~~ Your Help Needed - Beginner FAQ ~~

Reading through the beginner forum lately, i've noticed a lot of the same questions being asked that have been answered last month, the month before that, and last year as well. So I'd like to compile a list of FAQ's for beginners to sticky in the beginner's forum and maybe add to the articles section.

 

Here's where you all come in - think back to when you were just starting out. What questions did you need answered before you began, what questions did you have in the first week, first month, etc?

 

Please post your thoughts in this format:

 

1. Time Period:

-prior to setup

-during setup

-first two weeks

-first month

-first three months

-first six months

-first year

 

2. topic

-equipment

-livestock

-appearance

-testing

 

 

Example:

 

Time period: first month

Topic: appearance

 

Q: I recently started my tank and now there's a brown film forming all over everything what is this?

 

A: Diatoms. This algae is normal for new tanks and should disappear within a few weeks.

 

This is all off the top of my head. if you have other ideas for topics (or anything else) post them as well and I will update this post as necessary.

Time period: After introduction of liverock

Topic: Bugs?

 

Q: I have all these tiny white/clear bug looking things in my tank. What are they, and should I be worried?

 

A: They are copepods, amphipods, etc. Most of them are very beneficial to a reef tank becuase they eat leftovers and waste. They are also a source of food for some fish. They are introduced with your liverock and are no cause for worry.

 

*If you do happen to notice them negatively effecting anything in your tank, start a thread and post a comment and a picture if possible.

I would also like to recommend that there be a section that basically walks through the first 2 months and explains what the equipment is for and why certain selections are made.

 

Like do a sample 10 gallon set up and walk through what to purchase and how to set it up

Here's one I've seen alot of recently

 

Time Period Before setup

Topic Setup help

 

Q

I'm new to nano / reef keeping and I'm looking for advice on what equipment I should be buying to setup a nano

 

A

First off, welcome! In a few short months time, you should be well on your way to having an established, aesthically pleasing miniature reef in your home / office / wherever.

 

Now to answer your question.

 

Largely, this answer depends entirely on what you intend to keep in your nano. The first thing you should decide upon is a tank type and size.

 

Things to keep in mind are:

Where are you planning on setting this tank up at?

What size tank will fit in your area?

Are you wanting a decorative styled tank (bow, hex, rectangular, etc.)?

Look around the gallery for pictures of member's tanks if you need some inspiration!

 

After your tank size and type has been decided upon, you should begin a stocking plan. This will likely evolve many times over during your setup, so don't feel bad if your end result is signicantly different than what your initial intentions were.

 

Things to keep in mind are:

Compatability of tankmates.

Feeding considerations (different inhabitants have wildly different feeding requirements - all this should be well researched before you buy anything)

Inhabitants care requirements - do the care requirements for one animal negate the care requirements of another?

Interested in targetting a specific biotype (hawiian reef, florida reef, species only tank, etc.)

Fish only or reef system?

Will your inhabitants fit the tank size / type you've decided upon?

Can you properly light or filter this tank for the inhabitants you want?

 

Once you've decided upon a stocking plan, then the specifics of lighting, filtration, other inhabitants, etc. can be addressed. For example, lighting and filtration for a dwarf seahorse tank is signicantly different than that of say a clam tank, or a coral tank.

 

Hopefully, once you've done some of the initial setup requirements, you can build on that. Should you need further advice, which you very well might, it will be considerably easier for us to help answer more specific questions for you!

 

Q

But I've still got SO many questions, how can I get answers to them all?

 

A

The quick answer to this is simply to ask your question on the forum.

 

The long answer is to try to research your question yourself before asking. A good question is one that you've already tried to answer! If you are already familiar with some aspect of your question, then the answers we provide will be more easily understood and more likely followed upon. Forum members are much more likely to answer a well formed / researched question than one that is vague and not thought out.

 

If you are unable to find the answers to your questions yourself, ask the forum members where you could find the answers. Many times members can recommend a book, website, or forum thread that has already answered those (and many more) questions. Afterall, nobody wants to answer the same question a dozen times only to be asked again the next day by a new person.

 

The beginners forum here on NR.com already contains answers to hundreds of common and uncommon questions that newbies like yourself have already asked. You may find your answer there! Other good sources of information include http://saltaquarium.about.com/ - http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ - http://www.google.com

 

Lastly, I hope that you enjoy your new venture into nano reef keeping!

 

Happy Reefing,

SlaeYer

1 week into my tank right now, my main questions that I am wondering about:

 

What test kits do I need?

