Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Focus Reefing
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why He Stopped Testing His Reef Tank! | 18 Feb 2026 | 00:47:52 | |
Follow Focus Reefing on Instagram and Facebook @focusreefing. Follow Danny on Instagram @britosreef. Danny (@britosreef) literally walked a Waterbox 20 across NYC and took it on the subway to get it home — and that was just the beginning. In this episode of Focus Reefing, JV talks with Danny about how his first saltwater tank became a thriving 20g nano mixed reef with a GSP back wall, smart-simple automation for travel, and a system built around consistency more than constant testing. They cover the gear (AI Prime, Nero 3, All For Reef dosing), his 5-gallon weekly water change routine, why torches kept “randomly dissolving,” how he skipped the ugly phase with seeded media, and even how he keeps a Biota mandarin fat and happy in a nano by training it onto pellets. | |||
| Why His Frag Tank Plays a Bigger Role Than His Displays | 05 Feb 2026 | 00:38:25 | |
Follow Focus Reefing on Instagram and Facebook In this episode of Focus Reefing, JV sits down with Mike (MK_Reefs) to break down what makes nano reefs succeed or crash fast—from “when in doubt, water change” to why he skips protein skimmers on nanos, how he runs a surprisingly simple 10g Waterbox setup, and how his bigger frag system supports constant growth, trades, and tank restarts. | |||
| Building a reef tank with growth in mind! | 29 Jan 2026 | 00:43:59 | |
In this episode of Focus Reefing, I sit down with Jamie, also known as @EmpireReefer, to walk through his reef system and the mindset behind it. Jamie shares his transition from freshwater into saltwater, how he approached building his first reef tank, and the lessons learned along the way. We talk about coral placement, flow, lighting decisions, aquascaping with growth in mind, and how experience changes the way you think about equipment and livestock. The conversation also covers nutrient management, dosing and testing routines, lighting schedules, fish selection, and how reefing in a city apartment shapes the way systems are designed and maintained. This episode is a full system breakdown paired with honest insight into what’s worked, what hasn’t, and how Jamie continues to refine his approach as the tank matures. You can watch the full video version on YouTube and YouTube Music, or listen on Spotify and all major podcast platforms. Instagram @focusreefingYouTube @focusreefing Facebook @focusreefing | |||
| 210G Peninsula Reef Tour | SPS, Automation, Flow, and Lessons Learned with JT (@Hardy_reef) | 08 Jan 2026 | 01:02:41 | |
In this episode of Focus Reefing, JV sits down with JT (@Hardy_reef) for a deep dive into his 210-gallon peninsula reef. JT shares his reefing journey, system philosophy, and the lessons learned from building and maintaining a mature SPS-dominant tank. We cover automation, flow, lighting, redundancy, and the mindset required to keep a large reef stable long term. | |||
| He Stopped Testing His Reef Tank and It Worked | 01 Apr 2026 | 00:32:02 | |
In this episode of the Focus Reefing Podcast, JV sits down with Shaun (@somdtanks) to break down a nano reef that goes against a lot of what the hobby typically promotes. No testing. No dosing. Minimal equipment. Shaun walks through his LPS-dominant nano reef, how it evolved from an anemone tank, and why he’s intentionally kept things simple after decades in the hobby. The conversation dives into stability in small systems, evaporation challenges, lighting choices, and the tradeoffs between hands-off reefing and high-control systems. This is a grounded look at what actually matters in reefing and what might not. If you’ve ever questioned whether more gear, more testing, or more complexity is really necessary, this episode will give you something to think about. Follow Shaun Follow Focus Reefing Listen to the podcast Topics covered If you enjoyed this episode | |||
| Consistency Beats Chasing Perfect Numbers | 19 Mar 2026 | 00:45:48 | |
Welcome to the Focus Reefing Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Dean, also known as @irishshrimpguy, to break down his 120 gallon mixed reef and how he’s transitioned from LPS into SPS over the last year. We talk about what actually drives success in reefing, consistency, testing habits, flow, lighting, and how to avoid getting overwhelmed by too much advice early on. Dean also shares his approach to keeping things simple, dialing in parameters, and building a system that works for him. This episode is a solid look at what it takes to maintain a clean, stable reef and why consistency always wins. Follow Dean on Instagram @irishshimpguy Listen to the Focus Reefing Podcast on Spotify Follow Focus ReefingInstagram: @focusreefingFacebook: @focusreefingYouTube: @focusreefing | |||
| This 230G Tank Arrived and Wouldn’t Fit the Elevator! | 05 Mar 2026 | 00:47:16 | |
What do you do when your brand new reef tank shows up and it doesn’t even fit in the freight elevator? In this episode, JV talks with Jonathan aka @social_reefer about running a 200 gallon peninsula reef in a New York apartment and what it takes to keep a big system stable without overcomplicating it. Jonathan shares how he got into reefing during COVID, how he scored most of his setup secondhand, and why this hobby has more than one right answer if you commit to a method and stop chasing every new opinion online. They cover lighting flow dosing and filtration plus the corals and fish that have survived the mistakes and the simple slip ups that can turn into a disaster fast. Follow Focus Reefing on Instagram and Facebook @focusreefing Follow Jonathan on Instagram @social_reefer and on YouTube @Social Reefer | |||
