what myths in this trade are a farse???

Ok since starting this hobby I have read alot of differing opinnions and thought it would be cool to find out what people think are false hoods or truth.

Example of things I've read.


1. Using a filer (hang or canister) is not good in a reef
2. bristle worms are good or evil
3. sand should only be used
4. aragonite crushed coral is bad
5. hermits are not reef friendly


thanks everyone, this may be fun. No arguments, just opinnions and experiences.

 

As a general rule, I would agree with this if you are using the internal media. Most people don't clean the media often enough. Using it without media or periodically putting carbon in it is fine.

Technically, because of the common usage of the word bristleworm to describe all polychaetes, this is truly hard to discuss. For instance, Eunicid worms are bristleworms but you DON'T want those in your tank. They kill small fish and eat soft corals. However, I would consider 99% of the bristleworms to be beneficial.

For SPS tanks, I prefer that sand is not used at all. DSB's do NOT work the way a certain marine biologist that lives in the middle of Montanna (I.e. not near any ocean) advertises.

It can be. It depends on how often you vacuum the substrate. It tends to gather detritus easier than sand but it's all in your aquarium husbandry, not in the material itself.

I've seen hermits that are model citizens. I've also seen them kill snails, eat polyps, kill other hermits for their shells, etc. In my situation, they weren't a problem. Any hermit caught killing a snail, hermit, coral polyp went on a one-way trip to my mantis tank.

 

1. using a hob filter or canister isn't bad, you either need to clean the filter media constantly due to the possiblity of a nitrate problem, or you can remove the filter media and simply use either as a refugium (i've seen both used before, if you have any questions, ask)

2. bristle worms tend to be beneficial. they will eat the remains of any leftover food in the tank and they tend to be exceptional scavengers. there are a few that could potentionally harm tank inhabitants such as the coral eating fireworm (hermodice carunculata) which will consume your corals, some have even been known to attack slower fish at night while they are sleeping. you'll have to reference pictures to make a proper identification.

3. typically aragonite and sand are one in the same. there are various size grades of the granules used. from my experience it depends on what your goals are in the long run for your tank and the size to be used. the larger sizes of aragonite (above 4mm) and crushed shells could be problematic down the road, sometimes the smaller grains tend to blow around easily (below .5mm). in my opinion any grain size between .5mm and 2.5mm is your best bet.

4. hermits are very efficient scavengers, but they can also become the bain of your existence. i think it's a personal preference, there are several other scavengers that can substitute the place of a hermit crab. hermit crabs will also attack other invertebrates for their shells (snails) eventually killing that animal, so you may need to place larger shells of various sizes in the tank for the future homes of the crab. i haven't placed a hermit crab in a tank since my first tank due to the hermit crabs constantly climbing on my corals, and i never will again...that's just my opinion though (i think hermit crabs are the spawn of satan ).

i hope that helps,
jonathan

 

The problem I have with the list is each thing mentioned is so broad that of course it could go either way.

The previous poster already touched on some things. However I do have a suggestion. While I am not one way or the other on the matter I do think it's a little disingenuous to ask for no arguements, but that take shots at people with the "lives in montana with no ocean" statement.

I live near the ocean. That doesn't automatically make me an expert. Paleontologists never lived with dinosaurs, suddenly they are not experts and their views are no longer valid?

The examples can go on forever, but I suspect you're able to see the point. Perhaps it's best to leave out the editorial and just answer the questions to the best of ones abilities if avoiding an arguement is a goal.

 

OK,

Point taken. EDIT: Nemo is the person who asked for no arguments but I forgot to close the quote so it looked like I did.

I'll just leave it at, "DSB's don't work the way Dr. Ron says they do".

 

Nice ;D
And I'll go one further and add....

Says you.

lol

 

;d ;d ;d

EDIT: I have no idea why my smilies aren't working.

 

or or

;D

 

I'm just quoting your smilies.