R2R Top Ten Rules for New Reefers

[Camaro Show Corals]

Invest in good equipment once instead of buy cheap and wishing you had spent it in the first place

This is #1 for me! Can’t stand it when people say I need a light under $100 bucks for my 55g. Take your time when doing a build my current grow out build is a year plus, people may say that’s a crazy expensive build but I do it at steps and save so for example my custom bashsea sump was 2 grand I saved up for a few months and ordered it then a few more months saved and bought something else. If I didn’t do that it wouldn’t look like it does today!

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

In the case of tanks that have Paly's in them, then the risk to personal safety is elevated due to palytoxin. Other cases that have inhabitants with sharp tooth eels than this would also apply. If thought out, I am sure there could be a couple other applicable scenarios. It is more of a blanket statement to cover those reefers with applicable tanks...nothing more.

The worry is only if your fragging palys and there’s really only 2 types that are really bad. I frag high end palys and zoas all the time, absolutely fine. I think someone would know the care of their tank if they had a animal like that like when I had my Hawaiian golden dwarf eel I’d feed him with tongs and if a frag fell I’d always look so I’m not putting my fingers right in a crevice with him lol.

 

[muzikalmatt]

Why is this for personal safety? You gotta put you hands in occasionally?

There are things in our tanks that can cause adverse reactions such as bacteria that can get into a cut, palytoxin from zoas/palys, coral/anemones/urchins/fish that can sting our skin or bite, etc. You have to put your hands in your tank eventually, but you don't have to do it without gloves. I honestly can't remember the last time I put my hands in my tank without gloves on. I'm sure I'm just overly cautious/paranoid compared to most reefers, but I feel it removes all variables and potential issues both for me and the tank inhabitants. Nothing is going to get on my skin from the tank and vice versa nothing from my skin (oils, soap, etc) is going to get into my tank.

As far as top ten rules, I'd try to keep it as simple as possible. You can always expand and explain in more detail.

1. Do your research.
2. Be patient.
3. Be consistent with your husbandry.
4. Test your water weekly.
5. Don't overfeed.
6. Don't overreact unless death is imminent for your tank inhabitants.
7. Don't chase numbers.
8. Observe your tank regularly.
9. Have a plan for power outages.
10. Don't get discouraged by setbacks and loss.

 

[dadnjesse]

Use a back up heater. I'm retired and put my hands in my tank every day, half the times I don't even wash them, and since I retired my tank has never looked better. As long as you don't have anything bad on your hands it will be fine.

 

[brmreefer]

Agreed. In regards to personal safety and putting hands into the tanks, I should have elaborated a bit and mentioned that using proper personal protective equipment (PPE) should be considered. No one knows a tank better than the owner, so they know what the limits are in regards to what they can do.

Hope to see more Top Ten listings for the beginners in the hobby.

 

[muzikalmatt]

Agreed. In regards to personal safety and putting hands into the tanks, I should have elaborated a bit and mentioned that using proper personal protective equipment (PPE) should be considered. No one knows a tank better than the owner, so they know what the limits are in regards to what they can do.

Hope to see more Top Ten listings for the beginners in the hobby.

Definitely true and I wish I weren't so paranoid but I've been so consistent with wearing gloves so far I figure I'll just stick with it. Most people probably have nothing to worry about as long as their hands are clean and they don't have anything in the tank that could hurt them (lionfish, eels, longspine urchins, etc.).

 

[VJM 21]

Great post, and a lot of good suggestions so far. I’ll add this...Determine which fish you want to keep and plan your build with that in mind. This will avoid the “which tangs can I keep in my new 55 gallon tank” problem. I would also recommend going as big as you can comfortably afford to start. Upgrading after 3 years was a tough sell to my wife.

 

[WVNed]

I am not big on rules. You need to do what you need to do when you need to do it.

A tank is exactly like a dog or cat. Just like I can look at the dog and tell if he is feeling well or not I can look at my tank and do that. Look at your tank every day.

Dont guess, KNOW. Understand what your test kits will and won't tell you. Do your testing once a week at least so you know how things are trending.

Dont keep you fish equipment where cleaning stuff is. Mark your buckets FISH ONLY or get the orange buckets at Home Depot for fish stuff.

When all else fails do a LARGE water change. Not 10 or 15%. If something got into the tank, taking 10% of it out probably won't help.

 

[mike550]

Okay. As a newbie of less than a year, this would be my "Top Five"

• Patience -- nothing good happens quickly.
• Don't manage to the numbers, manage for stability
• Buy equipment as you need it, and understand why you need it. (For example, I didn't buy a doser until nine months after my tank was wet. It gave me the time to learn and get a feel for my tank
• Get a simple quarantine tank that doubles as a "hospital" tank
• Water changes solve a lot of issues. Consistent water changes prevent a lot of issues

 

[T_BONE]

Looking at a cloudy and empty tank for a few weeks waiting on a cycle to complete is a bummer but DO NOT RUSH IT!! As others have said be patient and allow this critical step to complete. You will thank yourself in the long run. Just my $.02
Happy Reefing.

