Virtues of patience - worth reading

[wayne]

This is a link to an Eric Borneman article - look for myth 15 (I haven't linked the first 2 parts. ) It extols the virtues of patience, and gives a better explanation of what's happening when you first stock a tank with live rock...

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/eb/index.htm

In brief I think Eric likes to load up the tank, and not bother stocking with anything as active as a fish for the first 6 months at least. A bit long to wait? Maybe, but are you as successful as him? Fossa and Nilson are n't too keen on fish for a long time as well.
Now's it obviously ridiculous to expect everyone to wait this long, but certainly it shows again that the end of the traditional nitrogen cycle is not the be all and end all, and the slower you go the better.

 

[1979camaro]

great article wayne...interesting about the micro-bubbles...maybe i shouldnt have gone to the limited trouble i did to get rid of them...oh well...i kind of like the non bubbley look

 

[wayne]

Actually it's worth digging out the other pieces for Myth number 8 - My water tests fine.

In summary it's an explanation of even though 'I have 0 ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and my pH, Ca, kH .... are all fine' your tank can be poisonous, and need water changes.

 

[tammielynz9881]

great article... i printed this one out to remind me of the virtue of patience! Thanks

 

[S.Reef]

Yeah good article to reference people too.

 

[1979camaro]

bump for newbies

 

[aresgod]

yea, i have been running two tanks at once one at home which I decide what and when goes in it, and one at work where my boss stocks it, I waited 6 months to add fish and mine is doing great, his is covered in cynobacteria which he is paying me 10$ to clean up and great article btw

 

[S.Reef]

Red Slime remover strongly recommend.

 

[dbacksrat]

hmm...it made me realize i probably stocked my tank too early...hmm
definite must read for newbs

 

[aresgod]

is the red slime remover reef safe? I found it listed at the drsfosterandsmith but it didnt say anything about who or what it would harm in the tank

 

[1979camaro]

i believe it is considered to be reef safe...but im always wary of chemical treatments

 

[S.Reef]

I used it in my reef, and it worked excellent.