TriggersAmuck
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the wonderful world of reef keeping! This can be quite enjoyable and not as difficult as some think, but I like to remind myself of these simple axioms:
1. As thoroughly as we research species, design our systems, tweak our maintenance, source our livestock and foods, and generally over engineer everything to death, at the end of the day none of our fishes nor corals ever read the manual.
2. Nothing good ever comes about quickly.
3. Once you think everything is good and stable (see #2) you get thrown a diatom bloom, an electric outage, a hurricane, a hurricane and an electric outage, an overly eager family fish-feeder while you are away, or an unplugged/broken heater.
4. As much as well intending (or not) vendors design and document a process for starting a tank, the bacteria never bother reading the manual.
4a. Instant hospital tanks are more dangerous than the illness. (See #4).
5. Live rock never accepts nor rejects habitants based on what the owner desires.
6. Algae somehow magically avoid all forms of UV sterilization.
6a. Ick somehow magically avoids all forms of UV sterilization.
7. Both clownfish and anemones are "special".
7a. Clownfish don't appreciate the $100 accommodations that just stung you as much as you do.
8. Slow moving Angel fish can compete in the Olympics high jump.
8a. That one inch opening you have in your otherwise hermetically sealed lid?
9. Both Triggerfish and Clownfish are backstabbing sobs who will bite you the moment you turn your hand away from them.
9a. Picasso Triggers will continue to bite you even with your hand one foot out of the water.
10. That clownfish that is the same size as your dwarf lion? (But know the clown deserved it).
11. Electricity really hurts when it is passed through salt water. And the fish won't warn you about it.
12. An Undulated Triggerfish is faster than your skilled netting arm. And no matter how small they are, they can split a new wrasse perfectly in two with one bite in under 30 seconds.
13. The best way to remove a fish from a reef tank is to first remove every last piece of rock. (See #12).
14. It is easier to give a fish away than it is to remove a sump from underneath an active reef. (See #13).
In spite of all my lessons learned, I still am in awe of the tiny little sliver of ocean sitting in the middle of my living room. OK, I have to go now to separate a rock anemone from a BTA which it thinks is a cuddle toy.
1. As thoroughly as we research species, design our systems, tweak our maintenance, source our livestock and foods, and generally over engineer everything to death, at the end of the day none of our fishes nor corals ever read the manual.
2. Nothing good ever comes about quickly.
3. Once you think everything is good and stable (see #2) you get thrown a diatom bloom, an electric outage, a hurricane, a hurricane and an electric outage, an overly eager family fish-feeder while you are away, or an unplugged/broken heater.
4. As much as well intending (or not) vendors design and document a process for starting a tank, the bacteria never bother reading the manual.
4a. Instant hospital tanks are more dangerous than the illness. (See #4).
5. Live rock never accepts nor rejects habitants based on what the owner desires.
6. Algae somehow magically avoid all forms of UV sterilization.
6a. Ick somehow magically avoids all forms of UV sterilization.
7. Both clownfish and anemones are "special".
7a. Clownfish don't appreciate the $100 accommodations that just stung you as much as you do.
8. Slow moving Angel fish can compete in the Olympics high jump.
8a. That one inch opening you have in your otherwise hermetically sealed lid?
9. Both Triggerfish and Clownfish are backstabbing sobs who will bite you the moment you turn your hand away from them.
9a. Picasso Triggers will continue to bite you even with your hand one foot out of the water.
10. That clownfish that is the same size as your dwarf lion? (But know the clown deserved it).
11. Electricity really hurts when it is passed through salt water. And the fish won't warn you about it.
12. An Undulated Triggerfish is faster than your skilled netting arm. And no matter how small they are, they can split a new wrasse perfectly in two with one bite in under 30 seconds.
13. The best way to remove a fish from a reef tank is to first remove every last piece of rock. (See #12).
14. It is easier to give a fish away than it is to remove a sump from underneath an active reef. (See #13).
In spite of all my lessons learned, I still am in awe of the tiny little sliver of ocean sitting in the middle of my living room. OK, I have to go now to separate a rock anemone from a BTA which it thinks is a cuddle toy.
