LACK OF BASICS KEEPING NEWBIES AWAY FROM REEFING

[Brad Miller]

Since written words to express a position on something can be misinterpreted from the writers intent (not that this is the case concerning this thread).....

My intent for this thread was to express learning the basics first, by starting a small saltwater tank and doing the basic water changes with minimal equipment, such as, no skimmer, sump, refugium, expensive lighting, additive additions, controllers etc....and this can be done very easily.

To be able to start in the hobby like this, then proceed to add things and upgrade if you like, as you get more educated and confident, or just keep it small and basic.

For me personally, at my age, I can pretty much afford to do whatever I want, which wouldn’t have been the case years ago, being younger, making less money and raising a family.

 

[fishybizzness]

I started with a basic 55 gallon kit from Walmart a little over 2 years ago. I added a canister filter and ran my tank that was for awhile while learning about keeping a saltwater aquarium. As I progressed I slowly started upgrading. I bought a life reef overflow after much research and good reviews and plumbed it into a 30 long DIY sump. The main cost was the overflow as I got the 30 for free! I added a sca skimmer, which I'm still using btw, and a small uv. My return pump, a eheim, was purchased off of this forum used and works flawlessly. I've had my ups and downs but starting with basic equipment has definitely taught me alot about actually taking care of my tank! I don't think I would've continued to this point if I had just bought a setup with all the bells and whistles from the get go. I'm currently in the process of getting all my equipment together for my future 120 upgrade and I have no doubt that I will ultimately succeed due to me starting at the simple level and working my way up. It has truly made me appreciate where I am now in the hobby! Beginning and present photos!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Well........ First off let me say I definitely don't know everything under the sun reef related, especially with tech driven equipment, but I will say that I've seen a lot since joining Reef2reef and being a reef squad member. We do our best to convey the utmost rock soild advise, everyday.

Coming from "old school" reefing in the nineties, as I've said here on the forum, we didn't have the internet just books and good LFS's. A lot of trial and error took place back then. We made mistakes, just like new hobbyist do even today, even with all the information available today.

Basic husbandry skills are needed with this hobby, it's lacking with new hobbyist. We understood, as true today, you have to have that down first before anything else.

I still to this day run a slightly modified version of the "Berlin method". It is the core of any reef tank. Simple, effective and proven.

 

[PYRU]

Its extremely easy to get analysis paralysis in this day & age especially with reefing. There's a lot of high end equip pushing as well. I wouldn't consider myself a noob but I'm definitely not an expert reefer.

I almost tapped out a few weeks ago due to being overwhelmed. I was talking to some people who were amongst the high tech crowd and they had my head spinning on the cost to be successful. Which isn't the case.

I took a step back and thought about things then decided to keep doing what I've always done. K.I.S.S. I'm not going to lie I'm kicking myself for selling a trickle filter with bio balls a few weeks ago, because that's old school right?....but it worked for years. You know what I took my fancy controllable powerheads out of the box looking forward to the crazy flow I was about to get and....what dissappointment one clicks and the other doesn't even work. So I pull my who knows how old hydors out of an old tub and they save my rearend.

So all this research, time wasted worrying, & money wasted on uber controllable equip now where am I at. Back to my slightly refined early 2k ways.

I bought a setup from some people moving. Water quality was perfect so I bust open the stand. A sump with some rubble and 90s look hang on sump skimmer with a canister on the other side. That would get laughed at, but it's a super stable setup they had for years.

 

[Brad Miller]

Great responses to the basics being essential...
Came across this article just now and thought it was a great fit for this thread, the summary at the end is exactly what all reefers (old and new alike) need to remember.
http://advancedaquariumconcepts.com/natural-reef-aquarium-method/

 

[Flippers4pups]

Brad, natural method - Berlin method roughly the same.

Berlin method. Simple and it works!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/berlin-method-of-filtration/

Article is old, but it works.

Trickle filters and VHO lights are long gone. Basic sump, refugium and kalkwasser works.

 

[Brad Miller]

Brad, natural method - Berlin method roughly the same.

Berlin method. Simple and it works!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/berlin-method-of-filtration/

Article is old, but it works.

Trickle filters and VHO lights are long gone. Basic sump, refugium and kalkwasser works.

Agreed both are about the same and proven by some of the best reefers.
When I started up, I already knew I wanted to do the “natural” way.
Little did I know....the way I chose was already a proven method way before I decided to change over from freshwater, now I feel as though my thoughts are justified ;Happy

 

[Flippers4pups]

Agreed both are about the same and proven by some of the best reefers.
When I started up, I already knew I wanted to do the “natural” way.
Little did I know....the way I chose was already a proven method way before I decided to change over from freshwater, now I feel as though my thoughts are justified ;Happy

When I started out, there was published articles on natural methods, but the term "Berlin method" had taken over. So, I started out "Berlin method".

I have continued to use this basic method since. All of this "dose" this and "dose" that approaches to advance the hobby have clouded many new hobbyists. It can be very confusing, even to us that have been reefing since long ago. But........ It's that experimentation that keeps the hobby advancing, even if it's in it's entirety not even needed.