Overlooked, really useful device

[buckroe07]

Why is it when someone gets into the hobby they are told to get a myriad of things from sand to a swing arm hydrometer or even better a refractometer, skimmer, light, salt, cleaning magnet, etc, and never mention a SCALE?! now that I'm trying to be more precise, a lot, if not all the recommended amounts are in grams or kilograms! Luckily I have a food scale so no problem
From now on, when I help someone get into the hobby, I'm going to recommend a scale as part of their reefing arsenal, lol.

Anybody else have any overlooked, helpful devices that are hardly recommended?

 

[Brew12]

A dedicated scrub brush. If for no other reason than to drive home the point that aquariums require work!

 

[ahiggins]

A scale? What do you use that for?
And agreed on the brush lol
I would also suggest dedicated Tupperware containers. I use those so much for dipping and transferring things.

 

[buckroe07]

A scale? What do you use that for?
And agreed on the brush lol
I would also suggest dedicated Tupperware containers. I use those so much for dipping and transferring things.

The gfo instructions say 50 g treats 50 gallons, my salt says 3.95 kg or 140 Oz per 27 gallons, etc.

A dedicated scrub brush. If for no other reason than to drive home the point that aquariums require work!

Brushes! Good one guys. What LFS recommends and sells brushes!lol

And Tupperwares or QT/treatment tanks? Geez, we would scare ppl away from the hobby

 

[tom reilly]

The gfo instructions say 50 g treats 50 gallons, my salt says 3.95 kg or 140 Oz per 27 gallons, etc.



Brushes! Good one guys. What LFS recommends and sells brushes!lol

And Tupperwares or QT/treatment tanks? Geez, we would scare ppl away from the hobby

Long turkey baster

 

[ahiggins]

The gfo instructions say 50 g treats 50 gallons, my salt says 3.95 kg or 140 Oz per 27 gallons, etc.



Brushes! Good one guys. What LFS recommends and sells brushes!lol

And Tupperwares or QT/treatment tanks? Geez, we would scare ppl away from the hobby

Ohhhh I don't use that lol I thought you were measuring out salt for wc lol
Oh oh the brushes, look at these, they're perfect!
I've only used 1 or 2 to exhaustion lol

 

[tom reilly]

I use 5 gal water jugs like water come in for water cooler. StoreRODI water. Easy to lift and pour as they have a handle.
32 gallon plastic trash can to mix salt water.

 

[buckroe07]

Ohhhh I don't use that lol I thought you were measuring out salt for wc lol
Oh oh the brushes, look at these, they're perfect!
I've only used 1 or 2 to exhaustion lol

Those would work great! I've been using old toothbrushes. Good thing I haven't confused which one is which yet.

 

[ahiggins]

Those would work great! I've been using old toothbrushes. Good thing I haven't confused which one is which yet.

Hahahaha I used to do that too but I like the one end because you can get between polyps without making them all unhappy

 

[JBradford]

A funnel and a medicine bottle. I use the medicine bottle to cover the stand pipe on my reactors when filling them. And a modified funnel that still fits in the reactor but the mouth has been widened to allow media to flow in, around the medicine bottle for even distribution.

 

[JBradford]

A label maker. Even a cheapo from Wal-Mart is worth its weight in cable management/switch labeling (if using a DJ style outlet box).

 

[ahiggins]

A label maker. Even a cheapo from Wal-Mart is worth its weight in cable management/switch labeling (if using a DJ style outlet box).

I use the bright colored tape so it glows under blues hahaha but then again, it's not the "pretty" tank

 

[buckroe07]

A funnel and a medicine bottle. I use the medicine bottle to cover the stand pipe on my reactors when filling them. And a modified funnel that still fits in the reactor but the mouth has been widened to allow media to flow in, around the medicine bottle for even distribution.

Imagine the look on someone's face when their first getting into the hobby. What?! lol!

 

[neck27]

I started in the hobby almost 2 years ago. Along the way I evaluated my own needs and picked up "stuff" to make things easier. I wish my wife knew it all is necessary for making things easier.

 

[AcroNem]

Get a turkey baster, also my advice to new people is to learn their basics and ignore the nonsensical gear and dosing regimes like biopellets, carbon dosing and other magic liquids haha. Keep it simple when you start, you don't need the other stuff, you can try that once you have basic husbandry down.

 

[Greybeard]

A 2nd job?

I always recommend getting a couple 10 or 20 gallon Rubbermaid trash cans. Fairly reasonable from a restaurant supply co.

 

[buckroe07]

A 2nd job?

I always recommend getting a couple 10 or 20 gallon Rubbermaid trash cans. Fairly reasonable from a restaurant supply co.

LOL! Alright, you'll need this, and that, and a 2nd job, and...

 

[ahiggins]

Get a turkey baster, also my advice to new people is to learn their basics and ignore the nonsensical gear and dosing regimes like biopellets, carbon dosing and other magic liquids haha. Keep it simple when you start, you don't need the other stuff, you can try that once you have basic husbandry down.

Yassss that's what I did. Ran no dosing (still don't but I'll be getting into nopox soon) but then added a biopellet reactor to m skimmer in one tank.
Another thing: start with good lights. I bought cheap leds for $200 then realized what I COULDNT grow with them. Then upgraded. So start off right lol

 

[AcroNem]

Yassss that's what I did. Ran no dosing (still don't but I'll be getting into nopox soon) but then added a biopellet reactor to m skimmer in one tank.
Another thing: start with good lights. I bought cheap leds for $200 then realized what I COULDNT grow with them. Then upgraded. So start off right lol

I agree to start off right, and buy good equipment if you can. But don't overload with equipment, it just isn't needed.

 

[Greybeard]

I agree to start off right, and buy good equipment if you can. But don't overload with equipment, it just isn't needed.

Much cheaper to buy what you want, good quality stuff, ONCE, than to buy cheap, and then buy what you should have bought in the first place.

And yes, we all mess this up. I bought a light, and replaced it a year later, bought a sump, and replaced it a year later... Even though I _thought_ I'd done the research