sharks

sslak said:
^I know a couple 16 year olds perfectly capable of setting up a reef tank, careful with the broad brush. I would point at maturity level and willingness to listen, rather than age.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I started my first reef tank at 12 and now at 18 I do consulting work for large public marine aquaria in multiple states. Age definitely doesn't matter.
 
Well the Berlin system is lots of LR, no sump and is used in public aquariums. I WANT a sump, but have a tank with ditto equipment really. I would have to drill in my tank and this is dangerous and can cause flooding or somethin right? I have like a standard freshwater tank-no overflows nothin. I dont know how to make a sump either. Please help me thanks.
 
fishmanstan said:
Can i have a reef tank w/out sump? I don't have 1 in my 75 and I hear they R hard to make your self. Thanks
Click to expand...

There is no one right answer in this hobby. Can you run a 75 gallon without a sump? Yes. Will that be the best option for your needs? Maybe, maybe not. You need to sit down and think about what you want. Asking questions is a great way to learn, but you seem stuck on the same questions. I recommend really reading up on the hobby. Go to the library, check out all the saltwater aquarium books, and absorb all the information you can. Then come back on here and ask questions.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
 
fishmanstan said:
Well the Berlin system is lots of LR, no sump and is used in public aquariums. I WANT a sump, but have a tank with ditto equipment really. I would have to drill in my tank and this is dangerous and can cause flooding or somethin right? I have like a standard freshwater tank-no overflows nothin. I dont know how to make a sump either. Please help me thanks.
Click to expand...

you simply need to research
meaning search on google, and read what comes up.

after about 4 months of research, then u wouldhave a better Idea. and can ask the experts here for more details of areas ure not 100% about ...
 
fishmanstan said:
Jw. Could i keep a seahorse in my tank?
Click to expand...

No probably not. Seahorses have different needs, some of those needs being a temperature between 72-76 degrees. Most reef aquariums are kept at 79-80 degrees. Seahorses need the cooler temps, because at higher temps bacteria can grow causing them to get sick and die. Some searhorses such as dwarf seahorses need live food (brine shrimp) which is another issue. Seahorses require the keeper to be very knowledgeable about the husbandry and care. They are not usually something for someone just starting out in the hobby.

I know they look really cool, but its best to get the basics down and possibly work up to them over time if you wanted seahorses.

This thread has gone all over the place with wanting a shark to wanting a puffers, tangs, and angels in tanks that may be too small.

I kniow that you probably want something cool and that looks really nice, but get a good understanding of the hobby and how to take care of fish that require less and then specialize into different fish that are cool. You have to have patience and as you get a better understanding of the hobby then you can get the cool fish you dream of. It would be horrible to buy all the stuff you need set up your aquarium and get the cool fish you wanted to see it die or have to give it to someone else because it was too big for your tank.
 
Agree with you totally.. thanks for the answer BTW. 2 qs
What's a mixed reef? Saw it, looked it up, found nothin
Also, saw a Niger trigger...reef safe right? not suitable for my size tank or otherwise? thanks guys.
 
niger trigger is "not" reef safe..use with caution, but will go after inverts. The "needs" for seahorses really equate to how they eat, or rather how slow they eat. They also need a lot of branch like pieces of rock or decor to anchor to. Their needs require they be given their own tank.

What size are you going for again, you first said 125/ 150...now its 75? What is going on?
 
Part of the issue, is that everyone is going to define "reef safe" differently -- does that mean just corals? Or corals and inverts? Then you could break that done into types of corals.
 
fishmanstan said:
Agree with you totally.. thanks for the answer BTW. 2 qs
What's a mixed reef? Saw it, looked it up, found nothin
Also, saw a Niger trigger...reef safe right? not suitable for my size tank or otherwise? thanks guys.
Click to expand...

"Mixed reef" means a reef tank with various "types" of corals.

Some people want a "softie tank" or a "zoa garden" - tanks with only soft corals (mushrooms, leathers, etc) or only zoanthids.

A mixed reef will have soft corals, zoas, LPS (large polyp stony skeleton) and maybe even some SPS (small polyp stony).

Most people seem to end up with a mixed reef because there is so much to choose from. Keeping SPS in a mixed reef can be difficult because of the stringent water quality they require, considering softies can benefit from less than pristine water.
 
Well I am going to get my 75 salt to start small, then get big. Plus I am goin for corals only- no shrimp. Could I keep a niger then in my 75? Thanks
 
We're on 6 pages now.

Have you looked at LiveAquaria.com yet? Just type the name of the fish you're curious about, and it tells you a recommended tank size and reef compatibility.

There are always exceptions, even with Live Aquaria. The exceptions are generally best left to the experienced hobbyist.

If you have to ask "is an 18" wide tank big enough for a fish that gets 24?" then you aren't ready for the odd circumstances of when a non reef safe fish is, in fact, reef safe.
 
As has been stated multiple times, get some books. The two I pointed out earlier are excellent to get started. There are plenty of other books, too.

