Total newbie...best piece of advice?

[MereSanity]

So I have had freshwater tanks for almost 40 years but just set up my FIRST saltwater tank. What’s the one best piece of advice you have for a “newbie”?

 

[dumpysauce]

I’ll give two
1) patience and go slow
2) have a good job haha.

there are tons of good YouTube channels and your in the right place here. Just browse the top threads here and there when you get a chance.

 

[Rmckoy]

Research everything and everything .
don’t chase parameter numbers .

 

[polyppal]

One word: Patience
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure in this hobby

Also, theres some great videos from Bulk Reef Supply on youtube about how to successfully start out in the hobby

 

[Joem820]

While everyone here is going to tell you patience, one thing i think people need to remember is we are supposed to be having FUN and that this should be enjoyable.

 

[davidcalgary29]

While everyone here is going to tell you patience, one thing i think people need to remember is we are supposed to be having FUN and that this should be enjoyable.

As long as you do it patiently, sure.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Plan everything ahead. Once youve planned, develop a budget
Buy the Best you Cannot afford. It will payoff in the long run.
Do Not buy API test kits as these kits will lie to you with the results
If in doubt - ASK
Do everything slowly

Unlike freshwater, you cannot speed anything up. The word fast is translated into the word Disaster
DO NOT LET IMPULSE GET THE BEST OF YOU !! Its painful to see something beautiful and cheap at a store and know you cant have it. Those who post " I know but I had to" , generally post later - " PLEASE HELP- tank is crashing "
Do Everything slowly
Buy the best you cannot afford
If in doubt - ask

 

[RedFrog211]

My best piece of advice: no short cuts

 

[Silent]

Dont listen to everyones opinion. Do your own research and form a educated decision.
There is no right way to reef, only your right way.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Seriously: this is a hobbby with a gratification scale measured in months and years, and not days or weeks. My advice, along with what's been posted: set up your tank, and then busy yourself with other projects while checking your build occasionally without freaking out about cycling and nuisance algae. If you need instant gratification, do a 2g jar build with macro and fun aquasculpture: some species are as attractive as corals. And if you screw up the jar, which is all too easy, you can learn from it and not apply those some mistakes to your display tanks.

 

[Reef.]

My advice would be don’t take the first bit of advice you get and follow it, get a few more opinions then decide yourself as you’ll find there is not one way to do this.

That advice goes double for your LFS, until you KNOW they give excellent advice, just treat them as any other advice you get, go and get some more before you follow it.

 

[polyppal]

As long as you do it patiently, sure.

 

[polyppal]

My advice would be don’t take the first bit of advice you get and follow it, get a few more opinions then decide yourself as you’ll find there is not one way to do this.

That advice goes double for your LFS, until you KNOW they give excellent advice, just treat them as any other advice you get, go and get some more before you follow it.

+1 on not blindly believing what your LFS tells you!

...so i guess theres like 5 or 6 best pieces of advice

 

[JumboShrimp]

Manage your “water.”

Your fish and corals will thank you.

 

[zalick]

Plan plan plan.

Also, make a budget, rip it up and throw it away.

 

[Reef.]

Plan plan plan.

Also, make a budget, rip it up and throw it away.

So true, I did a list of things I need to buy when setting this tank up, a year later I’m still adding to it!

 

[Thaxxx]

Most starting out go for the destination as fast as possible. I can promise you those that do, normally exit this hobby fast.
It's a hobby, not a final destination. Most hobbies worth having are never finished.