For no apparent reason, I wanted to post some random observations from 5 months after starting two small tanks (our LFS was moving and had a great 45% off sale). I'm a long time freshwater tank owner, but new to saltwater. As an avid diver, I did not want to have any fish/coral taken off the reef, but there are now finally reliable providers of captive bred fish and aquacultured live rock (and lots of places to get coral frags from) so I took the plunge.
Tank 1: Main Reef Tank - 45gallon 'all in one' - live rock/hitchhiker coral (a caribbean rose and gorgonian), some soft corals, small duncan frag, small candy cane frag, 2 ocellaris clowns, 3 pajama cardinals, CUC
Tank 2: 'I Didn't Plan It But Man It Was Too Good A Deal To Pass Up' Tank - 29 gallon 'all in one' - live rock/hitchhiker coral (caribbean rose), striped blenny, watchman goby, CUC, decorator crab (yeah - I know, a risk, that's why no corals in this tank - long story, I blame my son).
Random Thoughts
* Prior Research Is Key. I probably spent a month pouring through these forums, reading the stickies, trying to learn what I could to start off on the best footing I could. I greatly appreciate all the time and effort the contributors to these forums have put in. I credit it with allowing me what success I've had (and quick answers to problems that have cropped up.
* Live rock has risks, but can be endlessly fascinating. All the stuff you read on the forums is true - live rock has crazy stuff in it. And not always good. I've got a gorilla crab in Tank 2 that is determined to take out anything else with a shell (a hermit is a casualty); I had a type of whelk snail that was donated to the LFS; I swear I have a mantis in Tank 1 (can hear him and find hermit pieces outside his suspected home) and even worse (see below). But I wouldn't trade it - I get more enjoyment from watching the life on those rocks than anything else in the tanks. And it made the weeks of cycling a process of discovery instead of a painful wait. OK, still kind of painful, but better.
I completely get why folks might not want live rock, but for me, the rewards outweigh the risks.
* Rock Urchins grow ridiculously fast. Love these guys, but they go from smaller than a dime to bigger than a 50 cent piece in three months! They do a good number on algae (mine even tackle hair algae!), but seem to like munching on coralline even more and can really chew up a nice colorful rock.
* Isopods are damn hard to kill. Worst hitchhiker were two parasitic isopods. Found them one day attached to my clownfish (one each). They popped off once I captured the fish and got them out of the water. Out of curiosity, I kept the pods in about 2 oz of water on my desk. Where they lived for 3 months. No oxygen, no food, no water changes. When you read that it takes months to rid a tank of these pests with no hosts - believe it!
* Heaters Suck - and you get what you pay for. Invest as much as you can here - I went mid-range and had two die on me. I quickly upgraded and had no issues.
* Digital Thermometers Suck Too - you'd think they'd be better, but I've tried 3 different kinds and none were accurate - always were about two degrees off. Back the basic standard.
* Beware the windows - I placed Tank 1 in an area that gets no direct sun at all, faces south and the tank is 7 feet from the nearest window and thought I was good. But with the blinds open, after 2 months I noticed red cyano (I think) growing in the sand on the side facing the window. Closing the blinds helped. That stuff loves the sunlight!
*Nerite Snails - *** With All the Eggs? Seriously, I really wish I had read about that before buying them. They are pretty little snails and do a great job, but those white eggs are EVERYWHERE!! Plus, I hate it when the invertebrates get more action in my house than I do.
*I Wish Saltwater 'Dinos' Were Extinct. Had a bad dinoflaggelate outbreak in tank 2 (likely do to some overfeeding trying to sort out the dietary needs of the decorator crab). Water changes didn't help - after research, I'm using doses of Dr. Tim's Refresh combined with water changes, manual extraction, nearly no lights (only on about an hour or less a day for fish to feed) and feeding every other day. So far so good, but I don't think the inverts are getting enough to eat. I've now noticed a small patch in tank 1. Dinos are just pure evil.
*Nitrates are tricky. Mine raised to 20ppm in month 4 and I can't seem get them lower than that (I use RO water only for those curious). I've gone to feeding every other day and only what I see them eat in less than a minute. No tank issues per se - fish, corals all happy, no algae outbreaks but I'm trying to stay on top of it as I wonder if it has enabled the dinos to grow. Did I mention I hate them?
*Digital Refractometers Rock. I invested in one of these and do not regret it. Monitoring salinity is the one test I can do quickly and easily.
* PH Stresses Me Out. Honestly, I just don't understand it that well. I've read all about it - the various things that impact it and even got a digital PH reader - and my tank stays rigid at 7.9/8.0. Prevailing wisdom seems to suggest higher would be better, but my tanks don't seem to want to move so I figure consistent with happy reef is better than my messing with it to achieve a magical number.
*Color Tests Also Stress Me Out. I monitor the calcium, KH and magnesium for the two LPS frags (I really love the duncan and he's already grown two more heads) but man I hate those tests. Is it the color now? Too soon? Too late? One more drop? Crap, now it's too dark. Or is it? I never feel like I'm accurate.
*I Hate Skimmers. I know they are essential and reap huge benefits. I even bought one and have tried to install it twice. Still not in the tank. Trying to get it sorted with position, fill line, microbubbles, etc is the most frustrating part of my tank - partly because I feel like I'm committing a sin by not having it. I've watched videos, read posts, made sacrificial offerings to the Gods of Skimmate . . . . Out of all the things I've gone through with the tanks, this is the one area I'd pay someone to come over and set it up correctly for me. I'll get there eventually, but, man, those things frustrate me!
