Things that you know now, but wish you knew before you started your reef tank?

[Nikorad]

My first reef tank I was able to get live rock very easily, this was 15 years ago.

Took a 5 year break, and started an all dry rock tank, big mistake. Battled every nuisance for over a year.

Tore down everything and started over with aquacultured live rock, and friends rocks from their tanks.

I wish I never started an all dry rock tank. What is your wish?

 

[gbroadbridge]

My first reef tank I was able to get live rock very easily, this was 15 years ago.

Took a 5 year break, and started an all dry rock tank, big mistake. Battled every nuisance for over a year.

Tore down everything and started over with aquacultured live rock, and friends rocks from their tanks.

I wish I never started an all dry rock tank. What is your wish?

I wish someone had told me that there is no such thing as an accurate hobby grade test kit.

I would have saved a lot of money by just sticking with the first set, instead of trying every brand in the endless pursuit of perfection.

 

[The Farmer]

I wish someone could of told me to keep all my live rock that I had acquired years ago that I sold due to a move.

 

[rtparty]

I wish someone had told me to stop making the hobby harder than it is.

Now I wish so many out there would stop making it harder than it needs to be

 

[Mark Goode]

Wish someone had told me that whatever size tank I bought, I needed a bigger one.

 

[bnord]

wish someone would have told me not to put green pocillipora in my tank - I can handle Xenia, GSP, cloves, Aptasia -
Please, aspiring SPS tanks do not want pocillopora anywhere near them

 

[Sevi]

wish someone would have told me not to put green pocillipora in my tank - I can handle Xenia, GSP, cloves, Aptasia -
Please, aspiring SPS tanks do not want pocillopora anywhere near them

Is this a super invasive sps? I have ordered it before yet it did not make the shipping process so I never tried it again.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I wish someone had told me to pull the piece of live rock from my tank that mysteriously grew a small bunch of Blue Clove Polyps that soon turned into a large portion of my Tank! After dosing Fenbendazole successfully, I’m now rid of those pesty corals hopefully forever. Excuse me I need a tissue.

 

[Cheezle]

Other than wishing I started with live rock, I wish I started with a bigger/better tank. As soon as I put my first coral into the tank I knew it wasn't going to be big enough.

 

[Hal3134]

Control your alk, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and nitrate and you corals will grow.

 

[G Santana]

Control your alk, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and nitrate and you corals will grow.

This is key!!!
I took 25 years off and the one thing I noticed immediately on my return is how much better hobbyist knew water chemistry, and how superior the testing instruments were.

The only thing that was better back in the day was the availability of good quality live rock and that helped stabilize tanks when we didn't know as much about water chemistry.

 

[reefah]

My first reef tank I was able to get live rock very easily, this was 15 years ago.

Took a 5 year break, and started an all dry rock tank, big mistake. Battled every nuisance for over a year.

Tore down everything and started over with aquacultured live rock, and friends rocks from their tanks.

I wish I never started an all dry rock tank. What is your wish?

Buying a UV before buying fish

 

[Pkunk35]

fish disease. I learned “quickly” (maybe after 5 years? Lol) but the LFS should have a sign next to their fish that says “I will prob die of disease”.

After buying only Quarantined sources and aquaculture from Biota, I have had great fish success and I think it’s because who I buy fish from now.

 

[ninjamyst]

The variety of corals available now is amazing compared to 10-15 years ago. But the cost of corals is also crazy. And whoever started the "frag" trend vs colony is a genius at milking money out of hobbyists

 

[bstodds15]

To make sure you vet your lfs - I.e. ask if they have a quarantine process/find a place that has a good one.

really helps mitigate disease and unwanted hitch hikers

 

[bnord]

Is this a super invasive sps? I have ordered it before yet it did not make the shipping process so I never tried it again.

Devine providence

 

[bnord]

I probably have eight colonies this size and another ate half the size spread all over the tank. About a month after the shot it took out the front piece of Monti

I have now taken to attempting the cover the small sprouting heads with epoxy to try to nip
them in the bud

 

[vetteguy53081]

THE ADDICTION !!!

 

[GoneReefin]

Why all the hate on dry rock? I’m starting a new tank (Reefer 350 G2) and have some macrorock sitting in a box in my garage. Is it just a timing thing? I’m prepared to be patient with my new tank to avoid some of the mistakes I made with my first so that doesn’t bother me.

 

[dvgyfresh]

I wish I did live rock from the jump lol so same