How not to start a reef tank, my first reef tank build

[living_tribunal]

It can happen.

The little concentrated mix I made was probably too concentrated and I should have only spread via filter.

I poured the first little bit on top of the pump.

Lesson learned.

 

[Katrina71]

It'll come back.

 

[living_tribunal]

I'm sure you know this already but it is basically harder to keep a mixed reef than a species specific tank like sps or lps only. They all have different needs. But that being said no worries it seems like you got the hang of it so far just keep posting if you need the help or just have questions, that's what everyone is here for.

Lol, I try to curb my questions. I’d probably be told I over think things on a daily basis.

It’s just tough as a novice because you never know if specific actions are good or bad, or if things are going downhill or taking off.

 

[living_tribunal]

It'll come back.

I hope so.

My only goal with this frag tank is to keep the health constant. If I am able to keep everything like they looked on the second day with no growth, I’ll consider it a win.

It’s very annoying dealing with some doing so well but others not doing great.

Both me and this tank need stability in our lives.

 

[Katrina71]

Some things will not do well. It's just a fact. Even the healthiest tanks have coral losses.

 

[Why-Me]

Some things will not do well. It's just a fact. Even the healthiest tanks have coral losses.

+1
Like I said before, I lost many sps in a new tank, tried my best but coral loss will happen.

 

[erk]

Keeping coral successfully is a tough road, especially in the beginning. Buy cheap frags until you become confident in your ability. I'm still buying cheap frags .

Something I wish I had done in the beginning was keep a journal on coral losses. Tracking changes and suspected causes. Helps to ease the losses as they become documented learning experiences.

 

[living_tribunal]

Keeping coral successfully is a tough road, especially in the beginning. Buy cheap frags until you become confident in your ability. I'm still buying cheap frags .

Something I wish I had done in the beginning was keep a journal on coral losses. Tracking changes and suspected causes. Helps to ease the losses as they become documented learning experiences.

That’s a smart idea. I know their are some online data repositories for fish params.

Have you tried any of these out?

Also, I love me some cheap frags. Got this big haul for an average price of $12 a frag during the aquasd 40% off sale.

Probably just going to wait for big sales and bring home the bacon.

 

[Katrina71]

My son's torches and duncans hate his tank. They love mine. I can't keep a Monti alive no matter what.

 

[RichtheReefer21]

I thinks its time.

To put it in perspective... i could have bought all new equipment I should have before I learned what I needed to succeed. And this is not all of the losses I accrued. Just the ones i could find since I started this reply.

Please trust me I know how tough this is. And the fight of the urge to plaster your entire rock scape with frags... but That's also why so many quit. Pump the brakes a touch bud. We got your back.

Here was my learning curve, through my eyes... approaching 4digits is skeletons...

I hope this is not miscontstruded. I wanna see you succeed and become a part of the r2r family for years to come watching it grow along side ours. Just see a lot of my former self in you.

#honestyinreefing
Cheers

 

[Katrina71]

@RichtheReefer21 your skeletons are much nicer than mine.

 

[living_tribunal]

@RichtheReefer21 @Katrina71 I definitely expect there to be losses, I’m counting on it. It’s nice to hear how y’all bounced back after some setbacks as bad as that is for me to say.

The big haul I purchased was basically a safeguard to ensure some piece of coral makes it to my dt after qt.

What I’m more so concerned with is evaluating whether there’s a larger problem I need to solve or if it’s just something out of my control.

I wasn’t born with a blue thumb, I gotta earn it

 

[Katrina71]

It's easy for me to giggle at you. I was the same way. I'm still that way with something new. I have to be talked down when I get stressed.

 

[living_tribunal]

Side note, to spite aquaillumiatics from taking anymore of my money, I just got done making some mounts for my new hydras.

I used two prime arms and another $8 in gear from Home Depot coming in at half the cost of two hydra arms.

Going to spray paint them and maybe hang them up tonight.

 

[RichtheReefer21]

@RichtheReefer21 @Katrina71 I definitely expect there to be losses, I’m counting on it. It’s nice to hear how y’all bounced back after some setbacks as bad as that is for me to say.

The big haul I purchased was basically a safeguard to ensure some piece of coral makes it to my dt after qt.

What I’m more so concerned with is evaluating whether there’s a larger problem I need to solve or if it’s just something out of my control.

I wasn’t born with a blue thumb, I gotta earn it

My buddy has an 80g he has been cycling for a year... just saying u can minimalize the losses if u take your time in the present.

