Mr.Rocc
Valuable Member
So tomorrow will mark my 16th year in reefing. My father had a huge, at the time, 125 gallon FOWLR tank when I was a child and I loved every second of it. I always wanted one and on my tenth birthday my parents bought me an 8 gallon Biocube. That is were my obsession really took off. So for my 26th birthday I thought I would give back and really write something up for new reefers coming into the hobby just like I was!
This thread is going to be based around my 16 ish years in reefing and how new reefers can save money, stress, or hassle in the hobby with my Ten Reef Commandments!
1) RESEARCH - This has to be number one since our hobby is always changing. Equipment, fish, coral, rock, sand, ect. are always changing and researching before doing is always the best bet.
For the record If I did a top twenty, this would be #1-10.
2) PICK THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT FOR YOU! - As you read through this forum you will see people with the same tank as you but will have two or three times the amount of money in their equipment as you do. No, that does not mean they will be more successful then you. Make sure you stay true to what you need and you can always add to your tank. (Yes you can get away with Black Box LEDs)
3) DON'T "LOWBALL" YOURSELF! - You can be successful with cheap equipment but in the long run they will need to be replaced. If you are patient and try to save for exactly what you want you will most likely not have to replace it in two years of so.
4) BIGGER IS BETTER! - When you are just jumping into the hobby the larger the water volume the better. Notice I said water volume and not tank. If the biggest tank that you can fit is an 80 gallon tank do it and get the biggest sump you can afford and fit in your stand. Larger water volume = Easier to stable = Less stress on you.
5) PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE! - Whether its saving for your equipment, cycling your tank, or just adding corals, do not rush yourself. If you rush through the easy times, the harder times will be that much harder.
6) TESTING DOESN'T LIE! - Well unexpired or faulty testing does! Anyhow DO NOT lie to yourself with your parameter testing. If your calcium testing kit reads 325 ppm there's a very good chance that's what your tank is at. Do not make excuses or blow off bad readings. Double check with your local fish store if needed!
7) DON'T FREAK OUT!!!! - Well try not to! Most mistakes happen when we freak out at a high or low reading and try to fix it right away. This almost always leads to a larger problem and almost always ends in algae and the reefer leaving the hobby. Take a second get an opinion on what to do and adjust reading slowly.
8) MAKE SMALL CHANGES OVER TIME!! - If you need to increase or decrease a parameter change it slowly over time. Changing slowly over time really helps build stability and will help eliminate any mistakes made from huge changes quickly!
9) DON'T CHASE NUMBERS BE STABLE!! - Every fish, coral, heck even human benefits from stability in its life. Don't chase for the perfect parameters your dealing with an ecosystem that changes every second. The better we are at keeping our parameters stable the better growth, color, and polyp extension we will get.
10) MAINTENANCE - Last but not least by any means is maintenance. It helps a ton to keep track of a schedule so you don't forget what needs to be done and when. This can we broken down into three categories.
10a) Water changes should be done frequent enough to help with nutrient export. I personally do about 10% every weekend but most get away with biweekly water changes.
10b) Clean all your pumps and wave makers. This will extend the life of your equipment and help with consistent flow in the tank. (3 to 1, RO to White Distilled Vinegar)
10c) Test your water weekly. Make sure you record your parameters weekly to understand how your tank functions and changes daily, weekly, and monthly. Trust me, this will save you so many headaches!
If you made it this far thank you for reading its just my two cents in how I became successful in this hobby. As you noticed I didn't add a controller. You do not need one to be successful but they do make your life a whole lot easier.
Good Luck to all the new reefers reading this! Its an amazing hobby!
This thread is going to be based around my 16 ish years in reefing and how new reefers can save money, stress, or hassle in the hobby with my Ten Reef Commandments!
1) RESEARCH - This has to be number one since our hobby is always changing. Equipment, fish, coral, rock, sand, ect. are always changing and researching before doing is always the best bet.
For the record If I did a top twenty, this would be #1-10.
2) PICK THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT FOR YOU! - As you read through this forum you will see people with the same tank as you but will have two or three times the amount of money in their equipment as you do. No, that does not mean they will be more successful then you. Make sure you stay true to what you need and you can always add to your tank. (Yes you can get away with Black Box LEDs)
3) DON'T "LOWBALL" YOURSELF! - You can be successful with cheap equipment but in the long run they will need to be replaced. If you are patient and try to save for exactly what you want you will most likely not have to replace it in two years of so.
4) BIGGER IS BETTER! - When you are just jumping into the hobby the larger the water volume the better. Notice I said water volume and not tank. If the biggest tank that you can fit is an 80 gallon tank do it and get the biggest sump you can afford and fit in your stand. Larger water volume = Easier to stable = Less stress on you.
5) PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE! - Whether its saving for your equipment, cycling your tank, or just adding corals, do not rush yourself. If you rush through the easy times, the harder times will be that much harder.
6) TESTING DOESN'T LIE! - Well unexpired or faulty testing does! Anyhow DO NOT lie to yourself with your parameter testing. If your calcium testing kit reads 325 ppm there's a very good chance that's what your tank is at. Do not make excuses or blow off bad readings. Double check with your local fish store if needed!
7) DON'T FREAK OUT!!!! - Well try not to! Most mistakes happen when we freak out at a high or low reading and try to fix it right away. This almost always leads to a larger problem and almost always ends in algae and the reefer leaving the hobby. Take a second get an opinion on what to do and adjust reading slowly.
8) MAKE SMALL CHANGES OVER TIME!! - If you need to increase or decrease a parameter change it slowly over time. Changing slowly over time really helps build stability and will help eliminate any mistakes made from huge changes quickly!
9) DON'T CHASE NUMBERS BE STABLE!! - Every fish, coral, heck even human benefits from stability in its life. Don't chase for the perfect parameters your dealing with an ecosystem that changes every second. The better we are at keeping our parameters stable the better growth, color, and polyp extension we will get.
10) MAINTENANCE - Last but not least by any means is maintenance. It helps a ton to keep track of a schedule so you don't forget what needs to be done and when. This can we broken down into three categories.
10a) Water changes should be done frequent enough to help with nutrient export. I personally do about 10% every weekend but most get away with biweekly water changes.
10b) Clean all your pumps and wave makers. This will extend the life of your equipment and help with consistent flow in the tank. (3 to 1, RO to White Distilled Vinegar)
10c) Test your water weekly. Make sure you record your parameters weekly to understand how your tank functions and changes daily, weekly, and monthly. Trust me, this will save you so many headaches!
If you made it this far thank you for reading its just my two cents in how I became successful in this hobby. As you noticed I didn't add a controller. You do not need one to be successful but they do make your life a whole lot easier.
Good Luck to all the new reefers reading this! Its an amazing hobby!
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