sea keeper
Member
That you shouldnt get a tank thats so tall that you have to get step stool out everytime you want to clean in the tank...
I hate being short!! 
what's the 1st thing you wish you had known
- Thread starter chachi
- Start date
mystic7
Member
Originally Posted by BadOleRoss
I wish I had know to leave my tank further away from the wall to leave plenty of room for the dozens of things you need to plug in
I forgot about that one. Set up my tank, added substrate, positioned (at the time) my fake corals and lava rock, added water, went to plug in.... the stand was 1/8" too close to the wall!!! I fought for 45 minutes to wedge the power strip plug into the outlet. I finally got a pair of plyers and managed to wiggle it in. If the stand had been 1/8" further away or like 2" to the right, no problem. That was aggravating!
I wish I had know to leave my tank further away from the wall to leave plenty of room for the dozens of things you need to plug in
I forgot about that one. Set up my tank, added substrate, positioned (at the time) my fake corals and lava rock, added water, went to plug in.... the stand was 1/8" too close to the wall!!! I fought for 45 minutes to wedge the power strip plug into the outlet. I finally got a pair of plyers and managed to wiggle it in. If the stand had been 1/8" further away or like 2" to the right, no problem. That was aggravating!
hachi_roku
Member
man am learning so much here i dont know what us begginers woud do with out you guy i say thanx
agent707
Member
What I learned.... was it was a LOT easier and cheaper 15 years ago when I lived on Okinawa, 1.5 miles from the ocean and reef. I just had to make a trip to the ocean with a van full of jugs and coolers and come back and stock my tank with fresh ocean water, rocks, and fish... all in an afternoons work.
Water changes? Heck with RO water... I'd just make anther trip to the tide pools... get a few more fish while I was there too. (Had a fish in my tank that kept eatting my blue damsels). I probably went through 100 damsels that year. hehe.
Cost? 'Bout a gallon of gas I suppose. <those were the days>
Honestly. Once I decided to do it the "store bought way", I failed to do any research on what to buy/setup. Too many mistakes to list them.
Water changes? Heck with RO water... I'd just make anther trip to the tide pools... get a few more fish while I was there too. (Had a fish in my tank that kept eatting my blue damsels). I probably went through 100 damsels that year. hehe.
Cost? 'Bout a gallon of gas I suppose. <those were the days>
Honestly. Once I decided to do it the "store bought way", I failed to do any research on what to buy/setup. Too many mistakes to list them.
edal
New Member
I always had fresh water fish but am afraid to jump into the salt water with the problems and expense. I was thinking about trying the salt water out with my 10 Gallon tank and just having 2 fish as a test and to learn for a year before I jumped into getting a large saltwater tank. I realize 10 gallons is very small but does that sound like a good idea.
symon
Member
PATIENCE! PATENCE! PATIENCE! That is the key for sure!
I have to say that a pc combo is a fine addition, But MH is the way to go!
Find yourself someplace that sells water , not wally world! You will actually get RO water, not just bottled tap water that has set for months in a warehouse!
Welcome to the Boards , welcome to the hobby and Enjoy!
I have to say that a pc combo is a fine addition, But MH is the way to go!
Find yourself someplace that sells water , not wally world! You will actually get RO water, not just bottled tap water that has set for months in a warehouse!
Welcome to the Boards , welcome to the hobby and Enjoy!
merredeth
Active Member
Originally Posted by sarwiz100
DITTO,DITTO,DITTO more addictive than almost anything else I can think of . :happyfish
Trust me, get into classic cars, Corvettes and carshows and I'll show you expensive.
We still don't spend as much on tank needs after setting them up than we do on car related stuff.
Denise M.
DITTO,DITTO,DITTO more addictive than almost anything else I can think of . :happyfish
Trust me, get into classic cars, Corvettes and carshows and I'll show you expensive.
We still don't spend as much on tank needs after setting them up than we do on car related stuff.
Denise M.
pieguy
New Member
Originally Posted by Jerth6932
Glad I said it to you then!!!
RO water is a pure form of water that you use in your tank, so you don't get nitrates, phosphates, ect. These things come in you normal drinking water. You can purchase a unit, or you can buy it from the store (wally world, food store) It costs about .40 -$1 a gallon! You can purchase a Ro unit they will range from $100 up in price, but are well worth the price of them!!!! ( If you are getting a tank from your friend check with them to see if they already have the RO unit!!)
Some people even use Distilled water, but alot of people frown on it cause alot of distelled water is made from Copper coils, and if copper gets in the water, and potentialy in your system it can cause some problemes with you tank, inverts, ect.... (if you go that way make sure that they dont use copper coils to make it!)
I have had to start over again in some degree. My tank leaked and I sealed it. I have live rock that I saved and a star fish. With the old CC as a substrate and new RO water, do I need to wait b4 I add fish. I put in a piece of frozen food to feed the star. Any thoughts?
Glad I said it to you then!!!
RO water is a pure form of water that you use in your tank, so you don't get nitrates, phosphates, ect. These things come in you normal drinking water. You can purchase a unit, or you can buy it from the store (wally world, food store) It costs about .40 -$1 a gallon! You can purchase a Ro unit they will range from $100 up in price, but are well worth the price of them!!!! ( If you are getting a tank from your friend check with them to see if they already have the RO unit!!)
Some people even use Distilled water, but alot of people frown on it cause alot of distelled water is made from Copper coils, and if copper gets in the water, and potentialy in your system it can cause some problemes with you tank, inverts, ect.... (if you go that way make sure that they dont use copper coils to make it!)
I have had to start over again in some degree. My tank leaked and I sealed it. I have live rock that I saved and a star fish. With the old CC as a substrate and new RO water, do I need to wait b4 I add fish. I put in a piece of frozen food to feed the star. Any thoughts?
pieguy
New Member
I cant believe I'm doing this tank again. First I'm an idiot and dont add plain RO water for make up. My salinity climbed and my fish died. I even had taken my time with live rock, cycled tank and adding fish slow and after 6 months it went to Hell. So I drain it (saved my live rock) and set it up again. While it was cycling again(2 weeks into it) I have a leak, so I drain it and silicone it. I wish I knew there was a silicone good for tanks and one that was toxic. After 4 weeks my new fish died again. I replaced my silicone with the right stuff and I got some RO water and have 10 lbs LR with CC and will have to wait some more b4 fish. Instead of adding a shrimp to move the cycle along, will the piece of frozen Silversides that I threw in for my saved Chocolate chip star and blue legged crab get it going good enough???
And that this forum exists is a BIG bonus.
And that this forum exists is a BIG bonus.
falsechoes
New Member
Originally Posted by ruaround
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/36983/best-piece-of-advice check the date...
RUAROUND -
You wouldn't be willing to mentor a newbie Idahoan... The only thing I know is I want a saltwater tank... I need guideance on what I need, ect ect... :help:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/36983/best-piece-of-advice check the date...
RUAROUND -
You wouldn't be willing to mentor a newbie Idahoan... The only thing I know is I want a saltwater tank... I need guideance on what I need, ect ect... :help:
reeferfish
New Member
I learned the hard way that you should invest your time and money on the live rock and sand first, because it's very difficult to add once you've began stocking the tank with animals. I have about 130lbs of seasoned live rock in my 90gallon, but I'm wanting to add another 80+ lbs. It's taken over a year finally have a stable tank. I would like to order it from saltwaterfish.com, but I'm worried about it crashing my tank. The last time i ordered 50lbs, it came overnight, but it was dried out and there were nats in the box. I dont want to take any chances with that kind of $. Any suggestions?