Your reef is gonna go through phases over months. My rock still isnt fully seasoned 18months in... sometimes u gotta just leave it the heck alone and sleep it off.

 

[living_tribunal]

My buddy has an 80g he has been cycling for a year... just saying u can minimalize the losses if u take your time in the present.

Your reef is gonna go through phases over months. My rock still isnt fully seasoned 18months in... sometimes u gotta just leave it the heck alone and sleep it off.

I think you’re right. I plan on leaving the coral alone and only focusing on my twice weekly water changes is the best way to go forward for now.

One thing I’m really learning to appreciate is taking the patient route with this hobby. By having my tank set up, fully cycled, rock cured, and both fish and frags in qt, it’s kind of a relief knowing that my chances for success are much higher and that the chances of dealing with pests, stressed out fish, and algae are significantly lower as well. My tank has been set up and running for a full month now. It won’t be another 2-3 weeks until the fish even make it in. My bacteria population will be completely set and I’ll even have a small amount of coralline algae thanks to aqua codes recommendation.

 

[erk]

That’s a smart idea. I know their are some online data repositories for fish params.

Have you tried any of these out?

Also, I love me some cheap frags. Got this big haul for an average price of $12 a frag during the aquasd 40% off sale.

Probably just going to wait for big sales and bring home the bacon.

I just use my build thread as my journal and google sheets for recording test results. I tried the apps and it just didn't stick with me. Not enough of the functionality I wanted.

I thinks its time.

To put it in perspective... i could have bought all new equipment I should have before I learned what I needed to succeed. And this is not all of the losses I accrued. Just the ones i could find since I started this reply.

Please trust me I know how tough this is. And the fight of the urge to plaster your entire rock scape with frags... but That's also why so many quit. Pump the brakes a touch bud. We got your back.

Here was my learning curve, through my eyes... approaching 4digits is skeletons...

I hope this is not miscontstruded. I wanna see you succeed and become a part of the r2r family for years to come watching it grow along side ours. Just see a lot of my former self in you.

#honestyinreefing
Cheers

If this is what you lost learning how to keep a reef, you aren't doing too bad. I've lost so many in the 5 years I've been in the reef hobby that I've lost count. I have skeletons and used frag plugs littering my sump, the back of my tank, lost in the sand, in my utility closet. I think I have 20 or more dead frags on plugs waiting in my closet to be used for propagating my zoas. It's almost like I buy frags for the plug . I don't give up because I'd be bored if I did.

 

[NY_Caveman]

FYI, I would calibrate a refractometer every time I used it. Only need once to have a problem, especially since you do large water changes. The adjustment is very touchy. FWIW, I found mine calibrated just as well with a calibration solution I made, or with RO/DI. Not saying it works for all, but I always calibrated with something. Funny, it seemed it was slightly off every time before I did.

 

[RichtheReefer21]

I just use my build thread as my journal and google sheets for recording test results. I tried the apps and it just didn't stick with me. Not enough of the functionality I wanted.



If this is what you lost learning how to keep a reef, you aren't doing too bad. I've lost so many in the 5 years I've been in the reef hobby that I've lost count. I have skeletons and used frag plugs littering my sump, the back of my tank, lost in the sand, in my utility closet. I think I have 20 or more dead frags on plugs waiting in my closet to be used for propagating my zoas. It's almost like I buy frags for the plug . I don't give up because I'd be bored if I did.

I think I'm gonna say... thanks?!? Haha. I had such confidence, truely. Researched, asked a million Q's, and really felt, the sense of, "how did I go wrong?" And I soon discovered just how unedumicated I was and I almost quit.

It appears @living_tribunal is off to a much better start than I had in regards to his depth of knowledge and prep. Still pains me to see how many fish and coral I've lost in the "short" time ive been doing this.

FYI, I would calibrate a refractometer every time I used it. Only need once to have a problem, especially since you do large water changes. The adjustment is very touchy. FWIW, I found mine calibrated just as well with a calibration solution I made, or with RO/DI. Not saying it works for all, but I always calibrated with something. Funny, it seemed it was slightly off every time before I did.

I calibrate almost every time never had it off more than +/- .001. The 3155 ATO has given me peace of mind after topping off manually for a year and testing sg every other day before the curve.

 

[Katrina71]

Y'all would have a stroke at how I reef. I rarely test anything. I just watch my tank. It will tell you when something is off.