Reefing Radio

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.

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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 see in home aquariums. We dig into how and why he stocks his tanks the way he does, focusing on behaviour, interaction, and realism rather than trends or hype.

We talk about keeping unusual livestock successfully, pairing and grouping fish and inverts, sourcing rare species through strong retailer relationships, and what it takes to run a diverse, invert-heavy reef long term. Along the way, there’s plenty of discussion around risk, responsibility, learning through experience, and why curiosity still matters in the hobby.

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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 resisting the SPS temptation), Gareth’s rock-solid routines and why he’s officially done buying livestock, and Chris resetting his SPS cube with live rock, new flow, and a hard push for stability after a rough year.

We also dig into skimmers vs refugiums, pH struggles in winter, salt choices, dosing philosophies, and whether stability really does just come with time.

A relaxed start to the year, plenty of opinions, and a look ahead at what Reefing Radio has lined up for 2026.

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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 shares how he selects corals in person, grows out and colours up high-end LPS, and why feeding, nutrients, and flow matter far more than most people realise.

Along the way, we talk about the realities of coral retail — from sourcing and growing corals, to supporting customers, building community, and balancing livestock care with the commercial side of the hobby. There’s also plenty of discussion around feeding, nutrients, flow, and what it actually takes to keep LPS thriving long-term.
🔗 Check out Raise the Reef at ⁠raisethereef.co.uk⁠ and on Facebook.

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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 system with booming yellow sponges and neat lines of hair algae, Gareth’s bubble coral that turned out to be riddled with boring sponge, and Chris’ UNS 90LA tank transfer — plus the calcium precipitation event that left his SPS cube coated in white dust.

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