| He Built This SPS Reef Into His New Home | 06 May 2026 | 00:52:59 | |
Kevin from @reefing_amsterdam joins the Focus Reefing Podcast to discuss his custom SPS-dominant reef system built in the Netherlands. We cover quarantine protocols, automated water changes, Hydros automation, bare bottom reefing, coral growth strategy, and the reality of handling major tank mistakes while away from home. Kevin also shares how he designed his system around long-term stability, ease of maintenance, and making the tank a true part of the home. Follow Kevin on Instagram: Follow Focus Reefing: Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major podcast platforms. | |||
| From Insomnia to Innovation: The Restorative Power of Julio’s 80G Reef | 22 Apr 2026 | 00:35:18 | |
In this episode, JV sits down with Julio Rangel (@tacoboutcorals) to talk about how reefing became more than just a hobby. After getting started with a small 10-gallon tank, Julio quickly scaled up and now runs an 80-gallon lagoon-style reef focused heavily on LPS corals and gonis. He shares how reefing helped him find structure and focus, and how the hobby continues to shape his outlook on life. The conversation covers patience, consistency, coral selection, running higher nutrient systems, and the gear and approach behind his current tank. Follow Julio: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacoboutcorals/ Follow Focus Reefing: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focusreefing/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FocusReefing The Focus Reefing Podcast is available on Youtube Music, Apple Podcasts, and all major podcast platforms. | |||
| A Reef Hobbyist Turned Her Water Tests Into an App | 08 Jul 2026 | 00:44:19 | |
I talked with Mallory, who started reefing in high school with a used one gallon tank and never left small tanks behind. She tells me why she started ignoring blanket advice online, what changes fast in a nano reef that doesn't in a big one, and how she turned her own obsessive water testing into an app she built while still in school. We also get into what it's like running a tank remotely from Wi-Fi while your parents handle the testing. Mallory has worked in multiple aquarium stores, from nano cubes to a several hundred gallon coral farm, and now runs a Hello Reef nano controlled entirely from her phone. | |||
| Never Replace This Reef Light | 24 Jun 2026 | 00:59:05 | |
SPOTIFY DESCRIPTION I broke my usual format for this one because the story was too good to pass up. A reef hobbyist built his own modular LED light out of pure frustration, and now he's about to bring it to market. I talk with Ariel, founder of NextGen Reef Tech, about the years he spent designing a fixture where every bulb swaps out individually instead of forcing a full upgrade when one channel fails. We get into the engineering decisions, the testing process, and the bigger philosophy behind building gear that is not designed to become obsolete. Ariel has been reefing for about fifteen years and built this light as a solo project, with pre-sales currently open at 40% off. Pre-Order @ www.nextgenreeftech.com Follow Ariel on instagram @Nextgenreeftech Watch on YouTube Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow on Focus Reefing on Instagram Follow on Facebook | |||
| This Tank Almost Exploded! | 10 Jun 2026 | 00:48:27 | |
A seam failure. A tank about to explode. One week to fix it before everything was lost. Sergio Sanchez (@themolarcoral) built a 110-gallon mixed reef into the wall of his family room — his first saltwater tank ever. He walks through the emergency swap that nearly ended his reef, why he skipped small and went straight to 110 gallons, and what it's really like to manage hammers, torches, gonis, and acros all in the same tank. He also gets into running elevated phosphates with corals that keep growing anyway, a UV sterilizer hack that killed his ich problem for good, and the honest learning curve of jumping into saltwater from freshwater with no experience and no safety net. Sergio runs a full Red Sea system on a Marineland 110 — his first reef and, after an emergency tank swap, technically his second. Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts Watch on YouTube Follow on Instagram Follow on Facebook | |||
| Rhinos Reef, Why He Had to Shut Down His Dream Reef Tank to Build a 3D Printing Business | 27 May 2026 | 00:57:14 | |
Is your 3D-printed gear secretly leaching toxins into your water? Chris from @rhinosreef joins the Focus Reefing Podcast for our milestone 10th episode to share his journey from a casual hobbyist to building a powerhouse manufacturing brand. We cover the emotional reality of having to tear down his personal system, the viral Star Wars Stormtrooper head that launched his business, filament types like PETG vs. ABS, and a devastating $15,000 lesson in unsealed aquarium magnets. Chris also shares how he designed his manufacturing line around absolute tank safety, his proprietary 5x sealing protocol, and what it really takes to survive the daily grind of a growing reef business. Follow Chris on Instagram: Follow Focus Reefing: Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major podcast platforms. | |||