Reef By Steele
10K Club member
Starting a new tank? If you are like me, you probably have tons of questions. Reef2Reef is such a valuable resource that I cannot say enough great things about this forum. When we reentered the hobby in 2021, I found that the internet was such a useful tool. Information was at my fingertips vs a several hour drive to a LFS, where I found each store had a totally different answer to each question or issue. Oddly enough I found the same issue on the web. With multiple forums, Facebook, and different websites finding the "right" answer can seem elusive. What I found and what has worked for me is looking for repetition and evidence of receiving like results from multiple reefers repeating the same moves.
Here are some recommendations that I have come across and used successfully in starting up a new tank.
Equipment, new or used is often a question that is asked. IMO a reefer can achieve success going either route. Not everyone who wishes to get into the hobby can afford to purchase everything brand new, but of course buying used does include some risk as you cannot truly determine exactly what shape the equipment is in. However if you can save 50% or more, it does leave you room to replace or upgrade a portion of the equipment while still coming in ahead.
Cycling the new tank. Again there are multiple "correct" ways to cycle a new tank. Here is a great thread "stickied" in the new to saltwater and reef aquariums forum by @Brew12.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cycling-an-aquarium.306554/
But now that it is cycled, what next? This is where the hobby really starts being exciting. What fish to add? Am I going Softies, LPS (Long Polyp Stony), SPS (Small Polyp Stony), NPS (Non-Photogenic Corals) or a mixed reef. Is there a correct next step? Yes, I believe there is. You may hear terms like biome, bio-diversity etc., and there may be controversy as to the importance of these "terms", but trying to mirror the actual ocean in our glass boxes is something that I feel is very important for multiple reasons.
First is bringing everything into balance. Imbalance in parameters, nutrients and other factors can generally be traced as the source of many issues that a reefer will face. High nutrients tends to lead to nuisance algae, dropping them to zero can lead to a dinoflagellates outbreak, serious swings can lead to poor coral and fish health. Many different things can cause or elevate these issues from undersized filtration, overfeeding, excess supplements, overstocking and poor maintenance. I believe that having a vast and diverse selection of other living creatures can help to overcome deficiencies in other areas. Even though many reefers refer to bristle worms as a bane of the hobby, I have found them to be awesome members of my CUC (Clean Up Crew). Asterina Starfish seem to be tremendous little workers as well. I have found that micro crustaceans, copepods, amphipods, mysis shrimp make up an awesome micro CUC. This is the time frame when most new tanks will experience what we call the UGLY STAGE. This can lead to frustration, with some new reefers feeling like throwing up their hands and throwing in the towel. I believe this is the stage where diversity and biome can make the biggest difference. Previously I wrote a thread that covers this which you can find here.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/can-you-beat-the-ugly-stage.1048524/
This is the point in a new reef that making a few good decisions can have a really huge impact on your reef in both appearance and appreciation. These decisions at the right time can eliminate or at least greatly reduce the impact of the ugly stage and heighten the rewards we as reefers so desperately desire. As mentioned in the above thread, early addition of copepods and utilizing live phytoplankton are key to achieving these results. Another key addition in this battle is your CUC. Adding a Clean Up Crew at the correct time can be the final ingredient in successfully dealing the death blow to the ugly stage, setting your tank up for long term success.
So what is the correct time? In our tanks we have always jumped the gun and added extremely early due to the distance we had to drive for an LFS. While do able, adding CUC before algae rears it's ugly head will require supplemental feeding. Sinking algae pellets or discs can augment their diets, but does add to the nutrients available in the tank so there is some trade off. Online availability of CUC can make timing much easier, especially for those who do not have a great LFS nearby. Establishing your CUC prior to nuisance algae taking hold in your tank will deliver rewards as many of these members don't seem as interested in larger growths, yet work diligently at the beginning stages of their growth. I recommend adding them at the first signs of green growth of any kind in your tank.
While phytoplankton is an excellent choice for nitrate and phosphate reduction as discussed in my Ugly Stage thread, macro algae is another viable option, alone or in conjunction with live phyto. Whether in your DT (Display Tank) or in a refugium, these desirable algae will help to outcompete nuisance algae like GHA (Green Hair Algae), bubble algae and briopsis. Choosing the right macro algae for your tank can be fairly straight forward. In a refugium there are many solid choices. Ogo Gracilaria either fine or thick, Cheatomorpha, Caulerpa, Red Gracilaria (Pom Pom) are all really solid at nutrient export in the refugium. Of these, thick Ogo, Pom Pom and Caulerpa are great choices for a DT, but Caulerpa can be overwhelming and needs to be pruned and harvested to keep it in check. Pom Pom can even be used in tanks with herbivores like tangs as they may pick at it initially but they don't seem to devour it as they would other options. Of the others, a secondary benefit of growing it in a refugium is the ability to use a portion of your harvest as fresh food for your herbivorous fish as well.
