Detri
Well-known member
In september 2005 I recieved a small yet worthy 35g tank. Equipment included, Pengiun 170 Hang on filter, Seaclone 150 Skimmer (hang on the back), 2x45w flourecent lights, Aragonite Reef sand, Salt mix, air pump hose and extras for the pump and one 1.5lbs live rock+2 lbs of live sand to add to the sand bed from an established tank. I added my own Hang on filter (Aquaclear 300) Later 2 pieces of LR about 2 pounds each were donated to my cause. After filling the tank and leaving it to cycle I started reading and learning about the species I wanted to add to my small piece of wild life in my living room.
I realized that what I had would only be sufficient to complete the cycle. I had found a person ready to sell live rock pre-cured for $4/lbs (thats $2-4 cheaper than most LFS stores here in Canada) I jumped at the chance to get it. I filled my tank with it set it up nicely. From day 1 things didn't look right. I had scraped a bit if the algae off one of the pieces and it was a bright grey color, the color of concrete. As the tank finished cycleing, took about 3-4 weeks total. Parameters were Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 12. I didn't have any other test kits at the time. But the Live rock still bugged me. I had a friend come over and have a look in my tank. He clarified my worst thoughts. It was concrete! And not the Aaragrocrete you see made all the time. It was chuncks of concrete with stone gravel in it to make it look chunky. I must admit it was covered in a greenish red algae and the smooth parts looked like coraline covered rock. I imediately took it out of my tank drove over to the person that sold it to me. All he told me was it was my fault for not knowing what I had bought, he had never told me it was real live rock, just cured rock. After argueing for so long I gave up. For 120 bucks it wasn't worth the effort to me. I had better things to do. So I took the rock from my trunk and dropped it on his flowers and left. I am now left with about 6 lbs of small chunks of Live rock.
My fault? YES and no. I should have tried better to research the subject and got familuar with them before I jumped into it. Keep in mind, in freshwater, its not such a big deal to add almost anything to the tank. (ALMOST) But, on the "no" side, this person shouldn't have even implied that he was selling what he was selling. It may very well have been ok to use, but, I can't take that chance. I don't know how the ecosystem within my tank works yet. I may not have been so upset if they were properly made in the first place. Now I am left with a vurtually empty tank. Again. I never took pics of the rocks in my tank because I was kind of scared to find out they weren't real and the emberacement of showing a great looking scape with FAKE rocks to those of you here at Reef Frontiers, who have such beautiful tanks and live stock.
Well, after that, nothing can be embaracing anymore. The more I know the better. At the end of this thread are going to be tank pics of the tank as it stands today.
Ok that said, lets get on with the new found descovery, as it's ment to be when you are new! Time to have fun.
As a new hobbiest, what is the first thing you should to BEFORE you fill the tank with water?
Buy a book!!! Lets start with these ones, they are recomended reading and are very helpful.
Authored by Hans A. Baensch and Helmut Debelius, "Baensch Marine Atlas 1: The Joint Aquarium Care of Invertebrates and Tropical Marine Fishes"
Authored by Dr. Harry Erhardt and Dr. Horst Moosleitner, "Baensch Marine Atlas 2" picks up where "Atlas 1" leaves off.
by Robert M. Fenner, author of "A Fishwatchers guide to the Saltwater Aquarium Fishes of the World": Robert Fenner rolls his many years of experience into this book and simplictically unravels the process of planning, setting up, stocking, and managing a saltwater system for beginning to intermediate hobbyists. Starting with the basics on "What is a fish?", he then delves into the scientific background and expert-level secrets to being a wiser consumer, better caretaker, and more successful marine aquarium keeper.
Those are just a few, but a great starter.
Check out the internet! Great sites to start with are:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com
http://saltaquarium.about.com
A post to links here in these boards.
The first link you can find just about everything you need to know there. The last link is a link to more links ( I know I am to lazy to add them myself) They will take you to an enormous amount of information.
Local Fish Stores (LFS). I am not going to speek for any one store at all. They are all diffrent and have experience in diffrent fields. Some sell for this hobby to have a wider range, others sell for this hobby because its what they know and can give you the best of everything. Research your local stores and find out what they know, how they feed, what additives that are used (copper, vitamines etc.) Find out if they quaranteen there livestock before selling, in my mind this is important information to know about your store. Keep in mind alot of "employees" in the stores will lie about what they do or don't do. So ASK ALOT of questions. Ask diffrent people in the store. You may find one person you like to deal with, even if the store doesn't have great reputation.
NEVER pay full price for equipment, shop around. There are always better deals around. Remember, you don't need it today if you can get a better price tomorrow. Reef frontiers alone has alot of great sponsors. Use them go to ALL the sponsor sites ask the reputation of them here on the boards. Go to the sponsor forums section of Reef Frontiers, ask alot of questions. if the sponsor is worth while they will answer any and all questions you ask. No matter how meaningless they may seem to them or other experienced people. This hobby is expensive, doing it right the first time will save you money and aggrivation.
