Whats the next trend in the hobby?

[schuby]

My first tank, 90-gallon with 150 lbs live rock in 2004, was tore down and sold when I moved from CA to MA in 2015.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I don't get why so many people still have new tanks and can't get good rock. What happened to the rock you bought 10 years ago? You set up a tank and it matures along with you. What happened to all the tanks that were started 5, 10, or 20 years ago when live rock was cheap and plentiful? The rock doesn't evaporate.

I still have some rock from the 70s in my tank.
If you set up your tank correctly, feed it correctly, don't quarantine or medicate, your tank should be a living, continuing, self replicating eco system that should last forever, maybe longer than forever.
This hobby has been in the US since 1971. Where are the old tanks?

I realize many people join this hobby, but are all the tanks only lasting a couple of years?

I get that I am old school but I never have problems with this stuff. Pumps, lights, heaters all last at least 8 or 10 years then you fix it or buy another one. Tanks last decades, my old tank was 40 years old before I upgraded to a little larger tank, one without scratches.

@Paul B are you saying that if you're upgrading to a new tank you can use the live rock and sand from you're old tank? Because I'm trying to get an upgrade for Christmas and go from a 20g to a 70g, and I'd like to keep my rock because I spent like $150 on it. Sand was a bit cheaper but I'm thinking of getting new sand, live black hawaiian. In conclusion, can I use my old rock with new live rock?

 

[Doctorgori]

The future is in enthusiast spawned livestock, we are talking a “Domestication event” with livestock...with respect to clowns this has already started ...
Just my thoughts

 

[Dark_Knightt]

The future is in home/hobbies spawned livestock, we are talking a “Domestication event” with livestock...clowns has already started ...
Just my thoughts

It is definitely harder to do but as tanks become easier to keep with new technology, the tanks will most likely be more stable and consistent, making it more comfortable for the fish and corals, encouraging them to spawn.

 

[Hermie]

Does anybody nowadays actually start a reef tank with the purpose of growing corals to look at or is it mostly done to make money off fragging? unfortunately i think it is the latter, I have never fragged a coral in my life and the only time i would is if i had to trim a certain coral because of its size.

I went in to have coralline covered rock and about 2 years later I still don't have any coralline

 

[Ippyroy]

@Paul B are you saying that if you're upgrading to a new tank you can use the live rock and sand from you're old tank? Because I'm trying to get an upgrade for Christmas and go from a 20g to a 70g, and I'd like to keep my rock because I spent like $150 on it. Sand was a bit cheaper but I'm thinking of getting new sand, live black hawaiian. In conclusion, can I use my old rock with new live rock?

You SHOULD use the rock. It gets better with age. The sand is debatable. It needs to be washed. It is a toilet for our tanks. I would replace the sand, but reuse the rock. It is actual live rock now.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

You SHOULD use the rock. It gets better with age. The sand is debatable. It needs to be washed. It is a toilet for our tanks. I would replace the sand, but reuse the rock. It is actual live rock now.

Do you need to clean live sand?

 

[Ippyroy]

Do you need to clean live sand?

Only if it was in a tank. If it was in a tank clean it very well, then do it again. Black sand can be nice, but it is known to have magnetic pieces that can scratch your tank. Just an FYI.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Only if it was in a tank. If it was in a tank clean it very well, then do it again. Black sand can be nice, but it is known to have magnetic pieces that can scratch your tank. Just an FYI.

And what if I buy it in a bag? Like the Carabsea Arag-Alive sands? Will those have metallic, magnetic pieces? Its live from Hawaii (or at least thats what they tell us )

 

[X-37B]

I don't get why so many people still have new tanks and can't get good rock. What happened to the rock you bought 10 years ago? You set up a tank and it matures along with you. What happened to all the tanks that were started 5, 10, or 20 years ago when live rock was cheap and plentiful? The rock doesn't evaporate.

I still have some rock from the 70s in my tank.
If you set up your tank correctly, feed it correctly, don't quarantine or medicate, your tank should be a living, continuing, self replicating eco system that should last forever, maybe longer than forever.
This hobby has been in the US since 1971. Where are the old tanks?

I realize many people join this hobby, but are all the tanks only lasting a couple of years?

I get that I am old school but I never have problems with this stuff. Pumps, lights, heaters all last at least 8 or 10 years then you fix it or buy another one. Tanks last decades, my old tank was 40 years old before I upgraded to a little larger tank, one without scratches.

Funny you would mention this.
I have been collecting select pieces of live rock that people give to a certain lfs when they get out of the hobby.
I put it in my frag tanks sump for a few months or longer.
I just moved 2 very nice pieces from the sump to the frag display.

And what if I buy it in a bag? Like the Carabsea Arag-Alive sands? Will those have metallic, magnetic pieces? Its live from Hawaii (or at least thats what they tell us )

Yes use the rock.
I used 25lbs of live rock from my 2.5 year old nano when I setup my 120.
Ended up using another 10 live and 35lbs of caribsea seeded purple.
Its all live now and you cant tell the difference.
Also had no measurable cycle and started adding corals at around 6 weeks.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Funny you would mention this.
I have been collecting select pieces of live rock that people give to a certain lfs when they get out of the hobby.
I put it in my frag tanks sump for a few months or longer.
I just moved 2 very nice pieces from the sump to the frag display.
Yes use the rock.
I used 25lbs of live rock from my 2.5 year old nano when I setup my 120.
Ended up using another 10 live and 35lbs of caribsea seeded purple.
Its all live now and you cant tell the difference.
Also had no measurable cycle and started adding corals at around 6 weeks.

