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

[Sil40]

Hello all from Canada. Name is Michelle, and I'm 28. I had a small saltwater JBJ Biocube 28 for a couple years before I decided to break it down when I moved to another province. I hated where I lived, and after a year I moved back. Now that I've found a place to settle and I don't have any more moves planned, I'm getting back into the game and recently acquired a Red Sea Max 130 which is currently in the process of cycling.

[Sisterlimonpot]

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[Borntrippn]

Welcome everybody

[pianomav]

Hi All. New member here..trying to find good tips on aquarium equipments. Great forum.

[Bayareareefer18]

Hi everyone. Brand new member to the hobby here.

I spent the past couple of years successfully keeping discus and now am venturing into the reef world.

I've sold my discus, drilled my tank, built a stand and a sump. My rock scape is complete now it's time to fill and cycle this tank. I am extremely excited to get into the reef world and even more exciting to not be doing 80% water changes every other day lol

[xDR3BINx]

Good evening! My name is Tom. Over the years I've had various freshwater tanks. My current tank is a 65gal Salt it's been up and running roughly 3 weeks with a small rock with polyps on it and 4 Domino Damsels.

I look forward to getting advice and bouncing ideas off of the other members.

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[TopWater]

Hello all. I was on here a long time ago and got out of the hobby, but have since returned with a new name since I can not remember my old one for the life of me. Looking forward to relearning everything all over again!

[rhiggsbear]

Hi all. Been a member of RC since 2001 but got out of the hobby a few years ago. Sold everything off and concentrated on other things as I wasn't able to devote enough time to this hobby.

Well, I recently retired and was in Hawaii looking at all the chunks of live rock washing up on the beach, wishing I could take it home. Looking at the rock kind of gave me the bug again. I saw a 75 gallon tank with LR, fish and corals at a good price that needed to be rescued. So, I bought it and I am in the process of rehabbing it. Of course, I will be replacing a lot of the equipment that came with it. It is amazing how things have changed. Looks like I will be asking a lot of questions on here. LOL

I'm back!!!

[Benny Blenny]

I posted last week about my sick brown tang. I'm happy to say that he is well on his way to recovery! Thanks for all of the help!

I apologize for asking so many questions that I could have avoided by reading the sticky post at the top of the page more closely.

For treatment, I isolated the tang in his own hyposalinic tank with plenty of aeration. I used half-doses of formalin / malachite green, and daily water changes using RO / DI water. The spots were all gone within a few days. The tang's color is outstanding, and he is eating better than he ever did. He even seems to be a bit more outgoing now--he follows the vacuum tube around as I do the water changes; it's pretty funny.

I have all of the other fish in a second separate tank at lowered salinity for observation.

I'll continue with lowered salinity and daily water changes for everyone for the next few days. Then I plan on putting everyone in a 90 gallon setup that I'm putting together while I keep my main tank fallow for the next couple of months.

From now on, I'll quarantine everything!

Thanks again for all of the help!

[CoralTuna]

This is my first reef tank had fresh water tanks in the past.
30 gallon
Have 3 hang on filters
1 algae
1 carbon
1 calcium

I have sime zoanthids cant find anything else in hawaii

1 black clown
2 tom clown
1 squirrel fish
2 gobys
1 damsel
And some others

Excited seems like everything is doing well. Its slightly childish looking tank but i do take the love stock seriously




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[Toddhardin03]

Hello everyone, my wife and I are new to salt water aquariums but just bought a house that has a very nice 250 gal SW tank that has been sitting with water but pumps have been running etc. the person we bought the house from said it hasn’t been touched in about a year. Here’s a current pic, I’m excited about this new hobby but will need ALL the help I can get as this will be my hobby, my wife will get to enjoy the looks of it but I’ll be doing all the upkeep etc.

[ramseynb]

Originally Posted by Toddhardin03

Hello everyone, my wife and I are new to salt water aquariums but just bought a house that has a very nice 250 gal SW tank that has been sitting with water but pumps have been running etc. the person we bought the house from said it hasn’t been touched in about a year. Here’s a current pic, I’m excited about this new hobby but will need ALL the help I can get as this will be my hobby, my wife will get to enjoy the looks of it but I’ll be doing all the upkeep etc.

