If You Are New to Reef Central, Introduce Yourself Here!

Greetings everyone!

I am new to Reef Central and new to the entire hobby. I have been interested in the concept of raising my own personal reef for years, started to get seriously interested in it about 18 months ago when my daughter and I noticed The Marine Scene across the street from her gymnastic school (and next to my future martial arts school), and now starting serious research on it.

I've never had even a freshwater aquarium - fish alone just never seemed interesting to me. At TMS, I got to see some good samples of how the entire package - fish, coral, invertebrates, etc. - might fit together into an awesome whole. That's when my interest level rose substantially.

A few weeks ago, I revisited TMS with my daughter (who is also intensely interested in this) and spoke with a gentleman there who was extremely helpful - very informative, no sales pressure, deliberately steering me away from impulse purchasing (which wasn't a danger - I did inform him I was on a research mission only) and, in fact, steering me to a very good book which I've read through once so far ("The New Marine Aquarium").

I found WAMAS a couple weeks and, through links there, eventually found my way here as well.

My intent is a several-month research expedition to figure out what it is I truly need in equipment (looking to design ~100gal setup), a couple more months obtaining and setting up the system (sans macroscopic critters) and getting a stable system, and then finally the long road to building my first little reef. All along, I hope to be educating my daughter in the marine science I will be learning on the way.

I expect y'all will hear from me over and over as I work to figure out all the components, sizes, models and other minutia involved with the proper setup and maintenance of these wonderful little ecosystems.

Looking forward to it!
[welcome]
sounds like you're off to a good start, and if you're enjoying the researching stage, you're gonna love having it up and running.
 
Hello all, my name is Ana and I'm new...obviously. New to the hobby as well, but not new to the ocean or its inhabitants. Grew up in Hawaii, California and Maryland. Currently I'm in Oklahoma. Joined to learn more about setting up aquariums and become more knowledgeable about everything before I start!

I'm looking at 30-gal tank since I live in a condo and I am on a budget.
 
Hello all, my name is Ana and I'm new...obviously. New to the hobby as well, but not new to the ocean or its inhabitants. Grew up in Hawaii, California and Maryland. Currently I'm in Oklahoma. Joined to learn more about setting up aquariums and become more knowledgeable about everything before I start!

I'm looking at 30-gal tank since I live in a condo and I am on a budget.

[welcome]
I 29 or 30 gal cube would be a great way to start--everything you need is under the hood
 
Understanding my aquarium

Understanding my aquarium

hi...my name's lisa and i've had a 75g reef/fish tank for the past year, but had a guy coming out every two weeks to take care of it. meanwhile, i've been studying up on everything, and would like to now take care if it myself. my maintenance guy has been using only RO in the tank, but i tend to have a problem with brown algae about five days after a water change. i should be using RO/DI to do the water changes, right? also, should i throw a bag of carbon in the sump (changing it every two weeks), to help as well? thanks!! :)
 
Hi My name is Misty and I am new to saltwater tanks. I have had freshwater tanks since I moved from home. I took a break from them for a while due to moving alot. Now I have bought a home and I have a 55g planted tank. Its not set up totally correct, I still need substrate under my rocks. other than that, I'm happy with it. I hope to go pick up my saltwater tank Saturday. I am talking to someone and trying to work out a deal now. Its a 95g with sump and powerheads and metal halide lighting. Its still set up and has live rock and sand and all. I'm really excited.
 
hi...my name's lisa and i've had a 75g reef/fish tank for the past year, but had a guy coming out every two weeks to take care of it. meanwhile, i've been studying up on everything, and would like to now take care if it myself. my maintenance guy has been using only RO in the tank, but i tend to have a problem with brown algae about five days after a water change. i should be using RO/DI to do the water changes, right? also, should i throw a bag of carbon in the sump (changing it every two weeks), to help as well? thanks!! :)

[welcome]
Yes you should definitely use RO/DI, get yourself a tds meter and check what it is. if it's not 0 then you may very well be having problems with algae. While you're at it check your nitrates and phosphates to make sure they are not the cause. as for the carbon, yes it will help polish the water, you can probably go longer than 2 weeks.. try a month.
 
Hi My name is Misty and I am new to saltwater tanks. I have had freshwater tanks since I moved from home. I took a break from them for a while due to moving alot. Now I have bought a home and I have a 55g planted tank. Its not set up totally correct, I still need substrate under my rocks. other than that, I'm happy with it. I hope to go pick up my saltwater tank Saturday. I am talking to someone and trying to work out a deal now. Its a 95g with sump and powerheads and metal halide lighting. Its still set up and has live rock and sand and all. I'm really excited.

[welcome]
Hope you get that 95, congrats on owning your own home.
 
