Your large Reef Keeping Secrets...

Im interested in hearing in hearing everyones special something they do extra for their tank that you believe is vital in your sucess. ( i want to hear from larger reef keepers, i only got a 46,29 going and im interested in going to 125-150 to keep tangs in a reef)

 

ATO, reactors and dosers would be my "secrets", a good controller also

 

Here's the Secret:

- Constant water changes (this is a HUGE success factor - twice a week, 25-30% water change, if possible! Just be careful of doing it too fast though, you don't want to shock/stress your tank inhabitants)
- Checking parameters weekly/daily (if you have time or money)
- UV Sterilizer (this worked REALLY REALLY well for me!)
- Freshwater Dips + Quarantine Tank (really helps in the long run!)
- Chiller + Good Heater (stable temperature = healthy fishes, since fishes are poikilothermic, their body fluctuates with temp.)
- Auto Top Off (you can do it manually, but it's just more work!)
- Good Protein Skimmer
- Don't Overpopulate your Tank!
- Choose Compatible Fish/Corals
- Correct Lighting (for corals!)

- Be Patient. As Matt Puts it, "Go Slow, Let it Grow." Great Piece of Advice. Don't rush things, being into reefing and saltwater, it's all about patience and diligence. + Constant Research!

Essentially, if one can sum it up, it's about keeping your tank as stable as possible with good parameters.

 

the largest tank ive had was a 125 but for my reefs i usually dont put many fish in them, my 125 had 4 anthias and a blue tang and that was it. in a reef you focus more on the coral and inverts. and with that you dont have to worry about your fish all the freaking time lol

 

best thing for my tank is keeping my wife away from it.









Also I agree 10,000% with haloist

 

Roflmao

 

My two secrets are RO/DI water and a good salt mix for stability and feed sparingly. I have always been taught to consider a fishes stomach to be approximately the same size as its eyes and feed accordingly.
This works for me since I have had many fish live past 13 years old and I still have a Sebae Anemone that I bought in 1990, thats 21 years old and doing great. Almost every fish I have in my systems today is at least 7 years old.

If I had a third secret it would be if you have a functioning deep sand bed, leave it alone. Stirring or vacuuming a DSB releases anaerobic bacterias that can be toxic. They function in the absence of oxygen so need to stay buried in the DSB. My current 7 year old 330lb 5-6" Southdown DSB has never once been stirred or vacuumed more than 1/4" deep and then only in small sections at a time so as to not disturb too much bacteria.

 

I have a 125.
1. A sump was one of the biggest advances to my success. I started with a 30 and then when I realized how much it was helping I doubled it. Now I have a 60 gallon sump/fuge combo.
Other success factors for me are and not the most important order
2. Quarantine system! Dont care what people say no fish is fully healthy from a lfs.
3. An automatic top off. This helps to stabalize the system and keeps things constant.
4. A huge protein skimmer that is top of the line.
5. RODI water is a must!
6. Never over feed but feed often and in small amounts.
7. Introduce the most aggressive fish last. Make a wish list and place them in the system last.
8. Corals and fish that are compatible.
9. Last but not least....HIGH WATER QUALITY. WATER CHANGES! I do 20-30 gallons bi-weekly.

I lost a lot when I first started but learned quickly. Stay persistent, never believe you know it all because somebody (often on here) knows more than you, and a good lighting system isnt a must but it helps.

Current stock
Majestic Angel, Purple Tang, Yellow Tang, Blue Hippo, Mandarin Dragonette (Currently in quarantine but getting FATTER everyday, 2 Blue Chromis, pair of Ocelaris, CORALS include Toad Stool, Kenya Trees, Mushrooms, Pumping Xenia, Mixed SPS including ACAN and Acopra (Hope I spelled that right), and Star Polyps.

 

Oh and Haloist said one other VERY important thing in my book. TAKE IT SLOW. Let the tank grow. The entire tank is a living, breathing, growing organism that must be treated as such. One HUGE mistake when I first started years ago was to run out and dump everything I wanted in the tank at once. Results? Total wipe out.

 

I would say a good salt mix and GOOD heater. ;D