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snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I wish I had more money.
I wish I bought a bigger tank to begin with instead of wasting hundreds of dollars on smaller aquariums.
I wish that I spent less money on "good quality" stuff and invested more in cheap "durable and long lasting" stuff.
I wish I didn't use crushed coral for my first aquarium.
 
scopus tang

scopus tang

Active Member
What I wish I had done differently?!
Buy a reef-ready tank
Build your own sump
Do Not introduce aptasia to your tank
Do Not introduce the wrong macro-algae to your tank
Do Not introduce the wrong fish to your tank
Etc. Etc. Etc.
Fortunately, as you've already discovered, many of these mistakes can be avoided by reading.
So as others have said; read, be patient, read some more, be patient, read still more, be patient, read again, be patient, read a differen't source, be patient . . . etc.
Here's a link to some of the more commonly suggested reading materials on this site;
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/323229/read-read-read
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
QT my fish...ugh fought ich for almost a year, and am still not positive it has been eradicated in one of my tanks. Reef ready tank is another good one (from scopus' suggestions). I have had many tanks over the years and my last came with overflows...just so much easier. Just can't stress the QT enough though...what a headache
...
 
keebler

keebler

Member
Reef tanks can possibly be put up in a short amount of time, but a noob can't very well accomplish that. I have learned that it is always best to go slow, yeah I started slow, but not slow enough. I have also found that you should not buy ANYTHING without researching it first. I would have gotten a refractometer to begin with, nowadays they only cost like 30-100 dollars and even the cheapest ones are better than hydrometers. Some people will say that their hydrometers are spot on, I call that luck. I would have done an extensive check on the local fish stores in my area. Here there are no good fish stores (anymore), so I either order online or venture to another city. You should questions to the employees at these stores, even if you do know the answers, because it makes the experience way more enjoyable and if the lfs is good, they will enjoy answering the questions. Plus by asking questions that you know the answers to you can test the trustworthiness of the store
 
1knight164

1knight164

Member
MH, sump/fuge, bigger tank (have a 55), and a better tank stand. Once you've got that tank on the stand, kind of difficult (although not impossible) to modify. Should've read some of the tank build threads first.
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Originally Posted by Zilly
http:///forum/post/2734022
If you were setting up your very first tank all over again, knowing what you know now, what is the ONE BIGGEST THING you would do differently??)
SWIM AWAY!
SWIM AWAY!
Seriously though, I would buy better lighting, QT livestock, disinfect all incoming coral, start with something bigger than a 55, and a host of other things that don't come to mind right now, but most of all I would have sought the advice of the good people here at SWF.
 
zilly

zilly

Member
Originally Posted by SpiderWoman
http:///forum/post/2735013
Setup a sump and stay away from canister filters.
Also don't skimp on a skimmer.
But ive read so much good about the Fluval and Ehiem! anyway, I'm not exactly the DIY type so i was thinking canister until i could afford a sump, do you think it should be the other way around? And thanx all for the replys! 'bigger tank' must be the most common... lol im starting with 70gal, its all i can afford
 
jaymz

jaymz

Member
Why throw away $150 on a fluval or ehiem.. they are excellent filters for freshwater but do not do so well with saltwater.. if a full blow sump seems intimidating building a refugium is easier and works much like a sump.
 
zilly

zilly

Member
Originally Posted by Jaymz
http:///forum/post/2735495
Why throw away $150 on a fluval or ehiem.. they are excellent filters for freshwater but do not do so well with saltwater.. if a full blow sump seems intimidating building a refugium is easier and works much like a sump.
A refugium by itself?! That cant be enough filtration! Can it?
 
bgrae001

bgrae001

Member
Originally Posted by Zilly
http:///forum/post/2735498
A refugium by itself?! That cant be enough filtration! Can it?
A fuge will do more natural filtration than a canister will. If you use a filter sock with a fuge it will filter the particulate matter just as well as a canister filter. You have better options with a fuge too. I've used both. I had canister filters on my seahorse tank with a HOB skimmer, and I have a large fuge on my reef tank with an in sump skimmer. With my reef tank all I have to do is replace the filter sock every few weeks, the sump takes care of the rest. With my canister filters I have to replace the activated carbon and phosguard about every 2 weeks and replace the filter floss weekly, it also usually winds up with a lot of build up that needs to be cleaned out monthly.
If you are limited on space a canister filter will work fine with a combo of LR and LS.
BTW my first fuge was a 10 gal tank on my 39 gal FOLR it worked great and that tank started with a HOB filter with a bio wheel that worked well enough.
 
jaymz

jaymz

Member
A sump just allows for chemical filtration, like carbon and floss. I dont use either in my tank and neither do most. If your refugium is big enough yes its can be enough. forcing your water over/thru move lr and ls is the best kind of filtration.
The main point of a sump the way i see it is to increase water volume (refugium does the same), allows you to hide all your equipment, like heaters and skimmer, and has chambers for floss, carbon, lr rubble, etc..
 
zilly

zilly

Member
OK. Can i ask... EXACTLY why a skimmer then? Many have said 'don't skimp on the skimmer'. What exactly does it do?
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Originally Posted by Zilly
http:///forum/post/2735519
OK. Can i ask... EXACTLY why a skimmer then? Many have said 'don't skimp on the skimmer'. What exactly does it do?
It removes particulates and dissolved solids from your water column.
It also increases oxygen content in the water.
 
keebler

keebler

Member
Originally Posted by Zilly
http:///forum/post/2735519
OK. Can i ask... EXACTLY why a skimmer then? Many have said 'don't skimp on the skimmer'. What exactly does it do?
You know when the ocean has waves and foam is produced? That foam is then washed to shore. The purpose of this is that the foam has a lot of microbubbles that trap organic waste and wash them to shore. So a protein skimmer does the same thing. It basically removes most of the organic waste in a system, this means lower nitrates and cleaner water, which in turn means less water changes or smaller water changes.
 
jaymz

jaymz

Member
Originally Posted by Zilly
http:///forum/post/2735519
OK. Can i ask... EXACTLY why a skimmer then? Many have said 'don't skimp on the skimmer'. What exactly does it do?
in more frank terms it removes disolved fish/invert poop, and other disolved matter like extra food, algae waste. Skimmer is actually one of the main forms of filtration on tanks over 40 gallons. A skimmer is a given, so when people talk about sumps/fuges/cannisters/ HOB's they are not talking about it as the only source of filtration.
I just run a fluidized sand bed filter on my 75 with a skimmer. the sand bed filter is rated for a 600 gallon system, so i dont use a sump or fuge. There are a few way to go about it. Most people like the idea of a sump or refugium so they can hide their equipment in it.
 
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