I'm sick of the aquarium right now. If it ain't one problem it's mutha$*#&@g other! So much maintenance required!!!
Venting
- Thread starter Makaiveli
- Start date
I went through a stage of being very sorry I started up my reef tank- we could have had a vacation to fargin' China with the money I have spent- literally.
I'm kind of over that now- setting up my Q-tanks today and things are exciting again!
I'm kind of over that now- setting up my Q-tanks today and things are exciting again!
It gets a lot easier. Over the years, I have learned some about how to prevent disease, and how to keep tanks looking good. I still feel like I'm still a noob, and probably always will.
The maintenance definitely gets easier. The tank matures, for one. Also, I think you get into a routine which makes things more efficient. At this point, I have everything automated, so that I just have feed, refill the kalk reservoir every week, and do water changes. Less fussing, more time to enjoy the show.
The maintenance definitely gets easier. The tank matures, for one. Also, I think you get into a routine which makes things more efficient. At this point, I have everything automated, so that I just have feed, refill the kalk reservoir every week, and do water changes. Less fussing, more time to enjoy the show.
I've got to agree -- I actually think my reef is less work than my dwarf cichlid tanks, or my SA/CA cichlid tanks, or my various planted FW tanks -- but then, I'm breeding most of those fishes so I'm putting more work in than the average FW fishkeeper.
I think the big secret is to go slow and plan well -- with enough liverock, a good skimmer, correct lighting, a big fuge full of macro, and a slow gradual stocking plan my 40g reef is very low maint -- I dump the skimmer cup once a week, top off with FW as needed (daily usually), use an algae magnet when needed, and perform a small water change maybe once a month.
Of course, I have only 3 very small fish (2 baby bangai cardinals and a lawnmower blenny) a small cleanup crew (snails and blueleg hermits) and not too many corals yet (mostly softies and zo's)... if I had stocked it the way most of my customers seem to want to stock their tanks it would be a maint nightmare.
I actually held about 30lbs of liverock in a fishless tank for about a year growing a nice pod population, then added more rock and the 'fuge... I could probably manage a mandarin at this point if I hadn't gotten the blenny. I can't picture many of my customers running a vat of water with 30lbs of rock for a whole year before setting up their reef
I'm now considering setting up a BTA tank with some clownfish, and maybe a tank for an angler...
im at the same point right now. me water seems to be a darker color because of the brown algae, and hair algae growing everywhere!! im kinda bummed, because my glass looks dirts, even though i clean it once a day, and the worst part about it is that the only place that carries blue legged hermit by me sells them for $7 a pop. i think ill wait till i can order some online. oh yeah, i went through a period where all my fish died. that was fun, especially since i cant figure out what cause it. *sigh* all part of the hobby i guess.
I agree this is one tuff hobby to get into... well maybe not to get into but to get out of... I lost three fishes in 24 hours a few weeks back... and still scratch my head.... ouch.... water tested out perfect well close to it... the two mollys I bought when I was cycling are very very healthy... the damsels are doing good... all the crabs and snails are doing great... just put a coral beauty in there and she seems to be doing good... although she doesnt like flake food... this is just one tough hobby to learn... because you can speak to ten people and they all do it differently and swear their way is the best... good luck to ya, and remember, we all have days like that... If my tank werent made of glass I would throw something at it sometimes...