Reefing Radio

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 look...

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...

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, deco...

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 capti...

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 unusu...

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 act...

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 i...

In this episode, Chris, Gareth, and James are joined by Jake — better known as Jake EC on Ultimate Reef — to explore the weird, wonderful, and often-overlooked side of reef keeping. Jake is known for his natural-looking mixed reefs and an extraordinary collection of unusual fish and invertebrates, from shrimp, starfish, and cucumbers to nano fish, symbiotic pairings, and rare oddities you rarely s...

New Year Reefing Resolutions We kick off 2026 with a reefing catch-up and some New Year’s resolutions. We talk about what got done over Christmas, what got neglected, and what we’re realistically trying to do better this year — from water-change routines and testing discipline to spending less money (we’ll see). There’s plenty of tank chat too: James’ plans for a softer, sponge-led system (and res...

Raise the Reef: Inside the World of a High-End LPS Retailer Chris, Gareth, and James are joined by Ash from Raise the Reef, a UK coral retailer specialising in vibrant, high-end LPS, with a particular passion for torches and unusual pieces. We dig into Ash’s journey from garage-based fragging to opening a physical store, and what it’s like running a coral business alongside a full-time job. Ash sh...

Reefing Radio – “How Many Fish Is Too Many Fish?” This episode is all about adding fish, stocking sensibly, and working out when a tank has reached its limit. We compare approaches, talk through what actually matters when choosing new additions, and look at how aggression, space, nutrients and behaviour shape whether a fish will work long-term. We also have a catch up on our tanks: James’ softie s...

After a longer-than-planned break (life got in the way!), the Reefing Radio trio are back behind the mics. In this episode, Chris, James and Gareth catch up on everything that’s been happening in their tanks — from Gareth’s elegance coral rollercoaster and growing Pectinia obsession, to James’ mangrove tank and one extremely naughty hogfish, to Chris’ shut down of the nano lagoon and build-out of...

In this special bonus Reefing Radio On Tour episode — our very first video podcast — we head to co-host Gareth’s home to check out his stunning 5-foot Red Sea peninsula reef. This LPS-dominant system has been carefully built and refined over time. Gareth talks us through the full setup — from coral and fish choices to sump layout, flow, and lighting — and the lessons learned along the way. It’s an...

Charterhouse Aquatics – Behind the Counter of One of the UK’s Leading Reefing Retailers Chris, Gareth, and James are joined by Ryan from Charterhouse Aquatics — one of the UK’s largest and best-known reefing retailers. If you’ve ever searched for aquarium gear online, you’ve almost certainly come across them. We dive into the story behind Charterhouse — from its humble beginnings in a garage back...

Signature Frags – From Hobbyist to Coral Farmer Chris, Gareth, and James are joined by Christian, the founder of Signature Frags — one of the UK’s best-known coral farms and a name synonymous with colourful, tank-hardened Acropora . We dive into Christian’s journey from hobbyist to coral farmer, what sets Signature Frags apart (from rigorous quarantine to long grow-out processes), and the realitie...

Reefing Radio - AQUAH 2025 Debrief Chris and Gareth sit down for an impromptu episode fresh from the AQUAH trade show. We share first impressions, standout corals (including a jaw-dropping Colorado Sunburst anemone), and the vendors that nailed it on the day. We cover: The balance of coral sellers vs dry goods – and what surprised us most Aquatic Emporium’s show-stopping booth and why it stood out...

Reefing Radio – “Does Size Matter?” Chris, Gareth, and James tackle one of the most common questions in reefing: what are the real differences between running a small tank and a large one? Inspired by a listener upgrading from a nano to a four-foot setup, we dig into the trade-offs between scale, cost, and enjoyment. We cover: Stocking strategies – why small tanks highlight tiny fish & critter...

Reefing Radio – “Keeping It Stable” pt. 2 Chris, Gareth, and James return to wrap up our deep dive into reef tank stability — this time we cover the parameters and approaches we didn’t get to last week. From magnesium mysteries to nutrient balance, trace elements, and the pros and cons of different dosing strategies, it’s a packed episode. We cover: Magnesium & calcium – does magnesium really...

Reefing Radio – “Keeping It Stable” pt. 1 In this episode, Chris, Gareth, and James dive into one of reefing’s biggest challenges – keeping things stable. From alkalinity and calcium to pH, magnesium, and even the microbiome, we share how we approach stability in our own tanks and what we think really matters. We cover: Using (and questioning) things like Chemiclean and bottled bacteria Why salini...

🎙️ Episode 2 – Reefing Success Welcome back to Reefing Radio! In this episode, your hosts — Chris, Gareth, and James — dive into the topic of reefing success . 🌊 What does success look like in the reefing hobby?💡 How do we define it for ourselves?🏆 And what wins (big or small) have we had in our own tanks? 💬 We want to hear from you: What does reefing success mean to you? Comment on the episod...

🎙️ Episode 1 – Meet Reefing Radio Welcome to the first episode of Reefing Radio! In this kickoff episode, your hosts — Chris, Gareth, and James — introduce themselves, share how they got into reefing, and give you a peek into their current tank setups, reefing styles, and salty obsessions. We also chat about why we decided to start the podcast, what you can expect in future episodes, and how we ho...