Returning to the hobby after a ten year abscense

Devin6871 · May 22, 2020

Besides the advances in lighting tech via LED and the similar technological leaps taken for automatic dosing systems are there any new ideologies or technology I should read up on?

I've noticed minimal or no sand bed seems to be recommended now and I'm definitely leaning towards minimal because I like the ocean look. Any special challenges I should be aware of with a thin sand bed?

I have previously owned a 30 gallon nano reef. At the same time I was maintaining saltwater tanks at several pet stores that were part of a family owned chain.

Thanks in advance for everyone's time.

SPR1968 · May 22, 2020

LED lighting is very popular and things have advanced in all aspects of the hobby.

The sand bed is personal really, I’ve got sort of a cross betweeen deep and shallow and some like bare bottom and no sand

Welcome to R2R!!!

Tahoe61 · May 22, 2020

Welcome to R2R and back to the hobby.

What size system are you looking at?

Flippers4pups · May 22, 2020

Devin6871 · May 22, 2020

Tahoe61 said:
Welcome to R2R and back to the hobby.

What size system are you looking at?

I'm looking at getting a 90 gallon with a 20 gallon sump.

It is a system a friend of mine used to use but has been shut down and in storage for about 3 years. It comes with an old hybrid MH T5 lighting setup that I will promptly be buying new bulbs for. I will eventually move over to a newer LED system.

I'm also thinking of setting up a 33 long as a QT which would eventually transition to frag tank after I finish adding new things to my system.

Thanks for the warm welcome!

gideon2086 · May 22, 2020

Welcome back!

beaslbob · May 22, 2020

Devin6871 said:
Besides the advances in lighting tech via LED and the similar technological leaps taken for automatic dosing systems are there any new ideologies or technology I should read up on?

...

none. whatever you did 10 years ago still works today.

edit: except that 10 years ago dsb's were all the rage. Today there is more emphasis on refugiums balancing out the system with macro algae. And plus a return to algae turf scrubbers as well.

Devin6871 · May 22, 2020

beaslbob said:
none. whatever you did 10 years ago still works today.

I'm noticing now that the price of livestock has advanced as well

beaslbob · May 22, 2020

Devin6871 said:
I'm noticing now that the price of livestock has advanced as well

yep that true. along with everything else.

Billldg · May 22, 2020

Welcome to R2R!!! Welcome back to the hobby!!!

It does seem LED's are the NEW THING, but in my upgrade I am torn between new school and old school. T5's are still the reefing standard, and I may be going strictly T5's with reef Brite Leds for that pop. The new technology is still trying to copy the tried and true of T5's.

beaslbob · May 22, 2020

Comparing notes from 15 years ago:

Just a thought and I don't know how far you're into the setup.

On my old 55g I just crammed in some 1/4" square plastic grid (egg crate) 3" in front of the back glass. Put some rock on the bottom and power heads at the top to hold it in place.

Then added 2 4' 2 tube 6500k fluorescent shop lights behind the tank pointing forward.
So that made in in tank refugium there macro algae (and pods) thrived.

The tank had been running for 1.5-2 years and always had nitrates. Nitrates dropped to unmeasureable in 3 weeks and phosphates dropped down a few months later.
Meanwhile, two tangs enjoyed munching on the macros the poked through the eggcrate. And a gobie would go between the squares to feed on pods as well.

I used untreated tap water, no water changes, play sand, river rocks, and even had some easy to keep type corals. Using shop lights for the main top lighting, I did have problems keeping sps and harder corals. So I think the newer led lights would have helped that.

To 'cycle' the tank I recommend you let it run for a week with the macros to insure they are growing. Then use common male mollies. (I used 5 on the 55g) and not add food for a week. Then start very light feeding in the order of 1 flake per fish per day. Once you have 3 weeks with the mollies the tank should be ok for the more expensive marine fish.

But you probably knew that from your experience 10 years ago. LOL

my .02