Alerts

Winter throws up a subtle salinity problem. You test and get a reading a touch higher than usual, say 0.002 above your normal 1.026, even though nothing has changed in your dosing or feeding. The usual culprit is the ATO reservoir running low while the float switch quietly fails to trigger a full cycle for days. It is not dramatic, just a slow drift that catches people out because nobody is watching the reservoir closely in winter.Dated Alert: 24 July 2026Brisbane conditions this week: cool, dry overnight air combined with heaters cycling more often is pulling extra water out of...

It's the third week of July and Brisbane nights have been dropping into single digits, which means heaters are running longer cycles than they have all year. That temperature gap between a 26 degree tank and a cold room is exactly what turns a glass lid into a condensation trap, and it can lead to fogged covers, dripping cabinet tops and even soft, swollen chipboard under stands.Why this is happening right nowWarm, moist air rising off the water hits the cooler glass lid and cabinet underside, condenses, and runs back down. A flat glass cover with no gap barely lets...

Heads up: Brisbane mains water is running cold right now, and straight top-up or change water can drop your tank several degrees in minutes. That swing stresses fish and corals far more than most keepers expect in the cooler months.Through winter the water out of the tap can sit close to 15C, well below the 24 to 26C most reef and tropical tanks run. Pour a 20 percent change straight in and the whole tank takes a sudden dip, right when livestock is already coping with shorter days and slower metabolisms.What to do this week Mix and heat your change...

Worth a look now: The short Brisbane winter days change how your tank behaves. Corals and fish slow down, uneaten food lingers, and low light shifts which nuisance algae turn up. A few small tweaks now keep water quality steady through the cold months.With less daylight and cooler water, fish eat less and metabolise slower. Feed at the same warm-weather rate and the extra food breaks down into nitrate and phosphate, which is often what feeds a winter brown diatom film on the sand and glass. Corals also pull nutrients more slowly, so parameters can drift if you keep dosing...

If you have noticed small brown or translucent anemones popping up on your rock overnight, do not wait a week to deal with it. Aiptasia doubles fast once established, and one overlooked frag can seed an entire display within a month. This is a live alert for anyone currently staring down a pest outbreak reef tank situation.Why this matters right nowAiptasia reproduces by splitting and by pedal laceration, meaning a single polyp disturbed by a clumsy scraper or powerhead can become five polyps by the weekend. They sting neighbouring coral tissue, steal food meant for your SPS and LPS, and...