Welcome to MAAST!

Now for my oft-repeated quote:

Rule #1: "Bad things happen in this hobby to those that are not patient".

Wait a minimum of 6 weeks - 8 or 10 would be better.

Rule #2: Don't always believe folks that are trying to sell you something. We here at MAAST have nothing to sell you - we have no hidden agenda. We WANT you to succeed.

Rule #99 (or something like that): There's a reason why test kits from Salifert are $25 a piece and they don't sell an "all in one" test kit: They WORK. The only thing worse than the all-in-one kits is a swing arm hydrometer. So, go ahead and throw that away too. ;-) ("Swing-arm hydrometers don't work is Rule #5 - or something like that - they are singularly responsible for more tank crashes than any other instrument - they gradually fail over time).

Robby, what I'm saying is that if you will just resist the urge to stock your tank, you'll have a much greater chance of being successful. We've lost way too many folks in this hobby, because they rushed things.

I've been in the hobby for 35 (gulp) years. I tore my 215 80% down the week before Xmas. It's now been 5 MONTHS, and I'm just now adding livestock back to it.

Patience, Grasshopper, patience. OK, I'm showing my age.

Again, welcome to MAAST.