Wow! That looks awesome! It's a lot to learn so Google and posting to forums like this will be your friend! Welcome and be careful, it's addicting and costly!

[Toddhardin03]

Originally Posted by ramseynb

Wow! That looks awesome! It's a lot to learn so Google and posting to forums like this will be your friend! Welcome and be careful, it's addicting and costly!

Yes it’s Beautiful and I’m very excited but once again I’ll have to learn EVERYTHING from scratch, but I’m an Engineer so I CAN DO THIS. Engineering mindset!

What would be a rough estimate for me to get a professional to come out and help me get things started? I’m thinking that may be my best option is just pay someone to spend a day, two or four helping me get it started and also educating me during this few day start up process.

[Toddhardin03]

Originally Posted by Toddhardin03

Hello everyone, my wife and I are new to salt water aquariums but just bought a house that has a very nice 250 gal SW tank that has been sitting with water but pumps have been running etc. the person we bought the house from said it hasn’t been touched in about a year. Here’s a current pic, I’m excited about this new hobby but will need ALL the help I can get as this will be my hobby, my wife will get to enjoy the looks of it but I’ll be doing all the upkeep etc.

Also the doors that are to the left and right end of tank is where all the pumps, sinks filters etc etc etc are located, this thing looks to have been setup with the best of the best. Don’t know exactly everything that I’m looking at but it sure looks like someone spent a lot of money getting this thing installed with all the piping, pumps, filters etc etc.

[ramseynb]

I would recommend seeing if you have a local reef club nearby and seeing if someone would be willing to come out and help you get started. I'm betting you'd be able to find someone that would do it for free. Worst case, I'm sure they'd do it for really cheap. I've never used a company to do maintenance on my tanks, but I'm not sure they'd want to tell you everything a fellow hobbyist would. I mean, they make their money doing routine maintenance for people.

Yep, the stuff under the tank is where your sump is. It's pretty common. So water overflows from the tank down to the sump where all your filtration is, then gets pumped back up to the tank. If you take a picture of all the equipment down there, we can tell you what it does.

Just right off the bat though, water evaporates but salt doesn't. Unless they set up an auto top off system, you might need to start topping off the tank daily with fresh water. Also, look into getting an RO/DI unit if you don't already have one to use for top off water and mixing up new salt water. Buckeye Hydro (they sell RO/DI units, replacement filters and all kinds of extra stuff you might need) has been a big help to me and they're a sponsor here.

An engineer? Oh boy! I have engineer in my title but I'm in IT so I'm not an actual engineer in the typical sense. If you're like me and like to geek out on things though, you're in a world of hurt with this hobby hahaha. There's so much to geek out on!

[Toddhardin03]

Originally Posted by ramseynb

I would recommend seeing if you have a local reef club nearby and seeing if someone would be willing to come out and help you get started. I'm betting you'd be able to find someone that would do it for free. Worst case, I'm sure they'd do it for really cheap. I've never used a company to do maintenance on my tanks, but I'm not sure they'd want to tell you everything a fellow hobbyist would. I mean, they make their money doing routine maintenance for people.

Yep, the stuff under the tank is where your sump is. It's pretty common. So water overflows from the tank down to the sump where all your filtration is, then gets pumped back up to the tank. If you take a picture of all the equipment down there, we can tell you what it does.

Just right off the bat though, water evaporates but salt doesn't. Unless they set up an auto top off system, you might need to start topping off the tank daily with fresh water. Also, look into getting an RO/DI unit if you don't already have one to use for top off water and mixing up new salt water. Buckeye Hydro (they sell RO/DI units, replacement filters and all kinds of extra stuff you might need) has been a big help to me and they're a sponsor here.

An engineer? Oh boy! I have engineer in my title but I'm in IT so I'm not an actual engineer in the typical sense. If you're like me and like to geek out on things though, you're in a world of hurt with this hobby hahaha. There's so much to geek out on!

Thanks for the reply my friend. I’m a Mechanical Engineer and thoroughly enjoy things like this.

Great idea on taking pictures of all the behind the scenes setup of the plumbing, I’ll get some detailed pics and get them posted. I’m just North of Birmingham, AL so I’ll do some research of area Reef Clubs.

