Ok, I know Nothing
- Thread starter jgv14
- Start date
ok, but what is it by deffinition?
VAreef
Reefing newb
I guess it needs to be asked but what do you want to learn from reefing?
Just to answer your question about a sump.. A sump is another tank located below your display tank. Water from the display tank is drained into this tank. In this sump the water is cleaned, filtered, skimmed, heated, etc. then pumped back into the main display tank.
I would suggest you start reading. I could type for hours and not hit everything you need to know. Look in the articles section. Learn about how the entire process works. A reef tank is basically a recreation of the ocean in your house. So recreate it as closely as you can. Learn learn learn. Then start to narrow questions to more specific catagories.
Reefing isn't for everyone. You pretty much live reefing.
Just to answer your question about a sump.. A sump is another tank located below your display tank. Water from the display tank is drained into this tank. In this sump the water is cleaned, filtered, skimmed, heated, etc. then pumped back into the main display tank.
I would suggest you start reading. I could type for hours and not hit everything you need to know. Look in the articles section. Learn about how the entire process works. A reef tank is basically a recreation of the ocean in your house. So recreate it as closely as you can. Learn learn learn. Then start to narrow questions to more specific catagories.
Reefing isn't for everyone. You pretty much live reefing.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Also, check out the "Articles" tab up top :)
dcantucson
Reef pro
youtube has lots of videos on building sumps as well as what they are.
parrotchute
DUSTOFF MEDEVAC
Welcome!
I know this doesn't sound helpful at all, but buy a book.
Like VA said, we can give you advice and tips all day long, but it still won't cover most. If you can get an intro to saltwater fishkeeping type book, you'll develop a base level of understanding where you can start adding advice, tips, and instructions. Without doing some research, getting piecemeal advice won't give you what you need.
I know this doesn't sound helpful at all, but buy a book.
Like VA said, we can give you advice and tips all day long, but it still won't cover most. If you can get an intro to saltwater fishkeeping type book, you'll develop a base level of understanding where you can start adding advice, tips, and instructions. Without doing some research, getting piecemeal advice won't give you what you need.
i prefure a sump refugium. a refugium is a area in a sump were mud and micro algie or mangroves can be housed. the benifit of this is if runned properly something called ph will be affected verry minimal. but the best benifit is that bad substances sutch as nitrate, phosphate and others will be consumed by the micro algie in the refugium and then you can trim the micro algie and by doing that all the bad substances that were in that plant will be taken out of the aquarium.
but there is a lot more than just filteration to the hobby. chemestry plays the largest role. but when the marine chemestry is learned and you learn how to keep it balnced and at good levels you will be in verry good shape. i highly recomend the new marine chemestry book by brightwell. it is the bibel of reef chemestry and i read it and break down equations from it allmost every day.
but there is a lot more than just filteration to the hobby. chemestry plays the largest role. but when the marine chemestry is learned and you learn how to keep it balnced and at good levels you will be in verry good shape. i highly recomend the new marine chemestry book by brightwell. it is the bibel of reef chemestry and i read it and break down equations from it allmost every day.
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daugherty
part time reefer
get this book i recommend it to every one getting into this hobby
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1890087025/sr=/qid=/ref=olp_tab_used?ie=UTF8&coliid=&me=&qid=&sr=&seller=&colid=&condition=used]Amazon.com: Used and New: The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1890087025/sr=/qid=/ref=olp_tab_used?ie=UTF8&coliid=&me=&qid=&sr=&seller=&colid=&condition=used]Amazon.com: Used and New: The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists[/ame]
i agree that is a good book. it was kinda hard for me to understand though. but a good book indead.
daugherty
part time reefer
this is also a very good book to give you a good understanding if the water
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764120387/ref=oss_product]Amazon.com: Water Chemistry for the Marine Aquarium (0027011020384): John H. Tullock: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764120387/ref=oss_product]Amazon.com: Water Chemistry for the Marine Aquarium (0027011020384): John H. Tullock: Books[/ame]
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
My advice to anyone starting in this hobby is to read the educational articles on this site. There's a link at the top of the main page - ARTICLES - start there.
Also, for BASIC information you can look here, but take into account some of this is old and we may steer you in a different direction. This stuff will give you a good basic understanding of the biological and chemical process's that happen in the tank.
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/startinganaquarium/How_to_Start_a_Saltwater_Aquarium.htm
First and foremost - learn what the nitrogen cycle is and learn what it does for your tank. Without at least a basic working knowledge of the biological requirements in a fish/reef tank - you're destined to fail.
Is it HARD to learn how the nitrogen cycle works? No
Is it COMPLICATED? No
It just takes a few hours reading. Then come here and ask us specific questions that you might not understand. We're happy to help. This is a fun hobby and we all want you to be successful.
Just don't get too good at it -- too fast. Makes the rest of us jealous. :rofl:
EDIT:
Best advice for a reef aquarium:
GO SLOW
This is not a hobby if you like instant results. It takes at least a year for your first tank to settle down and become truly stable enough to care for exotic corals and fish. Rushing through it so you can have a fully stocked reef is kinda cheating yourself IMO. You miss out on all the cool changes that happen as small corals in an immature tank grow and mature into a a truly beautiful world a year or two down the road. Also, buying large corals now only limits the available room for the ones you'll no doubt find more colorful and interesting/challenging in a year or two.
Also, for BASIC information you can look here, but take into account some of this is old and we may steer you in a different direction. This stuff will give you a good basic understanding of the biological and chemical process's that happen in the tank.
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/startinganaquarium/How_to_Start_a_Saltwater_Aquarium.htm
First and foremost - learn what the nitrogen cycle is and learn what it does for your tank. Without at least a basic working knowledge of the biological requirements in a fish/reef tank - you're destined to fail.
Is it HARD to learn how the nitrogen cycle works? No
Is it COMPLICATED? No
It just takes a few hours reading. Then come here and ask us specific questions that you might not understand. We're happy to help. This is a fun hobby and we all want you to be successful.
Just don't get too good at it -- too fast. Makes the rest of us jealous. :rofl:
EDIT:
Best advice for a reef aquarium:
GO SLOW
This is not a hobby if you like instant results. It takes at least a year for your first tank to settle down and become truly stable enough to care for exotic corals and fish. Rushing through it so you can have a fully stocked reef is kinda cheating yourself IMO. You miss out on all the cool changes that happen as small corals in an immature tank grow and mature into a a truly beautiful world a year or two down the road. Also, buying large corals now only limits the available room for the ones you'll no doubt find more colorful and interesting/challenging in a year or two.
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meshman10
"YA CANT FIX STUPID"
OHHHHHH!!! I thought you guy's were like saying hi.. ya know, like sump wit you, then I'd be like nut-n.. duhhh!! :Cheers:
parrotchute
DUSTOFF MEDEVAC
+1 on that! I am so proud to see how much my corals have grown, I really am glad I never got any huge, "pre-grown" corals!
