gomen Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 I would like to purchase a new refractometer. Any recommendations? Quote Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I would like to purchase a new refractometer. Any recommendations? Get one with ATC (automatic temperature correction) and make sure it's meant for saltwater aquariums, not a generic one that may have an inappropriate scale (like Brix). Quote Link to comment
FlowerMama Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 You can find ones on Amazon from 29.99-50 and they'll work well and have a case and all that and like lakshwadeep said, make sure it temp corrects. Quote Link to comment
O-man21 Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Here is why you need a refractometer in the first place: 1 Quote Link to comment
Lawnman Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 ooo ooo, i have a list: 1. Stability is key 2. Bigger = easier to keep stable 3. Ammonia -> Nitrites then Nitrates 4. Ammonia and nitrites need to be zero before anything 5. When in doubt wait 2 weeks 6. When stocking only add critters once a month 7. At least 1lb. of rock per gallon 8. Live sand is not needed, it will be seeded from live rock 9. Put as much sand in as is pleasing to the eye 10. No crushed coral. Anywhere. 11. Tonga, Fiji, Marshal etc. Whichever looks best to you 12. Less fish = room for error when the unexpected happens 13. The unexpected will happen 14. Yes you are probably overstocked 15. No anemones under 25 gallons. 16. No tangs unless you have a bigger tank to move them to later. 17. Good stuff doesn’t come cheap 18. You get what you pay for 19. Refugiums aren’t required 20. Refugium > no refugium 21. Chaeto is a nice macro algae to use in a refugium 22. Skimmers aren’t required. 23. Skimmers are nice 24. Good nano skimmers are(in no particular order): a. Cora-Life Super Skimmer b. Remora c. ASM 25. Skimmer and a refugium are both good additions 26. Yes a Remora will fit on a 10gal. 27. Water-changes weekly are a very good idea 28. Change 10%-20% water a week for good results 29. IO is a good salt 30. So are pretty much all salt brands 31. Light 8-12 hours a day is a good idea 32. No your Ph doesn’t have to be 8.2 33. Ph of 7.8 is fine 34. Ph of 8.4 is fine 35. Don’t add any supplements without testing 36. This includes Ph buffer 37. Rule of thumb: 1 clean up crew critter per gallon 38. Stability is key 39. Get a refractometer already 40. MH or T5’s for clams and acropora 41. 250W of MH is probably a little overkill 42. PC’s can probably be used for everything else 43. 6500k yellow light 44. 10000k white light 45. 20000k blue light 46. Use RO water 47. RODI > Distilled > RO > whatever else 48. Don’t use bottled drinking water 49. Don’t use spring water 50. Don’t use tap water 51. Cyano problems (red slimy algae, grows everywhere) a. Less feeding b. 8 hour lighting period c. More flow d. More water changes e. Vacuum your sand already 52. Don’t let the snail rot in your tank 53. Don’t feed primarily brine shrimp (good for treats once in a while) 54. DT’s only if you want more pods or have clams 55. Flakes are fine, frozen is probably better 56. Variety is best for fish food 57. 10x-20x you tank volume water turnover rate is a good number to aim for with your powerheads 58. Turbulent flow > direct flow 59. Have at least two sources of water flow for best turbulence 60. When in doubt refer to rule #1. You can tell this is old because #15 is BS. 2 Quote Link to comment
Chris! Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 You can tell this is old because #15 is BS. 6,7,24,31(good for pcs maybe...),37,42 (see 31...) all are a bit dated as well IMO 1 Quote Link to comment
Lawnman Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 6,7,24,31(good for pcs maybe...),37,42 (see 31...) all are a bit dated as well IMO lol Quote Link to comment
alisha111 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 i think NR have many informative thread that we learn it ... i am checking all thread i know i will learn all i want to know Quote Link to comment
thatguytom Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Great thread. Lots of good info. Quote Link to comment
cobracop Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 so is there a post min. befrore I can reply to for sale ads? Quote Link to comment
Lawnman Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 so is there a post min. befrore I can reply to for sale ads? I think it is a matter of time. Quote Link to comment
