Hitting that brick wall....

[hybridazn]

A cool reef club or a million bucks?

A million bucks....

Then start a cool reef club lol

I know you love metal halides and acros a lot just like me but since you have a 2x2x2 tank, have you thought of a NPS tank only. Its a lot of work and different beast all together to successfully keep NPS gorgorians, dendronephthya, balanophyllia, dendrophyllia and other NPS with species like crinoids.

Its a whole different ball game together and will make you do everything different than an acro dominated tank. But at the end, the beauty is undeniable and most importantly will keep you crazy busy with new ideas and new reefing ways.
I have the same dream to set one up with automated food dosing using a freezer but currently just happy to be back in the hobby with my dear acros and would take on NPS once I have managed to grow the acro frags to decent sized colonies.

Just to inspire you here's links to 2 of my most favorite NPS tanks of all times :-

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/1/aquarium

https://reefbuilders.com/2012/11/12/sun-coral-tubastrea-aquarium/

Regards,
Abhishek

Nps tanks are awesome, just not sure I would want to tackle that animal lol. The thought of a seahorse tank has crossed my mind though.

Start over. It was most fun when you were building it right? The daily drag of mundane maintenance gets old. I don't mean get rid of everything and completely start over. But pull out all the coral and fish into a temporary tank, pull out all the rock into tubs. Thoroughly clean the sand. Redo the aquascape a completely different way and when the dust settles, move the livestock back in.

Actually the most fun I had with the tank was when it was filled to the rim of noce colonies. I want it back to that stage so bad. It seemed so easy the first time it got there, maybe that's my issue. Lol

I can't lie though, I do enjoy a good tank build...

 

[Vaughn17]

If I were you I would make a list of the habitat requirements for acopora to survive and thrive in captivity. In other words, water quality (temp., alk, CA, and other elements, clarity, O2, micro elements ect.), food, lighting, flow, etc. I would also include a miscellaneous category for stuff like pests, algae, water changes, sandbed vacuuming, heavy metal or other toxic build up, etc. Then record how you met your corals habitat requirements when your tank was thriving. This way, maybe you can figure out what you did right and what is not working now.

One thing that I find to be surprising is how much food acropora require and how many nutrients they will happily consume (that is PO4 as well and NO3). They are real oinkers.

Don't give up! If you search for the answers diligently, one day soon you will be Hybridazn, Acro Master!

 

[Kremis]

what I did was just get less finicky corals. at one point I had a big crash and lost my 4 big nearly soccorball size birdsnest colonies, and other SPS. now, my tank still has some sps, but also mostly zoas and LPS. havent had anything die in a while. Zoas look pretty and can build amazing tanks.

 

[ReefQueen]

I feel you man, I hit that wall about 6 months ago( incase you hadn't noticed I've been a bit absent from R2R lol) I just lost all that passion I once had. I blame it all on work keeping me away from home so much. I lost all my corals in the 90 and the nems all look a little pale, and the corals left in the red sea are mostly bleached. I have gotten bit by the bug again hard recently and I figure it's because I'm home now to look at the tanks. I've been working on cleaning and WC and such the past few days, gotta get ready to bring home LEAR goodies! So my advice to you is to just quit your job, that seemed to have worked for me lol. The only downside is not having all that extra income to spend on corals, but I guess you can't have it all! If quitting your job isn't an option, I'm sure Erin wouldn't mind if you tagged along on one of our "girls days". We usually make our rounds to the fish stores and sometimes get our nails done! So if checking out all the local stores doesn't reignite the spark, at least you got a mani/pedi out of it

 

[ncaldwell]

I hit a wall about 2 years ago, I broke it all down sold what I could, and had my local lfs holding to a few of my favorite babies. Once work cooled of after about a year I started getting back into it. Maybe you're just bored with your current setup. Restructuring and improving on my previous reef, buying a few new upgraded toys and new technology got the fire back into my blood. I did the rockwork like I always wanted, got some fancy new led lights, and got an Achilles tang I've always wanted. Maybe it's just gotten old and you need a rejuvenation and a little break. I'm back stronger and happier than ever

 

[Daltrey]

I've taken two 10 year breaks in the past. Life just seemed to get in the way and time was something I had very little of. As I've gotten older I've learned to slow down and take the time to enjoy the things in life that really matter and that I am blessed with. Good luck on whatever you decide is best.

