Inherited care of the tank.... Basics! I need basics!

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Anne2419

New Member
I have inherited the care of our 29 gallon SW tank. It is a very mature tank, about 8-9 years old, but my husbands hobby, not mine.... I've always loved the tank and done the feeding once he taught me. The maintenance was his deal though. Now he has a job that takes up just about all his time and there is NO FREE time whatsoever. I've kept things alive but want them all to be happy and thrive. Consider me a new customer with a fully cycled tank walking out of the LFS and taking it home. What are the big things I need to always keep an eye on and be diligent about. I've asked him many times about all this stuff and he assumes that I "just know" because I've seen him do it once before.... I'm not that good of a learner (from just observing a few times years past). If anyone has ideas to help a girl out wanting the 1 clown fish(looks exactly like nemo, sorry to use that reference but I can't remember the name.... starts with an O...), 1 cleaner shrimp, and 1 very unhappy RTBA (It's been stressed since we've had it....got the baby to gain some color over the summer, but since has again gone nearly all white :( we also have a bunch of hermit crabs doing the "house work" and a encrusting gorgonian (sp?) that is VERY happy and nearly taken over the entire top half of all the live rock.
I just want these little guys to be happy.


Basically, I need a "salt water tank guardianship for dummies" manual.

Thank you!!!!!
 
yorkieUK

yorkieUK

Member
PREMIUM
Hi Anne, :wave: :welcomera to Reef Sanctuary.:hug1:

The advice and tips on the thread by Woodstock are invaluable to any beginner as I myself have found.
If there is anything else that you're not sure of, just post a question here on your thread and someone will help you out pretty quickly.
I checked out a few reef forums before joining this one and it is definitely the best for good advice and great new friends.
Once you have posted 5 messages, you'll be able to start a Reef Chronicle and add some photos to show the rest of the world your handy-work.

Once you start your Reef Chronicle, the following instructions will put your photos into your messages.:ofr:

When you go to your library in Photobucket, you need to "Copy" the http:// address that is in the "Direct" tab of the photo.
When you go to your thread on RS, click on "Insert Image" and "Paste" the http:// address.
You can add one picture at a time, or put a ";" followed by a space, between each http:// address.
I hope this helps.

Good Luck and I look forward to see your photos in the near future. :geekin:

YorkieUK.
 
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DaveK

Well-Known Member
More to the point, as you mention this is/was your husband's hobby. Is keeping a reef system, which can be a lot of work, really something you want to learn all about and do? If you truly want this as your hobby, then I'd say ok, go for it, spend the time and effort on learning how to keep a reef system going. Otherwise, I'd say that it's time to sell or give away the livestock and equipment and move on.

If you want to get into the hobby, here is something I have posted quite often, but is still the best advice I can give anyone new to the hobby, even if you already have an existing tank. Some of this will not apply to an established tank, but it will get you started.


DaveK's Standard Lecture #1 – Advice for people new to the hobby

The very first thing you want to do, before you spend any money on equipment or livestock, is get yourself a few good books on state of the art reef systems. Then read and study them, so you have some idea about what your are doing.

Here are two to start with -

The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner
The New Marine Aquarium by Michael Paleta <---This book has an especially good section on fish suited to someone starting off in the hobby.

This is information that you can not easily obtain from the net. While it's out there, it's all over the place, and there is a massive volume of information.

Once you get that done, plan or rethink your system. What do you want to keep? Do you have the necessary equipment? Do you have the knowledge to keep the livestock you want? Do you have the time to dedicate to keeping a system and it's livestock?

Many salt water fish, corals and inverts often have very specific requirements. Some are extremely difficult to keep alive, even if you do everything right. Before you get anything, research it, and be sure it will work out in your system.

Lastly, you will find that most LFS people are clueless when it comes to SW systems. Verify their advice, until they prove otherwise.
 
yorkieUK

yorkieUK

Member
PREMIUM
There are some great YouTube tutorials by Mike Paletta.
You learn something new with each one you watch. Highly recommended.:ofr:

YorkieUK. (another newbie!)
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
welcomefish.gif

to ReefSanctuary, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members
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Start a new tank thread & share your tank with us so we can follow along - we love pics :)

Best thing you can do is start a thank thread & post pics - then ask the great members of RS for ideas & advise :)
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
I agree with DaveK above. Much advice you will find in forums vary and are in piece meal, that is to say, you may only be getting part of an answer that you are looking for and not the background which may have some key points that you should be aware of. Another way to think of it is that you may get partial info and not the whole story.

Buying a couple of books on keeping SW systems allows you to understand what needs to be done from A to Z, with a little trouble-shooting info mixed in as well.

Here are a couple of articles to get you started until you can buy some books:

Here is a list of all the 'Beginner Guides' articles for you to read

Reefkeeping 102: Terms and Concepts to be Grasped

Water Changes - lots of info here.....
Short Take: Necessary Maintenance - Water Changes
Editorial: Water Changes
Hot Tips: How do you perform your waterchanges?

Anemone and Clownfish articles
Hot Tips: Anemone Tips
Aquarium Fish: Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)

Good luck and start a reef chronicle.
 
goma

goma

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
PREMIUM
Hi Welcome to RS!! Great advice above and let us know if you have any more questions.
 
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gbose

Member
Anne,

1) Change at least 3 -5 gallons of water every week.
2) Clean your skimmer cup every week.
3) Make sure your heater is working.
4) Clean algae off the tank walls as needed.

Before you add any more fish -- what do you already have in there?

Good Luck!

GBose
 
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