If You Are New to Reef Central, Introduce Yourself Here!

[MoreDakka]

Hey all,
I got into this because my buddy who had an awesome 150g tank had left over equipment from his sale when he moved. He has moved back and I started a 30g as a fresh water with 5 neon tetras, woohoo.

I found that 30g had a leak in the top and only ran across it during a water change. So went on kijiji and found a guy selling a 45g (size constraints to the stand 36x13), the tank was $50 and is in good shape.

Got 40 lbs of live rock and have been cycling it for the last 4 weeks. Still have really high ammonia in my tank so waiting...waiting....

Kids are excited to get some star fish, and some clown fish. Want to get some cleaner shrimp and a sand sifter or two plus some corals. Great but expensive hobby. Weee.

[SoCo90]

Greetings (again)!

My wife and I have been reef-keeping for 20 years now (5 years longer in fact than we've been married). We started with a 55G FO tank in 1992 and when we built our current house in 1997, we made specific accommodations during design and construction for a larger tank (up to 6' length).

In late '97 we set up a 90G tank which we've maintained (more or less) since then, though in recent years, we've sadly allowed our system to deteriorate due to neglect and apathy.

This year, as our joint x-mas gift to ourselves, we've committed to rehabbing our tank, returning (and maintaining) it to its former glory.

As I was a member of the RC community many years ago, I'm looking forward to reconnecting and learning what I've missed and all that's new in this wonderful hobby.

[elirva]

Hi, everyone,

I've had a freshwater tank since I was 8. I'm in my early 40s now. I've had tropical fish, Oscars, African cichlids, lake-caught Spot, and lots of things in between. My current setup is a 55-gallon freshwater community tank. For the last five years or so, I've thought about setting up a saltwater system, but didn't have the time or guts to try it. Now that the kids are older -- and I also got my SCUBA certification this summer -- I really want to have a reef tank at home. I'm looking on Craigslist for a second-hand plug and play system. My preference is the Sea Max 250 because I think it'll be a good beginner tank. I'm pretty excited!

[guardian_2000]

Hello,
I've been a lurker here for a few months now as I've been trying to learn about the hobby that has caught my attention via my GF's 75g reef/fish tank. I have just recently gotten myself a BC29 and have started what hopefully will be a fun time with this fascinating hobby.

[DBLeite]

welcome....

[shari123]

hey rc i would love some real advice on setting up a reef aquarium i have 4 fresh water tanks and meh boring really want to set up a salt water tank properly dont see any point in doing it half assed but alot of the info i reserch makes not much sence and theres a billion different ways to do it could some one share were they went right and were they went wrong so i can mmaybe learn from your mistakes defently interested in breeding salt water animals so wanting to base alot of it around that while it still looking pleasing to the eye dont mind adding extra tanks if needs be but dont want to waste my money getting the wrong ones PLEASE HELP !!

[Ngoodermuth]

Hello RC,

I've been in the hobby for a little over 2 years now, and I think what I love most is that I am CONSTANTLY learning more about these creatures and how they interact with each other in the wild and in aquaria.

I started with a 28g nano, and then upgraded to a 55g before taking a short hiatus when I bought my first house. Now that we are settled in, I am back at it again... with a 65g/20g sump & refugium.

I'm not really new to RC, but I just recently started posting a little more so I figured I would introduce myself. Before, I mostly used RC for information as there are some REALLY good threads here. Now that I have spent hundreds (or maybe even thousands) of hours researching my own purchases, and still making a few mistakes along the way- I'm happy to help other newbies like myself based on my own experiences.

Hope to see you all around!

[whiteshark]

I'll reintroduce myself I suppose.

After a long break from RC I'm back to reabsorb knowledge and gain new information and insights as to what's changed in the hobby since I left.

Years ago I had a 90 gallon reef (believe I got it when i was 15ish) which I loved but was not able to sustain financially. I did my best working some part time jobs, and my mom contributed, but it just wasn't quite enough. I never got the tank to the state I envisioned. Not that it looked bad, but I could have done so much more if I had the funds.

That was a lesson well learned. In 2006 I moved away from home to finish my schooling and get my degree in Fisheries Science from Penn State. Unfortunately leaving home meant dismantling the reef as my mom just didn't have the motivation to care for it the way it needed to be cared for (not that I expected her to). I kept all the equipment, though, knowing one day I'd definitely get back into the hobby.

