Nothing good happens fast in a reef tank.

[Wonderland]

The only reason I have ever doubted the "take it slow" mantra is having watched that TV show Tanked. How is it these guys are setting up small or huge tanks and stocking them full on day 1? Obviously they can't be doing this if it won't work, or else they'd be out of business pretty quick.... Thoughts?

 

[jolt]

I ordered a Reef Savvy tank and it took 15 months to deliver. Everyone in the local reef club thinks I am the most slow-as-molasses reefer ever. Now it's taken me three months to get to the point where I am ready for a leak test (filling as we speak). I am in my 50s and I do everything slower now than 20 years ago, because I have been burned too many times on such a variety of things (not just reefing) when I dove in and then later realized how I would *really* like to do something.

 

[DanConnor]

There's two good ways to start slow- fish only, so you can kill the lights if necessary, or coral only (or mostly) so you can feed little if necessary.

I personally have never "cycled" a tank. Just start slow and stock slow and the bacteria keeps up.

If you are using a lot of dry rock, running it in a tub with some coralline seed rocks, some light and circulation for about a year beforehand would be optimal.

 

[DanConnor]

Re: Tanked. They set those up for the show and abandon them. There is one near me and it looks like heck.

However, with fully cured/cycled live rock and know how, there's really no reason why you can't set up and run a reef immediately.

 

[4FordFamily]

I am probably nuts, but I had nothing but coral for around 5 years before adding any fish.

Since adding fish, I've only had three little Barnacle Blennies in my 100 Gal system and it's been great. They have amazing little personalities – never a boring moment when I'm at the tank with time to watch. Someday I may add more fish, but it's not going to be soon and I'm closing in on ten years with this system.

I'm not saying that's for everyone, but it's an example.

Three blennies? Wow. I have probably 50-60 fish right now in total amongst 4 tanks but not much coral these days. I may set up a tank just for coral because it's such a different animal, I would like to know more!

Also, its true that nothing good happens quickly in this hobby-- a lesson I've learned the hard way... several times.

 

[4FordFamily]

Re: Tanked. They set those up for the show and abandon them. There is one near me and it looks like hell.

However, with fully cured/cycled live rock and know how, there's really no reason why you can't set up and run a reef immediately.

I'm sure they have a subscription maintenance service that could keep it nice but yes I don't agree with how they do it either

 

[4FordFamily]

The only reason I have ever doubted the "take it slow" mantra is having watched that TV show Tanked. How is it these guys are setting up small or huge tanks and stocking them full on day 1? Obviously they can't be doing this if it won't work, or else they'd be out of business pretty quick.... Thoughts?

They quarantine their fish prior to tank delivery, use somewhat cycled water, and the expensive subscription maintenance services do their best to keep it from falling in its face -- very expensive and probably still not very effective.

 

[Salty1962]

I believe that the slow road is the key to success. It's my hope that newer reefers would heed the experiences of people who have had reef tanks for many years. Not so much about discussing about what you can't do, or that you don't know what you're doing, but more about learning through the experience of people who have been in this for years. You can approach your tank the way you want and "hopefully" are successful or you can take honest advice from someone who has already been there and does know a few things. I personally try to take the advice from someone who has been there before. It has saved me A LOT of money and frustration. I don't like throwing money and time into something that "Might go Right", not to mention losing nice livestock in the process. I also try to give the best advice to people about my experiences.
I took over a year in putting together my current tank. I read everything I could and asked many questions to experienced reefers. I laid out my best plan and bought the items I knew I needed to achieve my goal. I still have had my mountains and valleys of success in my system but there have been less valleys due to the methodical and slow approach to things. JME

 

[mcarroll]

Re: Tanked. They set those up for the show and abandon them. There is one near me and it looks like hell.

However, with fully cured/cycled live rock and know how, there's really no reason why you can't set up and run a reef immediately.

That is a totally legitimate trick, but someone setting up a new tank would just have to recognize the limits.....the rock is cured and the bio-filter will come up to speed plenty quick, just don't stock the fish up too fast/watch ammonia.

It does eliminate some of the initial hurdles and a lot of the initial wait that used to be standard in the 90's and before.

It does not give the person setting up the tank a shred of expertise.

Acknowledging that those mistakes will happen, and then giving yourself the time and space to make those mistakes without any drastic side-effects is all it's really about.

I think @revhtree's new system is a great example.

Rev is no newb, but there are still all kinds of good reasons for him to take it slow.

Those reasons (some mentioned earlier) are mostly centered on the fact that it's a new tank and the cool, unique aspects of that situation.