 

How do I bring up/lower my pH, salinity etc?

 

What water parameters do I expect to see as the cycle goes through? Besides the ones listed on the good article on the main site, I mean things like PH, salinity etc? It should be stated whether they should be constant, I'm guessing they are, but I'd like to know for sure

 

Maybe also some lists of good stocking suggestions would also be good, such as if you have a 5g here are some good, *safe* combos. Here are some for a 10g, here are some for a 20g, just to give people ideas? Like oh ok for a 10g a good newbie setup would be a blah and a blah and here's why (I'm a newbie so I don't know what would be suggested lol)

 

 

A ID guide for common hitchikers, like the one linked in the newbie forums right now, with links to removal of pests on the site, and pics hosted on the site, would be great.

I say, let them keep asking the same questions, over and over and over......it's what keeps this board fresh.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and then......FLAME the crap out of them!!!!LOL

While I agree that keeping the boards fresh is a good thing, for long time members, seeing the same questions brought up repetatively feels redundant and they often ignore the newbies alltogether. The newbs in turn get frustrated and either give up, or do something foolish that could have been prevented if we had just cared a little more. All newbs should do searches on any forum before asking a question, and then post their question if they couldn;t find an answer, but many don't. Each of us has more or less patience, not all of us want to answer the same questions consistantly, I think we should take turns on this, and as always, polietely advise the new commers about doing a search. Just my .02. Flaming is rude, and completely uncool, it doesn't add to the questioner's education in the least, and I have almost left certain forums for the out of control flames. Constructive criticism is one thing, and that's fine, but flaming is just immature.

a glossary of terms would be helpful, internet and hobby-wise.

One thing to remember is the the noobs usally know as little about using this board as they do keeping a nano......

 

Think back to the first time you signed up and asked your first question......it takes time to learn how to navigate to the right section and search......

 

 

I still like the idea of flaming the crap out of them......lol

1. thanks to all those who've submitted ideas so far. keep them coming!

 

2. let's keep this on topic

 

3. go ahead and flame in the beginner's forum. I dare you.

Here's one I don't quite know the answer to but asked myself.

 

Why should I consider plumbing a sump / refugium?

 

What are the benefits of either system?

 

Are there any cons to either system?

 

Aside from the obvious points, I don't have enough knowledge to answer this completely. Any takers?

Originally posted by Blind Tree Frog

I would also like to recommend that there be a section that basically walks through the first 2 months and explains what the equipment is for and why certain selections are made.

 

Like do a sample 10 gallon set up and walk through what to purchase and how to set it up

 

Ok, this one's for you!

 

Expect a VERY long post here! But here goes

 

Q

I just bought a 10 gallon tank, now what?

 

A

Day One, Two and Three

Testing equipment and initial setup

 

This first series of steps may take several days to complete

 

Congratulations on your venture into nano reef keeping. No doubt you've already read the presetup guide I posted earlier. If you haven't, or have only skimmed through it, now would be a good time to read through it again and make sure you've prepared yourself properly for your new setup.

 

Today you get to clean and test your equipment and familiarize yourself with it's use. Again, you should have already purchased your filtration equipment.

 

You will also need a basic saltwater test kit. There are many brands, and I will not make a recommendation here, but the basic tests should include the following:

 

High Range PH - tests acidity or PH of water

Ammonia - tests dissolved levels of ammonia

Nitrite - tests dissolved levels of nitrite

Nitrate - tests dissolved levels of nitrate

 

Some good ones to also have available include:

 

Alkalinity - tests alkalinity or buffering level of tank water

Calcium - tests dissolved levels of calcium

Copper - tests dissolved levels of copper

Phosphates - tests dissolved levels of certain phosphates

(any other tests I've forgotten go here)

 

Live Rock and Live Sand are not needed today, we will get to that step tomorrow. Lights also are not needed, but are recommended to be purchased shortly.

 

You may also need additional equipment such as timers, power strips, GFCI outlets, etc. These things are all optional, but sometimes needed / recommended depending on your specific setup. If you find you need additional equipment, it should also be purchased today.

 

If you haven't already, you'll need to purchase all your filtration equipment now (yes, all of it). Exact filtration needs will vary depending on the type of setup you desire. Please post your setup and stocking list to help us help you plan your setup if you haven't already.

