Reefbusters: Share your favorite reefing myths!

[OrionN]

NOT DOING anything Detrimental. They are used with GREAT EFFECT and reef pioneer Peter Wilkens used them also SO as I was inspired by him, So be it . To Each his own. They do the same thing as Media reactors Tons of space for media. I have NEVER had a problem with NITRATES or PHOSPHATES, Knowledge an Husbandry being the Key. It Works! LOL!!!

You were inspired and follow the method (use canister filter) of your not idol Peter Wilkens with "GREAT EFFECT"

 

[OrionN]

Ummmmmmm.... I ran those back in the day. Thought those were the coolest thing....LOL!

I used reverse flow under-gravel filter feed by a canister filter, and it works great. I even seeded the gravel bed with Bristle worms. Works very well until I moved and took it down.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Ummmmmmm.... I ran those back in the day. Thought those were the coolest thing....LOL!

All Joking aside - I had a UGF in a fresh water tank sometime in the mid 80's. I setup a 55 SW in the early 90s and used a UGF because I could not afford a trickle filter.

I am not sure when Paul started using them, but likely before I did. I assume he had a SW close to a decade before I did as well. THE UGF in my piranha tank was airstone driven. I can't remember what I had in the oscar tank, but I don't think it was UGF. My were always down flow, but several people started using upflow UGF to prevent trapped detritus under the grid. I think this is what Paul uses... Paul?

 

[Cichlid Dad]

All Joking aside - I had a UGF in a fresh water tank sometime in the mid 80's. I setup a 55 SW in the early 90s and used a UGF because I could not afford a trickle filter.

I am not sure when Paul started using them, but likely before I did. I assume he had a SW close to a decade before I did as well. THE UGF in my piranha tank was airstone driven. I can't remember what I had in the oscar tank, but I don't think it was UGF. My were always down flow, but several people started using upflow UGF to prevent trapped detritus under the grid. I think this is what Paul uses... Paul?

That's where I had mine up until a few years ago. I did a old school set up for a while for the nostalgia

 

[stewy14]

Did I twisted his words everybody?
Somebody can said anything before the ink even dry

u are fine!

 

[stewy14]

@OrionN idk what he was on about, but, this is what I found: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...4QFnoECCUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0Sg3xweO7cpJ2SGY1-8VgG

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/reducing-nitrates-canister.843954/&ved=2ahUKEwjq1OvX--CHAxV7lYkEHS1UIc4QFnoECCMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3H3PR01U2MqBh9azRIt66m

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php%3Ft%3D2211338&ved=2ahUKEwjq1OvX--CHAxV7lYkEHS1UIc4QFnoECCQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0b_lsBYaou8sMiOUTDyaXf

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/can-a-second-filter-be-causing-more-nitrates.64069/&ved=2ahUKEwjq1OvX--CHAxV7lYkEHS1UIc4QFnoECB8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw086wvgazeZJxPuj0Bc-utS

and way more

 

[Paul B]

Lower Manhattan being unpleasant is not a myth....

My Daughter and grand kids live there.

I didn't ride a horse to school. They were to expensive, but I did put linoleum in my shoes when they got a hole.

 

[Paul B]

I am not sure when Paul started using them, but likely before I did.

I think about 1953 or so when I started to keep fish and trilobites.

By the way, fish were sold in toy stores then and were called Toy Fish.

 

[Robinrichard]

Sure they do, when spec / sized / built properly

They can at least significantly impact and reduce the growth of hair algae in the display

I have a 75g tank and every day my plank dispenses food for 1 minute, 3x a day. Plus I feed 2 cubes of food, and a half sheet of nori. I have 7 fish including a tomini tang and 2 lyre tail anthias. I target feed the corals a slurry of food 2-3x weekly.

Every week my scrubber grows a 2” brick of this

And every week my display looks like this

Heres a myth, water changes are necessary.
- This 75g tank was filled with new sw 11 years ago, and I’ve done 3-4 water changes. 5g or less each time.