After graduating in 2008 I worked seasonally with the PA Fish and Boat Commission for two years as a biologist aide. While I loved the work, it was seasonal, so I took jobs during the off-season. In the winter of 2011 I was offered a position as a machine operator for Dixie Lehigh Valley. I figured I'd do that until next PFBC season. Well, soon after starting a Quality Control job opened and luckily enough I was able to get it. Now I am pretty well compensated and I feel it's time to get back into this hobby.

So now I actually have some funding, have the motivation, have the time (I work 12 hr. shifts which means I get a lot of days off ) and am excited to get back into it! I'll be lurking around, maybe adding some hopefully useful information from my past experience, and certainly asking lots of questions.

[Lez uk]

Hi this will be sec time round for me ,I was having a clear out and come by a old photo of my marine tank some 20 years ago. So I am starting all over again but this time with little 50 uk gall tank I started 3 days ago so for the next 8 weeks I be a water keeper only.

[AZ_Ron]

Hey all... just wanted to say 'Hi!'

Wife and I have been talking about doing up a SW setup for years. Finally decided to give it a go. I'm planning on spending the next few months reading and researching before buying anything. LOTS and LOTS to learn!!

For anyone who might be in my area, I'm in San Tan Valley, AZ.
A Southeast suburb of Phoenix. If anyone has a setup and wouldn't mind
showing it off, and perhaps handing out some advice, I'd be most appreciative!

Cheers!!!

Ron

[Jackie Blue90]

Im jackie. Was just recently introduced to the hobby. I live in the middle of nowhere in ohio and its hard to find a descent marine fish store.

[imreef]

WOW! so crazy...

[vmjtc3]

Just thought I would pop on here and say Hi, Been reefing and keeping aquariums since 1989, thought I would poke around here and see what kind of knowledge I can pick up around here

[Jhafner99]

Hey Everyone,
My Name is Joe and I am in Santa Barbara, California.
I just set up a 24 Gallon JBJ Led Biocube..
Here are the specs and looking for any advice or comments you may have as I get started.

24 G JBJ Led- Stock Everything
25 Lbs Fiji Live Rock Cured and ready from LFS
20 Lbs Live Sand
Filled with RO Saltwater from LFS (2 Minutes away!)
2 425GPH Heads is the only addition

Live rock and H2O are from LFS so I ran for three days and everything tested perfect, had water tested at LFS too so was advised to add four little Damsels... They are getting along fine so far. LFS says I can trade in in about a month after tank cycles again and becomes stable. Feeding them Mysis Shrimp and they have been very active and not aggressive at all.

2 Heads added to get water flow up over the beautiful live rock... one on each side...

No clean up crew yet as I have no algae to speak of. Running daytime lights (LED) 7 hours a day. Seems that all I can do is wait? Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Very excited to get into the hobby after years of FW fishkeeping. Anything I am missing?
Thank you!!

[sEaLiFe4LiFe]

Wassuup RC! Glad to see this is active! To all the noobs! You'll definitely learn a lot from these forums My name is George and have a 75g mixed reef tank. I started a year ago point blank from day one not knowing anything about a life with an aquarium. All im going to say its definetely worth it. I started off with nothing.. and turned it into something! I know the pic isnt going to a picture perfect. Its a work in progress I think ive done well . I want to give thanx to the veterans on here that were willing to answer my million questions!! Lol Good luck to you all in the future!! Happy building!! Happy Holidays!! See ya around

George

Day 1



1 Year

[buffsbill]

Hello all just saying hello total newb here lol you can jusy call me thst the newb anyway i have a 60 gallon and a 33 gallon both live sand and base rock i just started cycle how long does it take thx in advance also any ways to speed things up?

[dimdim]

hello there all my name is dimitri, im from ontario canada and i just setup my nano ten gallon lagoon!

[Connie77]

Hi everyone! New here, Kinda new to this. I have a 250 gallon freshwater that I have had going for 4 years. with no issues. Now for my problem child...................60 gallon saltwater been going for about a year, and I cannot seem to keep it going correctly. This would be why I am here. HELLLP! LOL!
So far the only fish that I can keep going is 1 hawkfish and a green spiny starfish. The crabs eat my snails and then eventually die them selves. My Sandsifter snails are doing well. but that is about it. Any assistance would be great!
Thanks you!

