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

[pbernardo711]

Newbie

Newbie

Hi Everyone,

New to the hobby but have always been fascinated about it. I have had a few people that warned me to stay away from this hobby since it is time consuming, expensive, blah blah...Good thing I didn't listen to them.

I love staring at my tank and always wonder what else I can do to improve it. Its a hypnotizing hobby.

Neways, just wanted to say hi to all of you.

 

[angelofrapture]

Hello -

I am new for the second time... getting back into the hobby after a long period of low maintenance/inactivity (read: children). Now that the kids are a bit older, I have time to play in the water again!

I'm currently running a Red Sea MAX 250. We moved in mid-July, so I'm going to call the tank age one month, although the live sand & live rock have been around much longer. We were able to keep about half the tank water, and barely had a cycle, but I believe in being slow and cautious! Traded in my clownfish as they wanted to own the entire tank, so all I'm currently housing is a small CUC and a cleaner shrimp. Yesterday I added a few gorgeous bright scarlet mushrooms and two tiny zoa frags - one long skirted variety with bright peach centers and a baby blue/lavendar ring, and one lime green variety with dark burgundy skirts.

I feel as if I'm starting all over since I've been 'out of the hobby' for years - between the new tech available, the different techniques that have come into favor, and the things I've just plain forgotten! So it's been research-research-research as I try to plan my stocking list and decide whether to stick to soft corals only or brave the new-to-me wonders of LPS.

 

[CICHLIDcrazed]

Hello RC.

Hello RC.

Well I'm Darin and I been keeping fish for just about 2 years now. Freshwater for 2 and my reef for about a year. Im ready to sell all of my fresh stuff and convert everything to reef. I love the fish and corals. I currently have a 14 gal biocube with clowns, firefish, royal gramma, mandarin goby, and a sand sifting goby. im just now putting corals in and im in love with the colors.

 

[DR REEF]

92 gallon Corner tank SPS project

92 gallon Corner tank SPS project

Hello all, I am just getting back into the Hobby, and I'm looking for some suggestions on building a 92g corner Mostly SPS tank. I was way into the hobby about 8yrs ago, and I'm planning a comeback tour. I have noticed equipment has come a long way in 8 yrs. I was looking for some suggestions on a nice pump, skimmer, and lighting for this tank. The tank came with a Bio ball 13g sump setup. I am thinking of using sump just doing some mods to it.(suggestions here would be useful also) I have been doing a little research on skimmers,lights,etc. But let's just say I don't always trust the guy pushing the merchandise. So I figure why not ask the source. Cost is a concern, but sometimes u gotta pay for the good stuff and I'm ok with that. I believe in do it right the first time. So if anyone can give me some info on equipment you use or like it would be greatly appreciated. Thanx

 

[Ohionewbee]

Hey guys,

New here and to saltwater. I have had freshwater during childhood and have always wanted saltwater fish and or reef. So my wife surprised me with a used 55 gallon with cabinet and some filtration that came with. Currently its 4 weeks old and all is going well except for losing two cleaner shrimp two days apart after only being in tank for one week. Here is what I have, Agr. sand, 40lb fiji live rock. As far as stock is concerned, yellow fin clown, blue velvet damsel, magenta dottyback, sand blenny, 10 or so hermit crabs, banggai cardinal, pencil urchin, & emerald crab. I think the crab is the culprit for the shrimp dying. Equip. is a Fluval 405, tek-light 45 w/ dual t-5 bulbs, & a remora pro skimmer. The remora has been a pain to get working properly and to trust it to not overflow into our family room. Plan to add coral and am very excited to do so. I guess my only questions currently would be, when do i know my tank is ready for coral? Is my lighting enough? What are easy coral to start with? Glad to be on board and get helpful insight on my new hobby! Thanks in advance!

Bill

 

[Psirex]

New Salty Here....

New Salty Here....

Psirex is the name (Sigh-Rex).....:wavehand:

Current:

2 Yellow Tail damsels
1 Dominio Damsel
1 Hippo Tang
1 Atlantic Blue Tang
1 Flame Hawkfish
1 True Percula Clown
1 Green Mandarin
3 Turbo Zebra snails

120gl tank, 125 protein Skimmer (water is cloudy - but all test comeback fine)

New to saltwater (and loving it)...

 

[kamen_BG]

Hi all
My name is Kamen. I`m from Bulgaria. I`m a brand new in the Reef Central. I`m tring to develop this extremely beautiful hobby in a country where it is almost impossible to get adequate advice and help. Very glad that you exist.
So, I have just recently got into the saltwater/reef hobby about 6 months ago. I`m a owner of 120 galons tank, with 50 galons sump.

