What is something you did or something you wish you knew when you first started this hobby?

[LifeOfAquatics]

What is something you did or something you wish you knew when you first started this hobby? Just asking as I am about to set up my first saltwater tank soon. Thanks!
 

[Tautoo]

Keep your hands out of the tank.  Nothing good comes out of constantly moving corals / changing the scape.  Take your time and start with something you hare happy with.

[Clown79]

Expenses, time, and knowledge should be considered.

 

1)

Start up expenses: just to start the tank up is $, then the fish $$, then the corals $$$

 

2)

Ongoing regular expenses: dosers, testers, floss, carbon, media bags, food, rodi filters, increased hydro bill, water bill, salt etc.

 

3)

Unexpected expenses: equipment can go at anytime needing replacements, emergency hospital tanks, medications etc.

 

 

4)

Time: a lot of personal time is required for maintaing a reef tank. All my other hobbies were pretty much on the back burner after my tank was started

 

5)

Travel: even with an ato and tank sitters, issues happen when you are away. I didn't go anywhere for more than a night because of my tanks.

When you invest that much time and money, i wasn't about to trust others or equipment 

 

6)

Knowledge: my first tank yrs ago i thought i did enough research but its never enough. it is a hobby that requires ongoing knowledge and researching. This can be rewarding for some and not so much others

 

7)

It isn't a set up and leave to enjoy hobby and people should know that before embarking on reef keeping. 

 

+++always quarantine fish for 4 weeks minimum, it will save you money, time, work, and loss+++

 

be prepared for the unexpected, be prepared that a reef is an ecosystem, perfect doesn't exist, there will be great times and not so great times

 

 

 

 

[gen]

Agree with all that was previously said.

 

I wish I knew what I really wanted. Really hard to setup a long term goal when starting.

I started with the idea of keeping soft corals and a couple of clowns... Then I wanted to test other corals, nem, shrimps... Now I maintain my current setup while thinking about my goal. It's never too late. 

[jtwisconsin]

Bigger isn't always better. 🙂

[DevilDuck]

1. I wish I went bigger, bigger tank and bigger budget! Livestock can get very expensive. 🙂 

2. I should have bought all of the required test kits first thing

3. Get coral dip. The hitchhikers and pests in saltwater are no joke! 

[Jakesaw]

I don't really have any regrets yet - started first 10 gal late January.  I started the way that I wanted to and didn't let people dissuade from doing my tank " my way ". yes I listened to all the advice on ideal tank size, filtration, what rock to use, etc.  But in the end I always trusted my gut. 

 

Do I wish I had a 20 gallon long now instead of the 10 I started with 2 1/2 months ago.  YEP. 

But do I regret starting with a 10 gallon.  NOPE.  I

will switch to a 20L pretty soon, but I wanted to dip my toe in the hobby dirt cheap and with the least real estate commitment.  At the time I started the 10 gal fit my situation the best to get started. 

 

My current tank isn't meant to be a great tank.  It's a tank to learn from and I learn something new every day.  I try and make it the best 10 gal I can right now, but don't have any stress from it.  Whatever it does it does, and I try to learn along the way.  As I gain more knowledge I'll move toward my ideal tank.  

 

For lights - I went cheap and proven good to grow any coral  ended up with Viparspectra. It's bigger and uglier than AI Prime.  But it works for me - today.  Maybe it'll work for me forever who knows.  But it works for me.

 

Coral specialty store - steered me in direction of starter corals.  I didn't really like those type and researched the corals that appeal to me.  Asked a few questions on this site and learned the corals I liked were not hard beginner corals.  I got 5 last week.  Really enjoying them all. -- Thanks Nanoreef community !!!

 

I'd read alot on blogs, videos, books, websites like this, asked questions, etc.  Decide what you want in a tank and just go for it.  If it's your personality to research and plan everything from the getgo, DO THAT.  If you're more of a tinker guy - just get started right away. - DO THAT  If you're on a budget - stick to that theme.  If you don't care about budget get all the bells whistles and spend as much as you want -- DO THAT.  It's YOUR TANK.  If you make a mistake or two, learn from it and move on.  

