If I were to start over from scratch, how would I find instructions that would make me succesful, and always have a plan to follow. What are the modern methods, from start to success? I would need something I could trust and really stick with. I have never been able to find someone I trusted to follow. I try to follow something different that sounds promising, only to find out. "Nobody is doing that anymore."
Starting Again
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Start with describing what's your goal with the tank. Size, budget, how much time you want to spend, what type of live stock etc. There are several popular methods now, but they are distinct and only a few. Everyone pretty much takes one of these routes.
Trust will come in due time,
Trust will come in due time,
tdileo
Valuable Member
What happened with your last tank?
Anyway, here is what I did and I have been pretty successful in my few months of reefing, though I am still considered a newbie. By the way, my tank is SPS dominated.
I started out with 90% dry rock and then some already cured live rock. Threw in a deshelled table shrimp and let it sit for a month then took the goop out. Added in a blue chromis and some hermit crabs and snails. Two weeks later I added my first corals, then just went from there, adding fish no more than once a month. I now have 4 fish and a few different types of acros, montis, other SPS and some softies. I only run carbon and I dose trace elements, alk and Calc daily. I haven't had any problems so far other than some new corals bleaching from not adjusting to my LEDs but they healed in a few weeks. If you need more specifics just let me know
Anyway, here is what I did and I have been pretty successful in my few months of reefing, though I am still considered a newbie. By the way, my tank is SPS dominated.
I started out with 90% dry rock and then some already cured live rock. Threw in a deshelled table shrimp and let it sit for a month then took the goop out. Added in a blue chromis and some hermit crabs and snails. Two weeks later I added my first corals, then just went from there, adding fish no more than once a month. I now have 4 fish and a few different types of acros, montis, other SPS and some softies. I only run carbon and I dose trace elements, alk and Calc daily. I haven't had any problems so far other than some new corals bleaching from not adjusting to my LEDs but they healed in a few weeks. If you need more specifics just let me know
OP
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Grey Guy
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What are my options? One constant is corals and a fish. there are 4 major categories, SPS, LPS, softies and mixed. It seems like knowing the methods would help me makes right and honest decision.
I am retired, so have plenty of time. I already have lots of equipment that would suffice for most any type of tank, as far as skimmers and pumps, and lighting to some degree (low output LED's and Metal Halide).
I have had more success with Metal Halide, then any other type of light. SPS are awesome and are what I would want if I thought I could be successful.
IMO these are my considerations as I'm planning to build a larger tank:
1. Go as big as you can in terms of gallons
2. Plan for your lines plumbing, outside air, WC, etc... for automation before hand
3. Large sump with lots of space for any upcoming upgrades or new technologies
4. Use APEX, and plan a clean wiring
5. Create a dramatic aquascape that you really really like and fish/coral friendly before moving to any other step. Look for inspiration in others builds.
6. Think about the methods you'll plan on using in order to plan for your equipment needs, eg. Triton, Zeovit, RedSea, etc...
7. Try to go +1 and/or very good quality in certain things, UV, skimmer, lights, pumps, refugium, reactors
8. Not using small grain salt, looks good but it's a mess
9. Plan to create areas where you will place your coral depending on their needs, eg. High flow, low flow, high/low light
10. Plan quarantine space
11. Shy fish first
12. If you want multiple Tangs plan to add them at the same time and as juveniles
And last but not least Bulk Reef Supply TV has a serie in Youtube about a 160g built - they go through every mayor aspect with a very good logic and sequence. I would strongly recommend you add much as possible. Is called 52 weeks of reefing.
Reef Tank Guide: 52 Weeks of Reefing #BRS160: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBaMLrfToJyybUT18OE3fMomFb9XU0ffC
Hope is useful, and again it's my personal view, I certainly have lots to learn.
Enjoy your new built.
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Grey Guy
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I can't believe that BRS is not somewhat product motivated. They show what works and then look for something that may work even better. I just don't trust the advice of someone who sells reef equipment. I don't want to keep changing stuff every time they do.
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Grey Guy
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I need a solid stable plan, that I can stick with, and resist the temptation to follow trends. Improvements are O.K., but to keep changing methods is not. So far no one is laying out a plan that they have proven, works for them over time.
tdileo
Valuable Member
Honestly I think it's because technology is advancing so rapidly that you can't really stick with a plan and 100% follow it. You might plan for one thing and a year later something comes out that people say is even better. It's just my opinion but rather than following other people I say you should get an idea of what you want and then see what works best for your tank. Nobody has 100% the same system
I get your point, but at least watch a couple of episodes and then decide if it's biased enough not to be trusted.
I personally think that you have social media content that is "driving" (gets you interested and is useful and unbiased), and then "selling" content that is specific to get you to buy something.
What BRS did with the 52 week series is trying to create something that evaluates multiple options, hence is not focus on trying to sell. And to your point trying to evaluate new technologies/methods.
