New To The Hobby And Scared.
- Thread starter n3cron
- Start date
MrHermit85
Active Member
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2013
- Location
- London, Ontario
Hello and welcome to the hobby! No reason to be scared just take it slow and follow the basics. If you get stuck ask here as there is a huge pool of knowledgeable people itching to help 
.
What are your plans?
.What are your plans?
Welcome to the hobby. You are right, it can be overwhelming at times. Just take things slow, don't do any spontaneous purchases and do not be afraid to ask questions. The nice thing about this site is that we are all straight shooters and will tell you what needs to be said without outside influences. Pictures always help when asking questions. There is an app called Tapatalk, it is free and you can use this forum through it. If you take pictures with your phone you can share them here directly from your phone with the app without worrying about sizes and such.
Oh, also there is a gathering happening June 8th, London Fragfest, it is a great opportunity to come out and meet people from the community, check out a lot of great vendors, support a good cause and all around good time.
Oh, also there is a gathering happening June 8th, London Fragfest, it is a great opportunity to come out and meet people from the community, check out a lot of great vendors, support a good cause and all around good time.
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2012
- Location
- Rocky Mountains BC
Welcome. Just don't buy all the stuff the 'local fish store' guy tries to sell you, and you'll do fine.
In this hobby, EVERYTHING is dependent on stability. If something starts to die, don't try to 'fix' the tank overnight. Oh, and don't buy and put just any kind of coral into the tank, a lot of things are pests, and you will regret it later (I remember being sold a coral with a "BONUS ANEMONE" on it by one lovely past member of the community. I still have those "bonus" anemones show up in my tank 15 years later). Not all fish stores are like this, but they are out there. If they want to sell you a fix, just avoid.
Pests:
ANY AND ALL PALYS, YES ALL OF THEM
GREEN STAR POLYPS
AIPTASIA (also sometimes known as 'bonus anemones')
Most crabs
Most starfish
Most montipora
Leather coral
damselfish (just say no to damsels)
Get your tank set up early with a good skimmer, and a reactor running GFO. You won't have to swap media right away, and you may think it's doing nothing, but that means it's working. It's the countermeasures to 'old tank syndrome' and Hair Algae.
Best of luck. Ask here because we DO NOT accept any kind of outside influence on our opinions. We just want you to succeed.
In this hobby, EVERYTHING is dependent on stability. If something starts to die, don't try to 'fix' the tank overnight. Oh, and don't buy and put just any kind of coral into the tank, a lot of things are pests, and you will regret it later (I remember being sold a coral with a "BONUS ANEMONE" on it by one lovely past member of the community. I still have those "bonus" anemones show up in my tank 15 years later). Not all fish stores are like this, but they are out there. If they want to sell you a fix, just avoid.
Pests:
ANY AND ALL PALYS, YES ALL OF THEM
GREEN STAR POLYPS
AIPTASIA (also sometimes known as 'bonus anemones')
Most crabs
Most starfish
Most montipora
Leather coral
damselfish (just say no to damsels)
Get your tank set up early with a good skimmer, and a reactor running GFO. You won't have to swap media right away, and you may think it's doing nothing, but that means it's working. It's the countermeasures to 'old tank syndrome' and Hair Algae.
Best of luck. Ask here because we DO NOT accept any kind of outside influence on our opinions. We just want you to succeed.
My advice to you is get the tank up and running. Add only a fish or two and let it mature for a few months to cycle. Then you can start adding corals and other fish slowly once it is more stable. As you are so new take that time to look into tank husbandry and things like the nitrogen cycle. You should be well informed before you start adding living things to the tank. The welfare of the tank inhabitants should be your top priority. This cycle time will also teach you something very important to this hobby. Patience. Fast and reef tanks don't mix so learn this valuable lesson early on.
This is by far the cheapest and most stable way of setting up a tank as you don't burn through corals and fish till the tank is stable. A lot of new hobbyist today jump right in and dump money on corals and fish and they end up killing most of them or causing algae blooms because the bio load isn't yet stable and able to handle it. A solid foundation that is built up during a slow cycle phase is the difference between a successful tank and a failed one. Would you want your house to be built in a few days and move in right away? Or would you want it built solid over time and let the foundation settle so you don't get cracks and shoddy work done because it was fast and not slow and well planned out.
The cycle time will allow you to plan for the future as well. You will be able to see what tank design you want and the things you would like to keep. Instead of buying a bunch of things you have no idea how to keep\use then realizing this wasn't the direction you wanted to go in, didn't need it or realizing the things you got aren't compatible. Or worse case you kill off things because someone told you it was easy to keep or it was added and the tank wasn't ready.
If you are informed as much as possible you will have the necessary tools you need for a thriving tank. Because really isn't learning about the things you want to keep a major reason someone gets into the hobby? If you go over threads in the tank section you will see the people that did slow and steady were successful vs the fast and loose approach. You will notice the fast and loose approach most of those people are no longer in the hobby or they had big tank disasters and lost livestock.
This is by far the cheapest and most stable way of setting up a tank as you don't burn through corals and fish till the tank is stable. A lot of new hobbyist today jump right in and dump money on corals and fish and they end up killing most of them or causing algae blooms because the bio load isn't yet stable and able to handle it. A solid foundation that is built up during a slow cycle phase is the difference between a successful tank and a failed one. Would you want your house to be built in a few days and move in right away? Or would you want it built solid over time and let the foundation settle so you don't get cracks and shoddy work done because it was fast and not slow and well planned out.
