Best way to reef

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#1
i was wondering on what people are doing to keep a steady reef tank like lighting,addatives,water change basicly i want to have a healty and stable reef tank any help would be awsome thanks
 
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#2
Keep it simple...

Deep Sand bed,
Skimmer,
Good Circulation
10% weekly water changes
Keep things stable, ie Salinity, alk, Ca

If you get a chance go visit Ali at Amazing Aquariums and Reefs in Orange, uses the above method with amazing results.
 

shapermike

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#3
Keep it simple...

Deep Sand bed,
Skimmer,
Good Circulation
10% weekly water changes
Keep things stable, ie Salinity, alk, Ca

If you get a chance go visit Ali at Amazing Aquariums and Reefs in Orange, uses the above method with amazing results.
+10 on this one. the more simple you keep it the less problem you will have

eraser said then done....:)
 

Wes

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#4
Keep it simple, yes, but a DSB is not necessary IMO. In fact, long term a DSB can be a PITA if not maintained well enough. if you want to keep it as simple as possible, go bare bottom. I do a shallow sand bed just for aesthetics.

Develop a protocol that you can stick to. Two part or calc or whatever method you want to use, just research it and keep it simple and stable. Don't go too fast no matter how hard it is to resist new fish and such. Make sure you keep your tank safe with fail safes for things like temp, top-off, etc. Redundancy is what winds up saving the tank you put all your work into.
 

mrsmithers

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#5
It seems that all tanks are different, but with the same approach to reef keeping – GOOD WATER QUALITY (water changes by far the best way to do that) you will have a great healthy and thriving tank. DSB vs Bare bottom I would go with what you like to look at. I love the benefits from a DSB and the look. To keep is simple I would also agree with the 1st post- water changes, good skimmer, lots of flow (not hash flow but a lot of GPM)
 
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#6
There are sooooo many ways to skin a cat.....especially in a user driven hobby such as ours. I agree with some earlier sentiments that whatever system you chose to set up, follow K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid :laugh:). Ultimately water quality is the KEY so you want to be sure you have a full understanding of every aspect of how your system/maintenance keeps that quality consistently with the least amount of work/guessing/interference. HTH :)
 

Wes

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#7
water changes alone are a very ineffective way to maintain water quality on anything larger than a nano, especially when it comes to maintaining ca/alk/mg levels. For many tanks, this doesn't become apparent until calcification rates take off or the tank starts to age (over a year). As far as managing nutrients, water changes alone are also a very poor way to control/lower levels. The biggest benefit of water changes is to restore ionic balance and to help remove the things that a skimmer can't remove.

Most well established tanks use ca/alk/mg much faster than a w/c can make up. Developing a protocol that you can stick to but is dynamic to change with your tank will help ensure longevity. Also, never underestimate the possibility for things to go wrong and add redundancy where ever possible.
 
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#10
Another +1 for keeping it simple.

Here are some reef sayings:

"Nothing good, every happens fast with a reef aquarium (bad things on the other hand)".
"He who buys cheap, buys twice".

My tips for a rock solid reef:
- Use RO-DI water, and do not use any RO-DI water that you haven't tested with a TDS meter.
- Test your tank water often at first, and then on a regular schedule after that.
- Buy enough, high quality live rock
- Never overstock, or overfeed
- Set up an auto-topoff system, you want your salinity to be stable.
- Be diligent with any Alk/Ca additives, you want them to be stable (I have used Kalk and 2-part in the past, and now use a Ca reactor).
- Use a sump (more water, more space = bigger equipment)
- Use a lighted refugium that grows some type of macro algae
- Get the biggest and best skimmer you can afford
- Too much water flow is always better than not enough
- Buy good lights (ballasts, reflectors, bulbs) as it makes a difference
- Quarantine everything, corals and fish can carry disease and pests, put it in a holding tank for 4-6 weeks (or dip corals if you question it has bad stuff on it).

And #1 is "take it slow". Don't change things often, don't ever change water chemistry fast, etc...
 

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