Indytraveler83
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2019
- Messages
- 967
- Reaction score
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- Location
- South Bend, Indiana
- What state or country do you live in
- Indiana
I started reefing a little over a year ago. My... what a year has taught me! I wanted to post a small list of the most important, basic lessons I learned, and wish I would have known to begin with:
1) Strive for stability: I see so many new folks chasing numbers (especially PH) and often the result is an additive or change that detonates their system. I experienced my own issues trying to fight phosphates and bringing a massive dino/cyno bloom to my system due to bottoming out nutrients. Since then I've really learned to just try and keep parameters stable. I know my system's phosphates run a little higher than recommended. I also know that my LPS thrive in these conditions, so I've stopped messing with it and let it be.
2) Do it right the first time: This doesn't mean buy the most expensive system, the highest end equipment or lighting or anything of that nature. It simply means, understand what your system needs, and provide that. My old system never had correct lighting or nutrient export (filtration) and I cycled through a ton of equipment to try and keep my coral happy. My new system, while on a relative budget, was purposely planned and built with softies/lps in mind. Because of that, they have flourished from the very first day, and I've had to do no tuning, messing or changing.
3) This hobby doesn't have to be so expensive: Sure, high end livestock, and especially sensitive SPS require some very specialized care. But its possible to run a system with some very beautiful fish and corals without matching the price of a BMW to get it. As a newbie, I didn't realize the incredible range that a "reef" can mean. You really just have to plan out what you want, and if money is a factor, adjust your livestock and coral expectations to match.
4) Learn your method: This is the most confusing thing for a newbie. The way I run a system may be successful, but it may not work for you at all. There's a lot of ways to run a reef, and depending on your livestock, success takes many forms. Personally, I go with a decidedly low-tech "natural" approach, relying heavily on large quantities of live rock and a workhorse refugium to do most of my filtration for me. Automation is not my thing, and I'm pretty sure a carbon reactor or similar would nuke my system. Those tools may work great for another person, but understanding they don't fit my system helps me "filter" advice when I need it. Not everyone here is coming from the same method.
5) Nothing good happens fast: This is the biggest lesson I learned, and the very first thing that was ever said to me on this forum. I think most people here interpret it to mean coral growth, livestock additions or the cycling of a system. But it also means adjustments that your trying to make. Unless your livestock is dying/bleaching or something very toxic got introduced to your system, you never want to change anything fast. I've seen myself, trying to drop a nutrient value from high to low can be disastrous if done too fast. Your animals are used to the water as-is, no matter what it is. Even positive changes should be made slowly.
That's my basic list. Feel free to comment or add if you feel I missed something!
1) Strive for stability: I see so many new folks chasing numbers (especially PH) and often the result is an additive or change that detonates their system. I experienced my own issues trying to fight phosphates and bringing a massive dino/cyno bloom to my system due to bottoming out nutrients. Since then I've really learned to just try and keep parameters stable. I know my system's phosphates run a little higher than recommended. I also know that my LPS thrive in these conditions, so I've stopped messing with it and let it be.
2) Do it right the first time: This doesn't mean buy the most expensive system, the highest end equipment or lighting or anything of that nature. It simply means, understand what your system needs, and provide that. My old system never had correct lighting or nutrient export (filtration) and I cycled through a ton of equipment to try and keep my coral happy. My new system, while on a relative budget, was purposely planned and built with softies/lps in mind. Because of that, they have flourished from the very first day, and I've had to do no tuning, messing or changing.
3) This hobby doesn't have to be so expensive: Sure, high end livestock, and especially sensitive SPS require some very specialized care. But its possible to run a system with some very beautiful fish and corals without matching the price of a BMW to get it. As a newbie, I didn't realize the incredible range that a "reef" can mean. You really just have to plan out what you want, and if money is a factor, adjust your livestock and coral expectations to match.
4) Learn your method: This is the most confusing thing for a newbie. The way I run a system may be successful, but it may not work for you at all. There's a lot of ways to run a reef, and depending on your livestock, success takes many forms. Personally, I go with a decidedly low-tech "natural" approach, relying heavily on large quantities of live rock and a workhorse refugium to do most of my filtration for me. Automation is not my thing, and I'm pretty sure a carbon reactor or similar would nuke my system. Those tools may work great for another person, but understanding they don't fit my system helps me "filter" advice when I need it. Not everyone here is coming from the same method.
5) Nothing good happens fast: This is the biggest lesson I learned, and the very first thing that was ever said to me on this forum. I think most people here interpret it to mean coral growth, livestock additions or the cycling of a system. But it also means adjustments that your trying to make. Unless your livestock is dying/bleaching or something very toxic got introduced to your system, you never want to change anything fast. I've seen myself, trying to drop a nutrient value from high to low can be disastrous if done too fast. Your animals are used to the water as-is, no matter what it is. Even positive changes should be made slowly.
That's my basic list. Feel free to comment or add if you feel I missed something!
