How hard was reefing for you at the start?

LiquidSpace

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Ha! I was 19 years old, set up a 20 gallon long with compact fluorescent lighting (it wasn’t the right size but the lunar lights were cool), I had a Red Sea Prizm skimmer but never used it because it was too loud. It didn’t last long. I came across some photos recently which was fun.

I remember mixing salt in the aquarium with sand in it!

IMG_7787.jpeg IMG_7780.jpeg IMG_7776.jpeg
 

lil sumpin

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I lost a lot of the frags I initially started with. Bit the bullet from the get go. I think loss of livestock is a big reason people call it quits in the hobby. After losing those frags it seemed like I was in way over my head but things slowly got better over time. Did a lot of reading and research, Reef2reef has been an amazing resource. Been a little luckier since, things are working out alright now.
 

reefer2/19/24

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We all were there at some point, on our way to pick out our first tank in person or online. You pull the trigger on a tank and now have a brand new tank at home. However, for some, you didn't realize how hard reef keeping would be while others might have found it not too difficult to get into. I am wondering how hard was reefing for you when you first started? Did you have someone helping you out, some sort of background or were you going in blind. Curious to see everyone's reef-keeping beginnings!
I found it extremely difficult until I added live rock with the dead rock and it still took awhile to see the results. Live rock can have many hitchhikers so I recommend examining it carefully should you go that route. My 2 cents.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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I don’t recall it being hard, but expectations were much lower then.

Trying to set a pump flow rate with a valve in the basement and checking it upstairs in an overflow involved up and down the stairs fast many times in a short period of time. I remember that aspect being hard. lol
 

reefer2/19/24

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I don’t recall it being hard, but expectations were much lower then.

Trying to set a pump flow rate with a valve in the basement and checking it upstairs in an overflow involved up and down the stairs fast many times in a short period of time. I remember that aspect being hard. lol
 

vlangel

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It was probably easier for me than most. I had fw tanks since I was a teenager. I got a job at a very knowledgeable lfs and learned a lot there and had access to experienced reef keepers. Back in the late 90s we relied heavily on the biology, utilizing the Berlin system. We started our tanks with live rock which helped us avoid a lot of problems. No one had dinos back then. When refugiums became common that helped even more. Now a quarter century later, I still keep my reef the same way. Very little equipment and using biology to do my heavy lifting.
 

Viking_Reefing

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Yes and no. I set up my first reef tank in the year 2000 when I was 13. I had however kept freshwater tanks all my life…I was given my first one by my grandfather when I was 3 (he started in the hobby in the 50’s).
I had a decent idea of the basics and luckily or local library had tons of books on reef keeping. Kind of random for a library in a small town in Sweden to have that.

Anyways, information was sometimes a challenge but having a supportive father who is also a talented engineer definitely helped in terms of figuring things out.
I believe that the setup being very basic helped (real live rock, in tank skimmer, powerheads and T8 lighting) as that made it hard to screw up.

Fun fact. That 150 liter tank I got from my grandfather was also the tank I used for my first reef tank.
 

TheLegendaryBarlowe072

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Well I’m kinda first starting twice now. And both have had different challenges.

The first time, I was brand new so everything was learning experience. And while the internet was a thing it wasn’t nearly as robust and helpful. I read a lot more books. Things were cheaper and available, but money was not. Options for equipment were less broad. And didn’t do as much tinkering. For example we just bought T5s and plugged them in. We didn't have control of par and spectrum to mess with, or mess up.

Coming back to the hobby and relearning forgotten things or learning advanced techniques is its own fun challenge. But information is so much easier to access. Sorting through it and deciding what has merit is a more modern problem. I have a successful career now. Unfortunately prices have risen to match my disposable income lol. Quality LFS are harder to find.

You can make reef keeping as simple or complex as you desire. I’m finding I’m having the most success, just trying to stay out of my own way.
 

troublemaker

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I think this was easier when I started in 2007. Now I’ve complicated this to the point I’m killing more things than I did when I started, went from a round of wide spread STN, to black bugs to an OD of AFR to Dino’s in the last 6 weeks. I was way better at this when I didn’t know what I was doing.
 

Cool tangs

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Blind, had no idea what I was doing! Now I have a better understanding and direction

It's still relatively hard to keep the balancing act and not have things topple over, but that's also a side effect of pushing limits

For me it's now about oversizing and low maintenance. , keeping things simple with effective proven Methods. ahh and trying to fill my current tank lol
 

I'm_Your_Reef_Baby

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Starting out, I found it relatively easy to manage things and I think that's because I only had a basic understanding of what I was doing. There’s truth in the saying, “ignorance is bliss.”

Of course, I didn’t dive into the deep end right away. I began with live rock, hardy species like damsels, clowns and a few bubble tip anemones. At that stage, I kept things simple.

However, as I delved deeper into topics like deep sand beds and their role in biological filtration, the complexity of the hobby became evident. Initially, it was overwhelming. I struggled to grasp the concepts. But once I started to understand, it opened up an entirely new world, and I was hooked.

Ironically, the more I learned, the more challenging subsequent tanks became. Applying my knowledge and experience wasn’t always straightforward, especially when widely accepted norms contradicted proven methods. It took time to understand these differences, and what I concluded made me more skeptical, leading me to critically evaluate information and see it through the lens of potential marketing influences.
This sums it up well. I mean, I’m still new at this but I’m learning every day. And ironically that makes things even more complex. But it also makes it interesting and keeps me engaged. It’s all about the acquisition of knowledge, and then learning how to apply that knowledge. Many of us would likely get over it pretty quick if it was easy as filling a tank of water and throwing in some livestock and you’re done.
 

christina4526

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About 5 years ago I was in the process of retiring from the U.S. Air Force and I believe it was FB marketplace, where I stumbled on someone getting out the hobby and selling an established system with corals and fish. I always wanted a reef tank, being that I was aircrew in the Air Force and with the high ops tempo it was mission impossible before retirement.

I jumped in head first and did pretty well keeping most of the livestock alive for about two years before breaking that system down and moving. I will say the first 6 months were challenging because I had to learn what all the equipment that came with the tank was used for. I spent a lot of time doing research here on R2R and watching lots of videos. I’m slowly getting to the point where I think simpler is better.

P.S. Pictures from that first tank.
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Good job, love it
 

christina4526

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I’ve always had a passion for the saltwater hobby, was never financially stable to begin. I’m at a point in my life and career now where I can take this opportunity to seriously take on such a huge responsibility. It’s been a little hard learning how to find balance in the tank. I’ve had the help of Ben Johnson, who has been an absolute blessing for me. The tank is looking health and I’m excited to watch it progress.


Thank goodness for reef2reef, a safe place where we can talk and learn together without judgment.
 

HappyFm

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For me, it was quite difficult to get started.
At least I anticipated the potential costs and found ways to minimize them—knowledge. Yes, even if you hate studying, learning is actually the easiest way to save money.

I had to review everything: math, biology, chemistry, physics, electronics, programming... just to fully understand and ensure that my corals would stay healthy.

In Vietnam, when I started, I could only find shops specializing in "renting" fish and corals. Experienced hobbyists rarely shared their knowledge (or maybe I just didn't know how to connect with them).

It's a bit sad that I only discovered Reef2Reef after going through all the initial struggles. But still, thank you! :)
 

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