These links should help get you started, too:

Advanced Beginnings: An Introduction to Reefkeeping
Advanced Beginnings: The Basics of Filtration for the Reef Aquarium
Advanced Beginnings: The Basics Of Water Movement In The Reef Aquarium
Reefkeeping 102: Introduction
Reefkeeping 102: Terms and Concepts to be Grasped
Reefkeeping 102: The Technical Side Of Things

We always want to welcome people into this hobby and teach them everything we can. But you need to put in some work on your end, as well, to learn and expand your knowledge. I don't mean any disrespect or want to sound harsh, but if you aren't willing to put in the time and effort to read the type of material I've linked above (or the books I posted earlier), I doubt you're ready to take on the responsibility that is reefkeeping or marine fishkeeping. I probably did a year of research and asking questions before I got into saltwater aquariums. I even purchased "The Reef Aquarium" series from Julian Sprung, and read through them. And these are practically college-level textbooks! But I now understand a lot about how these mini ecosystems work, how to maintain water chemistry, how to take care of all sorts of livestock (fish, corals, clams, inverts, etc.), and more.

This isn't a hobby you can just pick up and figure it out on the fly. You need to have a solid understanding of at least the basics, before you should even attempt to start a tank. It's not like we're telling you to go read some books or articles just so we don't have to answer your questions. These articles and books would answer many of the questions that you have. And it would be in your best interest (mentally and financially) to read this material ahead of time, not to mention in the best interest of any livestock you eventually add to your tank. That way you'll be prepared to set things up for the best chances at success.

This is a fairly technical hobby. There's definitely some science involved that you'll need to know, especially with water chemistry. (Though you don't necessarily need to thoroughly understand all of the in's and out's of the technical points of it, you should understand what to do if your calcium drops too low or your nitrates are too high.) Some people choose to dive really deep into the scientific stuff. But the average person doesn't need to be a rocket scientist to care for a tank. As someone pointed out, we have people as young as (or younger than) 12 on these forums caring for their very own tanks. But you should do your homework and be prepared to do things the right way, even if it's more work to do so. I planned and planned and planned, fretting over my fish list, what corals could survive with my lights, what order to add everything in, what skimmer to get, how to plumb my sump, building my stand and canopy, etc. All of that planning really increased my chances of success. And while I had lots of questions that I asked along the way, much of what you're asking about I had already discovered from doing all of my research ahead of time.
 
MrSpiffy said:
As has been stated multiple times, get some books. The two I pointed out earlier are excellent to get started. There are plenty of other books, too.

These links should help get you started, too:

Advanced Beginnings: An Introduction to Reefkeeping
Advanced Beginnings: The Basics of Filtration for the Reef Aquarium
Advanced Beginnings: The Basics Of Water Movement In The Reef Aquarium
Reefkeeping 102: Introduction
Reefkeeping 102: Terms and Concepts to be Grasped
Reefkeeping 102: The Technical Side Of Things

We always want to welcome people into this hobby and teach them everything we can. But you need to put in some work on your end, as well, to learn and expand your knowledge. I don't mean any disrespect or want to sound harsh, but if you aren't willing to put in the time and effort to read the type of material I've linked above (or the books I posted earlier), I doubt you're ready to take on the responsibility that is reefkeeping or marine fishkeeping. I probably did a year of research and asking questions before I got into saltwater aquariums. I even purchased "The Reef Aquarium" series from Julian Sprung, and read through them. And these are practically college-level textbooks! But I now understand a lot about how these mini ecosystems work, how to maintain water chemistry, how to take care of all sorts of livestock (fish, corals, clams, inverts, etc.), and more.

This isn't a hobby you can just pick up and figure it out on the fly. You need to have a solid understanding of at least the basics, before you should even attempt to start a tank. It's not like we're telling you to go read some books or articles just so we don't have to answer your questions. These articles and books would answer many of the questions that you have. And it would be in your best interest (mentally and financially) to read this material ahead of time, not to mention in the best interest of any livestock you eventually add to your tank. That way you'll be prepared to set things up for the best chances at success.

This is a fairly technical hobby. There's definitely some science involved that you'll need to know, especially with water chemistry. (Though you don't necessarily need to thoroughly understand all of the in's and out's of the technical points of it, you should understand what to do if your calcium drops too low or your nitrates are too high.) Some people choose to dive really deep into the scientific stuff. But the average person doesn't need to be a rocket scientist to care for a tank. As someone pointed out, we have people as young as (or younger than) 12 on these forums caring for their very own tanks. But you should do your homework and be prepared to do things the right way, even if it's more work to do so. I planned and planned and planned, fretting over my fish list, what corals could survive with my lights, what order to add everything in, what skimmer to get, how to plumb my sump, building my stand and canopy, etc. All of that planning really increased my chances of success. And while I had lots of questions that I asked along the way, much of what you're asking about I had already discovered from doing all of my research ahead of time.
Click to expand...

VERY well said. Couldn't be closer to the truth of the matter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

FishMann
Meg Teeth
Replies
4
Views
135
Reefing102
Reefing102
V
Brown banded shark
Replies
3
Views
952
vamsryd
V
T
Alternative Lighting for Biocube 29
Replies
0
Views
108
thommyboy12183
T
DPauley
Bonnethead Shark Collection and Care in Home Aquaria
Replies
3
Views
891
Dr. Reef
Dr. Reef
K
upgrading tank and need more info
2
Replies
27
Views
3K
wvned
wvned
Back
Top