Reefbusters: Share your favorite reefing myths!

[GARRIGA]

Going to prove zero nutrients are not a problem

 

[Doctorgori]

What does indicate healthy corals then? Growth?
Just added the first one and keeping an eye =)

Growth is my key indicator, others choose color …but this is just my experience but I’ve had corals grow at ludicrous speed and never witnessed any polyp extension…

 

[Reefer Matt]

“Reef tanks are for rich people”.
While we do need some casual spending money, a reef tank doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars. Sometimes equipment and livestock are free.
I used to scoff at Reefers in my area who had all the fancy controllers and lights when I got back in . But then I learned that most of them didn’t buy it all at once. It was years of accumulation.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

“Reef tanks are for rich people”.
While we do need some casual spending money, a reef tank doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars. Sometimes equipment and livestock are free.
I used to scoff at Reefers in my area who had all the fancy controllers and lights when I got back in . But then I learned that most of them didn’t buy it all at once. It was years of accumulation.

I've seen people on here who run tanks relatively cheaply. I don't spend much on my tanks either and they are doing just fine!

 

[revhtree]

"popping bubble algae will make it spread out of control"

THIS!!!!!

 

[stewy14]

you need a lot of flow

 

[revhtree]

you need a lot of flow

I guess this one kinda depends on what you're trying to achieve?

 

[Dbichler]

you need a lot of flow

Not a myth a lot of random flow is a key ingredient to successful reef keeping. Not saying you can put a jet stream on a single coral but you do want as much turbulent water as you can.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

you need a lot of flow

You do need good flow for coral to be happy. Just depends on what you are keeping in your tank.

 

[OscarHaglund]

Larger tanks are more stable

 

[stewy14]

i

You do need good flow for coral to be happy. Just depends on what you are keeping in your tank.

I mean like, frogspawn need medium to high flow
mine hates flow

 

[stewy14]

Larger tanks are more stable

thats generally true

 

[trini2debone]

1. Mandarins don't have real stomachs
2. 0 nitrates is the goal
3. ph over 8 is bad for the corals
4. Mandarins aren't designed to eat prepared food
5. You need a skimmer
6. They've been in the hobby forever, so they are right....

 

[OscarHaglund]

thats generally true

Why?
With the exception of thermal stability, no one has been able to put forward an argument as to why that would be true.

 

[Dbichler]

Why?
With the exception of thermal stability, no one has been able to put forward an argument as to why that would be true.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/stability-and-consistency-of-a-reef-tank.323/
Instead of typing much out here’s the exact reason.

 

[Reefing102]

You can’t run a reef tank on a canister filter.

You need a sump

You need “x” brand gear to be successful

 

[OscarHaglund]

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/stability-and-consistency-of-a-reef-tank.323/
Instead of typing much out here’s the exact reason.

You should read the article again. It never says that larger tanks are more stable. It argues stability is good, which i agree with.

The typical (false) statement is that large tanks are more stable because biology and chemistry happens more slowly but that is just not true.
Those processes are dependent on how stocked the tank is. You can have a densly stocked large tank that is more chemically unstable than a lightly stocked small tank

 

[rtparty]

Redfield ratio
Nutrients cause algae
Don’t chase pH
Algae scrubbers keep hair algae out of the display
Most packaging and marketing claims sadly

The list is long and growing

 

[Sump Crab]

Most Hitchhiker's are bad

 

[Garf]

Reef tanks need porosity