Additives...........Don't add them to your tank unless you test your water params first. Overdosing can lead to water issues to deal with that may take days, weeks or months for the issue to stabilize the tank back to a desirable level or appearance.
Balancing Calcium and alkalinity calculater. Table inludes additives that you may be using and a suggestion on dosage to bring it to the desired level.
Here's a link to another thread with LOADS of info.....sit back and get ready to read...BTW, the links in the first post are inop....just scroll down for the articles...
1. lighting - you can do without it, why can't your tank? it's not really visible light that they need, it's the radiation, and radiation is everywhere these days. move your microwave next to the tank for better radiation.
2. powerheads - the main point is to stir up chaos, displace water, you can do it with a spoon. those of you with kids... put them to work! kids these days are unproductive, they need a little reposibilities anyways. those of you without? make some.. it's fun! talk about a DIY project.
3. skimmers - c'mon everyone does water change... it's the COOL thing to do.. not to mention water changing adds sex appeal, makes you look like you really know what you're doing.
4. filtration - dude.. you're just replacing one set of problems for another... refer back to 3.
5. Disclaimer - for those of you who think i'm serious... I AM.
6. Glass or acrilic tank! - bathtubes are not only invented for batheing.. use some creativity... don't be like everyone else. I have mine in the back of an unused toilet... it's modern art.
7. store baught salt - the biggest con ever!, your basic salt has your cooking has the basics NaCl (i think that's what it is), the other crap is just a fancy marketing scheme with minerals and vitamins. just toss in the darn salt, if you're not satisfied, throw in a couple flintstones. happy now?
8. RO/DI H2O - that's just a fancy name for boil the hell outta your tap water.
9. heater - when's the last time you went saltwater fishing and the water was confortably warm to go dipping in? use your logic!
10. Live sand - save SOME MONEY! Go to the beach! no beach around your area? ROAD TRIP!!!
11. don't ignore those fish feeding clips with the little suction cups that you see at the end of the isle of the fish store... buy'em... as many as possible. trust me! they come in handy you never know what you might need them for. The suggested ratio of feeding clips to fish are 6:1
12. Live rock - your neighbors have plenty of rocks and biologists will argue that there's bacteria on it. What? it's not marine bacteria? Dude... if we can come from monkeys these bacteria have no problem adapting too, plus they only have a couple cells to change... you heard right..they can do it in a couple days if African frogs can change sex. (bibliography: Jurassic Park)
13. cycle your tank? naw... would you rather move into a brand new house and break it in yourself or buy a house and pay someone you don't know to live in for a couple months first? Oh yes.. the fish can tell.. don't underestimate their brain capcity... they know they're getting the hand-me-downs.
14. diclaimer 2 - if you still think i'm serious..... you caught me..... i lied...i'm sorry... please don't ban me... don't do any of what i mentioned above.
15. you don't ever have to say - "just my 2 cents" at the end of a tread.
Just minor details for you to know... and "KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE"
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