I have read a lot of interesting topics lately and I think we are over thinking and forgetting priorities. We are worried if filter socks clean too much and harming corals, if we should stick our fish in a glass swimming pool with no live rock and no live sand to prevent ich, if we are over skimming, placing tangs in QT for months at a time because this will prevent disease and stress even though we got a 20 gallon qt tank.
How about weighing both sides and remembering our beginner priorities. When I got into a long time ago, there were a couple must haves.
1. Live rock - Natural biological filtration and provide fish with natural items to pick at and hide in. Now we are scared of bristle worms and ich so people are skipping this important step. Let's stop looking at the tank at 3 in the morning and just let the live rock do what it is suppose to. Remember the check for aptasia and other hitch hikers the could be problems but the positives far out weigh the negatives.
2. Clean water/ water quality and feeding corals - Alot of people are concerned about too clean water and over skimming. Feed your fish daily, turn the lights on and keep your hands out the water and you will be fine. Clean your filter socks regularly and same for your skimmer. The most important food to corals is light and they are not living off what floats in the tank.
Lastly. QT new fish - However I'm reading stories about quarantining fish for 6 to 8 weeks. I am not sure how the tang police tells me that my 180 is too small for a naso but ok with folks putting tangs in a 40 breeder for 2 months with copper. Try to buy fat and healthy fish from vendors or lfs that u can trust. Placing fish in small qt doesn't guarantee anything except that u get to acclimate them again going to your display tank.
Just my 2 cents...
How about weighing both sides and remembering our beginner priorities. When I got into a long time ago, there were a couple must haves.
1. Live rock - Natural biological filtration and provide fish with natural items to pick at and hide in. Now we are scared of bristle worms and ich so people are skipping this important step. Let's stop looking at the tank at 3 in the morning and just let the live rock do what it is suppose to. Remember the check for aptasia and other hitch hikers the could be problems but the positives far out weigh the negatives.
2. Clean water/ water quality and feeding corals - Alot of people are concerned about too clean water and over skimming. Feed your fish daily, turn the lights on and keep your hands out the water and you will be fine. Clean your filter socks regularly and same for your skimmer. The most important food to corals is light and they are not living off what floats in the tank.
Lastly. QT new fish - However I'm reading stories about quarantining fish for 6 to 8 weeks. I am not sure how the tang police tells me that my 180 is too small for a naso but ok with folks putting tangs in a 40 breeder for 2 months with copper. Try to buy fat and healthy fish from vendors or lfs that u can trust. Placing fish in small qt doesn't guarantee anything except that u get to acclimate them again going to your display tank.
Just my 2 cents...
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