A problem I see with newbies

[Nano sapiens]

Now that I'm 50, maybe I should change my avatar.

 

 

Readng this, I feel old...

[seabass]

Ray, not sure if you remember, but we actually met at Stevie's booth at MACNA in Des Moines.

[RayWhisperer]

I'm actually really happy to see a lot of you posting your positive experiences with starting out. I think it's encouraging. Mine were anything but positive. My first tank was a total disaster.

Ray, not sure if you remember, but we actually met at Stevie's booth at MACNA in Des Moines.

I'm old, not that old, though. I was actually just going to ask you if we had met at macna.

[seabass]

I'm actually really happy to see a lot of you posting your positive experiences with starting out. I think it's encouraging. Mine were anything but positive. My first tank was a total disaster.

You know... my first reef tank did well (it was very simple). I started to think that this reefing thing was a piece of cake, and that I knew a lot more than I actually did. Funny, this hobby can really humble you, and make you realize that you don't know as much as you think you do.

[Tamberav]

Thanks errybuddy.

Nano, his join date is 2 years earlier. Everybody know join date trumps post count! ####### news, I swear!

 

Not everyone was born as...

 

 

 

 

[RayWhisperer]

Nonsense! I know it all! Look at my post count if you don't believe me!

[Clown79]

Very well said.

 

I think keeping things stupid simple is the best way.

 

I have run all my tanks this way, each tank had different experiences but generally were never a big problem.

 

Every single person will run into frustrating moments, will have a problem at one point or another- we are trying to maintain an ecosystem in a glass box, its not easy nor ever will be perfect.

 

I have seen on many forums the advice given for equipment and it often leads to more confusion by newbies which leads to even bigger problems.

 

I enjoy sharing my experiences in this hobby, the bad and the good.

Trying to come off as perfect with the best of the best-is really a highschool popularity contest.

 

How can one help if they have no experience with the negative/frustrating aspects of aquariums if they are perfect?

[StevieT]

 

Or, spend that money on hookers and blow.

 

KISS funds my H&B !! !!

[RayWhisperer]

I put that in there to pay homage to you, Steve.

[Nano sapiens]

^^ ...talk about getting 'off track'

[RayWhisperer]

Meh, they all do eventually.

[Nano sapiens]

'Reefer Progression' (you know this *could* be you)

 

In the beginning there was a tank, a pump and heater, a thermometer, a hydrometer, an ATI combo test kit, some IO salt and a few hardy corals/fish/inverts...

 

Fast forward a few years and there is a more expensive/bigger tank(s), fancier salt, some crazy fancy/expensive equipment, more test kits than you can shake a stick at, some mighty expensive fish and frags worth more than their weight in gold and a hefty post count...

 

Fast forward a few decades and there is a geezer of an old reefer, an old tank, an old pump and heater (likely the 9th or 10th), an old thermometer, a hydrometer that is older than the kids, just a few test kits (some likely expired), a bunch of huge old 'legacy' corals (too much trouble to get new ones), and a join date/post count that no one believes could possibly be real...

[Marc.The.Shark]

^^lol

[RayWhisperer]

Perfect!

[lkoechle]

 

I don't know, Yoshi, but if I had my system full automated I think I'd feel disconnected from the reefing experience...

I don't think so. I guess it depends on your season of life though. Mine was 90% automated and it allowed me to keep a beautiful tank and enjoy it more while have two children under two years old. It would have just been frustration after frustration if I had to keep up with everything manually.

 

I didn't feel disconnected from it. If anything, I think it invigorated my interest and enjoyment even more because I wasnt constantly fretting over forgetting daily chores.

 

I am glad I went through KISS though when starting out. The automation alone is daunting if you don't understand what is being controlled.

[Nano sapiens]

^^ I think the younger crowd is more comfortable with the automated systems, and I can totally understand that. Perhaps it is how one identifies with the tasks related to keeping a reef tank that makes the difference.

 

Personally, I don't consider the tasks I perform every few days as 'chores', but rather as an opportunity to connect with the system at a very basic level. I actualy enjoy the thought that what I am doing for the system (vs. an automated piece of equipment that I still have to check to see if it's working properly) is benefiting the creatures under my care.

 

For those who have a really busy life, automation can be a godsend, for sure.

[RayWhisperer]

Well put. I agree completely.

 

I hope nobody mistook this thread as some diatribe on gadgets, or automation. Well, actually, I don't really care if they did... That wasn't my point, though. I see so many questions or problems going unanswered, though. It's always the same crap, run a reactor, dose this, or whatever else. They aren't understanding why this happened in the first place. And if it is explained to them, they ignore it in favor of buying something. It's like going to my old lfs. I swear, they sold more chemiclean than anything else in the store.

[Rural]

I consider myself an early adopter and try to use all the new products before everybody else. next up: automated water mixing station/exchanger with integrated RODI on a timer.

[seabass]

Most of my equipment is old like me. Heck, I'm still using a swing arm hydrometer (miss my old SeaTest hydrometer, but I dropped and broke it). Yeah I have a refractometer, but it's a pain so...

 

For me, a controller is just a fancy timer, power strip, thermometer, and emergency heater shut off. When you buy these things separate, and it isn't really any cheaper, or even simpler. So maybe high tech, but I feel it still helps keep things simple. I use discontinued DA Reef Keeper IIs.

 

I like where LEDs are heading (not with the fancy lightning displays, but with better spectrums, coverage, and prices). The energy savings, and not having to replace bulbs is gold. But for now, I'm still running old Tek T5 HOs. I've used compact florescents, VHOs, and T5HOs. Never did run MH, and haven't found the perfect LED (but maybe I'm just too cheap).

 

Sorry, just some random thoughts.

[Nano sapiens]

They aren't understanding why this happened in the first place. And if it is explained to them, they ignore it in favor of buying something. It's like going to my old lfs. I swear, they sold more chemiclean than anything else in the store.

As I see it, it is analogous to the difference between the mind set of "Let me see how it works, so I'll take it apart and then I can probably fix it" vs. "Chuck it, I'll just buy a new one". One process requires analytical/critical thinking and patience...the other, well, not so much . Just the way the world paradigm has shifted, I guess.

 

Too bad bacteria, arguably the most important members of the reef tank community, are microscopic and for many 'not really there' (out-of-sight, out-of-mind). Would be a lot easier if people could relate by actually seeing them doing their thing...

[Astinus]

As far as Tech Goes...I Listed above my equipment.

My "High Tech" Item (lol) Is My AI Prime and I am very happy with it.

I Have no Sump, no space, nor the cash for 1. I would however like to have 1, TBH, I'd use it to try and keep a Good Pod colony as I would love to have a Mandy someday

I Do my own "Top offs" I do have my LFS Test my Params for me and they are always good.

I Do dose with "Reef Fusion" 1 & 2 (Every other day) No Issues.

So, I am trying to "Kiss" it.

 

TY again Ray for posting this Thread.

[mashedpotato]

I'm a newb and feel like I am over complicating things with equipment sometimes. However, I blame it on going to engineering school rather than any disinformation I read.

[Nano sapiens]

I'm a newb and feel like I am over complicating things with equipment sometimes. However, I blame it on going to engineering school rather than any disinformation I read.

 

Biology is where it's at. The equipment is just there to provide support for the biology and really shouldn't become the main focus of a reef tank, IMO.

[RayWhisperer]

Understand, I'm not suggesting it's disinformation.

[mashedpotato]

 

Biology is where it's at. The equipment is just there to provide support for the biology and really shouldn't become the main focus of a reef tank, IMO.

 

 

To each his own I guess; I know car guys who never actually drive their cars.