I'm biased, but really gots questions.

kkaiser85 · 07/13/2016, 09:50 AM

Hello friends,

So *FULL DISCLOSURE*
I work for Hanna Instruments.

In no way am I interested in selling you something. I am not even a sales guy. So FEAR NOT! Just putting that out there so people realize that when I am talking about my experience with Hanna Test Kits, it's not just because I work here and want to sell you something.

I recently got interested in the hobby, and have been tooling around trying to figure out the best way to get started.

I have the line of Hanna Checkers (of course) and am looking for ideas on beginner Corals and Fish.

Having spent the last 3 months with the new updated Marine Line from Hanna, and seeing that I can get consistent, digital results, as opposed to some others where I have to rely on my opinion of a color, I'm excited to get going on this!

Any suggestions?

A friend of mine sells coral and said he could help me out with some things, but I'm looking for a broad opinion too.

Thanks!
Ken

Ruskin · 07/13/2016, 10:59 AM

Hello Ken who is obviously trying to sell us Hannah stuff

(kidding , of course!) and welcome to Reef Central!

I found that when I first started, Pulsing Xenia was great. A lot of people will say its a bit of a nuisance because of how well it can grow and spread, but as a beginner it really does a good job of giving you that satisfying feeling that you are doing something right!

kkaiser85 · 07/13/2016, 01:20 PM

Thanks, Matt!

I just do videos

No sales for me!

bertoni · 07/13/2016, 10:33 PM

You'll probably get more help in the New to the Hobby forum, but we'd need to know what size tank you'd like to have and what corals you'd like to keep in order to say much.

madweazl · 07/14/2016, 05:55 AM

Some of the hardiest things have been some of my favorites over the years. I dig mushrooms (some amazing colors/patterns out there), green start polyps are awesome (some people seem to have issues but these have literally grown like a weed in every system I've had), yellow polyps are neat (full disclosure; I have a thing for yellow). Oh yea, blue clove polyps too. The downside to the polyps is they can grow fast and be invasive if left unchecked. Duncans and green polyp toadstools have been very forgiving me in the past as well (I travel a lot so things happen when the wife has to take over).

ReefTeacher · 07/14/2016, 06:02 AM

+1 on Green Star Polyps. I still love them after all these years. When I get too many I feed them to my butterfly fish!

Ron Reefman · 07/14/2016, 07:04 AM

Welcome to Reef Central. I'm sure that in time you'll figure out your way around the various forums here.

I guess it's just the cynic in me, but your very first post asking for help on basic ideas related to a saltwater aquarium is in the chemistry forum and you work for Hanna and do a sales pitch (Having spent the last 3 months with the new updated Marine Line from Hanna, and seeing that I can get consistent, digital results, as opposed to some others where I have to rely on my opinion of a color, I'm excited to get going on this!). I'm shocked!

So I'll share my thoughts. I have used almost every test kit in the market and I gave up on the Hanna kits a long time ago because they were a giant PITA to use and I got very erratic results. For quick and easy I use API and find them reliable enough. When I need a 2nd opinion or a more accurate (finer degree of precision) I use Salifert.

sde1500 · 07/14/2016, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkaiser85

I have the line of Hanna Checkers (of course) and am looking for ideas on beginner Corals and Fish.

Having spent the last 3 months with the new updated Marine Line from Hanna, and seeing that I can get consistent, digital results, as opposed to some others where I have to rely on my opinion of a color, I'm excited to get going on this!

Yea man, no offense but that is a cringe inducing pitch right there. Welcome, and glad to see you are excited, but easiest way to convince people you aren't just shilling for the company you work for is to mention as little about it as possible. Best way to do the opposite is basically what you posted there.

Pop into the new hobby section, read the setting up sticky. It will give you a good base of information to start on.

ColoReefer970 · 07/14/2016, 12:00 PM

+1 for keeping him honest...I was like...srsly?

CHSUB · 07/14/2016, 12:21 PM

ask for help and get a lecture on your first post!!!!

the RC welcome wagon, nice.......

tmz · 07/14/2016, 01:36 PM

I agree we need to know more about what you'd like to do to be of much help. If you have more detail or specific questions we'd be glad to help.
There are no easy corals; some are less challenging and more tolerant of a range of conditions though like capnella, discoma, star polyps, some protopalythoa and playthoa,xenia and some others.