 

Re: fish choice, I'd be pretty deliberate on species.  These small tanks don't allow you to just throw any fish in there.  There's plenty of info available on this site's beginner section for fish. 

 

I'd plan on getting RO/DI pretty quick in the hobby though once you get started if you plan to stay in it.  I got about 30-40 gallons of RO/DI from LFS.  That could have gone toward paying for filter.  But again, I wanted to know what I was getting into before spending on any equipment.  

 

My tank started with a cleaned and repurposed 10 gal, 20 year old HOB power filter, cheapo flourescent hood, some Marco rock + couple small pieces of painted live rock from LFS, dead sand and heater I picked up.  I was now in the hobby with a little FOWLR  clown tank.  Added some crabs ( no snails yet b/c I don't like em ) another fish, a few corals.  Got me a thriving ecosystem going. 

[Murphs_Reef]

Bigger right away. Instead of spending so much cash going from Pico to nano to large. Gave most of my NEW stuff away for free...... Lost a fortune... Still trucking though 👍🏼

[kimberbee]

Fish will jump. It's not a matter of "IF", just "WHEN". And you'd better hope you have a secure lid when they do. 

[Jakesaw]

2 hours ago, Murphych said:

Bigger right away. Instead of spending so much cash going from Pico to nano to large. Gave most of my NEW stuff away for free...... Lost a fortune... Still trucking though 👍🏼

I went small with 10 gallon standard and haven't spent anything on equipment. 

 

Everything inside my tank is transferable to big tank including light / HOB filter.  If you go the tiny AIO tank I can see where you're coming from. 

[Murphs_Reef]

I went from 15 g to 90g .. I took the rock and fish 🤣

[Thrassian Atoll]

Nutrients was my big downfall with my old tanks.  I started the hobby when the consensus was to have super low or zero nitrates and phosphates.  Talk about a terrible philosophy that for some reason everyone agreed with.  

[seabass]

I know we don't get into this hobby just to keep a bunch of rocks.  However, I feel that most of us start adding livestock way too early, often subjecting sensitive (and expensive) livestock to live through the ugly stages of our tanks.  Plus, this livestock might even limit what we can do to address these early stage problems.  I often wish I would have established a healthy ecosystem prior to the addition of livestock; using this time to increase and support biodiversity including: bacteria, pods, coralline algae, etc.  Finally, I now have a guide line which states to never add livestock (besides cleanup crew members) when you are battling any problem.

[jservedio]

No amount of equipment or automation can replace the foundation of solid husbandry skills and knowledge. In fact, going overboard with equipment is going to be detrimental to your tank's inhabitants - that one took me 4 or 5 years to learn.

[Murphs_Reef]

30 minutes ago, jservedio said:

No amount of equipment or automation can replace the foundation of solid husbandry skills and knowledge. In fact, going overboard with equipment is going to be detrimental to your tank's inhabitants - that one took me 4 or 5 years to learn.

I'll leave the reefbot out then 🤣🤣 but don't you dare take my Google home !!😂

[burtbollinger]

This is a combined list that I've kept to answer this question....forgive any bluntness or redundancies.  

--------

 

* understand how to properly cycle.
* understand the importance of stability.
* understand the importance of alkalinity and how it is maintained.  have a plan on how you are going to maintain it.
* have  solid goals: 1.  everything lives.  2.  no wasted money.
* for your first tank, I'd say your goal should be a slow, simple learning set up...use it as your classroom. Aim for classy, clean and basic.
* No wasted money means not repeating mistakes with livestock and not buying cheap equipment.  Wait and buy the better option.
* know what kind of tank you are planning...use self control.  aka NO impulse purchased corals/fish
* go with the herd, don't try to be too different...let someone else break new ground.  don't push the limits....or do so at your peril.
* you are keeping a box of water....the water is your hobby, not the corals and fish.  this means understanding the water.
* watch almost every video on Bulk Reef Supply's youtube page.
* ask before acting, not after.
* don't shop around for advice you want to hear.
* at any given time, there might be ONE coral worth adding at your LFS.  Take pride in walking out empty-handed.
* every coral must be dipped before adding.
* take your budget you thought you were going to spend and plan to triple it.
* Understand freshwater top-offs.  Consider an auto-top off when funds allow.
* Mix your own salt water.  
* Be very paranoid about scratching your glass.  
* No ugly plain palys that overgrow everything.  
* Know when to stop adding corals. 
* Be skeptical advice from LFS.  Talk to and befriend the manager...not the manager's no-nothing spouse who works the register.