Tank inhabitants are:
Fishes
Yellowtail damselfish / Chrysiptera parasema
Ocellaris clownfish / Amphiprion ocellaris - pear
Sailfin tang / Zebrasoma veliferum
Green mandarin / Synchiropus splendidus
Diamond watchman goby / Valenciennea puellaris
Fuzzy dwarf lionfish / Dendrochirus brachypterus
Cleaner common wrasse / Labroides dimidiatus
Banggai cardinalfish / Pterapogon kauderni - pear
Yellow clown goby / Gobiodon okinawae
Black clown goby / Gobiodon strangulatus
Yellowtail tamarin wrasse / Anampses meleagrides
Six line wrasse / Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
Exquisite fairy wrasse / Cirrhilabrus exquisitus
Longfin fairy wrasse / Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis

Marine Inverts
Bubble Anemone - Green / Entacmaea quadricolor
Bubble Anemone - Pink Tip / Entacmaea quadricolor
Pom Pom Crab / Lybia tessellata
Anemone Porcelain Crab / Neopetrolisthes spp
Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp / Lysmata amboinensis
Blood Red Fire Shrimp / Lysmata debelius
Harlequin Shrimp / Hymenocera elegans
Tridacna maxima
Flame Scallop
Serpent Starfish / Ophioderma spp

Corals : I turned only to SPS and some LPS corals and polyps.
Zoanthids - 7-8 different types
Acanthastrea echinata
Acanthastrea lordhowensis
Platygyra spp
Lobophyllia spp
Trachyphyllia radiata
Trachyphyllia geoffroyi
Acropora hoeksema
Acropora aculeus
Acropora formosa
Acropora gemmifera
Acropora abrolhosensis
Acropora valida
Acropora humilis
Pocillopora damicornis
Merulina ampliata
Stylophora pistillata
Montipora digitata
Montipora danae
Montipora capricornis
Montipora confusa
Seriatopora hystrix
Seriatopora stellata

Tubastrea spp
Turbinaria spp
Euphyllia ancora

Water parameters:
ORP -370, Са 430 , Mg 1400, pH 8.2, kH 9, NO2 - 0 , NO3 ~ 15 , PO4 - 0
Unfortunately, I have some problems and nobody from the dealers in Sofia /where I live/ could help me to solve them:
1. I have too many aiptasia in my tank and too many algaes
2. The color of my blue, pink and purple corals: few days after putting them, they turn brown. I'm not sure if this is not a light problem ( I`m with LED lights), chemical - in terms of missing elements or elements in more, or the whole system problem, using Tropic Marin supplements, Is unsuitable for this type of reef and should I need to change with Zeovit system?
And a picture from 11.08.2011

 

[johnknowledge]

Brand New to the Hobby

Brand New to the Hobby

Hello my name is John From Chino Hills. I setup my tank three months ago.
I have a 125 gallon corner overflow 40 gallon sump with refugium. 4 t5 lights
200 lbs of live rock and a 4 in sand bed.
currently i have a few lps and some softies.
also i have
2 clowns
1 maroon clown
blue hippo
3 chromis
1 yellow tang
1 heniocus
a hawk fish
a lawnmower blenny
and two goobies.
three cleaner shimp
some snails and 30 crabs
i was wondering if i had room from three more tangs
powder blue naso and powder brown
Thanks!

 

[johnknowledge]

Brand New to the Hobby

Brand New to the Hobby

Hello my name is John From Chino Hills. I setup my tank three months ago.
I have a 125 gallon corner overflow 40 gallon sump with refugium. 4 t5 lights
200 lbs of live rock and a 4 in sand bed.
currently i have a few lps and some softies.
also i have
2 clowns
1 maroon clown
blue hippo
3 chromis
1 yellow tang
1 heniocus
a hawk fish
a lawnmower blenny
and two goobies.
three cleaner shimp
some snails and 30 crabs
i was wondering if i had room from three more tangs
powder blue naso and powder brown
Thanks!

 

[johnknowledge]

Hello my name is John From Chino Hills. I setup my tank three months ago.
I have a 125 gallon corner overflow 40 gallon sump with refugium. 4 t5 lights
200 lbs of live rock and a 4 in sand bed.
currently i have a few lps and some softies.
also i have
2 clowns
1 maroon clown
blue hippo
3 chromis
1 yellow tang
1 heniocus
a hawk fish
a lawnmower blenny
and two goobies.
three cleaner shimp
some snails and 30 crabs
i was wondering if i had room from three more tangs
powder blue naso and powder brown
Thanks!

 

[DavesGT]

Hey everyone my name is Dave and i figured id do my first post in here. Im new to the Reef world, but not new to the aquarium hobby. I have heard alot about this forum and figured this would be the greatest place to learn and ask questions to help me gain and build knowledge on reefs. If you have any questions about me feel free to ask anything

 

[davidian]

Hey, all. I'm new to the hobby. Starting a 150-gallon reef. I didn't realize this thread was here and started my own. My setup info can be seen here: http://davidian.x10.mx and my thread here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2057073

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[streetsong]

Hi, I'm Brandon from Denver, CO. I've been in the hobby for about 3 years, successfully keeping only nano and pico reefs up to this point. Now I'm ready for the satisfaction of something a bit bigger. I just set up an Oceanic 76g half-circle which I plan to be a mostly sps tank (Now cycling). My lighting will be 2 Maxspect Mazarra modules (I am excited for them to arrive soon!) I have participated in another forum that focuses mostly on smaller tanks, but I now need expertise from aquarists keeping bigger reefs. I look forward to being an active member here at RC!

