Secrets to a Successful Reef ?

[ThaBeast]

I’d like to add-instead of using vinegar to clean wet sides/pumps, use citric acid. Tunze sells pump clean that is citric acid or you can buy the generic citric acid on amazon. Sometimes I’m a slow learner…took me awhile to figure out vinegar makes magnets swell and ruins my gear

 

[Charles Zinn]

It can take years to find the right mentors or advice. Find someone who understands more than one way. If they don't have any knowledge about something you ask about or steer you away from something but don't or can't explain why they probably don't know. I once saw 2 people with two different vantage points at Reef a polooza in Orlando having a heated discussion. I later discovered one usually had a sales goal with his advice while the other gave advice and explained why. I'll mis your advice from podcasts Jake. After 4-5 years found a local fish store owner who knows different wats ro reef and explain the different ways and why. My mixed reef is doing better every day. Keep numbers steady. Patience pays off and is less costly in long run. Trace elements are more important with some coral than others. verify with an ICP test. varied clean up crew. variety is spice of LIFE. They work on different parts of Biome

 

[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.

This thread got necro’d. I still hold the same sentiment as almost 5 years ago. Hasn’t changed a bit

 

[fishtex]

I have the same tank - my first slatwater after MANY years in freshwater. The photo is at about 15 months. Very easy softies and zoas. One Royal Gramma and one common Clownfish visible. One Yellow Watchman Goby and one Tiger Pistol Shrimp not visible. Plus multiple snails and red-legged hermits. Hang in there - it will get better!

 

[Angel_V_the_reefer]

. I have never had a tank so many weird things, with zero explanations. I sent out water tests, everything fine, all parameters are solid, flow perfect, you name it, everything was right, but I would have random bleaching events and random massive die off.

I’m not currently in the hobby. I used to experience this. There were a lot of unexplained events that occurred in my tank, sometimes when everything seemed fine

Or vise versa, a test read a number that seemed Skewed, but my tank seemed fine

IME this hobby can sometimes leave our head scratching.

I have an empty nano tank with everything I need to get started but hesitant. If I were to do it all over again, I would not let a test or something ‘ugly’ in a tank to dictate my actions if I know I’m doing my due diligence

I’d keep it simple. Probably no QT either (granted, on a nano you can only have so much livestock)