Scared to get started

[Benoit Martin]

So for the last 3 weeks, I've been doing lots of reading and watching lots of video, researching tanks, accessories, rocks, fish, etc...

I feel like I'm ready to get started and I already picked out which tank, pump, skimmer, heater and light I want but did not buy yet. I have a rough idea of the costs and I'm aware that it will cost more than I think . I'm currently looking at a 120G, FOWLR at first and corral later.

Now, from those article and forum readings I got to a point where I feel like by getting into this hobby I'll be giving my life away. I'm scared of getting started but regretting it because it's eating up all my time. I have a family and a job and other occupations on my free time. Will I be able to handle it?

If you just went through establishing a new tank, how bad was it? Are things getting less time consuming as you are figuring it out?

If you're experienced, any advice to get a tank started with a budd schedule?

Finally, I like to travel for vacation, about once a year. I'd this hobby compatible with traveling assuming I don't know anyone with saltwater tank knowledge?

I hope you guys can convince me to take the plunge because I really want to but please be honest

Thank you

 

[Waters]

You can make it as difficult or as easy as you want......I currently only spend about an hour a week doing water changes and a few minutes each day feeding. With the controllers that are available today, it has become much easier to monitor, and even make changes, to your tank. With equipment like ATOs, dosers, and automatic feeders, the tank could easily be left alone for longer periods of time. That stuff, of course, comes at a price.....and that is where your extra costs come into play. Obviously starting up a new tank takes a lot more time than maintaining an existing tank.......that being said, only you know if you will be able to handle it

 

[Dom]

In many ways, owning a reef tank is more work than owning a dog. Depending on the work to be done, I can spend between 30-60 minutes daily on husbandry.

Patience. Webster's Dictionary defines it to mean: "done in a careful way over a long period of time without hurrying". Patience; almost as important as the very water in which your inhabitants will live.

We live in a society where instant gratification is facilitated by credit cards and payment plans. There are many things we can own impulsively, but a captivating reef tank cannot be counted among them.

A reef tank is not a traditional fixture which you set up in your home. Unlike a TV, you don't pull it from a box, plug it in and enjoy. It must be constructed and nurtured so that it will grow into the magnificent display you see it as in your mind's eye. Much in the way that a summer garden is cultivated to grow into a state of rich colors and aromatic blends, a reef tank is the cultivation of a marine environment.

Owning a reef tank is commonly referred to as "reef keeping". Webster defines the word "keeping" to mean: "the action of owning, maintaining, or protecting something". What are we maintaining? Water quality, lighting and nutrition. What are we protecting? Our investment!

Reef keeping is not an inexpensive hobby. Depending on the size of your setup, it is not unreasonable to expect to spend between one and a few thousand dollars in the first year of your project. The good news is that as a hobby which requires patience, it is a project which can be completed in stages. Because of this, the cash layout can be in several smaller amounts instead of the complete cost, all at once.

If it sounds like I am trying to discourage you; I'm not. I'm simply trying to make clear, the financial and work commitment necessary. Once the decision to move forward in reef keeping is reached, anything less than seeing it through to the end is a waste of your time and money. And remember: your goal isn't to have a tank that survives, but a tank that thrives!



Good Luck!
Dom

 

[dutch27]

Giving your life away is maybe a bit extreme, reef tanks can be demanding, especially if they're having issues. Not to mention nobody ever takes care of it right when you're on vacation, lol. Have you considered freshwater? A basic cichlid tank can have fish with great color and high levels of activity, and once the initial cycle is over, it really doesn't take more than 30-60 min to do water changes. I used to have a thing that attached directly to my faucet that would siphon tank water into the sink, then would be reversed to fill the tank back up, it was incredibly simple.

 

[WVNed]

A FOWLR tank can be simple and takes very little maintenance. A tank with rock, heater, skimmer, a circulation pump, ATO and a low powered light that wont grow anything good or bad in it. Keep the bio load low and you will get down to doing a monthly water change and cleaning the glass when you want to.

 

[Flexin]

A must read thread and be honest with yourself.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/top-six-questions-to-ask-before-entering-saltwater.398670/

Giving your life away may be a valid comment depending on what’s important in your life. It’s a larger commitment than I originally realized, however it’s also been rewarding. At least you are considering the gravity of the commitment .

 

[AlexStinson]

It isn't bad. I regularly travel about 1 week a month with no issues. I have an automatic feeder and an Auto top-off that I run even when I am home. Water changes/cleaning take me about 20 minutes and I try to change 25g every other weekend. My coral has recently started growing alot faster due to some changes I made so I am testing my alkalinity every other day to get my dosing right. Takes about 2 minutes with my hannah checker. But honestly you need to enjoy all the effort on the tank, it should be viewed as part of the hobby and not work.

 

[mcarroll]

If you are able to start small so you can learn without making LARGE mistakes...

...and take your time, so said mistakes and learning can happen, it should be fine.

