Finish this sentence: "One valuable lesson I've learned from reefkeeping is..."
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Troylee
all about the diy!!!!!
That I can build some crazy stuff when my tank gives me a problem or challenge..
calhoun3186
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I am new to reefkeeping but have been keeping freshwater planted tanks for over a decade. I see similarities between planted tanks and reef tanks. A lesson I have learned is patience. Frequently upon setting up a tank you have a vision, but it takes months to reach that vision. This process has taught me patience in reaching your goals/vision.
dyno
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I was going to ask the same question so I just decided to post here instead. My top 6 lessons:
Patience – Nothing good happens quickly in your aquarium and this is very true for life in general. Regular thought-out and persistent work usually equals a reward in the end.
Health – Seeing how amazingly my animals responded to dosing and supplementing elements, minerals, and vitamins to my tank got me to focus on making sure my own intake of vitamins, minerals, and healthy food was optimal to manage my own health.
Mutually beneficial relationships – Observing the symbiotic relationship between zooxanthella and our corals, a pistol shrimp and goby, cleaner shrimp and fish, clownfish and anemones taught me that to succeed in life, business, and relationships you must create mutually beneficial relationships.
Balance - Too much of a good thing? Too much light, too much flow, too high of a nutrient level or too low of a nutrient level. It all comes to balance in a reef tank. This taught me to stop spending too much time and being obsessive with my wonderful reef hobby or even working too much. There are also many other wonderful things to spend time on like cooking, gardening, traveling, nature, cars, watches, and especially family time.
Resilience – Seeing sick fish and corals come back to life after addressing disease or environmental problems. This has taught me to not give up no matter how bad the situation looks. As soon as you do you have already lost.
Listen – Thinking you have a magical power or better luck to avoid problems than anyone else is a big mistake. Listen to those that have experience and follow advice.
Patience – Nothing good happens quickly in your aquarium and this is very true for life in general. Regular thought-out and persistent work usually equals a reward in the end.
Health – Seeing how amazingly my animals responded to dosing and supplementing elements, minerals, and vitamins to my tank got me to focus on making sure my own intake of vitamins, minerals, and healthy food was optimal to manage my own health.
Mutually beneficial relationships – Observing the symbiotic relationship between zooxanthella and our corals, a pistol shrimp and goby, cleaner shrimp and fish, clownfish and anemones taught me that to succeed in life, business, and relationships you must create mutually beneficial relationships.
Balance - Too much of a good thing? Too much light, too much flow, too high of a nutrient level or too low of a nutrient level. It all comes to balance in a reef tank. This taught me to stop spending too much time and being obsessive with my wonderful reef hobby or even working too much. There are also many other wonderful things to spend time on like cooking, gardening, traveling, nature, cars, watches, and especially family time.
Resilience – Seeing sick fish and corals come back to life after addressing disease or environmental problems. This has taught me to not give up no matter how bad the situation looks. As soon as you do you have already lost.
Listen – Thinking you have a magical power or better luck to avoid problems than anyone else is a big mistake. Listen to those that have experience and follow advice.
KrisReef
10K Club member
"One valuable lesson I've learned from reefkeeping is..."
Nothing that I assemble is sustainable in the same ways that a natural reef is. If a hurricane takes out my home aquarium it cannot reestablsih itself given time in the same way that a natural reef will return.
Nothing that I assemble is sustainable in the same ways that a natural reef is. If a hurricane takes out my home aquarium it cannot reestablsih itself given time in the same way that a natural reef will return.
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The chemistry of a reef tank. I have a lot to learn, but many of the posts and experiments here have opened my eyes to these processes.
Gill the 3rd
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patience
PizzaIan339
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Don’t get cuc before you have algae…
Jim Gomoll
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Patience, make long term plans, secret stash of cash, and if you're not ok with killing a fish/coral or two this isn't a hobby for you. If so, then learning what you did wrong in killing something off will make you a better reefer.
and... never, ever multitask or walk away from any syphon task. Hearing the water splashing on the floor is a scary wakeup call with wasted clean up time that is better spent on enjoying tank or other maintenance.
and... never, ever multitask or walk away from any syphon task. Hearing the water splashing on the floor is a scary wakeup call with wasted clean up time that is better spent on enjoying tank or other maintenance.
