Weekly Discussion - Newbie advice

[Entacmaea]

This is all great advice, and I agree with all of them, so I will offer a different angle I think it is important to incorporate into the hobby from the beginning. I would guess that the majority of people who are serious in the hobby already practice this, but here it is:

BUY CAPTIVE RAISED.

If you have the choice between buying live caught or captive raised, I almost see it as a duty to choose to buy the captive raised specimen. The price premium of captive raised specimens is worth it. With all the captive raised specimens, from LR to LS, clean-up crew, fish, and especially corals, there is no reason why at up to 75% or more of a tank's livestock can be no-impact captive-raised specimens.

Word to the Newbie!

 

[baseman]

Is it OK for a newbie to put suggestions in here?

I was fortunate. My setup and advice came from the guys at Inland Reef. I'm not new to keeping aquariums, just new to salt water. I've been out of the hobby for many years, and was surprised at the changes.
My point is, research the LFS inyour area, as well as doing research on the hobby. If you can find and LFS that is knowledgeable (and they are out there), by all means, support them. I could have purchased some of my equipment online for less, but I would not have been comfortable asking for free advice.

I don't ask a lot of questions on this board, but I read it every day. There is a lot of good information here. If anyone asks me where to go for advice, I will send them here.

 

[AllenF]

I suppose some LFS can be ok for advice but in general it seems they know just enough to be dangeours.

I liken them to a reporter who is interviewing a scientist. Just before the interview, they skim the research paper. Then during the interview, they throw out a bunch of "buzz words" that "sound intelligent". When the scientist makes those "what the hell are you talking about?" faces the camera man pans to the reporter for a second.

They throw in some "scienti-babble" and then blurt out something they heard being quoted from yet another person in a 15 second sound byte and then give the scientist 4.3 seconds to respond to the question.

Not only do I not trust LFS, I dont watch the news either unless its Cspan, NPR, or a scientific journal. :roll:

That is because I dont like knowing a "sound byte" which is completely taken out of context, or over exaggerated that only benefits me in the way of actually MAKING ME EVEN DUMBER if I believe the BS that is being fed to me rather than knowing the REAL FACTS.

This has already been strongly reflected in all of the ADVICE TO READ READ READ READ AND READ SOME MORE. Im sure some of us have had to learn this "sound byte makes you dumber" lesson THE HARD WAY.

Now go newbie, apply this philosophy to every facet of your life from buying a home , to buying a car, to marriage skills, to parenting skills to computers and to your REEF TANK. 8)

 

[brandon4291]

One of the main benefits I got out of reading reading reading when I first started (not very long ago) was the ability to discover similar practices and outline the ones that were less common. For example, most of the experienced reefers here will detest Mark Weiss products whereas many magazines endorse them. In reading scores of literature on reefkeeping and interacting live here at RDO, I found out the current practices among most reefers are to stay away from these "enhancers" and go with the natural approach, the basic bright light+alk and calcium+clean water= thriving corals. If I were to have read only books from one author, or take the advice of only one LFS (I know the guys at inland are great!--exception to the rule) I don't feel I could have noticed the similarities and differences in technique and had the good start I did.

 

[baseman]

I didn't mean to imply that I took advice from only one source. My point is, that if you are fortunate to find a good LFS, support it. I agree with all of you that reading is important.

 

[Anonymous]

I even though I am a newbie on this site, I would have to say:

have some PATIENCE is the number one peice of advice.

I being an aquatics manager at a LFS see a lack of this all too much. People just starting want to have the bomb digity system from the get go. There is such a thing as doing too much at once, and even if you know what your doing it can be difficult to start a major system up (FO, FOLR, or REEF). Every sytem is different and it takes time to work out all of the kinks and bumps. Get the sytem up and running first and worry about the livestock after everything has been straightened out. After all Rome wasn't built in a day. :wink:

My second piece of advice would be READ.

If you can't take the time to read about it then you won't be able to keep it alive. This is when you can show off with your skill. Creating a masterpiece takes some time. It's not something to throw together. :wink:

 

[Expos Forever]

I think we almost all agree that patience and research are the two keys followed closely by buy the right equipment the first time. DIY is a great way to save some $ on certain things (lighting,aquarium furniture.) If she doesn't find you handsome at least she'll find you handy.

 

[Expos Forever]

I know you said just one but...

Get to know local reefers! Join a club if you're lucky enough to have one in your area. They are a great resource for trading of both propagated livestock (corals,caulerpa, etc...) and information (where to find a particular item, gourp orders,etc...).

 

[mkirda]

If you could only give a new reefer one piece of advice what would it be?

Run! Run while you still can!!!

If it is too late...
Do whatever you can to lessen the learning curve.
If you bought three dogs and two cats and they all died, you'd be fined.
Not so with fish and corals.
Read and learn their environment first.
You need to know the conditions they live in in order to recreate them.
You recreate the environment, they are both simple to keep.

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[investigator1]

My one word of advice:

If you want your reef tank to look like a real reef (Not devoid of microfauna) do not get hermit crabs. Only populate your cleanup crew with nessarius snails, cerith snails, and emerald crabs.

 

[Anonymous]

- Spend money on quality equipment maybe a size larger than you might need - you will want a bigger tank eventually. Things like I went with pendants for my halides on my 48" tank instead of a fixture - that way I can just buy another one on my 6' tank instead of selling a 48" fixture I paid way too much for.

- Patience

- Use a refugium , IMO one of the single best things you can do for your reef or fowlr tank.

- Be a skeptic. Lot's of witch oil - panaceas marketed in this hobby. 90% of additives for reef tanks are not necessary IMO with regular small water changes.

- Take time to really look at your tank every day - some corals and fish are very good indicators of problems in your tank before they become critical (mine is my torch coral).