How hard are marine tanks really?

[allen00se]

Well as said before, it all depends on what type of set up you have, I have a 46 gallon bow front. Two tangs, a pair of clowns, pair of damsels, gbta and a sebae anemone, two shrimp, and various, sps and lps. When I first started this tank I was testing every other day, and doing weekly water changes, but now that I have a refuge with a dsb, I havent done a water change in prob 6 months, I havent run my skimmer in almost two, and everything in my tank is thriving, I even tested my water the other day for the first time in a couple months and there are zero nitrates....
Now im not going to assume that this will last forever but its just proof that you dont have to be overwhelmed with maintenance...

 

[Cubman777]

Here's the bottom line on how difficult it is to keep a marine aquarium:
IT IS AS HARD AS YOU WANT TO MAKE IT. There are countless challenges available to the hobbyist. It doesnt have to be hard. see Cristhiam. But it can definately be as difficult as you want it to or let it become.
The evidence is in THIS website, Reef Cental. Look around the forums. Nearly every thread is "Can you help me with this? Can you help me with that?" If it were not difficult, this would not be the way it is.
I could go on forever with this reply, but I'll let it go. You get the idea I'm sure.

 

[ggenz]

Hey thanks for even more thoughts.

It's definately something for me to think about now.

 

[MyCatsDrool]

like i said, it is apples and oranges.

 

[ReefEze]

Re: How hard are marine tanks really?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8309385#post8309385 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ggenz
...could the hobby of keeping marine tanks be taught to 7th and 8th grade boys?

I got my first tank when I was in 7th grade, had my first reef tank with coral up and running in 8th grade

 

[ReefEze]

Apocallypse -- I think you are underestimating the intellect of truely curious 7th or 8th graders. When I began in 7/8th grade, I was so interested in the hobby that I devoured books, and I knew all about reef aquariums. So much so that one of my fathers friends, a longtime reefkeeper, began asking me for advice.

The truest thing is that you can not force reefkeeping on anyone. But if they do become interested in it, I see no reason why intelligent middle graders can't participate just as well as older reefers.

 

[Apocallypse]

reefEze, might want to read the thread again...

i'm on the 7th and 8th graders side

was my whole arguement.. over written but , my primary arguement.

 

[ggenz]

It sounds like it might work.

 

[ReefEze]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8340366#post8340366 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Apocallypse
reefEze, might want to read the thread again...

i'm on the 7th and 8th graders side

was my whole arguement.. over written but , my primary arguement.

Yeah, I ment that by questioning their capacity to understand what is going on completely (i.e. I think that 7th and 8th graders have the ability to learn just as completely and fully about reefkeeping as do more mature people)

But yes, we're both on the same side. Nice :thumbsup:

:lol:

 

[hgbarwick]

My son who is i the 8th grade has kept a tank all through middle shcool. It is the 12 gallon aquapod reef. He has great intrest in the hobby and helps me out a lot with my tank. he is getting ready to set up a 3 gallon pico to keep also.

 

[naru]

Let's see, my current tank has few fish (clowns and demsels) with some soft corals. For the past five years or so it's been going w/out a problem.

Last week I started a tank for my daughter with some guppies.
All the guppies promptly died.

So in my experience, guppies are more difficult then SW tank

I shouldn't have bought the fish at Petsmart!

 

[ADA33]

Thats so funny. I swear that my planted aquarium is harder to take care of then my reef tank.