 

You should begin by familiarizing yourself with the setup and maintenance of all your filtration equipment. There will be times where you might need to tear apart a powerhead or filter to clean or repair it. If you aren't completely familiar with your equipment now, it may spell headache down the road. Begin to tear everything apart to it's individual pieces, making sure NOT to mix pieces up with other components. Get familiar with all the pieces, making sure you can put everything back together again, make sure you're not missing pieces, or have any "spare parts". Any missing pieces will need to be replaced before you continue. Also, any spare parts need to be confirmed that they are indeed spare, and not simply something you forgot to replace. You should also use this time to carefully inspect each and every piece of your equipment for cracks, bad seals, etc. You, your landlord, your spouse, etc. will be much happier if you find a leak now than after the tank's all setup. Any broken components should be returned / exchanged before you continue.

 

First, we have to clean!

 

In a large tub or in your bathtub, begin by cleaning your tank. Using a small scouring pad (one without any cleaners or pretreatments added to it - IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IT BE FREE OF SUCH COMPOUNDS), a small amount of water, and some course rock salt (the kind used for making ice cream - used only as abrasive - not to be used on acrylic tanks - make sure it's free of other additives such as iodine - we use salt for our cleaning compound because it will not adhere to the tank glass, and rinses completly) begin to scrub the sides and bottom of your tank inside and out making sure to get every inch of the tank glass. When you're finished, rinse the tank VERY well to remove any salt and dissolved compounds (such as cleaning products or release agents that may have been applied at the factory) from your tank. Feel free to dry the tank if you like.

 

Now that your tank has been cleaned, you should clean your filtration equipment using similar methods, for the same reason. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, remove any electrical component from your equipment. If you are unable to remove a component, clean the part as best you can wherever water will be in contact with the surfaces. You can dry your filtration equipment once it's cleaned.

 

Now we test

 

Find a location you can setup your tank and filtration equipment while you perform a "wet test". This location needs to be near a power source, but should be able to comfortably hold your tanks water volume in it's entirety should a seam fail or your glass crack. I test my tanks in a 30 gallon rubbermaid tub on the kitchen table.

 

Begin to assemble all the components of your setup. Find where things like heaters, powerheads, hang-on filters, etc. fit the best. Make sure there's room for lights, canopies, etc. now. Make sure you can reach inside your tank if needed.

 

Once you've setup all your components, begin to fill your tank with clean, fresh water. You should be looking for tank leaks during this time. After your tank is full, plugin and test all of your filtration equipment. Make sure any hoses or plubing is free of leaks. Make sure that powerheads are moving water at a good rate. Ensure that your heater is properly heating your water. If any leaks or nonfunctioning equipment is found, repair or replace the equipment now. Leave this setup running for several hours checking the water level several times during this period. You can use a wipe off marker to mark the water level on the outside of your tank if needed. If leaks are present, water will begin to collect in your tub (you did place the tank in a tub right). Food coloring can be used to further determine leak locations if they are not clearly visable.

 

Everything works great, I'm ready to begin!

 

Great, let's empty the water from your tank and filtration equipment. If you used any food coloring to test for leaks, you'll want to thoroughly rinse everything prior to use.

 

Once everything is tore down, place the tank in the area you've predetermined for it to be. Make sure you've left plenty of clearance for filtration equipment, cables, heat escape, arms, etc. Now you can setup your tank and all your equipment and fill the tank with saltwater. You should fill your tank to a level about 3/4 full, or be prepared to siphon some of the water from your tank when you add rock and sand.

 

Remember all those test kits you bought? Once you've setup the tank and filled it with saltwater, test your water. If any tests show any levels of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, test again. All levels should read zero. If they do not, you either have a bad test kit, or your source water has some amounts of dissolved compounds already present. When in doubt, you can usually get your LFS (Local Fish Store) to do simple water tests for you. Sometimes they may charge, but usually they offer it as a free service.

 

If everything went according to plan, you should now have a tank full of water with all your filtration equipment up and running and leak free. We'll stop here for the day and pickup tomorrow.

 

 

 

Day Four, Five and Six

Adding rock and sand

 

Again, this series of steps may take several days to complete

 

Your tank should be filled to a level about 3/4 full. You can siphon some of the water from your tank now to achieve this level. You should also turn off filtration equipment and heaters during this time as it will make your job easier.

 

Today is the day we get to add rock and sand to your tank. If you haven't already, you should order or purchase your Live Rock and Sand now. An average rule of thumb is to use .75 - 1.5 lbs of sand per gallon of tank water or enough to gain about 1" - 2" on the bottom of your tank. Live Rock is generally figured about the same as sand. Once you have everything in your possession, we can begin.