Here’s a myth. Skimmers are needed.
- this tank does not use a skimmer

Here’s a myth - mechanical filtration is important. We need to have filter roller or socks or some type of mech filtration
-this tank has none of that

Here’s a myth - you need a controller system
- not here

Here’s a myth - a reef needs a lot of time to keep it clean and healthy
-my weekly tank maintenance is 5 minutes, including cleaning the glass.
- Once a month I’ll test all parameters, takes 20 min.

Heres a myth - you NEED to spend a fortune on lights and supplement bars
- this tank is lit by a single reefbreeders photon 48v2, run at a max of 40% power. It’s a $900 light new and I got it used for under 500$

Here’s a myth - sandbeds are constant work, and you need to siphon/stir/clean them
-this sand has been here for 10 years and has never been manually cleaned in any way. I do have a conch and nassarius snails. But manually cleaning/stirring/vacuuming - not once


Enjoy my myth reinforcing, and myth breaking tank

Totally agree! I have a 75g tank with a $30 filter I bought on Amazon and a $40 light that suctions to the side of the tank. I have sand I’ve had in there for about 15 years that I got on a trip to Virginia Beach. I’ve never cleaned the sand, I have 2 snails that I’ve had for 3 years and 3 fish one is a sailfin one is a clown and a small Dolby. I’ve had them for 3 years also. I add water when needed and salt, and take about 5 min a month scraping the glass but other than that no other maintenance. I have coral in my tank also that I’ve had for 3 years. My fish are happy and healthy.

 

[voelter76]

My myth busting is that it takes many months to cycle a tank. If you know what to do it happens very quickly. Here’s my Red Sea Peninsula 26gal at just shy of 11 weeks. I loaded it with corals as soon as the salinity and temp were in line. Now supporting many corals (large population of rapidly growing sps including 6 acros) and also 6 fish.

 

[timmyrules]

My myth busting is that it takes many months to cycle a tank. If you know what to do it happens very quickly. Here’s my Red Sea Peninsula 26gal at just shy of 11 weeks. I loaded it with corals as soon as the salinity and temp were in line. Now supporting many corals (large population of rapidly growing sps including 6 acros) and also 6 fish.

Omgosh! Yesssss! When I wanted to start reefing, my lfs said it would take minimum of a year to cycle a tank!!!! It scared me out of reefing for a hot minute.

 

[lil sumpin]

Omgosh! Yesssss! When I wanted to start reefing, my lfs said it would take minimum of a year to cycle a tank!!!! It scared me out of reefing for a hot minute.

That’s a little wild. You sure they weren’t talking about tank stability or maturity? Cycling takes 2 weeks tops but that doesn’t equate to having a robust biome especially with all the dry rock used nowadays

Back to the topic, myth: reefing is complicated

 

[timmyrules]

That’s a little wild. You sure they weren’t talking about tank stability or maturity? Cycling takes 2 weeks tops but that doesn’t equate to having a robust biome especially with all the dry rock used nowadays

Ikr! It is wild! She said: “you have to add sand and rock, and then wait a year or any fish you add will die!!!!” It scared me for a minute, then I decided that didn’t sound right. And then I cycled my tank in just over two weeks and a lady I knew also heard the lfs say this. And when I added a fish this lady I used to know started telling me how I just doomed that fish. …the same fish is still alive two years later.

 

[goosemans]

“Clams are difficult”

 

[polyppal]

A little bit of this magic liquid will have you swimming in CCA in no time!

 

[Cichlid Dad]

A little bit of this magic liquid will have you swimming in CCA in no time!

You mean it works?!???!?

 

[voelter76]

That’s a little wild. You sure they weren’t talking about tank stability or maturity? Cycling takes 2 weeks tops but that doesn’t equate to having a robust biome especially with all the dry rock used nowadays

Back to the topic, myth: reefing is complicated

Ich comes from toilet seats? Now, that is one that I have never heard of.

Eeewwwwww

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Omgosh! Yesssss! When I wanted to start reefing, my lfs said it would take minimum of a year to cycle a tank!!!! It scared me out of reefing for a hot minute.

A year? That’s a long time for a tank to cycle.

 

[CHSUB]

“0.0 no3 and po4 on hobby test kits is actually zero and is bad for your reef”, the new motto for the inexperienced….

 

[LiquidSpace]

There is no such thing as carpet surfing. Just death.