That will keep you from biting off more than you can chew, if you know what I mean.

If you do it with "more conventional" expectations and (eg.) bring home the 120 and have it full of fish within a year, I don't think your odds are that great. The amount of work will be more, amount of success will be less and the risk of failure at each major progression is much higher.

It's definitely not for everyone. (But it can be.)

IMO.

 

[Benoit Martin]

Thank you everybody for all the awesome answers and the free lecture on instant gratification
It does make me feel better about getting started.

As a follow up, another thing that worries me a little is the amount of water for the initial and regular water changes. Is it worth it to get an RO/DI from day 1? That would add another thing for me to screw up with water mixing but would certainly save me some money.

 

[happyhourhero]

It becomes routine and isn’t that bad as long as you don’t lose sight of the reason you wanted the tank in the first place, which is to enjoy it.

I spend maybe 15-20 a day on feeding, maintenance and observation with a water change once a week that takes maybe 30 minutes. My tank is not as automated as some so when I travel I need someone to check it twice a day for me which sucks but that is where I am at with it.

It’s a hobby I really love and it’s worth every minute invested. I feel like if you are worried about the investment before you start, it will honestly probably be too much.

 

[Tautog]

KISS. Keep it simple stu...! It’s really the truth, Dom’s tips are great, but also fact. It’s just my opinion, but I say GO BIG ! This creation can out live you! You will want extra room to grow, add, and cultivate. With a 6 ft long tank, create the family cave, but renovate the room first. Basements are good, and there’s no worry of sunlight or weight support problems. Also, if your laundry machines are in the next room.....perfect, there’s your water source for both intake and discharge.
Making things simple is good, Keeping things simple.....Easy! I have been running for 3 years, but I did everything manually. Only 6 months ago did I finally start using a ATO and Dosing pump.
**** BE Careful, Warning!!! What you are about to do is devote a tremendous amount of time! It’s not the maintenance, that’s easy, but you get captivated, stunned, frozen, and wondering what’s happening next? What’s the next new thing I’ll see? Once your in, your OURS, one of us, totally dependent on the life of your tank. You will quickly go from Fish Only to Reefer, but don’t worry, it’s Not your fault, the coral have that affect on you. Your goal is simple.....Just a small piece of the ocean!
R/O a must! Mount it by the slop sink for discharge waste water.

 

[Scurvy]

I have only been in the hobby a couple of years. At the outset I was determined yet lacked patience. I had done my research on gear, setup and fish but still knew nothing about chemistry, biological processes and the time it took to acheive a stable/maturing system. I decided to start modestly with 65g total system and see how it went. Admittetly at first it took up a lot more time than I expected but mostly due to my inexperience and lack of patience. I chased numbers and made the mistake of trying to fix things that weren't broken. It took some time but I learned to be patient and have since setup 3 additonal tanks. Looking back i was addicted before I ever started... I should have known better and gotten the large tank I really wanted from the begining. It would have saved me from at least 2 of the added setups, Maybe! ;Woot Now I have that tank I wanted from the very beginging on order just two years late and a lot lighter in the wallet.

My advice would be to get the 120 you want if you know thats what you want. You absolutely will spend more than you expect so try to avoid spending your hard earned money twice. Don't settle for something because it's cheaper because you'll only upgrade it when you realize you arent happy. Plan for your goals and not the present. A light for a FOWLR tank may not grow coral but a coral light is fine for FOWLR if you catch my meaning. If possible try starting out with at least half your rock live whether you get it at a trusted fish store locally or order it online. Its not cheap but It should save you from a lot of the early headaches most go through when using 100% dry rock.

And yes to answer your question, an RODI system really should be a must have from the outset. Buying/toting water is no fun and will get expensive in a hurry in 120. Anyway, hopefully that helps some and hope to see your reef someday!

 

[Flexin]

Thank you everybody for all the awesome answers and the free lecture on instant gratification
It does make me feel better about getting started.

As a follow up, another thing that worries me a little is the amount of water for the initial and regular water changes. Is it worth it to get an RO/DI from day 1? That would add another thing for me to screw up with water mixing but would certainly save me some money.

In regards to the RODI question. I think it depends. How easy is it to get water and how much do you need. If I only had a 30 gal or less and the LFS is not far, I would not get one. If you lived in a city and had to carry water for blocks or in a subway, it may make sense there. Of course a larger system, yes it makes things easier.

 

[JamesWeaver]

I’m married 3 kids under 3, work 2 jobs which total about 60 hours a week. If you really want to do it and will for sure enjoy it you will find time for it. I sometimes stay up 30 min later than normal or wake up a little earlier to take care of some things tank is up almost 3 months now.

 

[Waters]

Thank you everybody for all the awesome answers and the free lecture on instant gratification
It does make me feel better about getting started.

As a follow up, another thing that worries me a little is the amount of water for the initial and regular water changes. Is it worth it to get an RO/DI from day 1? That would add another thing for me to screw up with water mixing but would certainly save me some money.

