Blog Comments

If you want to do this, be there to keep an eye on things. However, what you are doing is coming up with yet another method of trapping particulates, which is what the socks do. Pulling a sock out of the sump is actually easier than removing a filter cartridge in a housing. How often were you changing your socks? And how many did you have total?

It may clog when you are not home and overflow your tank

It actually sounds pretty good... But wouldn't it be the same thing as a filter sock? Isn't the filter sock there to catch gunk? I've never used socks myself because I've read too many threads on how much of a pain in the arse they are. I guess my question is what would the pool filter do different than the sock? Or would it be easier to clean?

Hey I'd be happy to add that to my ever growing list of responsibilities here on ReefAddicts. I just don't have the skillz.

good little web worker bees

Sounds like you just volunteered... Whoops, did I say that out loud...

Thanks for the update. After a few weeks of running this, I'd love to get a product review from you for the articles section. Let me know if you'd be interested.

LOL! Nice format. We (knocks on wood) have plans for a FS section sometime in the distant future. We just need to get good little web worker bees on the payroll, and by payroll, I mean volunteer to be worked like a $2 hooker, and by $2 hooker I mean being Marc's lil' biotch.

Ok folks, the Next Reef SMR1 Solid Media Reactor finally arrived. Not to dog the vendor chosen to purchase this too much, I will never order another product from SaltySupply again. They are a company that hides behind an answering service and only returned my call once I called and left a final message to threaten to dispute the charges on my card. To their defense, there is a high demand and shortage of the SMR1. However they told me this product was in stock in the beginning and never communicated to me that it was back-ordered. It was the ole' " get the money and we'll figure out a way to deliver" tactic. Aside from that, I was excited to get my product.

Installation was easy, straight forward and in my opinion can be accomplished by anyone. First, lets start with the bio pellets. I chose the Warner Marine EcoBak ULNS Pellets. The instructions on the container recommend rinsing the pellets in RO water and soaking overnight to reduce any floating pellets once installed in the reactor. I rinsed and then soaked mine for about 4 hours, I didn't notice a difference after soaking them. I will say, i think I need another 500ml of pellets. I'm going to see how this works for a now, but think there is plenty of room for more pellets

The installation of the reactor was the same as any other reactor, pump controlled amount of water in, and retun water to the sump. The instructions recommend the return water be close to the inlet on your skimmer. So I did just that. Initially once I plugged the Mag 3 in, I did notice some minor clumping. This can be seen in the pictures, pellets are collected at the very top of the reactor. Within a few minutes and a couple jiggles, all pellets fell to the bottom with the rest. The clumping and floating, in my opinion was not a big deal. On a side note, I was skeptic over the mag 3 being too much. As stated originally, when I made a few phone calls, everyone recommended the Mag 3. The paperwork with the SMR1 came with a supplemental insert sheet that I have scanned into a pdf. (haven't figured out how to post a pdf yet) The insert from Next Reef recommends the Mag 3 as well.

As of this date, we're at day one; and will monitor my water parameters very closely. Below is a video and pictures of this install within a couple minutes of plugging putting water to it. So far so good and hopefully, no more dosing of the reef biofuel. Enjoy...

I may have to actually watch a few of these while I'm in town.

How 'bout them boys! oh, wait, who are they?! ah yes! The losers in the building next door to the future WORLD SERIES WINNERS! THE TEXAS RANGERS!

Woohoo! That was a great game, such a sweet victory!

Congratulations. enjoy it. It was fun around here when Tigers went to the World Series in 06

Originally Posted by mledford

In an effort to figure this out, I have asked my buddy to see if he can find out where his friend copied them from.

Via the wonders of google I found who I think is the author on saltwaterfish.com. I wrote them a PM asking for permission to use this on a more permanent basis.

In an effort to figure this out, I have asked my buddy to see if he can find out where his friend copied them from.

It would be nice to find out the source of this list to see if we can have permission to post it as an article on R.A. You guys feel like doing a little legwork to find that person?