07/13/2016, 09:50 AM	#1
kkaiser85 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 3	I'm biased, but really gots questions. Hello friends, So FULL DISCLOSURE I work for Hanna Instruments. In no way am I interested in selling you something. I am not even a sales guy. So FEAR NOT! Just putting that out there so people realize that when I am talking about my experience with Hanna Test Kits, it's not just because I work here and want to sell you something. I recently got interested in the hobby, and have been tooling around trying to figure out the best way to get started. I have the line of Hanna Checkers (of course) and am looking for ideas on beginner Corals and Fish. Having spent the last 3 months with the new updated Marine Line from Hanna, and seeing that I can get consistent, digital results, as opposed to some others where I have to rely on my opinion of a color, I'm excited to get going on this! Any suggestions? A friend of mine sells coral and said he could help me out with some things, but I'm looking for a broad opinion too. Thanks! Ken

07/13/2016, 10:59 AM	#2
Ruskin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 373	Hello Ken who is obviously trying to sell us Hannah stuff (kidding , of course!) and welcome to Reef Central! I found that when I first started, Pulsing Xenia was great. A lot of people will say its a bit of a nuisance because of how well it can grow and spread, but as a beginner it really does a good job of giving you that satisfying feeling that you are doing something right! __________________ -Matt Current Tank Info: 80g Shallow Rimless

07/13/2016, 10:33 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You'll probably get more help in the New to the Hobby forum, but we'd need to know what size tank you'd like to have and what corals you'd like to keep in order to say much. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/14/2016, 07:04 AM	#7
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	Welcome to Reef Central. I'm sure that in time you'll figure out your way around the various forums here. I guess it's just the cynic in me, but your very first post asking for help on basic ideas related to a saltwater aquarium is in the chemistry forum and you work for Hanna and do a sales pitch (Having spent the last 3 months with the new updated Marine Line from Hanna, and seeing that I can get consistent, digital results, as opposed to some others where I have to rely on my opinion of a color, I'm excited to get going on this!). I'm shocked! So I'll share my thoughts. I have used almost every test kit in the market and I gave up on the Hanna kits a long time ago because they were a giant PITA to use and I got very erratic results. For quick and easy I use API and find them reliable enough. When I need a 2nd opinion or a more accurate (finer degree of precision) I use Salifert. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

07/14/2016, 12:21 PM	#10
CHSUB "Certified Hobby Expert" Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Miami, Fl Posts: 2,038	ask for help and get a lecture on your first post!!!! the RC welcome wagon, nice....... __________________ Goniopora Police _________________ building a 60"x36"x30" peninsula reef...follow at "NEW TANK BUILD" on reef discussion forum! http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2110638

07/13/2016, 01:20 PM	#3
kkaiser85 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 3	Thanks, Matt! I just do videos No sales for me!

07/14/2016, 05:55 AM	#5
madweazl Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NOVA Posts: 774	Some of the hardiest things have been some of my favorites over the years. I dig mushrooms (some amazing colors/patterns out there), green start polyps are awesome (some people seem to have issues but these have literally grown like a weed in every system I've had), yellow polyps are neat (full disclosure; I have a thing for yellow). Oh yea, blue clove polyps too. The downside to the polyps is they can grow fast and be invasive if left unchecked. Duncans and green polyp toadstools have been very forgiving me in the past as well (I travel a lot so things happen when the wife has to take over).

07/14/2016, 06:02 AM	#6
ReefTeacher Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 358	+1 on Green Star Polyps. I still love them after all these years. When I get too many I feed them to my butterfly fish!

07/14/2016, 12:00 PM	#9
ColoReefer970 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Earth Posts: 88	+1 for keeping him honest...I was like...srsly?

07/14/2016, 01:36 PM	#11
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	I agree we need to know more about what you'd like to do to be of much help. If you have more detail or specific questions we'd be glad to help. There are no easy corals; some are less challenging and more tolerant of a range of conditions though like capnella, discoma, star polyps, some protopalythoa and playthoa,xenia and some others. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.