Top 6 Reefing Equipment I Wish I Had From The Start

This is my discussion of some of the less obvious pieces of marine aquarium equipment I wish I knew about when I set up my first saltwater tank.
Links to all equipment featured in this video below:
Tunze Algae Magnet - amzn.to/2uLXxin
Coral Dipping Box - amzn.to/2WH9LF0
Tile drillbit - amzn.to/2uOREB3
Hanna Alkalinity Checker - bit.ly/2Uv2jj4
Red Sea Aquarium Cover - amzn.to/2HZLLcV
RO/DI filter - amzn.to/2UwkKnf
Find me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - search 'The Reef Dork'.
Some of these links have an affiliate code - so if you make a purchase, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
For any additional enquiries, please send me a PM, email me at [e-mail], contact me via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or leave a comment below.

[@bradsimpson8724]

5:12 - "Think of it like keeping water, not fish and corals." I once had a very successful beef rancher tell me that he just farms grass; after that the cattle almost look after themselves. Your statement is very much the same, and very true. You can have aquatic diets and light cycles down to a science, and spend as much as you want on impressive hardware. If you don't have an understanding of water chemistry, you're always going to struggle in this hobby. I've theorized before that there are two things that make most people quit in this hobby - a lack of understanding of water chemistry, and serious impatience and rushing through the critical early steps.

[@ReefDork]

Very nicely put.

[@tashdog1]

The same as what David saxby said, you don't keep fish, you keep water. So the secret is the water

[@RaynorNFFC]

Another great video fella! Im still in the research stage and im not buying my first tank until July so i found this video really useful! 👍

[@spoonz1065]

I have a 5ft 1500s evolution aqua (gloss white. Rimless) for sale soon around that time .very good condition if ya interested . Based in north Cornwall

[@mattrussell2580]

Love your videos man. Keep up the good work

[@ReefDork]

Thanks buddy 👌

[@jonasbergkvist1464]

Thanks to you i just got me a Tunze algea scraper, and my tank isn’t even filled with water! Thank you for your videos mate, keep it up!

[@WilSantiagoReefing]

Excellent video mate

[@marya783]

Excellent video as always. Auto top off best bit of kit I have bought

[@ReefDork]

Great shout 👌

[@pauldeacon2268]

Great video Alex! 😀👍

[@andrew5762]

For me it’s my dosser ,keep up the good work Alex 😃👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@randypotter5160]

#1 yes RODI unit why why why took me all most 2 years love it now !!!

[@AquariumsDownUnder]

I’m using the mag float with the blade on the front and it is so amazing it takes the algae of the glass so fast

[@rudra7615]

Another awesome video Only thing that always seems to detach you from your great tank is that bloody wallpaper mate.

[@davidshoard3271]

The wallpaper is criminal and the tank is pretty average

[@rudra7615]

@@davidshoard3271 average? Bro backup such points with your tank. Can't just blurt sh** like that.

[@festivalflightcrew2895]

Agreed on a top. I hear my clowns bounce off it all the time.

[@ekorzen4676]

my fave algae tool is now the Continuum 24″ AquaBlade Aquarium Scraper...never use my Tunze floating one since I got the new Continuum. Also the Fauna Marin DIY Refill is a cheap ATO solution for smaller tanks (best with a sump)....about $25 here in Canada. (gravity fed)

[@karennation3580]

Geez! You have the best ideas and i say that because so many are exactly the way I think...lol GMTA! I ordered more test kits yesterday and got salifert for everything and still use some of my api, but the one I bought a hanna checker for was alk! I also have a hanna salinity and ph! I love the frag plug idea and have been trying to figure out how to attach the frags so that i can remove them when I upgrade, because I am sure my rocksape will be very different, so I had come to the conclusion of trying to glue down some flat large thin discs or some of the rock frag rubble pieces. My hermits knock the frags off constantly, so now to put my hubby to work on drilling some holes...lol just like to spend the money,,,haha No Actually I do it all since they are my tanks but he helps with manly stuff like drilling..haha I also have been thinking of a rodi but I go to my lfs every other Tuesday and fill up all my many buckets for 50 cent A piece. Is an rodi quite a bit cheaper with upkeep and all?

[@ikkyplays4500]

New to your channel keep it up :)

[@go4384]

Reef dork! 🤓

[@innerpeacefindings671]

when you said your clown fish jump like a worl war 1. I can't handle it anymore

[@natalbreefing5934]

#3 - ATO #2 - Hanna Alk checker #1 - RODI Unit. I took 2 years to buy one. I have saved more than twice it’s cost in the last 6 months. Instant ato water and water changes when needed. Love you videos. I’m doing a cyano Rx treatment tomorrow wish me luck.