[Crawlin03snake]

Hello everyone, new here not too new to the hobby. Been messing around w my tank for about 2 years. I have a 125 fish only at the moment containing queen angel, emperor angel, Hawaiian trigger, orange shoulder tang, sailfin tang, lawnmower blenny, and 4 different types of clown fish. Most fish around 6" except the clowns. Have about 100 lbs rock looking to get into around a 300 gallon but signed up here before I take the keep to learn a little more. Oh and I just run canister filters w a hang on protein skimmer. Located in Plainfield Illinois

[adnanmadi]

Hello Aquarists, this is Adnan from Palestine
I have been interested in this hobby for the last 5-6 years but due to a lot of travelling for business I didn't start I have bought my first reef aquarium last month it was a (Redsea Max 250) amazing system and easy to maintain if I succeed in this one I will build a custom aquarium with more professional equipments...
I have filled it with sand, live rocks, R/O Water and salt last month and I kept adding the Stability solution and I bought two Black & White TankBred Ocellaris Clownfish last week...

yesterday I went to the local store and took some water to double check that all the tests are good and I got the cleaning staff the aquarium looks amazing so far, here is what I bought:
Hermit Crab * 10
Turbo Snail * 10
Nassarius Snail * 10
Brittle Sea Star * 1
Serpent Sea Star * 1
Sand Sifting Sea Star * 1
Yellow Tang * 1
Sailfin Tang * 1
Vlamingii Tang * 1

if you have advices for me please let me know because I am now very obsessed with adding soft corals and in the same time I don't want to rush

[stone_salt]

Hey everyone, my names Mark and I'm from Surrey, England. I used to keep marine fish a few years ago but when I moved house in had to Gert rid of my tank and setup. I have now been given a tank and am in the process of setting it all up! Its a 3 ft tank with a sump/refugium in the stand which I have built myself. I'm sure I will be on here a lot asking plenty of questions lol. Feel free to drop me a message!!

Mark

[bulareefer]

New ish to the site def new to nano tanks which shortly after Christmas I'm starting up a new 8g innovative marine tank which will be sps /lps and the best equipment I can afford as a private lol

[brubakron]

Hello all. My name is Casey and I am currently in Omaha, Nebraska. I have been in the hobby for about 1 1/2 years, and have a biocube HQI and a 40 breeder reef tanks currently running. In a few months we are doing a complete basement remodel, and I will be installing a 265 in wall. We will be building a fish room to house all of the equipment, QT tank, frag tank, ro/di system etc... As it gets closer I will start a build thread, and I am all for input. I continue to research daily, and consider myself still fairly new to the hobby.

[fireheadman]

hello from Colorado (lonetree).
I am getting back into aquariums, I have a custom 150-155 gal reef tank going into my house as part of a remodel job. I will be see through, in wall location between the office and living room.

I haven't had an aquarium since 2003, so I have a lot to catch up on for new technologies.

My inital plans are to have the tank installed, then start with a SpectraPure MaxCap RODI system (90gpd unit) for auto-top off to sump, a 60gal reservoir for water changes (will be a poly-plastic container used for agricultural purposes that will be framed out with wood to function as table in basment).... 3rd, will be a pressurized reservoir for the house steam humidifier unit.

I am also taken the time to make a custom fiberglass/gel-coated pan for under the aquarium (5" high sides). This will hold the sump/refugium, skimmer, pumps...etc. The pan is plumbed with 1-1/2" PVC under subfloor and exits outside of house into dedicated gutter down spout for any overflow conditions and for water change draining.

....I just have to research the LED lights and have a UPS system in place for circulation pump on power outage conditions.

Once all that is in place, I will start on the interior of the aquarium and start on the reef. For now I am liking the idea of using the "Finding Nemo" theme for species (minus the predators)

[Skyfly]

Hello all! I m a newbie to a 120gal marine tank ... Still in its early stages ... No fish orccoral yet since i want to gef d water paremeters right.
My only problem is salinity. My refractometer is measuring 1.027 (calibrated using RO/DI water) whilst my FLUVAL G6 conductivity meter is showing 43mS.

Who am i to beleive???? The refractometer or d conductivity meter?!