Coralkinhonest saltwater & reef care · coralkin.comNew Reef Keeper Checklist
1. Before you buy — research
- Chosen a tank size I can afford to run (bigger is more stable — not a nano "to start small")
- Understand the nitrogen cycle and that the tank must cycle BEFORE livestock
- Planned fish first, coral later — and checked adult sizes fit the tank
- Budgeted for the whole system, not just the tank (salt, RO/DI, test kits add up)
2. Equipment
- Tank + sturdy stand, and an RO/DI unit (or a source of 0-TDS water)
- Heater on a controller + a couple of powerheads for flow
- Skimmer and/or a plan for nutrient export and water changes
- Light suited to what I’ll keep (fish-only vs coral — don’t overbuy day one)
- Refractometer, reef test kits (alk/Ca/Mg/NO₃/PO₄), and marine salt
- Live rock/dry rock + sand, and a quarantine tank or plan
3. Set up & CYCLE first
- Mixed salt to the right salinity (~35 ppt / SG 1.026), matched to temperature
- Aquascaped with stable rockwork; flow reaches the whole tank
- Cycled fully — ammonia and nitrite both read ZERO before any livestock
- Parameters stable for a week (see the parameter chart) before adding anything
4. Buying livestock
- Buying captive-bred / aquacultured where possible (hardier, spares the reef)
- Animal looks healthy — eating, alert, no white spots, breathing calmly
- Have a quarantine plan — especially for tangs and any ich-prone fish
- Drip-acclimate slowly; never pour shop water into the display
5. First weeks
- Adding livestock SLOWLY — one fish at a time, coral once the tank is mature
- Testing salinity, alk and nutrients regularly and logging them
- Feeding lightly; not chasing zero nitrate/phosphate (corals need some)
- Know the red flags and where to find an aquatic vet or experienced reefer