New to reefing and searching for some answers

[Idaho-Reefing]

Quick tip: Remember, you are managing “water.”

Do that right, and you will have happy fish and corals. ;Cat

I love this post. The more I research, the more this seems to be true. I'm nervous about anything going wrong with my tank in the beginning. Looking forward to chatting with you!

 

[Idaho-Reefing]

IMO, if you want to be successful then forget ALL about the equipment and learn about reef chemistry.

Now it is usually more fun to make shopping lists and think about all the do dads that are available. But NO piece of gear will help you understand the relationships between all the different elements in the tank. And that is the knowledge that makes a successful reefer.

Thanks for the advice. The more I research the more I agree with your statement. Every video seems to have 10 different ways to do the same thing. I'm looking for credible information on the chemistry side of reefing.

 

[Dragon52]

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Thanks for the advice. The more I research the more I agree with your statement. Every video seems to have 10 different ways to do the same thing. I'm looking for credible information on the chemistry side of reefing.

Well, the individual who has contributing more than any person to the chemistry of reef tanks is thankfully a member here. Dr. Randy Holmes Farley.

He has a BUNCH of exhaustive articles online.

Here is a list: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/author/rhf.php

I would first concentrate on nitrogen and phosphorous. Then look at alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium.

The reality is that you have to remember that most things in the tank are like a see-saw, you add one, one will go down a little. Determining what is on each end of the see-saw is the challenge for many people because they don't understand the relationships and every day life.. well, people don't have to deal with such things. You are hungry.. you eat more. You don't really ask yourself "how much nutrients am I exporting?"

The aquarium is really just one big measure of import and export. Import is easy to figure out... its food and elements that you dose or come out of your calcium reactor. It is the export that is tricky and always fluctuating. Its coral uptake, algae growth, water changes, bacterial processes, and most of those things are affected by light, temperature, flow, etc etc etc.

Don't panic and KEEP GOOD RECORDS. A LOT of problems can be diagnosed and avoided by just keep good records.

 

[Idaho-Reefing]

@Idaho-Reefing

Glad you joined us! Here's a little reading for you:

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean...

www.reef2reef.com

That was a great read. Excellent info to think about before buying anything. I never thought to sketch things out and get other peoples opinions.