The cycle time will allow you to plan for the future as well. You will be able to see what tank design you want and the things you would like to keep. Instead of buying a bunch of things you have no idea how to keep\use then realizing this wasn't the direction you wanted to go in, didn't need it or realizing the things you got aren't compatible. Or worse case you kill off things because someone told you it was easy to keep or it was added and the tank wasn't ready.
If you are informed as much as possible you will have the necessary tools you need for a thriving tank. Because really isn't learning about the things you want to keep a major reason someone gets into the hobby? If you go over threads in the tank section you will see the people that did slow and steady were successful vs the fast and loose approach. You will notice the fast and loose approach most of those people are no longer in the hobby or they had big tank disasters and lost livestock.
First of all, waw. I did not expect that much responses for my first post ever. Seems like am joining an extremely friendly community.
The tank I chose would be the Redsea max E 170.
As am on a tight budget, I felt that the setup for this tank would allow me future upgrades to just get myself started. The tank is only 45 gallons but for the future am planning on adding a sump and a Fuge with bigger skimmer.
I think that Algae would be my biggest fear as it would discourage me as first timer.
I actually have a question, from what I have seen, quarantine is the best practice. However, in my case, I just spent most of what I have on the main tank and I don’t really have anything to spare for a quarantine system. I was just gonna risk it at the beginning as I won’t have much livestock to risk. Any advice there?
And again, thank each and everyone of you who took the time to welcome me in.
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The tank I chose would be the Redsea max E 170.
As am on a tight budget, I felt that the setup for this tank would allow me future upgrades to just get myself started. The tank is only 45 gallons but for the future am planning on adding a sump and a Fuge with bigger skimmer.
I think that Algae would be my biggest fear as it would discourage me as first timer.
I actually have a question, from what I have seen, quarantine is the best practice. However, in my case, I just spent most of what I have on the main tank and I don’t really have anything to spare for a quarantine system. I was just gonna risk it at the beginning as I won’t have much livestock to risk. Any advice there?
And again, thank each and everyone of you who took the time to welcome me in.
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The military popular risk is Marine crypto getting introduced inti your tank. More commonly known as ich. Once it is in your tank the only way to get rid of it 100% is to remove all fish for several months while treating the fish with medication in a hospital tank. Most hobbiests do not QT. Many have ich in their tank and dont know it.
Most hobbiests don't QT and just risk it and/or deal with it if it showed. Carl's Aquarium will QT his fish for you.
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Most hobbiests don't QT and just risk it and/or deal with it if it showed. Carl's Aquarium will QT his fish for you.
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Where is Carl’s aquarium? I tried to google it but took me to North Bend.
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https://www.facebook.com/carlthefishguy/
http://carlsaquarium.com/
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kapelan
Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2015
- Location
- Kitchener, Ontario
Quarantine is required if you already have a working system.
Especially when invested $ with 3-4 zero.
For established system the question is coming: would you add a creature to a system that cost $1000-$5000 without quarantine?
Definitely not.
In case the system is new - you can add anything you want - that just a matter of loosing existing investment.
For a new tank investment = $0
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2012
- Location
- Rocky Mountains BC
I'm in the "no quarantine" group. Ich exists in all marine animals, or at least a LOT of them, fresh or salt. Ideally I suppose I would set up a quarantine tank, but there's nothing to say simply taking a fish out of quarantine and putting him in a new tank won't re-stress a fish.
I will admit I don't really put a lot of value in the fish, I'm all about the sticks, and sticks don't get ich
I will admit I don't really put a lot of value in the fish, I'm all about the sticks, and sticks don't get ich
![[KRAFTIG]](/community/data/avatars/m/1/1635.jpg?1495844666){kind=avatar}
My advice, watch the series at BRS "52 Weeks of Reefing". I've learned much here!
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/video-category/52-weeks-of-reefing
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/video-category/52-weeks-of-reefing
I am a huge fan of BRS. I have watched it all. It’s just sometimes kinda hard to apply what you learn from videos and posts to a specific situation where the variables are a bit different.
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Patients....more patients
Make changes slowly
When things are going well, don’t try to make them better
Maintenance... consistently a little at a time.
Things go wrong when you pay too much attention or not enough.
TIL I have no idea
Make changes slowly
When things are going well, don’t try to make them better
Maintenance... consistently a little at a time.
Things go wrong when you pay too much attention or not enough.
TIL I have no idea
Just an update. Unfortunately, Red Sea pulled out the max E 170 from the market to switch the hydra lights with their own brand instead. Not sure yet if that’s a good thing or a bad thing but I think time will tell. As a result, me buying my first tank has been postponed to about the end of May.
Am a little bit upset about it which made me email Red Sea with a very angry email and their response was pretty automated.
I really want to thank everyone again for their support and I can’t wait to be a part of the community again as soon as I get the tank.
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Am a little bit upset about it which made me email Red Sea with a very angry email and their response was pretty automated.
I really want to thank everyone again for their support and I can’t wait to be a part of the community again as soon as I get the tank.
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MrHermit85
Active Member
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2013
- Location
- London, Ontario
That is an interesting move from their part. I wonder how the lights compare quality wise. I doubt they would put crappy lights out, but of course new is a hard sell against a proven brand like AI
Sorry your build is set back but good for you for not just jumping in...
Sorry your build is set back but good for you for not just jumping in...
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So this happened today. It will be a while until I get everything for it but at least I am now committed. The sump is a little small for my liking but I think it will do. Will update you guys after assembly.
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