenance services, and the biggest challenges of turning a passion for fishkeeping into a full-time career. Mark shares stories from the field, from emergency call-outs and holiday cover to rescuing neglected systems and maintaining high-end reef tanks.If you've ever wondered what it's like to maintain reef tanks for a living, considered hiring a professional to look after your aquarium, or even dreamed of turning your own hobby into a career, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most interesting professions in the reefing hobby.Find Mark and MB Aquariums:🌐 https://mbaquariums.co.uk📸 Instagram: @thenewbiereefer📘 Facebook: MB AquariumsSupport the show: 👉 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠@reefing_radio⁠⁠📘 Find us on Facebook: ⁠⁠Reefing Radio⁠⁠💬 Drop us an email at: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠🎧 Subscribe to hear more reefing chat every week

In this episode of Reefing Radio, we’re joined by Courtney Keeps — a hobbyist known for his beautifully designed macroalgae reef tanks, natural daylight-style aesthetics, and thoughtful approach to aquarium design.Courtney shares his journey from freshwater aquascaping into the reefing world, including how planted tank design principles, gardening, and a love of natural aesthetics have shaped the way he approaches marine aquariums. We discuss what the reefing hobby can learn from aquascaping — from intentional layouts and repetition to colour placement, depth, restraint, and designing tanks that feel cohesive rather than cluttered.The conversation also dives deep into macroalgae systems: how to grow them successfully, nutrient management, lighting, dealing with nuisance algae, species that thrive (or crash), and why macroalgae tanks behave very differently from traditional coral-dominated reefs. Along the way, we talk about natural seawater, freshwater influences on reefing, blackwater tanks, nano systems, and the challenge of balancing aesthetics with practicality.Courtney also walks us through his latest shallow lagoon-style setup — including the philosophy behind the design, custom-painted cabinetry, canister filtration, and why the overall presentation of an aquarium matters just as much as what’s inside the glass.You can check out Courtney’s stunning Reef2Reef Tank of the Month feature here:Reef of the Month – May 2025: CourtneyKeepsAnd follow his work on Instagram here:@courtneykeepsSupport the show: 👉 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@reefing_radio⁠📘 Find us on Facebook: ⁠Reefing Radio⁠💬 Drop us an email at: ⁠[email protected]⁠🎧 Subscribe to hear more reefing chat every week

We recently visited Tropical Marine Centre — the UK’s largest importer of marine fish and coral — for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour with CEO Brian Schaff.In Part 1 of this series, Brian takes us through TMC’s fish systems, quarantine and acclimation processes, animal care philosophy, and the logistics involved in handling thousands of marine fish each year.We also discuss fish health, decompression, captive breeding, UV sterilisation, feeding systems, and how TMC approaches marine livestock care at scale.Huge thanks to Brian and the whole team at TMC for taking the time to show us around.Part 2 coming soon.Don't miss our full sit-down interview with Brian Schaff discussing the reefing industry, supply chains, sustainability, and how the marine trade works. Find out more about Tropical Marine Centre: 🌐 ⁠Website⁠📸 ⁠Instagram⁠📘 ⁠Facebook⁠👉 Follow us onInstagram: ⁠⁠⁠@reefing_radio⁠⁠⁠Find us on Facebook: ⁠⁠Reefing Radio⁠⁠YouTube: @reefing_radioGot feedback or questions? Drop us a message!Subscribe to hear more reefing chat every week

In this episode, Chris, James, and Gareth are joined by Brian Schaff, CEO of Tropical Marine Centre (TMC), the UK’s leading suppliers of marine livestock and aquarium equipment.We take a closer look at how marine livestock makes its way from the ocean to our tanks, with Brian walking us through the central role TMC plays in supplying the UK reefing hobby.Along the way, we get into wild vs captive breeding, the positive impact the hobby has on local communities, and why the trade is often more responsible and sustainable than it’s given credit for. We also touch on fish ranching, as well as the complexities around topics like biopiracy.If you’ve ever wondered where your fish and corals come from — and what happens before they reach your local fish store — this is a detailed look inside one of the UK’s most important reefing operations.We’ve also filmed a separate video tour of TMC with Brian to accompany this episode, so keep an eye out for that coming soon.Find out more about Tropical Marine Centre: 🌐 Website📸 Instagram📘 Facebook👉 Follow us onInstagram: ⁠⁠⁠@reefing_radio⁠⁠⁠📘 Find us on Facebook: ⁠⁠Reefing Radio⁠⁠💬 Got feedback or questions? Drop us a message!🎧 Subscribe to hear more reefing chat every week