 

[craighead]

whats up reefcentral, im new to this hobby.. i started a journal if you wanna check it out, i have a 25g cube
My first tank 25g

 

[Bowels]

Hey

Hey

Hello. Bowels. Bowels is setting up a saltwater aquarium. He is starting with a 20 gallon, currently he has all the water in and about 11 lbs of live rock with more on its way, he has a blower, a filter, and a heater in there right now. he saw a sea star in there :-D

 

[drujason20248]

New hobbyist that needs answers for our salt water tank. =P

New hobbyist that needs answers for our salt water tank. =P

Hi guys, we've owned our salt water tank for about three months now. 55 gal with artificial plants, live rocks, coral sand and a handful of live plants. We have five fish, lineated wrasse, klein butterfly, coral beauty, valentini puffer, bicolor pseudo and couple of hermit crabs and two snails, (we call em kids). After four weeks, we purchased three more!, two clown fish (nemo) and a blue tang. We like the color combination and they really compliment the background. Although, after we got em in the tank, we noticed that the blue tang has a missing fin, the pectoral fin...the right one (or I should say his right arm is missing!) After observing it, not the whole pectoral fin is missing since we can see a small size of the fin flapping. - Will it grow back? If so, how long? We just got it and we have a 24 hour return policy. We don't want to return it since we know that it needs a safe home. Help! Please advise. Thank you. =P

 

[streetsong]

Hi guys, we've owned our salt water tank for about three months now. 55 gal with artificial plants, live rocks, coral sand and a handful of live plants. We have five fish, lineated wrasse, klein butterfly, coral beauty, valentini puffer, bicolor pseudo and couple of hermit crabs and two snails, (we call em kids). After four weeks, we purchased three more!, two clown fish (nemo) and a blue tang. We like the color combination and they really compliment the background. Although, after we got em in the tank, we noticed that the blue tang has a missing fin, the pectoral fin...the right one (or I should say his right arm is missing!) After observing it, not the whole pectoral fin is missing since we can see a small size of the fin flapping. - Will it grow back? If so, how long? We just got it and we have a 24 hour return policy. We don't want to return it since we know that it needs a safe home. Help! Please advise. Thank you. =P

Drujason- Indeed, you need some assistance. You should post in the "New to Hobby" forum. I will say that you are making some serious mistakes- First and foremost, too many fish for a 55 gal. in a short amount of time. You need to remove the blue tang, butterfly, coral beauty and puffer. Do some research regarding fish compatability. Your tang has most likely been harrassed due to another fish being stressed because of overcrowding.

 

[Seanl]

Hey guys, my name is Sean. Im working on getting a my first SW setup running, i joined this forum so i can do the research and get it right the first time. I have had years of experience in freshwater planted tanks and i wanted to try something new. I am working on a undergraduates degree in biology so i have a pretty knowledgeable background in water chemistry and the biological cycles. If i can get my tank to half as beautiful as some of the tanks on here i would be very happy.

 

[Railgrinder]

Hey Y'all. I've just recently purchased a 180 that im planning on making a reef out of and wow am i overwhelmed. lol Been keeping freshwater for a couple years but this will be my first SW, Thought id say hi and thanks for all the info i've gathered thus far

 

[shady917]

my 5 week old tank

my 5 week old tank

hi everyone my name is josh, i have been slowly geting into this hobby for the last 9 or more mouths. in july of this year i reseaved a 175 liter reef tank for my birthday so yer for the last 5 weeks or so its been running in, all the levels are good atm and keeping steady. im hoping to get more live rock and corals soon as you can see by the pics i have a big blue star it is new to the tank i got it yesterday it hasn't done much moving in the time iv had it the first day i got the star it moved under some live rock and hasn't move much cents is this normal ???. apart from the star i have been getting into fragging corals i have a anemone tree i think its called that i have fragged it into 3 bits from one large plant, i all so fragged a leather coral the frag from that is going really good but the main plant i cut it off has that waxy layer still all over it im still waiting for it to come off anyone know how long this could take???. i all so have a bicolor blenny a black clown koran angel a bicolor demsel i think thats what its called and a niger trigger...i hope you like my tank and hope to hear back for you's :wave:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=4957&pictureid=34367
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=4957&pictureid=34368
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=4957&pictureid=34372
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=4957&pictureid=34373
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=4957&pictureid=34374
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=4957&pictureid=34375