Just call me Annie (as in the Dummie)

lol...join the club
Welcome to 3reef!

 

Welcome to 3reef.

I think maybe that doesn't mean quite what you think it does.
You don't just put tap water in a bucket and let it sit for 24 hours.
You use an RO/DI filtration system to filter everything out of the water, add salt and mix with a powerhead and heater for 24 hours before adding it to your tank.

Using tap water that has been dechlorinated with another chemical or by letting it sit for 24 hours does not get rid of the bad stuff that will cause issues down the line with your tank.

I think a lot of people forget that new people don't necessarily have all of our "lingo" down when we give advice, and then tend to leave out important information that explains the entire process.

 

Hey Annie, welcome to 3Reef!


Here's a quick New to Saltwater Hobby Guide!

New to Saltwater Hobby Guide:


For those who are starting saltwater aquariums, start here:
Great Beginner's Guides:


The Ultimate Newbie Guide
http://www.3reef.com/forums/new-hobby/ultimate-newbie-guide-86462.html

Mistakes as Newbies
http://www.3reef.com/forums/new-hobby/mistakes-i-made-newbie-83502.html

Important to Keeping a Successful Tank
http://www.3reef.com/forums/general...st-important-keep-successful-tank-108543.html




Good Book to Start & Learn About Marine Reef Aquarium:
The Marine Reef Aquarium by Philip Hunt





Quick Tips & Rule of Fin:
Rule of Fin




Tips:
- If you want to start, start off with a big tank. The bigger the tank, the less fluctuations in your water!
- Weekly Water Changes are Crucial! 20%-30% Water Change is typically suggested by experienced aquarists. (I personally do partial water changes every other day!)
- Every new tank MUST go through the cycling process.
- Be extra careful when adding new things into your tank
- 1 Inch of Fish per Gallon
- 1 lb of Live Rock per Gallon
- 1 lb of Live Sand per Gallon
- Wait for tank to finish cycling before adding livestock
- Research, research, research!!!
- Be Patient

______________________________

Here's the Secret to Success:

- Constant water changes (this is a HUGE success factor - twice a week, 25-30% water change, if possible! Just be careful of doing it too fast though, you don't want to shock/stress your tank inhabitants)
- Checking parameters weekly/daily (if you have time or money)
- UV Sterilizer (this worked REALLY REALLY well for me!)
- Freshwater Dips + Quarantine Tank (really helps in the long run!)
- Chiller + Good Heater (stable temperature = healthy fishes, since fishes are poikilothermic, their body fluctuates with temp.)
- Auto Top Off (you can do it manually, but it's just more work!)
- Good Protein Skimmer
- Don't Overpopulate your Tank!
- Choose Compatible Fish/Corals

- Be Patient. As Matt Puts it, "Go Slow, Let it Grow." Great Piece of Advice. Don't rush things, being into reefing and saltwater, it's all about patience and diligence.

Essentially, if one can sum it up, it's about keeping your tank as stable as possible with good parameters.



Good luck!

 

Welcome to 3reef

 

Haoloist - I wanted to thank you for your post. I learned a lot with the DRAFT.