New here, just saying hi!

R

ReefReader

New member
Hello,

21 year old here looking to begin a saltwater tank in the next couple of months (wanting to do a lot more reading, plus, I need to SAVE MONEY- lol).

I have never consistently been part of any kind of forum before, so bare with me as I may not be posting in the most relevant locations, but everyone here seems nice and welcoming, so my main focus is just to LEARN, LEARN, LEARN as much as possible before I jump into this hobby (which I'm really excited about).

The internet is a great resource to learn, but I find myself struggling to absorb a lot of information just because there is SO MUCH information and varying opinions based on varying experiences. During my two-week stay in the hospital which just ended recently, I had plenty of time to myself away from work to begin researching this, so I feel like I have learned a LOT in a short amount of time. I still have many questions though, many of which are hard to research because they are hard to explain:

Confused about coral. I visited my LFS recently with a friend and I understand live rock and dry rock and most of their disadvantages and advantages. What confused me seeing dried, stony/hard/bleach white corals sitting outside in the open for sale. Are these just dried/"dead" (where the polyps died) coral with only the calcium skeleton left? Are they basically just for decor at this point since the polyps are gone? (LOST!) I'm almost embarrased asking about this because I've seen NO other beginners question this. So, with that, I'll ask a favor: If I'm TOTALLY off on this, simply just put me on track and explain it from the beginning so maybe I will understand.

I have a lot more questions, but that is the first one that came to mind and the one that has been bothering me the most lately.

Since I will be starting a brand new tank, wouldn't most recommend saving money by buying dry rock? My LFS sells live rock for $8/lb which I really cannot afford. I have heard of people buying dry base rock with a few live rocks to assist in bacteria/cycling (I would be able to afford that). Worried about pests though, and I am a big fan of the idea of taking precautions to save money and time in the long run by starting with dry rock if I have to.

I am looking forward to learning more here :) I know there are great people who enjoy pointing newcomers in the right direction.
 
The fact you can have a living reef in your living room is a gift. Sounds like your starting right by self education. A book on reef start up would be a great first start. It can seem like an easy hobby or like a night mare. Patiants and education are important.GL...
 
To answer your question ReefReader yes those old skeleton are just like bones. A lot of coral when it dies leaves one behind. A wall hammer skeleton looks like an old tbone. They are great rubble for a tank as the critters really love to live in them. Most Joes and Janes off the street have only ever seen coral in its dead bleached out state. Hope that helps
 
Thanks guys, and thanks Scoots for your answer. Everything actually came together after I posted this after some more research. It all makes perfect sense now :D

I am so excited about all of this- looking forward to documenting my progress. I actually plan on taking pictures along the way so stay tuned!
 
Read, but don't take any one opinion as absolute trueth. In this hobby there are a few ways to do things. Find what works for, you but keep it simple. And go slow. Some places to start: vividaquariums.com has videos for beginners. marinedepot has an education section. Also, like someone said, view the stickys at the beginning of threads.
 
Don't go it alone. You may find a local reef club in your area to be helpful, also. The ability to see existing systems is invaluable.
 
+1 to what fishchef posted. check out your area for local clubs. many local LFS know the clubs in their area. If you ever come to the point that you think you know everything about this hobby take a step back and reconsider. good luck and keep up the research.
 
Thanks for the tips! My LFS is actually called Marine World. They do have some freshwater, but the place is pretty much dedicated to marine fish which is a plus. :)
 
Welcome! +1 on reading the stickys. I also read a book titled 'The conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fenner. It provided a good overview and was very readable.

As to your question about live rock, many people (myself included) simply get dry rock to start out with and let it seed. The advantage of this is that it is a whole lot cheaper, and you don't inadvertently get any undesirable hitch hikers. The disadvantage is that it takes a lot longer to colonize, your cycle will be longer, and you don't get as big a diversity of organisms on it.
 
Welcome aboard I have only been on this site for a short period of time. You will enjoy it here everyone is nice and ready to help. I have already learned a lot from everyone. So just enjoy the hobby and don't give up.
 
Thanks for the encouragement and tips guys.

Yes, a few days ago I decided on dry rock. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages; and about the time it takes- that is actually an advantage to me. It allows me to save some money for upgrades when I'm ready to have more livestock and start corals.
 
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