 

If you are using Live Sand, skip this first step now as you do not want to rinse it (it will kill the life we're trying to preserve).

 

If you are using dry sand or prepackaged sand, you should probably rinse the sand before you place it into your tank. Some people will disagree with me on this step, but I feel it is important to remove some of the smaller pieces of sediment. I rinse my sand in a 5 gallon bucket until the fine particles settle after about 5 mins. You can rinse more or less to suit your individual tastes.

 

Once you have rinsed the sand, or if you are using Live Sand, begin to slowly add it to your tank. It may help deter cloudieness to lower the container of sand into the water and slowly release the sand directly onto the bottom of your tank. Wearing gloves, spread the sand evenly onto the bottom of your tank to a depth of about 1" - 2" or more depending on your preference.

 

Your tank will likely cloud over somewhat during this time. This is normal, and should subside within a day or two, less if you rinsed your sand.

 

Once the sand is in place, begin to unpack your live rock. If possible, try to clean it of dead or dying life using tweezers and an old well rinsed toothbrush. Doing this simple step will greatly improve the cycle time and smell of your tank during it's cycle. Setup a towel or similar work area and begin to stack your rock. Your end result will be to your design and preferences, but often a setup with many caves and crevices is desired. Try to stack larger or uglier pieces on the bottom working your way to the top. Make sure the rockwork is stable and stands freely on it's own (you don't want to lose a fish or break your tank due to a rockslide). You can use a hammer and chisel to break apart large pieces of rock if needed to help them fit into your aquascape design.

 

Once you're satisifed with your aquascape begin to place it into your tank starting with the bottom pieces first. Again, make sure your rockwork is stable and stands freely. You should also ensure that no powerhead or return lines are blocked by your rockwork. You may need to adjust your rockwork or filtration locations to suit your needs. If you cannot get all pieces stable, or your design calls for a piece you don't have, small amounts of marine epoxy putty (available in most fine hardware stores - sold in small tubes for around $5) can be used to firmly secure large pieces to one another, or make larger pieces from smaller ones. Use care when handling the epoxy putty as it can get quite warm during mixing and curing, and can be an eye or skin irritant before cured. After the epoxy is cured, it is completly non-toxic. Topoff your tank water when finished to bring it back up to normal water level and turn on your filtration equipment again

 

After you've finished aquascaping your tank, sit back, have a beer, and post a few pictures to the thread. We will be most pleased to admire your handiwork!

 

End week 1

Begin week 2

 

During week 2 you should see your water clearing up tremendously. Do not do any water changes during this time, but monitor your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels daily. Do not be alarmed when your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels begin to climb and seem not to stop, they well level off, and slowly begin to fall as the bacterial cycle begins. Any evaporated water should always be topped off with fresh, clean water. If you haven't already, you should now purchase your lights and begin setting them up on your tank. Start your lighting cycle off at about 1 - 2 hours of light per day slowly increasing 1/2 to 1 hour daily until you reach a full 8 - 12 hours each day.

 

You should also begin to see small shrimp-like creatures and worms roaming about in your water and on your tank glass. The shrimp-like things are called pods and are a good thing. There are unfortunately too many types of worms to name them all. The most common ones are bristle worms and spaghetti worms, both of which are detritivores (eat fish poop and uneaten food).

 

End week 2

Begin week 3

 

During week 3 you should start to see the first algae bloom in your tank. Most likely, brown dust-like algae (diatoms) will begin to settle on your rock and substrate. You can blow it off using a powerhead or turkey baster if you like. It's generally a good idea to adjust the flow of your powerheads and pump returns to minimize "dead" spots, or spots where water doesn't flow well across your rock or sand. You can use the diatoms as a good indication of areas that need work as diatoms will not settle in areas with alot of water movement.

 

Your water tests should now begin to show lowering ammonia levels and possibly lowering nitrite levels as well. Continue with water topoffs, but do no water changes.

 

 

End week 3

Begin week 4 or 5

 

You should now notice that the diatom algae is beginning to recede slightly. Also, new types of algae may begin to take hold in your tank like green and purple algae on your rock, or hairy algae on your powerheads and pump returns. Also, many hitchikers (such as small crabs, starfish, snails, corals or anemones) should begin to show themselves to you. Some may only show at night, while others only during the day.This is a sign that your tank is nearing the end of it's cycle.

 

If you've been monitoring your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels (like you're supposed to be doing) you should now see the levels beginning to fall and drop back to zero. Once ammonia and nitrite read zero, you are ready to perform your first water change and add your cleanup crew (detritus engineers).

