What your do’s and don’t’ s in the hobby ?

[Michael Curtis]

Simple question at heart but not so simple to answer I suspect

lots of you have lots of experience in aquatics compared to the beginner like me

so out of interest apart from the obvious not to get started in the first place

what if you could go back to when you started would you tell the younger and less wise self to do or not to do ? As the case maybe.

Really interested to see what members of the forum come up with and who agrees or disagrees with them.

let the fun begin

 

[Sarcazian]

So, BRS did several hour+ youtube sessions on this topic and they were good for both old reefers and new alike. For folks that have been in the hobby for years it is fun to see that you were not alone.

Here is one...

For me, it is saying that I will take it slow and then an impulse buy (coral, fish, or hardware..) will suck me in.

The second is that you need to love researching the hobby more than appreciating (watching) the life you are caring for.
I feel like I spend 16x times researching, tinkering, testing, building, cleaning, etc as compared to actually enjoying the inhabitants in the tank.

 

[jgirardnrg]

Test everything... don't assume the batch of saltwater you just mixed up is ok just because you've used the same brand from day one.

Spend time with the tank(s) and watch for issues. Your inhabitants will let you know when something is going on. Don't be lazy about this. Taking 5 minutes to test something and making corrections can be the difference between life and death.

I even test my RODI from time to time for phosphates. I had an issue with high phosphates and it turned out to be in my RODI. Even though the meter was reading 0 TDS. The meter turned out to be faulty and now I have 3 I test with. In short, don't assume everything is ok, make sure it is. Good husbandry will reap rewards, being lazy will compound issues on top of issues and send you into a downward spiral.

 

[elorablue]

#1 Do - Relax and do your best

 

[Hydrored]

1. Buy once and cry once
2. Test frequently
3. Don’t get lazy reefer syndrome, especially when things are going good

 

[SuncrestReef]

1. Be patient.
2. Don't be impatient!
3. Repeat.

 

[Gtinnel]

Don't start a new tank with just base rock.

 

[BiggestE222]

Don’t add anymore fish to an established tank without quarantine
The headache or eradicating a parasite is not worth the stress

 

[Azedenkae]

Simple question at heart but not so simple to answer I suspect

lots of you have lots of experience in aquatics compared to the beginner like me

so out of interest apart from the obvious not to get started in the first place

what if you could go back to when you started would you tell the younger and less wise self to do or not to do ? As the case maybe.

Really interested to see what members of the forum come up with and who agrees or disagrees with them.

let the fun begin

Just one thing: ask more questions, especially if something does not make sense. Whatever the case, if it is not clear or seems illogical, just ask for clarification.

My failure to do this early on lead me to keep an aquarium without lids, and subsequently losing my wife and mine's favourite clownfish ever. It was a beautiful specimen that we could never find anything comparable ever again. Had I asked 'why no lids' back then, I probably would have came to the conclusion that I would not risk keeping an open top, even if it went against what everyone else suggested.

Of course nowadays aquarists more often than not will suggest some sort of cover, or at least leave a warning about the possibility of any fish jumping, but of course there's always something else out there that we are probably getting wrong and it is good for both sides to consider any potential inaccuracies.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Enjoy what you have and creating, this is sea life in a bottle that you are bringing home, do appreciate advise.. take it with a pinch or kg of salt, don't follow you tube as they do not show disappointment
Enjoy what you can

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Just one thing: ask more questions, especially if something does not make sense. Whatever the case, if it is not clear or seems illogical, just ask for clarification.

My failure to do this early on lead me to keep an aquarium without lids, and subsequently losing my wife and mine's favourite clownfish ever. It was a beautiful specimen that we could never find anything comparable ever again. Had I asked 'why no lids' back then, I probably would have came to the conclusion that I would not risk keeping an open top, even if it went against what everyone else suggested.

Of course nowadays aquarists more often than not will suggest some sort of cover, or at least leave a warning about the possibility of any fish jumping, but of course there's always something else out there that we are probably getting wrong and it is good for both sides to consider any potential inaccuracies.

I made this crude/ useless fish guard from old chicken wire, I do not have fish yet but information like this goes along way, thank you

 

[BoxKing]

Don’t get all boozed up, and decide messing with your tank is a good idea!

 

[Jekyl]

I'll never start a tank with dry rock again. Even though I mixed in pieces of established rock.

 

[tiptontl]

Don't start a new tank with just base rock.

Could you expand on that?

 

[PeterC99]

Never, ever make any changes to your aquarium setup before going on vacation or being away for a few days. Murphy‘s Law always comes back to bite and major problems.

 

[blasterman]

1. Get a smaller tank.

2. Don't over stock.

3. Focus on nutrient stability if you want corals.

4. The Red Sea Remora skimmer you are about to buy is a piece of crap.

5. Tell your dad not to sell his 70' Barracuda, and if he does buy Apple Stock. Also, the blonde you have a crush on in gym class now is the size of a bus, divorced 3x, and lives on ADC. Move on.

 

[PeterC99]

1. Get a smaller tank.

2. Don't over stock.

3. Focus on nutrient stability if you want corals.

4. The Red Sea Remora skimmer you are about to buy is a piece of crap.

5. Tell your dad not to sell his 70' Barracuda, and if he does buy Apple Stock. Also, the blonde you have a crush on in gym class now is the size of a bus, divorced 3x, and lives on ADC. Move on.

Number 5 is very, very funny!

 

[Jekyl]

1. Get a smaller tank.

2. Don't over stock.

3. Focus on nutrient stability if you want corals.

4. The Red Sea Remora skimmer you are about to buy is a piece of crap.

5. Tell your dad not to sell his 70' Barracuda, and if he does buy Apple Stock. Also, the blonde you have a crush on in gym class now is the size of a bus, divorced 3x, and lives on ADC. Move on.

Preach

 

[Bo.]

1. Don't put bottled additives in your tank without proper research. Very rarely do they have beneficial long term effects, even if it helps short term.

2. Be patient and research (see #1).

 

[Gtinnel]

Could you expand on that?

Many years ago most people started their tanks with live rock. When I left the hobby and came back over 10 years later many people start with base rock to avoid pests, which is how I started my current tank. IME when a tank becomes mature and well established with micro flora and fauna it becomes much more stable and everything in the tank is healthier. If you start with real live rock then your tank instantly has the biodiversity that IMO leads to a successful tank. My tank has been running for 2 years and I just now feel like my tank has matured.

I will never start a new tank with just base rock again.