My current rock still has a bit of algae on it, so before I put it in the new tank it would be smart to scrub all that off, and then maybe dip it in a coral dip to get rid of anything sort of hitchhikers or some pests that could be lurking on the rock? So that the nasties dont go right into the new tank?

 

[Royalreef22]

I think TSA will die as quickly as it came around because of the lack of hiding areas in the tank! Yeah they look kinda cool but they r not practical between the cost and time to build and install them and then you are going to have problems with fish aggression. Not worth it to me.

 

[X-37B]

My current rock still has a bit of algae on it, so before I put it in the new tank it would be smart to scrub all that off, and then maybe dip it in a coral dip to get rid of anything sort of hitchhikers or some pests that could be lurking on the rock? So that the nasties dont go right into the new tank?

You will never get it all off. You may want to treat it with fluconazole first then transfer.
I had some on mine and just waited and treated the 120 now none to be found.
I added around 60 astrea snails after treatment and they keep all algae at bay.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

You will never get it all off. You may want to treat it with fluconazole first then transfer.
I had some on mine and just waited and treated the 120 now none to be found.
I added around 60 astrea snails after treatment and they keep all algae at nay.

Ok. Ill get the tank, live sand and more live rock, brush off the algae from my current rock, dose lots of bacteria and some other bottles (what is best to use to cycle a tank?) Then I'll buy maybe like 20 snails and 20 hermits maybe, 1 or 2 shrimp, then maybe get a tang.
Another thing im wondering, how long would I have to wait until adding my current fish into the new tank? Will I need to keep my current tank running, then add the fish when that has cycled? Or can I maybe wait a few days or weeks before adding the clowns? And a mando too? Can i dose pods and phyto when I set the tank up?

 

[rmurken]

Such dire economic prognostication! I think the hobby, our tanks, and the economy will be ok. I am very much committed to the ongoing success of all of them!

 

[burningmime]

Maybe I'm just old school, but I happen to like a tank packed with rock, and on those rocks are many well grown in colonies, not just a few rocks here and there with a hundred tiny frags on them. Tanks these days seem to be like an epenis for most. Very sterile tank with minimal rock, and 100 tiny frags glowing all sorts of weird colors cause all I run is a windex tank. No one ever lets these poor frags grow to colonies.

Dude, so I gotta take umbrage at this. I'm fairly new to the hobby, but a lot of what you're saying is unrealistic. Of course "a tank packed with rock, and on those rocks are many well grown in colonies, not just a few rocks here and there with a hundred tiny frags on them" is going to look nice, but it's unavailable (or prohibitively expensive) for a new reefer.

Tiny frags are what grows into colonies. Saying "[n]o one ever lets these poor frags grow to colonies" is completely unfair and also seems untrue. An established tank is the destination. Buying large colonies to start with is expensive (and often impossible, except for some wild-collected specimens like Acanthophyllia/Scolymia). How exactly is someone new to the hobby supposed to to start with colonies (or even start with live rock, which is quite expensive and hard to find these days)?

I know this may not have been your intention, but your post comes off as offputting and elitist.

 

[Backreefing]

I have a terrible feeling that the next trend might be people shutting down tanks and leaving the hobby. We are teetering on an economic disaster and if evictions are allowed to happen and 3/4 of a million people file for unemployment a week, then it could get bad. Like 2007/2008, expect to see the people in it for the long haul suck up all of the nice things and expect to see the people getting out get 10 cents on the dollar for their so-so stuff and maybe 25 cents for their good stuff. Vendors will be closing doors and basement-frag sellers with no market, or slashing prices.

I want to be totally wrong, but it has somewhat already started locally. I wonder what the numbers on this board look like for daily participation.

I agree

 

[DanConnor]

Dude, so I gotta take umbrage at this. I'm fairly new to the hobby, but a lot of what you're saying is unrealistic. Of course "a tank packed with rock, and on those rocks are many well grown in colonies, not just a few rocks here and there with a hundred tiny frags on them" is going to look nice, but it's unavailable (or prohibitively expensive) for a new reefer.

Tiny frags are what grows into colonies. Saying "[n]o one ever lets these poor frags grow to colonies" is completely unfair and also seems untrue. An established tank is the destination. Buying large colonies to start with is expensive (and often impossible, except for some wild-collected specimens like Acanthophyllia/Scolymia). How exactly is someone new to the hobby supposed to to start with colonies (or even start with live rock, which is quite expensive and hard to find these days)?

I know this may not have been your intention, but your post comes off as offputting and elitist.

He didn't mean to start with colonies- but to let the frags you get grow into colonies, rather than fragging off 50% as soon as it grows to get your money back

 

[Fish_Sticks]

I know this may not have been your intention, but your post comes off as offputting and elitist.

You just summed up about 60% of reefers on this forum, who insist that if you arent running a barebottom sps dosing tank with fiji live rock they gathered themselves, ecotech wavemakers, kessils, apex, etc etc, then you arent as good as they are - despite their tank equating to nothing more than money spent and a secret trashcan of way too many bleached acros to count.

The other 30% are 'old timers' who insist on cycling with fish.

The final 10% sit back with LPS, jebeos, sbreef lights, and popcorn to watch the 60% mindlessly follow trends, kill every hitchhiker known to man, and dump money into their eternal furnace and their walt disney pinky nail sized frags.

 

[DanConnor]

That's rather negative.

Old timers don't cycle- fyi.