Things they might try to sell you that you don't need...

[Sk8r]

1. bioballs. Not even good as cat toys. [they allow nitrate buildup: bad for the tank.]
2. wet-dry filter. Same problem.
3. cannister filter---only in limited applications. Useful to have around in case you need emergency filtration, but in general, that's why you have live rock and sand---filtration medium builds up nitrate. Again, bad.
4. tests for phosphate: algae contains phosphate: if you have algae you have phosphate. Don't even bother to test. Use ro/di water and you'll have less.
5. live sand. You have live rock: your sand will colonize about as fast as your tank cycles. Note: you can start with APPROVED dry rock and just one little live rock---just takes a few weeks longer.
6. a damsel for cycling. No. Cruel. Just drop a few flakes of fishfood in daily until you see ammonia. Then stop until the ammonia goes; then do it again; then make sure the ammonia goes away before you contemplate adding snails and hermits.
7. lots of water conditioners and chemicals. Nope. Just Alkalinity Buffer, and more salt for water changes (10% weekly will keep your trace elements up).
8. Magic preparations to treat your tank: as a novice, NEVER put anything into your tank that is not salt, alkalinity buffer, calcium, or magnesium. This has no exceptions. If you have a problem, solve it with a 20% water change and some carbon in a ladies' kneehigh nylon. If you ACHE to do something more, get on RC in the chemistry section and ask for help. [Note: fish and softie people will need alk buffer, sooner or later. Stony coral people will additionally need calcium and mag supplement, above and beyond their water changes, because that's among the things stony coral eats.] Just remember: NOTHING but salt, buffer, calcium, magnesium. If they offer to sell you anything else, go to the chemistry forum!

[scottwhitson]

Excellent advice. Asking questions on here will save you LOTS of money.

[Russter]

Originally Posted by scottwhitson

Excellent advice. Asking questions on here will save you LOTS of money.

+1

I wish I had found this forum when I started. Would have saved a few bucks for sure.

[leeit2me]

I regreted selling my bioballs, just when you need some for a prject. it bites you in the butt, when you needed the most. Blah!!!

So anyone got left over bioballs for sale??? lol

[seadub1]

Very helpful. Thank you!

[Lateralus]

I get saltwater from my LFS. That just as good as me mixing it myself as far as it having all the trace elements?

[jenglish]

Originally Posted by Lateralus

I get saltwater from my LFS. That just as good as me mixing it myself as far as it having all the trace elements?

THat depends what salt they make it out of and what salinity they mix it to. Many LFS mix their water to 28 ppt or less to save money where I mix mine to 35 ppt to get more calcium, mag, kh, etc in the water.

[sedor]

We forgot to add expensive LFS kalkwasser mixes Why get theirs when you can buy pickling lime at the grocery store for a quarter of the price.

[Shaummy]

regarding #1 and #2.

It depends on what kind of tank you are putting together. If you are planning a reef tank, I think you are 100% correct.

however, I'm running a FO with a little live rock in it with a wet/dry and bio-balls for over 10 years and it has been working effectively for what it is designed to do.

[rbnice1]

1 thing to add to this list. It actually falls under #8 but I think it deserves its own number.

Purple up. Buy it if you want to throw money away. Otherwise save the money and buy a couple test kits and keep your alk/calc/mag up.

[butchik]

Very helpful for newbies like me. Thanks.

[Sk8r]

I should have said, re the filters, "a few applications." A non-coral tank (fishonly/liverock: FOWLR) with a lot of (or large) carnivores is one where you do need the filtration, carbon, and any other amelioration you can get, especially if you have obligate carnivores and quite a heavy fish load. These tanks are, however, not easy to keep: they require a lot more work than a modest reef, IME, because maintaining the filters is so labor-intensive---such tanks are an art unto themselves, and deserve their respect.

[Sk8r]

And do NOT get a remedy for cyano: you're bound to get it---everybody does; but there are ways and ways to deal with it that don't involve dumping an antibiotic (kills bacteria) into your tank! When you have the problem, ask---meanwhile, keep your water clean and balanced, use ro/di, and keep stray sunbeams from hitting your tank.

