Yikes, Is every Newbie suffering from Pre Trumatic Tank Syndrome

Status
Not open for further replies.

WaterKeeper

Bogus Information Expert
Premium Member
Alright Newbies--am I supposed to give you Reading Lessons? GIVE ME A BREAK!!! I take a long furlough and every new recruit is asking questions I answered years ago. Well LISTEN UP and FALL IN and I will educate your Newie Butts!! :deadhorse1:

For those of you that haven't found the stickies at the top of this forum or realize we do have a search button it is time to SHAPE UP. I know that entering into this hobby is a somewhat challenging experience. It is not like keeping goldfish. Spending big bucks on a tank, lighting, sumps, skimmers and all the other things needed for a reef tank can make the newcomer go into shock. When someone tells you that the colored sand you always used for the guppies just doesn't cut it, wallet spasms occur.

My first tip to the new reefer is to sell the spouse and kids into slavery. That gives one the $$$'s to purchase the tons of live rock and sand that you will eventually need. I hear they are giving some good prices for family members in Yemen. ;)

The key to getting a sucessful reef tank established is good equipment and buying good, natural biological filtration. Before one even comtemplates getting livestock you must have a stable tank. That takes time and one of the worst traint in the hobby is being impatient, It takes weeks before one can stock fish and much longer to add corals.

Over the next couple of weeks I'll go over the basics and try to dispell some of the false ideas, so often seen on the NTTH forum.

Ok, Fall Out and for heavens sake feed those Oscars.
 
Where ya been waterkeeper? I don't know you, and I'm kind of a newb, but I read the stickies, and I made my girl read them too, because they answer ALL of a newbies questions. I feel like I know you from quoting the setting up an aquarium thread. It rocks! However.....

Since you are the keeper of the water, I was watching some much needed rain fall tonight and I decided to collect some and test it with my TDS meter. It tested 4 ppm, so is rain water a choice for tank water? If it's already been discussed, I'm sorry, but I missed it.
 
It is not because you do not know what impurities and dirt is in rain water.

Also, acid rain. That being said, the Waikiki Aquarium does have that outdoor tank that is topped off with rain but Hawaii is rather secluded pollution-wise. Not to take this thread OT...
 
Thanks for checking the stickies Mike. I was missing in action for some time but am starting this thread as an overall quick reference. (Quick? That is seldom the case with my major threads) ;)

As for rain water, Funk hits the nail pretty much on the head. If you live far away from major factories then it would be OK but in areas like I live there can be all sorts of dissolved volatile metals and organics in the rain. Just check the pH on freshly collected rain water. I bet the pH is low and in many cases around 4.3 S.U.. Hence acid rain. Most salt mixes would correct this but one can never be sure what acid creates the low pH without testing of the type which is beyond the means of most reefers.
 
:lol: :lolspin: :lmao:

Gosh! Gotta lOVE Tom!! :bounce3:
Capn' pre-warned about you! ahahahahahaha j/k
I actually love the way you do your thing! It keeps me intrigued while reading.. and I don't ever get bored or tired! I read them when I first joined RC & continue to reference them :D
I also ALWAYS give out yours & Capns & Sk8rs links to Newbs.. or other ?'s.
these are my Favorite!!

New to RC
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1031074
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1696795
Capn's Log
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1786183
Sk8r's Blogs
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/blog.php?u=116634

Can't wait to add another!! :bounce3:
 
Thanks for checking the stickies Mike. I was missing in action for some time but am starting this thread as an overall quick reference. (Quick? That is seldom the case with my major threads) ;)

As for rain water, Funk hits the nail pretty much on the head. If you live far away from major factories then it would be OK but in areas like I live there can be all sorts of dissolved volatile metals and organics in the rain. Just check the pH on freshly collected rain water. I bet the pH is low and in many cases around 4.3 S.U.. Hence acid rain. Most salt mixes would correct this but one can never be sure what acid creates the low pH without testing of the type which is beyond the means of most reefers.

The other kicker is that rain is formed around dust particles so do you really want dirt from outside getting in to your tank?
 
The other kicker is that rain is formed around dust particles so do you really want dirt from outside getting in to your tank?

The particles add that distinctive cloudy look that most Newbies favor when they submit tank pics to RC. ;)
 
If y'all don't know WaterKeeper, you're not reading the sticky!!! Welcome back, Tom! Your avatar is just as disturbing to me as it always was. :D You probably don't remember me, but if you did it might be as Mantisagogo, my original screen name.
 
My hat is off to you Waterkeeper.
I read for 6mo before I bought or did anything any thing. I cant be the only one who that has concerns about spending large sums of $ and providing a livable enviroment with out doing research
There should be a way to keep the newbees from posting questions until all the stickies have been read.
I will tag along. You do have a way with words
 
You say that, but do you actually have a hat? :D Seriously, you'd think people would look at it that way. I think in a lot of cases they just don't know what they don't know. People are often dismayed to see how much they wish they'd discovered before starting.
 
Thanks for all the welcomes and kind words.

For all of you that don't know me, I should state that my feeling is that reefkeeping is a hobby and is supposed to be fun. When I make posts they are on the light hearted side. I try to be informative but. on the other hand, I am not out to bore people to death by advocating a bunch of experience you will never use. I'm not out to impress the newcomer.

I hope this thread will entertain while maybe imparting a little knowledge into those thick Newbie skulls.;)

To sleep, perhaps to dream. Goodnight.
 
I'm a newb & have not suffered it yet. Been reading my butt off to make sure I do everything right & taking my time. Waited 3 months before I put in a fish to make sure everything was going well & as planned.

It does get expensive, I was given a 12g nano for free & still spent probably $300 before I was able to throw in any corals. No children to sell unfortunately & I'm quite attached to my horse so selling a kidney on E-bay is the way I'm going :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top