What are the biggest issues that hobbyists face? Help me help you!

Mastiffsrule

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I'm looking to put a team together that will target the main issues that saltwater aquarium hobbyists face on a day to day basis maintaining a reef tank. What I need from you is to help me put a specific list together of subjects that we need to really target. I would like for you to be as specific as possible please! So in your opinion...

What are the biggest issues that saltwater aquarium hobbyists face maintaining a reef tank?

THANK YOU!

Hey family of reefers.

This is just a mastiffsrule perspective.

We already hit on dosing, flow, chemicals, etc in 3 pages. I think we really need to hit basics first. We have to address the daily issues like disease, dominance, water quality, diet, environment, etc.

As an old school aquarist (no chuckles please) i learned water quality, environment, feeding, husbandry. I would like to see that being taught again. Folk should know how to keep a tank going for a year on basic test kits, salt, buffers and lights before going all out. They should also learn to stock appropriately.

Fish and coral have pretty colors, but they have a purpose in nature. A panther grouper has no business as CuC in a 29 gallon just like 20 camel shrimp don’t belong in a trigger and puffer tank. There is a learning curve in the hobby like anything else, but the curve is much steeper if you start the curve trying to learn with an apex and a gem tang versus a wet dry filte and blue damsel

All the tool and help for everything are here though, so anything can be done. So go do it:)
 

Shawn_epicurious

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This almost seems like a thread I am not supposed to chime in on... almost like an internal memo : ) Let me know if I am intruding.

I think I may have a unique perspective on the value of this forum. I tried this hobby before. 16 years ago. I had a lot going on back then (raising three teenage kids on my own)... less time available for the hobby... less money. But more than anything else... No one to really talk about the hobby with. Reefers were far with few in between. All I had back then was Me, my books and my LFS.

I have been an active member since the day I joined. I’d like to think I have not overstepped my bounds. I tell people when stating certain opinions that I am not the expert here : ) I have learned... omg... unmeasurable... so much being here. But a lot of it is really just getting to have conversations with other reefers. I’ve been amazed by some of the comments on what I thought were going to be percieved as stupid questions. People thanking me for asking “that” question.

: ) ...and yes I had to be reminded recently this is a “kid friendly” zone lol

I know you guys keep stats on this site.... most of your questions are indeed “newbie” questions. If you are going to build a database, it needs to be focused on the needs of new reefer. You already have a ton of great data. Maybe it’s about building a “library page” ...something easier to search : )

just my thoughts : )
 

BlazinNano

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Hey family of reefers.

This is just a mastiffsrule perspective.

We already hit on dosing, flow, chemicals, etc in 3 pages. I think we really need to hit basics first. We have to address the daily issues like disease, dominance, water quality, diet, environment, etc.

As an old school aquarist (no chuckles please) i learned water quality, environment, feeding, husbandry. I would like to see that being taught again. Folk should know how to keep a tank going for a year on basic test kits, salt, buffers and lights before going all out. They should also learn to stock appropriately.

Fish and coral have pretty colors, but they have a purpose in nature. A panther grouper has no business as CuC in a 29 gallon just like 20 camel shrimp don’t belong in a trigger and puffer tank. There is a learning curve in the hobby like anything else, but the curve is much steeper if you start the curve trying to learn with an apex and a gem tang versus a wet dry filte and blue damsel

All the tool and help for everything are here though, so anything can be done. So go do it:)

Completely agree. My parents gave me my first freshwater tank over 30 years ago. I started my first saltwater over 40 years ago and it was a 10 with a HOB filter. The technology was not anywhere close to what is out there now. Mowing how to do the basics the simpler way is key.

We all have made mistakes. There is a lot of info out on the web, some good, some bad. There are a lot of ways to make a tank work. How many people are thinking about tomorrow and how many are thinking about next year?

I think newbie's may get overwhelmed with all the info out there. Maybe promote the reef squad more so more people will ask for help instead of going to some random website they may lead them down the wrong path. We should be here to make every tank thrive whether the hobbies has $20k or $200 invested.
 

JCTReefer

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The most painful issue I’ve faced over the last several months is Dinoflagellates. It’s very frustrating when you’ve read hundreds of pages and tried multiple approaches to manage these things. I rather call them something else, but I’ll keep it clean. I wish someone would stumble upon some “magic potion” like the story of fluconazole and Bryopsis. Seems there is no magic bullet. I wish live rock from all over the world was available like it was 20 years ago. I think this would curb a lot of issues people have these days. Biodiversity is key. Okay, rant is over.
 