That is my opinion after being part of social media advertising for a while.
Really recommend reading up on DSR.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/glennfs-300-gallon-dsr-reef.138700/page-78#post-3966449
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-dsr-method-dutch-synthetic-reefing.162872/
Having been a fish keeper for 54 years. Glenn's approach to the reef keeping hobby resonates with me. Using the calculator he made helps you understand what is going in your tank. An his approach is what the Tritton method is based on replacing the elements that corals need when they need it.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/glennfs-300-gallon-dsr-reef.138700/page-78#post-3966449
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-dsr-method-dutch-synthetic-reefing.162872/
Having been a fish keeper for 54 years. Glenn's approach to the reef keeping hobby resonates with me. Using the calculator he made helps you understand what is going in your tank. An his approach is what the Tritton method is based on replacing the elements that corals need when they need it.
Do what was successful about 5 - 7 years ago. Stability is the key to success. Follow Paul B on here.
Don't follow the trends of dosing a bazillion things when you have 1 coral...
Don't use the fly by night aquaforest and zeo type trends , keep it simple and use common sense.
Use tried and true salts like IO, RC, Red Sea, etc and do not change salt like underwear to follow what's trendy at the time. That's a recipe for disaster.
Don't use stump remover or bayer, use products developed specifically for our reef tanks.
Take it slow. Research.
Don't follow the trends of dosing a bazillion things when you have 1 coral...
Don't use the fly by night aquaforest and zeo type trends , keep it simple and use common sense.
Use tried and true salts like IO, RC, Red Sea, etc and do not change salt like underwear to follow what's trendy at the time. That's a recipe for disaster.
Don't use stump remover or bayer, use products developed specifically for our reef tanks.
Take it slow. Research.
OP
OP
Grey Guy
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Honestly I think it's because technology is advancing so rapidly that you can't really stick with a plan and 100% follow it. You might plan for one thing and a year later something comes out that people say is even better. It's just my opinion but rather than following other people I say you should get an idea of what you want and then see what works best for your tank. Nobody has 100% the same system
I've tried things that way and it hasn't worked for me, and why can't I do my tank just like someone else? I'd rather be successful than original.
First, Andy G makes some great points
Secondly, go as big as you can, bigger the better for a lot of reasons, think I'm trying to create a environmental sound community but it's going to take time, more room, room for these corals to grow, a complete showcase for your home. I use half my basement, renovation, then added a tank, big enough, but not unmanageable or very costly long-term. I choose a 180-2'x2'x6' long, maybe a 220 would have been my limit. As far as equipment, buy bigger and better, but cost effective. I started with LEDs to save energy consumption, but changed to T-5's, ATI 60" 8 bulb. My corals quickly thanked me, and responded remarkably. I have a mixed Reef, but now have that Acro itch, and LEDs just weren't enough.
Think long term, think big, buy better, buy once!!!!!
I started with well seasoned Live Rock, and added Dry/Live later.
Sump, again bigger the better, Reef Octopus Skimmer 2000 int, rated for 250-300 gal.
I also started with a deep sandbed, but now it's 1-2", and ChemiPure, but no longer use that, I added 2 bricks, still do WC's, but because if my 60+ corals, I need to dose, manually, 100 ml of 2- part. I add R/O when needed.
Fwiw, my tank never cycled.
I feel the most important equipment is: R/O, Skimmer, tank size, lights, and time, your time, log, common sense.
I'm sure I'm missing things in my list, but that's the learning curve, and never rush.
Secondly, go as big as you can, bigger the better for a lot of reasons, think I'm trying to create a environmental sound community but it's going to take time, more room, room for these corals to grow, a complete showcase for your home. I use half my basement, renovation, then added a tank, big enough, but not unmanageable or very costly long-term. I choose a 180-2'x2'x6' long, maybe a 220 would have been my limit. As far as equipment, buy bigger and better, but cost effective. I started with LEDs to save energy consumption, but changed to T-5's, ATI 60" 8 bulb. My corals quickly thanked me, and responded remarkably. I have a mixed Reef, but now have that Acro itch, and LEDs just weren't enough.
Think long term, think big, buy better, buy once!!!!!
I started with well seasoned Live Rock, and added Dry/Live later.
Sump, again bigger the better, Reef Octopus Skimmer 2000 int, rated for 250-300 gal.
I also started with a deep sandbed, but now it's 1-2", and ChemiPure, but no longer use that, I added 2 bricks, still do WC's, but because if my 60+ corals, I need to dose, manually, 100 ml of 2- part. I add R/O when needed.
Fwiw, my tank never cycled.
I feel the most important equipment is: R/O, Skimmer, tank size, lights, and time, your time, log, common sense.
I'm sure I'm missing things in my list, but that's the learning curve, and never rush.