SantaMonica Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 This might be of use... Nutrient Export What do all algae (and cyano too) need to survive? Nutrients. What are nutrients? Ammonia/ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate and urea are the major ones. Which ones cause most of the algae in your tank? These same ones. Why can't you just remove these nutrients and eliminate all the algae in your tank? Because these nutrients are the result of the animals you keep. So how do your animals "make" these nutrients? Well a large part the nutrients come from pee (urea). Pee is very high in urea and ammonia, and these are a favorite food of algae and some bacteria. This is why your glass will always need cleaning; because the pee hits the glass before anything else, and algae on the glass consume the ammonia and urea immediately (using photosynthesis) and grow more. In the ocean and lakes, phytoplankton consume the ammonia and urea in open water, and seaweed consume it in shallow areas, but in a tank you don't have enough space or water volume for this, and, your other filters or animals often remove or kill the phytoplankton or seaweed anyway. So, the nutrients stay in your tank. Then the ammonia/ammonium hits your rocks, and the periphyton on them consumes more ammonia and urea. Periphyton is both algae and animals, and is the reason your rocks change color after a few weeks. Then the ammonia goes inside the rock, or hits your sand, and bacteria there convert it into nitrite and nitrate. However, the nutrients are still in your tank. Also let's not forget phosphate, which comes from solid organic food particles. When these particles are eaten by microbes and clean up crew, the organic phosphorus in them is converted into phosphate. However, the nutrients are still in your tank. So whenever you have algae "problems", you simply have not exported enough nutrients compared to how much you have been feeding (note: live rock can absorb phosphate for up to a year, making it seem like there was never a problem. Then, there is a problem). So just increase your nutrient exports. You could also reduce feeding, and this has the same effect, but it's certainly not fun when you want to feed your animals 1 Quote Link to comment
Davissky Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 hello everyone, I'm new here..such a noob.. I have been read all the threads. Thanks for helping hands in N-R members.. 1 Quote Link to comment
Gwoardnog Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 lol It was 2007! It was good advice for the time imo. ugh, kids =p You're probably overstocked anyways. meh. Good luck with the tank though. I forgot how-much of a dick nano-reef could make out of a person (I was one). 2 Quote Link to comment
Lawnman Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 It was 2007! It was good advice for the time imo. ugh, kids =p You're probably overstocked anyways. meh. Good luck with the tank though. I forgot how-much of a dick nano-reef could make out of a person (I was one). Way to come back from the dead! Of course I am overstocked and you guessed it right. I am one of the biggest dicks on NR 2 Quote Link to comment
BattleAthletics Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Wow lawn, what a Dick move. 3 Quote Link to comment
Lawnman Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Wow lawn, what a Dick move.lol 1 Quote Link to comment
717Tank Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I'm just glad we can say Dick! 1 Quote Link to comment
basser1 Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Who's Dick??? Quote Link to comment
BattleAthletics Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 It's Richard to you! Quote Link to comment
Jaysharky Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 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!!!!!!!!!! Yeah wash it very lightly but with lukewarm water and then shake the water off but don't let the cartridge dry out otherwise you will lose a lot of the bacteria. Jay Quote Link to comment
IThas2Bme Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Great thread, thanks to all posters. As a self appointed smart person can I add "Check the date of a post you are responding to" And: sixline wrasse can jump out through the feeding port of a nanocube overnight with the lights off Quote Link to comment
flowerboxcn Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I am new,hello ,everybody, Quote Link to comment
Old_Reef_Dude Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I enjoy reading through the "Beginners Discussion", as I always read something, and find out about something I never knew before. This Forum has Monster Amounts of info. There are folks on here that forgot more, than I will probably ever know. As far as my two cents, Nano Reefs, whether 1 gallon, or more, are a challenge for everyone! That's what makes them fun! Getting them set-up, if done right, is a pretty simple task. Research is the key, and following directions is a must. Keeping the Nano Reef pristine is the challenge. I do like Oogie's post. Oogie stated to get everything running, and of course, not leaking before you add salt is a huge statement. I cannot tell you how many times I have had myself, or a friend, get a tank set-up and find water dripping OUTSIDE the tank the next day, after all salt, fish, rocks, sand, filter, protein skimmer, etc., etc was running. Ouch! A little patience goes a long way! 1 Quote Link to comment
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