Reeferbob420

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Me and other people i know jus have too much trouble with sps frags. They all eventually RTN/STN even with even and adequate PAR numbers and all water chemistry stable and weekly water changes.
 

Ardeus

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SingleCheapGrackle-size_restricted.gif


We're all this girl and I am pretty sure 90% of the fish that get collected are dead within a few months.

The whole supply chain is geared towards moving fish along as quickly as possible, using low salinity and low copper levels to hide the diseases until the fish reach our hands. I struggle with being part of this.
 

Stigigemla

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I think the largest issue is when the wildlife will be monitored all over the world.
All fishes, corals and other will lay under capture and export quotes. If somebody find a fancy coral its forbidden to take it up before its checked if it is allowed to export.
 

JFD

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Coral (SPS/LPS) growth optimisation and coloration is the most challenging thing I’ve come across...

Mainly because is likely the least known subject in the hobby (or at least for me).
 

Michael Curtis

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I think the biggest issues faced but reefers, fish keepers or water quality technicians what ever way you look at your role in the hobby has a broad spectrum of issues.

its far to say there is no true one way works for all, as all our systems are unique to the way there setup and run
although there is a lot of useful information across the web there's also a lot of misinformation out there and personal experience from one isn't always going to be a one shoe fits all case.

the lacking of a simple compendium of information is probably the biggest issues for new reefers and some times long time keepers to work out what is needed and required.

simple in the sense of chapters of information under a single forum header (book style approach) there's years of experience available to be taped on here but for a noob its like sensory overload as everyone has a singular approach.

simplicity is probably the main thing making it easier for those that don't have the knowledge needed to understand the finer points.

understanding:

equipment needed from must have to optional and the advantages / disadvantages of lager tanks over nano or AIO tanks
the nitrogen cycle
pros and cons of live sand, rock v dried
best practice on quarantine, dips, drip acclamation and how to set up a simple system.
testing regime
dosing both how to make your own in a simple sense without the complexity and how or ways to dose

the list go's on

I did a lot of reading and watching videos and found it a little overwhelming when I started 2 years ago with the help of BRSTV, ReefBuilders, Coral12g, ReefHacks and various forums or groups on Facebook and the net as there's so much information out there.

so in basic its the basic understanding of the hobby and responsibility involved that's the biggest issues from a first time reef keeper but long time aquatic nut point of view.
 

Lightspeed

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hmmm, well over 20 years ago when i started up my first marine tank, i knew zero people in the hobby, there was no internet, just books, fortunately of the books available almost all that i sourced in the science section of my local library were written by very well heeled authors, of whom we're well justified with higher education credentials or very extensively involved in pioneering marine aquaria, these we're the ones authoring Marine science books.

Unfortunately for a great many and i freely admit, myself included, while researching over the last 3 months i have fallen victim to you tube too.
I went to my local library a few decades;Singing(i am old lol) after my first researching session expecting there to be a plethora of publications and to my disbelief it seems the book with actual pages is a disappearing asset as the library had lots of shelves full of nothing.

So now it seems nowadays the only qualification you need to give advice is a webcam and youtube account, and eeeevvveryone has an opinion.

The best advice i have recently had and help with references for research has come from reaching out to total strangers by way of PM to @Badilac and @Humblefish. You guys are GOLD!!!!
But i do my due diligence, YOU MUST RESEARCH, but sometimes we still need advice.

If we can get senior members with sound minds who do not think of themselves as demigods but are genuinely interested in providing accurate support to members of all stages of progression i think its a great thing.
But how do you keep other forum members from muddying the waters in these prospective threads......and keep accurate factual discussion without making them stickies?

There is simply far too much spurious info out there, particularly on easy to watch you tube vid's and a great deal of it does not truly answer any question in any detail and certainly may not have any scientific or accurate factual backing, its true, the internet has an answer for everything and that's the problem with unsubstantiated opinion.
At the end of the day anyone can unbox a Neptune Apex, Waterbox or Royal Exclusiv skimmer ;Hilarious

@revhtree , it's a great idea mate.
my personal research has only really centered on two topics but i have deep dived them both now with the help of the aforementioned members but these topics may help others too.

