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halfpint

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Things I have found.

 

~Don’t buy salt just because it dissolves instantly. Your best bet is to mix it and keep it agitated over night before doing a water change anyway.

 

~Know your coral/fish before you buy it. This will keep you from being harassed when you ask for an ID on something that doesn’t belong in a nano.

 

~Yes anemones can thrive in a nano with proper lighting. I listened to the lfs that said my sebae would stay small. I didn’t do the above suggestion and now it sits in front of my tank against the glass. (When I look at my fish tank I get a good view of a sebae’s a$$)

 

~If your anemone is white it’s beautiful but not typically healthy. It’s bleached and needs some TLC. Also never put an anemone in a tank you wouldn’t consider matured and stable.

 

~When buying lights for your tank spend the cash and do it right the first time.

 

~Buy a tank that’s a little bigger that you think you want. I never hear anyone saying “I wish I bought the smaller tank"

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1) Make Absolutely sure you like your rockscaping before adding

anything

 

2) When cycling, don't do water changes, keep a normal lighting cycle, Find another hobby for a month or two

 

3) Water changes are important, and one of the first things to do when something goes wrong

 

4) Nassarius snails are teh suxor....Go with Cerith...

 

If things don't last too long in your tank, stop buying replacements and find what you're doing wrong...

 

If you hear a clicking sound coming from your tank, don't put your fingers in the holes in the Live Rock....

 

If you have an open cut on your hand, don't put that hand in the water...

 

If you find something really ugly in your tank that you didn't put in there don't try to pull it out with your bare hands...

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If you hear a clicking sound coming from your tank, don't put your fingers in the holes in the Live Rock....

 

What??? Mantis Shrimp need attention too!!!!! Give 'em a scratch on the head once in a while!!! Well...10 times anyway...... :haha:

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Common thing stated on here by new people, "OMFG!!! Where did all these tiny bugs in my aquarium come from?!!"

 

Universal response to such a question, "They're pods. The tiny, hard to see ones are copepods and the larger (as large as a grain of rice) are amphepods. They're good for your tank and should be left alone. Feel free to watch them, as their behavior can be quite fascinating."

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newjerseynano

Three vital things that keep reefs alive, without them u DIE!

1.Stability (Ocean is the most stable ecosystem on the big blue)

2.Flow (Stuff must move to non moving things in order for non moving things to eat and survive)

3.Light (No-Brainer, no light, no life, then the above doesn't even apply)

 

I'm done the rest u work out with experience. Whatever fits your fancies and uses, power to ya!

 

Best of luck for those about to rock (<--good song, just replace with reef for it the phrase to work)

 

lol seriously good luck in whoever is brave enough to venture into the unknown and extremely expensive territory that is....reef.

 

O and none of this bs with omg omg bigger bigger! Screw it, as long as its stable, Ive seen people keep cd spindle reefs that look godly.

 

Jeff

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The search button is good, but in addition, I also use google search for more info. Also read as much as you can. I'm not very technical oriented and I like to keep things as simple as possible. One book that I enjoyed reading was The Nano-Reef Handbook by Chris Brightwell. Lots of great pics, (alright I admit I liked the pictures), and has a lot of info.

 

One more thing, be very Patient and take your time. For example, don't decide to put in a BTA for your clownfish after the tank has been up a few weeks. ;)

 

I'm a nooby so you got me. Whats a BTA?

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Yeah, I always use a plastic cup. I just scoop them into it, lower the cup into the tank, and release.

 

 

 

Just incase someone doesn't know:

 

IMO = In My Opinion

IMHO = In My Honest Opinion

JMO = Just My Opinion

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Support your local fish stores.

 

It's nice to save a little money by buying online but if you don't give your local retailers business (fish stores operate on a very low profit margin), they'll either disappear or won't run a quality operation.

 

It's much like people that complain about the disappearance of Mom & Pop stores yet do their business at Walmart.

Edited by Chupacabras
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Alright, NR vets and otherwise smart members, let's make an informative topic for new people to read. Hopefully this will reduce the "why is there so much brown algae all over everything?" and "why did my damsel die when he bit the lit firecracker that I tossed into the tank?" Just post your pointers and discuss whatever ones that have already been posted. Please don't hyjack this thread. It doesn't need to be 8 pages of crap. Just 1 or 2 pages of good, useful information.

I'll go first. N00bs, here are some common problems that you shouldn't worry about.

  • The imfamous "brown algae bloom." It happens to everyone who sets up a tank. So don't panic.
  • The nytrogen cycle. Learn it before setting a tank up. It goes Decaying matter = Ammonia = Nitrite = Nitrate = Nitrogen gas. Wait it out. Don't add anything until Ammonia, nitrite, and most of nitrates are gone.
  • Feeding. Don't feed your fish every day. Nano tanks build up waste easily, so feed every other day or every three days.

 

 

But no one answered why my damsel died when i tossed the lit firecracker in the tank....

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Support your local fish stores.

 

It's nice to save a little money by buying online but if you don't give your local retailers business (fish stores operate on a very low profit margin), they'll either disappear or won't run a quality operation.

 

It's much like people that complain about the disappearance of Mom & Pop stores yet do their business at Walmart.

 

I'd say support your GOOD local fish stores. My lfs is 1.5 hours away because the one in my town is worthless.

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But no one answered why my damsel died when i tossed the lit firecracker in the tank....

 

 

It's probably because the firecracker broke the glass, all the water drained out, and the fish dried up on your carpet.

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It's probably because the firecracker broke the glass, all the water drained out, and the fish dried up on your carpet.

 

 

that explains the mysterious stain on the carpet!!! thanks for clearing that up!!!

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Don't put a friggin tang in a tank smaller than a 40g. Not only will the anti-tang police flame your butt, but you will be harming your tang in the long run. :P

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Don't put a friggin tang in a tank smaller than a 40g. Not only will the anti-tang police flame your butt, but you will be harming your tang in the long run.
*cough* that's your opinion. :P

 

and it's Tang Police, not the anti-Tang Police. that's the more radical and militant arm of the Tang gangs. :lol:

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er1c_the_reefer

  • the more often your hand is in the tank, the worse off your tank will be.
  • add live rock first, then sand.

Edited by er1c_the_reefer
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and it's Tang Police, not the anti-Tang Police. that's the more radical and militant arm of the Tang gangs. :lol:

That's right. My bad.

 

 

What? I cant keep a Dory in a 2.5g Pico :o

That reminds me.

 

 

Don't use "Finding Nemo" names for fish. You'll get flamed. :P

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Hi guys! Thanks for all the help so far! I'm starting my 3rd week of cycling a 14G BioCube. I have diatom bloom going on and I want to rinse the filter cartridge. Can I rinse with tap water and stick it back in the tank, as long as I drain the tap water off good???????? I'm such a NOOB!!!!!!!!!! :P

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