Best care for beginners

Coralguy777 · Jun 26, 2021

Hello all I'm looking for the best steps to care for our reef aquariums how to get corals to grow and how to maintain optimal water quality please post your best answers on how you do this

T-J · Jun 26, 2021

Reading the R2R forums will be a great way to answer all of your questions.
I also suggest watching the 52 weeks of reefing on YouTube. Produced by Bulk Reef Supply.
That will give you a great introduction into the hobby.

vetteguy53081 · Jun 26, 2021

The difference between a problem reef tank and a thriving reef tank is a proper maintenance regimen. If saltwater aquarium maintenance is neglected, water quality begins dropping at an exponential rate, and your fish and corals begin to suffer or even die. Maintenance doesn’t have to be a chore but rather a routine. It’s easier to do the little things regularly before larger problems arise. Continue reading R2R AS SUGGESTED to learn the simple steps needed to keep your reef tank clean and its inhabitants healthy.
WHAT STEPS YOU ASK?

Water changes
Algae cleaning
Water quality testing
- Water temperature
- Nitrate levels
- Alkalinity
- Phosphate levels
- Salinity
Clean calcium deposits and salt creep
Clean lenses on lights
Dump skimmer collection cup
Clean or replace filter socks
Equipment cleaning and maintenance
Appropriate feeding

SUGGESTED :

Daily Tasks

Aquarium water can get gross so you must be doing the necessary tasks daily to ensure it stays where it needs to be.

Check on your fish! Your saltwater fish will be the biggest indicator if there is something wrong in your reef tank. If something seems off, immediately start testing the water quality to see what the issue might be in your aquarium.
Of course, you can always check your water parameters daily if you are worried problems will arise. It is better to be safe than sorry but if you are an experienced aquarist, there might be less need to stick to such a strict maintenance schedule.
Look over equipment to ensure that it is all running properly. You might also check water temperature but that is up to personal preference.
Inspect filter socks to see if they need to be cleaned or replaced.

Weekly Tasks

A weekly checklist for your aquarium is a little more important to ensure that you don’t overlook them.

Check water parameters and correct any issues there might with temperature, nitrate, alkalinity, phosphate, or salinity levels in your reef tank. One of the most important things you can keep is a test kit in your toolbox to get the most accurate readings even especially if equipment failure might be a concern. You might also live in an especially sunny area and notice that your tank’s water is quickly evaporating which is one of the more common reasons for more frequent top-offs.
Water changes are one of the most important things that you need to incorporate into a maintenance schedule however there can be some debate as to when you should do them. Weekly might be unnecessary so aim for every two weeks to perform your aquarium water change. Equipment like a protein skimmer could help to reduce your average water changes but that means you need to watch the collection cup. Empty the collection cup regularly to ensure that the protein skimmer can do its job effectively.
Filter socks should be cleaned or replaced at least weekly. Filter socks are an important component of your system. They remove larger organics such as uneaten food and fish poop before it begins to decay and cause problems. If your filter socks aren’t cleaned at least weekly the organics begin to break down in the sock and release harmful elements into your water.

Monthly Tasks

Saltwater aquariums become filthy no matter how many water changes you do. There will be times when you might need to get your hands a little dirty.

Water change – Some people can get away with a water change once a month but remember that those people are probably more experienced. If you are confident in our setup, you may be able to keep to only one water change a month for your aquarium but only do so if you are ready. Remember to replace that mechanical filter media a few days AFTER the change.
Protein skimmer – Emptying the collection cup is one thing but sometimes your protein skimmer can really benefit from a deeper clean.
Algae cleaning – Algae can accumulate on any piece of equipment that comes in contact with water and light. Use an algae scrubber to help clean your aquarium glass. For decor and other objects, you may need to remove the pieces unless you have a really effective clean-up crew.
Equipment cleaning – Finally, check your return pump, hoses, heater, powerheads, etc. to see what kind of cleaning they may need. Remove algae from them or excess calcium deposits. You can do this with vinegar baths but make sure to properly rinse the equipment before reinstalling them in your aquarium.
Salt creep – As your aquarium water evaporates it will leave behind salt. It’s common for salt to build up in certain areas around your sump, display tank, and on equipment. It’s wise to clean this off to make sure it doesn’t interfere with float valves, auto top off sensors, etc. It also makes things look nicer of course.