[@ReefDork]

Thanks man, good luck with the cyano. Hope the zoa wall survives!

[@natalbreefing5934]

The Reef Dork oh no! Have you had a bad experience?

[@ReefDork]

I've heard of some problems but mine was fine - I just mean I like the wall 👍

[@natalbreefing5934]

The Reef Dork ok cool. I nearly soiled myself. 👍🏾

[@ReefDork]

🤣

[@rosedonnapur]

Really want one of the RO water pumps in my flat but my plumbing is so bad I’ve been told that it will just flood my system

[@dropitlikeitshot815]

Think of it like keeping water and not corals is great advice. Chemistry is everything....

[@jerrydaniels7824]

Reactor , to keep phosphate down and to polish your water.

[@chinhnguyen7977]

hey mate great vids. no BS. what size drill do use for frag plugs?? thx :)

[@ReefDork]

16mm

[@islakkie]

Learn the hard way to use the cover. Had to fish out an foxface as it's flapping away from under the couch while avoiding the spikes

[@robertgarrison6249]

Great list... Mine would be: 1. RODI unit 2. Saltwater mixing station (power head, heater and pump with hose) *NO BUCKETS! 3. High end mag float 4. Blue LED Flashlight (for nighttime inspections) 5. Cobalt heater (nearly perfect temp control out of the box)

[@karennation3580]

How do you mix without buckets?

[@kimschrier4454]

Great vid on the Peninsula! I want to find you on facebook but can't seem to, do you have a link?

[@ReefDork]

I've deleted Facebook now I'm afraid - I wanted to delete my personal account so the Reef Dork account had to go too. I'm still on Insta though 🙂

[@hakman239]

Iv got 2 shops local to me that sell ro water one keeps there tds between 0-3 the other said there’s is 108

[@lolb1221]

You get a like for the Brucie bonus.

[@ReefDork]

What a lovely audience 🤓

[@jonandlisa2000]

👍

[@danielcassar2478]

Another great video. As a beginner I can say that your videos are the number 1 guide. One question please. I did not understand the part when you said “ selling the original coral”. Would you mind clarifying that part pls?

[@karennation3580]

I would like to understand that as well! To bad he didnt reply!

[@ReefDork]

@@karennation3580 sorry, missed this comment! I meant that you putty the frag plug with coral you buy, then when it spreads onto the rock next to it, pull the frag plug with coral you originally bought off the putty. Et voila! You'll be able to sell the coral you because part of it has spread to your rock. Everyone's happy! At 2:22 of the video you can see where I've done that - the white space in the middle of the zoas is where I first put the coral 🙂

[@danielcassar2478]

Reef Dork great thanks. So doing this will not damage the coral correct? Keep it up, you provide amazing tips for us beginners

[@mybeachshack]

Well said..... Just how does a pressure-pump added to the RO circuit reduce waste water?

[@ReefDork]

Don't know how, presumably witch craft 🧙‍♀️

[@muffemod]

new sub

[@ReefDork]

Welcome aboard 🤓

[@Reefahholic]

Take that algae magnet and clean it in Seachem Acid buffer. It’s just like Muratic acid, but not as dangerous. Waaaay better than vinegar or bleach. So much faster than vinegar! You can thank me later. 😜🙂👍🏼

[@enzomontini758]

#1 is ato omg 😮 I didn’t realise how much evaporation there is #2 pc fans cooling system for the sump last summer was so hot 🥵 I was fed up of freezing bottles of water and floating them in the sump but I’m never going to buy a chiller

[@ReefDork]

Fans are a good shout. ATO also getting a lot of love here 👌

[@rc2300s2r]

My recent “wish I had before”is a QT.

[@ReefDork]

😕

[@bradsimpson8724]

That's such an involved process, I've found that rather than working all that stuff out myself, I'd rather pay for a service. Elliot from marinecollectors.com(the guy I use) will source the fish, follow an outstanding quarantine protocol, and ship it to you when it's ready. Yep, it takes longer to get your fish, and it's definitely more expensive, but having display tank-ready fish right out of the gate that have been looked after by a dedicated, experienced professional make it easily worth it to me.

