Addiction or just plain silly

ShawnSaucier · Sep 1, 2015

Here I am trying to go to sleep, and doing a bit of reading ,when I get a message from another member of this site asking about some mounting system I'm using. They asked for a picture and as I was looking on my IPad I found a bunch of when I first set up my current tank. Over the first year of this tank being set up (started jan2014) I fought a bad case of bryopsis and I ended up switching out all of my rock. In the beginning it was all pukani, shelf, branch and dried blue ridge. This was all replaced with Haitian, as that was all that was available locally at the time. And I find the structure of the Haitian a bit lacking and very dense compared to what I had previously.
Since the change (approx 1 year) my tank has settled. No more outbreaks, corals have been growing, levels are stable and my reef is starting to mature. But yet, I look at the old pictures and find myself thinking about starting over again. This is a discussion my wife and I have had several times over this past summer. She of course has her reservations as the tank has been thriving, but has said the decision is ultimately up to me. I have found myself on several occasions prowling websites looking at live and dry rock, filling a basket but not checking out.
Part of my issue of not doing this yet I think is that I have purchased a decent amount of frags over the year, and these have turned into colonies. The last 6 months I have also been dabbling with sps with success. If I was to start fresh, I would be selling all of this as I do not have a secondary tank to store everything for a few months. And of course our fish we are very attached to also.
How many of you find yourself thinking about this? Am I just addicted to the build process? Are there any medications out there that will help?

Myka · Sep 3, 2015

Leave well enough alone. The corals will eventually cover all the rocks anyway. As long as you see no detrimental effects, and it sounds like you don't, then don't fix what ain't broke.

AcroNem · Sep 3, 2015

Medications? Well, the usual medication for reef stress is a glass of scotch but in this case that might lead to a second tank anyway haha.
In all seriousness, yes I've thought about this frequently. My current display has been stable with no changes other than great growth and color for a year now. One way I've countered changing my display is having my frag/anemone prop tanks. Gives you the ability to make changes or experiment with one, but keeps others happy (wives etc) that you aren't tearing it all down every six months. Just my thoughts, but that's what's worked for the last couple of years since starting my 150. Hope any of it helped!
-J

Bowin · Sep 3, 2015

You're not alone in this. I made a post about the same thing just a few months ago. My 90 has been up and running since June 2013 and is maturing nicely but here I am on the verge of tearing it down in a few months as I am currently building a 180 on the other side of the room. I chose to start fresh with new everything with the exception of most of the livestock. I get a little sad when looking at the 90 as I know it's time is limited. The excitement of something new but the sadness of losing something old is real. Reminds me of when I was young and decided to change girlfriends.

FlyinBryan · Sep 3, 2015

I totally get this! Like you I find it hard to stop thinking about how to build bigger and better tanks! My obsession is with the sump and filtration. How to make it as natural as possible!
I currently have a thriving 150g tank with good lps and a few sps. I already bought the dream tank, a 210. Its standing long ways right next to the 150 ready to be built. The 150 is my first sw tank and there's that sentimental attachment to it and the corals/fish.
The Mrs just gave me clearance to build it against an exterior wall and change out the entertainment center (yes I sell for a living) so I don't have to, like original post here, break down or sell of the fish and corals. Or try to set up a 150g rubbermaid horse trough as a temporary tank.
Im looking forward to starting the 210, just not sure when to kick it off, because im not sure if I want to build my own stand and go nuts with the build or buy premade, which are really nice.
If you find a medicine lmk!