6 Lessons Learned from Keep a Reef Tank
- Mar 24, 2024
- Anshika Mishra
- 90 0 0
When you set up a new tank, every new reef keeper learns a few things. In this article, you'll learn what reefers learn after owning their tanks long-term.
How to avoid the ugly stage
While you will get outbreaks of cyanobacteria or dulcet if you want the tank to stay from the ugly stage in the initial stage, dry rock and sand should be added; even more importantly, some live rocks from an established tank and algae-eating fish should be added after a month.
This will save you from an algae outbreak.
Rust-proofing hinges
This is a practical tip for using Vaseline on your cabinet hinges to prevent rust. It really works. Some areas can be damp and humid, but if you use Vaseline, your hinges will be in mint condition. It's just a one-time application.
Montipora grows fast
Montiporas grow so much faster than your other corals that they will not be compatible with an Acrapora-dominated tank. While you can keep up with them with regular fragging, many Monities encrust and plate out, making them really hard to remove in practice.
They also smother and kill most corals they encounter. Therefore, it's advised to avoid these corals if you want an Acrapora-dominated tank.
Tenius is very difficult
Acrapora Tenius is an incredibly touchy coral that grows in a reef tank. Even if you keep it alive, the colors will rarely be unique, and it can die anytime.
Lightning brands won't affect your coral health
It's enticing to try different LED lights. You can choose the ones you love, but regarding corals, you won't notice any significant difference in terms of health and growth between any of Lightning's brands.
Instead, it would be best to focus on what you will do with the right. Your lights should cover the entire tank, with the lights raised a foot above the water surface. This will improve the way your corals look and grow.
Salinity needs testing
You should test salinity regularly. In the past, you could test every month, assuming it should take care of itself with an auto top-off. But salinity causes more problems. Even after using Kalkwasser, two-part dosing will do the bulk of the work.
Tow-part dosing will increase your salinity over time, which you can adjust if you regularly test.
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