Secrets to a Successful Reef ?

[Robert_Popa_918]

I’ve been in the hobby for only roughly a year now and have been running into constant problems since day one. A year later and my nano reef still has only 2 coral inside. My confidence is still very low and I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to have that lush reef filled with corals that I’ve always dreamed of. The biggest issue I believe is that I’ve always chosen the cheapest method possible for anything in this hobby. Given all this said, what are your guys tips to running a truly successful reef filled with lush corals?
-Thanks, Rob

 

[Silent]

Always know what your parameters are.

 

[User1]

Keep your hands out of the tank....

 

[Ento-Reefer]

Find a mentor.

I think if you find a tank that another hobbyist is running successfully that you like the looks of copy their methodology. There are many ways to have a successful reef, but often it is difficult for newer hobbyists to know who is giving the correct advice that will work for their situation.

 

[Auquanut]

Stability! Avoid rash or sudden changes. Research and ask lots of questions.

 

[Cory]

My secret is go as natural as possible. Use less stuff, more biology and less technology. Also look into glennf. He knows how to grow coral.

 

[csb123]

I second the ”getting the mentor idea.“
I started my reef 3 years ago and went through almost every challenge a new reef can throw at you. When I finally started meeting people with successful reefs, and emulating what they do, things turned around.
This and other forums are great, but to wade through all the opinions, and to try to come up with a plan as a newbie, leads to many dead ends.

 

[DSC reef]

Patience, read through advice and know there is not a one way approach to reefing. Lots of great info and members on R2R to help out. Plus a little

helps too.

 

[CMO]

Don't blindly follow any advice given on forums like this. Forums are great for general guidance but ultimately only you truly know your tank. The real answer to many questions is simply too complicated and requires detailed knowledge of your tank, its history, etc. to really give a good answer. Have the confidence from research here and elsewhere to apply methods that make sense to you based on your intimate knowledge of your own tank.

 

[symon_say]

Husbandry, if you have to dose, do it, if you have to test, do it, if you have to do water change, do it.

 

[Thales]

Make sure that the husbandry methodology you are using makes sense to you. If it doesn't you won't be about to troubleshoot anything.

 

[Dragon52]

You already started by joining us here on R2R. Knowledge is your best friend for pretty much anything you want to do, when it comes to Saltwater Aquariums going slow is one of the most important plans to follow.

 

[SDK]

Some things you can get away with cheap and some things it’s a huge help to invest in higher quality equipment. You can always look for deals on used, but better quality gear.

It would probably help if you listed your complete parameters and a full description of your setup. I’m curious about your lighting. I know pictures can be deceiving but that tank looks pretty dimly lit.

 

[Bpb]

There is absolutely no secret. Just have to manage expectations. The things most people consider problems in their first year are actually just normal processes. Use an adequate light. Move the water around. Change 10% a week. Feed appropriately. Use RODI water. Just be patient.

you also appear to have a nano tank. That will automatically make everyone 100x harder.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I’ve been in the hobby for only roughly a year now and have been running into constant problems since day one. A year later and my nano reef still has only 2 coral inside. My confidence is still very low and I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to have that lush reef filled with corals that I’ve always dreamed of. The biggest issue I believe is that I’ve always chosen the cheapest method possible for anything in this hobby. Given all this said, what are your guys tips to running a truly successful reef filled with lush corals?
-Thanks, Rob

In the photo, one type of difficult coral to keep alive. Carnation coral, dendronephthya sp.
1. Stop chasing #
2. Keep paws out of water
3. Patience
4. Patience


1 of 30 carnation corals, dendronephthya sp

 

[Mical]

Patience & Stability. There's no race to an "instanto-tank" - give nature a chance to establish a pattern and duplicate it.

 

[Robert_Popa_918]

Some things you can get away with cheap and some things it’s a huge help to invest in higher quality equipment. You can always look for deals on used, but better quality gear.

It would probably help if you listed your complete parameters and a full description of your setup. I’m curious about your lighting. I know pictures can be deceiving but that tank looks pretty dimly lit.

The tank I’m running is the fluval evo 13.5 and I’m also running the stock lights coming with the system. Although not strong, I’ve seen people such as Corey Willard manage to even grow hardy SPS with these lights. The photo was taken with the lights at 1% blues. There may be an issue with my lighting schedule but I am currently running on full spectrum for 7.5 hours and then 1% blues for the rest of the time, along with sunrise and sunsets between.

Tank Set Up
-Fluval Evo 13.5
-Stock hood and lighting
-Stock return pump
-Hydor Koralia nano powerhead
- Old Italian glass Aqueon heater( Gets the job done)
- Sump filled with random sponges and chemi pure blue ( sump needs definite work)

I don’t keep up with tests as often as you should. Last I tested 2 weeks ago ( I’m working on it)

- ALK = ( was 6.1 , bad salt brand 8.4 DKH
- Cal = 445
- Nitrate = 2
- Phosphates = 0.1

Im trying to get things to finally stay stable after fighting with low alkalinity for the past several months. Hopefully things will even out soon and I can finally fill the tank with coral.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Phosphates at .1ppm is higher for a reef tank. I feel the area people get disheartened with the most is algae. Every reef in the world has algae, the goal isn't to eliminate it but to manage algae. If you leave a cup of water under sunlight, eventually it will grow algae. I picked my fish based on what they eat. I love herbivores, they keep my display tank immaculate. In your size tank that may equate to snails and crabs. With perfect parameters your display lights will grow algae, having inhabitants that clean it up for you significantly improves the experience. Also perfection doesn't exist. Expecting perfection is to expect failure. Realistic goals are very important, and as things improve your goals will evolve as well. Finding a mentor does help, but if your mentor has a setup that you are not able to replicate, then it might be futile. If finances are very important to you than find someone that is successful and is doing it in a way that you can replicate. If space is very limited for you then find a successful tank in a space similar to yours. If you have a nano tank then emulating someone with a 500 gallon system will be pointless. If you do find someone that matches your values then to emulate as closely as possible is important. Pulling different techniques from multiple different systems is more of an advanced skill that may not be successful early on. As you evolve in reefing so will your abilities and knowledge. When you reach the level of success you want then a little voice in your head will start telling you make massive changes. That's when you take a metaphorical baseball bat and eliminate that voice.

 

[Ento-Reefer]

If I was running your tank I would rely on weekly 3 gallon water changes with a good salt to achieve stability.

If you stick with soft corals, some zoas, mushrooms, and maybe a few easy LPS it should work fine without the complication of having to dose to maintain alkalinity and calcium. I would limit the fish in order to help keep your nitrates and phosphates low, but detectable. Maybe two small nano sized. A few snails and maybe a cleaner shrimp to help eat any stray food missed by the fish.
All you need is maybe a small bag of carbon in your sump changed out monthly. I would use filter floss and change it out weekly when you do your water change. If you can’t top the tank off daily an ATO would be useful to help keep salinity stable.

 

[Hermie]

You need more corals... well that's the number one advice I can give you. 2 corals after 1 year isn't enough to make a lush tank even in 4 years. Try adding 1 coral every three months at least.

A lot of those "lush reefs" you see are people's tanks that add established colonies from other sources. Yes, some do grow their corals out, but most are "Assembled" tanks with already grown out corals. Just go look at "tank of the month" photos, 75% of them will be either soft corals (which grow fast) or they got all their corals already at a good size (not frags). That's not a knock per se... it's just there's a difference and you have to be able to spot it to understand how to build your own reef.