 

[New&no clue]

1. Don't assume what works for one will work for all. Every tank is it's own ecosystem, take the time to learn your tank and your tank needs, don't try to imitate others.

2. A full understand of what equipment, filter, additive, supplement is before using. This will help you get the most out of it and utilize it the correct way. It will also help you determine when you need it and when you don't

3. Plan your tank around your livestock, if you want big fish get a big tank, if you want SPS dominate spend your money on good lights.

 

[iko2thdk]

Nothing good happens fast, go slowly. Too much of a good thing sometimes isn't a good thing.

 

[Raege]

I will cheat and link to this older thread 10 commandments of reefing

(for an article) What Do You Think Should Be Included in the 10 Commandments of Reefing?

So, a forum member has approached me about doing an article on what are The 10 Commandments of Reefing. What do you think should be included in this list? You're welcome to give me just one or several or all 10. And why you include that.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Silverfish]

1. Maintain *Stability*
2. Test Weekly - Know what is going on in the system
3. Have dedicated equipment for the reef tank to prevent introducing unwanted chemicals
4. Keep hands out of tank for personal safety and tank inhabitants safety
5. Patience
6. Slow Changes as needed
7. Research - Equipment and Livestock before buying
8. Keep the system simplified if possible
9. Don't stock too fast - add new inhabitants over time and allow system time to adjust for bioload
10. Less chemical treatment and strive for more Natural approaches to maintaining some system parameters (e.g. macroaglae)

These are not really in any particular priority except the top two. Stability and testing. I am sure there are plenty of other great ideas out there from other experienced reefers. Have fun and take care

There are things in our tanks that can cause adverse reactions such as bacteria that can get into a cut, palytoxin from zoas/palys, coral/anemones/urchins/fish that can sting our skin or bite, etc. You have to put your hands in your tank eventually, but you don't have to do it without gloves. I honestly can't remember the last time I put my hands in my tank without gloves on. I'm sure I'm just overly cautious/paranoid compared to most reefers, but I feel it removes all variables and potential issues both for me and the tank inhabitants. Nothing is going to get on my skin from the tank and vice versa nothing from my skin (oils, soap, etc) is going to get into my tank.

As far as top ten rules, I'd try to keep it as simple as possible. You can always expand and explain in more detail.

1. Do your research.
2. Be patient.
3. Be consistent with your husbandry.
4. Test your water weekly.
5. Don't overfeed.
6. Don't overreact unless death is imminent for your tank inhabitants.
7. Don't chase numbers.
8. Observe your tank regularly.
9. Have a plan for power outages.
10. Don't get discouraged by setbacks and loss.

ok were done! That’s a wrap.
Really a worthy top ten list!

 

[Silverfish]

1. Don't assume what works for one will work for all. Every tank is it's own ecosystem, take the time to learn your tank and your tank needs, don't try to imitate others.

2. A full understand of what equipment, filter, additive, supplement is before using. This will help you get the most out of it and utilize it the correct way. It will also help you determine when you need it and when you don't

3. Plan your tank around your livestock, if you want big fish get a big tank, if you want SPS dominate spend your money on good lights.

Number one is excellent. Reefers get hung up on trying to copy light and tank parameters to achieve the same results. It doesn’t work that way. Aquariums r like people’s fingerprints.....yes they r fingers but they r all uniquely different.

 

[Silverfish]

I will cheat and link to this older thread 10 commandments of reefing

(for an article) What Do You Think Should Be Included in the 10 Commandments of Reefing?

So, a forum member has approached me about doing an article on what are The 10 Commandments of Reefing. What do you think should be included in this list? You're welcome to give me just one or several or all 10. And why you include that.

www.reef2reef.com

Maybe I should hv done a little research.? I could hv saved us the trouble...though it is a nice reminder.

 

[Silverfish]

Shout out to Seawitch who started this endeavor.

 

[Raege]

Maybe I should hv done a little research.? I could hv saved us the trouble...though it is a nice reminder.

Nothing wrong with giving new folks who didnt see this way back when a chance to chip in, Just added for more ideas to roll in and maybe once you have compiled from both old list and yours it can get stickied where all can find easily.

 

[Tiger Brown]

Many are saying, and all of us would agree that patience is numero uno. But that is a broad and nebulous statement. My mind is continually boggled from the sheer number of posts that start something like this: My mandarin fish is wasting away and my Acan coral is receding but all my parameters are good, what’s wrong? My tank has been cycled for a good month now.

So, I guess this would be both a patience and a research first issue combined. So they are my votes.

 

[Silverfish]

Many are saying, and all of us would agree that patience is numero uno. But that is a broad and nebulous statement. My mind is continually boggled from the sheer number of posts that start something like this: My mandarin fish is wasting away and my Acan coral is receding but all my parameters are good, what’s wrong? My tank has been cycled for a good month now.

So, I guess this would be both a patience and a research first issue combined. So they are my votes.

I agree, so far maybe 1 and 2 most important. I see many many problems that could hv been diverted with just a bit of research. It’s truly upsetting when it at the cost of critter lives.