These are just the average chores that you should incorporate into your schedule but don’t think this is everything. In the long term, you will need to watch for tubing that may get clogged, lighting that is burnt out, and replacing/restocking your aquarium.

Coralguy777 · Jun 30, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
The difference between a problem reef tank and a thriving reef tank is a proper maintenance regimen. If saltwater aquarium maintenance is neglected, water quality begins dropping at an exponential rate, and your fish and corals begin to suffer or even die. Maintenance doesn’t have to be a chore but rather a routine. It’s easier to do the little things regularly before larger problems arise. Continue reading R2R AS SUGGESTED to learn the simple steps needed to keep your reef tank clean and its inhabitants healthy.
WHAT STEPS YOU ASK?

Water changes

Algae cleaning

Water quality testing

Water temperature

Nitrate levels

Alkalinity

Phosphate levels

Salinity

Clean calcium deposits and salt creep

Clean lenses on lights

Dump skimmer collection cup

Clean or replace filter socks

Equipment cleaning and maintenance

Appropriate feeding

SUGGESTED :

Daily Tasks
Aquarium water can get gross so you must be doing the necessary tasks daily to ensure it stays where it needs to be.

Check on your fish! Your saltwater fish will be the biggest indicator if there is something wrong in your reef tank. If something seems off, immediately start testing the water quality to see what the issue might be in your aquarium.

Of course, you can always check your water parameters daily if you are worried problems will arise. It is better to be safe than sorry but if you are an experienced aquarist, there might be less need to stick to such a strict maintenance schedule.

Look over equipment to ensure that it is all running properly. You might also check water temperature but that is up to personal preference.

Inspect filter socks to see if they need to be cleaned or replaced.

Weekly Tasks
A weekly checklist for your aquarium is a little more important to ensure that you don’t overlook them.

Check water parameters and correct any issues there might with temperature, nitrate, alkalinity, phosphate, or salinity levels in your reef tank. One of the most important things you can keep is a test kit in your toolbox to get the most accurate readings even especially if equipment failure might be a concern. You might also live in an especially sunny area and notice that your tank’s water is quickly evaporating which is one of the more common reasons for more frequent top-offs.

Water changes are one of the most important things that you need to incorporate into a maintenance schedule however there can be some debate as to when you should do them. Weekly might be unnecessary so aim for every two weeks to perform your aquarium water change. Equipment like a protein skimmer could help to reduce your average water changes but that means you need to watch the collection cup. Empty the collection cup regularly to ensure that the protein skimmer can do its job effectively.

Filter socks should be cleaned or replaced at least weekly. Filter socks are an important component of your system. They remove larger organics such as uneaten food and fish poop before it begins to decay and cause problems. If your filter socks aren’t cleaned at least weekly the organics begin to break down in the sock and release harmful elements into your water.

Monthly Tasks
Saltwater aquariums become filthy no matter how many water changes you do. There will be times when you might need to get your hands a little dirty.

Water change – Some people can get away with a water change once a month but remember that those people are probably more experienced. If you are confident in our setup, you may be able to keep to only one water change a month for your aquarium but only do so if you are ready. Remember to replace that mechanical filter media a few days AFTER the change.

Protein skimmer – Emptying the collection cup is one thing but sometimes your protein skimmer can really benefit from a deeper clean.

Algae cleaning – Algae can accumulate on any piece of equipment that comes in contact with water and light. Use an algae scrubber to help clean your aquarium glass. For decor and other objects, you may need to remove the pieces unless you have a really effective clean-up crew.

Equipment cleaning – Finally, check your return pump, hoses, heater, powerheads, etc. to see what kind of cleaning they may need. Remove algae from them or excess calcium deposits. You can do this with vinegar baths but make sure to properly rinse the equipment before reinstalling them in your aquarium.

Salt creep – As your aquarium water evaporates it will leave behind salt. It’s common for salt to build up in certain areas around your sump, display tank, and on equipment. It’s wise to clean this off to make sure it doesn’t interfere with float valves, auto top off sensors, etc. It also makes things look nicer of course.

These are just the average chores that you should incorporate into your schedule but don’t think this is everything. In the long term, you will need to watch for tubing that may get clogged, lighting that is burnt out, and replacing/restocking your aquarium.

Awesome information thx alot