Getting Back Into The Hobby After 20 Or So Years

[Detritus]

I am so grateful to have found this site. So much great information in one spot!

I've been out of the hobby for such a long time it nice to revisit the knowledge base all of the members here have contributed to. So much has changed.

I used to keep a 240-gallon system, then switched to keeping octopus for a couple of years then left the hobby altogether after a power failure destroyed tank and inhabitants.

I was curious where to get really high quality live rock these days. My prime interest is strangely enough not necessarily fish or many corals but rather watching the numerous tiny invertebrates, sponges, tunicates etc., slowly grow from the rock.

I look forward to reading the threads and getting my hands wet again.

 

[Winks]

Welcome back to the hobby. There is a wealth of knowledge here, and some might fine reefers too.

 

[derrick orosz]

Welcome! This place has all the answers you’ll ever need

 

[Detritus]

Thanks

 

[gowyn]

I’m in the same boat. Back after about fifteen years

One thing that’s still the same, still a money pit...haha

As to real live rock, things seem to have shifted away from that. Hard to come by

Best of luck and welcome back


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RobH.]

I agree the rock isn't the same as we got years ago I too left the hobby to raise a family and remember christmastree worms and all sorts of life on the rock slowly start to emerge my first tank was just 20 lb of rock and a nem for the longest time.

 

[Detritus]

I guess it’s both good and bad. I used to feel conflicted because 20 years ago the hobby did seem unsustainable. Now it is encouraging to see how propagation is now the norm and not the exception. Perhaps I should look in the direction of cultured or even dry rock.

 

[Steve Peters]

I would never go back to "wild live rock" after setting up with manufactured rock. Pest free is a huge plus. Been at this for 27 years and things have changed so much. I do remember the thrill of finding new critters on wild reef rock but considering the damage to our wild reefs we all need to do our part in preserving what remains in the wild. Welcome back to the game.

 

[Detritus]

Sorry if this is a stupid question but do you avoid initial hair and bubble algae when using dry rock? Is coralline algae introduced on carol frags from other hobbyists tanks?

 

[Copperkills]

Bubble algae yes, filamentous algae no, and coralline algae must be introduced into your tank for it to “appear” and grow. I typically use scrapings of coralline algae from other tanks to seed my tank with it.

 

[Detritus]

Thanks