[@cavery8476]

At 2:51 what kind of coral is that I have a similar one that the lfs didn’t know what it was. Is it a higher light or lower light coral?

[@ReefDork]

It's a John Deere Leptastrea. Lps so low light - mine is about 4 inches off the sand and growing really nicely.

[@JeriDro]

fish jump out the tank because they are confined to small boxes for our twisted amusement

[@tomg5405]

I think magnet with Blade are better

[@tomboys588]

I know what RO-DI is, but I've never heard of a Britta drinking water filter, so I don't think that comparison was very useful to be honest!

[@Fishyboy1998]

Neptune apex controller. That piece of equipment you didn't know that you NEED to have!!!

[@ReefDork]

Kerching! 🤑

[@Fishyboy1998]

The Reef Dork haha yes 💵 💵💵💵💵 😂 but worth every penny!!! Your tank looks amazing btw!

[@karennation3580]

How would I change my sandbed without losing a ton of beneficial bacteria? I have caribsea figi pink and just recently hooked up my first powerhead. I also got a new tank because my other cracked and it has a higher back then front (supposedly to hide waterline) so it falls further and creates a bigger splash! I have a mini sandstrom making water appear cloudy!I have a bag of natures ocean Bio active live aragonite. Looks like crushed coral 0.5 to 1.7 mm. I almost used it from the start but thought it might be to big! It does say no waiting just add fish! Supposed to be better than live carib sea Do you tink If I removed half of my sand and put this overtop if it would be safe? Or maybe need to remove all being it would have finer grains that may just get up to the top when I vacuum sand ect.. My tank just finished cycling just a little over a month ago as well. This bag claim to have all kinds of bacteria. Not sure if you are familiar with this in the UK. I also have a nano wavemaker 250 gph hydor korelia but only have a 10 gallon. Its supposed to be for 10 to 15 gallon. Love your videos. Great advice!

[@ReefDork]

If you want to change your sandbed, now's the time - it'll de-stabilise your tank a little but it's only been running a month. Changing sand later will lose your bacteria and mess up your tank! BRS had first hand experience of this recently...

[@chinhnguyen7977]

can i use cheap membrane RO filter to produce RO water, instead of buying an expensive set up?

[@ReefDork]

No, RO won't do enough - you need DI resin too. If you live in an area where the tap water is great (like Scotland) you might be OK, but otherwise you need DI.

[@Radarbell]

The way I see it is I do what makes me happy, some people spend thousands on cars, some people spend thousands on holidays, I like to spend my money on a reef tank. You only live once and as long as people isn't getting themselves into debt it's worth every penny

[@ReefDork]

Amen 🙏

[@JasonStJohn-my1cs]

Could someone give me a trusting web site to get coral from please. Thank you

[@ReefDork]

In the UK? Have a look at frag farm and the coral Centre.

[@bradsimpson8724]

If you're shopping stateside, check out BattleCorals. Andy is a pro and his stuff is incredible.

[@skookumchuckreefer978]

👋👀😎✌️

[@jonnymbuna]

Are you sponsered by superdry?

[@ReefDork]

🤣 I'd LOVE to be!

[@jonnymbuna]

@@ReefDork uve got quite the collection 😂.

[@JasonStJohn-my1cs]

Actually in the United States looking for a good place for buying coral online

[@karennation3580]

I havnt actually bought yet, but around xmas time aquarium depot had 50 percent off all coral and allowed on already reduced prices. I did a live sale by unique corals.. great prices. having one in april and 5 bucks for many corals and I won a 1,000 torch! Also, ebay has lots of great prices and some only charge 10 to 15 bucks shipping and allow you to combine, staubaquafarms as well. They are also on ebay and have a website. Robbies corals on ebay has good prices. many others, plus do a search for live coral on ebay and then have the search list in order of distance, you may find someone close to your city and not pay shipping prices which can be outrageous!

[@2019freddie]

algae magnet= scratched tank.

[@ReefDork]

On acrylic maybe but shouldn't be a problem with glass, particularly a good one like the Tunze Care Magnet

[@DGGuaglianone]

“Credit cards are far better used for funding your coral habits.”

[@maddawgzzzz]

your di resin is done man, change that

[@ReefDork]

No, it's all fresh and producing 0tds after each stage. The black stuff is colour-change but the orange stuff is normal resin. I watch it all like a hawk[fish] 🤓

[@maddawgzzzz]

@@ReefDork my hawkfish jumped out of my tank. Thanks for the memory. :(

[@ReefDork]

😕