FANTASY REEF BUILD

I agree about the research point. However, I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say that collectively as Joe and Betty's brain, we should be able to fast forward to a point where they have gained the knowledge necessary to make intelligent decisions. After getting up to speed on everything, they do need to set a budget. Once their budget is in place, I'd vote that they need to make a decision on what type of corals and fish they'd like to keep (primarily just corals). By knowing generally what kind of equipment they may need based on their livestock, they can then make a more educated decision on what equipment they will most likely need (not specific brands, sizes, etc; instead MH vs. T5 vs. PC).
 
1. They have limited knowledge as stated in the 2nd paragraph.

2. She has never own a reef tank and wants to be involved.

3. He hasn't own a tank in over 4 years and isn't aware of any advancements in hardware, any innovative reefing practices, etc.

4. All they have is the time, the money and the willingness to have a reef tank filled with zoas and palys which is what Joe kept in college.



Budget, tank size, tank placement and live stock, it's up to you guys/gals to decide. Great feedback BTW.
 
Forgot to add books/research.


Budget, tank size, tank placement, live stock or do some reading and research online and purchase some good reference material/books, it's up to you guys/gals to decide. What should they do first?

Mucho Reef
 
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It's not old IMO, I added books/research. Let everyone decide with their own feedback and lets have fun with it my friend.
 
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Alright, if I were Joe I would spend a TON of time researching complete setups that have been are running well for at least two or more years, and obviously on zoanthid/palys tanks. I would also find as many experienced reefers as I could, and ask each one of them questions like: "What are your recommendations for setting up a large aquarium?" 95% of the people out there, are more than happy to help new reefers start up a tank.


Anyway, thats a 16 year old's 2 cents :) (For now at least)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13472677#post13472677 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by weluvfish54
we'll see. if your good. mucho grande moron-o
What is your problem again?
Clearly Mucho was trying to get to millie's answer, which was to go research the animals and they think they can reasonably keep, by going to Reef Central and reading.
 
I agree on the research also. I assumed we were past that. I read for a year before I started up a FOWLR tank 14 years ago. I went around to all the LFS's to pick their brains also. When I did that I also found out who I would be buying off of also. I realized who would sell me anything they could no matter if I needed it or not. I still buy my fish off of one of the stores that gained my respect. Fellow reefers are probably the best resource. You can actually see their results.

My next would be tank location. I probably would not set the budget until I figured out what I wanted to keep and the size tank. Setting the budget first before the research and deciding what size tank is pointless. That would be like me setting a budget and not knowing if I want a mountain bike, motorcycle, sub compact car, or a high-end SUV
 
todd03blown & Paul_PSU, wanna share the books you read which helped the most?
 
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Marine Atlas - Baensch
The Reef Aquarium (vol 1, 2, 3) - Delbeek and Sprung
Book of Coral Propagation- Calfo
Reef Invertebrates - Calfo and Fenner
 
I would set my budget first, then start researching costs. I would much rather find out that I need more money before I waste any time on anything. I'd hate to be thinking I'm going to set up a 220 then get disappointed when I find out how much it's going to cost if it's over my budget. Set the budget first, then make the costs fit into it. That way they don't feel like the new tank is sucking up ALL their money when they go over budget. Set the budget at $10K. This IS a fantasy right.
 
For me "The Reef Aquarium 3" from delbeek and spung is one of the most easy uptodate books that I've read, very comprehensive and covers most of the criteria that we can discus, it offers descriptions on type of filtrations, equipment, chemestry stuff without being to technical or complicated.

just my opinion
 
I'd recommend they start by joining a local club. They will have direct interaction with other hobbyists and exposure to many different setups, concepts, etc. Local clubs can also be a great resource for equipment, livestock and labor help once they start the actual setup.
 
As a newcomer who would have gained valuable insight from a discussion like this with expienced folks, it would save valuable time to first establish a budget. It can be very demoralizing to desire one set up only to realize the funds are too limited. This may cause a new hobbyist to wait instead of enjoying the expierencenow.
 
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