In this episode of Reefing Radio, we’re back to a classic catch-up after a run of guest episodes — just the three of us talking through what’s been going on in our tanks lately.James shares updates on his soft coral system, including new additions, how it’s starting to fill out, and his approach to keeping things simple with minimal equipment and intervention. We also touch on sourcing more unusual corals and how his tank is evolving visually as it grows in.Gareth talks through his new shallow reef build, including the DIY wavebox that’s been getting a lot of attention, the challenges of modifying the tank, and his plans for a more natural-looking setup with fewer coral types grown out over time. We also get into stocking ideas, from groups of fish to future plans for clowns and anemones.Chris rounds things out with updates across his tanks, including dealing with white spot using tank transfer method, changes to dosing, and setting up a mantis shrimp pico tank. We also reflect on how our tanks are starting to look more alike, and whether that’s just the result of reefing together.👉 Follow us on Instagram: @reefing_radio📘 Find us on Facebook: Reefing Radio💬 Drop us an email at: [email protected]🎧 Subscribe to hear more reefing chat every week

In this episode of Reefing Radio, we continue our conversation with Dr Jamie Craggs to explore one of the most exciting frontiers in the reefing hobby: spawning corals at home.In the previous episode, we unpacked Jamie’s work and the growing importance of coral reproduction for reef restoration. This time, we bring it back to the hobbyist level — asking a simple but powerful question: can you actually spawn corals in your own tank?We dive into the practical realities of coral spawning, from understanding reproductive strategies and seasonal triggers to what really matters in a home setup. How important are temperature swings, lighting cycles, and moon phases? What can you get away with — and what actually makes the difference?We also explore the tools that can help you get started, including the coral spawning database developed by researchers at Newcastle University — to start predicting when your corals might spawn. The conversation then moves into what happens next: from catching spawning events to raising larvae, settlement challenges, and why this is where things get genuinely difficult. Along the way, we touch on hybridisation, sustainability, and what this could mean for the future of the hobby.If you’ve ever wondered whether coral spawning is something only labs can achieve — or something you might realistically attempt yourself — this episode gives you a clear, grounded starting point.👉 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@reefing_radio⁠⁠⁠📘 Find us on Facebook: ⁠⁠Reefing Radio⁠⁠💬 Got feedback or questions? Drop us a message!🎧 Subscribe to hear more reefing chat every week

First things first — apologies for the gap since our last episode! Life got in the way for a few weeks, but we're back on schedule now and we've got a cracking episode to make up for it.In this episode, Chris, James, and Gareth are joined by Dr. Jamie Craggs — marine biologist, coral researcher, and the scientist who changed everything we thought we knew about spawning coral in captivity.Jamie is the principal aquarium curator at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in London and the lead scientist behind Project Coral. He's also co-founder of Coral Spawning International, which is deploying spawning research globally in support of reef restoration and local communities — with over 100 systems now operating across 19 countries.This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Here, we focus on the big picture and Jamie's story: why the world's coral reefs are in such serious trouble, from climate-driven bleaching to blast fishing, and what the stakes really are for biodiversity, coastal communities, and the future of the hobby. Jamie takes us through his journey from hobbyist to researcher, explaining how he made the leap from jellyfish to corals and achieved the world's first predicted coral spawning event in a fully closed system — and what it took to scale that breakthrough into a global restoration tool.We also get into coral biology along the way, covering the difference between brooders and broadcast spawners and why good husbandry is a more powerful scientific tool than it's often given credit for.Jamie also highlights the Great Reef Census as a brilliant way for hobbyists and ocean lovers to contribute to real coral reef research from anywhere in the world — link here.In Part 2, we get practical. Jamie will be back to walk us through what coral spawning at home actually looks like — and whether it might be more achievable than you'd think. Stay tuned.👉 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠@reefing_radio⁠⁠📘 Find us on Facebook: ⁠⁠Reefing Radio⁠⁠💬 Got feedback or questions? Drop us a message!🎧 Subscribe to hear more reefing chat every week