Sponsors
Sponsor Forms
Equipment: I am not qualified to talk about this. I don't have what I "should have for a truely healthy and thriving aquarium. Use the search option on this site to find threads of equipment you would like to use. Find out reviews of the items you want and can afford. See if there are alternatives to the equipment you want. My opinion, buy the best that you can afford the first time. Buy equipment you can use if you decide to upgrade to a larger tank in the future. Then it will just be a matter of plug and play. Find out how and why certain equipment works, what it does and the most effective way to use them.
I realized that what I had would only be sufficient to complete the cycle. I had found a person ready to sell live rock pre-cured for $4/lbs (thats $2-4 cheaper than most LFS stores here in Canada) I jumped at the chance to get it. I filled my tank with it set it up nicely. From day 1 things didn't look right. I had scraped a bit if the algae off one of the pieces and it was a bright grey color, the color of concrete. As the tank finished cycleing, took about 3-4 weeks total. Parameters were Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 12. I didn't have any other test kits at the time. But the Live rock still bugged me. I had a friend come over and have a look in my tank. He clarified my worst thoughts. It was concrete! And not the Aaragrocrete you see made all the time. It was chuncks of concrete with stone gravel in it to make it look chunky. I must admit it was covered in a greenish red algae and the smooth parts looked like coraline covered rock. I imediately took it out of my tank drove over to the person that sold it to me. All he told me was it was my fault for not knowing what I had bought, he had never told me it was real live rock, just cured rock. After argueing for so long I gave up. For 120 bucks it wasn't worth the effort to me. I had better things to do. So I took the rock from my trunk and dropped it on his flowers and left. I am now left with about 6 lbs of small chunks of Live rock.
My fault? YES and no. I should have tried better to research the subject and got familuar with them before I jumped into it. Keep in mind, in freshwater, its not such a big deal to add almost anything to the tank. (ALMOST) But, on the "no" side, this person shouldn't have even implied that he was selling what he was selling. It may very well have been ok to use, but, I can't take that chance. I don't know how the ecosystem within my tank works yet. I may not have been so upset if they were properly made in the first place. Now I am left with a vurtually empty tank. Again. I never took pics of the rocks in my tank because I was kind of scared to find out they weren't real and the emberacement of showing a great looking scape with FAKE rocks to those of you here at Reef Frontiers, who have such beautiful tanks and live stock.
Well, after that, nothing can be embaracing anymore. The more I know the better. At the end of this thread are going to be tank pics of the tank as it stands today.
Ok that said, lets get on with the new found descovery, as it's ment to be when you are new! Time to have fun.
As a new hobbiest, what is the first thing you should to BEFORE you fill the tank with water?
Buy a book!!! Lets start with these ones, they are recomended reading and are very helpful.
Authored by Hans A. Baensch and Helmut Debelius, "Baensch Marine Atlas 1: The Joint Aquarium Care of Invertebrates and Tropical Marine Fishes"
Authored by Dr. Harry Erhardt and Dr. Horst Moosleitner, "Baensch Marine Atlas 2" picks up where "Atlas 1" leaves off.
by Robert M. Fenner, author of "A Fishwatchers guide to the Saltwater Aquarium Fishes of the World": Robert Fenner rolls his many years of experience into this book and simplictically unravels the process of planning, setting up, stocking, and managing a saltwater system for beginning to intermediate hobbyists. Starting with the basics on "What is a fish?", he then delves into the scientific background and expert-level secrets to being a wiser consumer, better caretaker, and more successful marine aquarium keeper.
Those are just a few, but a great starter.
Check out the internet! Great sites to start with are:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com
http://saltaquarium.about.com
A post to links here in these boards.
The first link you can find just about everything you need to know there. The last link is a link to more links ( I know I am to lazy to add them myself) They will take you to an enormous amount of information.
Local Fish Stores (LFS). I am not going to speek for any one store at all. They are all diffrent and have experience in diffrent fields. Some sell for this hobby to have a wider range, others sell for this hobby because its what they know and can give you the best of everything. Research your local stores and find out what they know, how they feed, what additives that are used (copper, vitamines etc.) Find out if they quaranteen there livestock before selling, in my mind this is important information to know about your store. Keep in mind alot of "employees" in the stores will lie about what they do or don't do. So ASK ALOT of questions. Ask diffrent people in the store. You may find one person you like to deal with, even if the store doesn't have great reputation.
NEVER pay full price for equipment, shop around. There are always better deals around. Remember, you don't need it today if you can get a better price tomorrow. Reef frontiers alone has alot of great sponsors. Use them go to ALL the sponsor sites ask the reputation of them here on the boards. Go to the sponsor forums section of Reef Frontiers, ask alot of questions. if the sponsor is worth while they will answer any and all questions you ask. No matter how meaningless they may seem to them or other experienced people. This hobby is expensive, doing it right the first time will save you money and aggrivation.
Sponsors
Sponsor Forms
Equipment: I am not qualified to talk about this. I don't have what I "should have for a truely healthy and thriving aquarium. Use the search option on this site to find threads of equipment you would like to use. Find out reviews of the items you want and can afford. See if there are alternatives to the equipment you want. My opinion, buy the best that you can afford the first time. Buy equipment you can use if you decide to upgrade to a larger tank in the future. Then it will just be a matter of plug and play. Find out how and why certain equipment works, what it does and the most effective way to use them.
i believe i'll be done by tomorrow morning after 5 huge cups of coffee and tons of doughnuts 
