your best advice for young saltwater aquarist.

[Mackey]

I am young and highly impressionable and in need of your wisdom.
what are some things that you wish you knew when you started this hobby. thx for any help!

 

[Gabridge83]

Slow down research quarantine and your going to go through ugly stages just take it one step at a time

 

[civics14]

Slow down research quarantine and your going to go through ugly stages just take it one step at a time

best advice out there.. Also to add - do lots of research, there is no one way to do anything, look for consistencies and base your decision on that.

 

[bhodges82]

Used equipment is cheap, but not always a better deal.

Patience will be your solution on many things, not the product that your LFS says you need.

If you think you know something, ask as if you don't know just to check.

 

[Rainblood]

the best thing i did was to start with a smaller aio tank.
mine was a Nuvo40

 

[56cbr600rr]

Yep. AIO.

 

[Mackey]

the best thing i did was to start with a smaller aio tank.
mine was a Nuvo40

what does aio mean?

 

[hzheng33]

what does aio mean?

All in one

 

[ichthyoid]

AIO type tanks typically have a filtration area built into the rear/back of the tank.

It is also common for tanks, especially larger sizes, to have an overflow and separate sump below for filtration, heaters, pumps, etc.

Not many people run salt tanks with canister filters, or filters within the display area itself anymore.

 

[Rainblood]

Yes, everything is in the back chamber - no plumbing, overflow boxes, sump, etc needed
I think if I started with a bigger tank and had to deal with everything - I probably would've quit.

 

[Doberman13]

Take things very slow.

My first tank had coral after a few days. I lost a few coral and had very little growth for at least a year. I killed a few acros about a year in.

My second tank didn't have any coral for 6 months. That tank through much less of an "ugly stage" due to not having the lights on a full schedule. When I finally put in a large birdsnest that had outgrown my 22g the rate of growth skyrocketed. I moved over a few Walt Disney acro frags and they have thrived.

 

[Reefplumber13]

Get a bigger tank then you think you want. Lol jk kinda. But in all honesty @Gabridge83 said it best slow down and don't rush. Feel free to ask every question you have and don't feel like it may be a dumb question.. the only dumb question is one not ask..

 

[steve h]

-Spend more time reading books, less time reading forums/Facebook groups etc.
-Find a reefing mentor, someone who has an aquarium that you would like to emulate.
-More equipment/more expensive equipment doesn’t necessarily make you a better aquarist. -Keep things simple especially when starting out.
-In terms of chemistry, focus on salinity, calcium, and alkalinity. We have too many inputs that guide our reefing decisions these days. People put way too much stock into ICP testing. Concentrate on the basics and perform water changes.
-Ecological controls are far more important than low nutrients in limiting nuisance algae growth.

 

[Reefplumber13]

-Spend more time reading books, less time reading forums/Facebook groups etc.

I have to strongly disagree with this. I would say more so equally

 

[andrewjjones1212]

I have to strongly disagree with this. I would say more so equally

Also YouTube, BRStv can be a really great resource

 

[steve h]

To each their own. It is difficult for a beginner to sift through the variable quality of info on forums, social media sites, and YouTube without a foundation of vetted information. Often times the loudest voices with the highest post counts are not the most knowledgeable.

 

[Reefplumber13]

To each their own. It is difficult for a beginner to sift through the variable quality of info on forums, social media sites, and YouTube without a foundation of vetted information. Often times the loudest voices with the highest post counts are not the most knowledgeable.

Another of times books are outdated..

 

[ichthyoid]

Lots of good advice above

There are 3 basic ways to approach this hobby & they all work… for a while -
-high tech
-low tech
-no tech

They are listed in order of cost, highest first. Many won’t tell you about how much work is involved in cleaning glass, feeding, dosing & doing water changes. I don’t know of a way to get around cleaning glass, but I know you can automate a lot of the rest. What automation buys you is consistency & longevity. Many of us come into the hobby with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm & passion. That may get you through the first months ok, but sooner or later, life gets in the way. You miss a dose, then a water change, then things don’t look so good…etc. That automation I mentioned will make things easier for you, and your reef inhabitants. It will give better results due to the consistency that can be achieved when used correctly. I would recommend starting smaller & spending more on good equipment, which can still be used if/when you decide to go bigger. You will thank yourself later, when you realize how much more time you have to put your feet up & actually enjoy your aquarium! The most important ingredient is patience, as nothing good happens fast in a reef tank!

Happy reefing!

 

[gill]

1. QT all fish, and spend time reading exhaustively about QT procedures. Fish deaths will drive you from the hobby faster than coral deaths. Fish deaths are a punch in the gut. Coral deaths are a punch in the wallet, but we get less emotionally tied to them.
2. Start simple, invest in good lights and lots of water flow.
3. Buy simple fish and simple corals. Don't spend more than $50 on any living thing until your tank is more than a year old.

 

[hiimsean]

Research research research. Don’t relay on others to give you the answers in one fail swoop. I read through forums for probably 6-8 months trying to find the right setup for me before making a decision. I knew my limitations and my requirements for a tank, my budget and what I wanted out of a tank.

When looking at fish I was interested in I read dozens of first had experiences with them before making a decision. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve read “I just bought this fish, what can you tell me about it” posts. And again this goes back to researching. Making rash decisions could cost you 10x’s in the end the cost of a fish.