Who Knew?

[partobe]

Hi Everyone;
I'm writing this post with hopes it will help new reefers like my self and maybe one or two who aren't new.
When I first came to TRT I had no idea bio balls and sponges where nitrate factories. A cpl of weeks ago I found out I'm suppose to mix my salt water the day before doing a water change. This week I found out that when I do a water and salt mixing I'm suppose close the bucket of salt asap to keep the air from bounding the calcium. I also found out the clam I bought at the lfs was to be placed high on the rocks because it required allot of light, not in the sand bed like the lfs had it. Who Knew? I didn't.
So I guess this post is for the experienced reefers to share little helpful tips that they might take for granted the new reefer already knows. No tip is too small. So please post tips for your fellow reefers to use and learn from.
Thanks
Patrick

[ScruffyRubicon]

Saltwater tastes nasty. When siphoning for your water change, use a turkey baster to start that flow!

No question is stupid! Ask away, we've all been there!

[partobe]

thanks Scruffy I will use my turkey baster next time I do a water change. WOW only one responce I just knew this would be an active thread.
Patrick

[hugeness]

Wow everything except sponges and bioballs being nitrates factories was new to me...

So much to learn...

Great idea about the turkey baster too! I've been drinking tons of salt.

Oh here's one I just learned... synthetic salt water can cause the humor in your eyeballs to get clowdy through absorption through your hands. Make sure you wear gloves.

[tdwyatt]

clean yer probe...

[mg]

Don't use recommended volumes for additives, test your water and add where appropriate(with good quality test kits).

[verde_ad]

Acclimate new fish in the sump. then you can leave your lights on in the display.

[Twitterbait]

to quote steaveweast, test your new water before doing a WC to make sure your salt mix is good. if it is off on alk/cal or anything else then fix it before you put it in.

[leveldrummer]

instead of a turkey baster. the best way to start syphon is lower the vaccum end in the tank, slide the ENTIRE hose into the tank after. make sure doing this pushed all the air out of the hose. once you have just a little piece of the end left. plug it with your thumb, pull all the hose out of the tank, put the end in your bucket and release your thumb, think of it like pulling your drink up higher with a straw.

[Fly Guy]

heres a simpler syphon starter yet........put the end of the hose in fronf of a cls outlet or powerhead outlet for a second.......done....

another great thing is to have a valve of some kind in the siphon line.......then you can stop or reduce the force of the siphon at any time.....as long as the end of the hose is submerged on both ends you wont break the siphon

[jenajet]

I use a ph and 1/4 inch hose and let it do the work for me during water change.

[tdwyatt]

Powerhead on a stick... then crank up the skimmer to full wet (weak green tea color)

[Wiskey]

Powerhead on a stick is great for blasting off LR, this way you don't put your hands in the water and kill your skimmer head.

Whiskey

[tdwyatt]

Live rock on stands for under rock clearance (no place for detritus to accumulate). also good current under the rock to suspend detritus for skimmer remval..

[theplatypus]

I've used my skimmer to perform water changes on occasion. Set it to skim as wet as possible and you can pull out 5 gallons in a couple of minutes.