AquaStudio Lexington

10/16/2026

Some clean up crew are back in stock ready and some new cool upside down jellyfish

10/09/2026

KNOW YOUR SPECIES | Weedy Seadragon

Phyllopteryx taeniolatus

Not a seahorse, but one of its closest relatives.

Native to the southern coast of Australia, the Weedy Seadragon is one of the ocean’s most fascinating fish.

Its incredible colors and leaf-like appendages help it blend into seaweed and kelp habitats, making it remarkably difficult for predators to detect.

But here is something even more interesting.

Just like seahorses, it is the male that carries the eggs. The female deposits them beneath his tail, where they remain attached until they hatch.

Despite its spectacular appearance, this is not a fish for the average home aquarium. Its specialized feeding requirements, need for cool, stable water, and sensitivity to stress make it a species best suited to dedicated professional facilities.

A perfect example of why understanding a species and its natural habitat should always come before thinking about keeping it in an aquarium.

Nature never stops surprising us.

Francois Neo | AquaStudio Lexington

AquaStudioLexington FrancoisNeo

10/08/2026

ONE WEEK AWAY… AND THE REEF IS STILL HAPPY!

I just came back from a week-long road trip, and one question I often hear is:

How do you leave your reef aquarium for a vacation without worrying too much?

The answer is simple: preparation, stability, and keeping things simple.

Before leaving, I always follow a few basic rules:

* Clean the protein skimmer. An overflowing skimmer is the last thing you want while you’re away.
* Top off your freshwater reservoir. Make sure your ATO has enough water for the entire trip, with a little extra.
* Check your equipment. Pumps, heaters, temperature, and automatic systems should all be working properly.
* Feed lightly. Fish can handle a little less food much better than an aquarium can handle excessive nutrients.
* Have someone you trust check on the tank. Ideally, a fellow aquarist who understands what to look for.

But here is probably my most important advice:

DON’T DO TOO MUCH BEFORE LEAVING!

Avoid major changes, unnecessary adjustments, new livestock, or last-minute equipment upgrades.

Sometimes, trying to make everything perfect before leaving creates more problems than it prevents.

A healthy reef aquarium thrives on stability, not constant intervention.

And one last thing: make sure the person watching your aquarium knows exactly what to do, but also what NOT to do.

The goal isn’t to leave a perfect aquarium. It’s to come home to the same healthy, stable reef you left behind.

One week later, everything is doing just fine.

What about you? Do you feel comfortable leaving your reef aquarium for a week?

Francois Neo
AquaStudio Lexington

AquaStudioLexington

10/06/2026

An Achilles tang grazing on algae.

I can spend a long time watching this. Beyond the colors, it’s the way a fish moves, feeds, and explores its surroundings that keeps me interested.

What fish could you watch for hours?

10/01/2026

When you look at a reef aquarium, you don’t always think about the journey those fish and corals made to get there.
They come from different parts of the world. Some fish are captive bred, some corals are grown on farms, and others are collected from the ocean.

For us, that journey brings them through Atlanta before heading to Lexington.

Fish travel in bags with water and oxygen, inside insulated boxes. Corals are packed to protect them during transport. Temperature, time in transit, and handling all matter.

Once they arrive, the work continues. We need to assess their condition, acclimate them appropriately, and give them time to recover. Corals also need to adjust to the light in our systems.

Receiving animals is part of the job. Understanding where they come from and what they have been through is just as important.

A little look behind the scenes of our profession.

Francois Neo AquaStudio Lexington

09/30/2026

A reef aquarium begins long before the first drop of saltwater ever enters the system.

Behind the scenes of this exciting custom reef project, the foundation is already taking shape. While construction is underway, we’re working closely with the architects and contractors to plan every detail from the aquarium’s placement and plumbing to its electrical needs and future maintenance access.

We’ll be there for every step of the journey: design, installation, aquascaping, filling, cycling, and, when the system is ready, welcoming its first fish and corals.

For now, it’s framing, a few pipes, and the beginning of something special. Follow along as this reef aquarium comes to life.

Francois
Neo AquaStudio Lexington

09/26/2026

09/24/2026

Thursday is a good time for a quick midweek aquarium check.

Before the weekend, I like to take care of a few simple things:

Prepare the saltwater for the next water change.
Clean the glass so you can really enjoy the tank.
Empty and clean the skimmer cup so it keeps working efficiently.

Nothing complicated,just a few small habits that make maintenance easier and help keep the aquarium stable.

A healthy reef is usually built on consistency, not last-minute corrections.

What’s on your aquarium checklist before the weekend?

09/22/2026

Fresh mushrooms are coming in on my next import.

Unique colors, great texture, and some seriously nice pieces on the way.

Stay tuned — these won’t last long.

FrancoisNeo AquaStudioLexington

09/22/2026

Do you really need an aquarium controller to build an amazing reef tank?

My answer is simple: No.

I have seen incredible reef aquariums running for years without sophisticated controllers, automation or dozens of sensors.

A controller will not replace experience, observation, good husbandry, proper maintenance or understanding what is happening inside your aquarium.

But…

A good controller can make reefkeeping simpler, safer and more efficient.

It can help you monitor important parameters, automate repetitive tasks, manage equipment, detect problems earlier and, most importantly, improve the overall consistency of the system.

And consistency is one of the keys to a successful reef aquarium.

For me, automation should not be used to replace the aquarist.

It should be used to give the aquarist better control.

You can absolutely build an incredible reef without one.

But when a controller is properly designed, properly programmed and used for the right reasons, it can make maintaining that reef considerably easier.

At Francois Neo AquaStudio Lexington, this is exactly how I want to approach technology:

Not automation for the sake of automation.
Technology where it actually makes sense.

The goal is not to build the most complicated aquarium.

The goal is to build a stable, reliable and enjoyable aquarium.

— Francois Neo
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