Does anyone else get anxious or overwhelmed?

[Tbg299]

Hello. Basically, I've been running a new 65g reef tank for a full 6 months now. I work from home and have a display tank in my "office" room, and 2 QTs in my bedroom. A 20G long for fish, and 12g for frags /invertebrates. I honestly find it overwhelming to keep up with it all at times; especially when I'm studying or working a lot. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, thinking " oh crap, I forgot to check the levels in this tank today" and get worried. I just hate losing fish or frags because I feel personally responsible and guilty for it if something goes wrong. I've only lost less than a handful of fish and coral frags in total, but I still feel guilty about it because I have a great respect for nature and knowing how fragile the reef ecosystem is right now. Has anyone else felt the same way, or am I just a crazy person?

 

[Spieg]

Not really... wouldn't do it if I didn't enjoy it.

 

[siggy]

I was overwelmed reading your post I cant emagine taking care of ALL those tanks. I took a break a year ago and its been nice to be able to do other things. .......Consoladate ?

 

[Idech]

I have a DT, a QT and a hospital tank. That’s way too much for my physical capacities. So yes, I felt overwhelmed.

So I have decided to skip the QT tank and shut down the hospital (the only patient was cured). For my own sanity, I will only buy fish from one single LFS that only buys quarantined fish, in small batches.

Also, from now on, on top of dipping my corals, I will also take them off the plug and glue them on new fresh plugs.

If this doesn’t work, then maybe reefing won’t be for me.

I love it but I have limitations and have to take them into account.

 

[Karen00]

Every new reefer feels overwhelmed at times. I'm new (four months in) and I have felt that way and I'm only maintaining a DT. I commend you for the work you put into a QT and hospital tank. Maybe you need to think about shutting one of them down. Maybe the hospital tank. Hopefully quarantining will prevent you from needing a hospital tank. You can always keep the equipment in case you need it at some point. Or if you're done adding livestock (fish and corals) for the time being then shut down the quarantine tank. You don't want to become chronically overwhelmed and/or fatigued. That takes all the enjoyment out of it and puts you in the wrong frame of mind. When you start thinking of it as a chore that's when you know you're going down the wrong path.

 

[Floyd-]

I have felt this before. At one point I had 2 salt tanks and a fresh water tank and a cat and dog.
Got rid of the fresh water and consolidated and it helped a lot. I sort of want to get rid of one salt tank and just focus on one.

 

[Tbg299]

I'm seriously thinking of shutting down the coral QT. I pay the premium price to order coral frags from only reputable places that have their frags in fishless system. I,ve never had any hitchhikers or parasites from frags so far. The fish QT is a must though, from my experience with fish.

 

[Tbg299]

I have felt this before. At one point I had 2 salt tanks and a fresh water tank and a cat and dog.
Got rid of the fresh water and consolidated and it helped a lot. I sort of want to get rid of one salt tank and just focus on one.

I also have a 120g freshwater cichlid tank. I would never shut down this tank though. It's been stable and healthy for like 5 years.

 

[a4edwin]

I used to at first. And always had some type of problem now I just let the tank do what it wants as long as everybody looks happy

 

[Pistondog]

Get a controller and automate as much as you can. Then you can't forget.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Overwhelmed, yes definitely. Too many tanks at times

Anxious, not really.

 

[c_johns89]

I've definitely had nightmares about my tank leaking all over the floor

 

[Tbg299]

Get a controller and automate as much as you can. Then you can't forget.

I have an Apex controller for my DT

 

[Tbg299]

The QTs are honestly harder to manage

 

[3429810]

I am running similar setup to you with main dt, fish qt, and coral qt. Only been doing this for 3 months so definitely feel overwhelmed at times but overall I love it. Still would love a big 8x4 ft frag tank as a coral flat to just collect anything I like in and do some fragging but that’s gonna be down the line further. Something similar to what Jake has at the reef builders studio but only 1 instead of 3 lol.