- avoid clams unless you have proper lighting, and an established tank.
- avoid gorgs, sea fans...and mandarins…your tank does not need a mandarin.
- even at 5-6 months, your tank is in its infancy...treat it carefully and be prepared for ugly algae blooms
-Invest in a hanna ALk checker, and the salinity tester
-Inkbird or a controller to control your heater is an absolute must
- if you dont test it, do not dose it...iodine, strontium....all that crap is a waste, IMO.
- ignore Ph....focus only on keeping a stable alk. Ph will take care of itself...
- dont buy things to make wife/kids happy....youre the expert, not them.

-enjoy the act of cleaning glass.  not everything needs to be done in a mad rush.  slow down.
- magnesium helps keep alk. stable.
- Aim for a salinity @ 1.026
- peppermint shrimp are not reef safe
- sally lightfoot crabs are not reef safe
- you need some sand stirring snails...probablu 6-7 of them.
- www.bulkreefsupply.com videos are gold

-don't buy a frag if the tank its in is full of aptasia or valonia.  Walk away.
- don't take the LFS employee's word for anything...they may or may not be taking you for a ride.
-dont judge the health of your tank by a dying 20 dollar zoa frag...or a toadstool that never opens.
-don’t stock too many green corals.  
-keep your damn hands out the tank.
-IMPORTANT: don’t add Texas trash palythoas to a tank you care about
-I strongly believe Aussie gold torches are a waste of money long-term.  
-use LRS reef frenzy nano to feed your tank and corals

-don't give up or be too quick to shut a tank down.  You really wanna buy all this stuff again from scratch?  Keep going and push thru.

-looking for a cool reef fish?  Try a chalk bass.  

-try to take time to sit and enjoy the tank.  i have a very hard time with this....its almost constant 'work' vs. enjoyment...its more of an obsession.  If this does not sound fun, then pump the brakes and perhaps look into a 10 gallon freshwater setup loaded with crypts and a few neon tetras.

-toss a sick coral vs waiting too long.  I'm not in the business of being a sick coral nursery.  
-Nanobox was hyped too hard…I was probably as guilty as anyone.  I should have bought a Radian.  

-Dont take advice from someone until you see their tank.  I've been shocked at people trying to give me advice, and then seeing what they consider successful.  High post count and an ugly tank...i'll pass on your advice, bro.
-Save your funds and then go big at local frag swaps.  

-don't buy LPS without first inspecting to see that the head is attached to the skeleton with a lot of flesh.  Otherwise, it may die when you get it home.  I've had this happen too often.
-keeping multiple tanks at the same time can cause you to lose focus.  Keep your eye on one tank and do it the right way. 

-finally, i feel on some level, you're all alone in this hobby...too many times when I need advice on a specific issue, nothing really exists on a forum or its too vague, or its a deadend...forum users have a bad habit of posting issues, but never following up on what the fix was.  Accept that on some level you, are an explorer and a solo researcher, and you've got to use common sense and slowly become your own source of information.  The best way to do this would be reading a TON...and watching BRS videos.  This forum is fantastic and a must-have resource, but in the end, it's a jumping off point...no one can totally hold your hand.  

[DevilDuck]

 

@burtbollinger I have to ask, I get it with the mandarins but why avoid gorgs and sea fans?

[TatorTaco]

I'm out of the loop.  What happened with Nanobox and why do you think they were over-hyped?  I thought the owner was always here helping out but about 6(?) months ago he was having issues with drivers (or something like that)?

[seabass]

1 hour ago, burtbollinger said:

High post count and an ugly tank...i'll pass on your advice, bro.

Haha, I feel my ears burning.

