mcarroll
10K Club member
@Oceanwave45 I think this was a good effort, but you merely started off on the wrong foot – livestock and equipment – and were thus unprepared.
Instead take a break from livestock and equipment to do more reading to get more prepared.
Step 1)
Find some people who keep tanks that you would wish yours to be like – where livestock grows BIG and OLD. Follow them closely and find out what makes their systems's tick. (be realistic....no need to chase the $10,000 tank with a $1,000 budget)
Ideally one person so it's easy for you to have a whole picture to follow pretty closely – at least from the very start. Either way, figure out what they do in common with each other, the rest can be considered more or less optional. Emulate the heck out of what those people do.....copy, steal and cheat to implement every good idea they have.
This should help you to notice bad trends – things these folks probably avoid or do minimally. There are many trendy husbandry tools in the hobby – generally you are better off with time-tested tools.
Importantly, doing this also gives you someone specific to ask questions. Going out here in the open forums to "ask everyone" isn't always the best way to get the best answer – especially when you're a newb.
Step 2)
Get books. Books! <---That's a link to a Reef2Reef forum search of book recommendations! Click it!
Any is better than none. Getting by solely on fish store advice or online advice it a "pretty tough row to hoe" as a newbie. Use one or more good books as your guidelines!
@Paul B and @Mike Paletta both have books I heartily recommend...
Paul “Paul B” Baldassano Pens Unique Book on Marine Aquarium Keeping
...and...
http://www.tfhpublications.com/books/new-marine-aquarium.htm
...but those would merely top my newb-friendly list.....I can't just have two aquarium books!!!
My thread:
How long is your aquarium book collection?
Pic:
Step 3)
Do everything S-L-O-W-L-Y including adding your livestock. This adds up to long-term stability AND gives you the maximum amount of observing and learning opportunities along the way – very important for everyone, but especially a beginner.
Step 3)
Sit back and enjoy your tank.
Instead take a break from livestock and equipment to do more reading to get more prepared.
Step 1)
Find some people who keep tanks that you would wish yours to be like – where livestock grows BIG and OLD. Follow them closely and find out what makes their systems's tick. (be realistic....no need to chase the $10,000 tank with a $1,000 budget)
Ideally one person so it's easy for you to have a whole picture to follow pretty closely – at least from the very start. Either way, figure out what they do in common with each other, the rest can be considered more or less optional. Emulate the heck out of what those people do.....copy, steal and cheat to implement every good idea they have.
This should help you to notice bad trends – things these folks probably avoid or do minimally. There are many trendy husbandry tools in the hobby – generally you are better off with time-tested tools.
Importantly, doing this also gives you someone specific to ask questions. Going out here in the open forums to "ask everyone" isn't always the best way to get the best answer – especially when you're a newb.
Step 2)
Get books. Books! <---That's a link to a Reef2Reef forum search of book recommendations! Click it!
Any is better than none. Getting by solely on fish store advice or online advice it a "pretty tough row to hoe" as a newbie. Use one or more good books as your guidelines!
@Paul B and @Mike Paletta both have books I heartily recommend...
Paul “Paul B” Baldassano Pens Unique Book on Marine Aquarium Keeping
...and...
http://www.tfhpublications.com/books/new-marine-aquarium.htm
...but those would merely top my newb-friendly list.....I can't just have two aquarium books!!!
My thread:
How long is your aquarium book collection?
Pic:
Step 3)
Do everything S-L-O-W-L-Y including adding your livestock. This adds up to long-term stability AND gives you the maximum amount of observing and learning opportunities along the way – very important for everyone, but especially a beginner.
Step 3)
Sit back and enjoy your tank.