Great list. All looks like solid advice.

Thanks.

Nice list, some good some bad, but over all imformative.

Thanks

101. SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THIS HOBBY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I figure this would be a great way to end the 100 tips. No one will ever be able to learn from their own mistakes if they do not take the advice from others. This advice from others comes from past experience. Always share experiences because you may be teaching someone something they did not know. It is impossible to know everything in this hobby. If you think you know everything, you are being close-minded and you will eventually not be able to maintain a successful aquarium.

91. SPS CORALS NEED BOTH VERY HIGH LIGHT AND VERY STRONG WATER FLOW. Both of these things are incredibly essential to keeping acropora, montipora, and other SPS corals. Metal halide lights are almost always required (unless high-powered T-5’s are used) and it is essential to have at least 20 X the turnover rate for flow. However, it is preferred that there is even more flow for SPS corals. Some people even run their tanks at 25-35 X the turnover rate.


92. ALWAYS DIP YOUR CORALS BEFORE PLACING THEM IN YOUR TANK. Many LFS take corals from other hobbyists and because they have corals coming in from so many different places, the chances of them having red bugs, or flatworms, or nudibranches, or other harmful critters is very high. When you take home a coral from the LFS or get a coral from another hobbyist, dip it in an Iodine solution for 5-8 minutes to kill any and all harmful hitchhikers. Many companies make a coral dip so that you do not have to try and make the Iodine solution yourself. SeaChem makes a very good coral dip, as does Kent (Tech D).

93. KEEP SCHOOLING FISH IN A SCHOOL; THEY WILL DO BETTER. Schooling fish school for a reason. They feel more comfortable and protect each other. It is going to be the same way in your aquarium. Chromis and anthias should absolutely be kept in a group. Also, be sure to keeping pairing fish in pairs, as well. Things like twinspot gobies absolutely need to be kept in pairs in order to do well.

94. BIO BALLS ARE NOT ALWAYS BAD; DON’T BELIEVE THE MYTH. Many people say that you cannot use bio balls under any circumstance because they cause nitrates. This is untrue. Bio balls tend to accumulate dirt and detritus, and this is when they become a problem. As long as you practice regular maintenance on your bio balls by cleaning them in some “bad” water change water (the water you remove), you will be able to keep your bio balls clean and still usable.

95. KNOW WHAT CORALS NEED TO BE SPOT FED. There are many different coral foods on the market because there are many different types of corals that need strong feeding. Acroporas are among one of the corals that appreciate good feeding and nutrient-rich water. Young clams also do better when they are fed, goniopora and alveopora are the same, and any filter feeder needs to be fed as close to daily as possible. Sun corals, carnation corals, and other non-photosynthetic corals absolutely need to be fed. Also, be sure to remember inverts like flame scallops. They need to be fed well, also, whereas, filter feeders such as feather dusters will just filter feed out of the water column.

96. GET THE RIGHT KELVIN BULBS TO FIT YOUR NEEDS. Aquarium bulbs come in many different Kelvin spectrums. You can buy bulbs that are 6500K, 10000K, 14000K, and 20000K. The Kelvin bulb that you buy will determine what “color” your tank looks. The closer to 0 you are, the more yellowish your tank will be. 10000K is a yellowish white, 14000K is a blueish white, and 20000K is deep blue color. With 10000K you get very good growth but the color does not look great. With 20000K, the color looks excellent but you will lose a lot in growth. Any of the bulbs will “work”, the choice is up to you.

97. DEEP SAND BEDS CAN BE INCREDIBLY BENEFIFICAL IN A REEF TANK. Deep sand beds can greatly help in de-nitrification and can serve as a home to many critters in your reef tank. Deep sand beds should only be used in fully stocked reef aquariums because you cannot really clean them. You need to rely on the critters in your tank to keep them clean. In a fish only with live rock tank, a deep sand bed will not work because in a tank like that, you need to be able to remove all the detritus from the substrate.