[gbarks66]

Hello all! Recently set up a 150 gallon reef tank. After a nightmare of an original set up (recon tank leaked ALL water out in 8 hrs overnight) destroying 2 floors in our home. 1 1/2 months later and a NEW tank along with a new LFS and a trip to an attorney, things are underway. Our avatar is a current pic of our tank. Been having water tested weekly, have a quarantine tank set up. Added 100 lbs of live rock, few fish and some corals, anemone, some zoas and a hammer coral. We went all out on lighting (we think) with a kessil ap700, 2 ice cap gyre power heads. looking forward to all the helpful info on here.

[Carpathian]

Hi everyone, been into reefing about 3 months and freshwater quite a while. Have multiple tanks setup with a 40b build in the works.

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[deal1]

Hi! My name is Tom,and have been into the aquatic hobby for over 40 years.The last time I did salt was back in the 90's with a 55.It's still around,but my wife won't let me crank it up..(takes to much space,she says).When I do,I'd like to try an inter zonal tank..where salt meets fresh in nature,if possible.
I'm getting a 20 high up and running(it's been about 3 weeks).Stock is living rock,a sprig of coral that is growing nicely,a damsel,lost one,I think the rock may have settled onto him,two I can't remember the last part of the name,but the first part is pajama,and a clown..I'm not adding anymore until I'm certain that things are right for the critters.

[CoralTuna]

Originally Posted by rhiggsbear

Hi all. Been a member of RC since 2001 but got out of the hobby a few years ago. Sold everything off and concentrated on other things as I wasn't able to devote enough time to this hobby.

Well, I recently retired and was in Hawaii looking at all the chunks of live rock washing up on the beach, wishing I could take it home. Looking at the rock kind of gave me the bug again. I saw a 75 gallon tank with LR, fish and corals at a good price that needed to be rescued. So, I bought it and I am in the process of rehabbing it. Of course, I will be replacing a lot of the equipment that came with it. It is amazing how things have changed. Looks like I will be asking a lot of questions on here. LOL

I'm back!!!

Hi i am also from hawaii looking for some coral frags i can only get polyps zoas out here! Its for me and my step sons first salt water tank have a 30 g let me know


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[deal1]

Hi! My name is Tom,and have been into the aquatic hobby for over 40 years.The last time I did salt was back in the 90's with a 55.It's still around,but my wife won't let me crank it up..(takes to much space,she says).When I do,I'd like to try an inter zonal tank..where salt meets fresh in nature,if possible.
I'm getting a 20 high up and running(it's been about 3 weeks).Stock is living rock,a sprig of coral that is growing nicely,a damsel,lost one,I think the rock may have settled onto him,two I can't remember the last part of the name,but the first part is pajama,and a clown..I'm not adding anymore until I'm certain that things are right for the critters.

[Cluanar]

Found this site searching youtube videos. Anyways I purchased an existing 90gal saltwater which was more fish but has the right setup to become a reef. I have been away from the hobby for about 15 yrs but i could not pass up this opportunity. I paid 1/4 price for this set up.

I already swapped out crushed coral for fiji sand and traded in a 5" maroon clown and 6 inch regal blue hole in the head tang for store credit.

I look forward to finding answers to all my questions from this community and share the growth of my tank.

Thanks

[CapnClive]

I am new to reef keeping but have about 5 years of freshwater experience. I am looking to learn and keep a pair of clowns with an eventual anemone. I am really interested in keeping zoas aswell as collecting some of the varieties.

[ycangel]

Hi,
My name is Yvonne. I've been into saltwater for about 15 yrs. I am just starting up again with a 10 gal. nano. I have 2 tomato clowns, 2 anemones, 2 damsels and 2 chromis, some corals, LR with a sand bed and 2 external power filters.

[Sisterlimonpot]

Originally Posted by ycangel

Hi,
My name is Yvonne. I've been into saltwater for about 15 yrs. I am just starting up again with a 10 gal. nano. I have 2 tomato clowns, 2 anemones, 2 damsels and 2 chromis, some corals, LR with a sand bed and 2 external power filters.

Outstanding,


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