Calling all Newbies to the Hobby!

[Chris Adams]

And I've never checked KH not something I really worry about you know?

I understand this statement if tank is young and you do not have a bunch of corals yet. So agree with you Joe "love the name "

However you should watch ALK when keeping corals.
Personal experience in my 38 Nuvo (at this time is heavy SPS)
Early on I was testing for ALK and thought #'s were good but corals were not looking that great until I would do WC of 10gal then things would pick back up. Had LFS double check test and low an behold ALK was way off. API test was running 8 range and Red Sea at LFS was 6. PSST Invest in other test kits besides API (Hannah, Salifert, Red Sea)

The coral in particular was a cyphastrea that would go almost white. Month and half of 10gl WC every other week and back to aqua. Took me a bit to have LFS double check my #'s.

I invested in all new red sea test kits and hanna for the alk.

EDIT I should add that I utilize kalk and weekly 5gal WC to keep my #'s stable. I you are new to hobby kalk can be a beast and not something you just jump into and most likely would not need for a good 6 months or so(probably, maybe, depending on how big your wallet and tank are)

Good thread Joe

 

[Chris Adams]

Here's a noob question, I'm wondering why people use both a heater and a chiller on nano's with L.e.d.s?

Most people do not run chillers as fans will suffice. This tank under leds, with AC set to 77 will run 81 to 82 degrees. With my fan attached to apex I maintain a 78.2 to 78.6 range. See fan in left corner of tank it is a usb fan

 

[Salties Diner]

Makes sense but don't heaters kick on and off depending on the temperature you preset...I can't imagine living in a house that's over 80 degrees lol but I'm also in Wisconsin

I live in Northern Territory, Australia. I don't even run a heater, if my chiller stops working the water sits at 35 degrees celsius (95 Fahrenheit)!!!

 

[Joeganja]

Thank You and i use one clip on fan for my entire 90 gallon i live in california and it's hot here about 84 in my house daily so i just have my fluval 300w heater set to 82F and my fan set to low and sometimes it cools it down to 78F an i have to turn off the fan.

 

[Oldsalt01]

Old newbie here. Had my 1st FO tank in 1970 with local, hand netted Norfolk VA fish. 20 year hiatus to 2 29 gal FOWLR's which eventually led to the addition of a 120 and and 80. Been out of the "hobby" for 15 years and am now packing for a 1 way trip to Fla where I'm gonna jump into a nano (not literally), either a 14 (if my wife has her way) or a 29 (if I do). I've been following posts here for a few months and the major issue I have is too many abbreviations when discussing water specs, treatments, and morphologies. Technology has left me behind and I don't text, so a lot of what I read is left to my very creative mind to interpret. I also find the techno talk to be WAY over my head, esp where coral chemistry and light parameters are concerned. How about keeping it simpler for us reef dummies?

 

[Joeganja]

Alrighty

 

[beaslbob]

Here's a noob question, I'm wondering why people use both a heater and a chiller on nano's with L.e.d.s?

Same reason the house had a heater and air conditioner.

 

[Jennifer cavazos]

I'm VERY new to the hobby. I don't know anything at all! I'm purchasing a 34gal tank. Its coming with live coral and live rocks. I don't know where to start what to read! Help.

I've attached a picture of what I am buying and what it is coming with.

 

[Joeganja]

I'm VERY new to the hobby. I don't know anything at all! I'm purchasing a 34gal tank. Its coming with live coral and live rocks. I don't know where to start what to read! Help.

I've attached a picture of what I am buying and what it is coming with.

Wow awesome buy! Wow lol!

 

[Joeganja]

Not bad for $450 when are you getting it?

 

[Jennifer cavazos]

Wow awesome buy! Wow lol!

I'm actually getting it for 300! The previous owner is going to give me the metal halide light instead of the led light

 

[Jennifer cavazos]

Not bad for $450 when are you getting it?

Probably Saturday or Sunday. So I have some time to do some research

 

[Joeganja]

Do you know what kind of coral, what brand of LEDs? And such?

 

[Jennifer cavazos]

Do you know what kind of coral, what brand of LEDs? And such?

No I don't. I just know what's in the post. Should I ask? Lol

 

[Joeganja]

Yes

 

[Jennifer cavazos]

Ok cool. I will ask!

 

[Joeganja]

Ok cool. I will ask!

I recommend you get a test kit if you don't have one. If there's coral like Lps and SPS besides soft coral then get a test kit. A test kit like Red Sea those ones are good and get a refractometer

 

[Jennifer cavazos]

The test kit will test the water?

 

[Joeganja]

Yes you need to test for ph, calcium, alkalinity, nitrate, nitrite salinity which requires a refractometer not a hydrometer they are cheap and not accurate, and because you have coral phosphate

 

[Jennifer cavazos]

Right, I been watching a lot of videos on YouTube.. I'm going to a saltwater aquarium store today!