98. HAVE A GROUNDING PROBE AND USE IT TO PREVENT STRAY VOLTAGE. Just in case one of your electrical devices sends electricity in the water, have a grounding probe so that you can get rid of it quickly and hopefully prevent any harm being done to your fish.

99. USE A GFCI ON YOUR TANK. A GFCI will cut power immediately in the event water spills on your electrical outlets. Absolutely essential to have to prevent fires.

100. USE WHITE VINEGAR TO CLEAN OUT OLD PUMPS, FILTERS, TANKS. White vinegar is safe to use in an aquarium and cleans old items out very well, removing any possible toxin or harmful chemical.

81. REPLACE YOUR T-5 BULBS EVERY 16-20 MONTHS. This is the general rule of thumb if you want the absolute best quality from your bulbs. Otherwise, they do not put out the proper light for your corals and your tank will begin to see unwanted algae growth as well. Make it a habit to change the bulbs as necessary, depending on how long you run them every day.

82. NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER ADD COPPER TO YOUR DISPLAY TANK. This is a grave mistake that many hobbyists make. The problem with copper is that it kills most bacteria on live rock, as well as all inverts and all corals. And the second problem is that the silicone in the seams of your tank absorb copper and can release it into the tank in the future. Thus, when you dose your display tank with copper, you are making it forever a fish only tank, one that can never have live rock, inverts, or coral. It is also very important to know that when you buy a used tank, always be sure to ask the owner if they ever put copper in it. Most people who have freshwater tanks do not think twice about dosing copper. If they did dose copper at one point, do not buy the tank. The value of the tank is very little because there is not much you can do with the tank, now.

83. THERE ARE CERTAIN TYPES OF FISH THAT YOU CANNOT PUT THROUGH COPPER. Copper can have a lot of negative effects on fish. It can burn the insides of gobies, and drastically affect the intestines and digestive systems of tangs, angels, and butterflies. Copper can also kill mandarins, eels, and hurt puffers.

84. THERE ARE ONLY TWO WAYS TO TOTALLY KILL MARINE ICH. The only two ways that truly remove ich from a fish is copper or hyposalinity. Neither can be done in a tank with live rock, inverts, and corals. Hyposalinity is the treatment method of choice because it is much less dangerous and lethal to your fish and inhabitants. It must however be done with the use of a refractometer.

85. BROOKLYNELLA IS A SERIOUS DISEASE THAT NEEDS TO BE TREATED IMMEDIATELY. Brooklynella is also commonly called “clownfish” disease because it affects clowns the most. However, other fish can get it. The only effective treatment against brooklynella is a series of formalin dips on the infected fish and quarantining of all the fish in the tank.

86. LYMPHOCYSTSIS IS EASILY CURABLE; DON’T USE MEDICATIONS. Lymphocystsis is a stress-related disease. It is usually brought on by poor water quality, poor nutrition, or another stressor in the aquarium. Remove the thing that is causing the fish to be stressed and the lymph will stop growing and go away.

87. THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALTS; TEST YOUR NEW BATCH BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE TANK. Every salt brand is different, and most batches of salt within the same brand are very different also. When you make up water for a water change and let it mix for the recommended two to four days, you will be able to test it for things like alkalinity, calcium, pH, and magnesium and buffer appropriately so that you do not stress the fish with different water.

88. CALCIUM IN POWDER FORM WORKS BETTER THAN CALCIUM IN LIQUID FORM. This goes for most products that can be found in both powder and liquid form. Magnesium, alkalinity, strontium, and most elements are the same way. Powders are more concentrated than liquids are, and usually, liquids are a little more watered down. You will get more use out of powder products since they are more concentrated.

89. RUNNING CARBON IN YOUR TANK IS A GOOD IDEA. Using carbon in your tank for at least a few days out of the month will help remove any harmful toxins or pollutants that may have gotten into your water. Many people use carbon 24/7 and this is also an acceptable practice.