But some mistakes are likely to be made just because it's a new system too – accidents happen, new stuff can break, etc....so that's still a valid reason not to rush too.

Going slow never really goes out of style!

 

[mcarroll]

1 fish 1 snail 1 year guidelines

I forgot to ask earlier....can you elaborate on that 1 fish, 1 snail, 1 year thing? Just curious if there was more to is, or what. I like the symmetry of it, but I don't think I've ever heard a rule of thumb like that.

 

[Daniel Strickland]

I forgot to ask earlier....can you elaborate on that 1 fish, 1 snail, 1 year thing? Just curious if there was more to is, or what. I like the symmetry of it, but I don't think I've ever heard a rule of thumb like that.

Lol.. just a slight exaggeration from a thread I read when I first started researching into this adventure... It is pretty much what the guy was insisting was the ONLY way to have a successful reef aquarium.. different forum...

I do respect you guys that have these super successful reef systems.. and the hobby is truly a better off because you guys take your time to share your acquired knowledge with us newbies...

Thank you..

 

[DanConnor]

Going slow is also more fun, imo. Most of us enjoying observing minor changes, adding new livestock and equipment etc etc. If a totally mature complete reef suddenly sprung into existence in my living room.... I don't know what I would do with it.

 

[FishGuyBri]

Going slow is also more fun, imo. Most of us enjoying observing minor changes, adding new livestock and equipment etc etc. If a totally mature complete reef suddenly sprung into existence in my living room.... I don't know what I would do with it.

I have been approaching this tank like I do my tattoos. I decide what I want, then take as much time as I can thinking about it before I make it a final decision. Although a tattoo is more permanent, whenever I'm dealing with live animals, I want to make sure I've done all I can to make their world successful. I go slow because I'm new, but if you're experienced, I am sure its not necessary to go so slow. I'm just waiting for my tank to tell me it's ready

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Great thread! Great advice and even some great humor! I'm going to go back and read it slowly...

 

[Bdog4u2]

Sure dome people have success going fast but there's way more failure and crashes than success and this forum is filled with the stories and their issues.
The quick start guys and girls probably won't have one fish live more than 5 years from the stress.
I care about my animals and they are more than decoration in my living room i've never considered them furniture they are my pets and refuse to over stock my tank with 30 fish for my enjoyment while causing stress and cutting down on their life cycle.
I take pride in keeping my pets living a long life heck one of my pits turned 16 years old yesterday and she may be def but she's healthy

 

[Mikemccafe]

Iv'e had a reef tank since 1993 upgraded, moved it, had a fire saved it, moved again etc., etc. this last time I had a car go through my building building. Decided I would get some help from a tank service who helped a local aquarium to help upgrade automation and just a extra opinion on my tank. He did a quick cycle and loaded tank with fish and corals after cycle guess what maybe my fault I thought he was Jacques Cousteau . lots of dead fish and corals. Now I have been doing the take it easy and slow method and my tank looks so much better and I feel I'm on the right path now

 

[Sir Chris]

In time good things come but nice things can come quickly. Instance I starting dosing brightwell healer and brought color and a lot more within 2 weeks. As well as healing went faster as well as healed areas made a color morph almost. It was interesting. But happens fast is bad things or trying 2 fix a bad thing.

 

[powers2001]

Build threads make me speed up my reefing because I'm showing off. I finally got a dream tank and I'm not doing a build thread and there's no pressure I'm putting on myself. Now when I show off I do a Youtube video on something.

 

[hart24601]

I don't think controversial is quite the right word. Perhaps it's more accurate to say it's some good advise that is frequently ignored in the hobby however even in that context I think quaranting would be #1 for good advise that isn't followed.

I do feel that once you have gained experience one can make more educated guesses about going faster or perhaps judge risk/reward better.

As for controversial... Overall I would say lighting by far. Who remembers when huge fights would erupt over 10k lighting being inferior (all MH) to 6k and then absolute fits over 15 and 20k mh lighting with so many absolutely insisting nothing could live with it and/or actincs. Then florescents came... Wow.... And now same with LEDs. It's really been never sending.

As for controversy intensity and then fading... Deep sand beds and to a lesser extent carbon dosing.

 

[mcarroll]

I do feel that once you have gained experience one can make more educated guesses about going faster or perhaps judge risk/reward better.

I don't really disagree, but in a way couching it like that is a little like asking if you "still beat your dog". It presupposes the wrong thing....that going slow is "bad" or "for beginners".

I think this connotation or whatever is what makes this one of the hotter topics.

What about thinking of the whole situation differently like suggested in post #49?

Seems to me there are potentially lots of good reasons to select going slow no matter the experience level.