-Not a fan of dead rock startup. Did once, and it was the only tank out of my last 6-7 that wasn't thriving from the start. There's something to be said for the amount of bacteria that exists on the surface area of rock that takes time to form, which is why dead rock tanks take more time to thrive.
-Newer lighting. I'm a big fan, but IMO for SPS you need complete coverage which is extremely cost prohibitive. Prices need to come down. Not enough value IMO. I still have MH and T5 on my main display which provides the best value for results these days for higher light tanks.
-Newer flow pumps, love them all. So nice to have these options because I'm not drilling closed loops
-Newer controllers. The functionality is amazing, failure and tank catastrophe is a real possibility. I don't trust APEX, GHL is a PITA to setup, maybe I'll try hydros. I'll probably still use a ranco for temp no matter what.
-One thing that I despise in the newer ways is the use of overly blue led lighting and orange filters as the norm in viewing corals. I walk into shops at times and can't tell what type of SPS that I'm looking at until the whites are brought up. I get it, it looks cool, but not a realistic representation. Not to mention blue corals are completely muted under blue led. With a whiter spectrum there is a wider contrast of colors visible.
-No water change ICP methods. Works for some if they can dial it in. Not saying it's something that I'll never try, but salt is relatively cheap compared to frequent ICP and trace dosing. Easy for me to balance nutrients while doing regular water changes to replace lost trace elements from salt. Until I am blown away by this method to the point where I feel the older way can't compare, I will stick to what I know.
Overall I commend guys for diving into the newer methods. Without you, we would not be moving forward in the hobby. I do feel like older ways are becoming lost in the current info given though. The newer ways are a bit over complicated and a bit of an infomercial for additives, equipment, and testing companies . I'm fortunate to have my perspective being in the hobby since the 90's, watching it all progress. The newer guys should dig back on some of the major topics to see the common denominators. Old tank of the month articles are a great place to start! Happy Reefing!
-Newer lighting. I'm a big fan, but IMO for SPS you need complete coverage which is extremely cost prohibitive. Prices need to come down. Not enough value IMO. I still have MH and T5 on my main display which provides the best value for results these days for higher light tanks.
-Newer flow pumps, love them all. So nice to have these options because I'm not drilling closed loops
-Newer controllers. The functionality is amazing, failure and tank catastrophe is a real possibility. I don't trust APEX, GHL is a PITA to setup, maybe I'll try hydros. I'll probably still use a ranco for temp no matter what.
-One thing that I despise in the newer ways is the use of overly blue led lighting and orange filters as the norm in viewing corals. I walk into shops at times and can't tell what type of SPS that I'm looking at until the whites are brought up. I get it, it looks cool, but not a realistic representation. Not to mention blue corals are completely muted under blue led. With a whiter spectrum there is a wider contrast of colors visible.
-No water change ICP methods. Works for some if they can dial it in. Not saying it's something that I'll never try, but salt is relatively cheap compared to frequent ICP and trace dosing. Easy for me to balance nutrients while doing regular water changes to replace lost trace elements from salt. Until I am blown away by this method to the point where I feel the older way can't compare, I will stick to what I know.
Overall I commend guys for diving into the newer methods. Without you, we would not be moving forward in the hobby. I do feel like older ways are becoming lost in the current info given though. The newer ways are a bit over complicated and a bit of an infomercial for additives, equipment, and testing companies . I'm fortunate to have my perspective being in the hobby since the 90's, watching it all progress. The newer guys should dig back on some of the major topics to see the common denominators. Old tank of the month articles are a great place to start! Happy Reefing!