90. ALWAYS HAVE A SMALL THERMOMETER IN YOUR TANK, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU HAVE A DIGITAL READER OR NOT. Many times, digital readouts can fail or read wrongly. It is always good to have a second source to check that your digital is working properly.

71. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO KEEP MORE THAN ONE ANGEL PER TANK. Angels are very territorial and can be very aggressive. Unless adding them to a very large tank at the same time, do not attempt this. It does not work well at all. Angels will chase and potentially kill other angels because they are that territorial.

72. BE AWARE OF WHAT FISH ARE JUMPERS SO THAT YOU DO NOT LOSE A FISH DUE TO ITS JUMPING. There are many fish that are escape artists. Firefish, anthias, gobies, eels, and wrasses are among the common fish that aquarists find on the floor behind their aquariums. Before buying one of these fish, be ready to have all small wholes in your top covered so that the fish cannot jump out.

73. THERE ARE DIFFERENT SNAILS FOR DIFFERENT TASKS. There are a ton of different algaes out there. If you have a certain type of algae, get the right snail for the job. Turbos are great for hair algae. Nassarius and cerith are wonderful in the sand bed. Margaritas and bumble bees are great for small crevices and small bits of algae on the glass. Get the right type of snail and you will get rid of your undesirable algae.

74. PROVIDE EMPTY SHELLS FOR HERMIT CRABS. This is a very important step if you do not want all of your snails being killed by your hermit crabs. Most stores sell empty shells. Buy them and put them in your tank for your crabs.

75. KILL AIPSTASIA AND MAJANO ANEMONES AS SOON AS YOU SEE THEM. You do not want these things multiplying in your tank. They are terrible pests and multiply very quickly and can become quite uncontrollable. My best advice: keep a bottle of Joe’s Juice on hand at all times. If you see a nuisance anemone in your tank, blast it with the Joe’s Juice. Nuisance anemones can kill corals, and injure fish and inverts by stinging them.

76. REMOVE FLATWORMS THE SECOND YOU SEE THEM. If you thought nuisance anemones grew quickly, flatworms spread ridiculously and are even harder to get rid of. When you see any of these, get a turkey baster and suck them all out.

77. IF INTERESTED IN SEAHORSES AND PIPEFISH, SET UP A SEPARATE TANK FOR THEM. Seahorses and pipefish are so delicate and have such highly specialized needs that they absolutely must have their own tank set-up for them if you plan to try to keep them. Also, know that neither of these animals are very easy to keep and you must do a lot of research on them before attempting them.
78. MANDARINS NEED AN OVER-ABUNDANCE OF COPEPODS TO SURVIVE. Mandarins are very picky eaters who 99 times out of 100 will only eat live pods that are found in your tank and on your live rock. What’s worse is that mandarins eat a lot of copepods daily, so it is important to have a refugium so that you can continue to replenish the stock in your display when the mandarin eats them all. The good news is that many stores and online places (SWF.com) sell live copepods for a very cheap price. Buy a few portions to get your stock to begin breeding and accumulating. However, once you buy the copepods, do not plan on buying the mandarin for at least a few months. A good rule of thumb is that your tank should be up and running for 10-12 months before adding a mandarin.

79. REPLACE YOUR POWER COMPACT BULBS EVERY 6 TO 8 MONTHS. This is the general rule of thumb if you want the absolute best quality from your bulbs. Otherwise, they do not put out the proper light for your corals and your tank will begin to see unwanted algae growth as well. Make it a habit to change the bulbs as necessary, depending on how long you run them every day.


80. REPLACE YOUR METAL HALIDES EVERY 10-14 MONTHS. This is the general rule of thumb if you want the absolute best quality from your bulbs. Otherwise, they do not put out the proper light for your corals and your tank will begin to see unwanted algae growth as well. Make it a habit to change the bulbs as necessary, depending on how long you run them every day.