Jorday
07/10/2014, 07:02 PM
Hi,
This is my 2nd post following my introduction post. For the past 18 months I've been reading, searching, reading sticky threads, watching videos for beginners and just lurking overall on reefing forums in order to gain as much knowledge before I make my first attempt at this. In this thread I'd like to run my plan by you all in order to receive come constructive criticism before I even buy anything. Please try to cut me some slack if I am way off. I've never done this before, and everything I know comes from reading and watching videos. There are bound to be some deficiencies. I'm a little bit nervous to begin to be honest. So I want to take it slow and minimize casualties that will result from my newbie mistakes.
The general feeling I get from reading posts and watching videos from reefers that seem to be veterans is that I probably should focus on patience and water quality, and make whatever I actually want from this hobby secondary goals. If I can do that then I have the reasonable chance that the things I want will come in time. Failure to do those things seems to burn everyone eventually. I want to develop as many good habits as possible from day one.
The reason I've decided to post about this is because my plan is a little unusual, and I haven't seen it done this way in my searching. My plan is to set up a frag tank for my first tank. Before you get too excited, I understand that a frag tank with corals is not appropriate for beginners. I'm simply going to use a frag tank as my training tank and not even have a display tank. It seems that this will be easy to maintain, access any part of it, and observe things closely. I'd like to use all the components of a larger reef tank even though they may not be needed for this particular tank so that I can be as familiar with their use as possible when the time comes that they are needed for a real display tank. I was thinking I'd run a sump, skimmer, reef controller, media reactor, so I can practice with these components. I would start with dry rock, and the eventual plan would be to add a couple of fish that are very easy to care for when the tank is ready, and then maintain the tank and care for them for a couple of years. If I can do that successfully, then I will be ready to consider a real display tank.
I will also be setting up a quarantine/hospital tank to run permanently before I add any fish. Again, this may not be actually needed or useful for this project, but the point is to become familiar with keeping and maintaining a permanent quarantine tank. A permanent QT seems to be the best way, with no real legit reasons not to have one. That way when the time comes that such a tank will absolutely be needed, I will already be used to having and maintaining a permanent quarantine/hospital tank. I was also thinking that should my fish in my training tank become sick, it couldn't hurt to have it. I was thinking I'd buy a all in one nano tank for this purpose. However, I do not fully understand the nutrient import and export processes of a permanent quarantine tank that typically has nothing in it.
Please give me your thoughts on this plan. If it sounds reasonable, then I will assemble and post a parts list for your consideration.
Thanks in advance.
This is my 2nd post following my introduction post. For the past 18 months I've been reading, searching, reading sticky threads, watching videos for beginners and just lurking overall on reefing forums in order to gain as much knowledge before I make my first attempt at this. In this thread I'd like to run my plan by you all in order to receive come constructive criticism before I even buy anything. Please try to cut me some slack if I am way off. I've never done this before, and everything I know comes from reading and watching videos. There are bound to be some deficiencies. I'm a little bit nervous to begin to be honest. So I want to take it slow and minimize casualties that will result from my newbie mistakes.
The general feeling I get from reading posts and watching videos from reefers that seem to be veterans is that I probably should focus on patience and water quality, and make whatever I actually want from this hobby secondary goals. If I can do that then I have the reasonable chance that the things I want will come in time. Failure to do those things seems to burn everyone eventually. I want to develop as many good habits as possible from day one.
The reason I've decided to post about this is because my plan is a little unusual, and I haven't seen it done this way in my searching. My plan is to set up a frag tank for my first tank. Before you get too excited, I understand that a frag tank with corals is not appropriate for beginners. I'm simply going to use a frag tank as my training tank and not even have a display tank. It seems that this will be easy to maintain, access any part of it, and observe things closely. I'd like to use all the components of a larger reef tank even though they may not be needed for this particular tank so that I can be as familiar with their use as possible when the time comes that they are needed for a real display tank. I was thinking I'd run a sump, skimmer, reef controller, media reactor, so I can practice with these components. I would start with dry rock, and the eventual plan would be to add a couple of fish that are very easy to care for when the tank is ready, and then maintain the tank and care for them for a couple of years. If I can do that successfully, then I will be ready to consider a real display tank.
I will also be setting up a quarantine/hospital tank to run permanently before I add any fish. Again, this may not be actually needed or useful for this project, but the point is to become familiar with keeping and maintaining a permanent quarantine tank. A permanent QT seems to be the best way, with no real legit reasons not to have one. That way when the time comes that such a tank will absolutely be needed, I will already be used to having and maintaining a permanent quarantine/hospital tank. I was also thinking that should my fish in my training tank become sick, it couldn't hurt to have it. I was thinking I'd buy a all in one nano tank for this purpose. However, I do not fully understand the nutrient import and export processes of a permanent quarantine tank that typically has nothing in it.
Please give me your thoughts on this plan. If it sounds reasonable, then I will assemble and post a parts list for your consideration.
Thanks in advance.