Been on here a while

Bob Escher · Dec 18, 2015

Hi everyone: been on here for a while and I don't know if I posted a HI already so here goes
I am not new to aquariums, been freshwater for the last five years and have decided to go saltwater. I am retired/disabled so I have a lot of nothing to do and the freshwater although I love it and I take care of it faithfully I'm bored I guess so looking for a new challenge I guess to keep me busy.
I have been carefully reading and reading and studying about saltwater and reef and I believe I can do it along with help from here.

Thanks to everyone here I haven't run into any flaming or anything and that amazes me I am comfortable here

lexinverts · Dec 18, 2015

Welcome, and Go Badgers!!!

redfishbluefish · Dec 18, 2015

Welcome Wisconsin Bob. Use to live in Brown Deer, just north of Milwaukee. Go Packers!

Shep · Dec 18, 2015

Welcome to the community!

Bob Escher · Dec 18, 2015

Thanks everyone. Redfishbluefish, know brown deer very well when I was first transferred up here I was the district manager for Egghead software we had a store in front of. Northridge from 91 - 96 travelled in that area a lot. Lived in Brookfield for 22 years and now out by Oconomowoc called Nashotah originally born up in Hurley, raised in Chicago, went all over the world courtesy of the US Army for 22 years,

revhtree · Dec 18, 2015

Welcome officially!

Bob Escher · Dec 18, 2015

Thanks Revhtree
Where is your heaven beside the one right besides you in you pic

Reefing Madness · Dec 19, 2015

Bob Escher · Dec 19, 2015

Thanks reefing

spspirate · Dec 19, 2015

Welcome!!!

gmastr85 · Dec 19, 2015

Welcome and good luck with the switch to saltwater!!

Bob Escher · Dec 20, 2015

Thank you guys, I am sure that I will have lots of questions and the first one is:

What do I have mandatory dos? I know ( I think ) calcium and for alkalinity
Anything else? And these are only for corals correct? So if I don't go to corals right away I don't need to do this? I don't plan on going to corals for awhile I want to make sure it's stable. Rock, live rock and sand for starters.

gmastr85 · Dec 20, 2015

You don't have to dose unless you have corals. And many corals don't need dosing. Only hard corals (SPS) require you to dose. If you do get into that, you will need to test and dose for Alkalinity and Calcium. And I would recommenced Magnesium also. Typically if you only have a couple small SPS in your system you won't need to dose, because water changes will give the corals everything they need. Once they start getting bigger you will need to dose. Testing your system will help with that.

All that being said; please don't stick SPS corals into a new tank. Actually wait a couple months before adding any corals. And add them slowly. Your system needs to mature and stabilize a bit. Otherwise you'll end up killing them. Get your Nitrates, Nitrites, and Phosphates under control first.

Bob Escher · Dec 20, 2015

I have no intention of starting out fast even in freshwater you need to start out slow thanks for the advice
Is acopora SPS or what about anemones for clownfish I would want clownfish and they are hardy?

gmastr85 · Dec 20, 2015

Yes Acros are SPS corals. An anemone is not a coral, so it doesn't need calcium. However, you will want to make sure your levels are balanced and tank is stable before adding one. And yes clownfish are very hardy. I've had mine since I started my tank, and it was the first fish I added when my cycle was done.

Bob Escher · Dec 20, 2015

Did you add the clownfish fish without the anemones understand it's possible but the anemone is capable of moving so you don't want it with a type of coral, and acropora?

gmastr85 · Dec 20, 2015

I've never had an anemone. Most clownfish in the hobby are tank raised... and don't need an anemone. They will host other things in your tank. I have a total of 5 clowns in 2 tanks and they have hosted torch's, hammers, a trachy, and even a montipora I have. An anemone is completely unnecessary, but cool if you have one. The reason I've never bothered is because they move around and can possibly kill corals.

I waited til my tank was mature for 6 months before adding any SPS corals. And even then I started off with some easier ones; like birdsnests, stylos, and montiporas.