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Old 03-29-2004, 10:38 AM   #1
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Bi-Weekly Discussion of the Week:Things I know now that I didn't know when I started!


This should be a fun one. What have you learned over the years? To make things more successfull, easier to maintain, or critters to avoid.

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Old 03-29-2004, 12:04 PM   #2
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First: Patience, patience and more patience. In this hobby, if you don't have patience you may become one.

Second: Don't believe everything you hear. Do your own research. It a great way to learn as well as avoiding common mistakes.

Third: Ask questions....especially on a board like this one. Somebody else must have had the same problem before and might have a great solution. Expensive is not always the best.
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Old 03-29-2004, 12:56 PM   #3
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Well hate to be redundant but patience is the whole banana. Also, don't believe the LFS and just do your own math.

Oh yeah...don't do the stupid stuff I did.

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Old 03-29-2004, 03:30 PM   #4
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What works in one tank may not work in another even if you use all the same equipment and water salt etc...

That a DSB will eventually crash.

That this would be cheap and easy hobby.

That I would need a bigger tank and would have to sell one to finace the other

I think this is a good thread maybe some will look here and learn from our mistakes



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Old 03-29-2004, 03:31 PM   #5
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Forgot the most important one


That I would have so many great friends from this board from all over the USA and the world for that matter


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Old 03-29-2004, 09:06 PM   #6
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Old 03-30-2004, 09:01 AM   #7
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phosphates!

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Old 03-30-2004, 09:04 PM   #8
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it is a good idea to use fish to cycle the tank!

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Old 03-30-2004, 09:10 PM   #9
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i might never have known what Spanky's bare bottom and "equipment" looks like
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Old 03-30-2004, 11:33 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally posted by icebear
i might never have known what Spanky's bare bottom looks like

Uhhhhhhhhhh


Nevermind
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Old 03-31-2004, 05:33 AM   #11
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Things I know now that I didn't know then!


Why would anyone keep something so toxic (zoanthids) in their home (cause their so puurty)
Most of these things grow, so if you fill up your tank in the beginning, you'll be going to a bigger tank in the end!
There's not much love on a coral reef. Everyone competes with everyone else. YOU CAN'T KEEP EVERYTHING!!!!!!!! Be prepared to manipulate this competition. So you buy a $1000 frag of blue tort. Are you going to let that $600 colony of blue zoanthids overgrow it? Be very careful with that razorblade!!!!
Life ends. The more a fish or coral costs, the more likely it is to die when you put it in your tank.
Yes, that native on the tropical island you visited on vacation is eating angels, triggers, and maximas. It still costs a lot to get them to your house live. And don't bother trying to smuggle anything back home. Profits are better with drugs, and penalties are the same.
Parrotfish are so beautiful, but anything that eats rocks, and sh**ts sand, is definitely not something to get your finger close
to.
I don't care if you have plumbed houses for a living. A 150 with cls, sump, skimmer, refugium, calcium and kalk reactors, durso's, eductors, and multiple submersible and external pumps is challenging!(what did I forget? I'm amazed that the water finds its way through that loop)
Jewelry is an essential part of reefkeeping. Don't believe it? Ask my wife!!!

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Old 03-31-2004, 06:12 AM   #12
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things i know now.....ummmm...

what was the question??

DSB, phosphates and the world of ity bity critters ( pods and such)


and i got to see Erin's barebottom
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Old 03-31-2004, 01:25 PM   #13
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I Haven't seen anyones bare bottom and I wouldn't tell if I did! Da Bear and Tim have no shame.

I've learned that it is possible to have something so cool and so beautiful that you know you should get rid of it because it eats your fish and in general is a menace.....but you just can't seem to do it! For instance my blue carpet.. I know I should get rid of it! 2 days ago it ate my purple tang that I've had for 2 years...

Even though that broke my heart... I just decided I'm going to get a bigger tank! LOL to house that booger and let it grow even bigger! I'm just gonna have to wait til Geoff sends me the money he owes for the jimcfar reef-a-holic detox center.. as a matter of fact Tim your dues are due too!
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Old 03-31-2004, 01:57 PM   #14
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sorry to here you lost your purple tang jim .. it saw a real beauty!!!!
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Old 03-31-2004, 09:26 PM   #15
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Thanks Tim.. it truly was my favorite fish. I'm afraid I need to clean the 75 out because I also have a bad shrimp in there. I can't keep any shrimps or crabs in the tank. And this last weekend I found a shed shrimp skin. Couldn't really tell but think mantis.. maybe pistol.

That's another thing I learned, the stuff you wish would die..or at the minumum catch and get out of the tank... doesn't. And tends to kill the things you don't want to die.

What I'm probably going to do before Christmas... Is buy a larger tank. Start migrating my things into it slowly. Purging my live rock of evil inhabitants while doing so. The my 75 will probably be exclusively for my 2 clowns, the carpet, my overgorown bubble and a few frags.

I also learned that once you start this hobby and learn more... you want to do more.
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