 

Water changes are easy to do, but can seem daunting the first few times they are done. In a nutshell, the process is simple. Remove about 10% - 20% of your tank water and discard it. Then using clean, premixed saltwater (it's a good idea to mix the saltwater the night or few days beforehand to ensure all salt is well dissolved and the water is aerated), replace the amount you removed. This process serves 2 main purposes. One is to replace the dissolved organinc compounds that filtration cannot remove (such as nitrate, phosphates, silicates, etc) and the other is to replace trace elements that tank inhabitants use (such as calcium, strontium and iodine).

 

A good cleanup crew has a mix of different types of snails, crabs, starfish and other algae / detritus feeders. No-one here can completely recommend a surefire setup for your system, but a mix of 1 - 2 snails and 1 - 2 crabs per gallon of water is generally considered sufficient. Some crabs and snails will grow considerably larger than others and therefor do not fit into the above recommendation, while others still may prey upon members of their own species, or other tank inhabitants. Use research and common judgement when filling your tank's cleanup needs.

 

Once you have decided on a cleanup crew, begin to stock your tank with these new critters. It is generally recommended to quarantine new arrivals for a period of 1 - 2 weeks to ensure that you are not introducing diseased animals or parasites to your tank. Setup of a quarantine tank is nothing more than a small tank w/ a small amount of light and simple heating and filtration. Plastic or inert decorations can be used to provide cover if desired.

 

End week 5

Begin week 6 - 8 on

 

Continue to monitor your water parameters, watching for increases in ammonia, nitrite and nitrate (increases are usually the first sign of trouble). Do small water changes as needed to lower nitrate levels, and plan to perform regular water changes every other week thereafter. After you're new tankmates have had a week or two to become established to their new home, you can begin to slowly add fish and other livestock to your tank. Again, it is generally recommended to quarantine new arrivals for a period of 1 - 2 weeks to ensure that you are not introducing diseased animals or parasites to your tank. A wait of several days to weeks is also recommended between new additions to make sure that your inhabitants do not stress themselves or the filtration abilities of your tank too fast and kill or weaken your inhabitants.

 

 

The above is not meant to be a series of new tank setup laws, it is instead meant to provide a new tank owner the valuable information they need to successfully setup and maintain a beautiful saltwater tank for many years to come. As always, if you have further questions, or would just like to show off your successes, feel free to post to the forums. In time, you may find yourself gaining new friends or answering someone else's questions, thereby supporting the forums and proving their worth.

 

Happy reefing,

SlaeYer

And now I'm done for awhile as my fingerz hurt from typing

Originally posted by slaeyer

Here's one I don't quite know the answer to but asked myself.

 

Why should I consider plumbing a sump / refugium?

 

What are the benefits of either system?

 

Are there any cons to either system?

 

Aside from the obvious points, I don't have enough knowledge to answer this completely.  Any takers?

 

ah yes, somebody answer this please and thus avoid a newb like myself asking it in the main fourm

As posted by BLACKJACK:

 

The "cycle" process

 

The term 'cycling' is applied to the process which takes place as a new aquarium 'matures'. This refers to the build up of essential bacteria, which break down wastes. The implications of this are probably the single most important factor in maintaining healthy fish. This process is essentially the same in all aquatic environments, from fresh to salt water.

 

Fish waste,

Uneaten food,

Plant matter,

Break down into waste AMMONIA

 

AMMONIA Converts

by bacterial breakdown into NITRITE

 

NITRITE Converts

by bacterial breakdown into NITRATE

 

NITRATE

Removed primarily by water changes

 

 

In a new aquarium, there are not enough of the bacteria to cope with the waste load and toxic ammonia can rise to dangerous levels. Eventually, the bacteria increase to cope with the ammonia, converting it to another, only slightly less toxic compound - Nitrite. This too will then rise to high levels until a second type of bacteria increases and converts it to the much less toxic Nitrate. This process can take up to several weeks. In the confines of an aquarium, there is not really a complete 'cycle', and most of the end product, Nitrate, is normally removed by water changes as shown in the diagram above.

 

There are therefore certain things which should be done to minimise any stress or even fatalities during the cycling period:

 

Avoid adding fish if possible during the cycle time. If you must add fish, add only a few hardy fish at first and feed lightly to minimise wastes.

Test water regularly and perform water changes to reduce the levels of ammonia and nitrite if they become dangerously high. The bacteria are attached to surfaces, so removing water should not slow down the maturing process.

