big_vard
Member
Hey all!
I've been surfing these forums for a week or two now, figured it was about time to introduce myself.
Name: Steve Vardy
Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Keeping:
20g "nano" (fairly new)
35g turtle/cichlid tank (5 years)
also, my dad has a 77g FOWLR (and some mushrooms) aquarium.
So I've been involved with the hobby for 10-15 years now I guess, and after spending the last week roaming the boards here I realized one very important thing. I know nothing about proper saltwater aquarium keeping, and the "help" I've had from the LFS has only made that worse in most cases.
My dad's aquarium was where I started my interest in the hobby, we started with a 35g (now houses a turtle and some cichlids), we eventually upgraded to a 77g. I currently am running a 20g nano, and my dad is running the 77 back home. Now there are a few things I can say right now that we've done wrong and will be working to change:
1. Filters: for the 77g initially used wet/dry filters, which were eventually replaced by the under-tank fluval canister thingy (you know what I mean). From recent research I realize this is NOT the best filtration. The 20g, I have a skilter running on it... ECH!! I know.. I've moded it (airstone) to perform a little better as a skimmer, and have removed the nitrate trapping media.
2. Skimming: we've undervalued the need for good skimming. Though we've always used a skimmer, it's never been of adequate size.
3. Suplments: never used. I guess maybe we should!
4. Lighting: holy complicated batman. gotta do some more research on that.
5. Bad livestock selection (tangs, not enough room... mandarins and scooter blenny's, not adequate food...)
Anyway, as you can see, we've been led a-stray all these years, and the result was a mediocre looking tank which could only keep a fish alive for a year, maybe two.. tops. The plan is to change that, and start the process of upgrading and improving to make our aquariums much more fish(and invert)-friendly.
I look forward to chatting with you all in the forums, be expecting many requests for input as we upgrade our systems.
Steve
I've been surfing these forums for a week or two now, figured it was about time to introduce myself.
Name: Steve Vardy
Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Keeping:
20g "nano" (fairly new)
35g turtle/cichlid tank (5 years)
also, my dad has a 77g FOWLR (and some mushrooms) aquarium.
So I've been involved with the hobby for 10-15 years now I guess, and after spending the last week roaming the boards here I realized one very important thing. I know nothing about proper saltwater aquarium keeping, and the "help" I've had from the LFS has only made that worse in most cases.
My dad's aquarium was where I started my interest in the hobby, we started with a 35g (now houses a turtle and some cichlids), we eventually upgraded to a 77g. I currently am running a 20g nano, and my dad is running the 77 back home. Now there are a few things I can say right now that we've done wrong and will be working to change:
1. Filters: for the 77g initially used wet/dry filters, which were eventually replaced by the under-tank fluval canister thingy (you know what I mean). From recent research I realize this is NOT the best filtration. The 20g, I have a skilter running on it... ECH!! I know.. I've moded it (airstone) to perform a little better as a skimmer, and have removed the nitrate trapping media.
2. Skimming: we've undervalued the need for good skimming. Though we've always used a skimmer, it's never been of adequate size.
3. Suplments: never used. I guess maybe we should!
4. Lighting: holy complicated batman. gotta do some more research on that.
5. Bad livestock selection (tangs, not enough room... mandarins and scooter blenny's, not adequate food...)
Anyway, as you can see, we've been led a-stray all these years, and the result was a mediocre looking tank which could only keep a fish alive for a year, maybe two.. tops. The plan is to change that, and start the process of upgrading and improving to make our aquariums much more fish(and invert)-friendly.
I look forward to chatting with you all in the forums, be expecting many requests for input as we upgrade our systems.
Steve
Post some pics of your set up!