Hello everyone,
First post, I'm glad to have found this place. I took the plunge and purchased a 54 gallon corner tank with overflow, sump and protein skimmer wave maker, 75lbs. of Fiji rock and several pounds of live sand. New to saltwater and I'm excited/scared to death. After keeping and accidentally breeding fancy goldfish a few years ago, which unfortunately died afterwards due to the increased bilogical activity and my inexperience, I took the plunge. This looks like a great place to be and I'm sure I'll be posting a ton of questions in the near future, Presently the tank has been running for 2 days. I have no lighting as of yet and am open to suggestions, I am leaning towards some hard corals etc... Looking for recomendations for livestock once things get in their groove... a yellow Tang is a must but, I would like some recommendations for what else makes a good tankmate. I am enamoured by Volitans but probably won't go that route, as I'm going to add a decent sized cleaning crew in the next few weeks. I am looking to make the display elegant colorful and vibrant. I am all ears!!!
 
Hello everyone,
First post, I'm glad to have found this place. I took the plunge and purchased a 54 gallon corner tank with overflow, sump and protein skimmer wave maker, 75lbs. of Fiji rock and several pounds of live sand. New to saltwater and I'm excited/scared to death. After keeping and accidentally breeding fancy goldfish a few years ago, which unfortunately died afterwards due to the increased bilogical activity and my inexperience, I took the plunge. This looks like a great place to be and I'm sure I'll be posting a ton of questions in the near future, Presently the tank has been running for 2 days. I have no lighting as of yet and am open to suggestions, I am leaning towards some hard corals etc... Looking for recomendations for livestock once things get in their groove... a yellow Tang is a must but, I would like some recommendations for what else makes a good tankmate. I am enamoured by Volitans but probably won't go that route, as I'm going to add a decent sized cleaning crew in the next few weeks. I am looking to make the display elegant colorful and vibrant. I am all ears!!!
 
Hello everyone, just thought I would stop in and say hello. I've only been reefing for the last year but have been doing freshwater and saltwater tanks for last 15 years. Hope to meet some new fellow reefers on here! ;) Thanks, ron.
 
Hello everyone,
First post, I'm glad to have found this place. I took the plunge and purchased a 54 gallon corner tank with overflow, sump and protein skimmer wave maker, 75lbs. of Fiji rock and several pounds of live sand. New to saltwater and I'm excited/scared to death. After keeping and accidentally breeding fancy goldfish a few years ago, which unfortunately died afterwards due to the increased bilogical activity and my inexperience, I took the plunge. This looks like a great place to be and I'm sure I'll be posting a ton of questions in the near future, Presently the tank has been running for 2 days. I have no lighting as of yet and am open to suggestions, I am leaning towards some hard corals etc... Looking for recomendations for livestock once things get in their groove... a yellow Tang is a must but, I would like some recommendations for what else makes a good tankmate. I am enamoured by Volitans but probably won't go that route, as I'm going to add a decent sized cleaning crew in the next few weeks. I am looking to make the display elegant colorful and vibrant. I am all ears!!!
[welcome]
Sounds like you're off to a good start. having a yellow tang in a 75 is pushing the limits, tangs swim quite a distance in the wild. they can cover 4 feet of tank is less then a second. Not saying they are off limits but be ready to give him a good home when he gets too big. If you wan a reef tank then you can't have a volitan, it'll be either an aggressive fish only tank or a reef tank.
Here read through this thread it's full of great information.

Good Luck
 
Thanks for the warm welcome!! I've been reading that post for several hours, it has me convinced that I should wait several weeks before I add anything to my tank. I just remembered how much fun dealing with ich was too. Once again thank you!!:o
 
hey my name is keegan, i just started to put together a 55 gal reef tank. alot of people recommended this site so here i am, i have plenty of questions so please be patient with me, thank you
 
Thanks for the warm welcome!! I've been reading that post for several hours, it has me convinced that I should wait several weeks before I add anything to my tank. I just remembered how much fun dealing with ich was too. Once again thank you!!:o

Yes the several weeks is the hard part. I'm at week 1 for my 125 rebuild, it's gonna be a while.......staring at rock and water doesn't do too mch for me these days. 6 weeks hurry up and get here!!! :)
 
hey my name is keegan, i just started to put together a 55 gal reef tank. alot of people recommended this site so here i am, i have plenty of questions so please be patient with me, thank you
[welcome]
Sounds like the people that suggested you come here are great guys and steered you in the right direction. Start new threads and ask away, try out the search function, chances are, someone has asked the very same question already. Good luck with your new 55.
 
Hello my is Jeremy. I am the Vice President of Mason Dixion Reef Club (MDRC). I currently have a 110g Mixed reef and a 55g Fish only tank. The 55g is currently empty untill I get the correct stuff built and bought lol. I will post my build thread up in the next couple of days.
 
Newbie

Newbie

Hello my name is Robert, just started a new 10 gallon fowler set up and all is looking good. Did measurements this morning and just the ph was at 7.8 other than that everything is was perfect. Water was at 1.024 and temp about 77.6. I added 2 juvenile clownfish and they seem to be doing well. I am moving into a 75 gal. setup, but wanted to start here and see how it goes. I have all the equipment, proclear wet/dry 150, berlin skimmer, ca 2200 and rio 800 pumps, max jet 1200 pump, heater, oolitic fiji sand, coralife 4ft lunar aqualight, etc. just trying to learn how to put it together and start out slow. Purcahsed a RO/DI system to help with water. Any tips would be helpful?
 
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