If possible, obtain some gravel, tank decor, plants, rock or filter media from a mature tank. This will introduce some of the necessary bacteria and may reduce or even eliminate cycling time.

The aquarium is considered 'mature' when ammonia and nitrite have reduced to zero, and nitrates have begun to rise. At this point it will be necessary to begin a regular program of water changes to keep the level of nitrates low (aim for less than 50 mg/l, less than 25 mg/l is better).

(Note: mg/l = milligrams per litre is essentially the same as ppm = parts per million, for most purposes).

 

Methods of 'fishless cycling' exist, which avoids exposing fish to the stressful conditions of cycling - if possible explore one of thes alternatives before adding fish or other inhabitants to your aquarium.

Hey good write up on the basic 10g thread. A question that popped up in my mind while reading it: How high is to high for nitrate levels? Right now I'm wondering about when to do water changes, and thinking of using nitrates as a barometer for that.

The "cycle" portion of this thread (last post of mine - thanks BLACKJACK) lists to try to keep 'trates down to about 50 ppm or less with 25 ppm or less ideal. I've read that anything over 75 ppm can become toxic to inverts and will begin to fuel algae outbreaks, but don't quote me on that number.

The beginner's forum is a FAQ. People just need to learn to search before they ask.

Every common start up question has been posted, you just have to have the patience to look for it. If I see questions like the ones stated above, generally I will ignore them. Reason being if the person doesn't have the fortitude to research his/her question first, then they probably wont research fish and coral purchases either. One of the things I cannot stand is when someone posts a question like " I just bought this coral, can you tell me what it is and how to take care of it?" Why would you buy something you know nothing about? It utterly amazes me sometimes.

 

JMTC

Originally posted by spectre

The beginner's forum is a FAQ. People just need to learn to search before they ask.  

Every common start up question has been posted, you just have to have the patience to look for it. If I see questions like the ones stated above, generally I will ignore them. Reason being if the person doesn't have the fortitude to research his/her question first, then they probably wont research fish and coral purchases either....

 

On the flip side of that coin, not every person knows where to search to find their answers. Also, the idea of searching an entire forum section to find just a few answers is not always an enticing one. This faq is designed to condense many of the common questions down into a more manageable section which will easily be read and understood by newbies.

 

Aside from the obvious benefits of having a condensed set of questions and answers, there is also the fact that now when a newb asks a question of this type, members can simply say "have you read the faq yet?" If they haven't, we refer them to the faq and be on our way. They get their answers, and we don't have to answer their questions a thousand times over.

 

....One of the things I cannot stand is when someone posts a question like " I just bought this coral, can you tell me what it is and how to take care of it?" Why would you buy something you know nothing about? It utterly amazes me sometimes.

 

JMTC

 

Those questions will be posted regardless of a newbs experience level. People are people and will undoubtedly impulse buy and not research before a purchase. This faq is designed to answer some of the more common questions that are often posted and overlooked. You can still flame the impulse buyers if you want to.

I meant no offense slaeyer, I was just saying it would be easier to direct the newbies to do a search, then it would to try and compile a FAQ that would cover everything involved in setting up a reef tank.

 

Kinda wierd how close our names are and we use the same avatar...lol

No offense taken... please do not think I intended to attack you.

 

Reason I'm taking a big part in the thread as I really wished I could have found something like it way back before I got seriously started. It would have saved me many a sleepless night researching and trying to compile my research into something that made sense for me.

 

Besides, it makes me feel good to know that my knowledge is being used somewhere and appreciated.

 

It is definately intruiging that our names are so similar and we chose the same avatar. Are you a fan of the purple firefish? I definately am! I don't have one at the moment, but I am in the planning stages of a 12 gallon w/ a few firefish or something similar!

Also when someone posts a question you feel like ignoring, well its easier to say read the faq and hit up a link then to type up a long response. Sometimes people have trouble finding something, or can't figure out how to search. Also having the info condesnesed in one spot makes it easier for people who are smart enough to look for a faq to find one.

to everyone who's posted so far, thank you. there is currently an articles section of the site (does everyone know this?) that covers the basics of everything. I'm hoping to get a little more in-depth and sticky at the top of the beginner's forum.

 

yes, the beg. forum is a bit of an FAQ in and of itself. But it can be tough to wade through dozens of posts with often conflicting answers.

Big fan of the firefish, I have one in my 20 gal right now..8-)

So who's gonna take a stab at this thread next? I think I've written enough for awhile....

 

So let's hear YOUR words of wisdom