Time to end this long, rambling post! Sadly, there's no prize at the end, but thanks to everyone who posts on these boards for all the knowledge you've given me. Though stressful at times, I'm enjoying my tanks and a large part of that is due to the resources provided at reef central.
Tank 1: Main Reef Tank - 45gallon 'all in one' - live rock/hitchhiker coral (a caribbean rose and gorgonian), some soft corals, small duncan frag, small candy cane frag, 2 ocellaris clowns, 3 pajama cardinals, CUC
Tank 2: 'I Didn't Plan It But Man It Was Too Good A Deal To Pass Up' Tank - 29 gallon 'all in one' - live rock/hitchhiker coral (caribbean rose), striped blenny, watchman goby, CUC, decorator crab (yeah - I know, a risk, that's why no corals in this tank - long story, I blame my son).
Random Thoughts
* Prior Research Is Key. I probably spent a month pouring through these forums, reading the stickies, trying to learn what I could to start off on the best footing I could. I greatly appreciate all the time and effort the contributors to these forums have put in. I credit it with allowing me what success I've had (and quick answers to problems that have cropped up.
* Live rock has risks, but can be endlessly fascinating. All the stuff you read on the forums is true - live rock has crazy stuff in it. And not always good. I've got a gorilla crab in Tank 2 that is determined to take out anything else with a shell (a hermit is a casualty); I had a type of whelk snail that was donated to the LFS; I swear I have a mantis in Tank 1 (can hear him and find hermit pieces outside his suspected home) and even worse (see below). But I wouldn't trade it - I get more enjoyment from watching the life on those rocks than anything else in the tanks. And it made the weeks of cycling a process of discovery instead of a painful wait. OK, still kind of painful, but better.
I completely get why folks might not want live rock, but for me, the rewards outweigh the risks.* Rock Urchins grow ridiculously fast. Love these guys, but they go from smaller than a dime to bigger than a 50 cent piece in three months! They do a good number on algae (mine even tackle hair algae!), but seem to like munching on coralline even more and can really chew up a nice colorful rock.
* Isopods are damn hard to kill. Worst hitchhiker were two parasitic isopods. Found them one day attached to my clownfish (one each). They popped off once I captured the fish and got them out of the water. Out of curiosity, I kept the pods in about 2 oz of water on my desk. Where they lived for 3 months. No oxygen, no food, no water changes. When you read that it takes months to rid a tank of these pests with no hosts - believe it!
* Heaters Suck - and you get what you pay for. Invest as much as you can here - I went mid-range and had two die on me. I quickly upgraded and had no issues.
* Digital Thermometers Suck Too - you'd think they'd be better, but I've tried 3 different kinds and none were accurate - always were about two degrees off. Back the basic standard.
* Beware the windows - I placed Tank 1 in an area that gets no direct sun at all, faces south and the tank is 7 feet from the nearest window and thought I was good. But with the blinds open, after 2 months I noticed red cyano (I think) growing in the sand on the side facing the window. Closing the blinds helped. That stuff loves the sunlight!
*Nerite Snails - *** With All the Eggs? Seriously, I really wish I had read about that before buying them. They are pretty little snails and do a great job, but those white eggs are EVERYWHERE!! Plus, I hate it when the invertebrates get more action in my house than I do.
*I Wish Saltwater 'Dinos' Were Extinct. Had a bad dinoflaggelate outbreak in tank 2 (likely do to some overfeeding trying to sort out the dietary needs of the decorator crab). Water changes didn't help - after research, I'm using doses of Dr. Tim's Refresh combined with water changes, manual extraction, nearly no lights (only on about an hour or less a day for fish to feed) and feeding every other day. So far so good, but I don't think the inverts are getting enough to eat. I've now noticed a small patch in tank 1. Dinos are just pure evil.
*Nitrates are tricky. Mine raised to 20ppm in month 4 and I can't seem get them lower than that (I use RO water only for those curious). I've gone to feeding every other day and only what I see them eat in less than a minute. No tank issues per se - fish, corals all happy, no algae outbreaks but I'm trying to stay on top of it as I wonder if it has enabled the dinos to grow. Did I mention I hate them?
*Digital Refractometers Rock. I invested in one of these and do not regret it. Monitoring salinity is the one test I can do quickly and easily.
* PH Stresses Me Out. Honestly, I just don't understand it that well. I've read all about it - the various things that impact it and even got a digital PH reader - and my tank stays rigid at 7.9/8.0. Prevailing wisdom seems to suggest higher would be better, but my tanks don't seem to want to move so I figure consistent with happy reef is better than my messing with it to achieve a magical number.
*Color Tests Also Stress Me Out. I monitor the calcium, KH and magnesium for the two LPS frags (I really love the duncan and he's already grown two more heads) but man I hate those tests. Is it the color now? Too soon? Too late? One more drop? Crap, now it's too dark. Or is it? I never feel like I'm accurate.
*I Hate Skimmers. I know they are essential and reap huge benefits. I even bought one and have tried to install it twice. Still not in the tank. Trying to get it sorted with position, fill line, microbubbles, etc is the most frustrating part of my tank - partly because I feel like I'm committing a sin by not having it. I've watched videos, read posts, made sacrificial offerings to the Gods of Skimmate . . . . Out of all the things I've gone through with the tanks, this is the one area I'd pay someone to come over and set it up correctly for me. I'll get there eventually, but, man, those things frustrate me!
Time to end this long, rambling post! Sadly, there's no prize at the end, but thanks to everyone who posts on these boards for all the knowledge you've given me. Though stressful at times, I'm enjoying my tanks and a large part of that is due to the resources provided at reef central.