 

I hear you; and I don't entirely disagree.  However, I've seen plenty of gorgeous tanks from true newbies who dump tons of money into their tank for the likes; and then I've seen some plain (even unimpressive) tanks from experienced reefers that haven't been investing much time and money into their tanks lately.  Personally, I tend to prefer the higher experience level over a new reefer posting DSLR glamour pics.

 

Note that post count and experience level are not the same thing.  There are some inexperienced reefers who seem to post a lot, and I've seen very experienced reefers with much lower post counts, or even just recently joined our site.

[mitten_reef]

1 hour ago, burtbollinger said:

This is a combined list that I've kept to answer this question....forgive any bluntness or redundancies.  

--------

 

* understand how to properly cycle.
* understand the importance of stability.
* understand the importance of alkalinity and how it is maintained.  have a plan on how you are going to maintain it.
* have  solid goals: 1.  everything lives.  2.  no wasted money.
* for your first tank, I'd say your goal should be a slow, simple learning set up...use it as your classroom. Aim for classy, clean and basic.
* No wasted money means not repeating mistakes with livestock and not buying cheap equipment.  Wait and buy the better option.
* know what kind of tank you are planning...use self control.  aka NO impulse purchased corals/fish
* go with the herd, don't try to be too different...let someone else break new ground.  don't push the limits....or do so at your peril.
* you are keeping a box of water....the water is your hobby, not the corals and fish.  this means understanding the water.
* watch almost every video on Bulk Reef Supply's youtube page.
* ask before acting, not after.
* don't shop around for advice you want to hear.
* at any given time, there might be ONE coral worth adding at your LFS.  Take pride in walking out empty-handed.
* every coral must be dipped before adding.
* take your budget you thought you were going to spend and plan to triple it.
* Understand freshwater top-offs.  Consider an auto-top off when funds allow.
* Mix your own salt water.  
* Be very paranoid about scratching your glass.  
* No ugly plain palys that overgrow everything.  
* Know when to stop adding corals. 
* Be skeptical advice from LFS.  Talk to and befriend the manager...not the manager's no-nothing spouse who works the register.

- avoid clams unless you have proper lighting, and an established tank.
- avoid gorgs, sea fans...and mandarins…your tank does not need a mandarin.
- even at 5-6 months, your tank is in its infancy...treat it carefully and be prepared for ugly algae blooms
-Invest in a hanna ALk checker, and the salinity tester
-Inkbird or a controller to control your heater is an absolute must
- if you dont test it, do not dose it...iodine, strontium....all that crap is a waste, IMO.
- ignore Ph....focus only on keeping a stable alk. Ph will take care of itself...
- dont buy things to make wife/kids happy....youre the expert, not them.

-enjoy the act of cleaning glass.  not everything needs to be done in a mad rush.  slow down.
- magnesium helps keep alk. stable.
- Aim for a salinity @ 1.026
- peppermint shrimp are not reef safe
- sally lightfoot crabs are not reef safe
- you need some sand stirring snails...probablu 6-7 of them.
- www.bulkreefsupply.com videos are gold

-don't buy a frag if the tank its in is full of aptasia or valonia.  Walk away.
- don't take the LFS employee's word for anything...they may or may not be taking you for a ride.
-dont judge the health of your tank by a dying 20 dollar zoa frag...or a toadstool that never opens.
-don’t stock too many green corals.  
-keep your damn hands out the tank.
-IMPORTANT: don’t add Texas trash palythoas to a tank you care about
-I strongly believe Aussie gold torches are a waste of money long-term.  
-use LRS reef frenzy nano to feed your tank and corals

-don't give up or be too quick to shut a tank down.  You really wanna buy all this stuff again from scratch?  Keep going and push thru.

-looking for a cool reef fish?  Try a chalk bass.  

-try to take time to sit and enjoy the tank.  i have a very hard time with this....its almost constant 'work' vs. enjoyment...its more of an obsession.  If this does not sound fun, then pump the brakes and perhaps look into a 10 gallon freshwater setup loaded with crypts and a few neon tetras.

-toss a sick coral vs waiting too long.  I'm not in the business of being a sick coral nursery.  
-Nanobox was hyped too hard…I was probably as guilty as anyone.  I should have bought a Radian.  

