Top 5 things you wish someone had told you ......

[pgordemer]

I am not taking credit for this thread title as I saw it in the New to Hobby forum on RC, but I really think its relevent...

Being we were all new at this at some point, lets list the top 5 things you wished someone would have told you before you set up your first saltwater tank.

For me...

1. Damsels are Evil
2. You're gonna screw up at least once and get really mad at yourself, so get over it.
3. Anything your local LFS tells you is suspect, ask everyone, every forum, every website.
4. Saving 30% of a piece of equipment costs you 100% in a very short amount of time
5. There are lots of general principals, few absolute never nevers, so in the end make your OWN decision.

 

[Brian]

1. Shortcuts NEVER work
2. You would be elbow deep in saltwater on a daily basis
(for the first few months at least)
3. It's as addicting as Crack (and more expensive!)
4. A quick freshwater dip does NOT kill flatworms.
5. Buy an RO/DI unit.
6. Find a local reef club to help you out.

 

[JohnS_323]

1. Water changes, to some degree, are inevitable. Get the right equipment to move water efficiently. Had I known how much time and mess a Mag7 and a length of hose would have saved me I would have bought them the day I picked up my tank.

2. Fish die. It sux but it happens. Sometimes it's your fault; sometimes it isnt. Don't freak out and start making radical changes because a fish dies.

3. You can't rush to get to a mature system. All of the parameters we check for are important but having them alone in balance does not consititute a mature system. IME, there are lot of more subtle (non-testable) things that make a system mature. Time is the only thing that will get you there. The end is: Don't rush to put livestock in your tank that needs a well established system. It's just going to wither and die.

4. Don't be afraid to get involved in a club and ask questions. They are a great resource for information. Phyl got involved much ealier on than I did. I was actually reluctant to get involved but I now realize how ridiculous it was for me not to. There are a lot of good people here always looking out for you.

5. Listen to and learn from other peoples mistakes. There may be no absolutes but there are some things you can learn from other people's misfortunes. The most important part is not to be afraid to look stupid. If you don't understand what they are saying, ask for clarification.

 

[debfife]

1. How many times your house will have a tank related flood.

I think that's it.

 

[KennyZush]

5. Make room in your fridge/freezer as the fish will soon have as much in there as you do.

4. Your fish will need better water than that which you drink.

3. Find and sign up with NJRC ASAP.

2. Everyone has their own opinion of the "proper" way to do things...If it is working for you, no need to change it.

1. There is no such thing as a free aquarium...(even if it is being given to you.)


Kenny Z.

 

[camz28]

1- have the other half involve ;D
2- have a lot of patience
3- go to the NJRC meetings a lot of information and great people .

 

[Hawkeye]

Being we were all new at this at some point, lets list the top 5 things you wished someone would have told you before you set up your firstsaltwater tank.

LOL - for my FIRST tank - I guess it would have been nice if someone had told me not to spend money on the UGF, Cannister Filter, and wet/dry filter.

However - my top five would be:

1. You will get very good at stretching the truth.
Sample: Question from parent/spouse. Response: Oh the new fish? (Sargassum Trigger / Achilles Tang) It's the same cost as our yellow tail damsel!...it was on sale...really.

2. Nothing positive will occur in this hobby fast.

3. Read and research before buying anything.

4. QT, QT, QT.

5. Have you seen your electric bill?

 

[lawman]

1. You will NOT get that first Damsel out without re-arranging your entire aquascape.

2. I don't care how much you have read and how "perfect" your water is, Wait a few months to put LPS in there.

3. Current is good. A miniture tidal wave pool is not. (example 3 hydor 4's in a 55) lmao Yep, did that.

4. No matter how maney power strips you use it's still running off of 1 outlet.

5. When pumping water from a trash can to DT for water change, take the hose out of the tank when you turn the pump off and walk away. Oh yeah, backwards siphon got me good.

 

[arvin]

• Never start your hobby with stuff and advice you buy from ocean gallery II on Rt. 22.
• Dont try to create a fish budget. It doesnt work.
• Buy the best equipment you can afford.
• If you have a busy professional life and/or a family life, be prepared to do some juggling act.
• When there is flood in your basement, global warming may not be the only culprit.
  

 

[pgordemer]

3. Current is good. A miniture tidal wave pool is not. (example 3 hydor 4's in a 55) lmao Yep, did that.

Sheepingly raises hand..... so there's 2 of us then.

 

[Carlo]

1) You need to QT EVERYTHING that goes into the tank.
2) The system will end up costing you 5 to 10 times more then you originally calculate if you're lucky!
3) A shop vac really is a tank accessory. It will be extremely useful especially when you don't have one.
4) If you have to ask if there's enough water motion there probably isn't. (not counting you tidal wave guys)
5) You can't rush the tank. Having perfect chemical balances doesn't mean it's time to add corals. You need all the fauna that only an established tank can provide.

I omitted others since they were already mentioned. Had to add the QT however since it's so important. phil519 can't agree more on that one!

Carlo

 

[monsterfishkeeper]

1. Becoming an addict is easy
2. Your tank will me a part time job
3. You will need a part time job to support your tank
4. No matter what you do, things die
5. Research and ask fellow hobbyists.
6. Do not trust your lps or lfs

 

[MikeNapoli]

1. Everyones experience is different so you can't trust one opinion.
2. DIY ends up costing more.
3. Your friends will thing your weird.
4. Your girlfriend will love it until you pay more attention to your sick watanabe angle than her.
5. Aquatic Obsessions is on St. George Ave in Avenel. (this is probably the most important one. I ended up buying my original 55 gallon from Animals and Things when I knew nothing.... the kid didn't sell me SALT for a SALTwater system. After a couple months I found A.O.)

 

[saltwater4life]

1. When you go to the local fish store to get everything you need and he says not to use bottle water just buy this. Just to put it back on the shelf and not listen.
2. Not to get damsel fish as your first fish when other stuff is just as hardy... (I can't get rid of them now because i like them)
3. Ask reefers before buying a bunch of corals and fish that you never heard of.
4. That few 100 bucks you spend setting the tank up will be less then your minimum you'll spend a year.
5. To find NJRC

 

[malulu]

• 1. there is no such thing that called - this is the last fish (or equipement) that i would buy!
• 2. a GPS would definately help to travel around to get the good deals (purchase through members' posting...)
• 3. you always need a bigger light!
• 4. regardless how happy your spouse is in the begining, he/she will get mad down the road cause you spent *all* the $ in this beautiful (yet stupid) tank!
• 5. you need at least one of this http://www.reefgadgets.com (PERIOD!)

 

[chase33]

1. When possible buy equipment and accessories from online vendors - you could save thousands by doing so.
2. Computer fans don't last very long.
3. Install retro lights on a sliding rail when placed inside a canopy.
4. Never trust a manufacturers measurement (footprint) for a piece of equipment. Especially the footprint of a skimmer that must sit inside a sump. You may end up building the sump to house the skimmer but the skimmer section isn't wide enough or is off by a couple of inches because the MF (Manufacturer or use imagination) failed to account for the gate valve.
5. I could've saved 15% or more by going with Geico.