Yes, definitely worth it to start from day 1 with a RO/DI unit. You have pure water and you don't have to worry about relying on other sources since you can make it yourself.

 

[themcfreak]

Yes, definitely worth it to start from day 1 with a RO/DI unit. You have pure water and you don't have to worry about relying on other sources since you can make it yourself.

This, also, technically the RO water from the fish store you buy it from may not be as pure as you want it. I have never had that issue, but I have bought salt water that was way below parameters from one. Now I make my own, and know what my levels are in it.

As for your concerns? They are valid. However, it isn't so bad. You can put as much time as you want in front of it, or as little. As long as you always put at least a little. I could spend 5-10 minutes a day or every other day taking care of it most days if I wanted (and maybe an hour on the weekend) but I usually put much more time tinkering, admiring, being entertained, etc.

 

[Jesterrace]

So for the last 3 weeks, I've been doing lots of reading and watching lots of video, researching tanks, accessories, rocks, fish, etc...

I feel like I'm ready to get started and I already picked out which tank, pump, skimmer, heater and light I want but did not buy yet. I have a rough idea of the costs and I'm aware that it will cost more than I think . I'm currently looking at a 120G, FOWLR at first and corral later.

Now, from those article and forum readings I got to a point where I feel like by getting into this hobby I'll be giving my life away. I'm scared of getting started but regretting it because it's eating up all my time. I have a family and a job and other occupations on my free time. Will I be able to handle it?

If you just went through establishing a new tank, how bad was it? Are things getting less time consuming as you are figuring it out?

If you're experienced, any advice to get a tank started with a budd schedule?

Finally, I like to travel for vacation, about once a year. I'd this hobby compatible with traveling assuming I don't know anyone with saltwater tank knowledge?

I hope you guys can convince me to take the plunge because I really want to but please be honest

Thank you

Being honest a 120 gallon tank will be fairly time consuming on the maintenance and upkeep. If you have a pretty busy/demanding schedule you might want to try something like a 20 Long FOWLR first and keep it as simple as possible.

 

[Benoit Martin]

Being honest a 120 gallon tank will be fairly time consuming on the maintenance and upkeep. If you have a pretty busy/demanding schedule you might want to try something like a 20 Long FOWLR first and keep it as simple as possible.

I am considering 120G for 2 reasons.
First it seems that everybody is saying if you don't go with the biggest possible (budget and room-wise) you will regret it and want to upgrade. A tank upgrade sounds very costly and time consuming.
Second, I read that bigger tank means more water which means easier to keep stable parameters.

Are you saying that the amount of work to clean 120G outweighs the relative ease of water parameters maintenance?

 

[themcfreak]

I am considering 120G for 2 reasons.
First it seems that everybody is saying if you don't go with the biggest possible (budget and room-wise) you will regret it and want to upgrade. A tank upgrade sounds very costly and time consuming.
Second, I read that bigger tank means more water which means easier to keep stable parameters.

Are you saying that the amount of work to clean 120G outweighs the relative ease of water parameters maintenance?

As someone who has upgraded three times now (over 15 years), I would agree that you should get as much as you currently can for now. I started with a 20 gallon, then a 29 gallon cube, then a 42 gallon, to my now 84 gallon. Not only has it been a lot of moves, but larger tanks are easier to manage parameters with.

 

[Jesterrace]

I am considering 120G for 2 reasons.
First it seems that everybody is saying if you don't go with the biggest possible (budget and room-wise) you will regret it and want to upgrade. A tank upgrade sounds very costly and time consuming.
Second, I read that bigger tank means more water which means easier to keep stable parameters.

Are you saying that the amount of work to clean 120G outweighs the relative ease of water parameters maintenance?

What I am saying is that the amount of time required to properly maintain a larger tank is not best suited for someone who is a busy person. Generally speaking I do recommend larger tanks for the reason that you mentioned, but it sounds like you have a lot of other priorities in your life. Larger Tanks mean more equipment and more maintenance. For example my regimen with my 36 gallon bowfront was as follows:

1) Top off with RO water every couple of days
2) Do a weekly partial water change
3) Spend about 15 minutes a week with the MagFloat Cleaning the Glass
4) Change Filter media monthly
5) Test water every few days (ie Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Salinity, etc.)
6) Clean powerhead every 4-6 weeks

with my 90 gallon with 29 gallon sump

1) Top off with RODI water once a week
2) Twice a week change the filter socks
3) spray down used filter socks to get rid of excess waste
4) Wash filter socks in washer and let dry completely every 3-4 weeks
5) Every few days clean out and empty Protein Skimmer Cup and clean the neck of the skimmer about once a month
6) Spend about 30 minutes a week with the Magfloat cleaning the glass
7) Weekly partial Water changes
8) Test water every few days
9) Clean powerheads every 4-6 weeks

So it all depends on whether or not you have the time.