Getting out ahead of the ugly stage, can really set a reefer on the right path to a long, rewarding and enjoyable slice of the ocean in your home. At www.reefbysteele.com we are dedicated to helping our customers achieve their goals, and proud to be a part of the wonderful R2R community.
Here are some recommendations that I have come across and used successfully in starting up a new tank.
Equipment, new or used is often a question that is asked. IMO a reefer can achieve success going either route. Not everyone who wishes to get into the hobby can afford to purchase everything brand new, but of course buying used does include some risk as you cannot truly determine exactly what shape the equipment is in. However if you can save 50% or more, it does leave you room to replace or upgrade a portion of the equipment while still coming in ahead.
Cycling the new tank. Again there are multiple "correct" ways to cycle a new tank. Here is a great thread "stickied" in the new to saltwater and reef aquariums forum by @Brew12.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cycling-an-aquarium.306554/
But now that it is cycled, what next? This is where the hobby really starts being exciting. What fish to add? Am I going Softies, LPS (Long Polyp Stony), SPS (Small Polyp Stony), NPS (Non-Photogenic Corals) or a mixed reef. Is there a correct next step? Yes, I believe there is. You may hear terms like biome, bio-diversity etc., and there may be controversy as to the importance of these "terms", but trying to mirror the actual ocean in our glass boxes is something that I feel is very important for multiple reasons.
First is bringing everything into balance. Imbalance in parameters, nutrients and other factors can generally be traced as the source of many issues that a reefer will face. High nutrients tends to lead to nuisance algae, dropping them to zero can lead to a dinoflagellates outbreak, serious swings can lead to poor coral and fish health. Many different things can cause or elevate these issues from undersized filtration, overfeeding, excess supplements, overstocking and poor maintenance. I believe that having a vast and diverse selection of other living creatures can help to overcome deficiencies in other areas. Even though many reefers refer to bristle worms as a bane of the hobby, I have found them to be awesome members of my CUC (Clean Up Crew). Asterina Starfish seem to be tremendous little workers as well. I have found that micro crustaceans, copepods, amphipods, mysis shrimp make up an awesome micro CUC. This is the time frame when most new tanks will experience what we call the UGLY STAGE. This can lead to frustration, with some new reefers feeling like throwing up their hands and throwing in the towel. I believe this is the stage where diversity and biome can make the biggest difference. Previously I wrote a thread that covers this which you can find here.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/can-you-beat-the-ugly-stage.1048524/
This is the point in a new reef that making a few good decisions can have a really huge impact on your reef in both appearance and appreciation. These decisions at the right time can eliminate or at least greatly reduce the impact of the ugly stage and heighten the rewards we as reefers so desperately desire. As mentioned in the above thread, early addition of copepods and utilizing live phytoplankton are key to achieving these results. Another key addition in this battle is your CUC. Adding a Clean Up Crew at the correct time can be the final ingredient in successfully dealing the death blow to the ugly stage, setting your tank up for long term success.
So what is the correct time? In our tanks we have always jumped the gun and added extremely early due to the distance we had to drive for an LFS. While do able, adding CUC before algae rears it's ugly head will require supplemental feeding. Sinking algae pellets or discs can augment their diets, but does add to the nutrients available in the tank so there is some trade off. Online availability of CUC can make timing much easier, especially for those who do not have a great LFS nearby. Establishing your CUC prior to nuisance algae taking hold in your tank will deliver rewards as many of these members don't seem as interested in larger growths, yet work diligently at the beginning stages of their growth. I recommend adding them at the first signs of green growth of any kind in your tank.
While phytoplankton is an excellent choice for nitrate and phosphate reduction as discussed in my Ugly Stage thread, macro algae is another viable option, alone or in conjunction with live phyto. Whether in your DT (Display Tank) or in a refugium, these desirable algae will help to outcompete nuisance algae like GHA (Green Hair Algae), bubble algae and briopsis. Choosing the right macro algae for your tank can be fairly straight forward. In a refugium there are many solid choices. Ogo Gracilaria either fine or thick, Cheatomorpha, Caulerpa, Red Gracilaria (Pom Pom) are all really solid at nutrient export in the refugium. Of these, thick Ogo, Pom Pom and Caulerpa are great choices for a DT, but Caulerpa can be overwhelming and needs to be pruned and harvested to keep it in check. Pom Pom can even be used in tanks with herbivores like tangs as they may pick at it initially but they don't seem to devour it as they would other options. Of the others, a secondary benefit of growing it in a refugium is the ability to use a portion of your harvest as fresh food for your herbivorous fish as well.
Getting out ahead of the ugly stage, can really set a reefer on the right path to a long, rewarding and enjoyable slice of the ocean in your home. At www.reefbysteele.com we are dedicated to helping our customers achieve their goals, and proud to be a part of the wonderful R2R community.