1: The Facts on UV which was an expanded research topic, UV is not just buying a pretty blue light if it is to fulfill a serious role in your system.
2: Deepdive on Quarantine and Medicating, youtube just gave me nothing here, or not what i needed anyway, its a very expansive topic, but its a must. If we are going to take the responsibility of our pets and mini eco system seriously, we, as pet owners like it or not are Triage and First Responders, Vets and owners. But clear and concise instruction for the uninitiated may be daunting and muddy at best.

Sorry for my essay, and maybe a overly pragmatic demeanor, i'm a bit Aspy.

Kind Regards
B.
 

Paul B

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I started in this hobby in about 1953, yes there was life in the last century. And what we never address, and I think it is the biggest issue by far especially in new tanks is that the majority of people keep their tanks much to clean.

Way to many water changes, to much sand cleaning, to many chemicals, bottled bacteria, dry food and medications.

We haven't figured out that not everything such as algae and cyano need a chemical treatment.
Many of us don't have enough patience as virtually all these things abate on their own but we may have to wait a while as the bacteria multiply to do what we pay them for.

That is not natural and greatly extends the time a tank takes to settle down to the point where we have no problems.
I also believe that is the reason so many people drop out.

We need to think more like a fish in the sea. They are surrounded by dirt, diseases, parasites and live food.
 

ca1ore

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I would like to see R2R ‘band together’ to convince publishing companies to begin publishing books again. It has always rankled me that Scott Michaels reef fishes series has unpublished volumes (I bet that rankles him even more). The really BIG hobby problems (long term livestock availability, health of the supply chain, etc.) are probably not solvable by the team.
 

Paul B

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I would like to see R2R ‘band together’ to convince publishing companies to begin publishing books again.

Publishing companies will publish whatever you want. But first you have to write a book.
 

Isabel’s Hobby

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I think most of it is been already ask here....very cool questions.
I would also say..... especially for brand new people ..... where to put lamps what kind of lights what kind of pumps where should power heads be and why ? When someone tells you lots of flow and lots of light for a coral ....is that mean on top and right in front of the wavemaker ? go ahead and laugh....I have done that, because someone told me tons of motion and light .....it died. I think the explanation of wavemakers and the different types of flow that would be great as well.
I remember opening my first MP40 and I was like whaaaaat ? What is reef crest what is standing wave etc... I did not know the difference so I went to my fave. Friend and he let me check out his set up in his Fishstore to figure out what all that means. I really think an explanation of how many wavemakers and where ....that would be great as well.
I was a total newbie and I was overwhelmed I for a fact thought the Lights where all the same as long as they’re for saltwater . You hang them and finished. I never thought of if you have more then one light and possibly overspill and power of lights and what the red the green and so on actually there for. Ive had to kessil 700 and I did not get the use out of them because after I understood what was going on I realized my entire set up was wrong. Half the light was getting filtered because the tank i have now is not build for the 700 and so on..............

It would have been awesome to have like a chart or something
 

whitewaterman53

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Seems as though most real topics are covered above. I know that when I started I could not depend on my LFS to give me good info on what fish I should be adding and when. As long as they got a sale they would sell me anything including fish that would munch corals. Advice on looking at what you want in your tank long term and then order of their addition.
 

Jadieco

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1. How to quarantine fish

2. How and when to dip corals

3. Honestly, if it were not for BRS’ 31 videos on 5-minute guide to reefing, I would have said f-it and gone freshwater.

So whatever you do, I suggest it follow the format of quick short videos packed with the basic info to get started.
 

Sebastiancrab

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I think my biggest challenge is running a mixed reef with no lower sump,no protein skimmer, or refuge.I run it simple and I keep it simple I just run aFluval fx6 canister filter. I know it’s not ideal. But it runs perfect All parameters are in check and been running for over two years.

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What is the size of your tank?
 

Mixing lighting technologies: Do you use multiple types of lighting for your reef?

  • I currently use multiple types of lighting for my reef.

    Votes: 12 50.0%
  • I have used multiple types of lighting for my reef in the past.

    Votes: 2 8.3%
  • I haven’t used multiple types of lighting for my reef, but I plan to in the future.

    Votes: 5 20.8%
  • I have no plans to use multiple types of lighting for my reef.

    Votes: 5 20.8%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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