-Dont take advice from someone until you see their tank.  I've been shocked at people trying to give me advice, and then seeing what they consider successful.  High post count and an ugly tank...i'll pass on your advice, bro.
-Save your funds and then go big at local frag swaps.  

-don't buy LPS without first inspecting to see that the head is attached to the skeleton with a lot of flesh.  Otherwise, it may die when you get it home.  I've had this happen too often.
-keeping multiple tanks at the same time can cause you to lose focus.  Keep your eye on one tank and do it the right way. 

-finally, i feel on some level, you're all alone in this hobby...too many times when I need advice on a specific issue, nothing really exists on a forum or its too vague, or its a deadend...forum users have a bad habit of posting issues, but never following up on what the fix was.  Accept that on some level you, are an explorer and a solo researcher, and you've got to use common sense and slowly become your own source of information.  The best way to do this would be reading a TON...and watching BRS videos.  This forum is fantastic and a must-have resource, but in the end, it's a jumping off point...no one can totally hold your hand.  

Best...Rant...EVER!!!

 

some gold nugget truth in there!!! 

 

agreed with most, so-so on some (those BRS reference - they should come with caveats - WATCH ONLY the one appropriate to your reefing knowledge, skill, and budget level, else it could be more confusing than informative).  don't think i read anything I disagreed with.

[burtbollinger]

1 hour ago, DevilDuck said:

 

@burtbollinger I have to ask, I get it with the mandarins but why avoid gorgs and sea fans?

personal experience with non photo variety...id tell a beginner to focus on basic first, vs introducting NPS into the mix....

[burtbollinger]

1 hour ago, TatorTaco said:

I'm out of the loop.  What happened with Nanobox and why do you think they were over-hyped?  I thought the owner was always here helping out but about 6(?) months ago he was having issues with drivers (or something like that)?

it's my opinion...which is worth maybe 2 cents.   I know i certainly over-hyped it.  It's a good light, but I have reasons why I wish I would have gone with something else from the get-go. I don't know exactly what happened with the company, nor do i care at this point.  I always just assumed that people move on.  He was a very nice guy, eclectic, with a lot of hobbies.  I don't know, but I always just assumed he was moving on to bigger, better things, and that he was not going to be stuck doing lights forever.  Good luck to him in all that he does.  I will say that, at times, communication was sometimes an issue.  Nothing personal.  

 

As to not to steer this topic off-course...something I wish I knew:

 

Moving forward, when it comes to MISSION CRITICAL equipment, my plan is to deal with companies that do not live or die based on the status of a single employee or their decision to go on extended camping or fishing trips.  there's also something to be said about picking a very popular, respected light that has had a ton of success, vs. someone's cool pet project...and using that deeper well of knowledge that exists to know exactly what to expect. 

 

Anyway, The selection of a light is a huge deal.  Spend money, research QC and customer service before purchasing.  Also make damn sure the light will support SPS if thats something you think you might want to try someday.



 

[Murphs_Reef]

@burtbollinger "peppermint shrimp are not reef safe".. what is this madness you speak of? Mine (and any I have kept) have been perfect reef citizens.. 

I can't say that about my dusky wrasse (killer of the worms, slayer of the Cerith's) or green brittle star (now the guardian or the sump) however.

 

[burtbollinger]

11 minutes ago, Murphych said:

@burtbollinger "peppermint shrimp are not reef safe".. what is this madness you speak of? Mine (and any I have kept) have been perfect reef citizens.. 

I can't say that about my dusky wrasse (killer of the worms, slayer of the Cerith's) or green brittle star (now the guardian or the sump) however.

 

I have seen over a dozen examples of peppermint shrimps destroying acans.  (irritating, eating, a combo?) if someone is having issues with acans, my first question is "are there any peppermint shrimp in the tank?"  of course, YMMV.

 

 

[Murphs_Reef]

1 minute ago, burtbollinger said:

I have seen over a dozen examples of peppermint shrimps destroying acans.  if someone is having issues with acans, my first question is "are there any peppermint shrimp in the tank?"

 

Fun story. I have acans and peppermint . Everyone is happy.. maybe I'm lucky? I have heard stories but never had issues.. 

 

What I don't do however, is worry about Aiptasia.