Too much light, too many fish, too soon. The reef tanks that last are the ones that were stocked slowly.
We have set up more than a hundred reef tanks. The same five mistakes come up every time.
Rushing the cycle
Live rock needs six weeks to settle. Nothing good happens fast in a reef.
Stocking too quickly
One addition every two weeks lets the bacteria keep up.
Chasing numbers
Stable water beats perfect water. Stop adjusting and let the tank settle.
Starting with hard corals
Begin with zoanthids and soft corals. Stony corals can wait six months.
Skipping quarantine
One unquarantined fish can wipe out a tank. Ours are held for fourteen days; a home quarantine tank is still worth having.