[Sk8r]

I have to know---for the person hunting for bioballs!---I am curious. WHAT are you hoping to do with them?

[ecupcar]

bioballs are good for one thing... cat toys!

[Crustman]

Can adding Kent Marine Essential Elements hurt my reef? It says that it is a trace mineral supplement for these minerals that are not in salt mixes or that these chemicals are removed by protein skimming.

[Wippit]

Regarding the carbon filter: I've read that some folks use one periodically just to keep the water clear -- as a filtration supplement not as a substitute for anything else.

[rbnice1]

Originally Posted by Crustman

Can adding Kent Marine Essential Elements hurt my reef? It says that it is a trace mineral supplement for these minerals that are not in salt mixes or that these chemicals are removed by protein skimming.

Does it say what these minerals are and can you test for it? If you cant test for it dont add it. Corals dont need anything other then light and food, for lps food si supplimental feedings like mysis or small pieces of krill, for sps its fish poop of other small meaty foods.

Now as you get to much higher experience lvls you may start doing tthings like running low or ultra low nutrient systems and then you may need to add certain things but I wouldnt do this untill you really know what your doing.

[rbnice1]

Originally Posted by Wippit

Regarding the carbon filter: I've read that some folks use one periodically just to keep the water clear -- as a filtration supplement not as a substitute for anything else.

Carbon also help remove any toxins that may enter the system. Personally I would never run a tank with out carbon. Mine gets changed out every 3 weeks.

Carbon is cheap so why not run it all the time even if the benefit is small.

[rale2001]

This is a well put together and informative thread. I must say tho I have a canister filter on my 35 gal and I couldn't figure out how I couldn't get my nitrates under 20ppm for 4 months. I cleaned it out for the first time rinsed out my pads with declorinated fresh water and stress coat and did a 10% water change and boom 10ppm of nitrates. I'm gonna change my carbon for the first time in this 6mon old tanks existance and see what happens.

[rale2001]

Oh and +4 on saving money on unneccessary additives I spent all those months using chems to drop nitrates the biggest waste of 50 bucks in 4 mons clean my filter did my regular water change and boom instant results.

[polyp02]

I am currently doing a budget list since I will start a reef tank, I've had a 29g goldfish tank for 3 yrs and need something new. Sooo you don't need a canister or a wet/dry filter?.. what about a protein skimmer? I plan on getting some green button polyps, a tubular sponge, a bubble anemone, a long-tentacle toadstool leather coral, mushroom polyps, a pulse coral, a shrimp, some clown fish, and maybe a clam. Tank size might be a 55g or 75g tank, I would like a 125g but that is too big.

[harper]

Originally Posted by polyp02

I am currently doing a budget list since I will start a reef tank, I've had a 29g goldfish tank for 3 yrs and need something new. Sooo you don't need a canister or a wet/dry filter?.. what about a protein skimmer? I plan on getting some green button polyps, a tubular sponge, a bubble anemone, a long-tentacle toadstool leather coral, mushroom polyps, a pulse coral, a shrimp, some clown fish, and maybe a clam. Tank size might be a 55g or 75g tank, I would like a 125g but that is too big.

I would highly doubt your LFS will recommend a good protein skimmer. Wet/dry filters have little use unless you plan on a tank with large predators. Good lighting, RO/DI, and a quality protein skimmer are the only big ticket items you should need. And long before you talk to your local fish store, you should research here online for brands and units.

[leeit2me]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

I have to know---for the person hunting for bioballs!---I am curious. WHAT are you hoping to do with them?

I am middle of building a coil denitrator reactor and I need bioballs to fill up empty area with that stuff. I can use other media's but I perfer bioballs instead. So, yes I am in the hunt for bioballs..

[pmcadams]

Good advise, but I have mixed feelings about #5. I agree you don't need 'cycled' sand... but a little bio-diversity, for example grunge, can be good addition I think... especially if you started out with dry sand and dry rock and simply went thru a water cycle. IMHO