 

[madweazl]

People burn out, simple as that. If you no longer enjoy it, there is no reason to continue as everything in the tank is going to suffer. Over the course of the last 20+ years, I've been there. That wasnt for lack of wanting to remain in the hobby, it was more lack of the hobby being attainable for my circumstance. I had no local shops, had no community, and therefore, had little motivation to continue.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

This is so cool to see how many of us relate to this issue. There’s so much excitement in exploring this hobby that eventually we hit that wall. For me I hit the wall once I maxed out my cube then building a bigger cube and going all out has got me foaming out the mouth again. This is probably why we are all going to end up with wall to wall tanks one day haha

 

[Susan Edwards]

Another suggestion is to look at the other aspects of your life. Maybe things aren't in balance and the stress in those other areas reflect in your feelings toward your tank--the ol' straw that broke the camels back. Look at how you can streamline or change up some of those other areas of what we call life. Cull out what is not working and make changes--changes refresh and invigorate. Even our environment can play a part. For me if the house gets too cluttered or out of control, it causes me to start to freeze. Actually have studies out there on how our cluttered homes, homes with too much stuff weighs us down. I've been culling the unused, unneeded and organizing every room and find that helps. So don't just look at what is going on with Fish. Look at the whole picture, then make changes and maybe you'll have some energy left to appreciate the tank you've worked so hard to have.

 

[Robink]

About 8 years ago I went through the same thing. Working a lot of overtime, kids involved in sports, life, etc.
I totally neglected the tank, no dosing, hardly any water changes, and at the height of laziness, or no time to run to lfs, was topping off with tap
water.
I don't know how I didn't kill everything.
I actually thought about breaking the tank down and getting rid of it. And then I thought about what a pain it would be to get every tiny creature out safely and the few fish that were left I'd had for quite a while.
That's when I got into sps. Killed quite a few in the beginning, but that just made me more determined. Tank was pretty much all softies before this.
My lfs would let me get the equipment and pay later. What a dangerous situation that is!!
Since then I've moved and upgraded the tank (had to break it down and move it to a friends til the upgrade cycled at my new home, and then go back and pack up 70 corals and fish and drive 12 hours with them!)
Already told the kids the tank will be here till I die and it will be their problem because I'm not doing that again!!!
I am glad that I continued with the hobby and am enjoying every bit.

P.S. As I look at my tank now, I'm thinking... It's not big enough.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Another suggestion is to look at the other aspects of your life. Maybe things aren't in balance and the stress in those other areas reflect in your feelings toward your tank--the ol' straw that broke the camels back. Look at how you can streamline or change up some of those other areas of what we call life. Cull out what is not working and make changes--changes refresh and invigorate. Even our environment can play a part. For me if the house gets too cluttered or out of control, it causes me to start to freeze. Actually have studies out there on how our cluttered homes, homes with too much stuff weighs us down. I've been culling the unused, unneeded and organizing every room and find that helps. So don't just look at what is going on with Fish. Look at the whole picture, then make changes and maybe you'll have some energy left to appreciate the tank you've worked so hard to have.

Very well put man I enjoyed reading this

 

[Cory]

Probably theres just too many "musts" that you dont feel wont have much benefit anymore. Failed purposes will do that too.

Start with something easy to do. Something you cant mess up. Like changing a filter sock, or move some rockwork around. This will make you feel better about the tank. Its all about making your purposes happen. Its like a points system. Youve accumlated too much negative points with your tank and it drained you mentally and thus physically. Its time to aquire some postive points. Start small.

 

[Cory]

About 8 years ago I went through the same thing. Working a lot of overtime, kids involved in sports, life, etc.
I totally neglected the tank, no dosing, hardly any water changes, and at the height of laziness, or no time to run to lfs, was topping off with tap
water.
I don't know how I didn't kill everything.
I actually thought about breaking the tank down and getting rid of it. And then I thought about what a pain it would be to get every tiny creature out safely and the few fish that were left I'd had for quite a while.
That's when I got into sps. Killed quite a few in the beginning, but that just made me more determined. Tank was pretty much all softies before this.
My lfs would let me get the equipment and pay later. What a dangerous situation that is!!
Since then I've moved and upgraded the tank (had to break it down and move it to a friends til the upgrade cycled at my new home, and then go back and pack up 70 corals and fish and drive 12 hours with them!)
Already told the kids the tank will be here till I die and it will be their problem because I'm not doing that again!!!
I am glad that I continued with the hobby and am enjoying every bit.

P.S. As I look at my tank now, I'm thinking... It's not big enough.

Its not big enough

 

[madweazl]

I think something else that has helped me is that I've inadvertently spread the maintenance out over the course of the week instead of all one day like I had been doing. Now one day I spend a couple minutes filling the dosing containers, one changing the carbon (if I'm running it at the time), one to clean the skimmer, cleaning salt creep the following day, etc.. I'm literally spending five to 10 minutes a day on maintenance (not every day but most) which feels much less like a choir and thus, much more enjoyable as I spend a lot more time gazing into it and enjoying the small piece of the reef I've been able to recreate.

Dosing pumps (two part) and the ATO have been a big help; there is no way I'd keep things as stable as they are if this responsibility were left to me physically doing the work. So far they havent bit me, hopefully that remains true indefinitely.

I've started gathering all the components for a larger tank and I do wonder if maintaining two is going to take the enjoyment out of having a reef but it's something I will have to do for about a year or so until the new tank has a reached a state of maturity equivalent to the current tank.

 

[GoVols]

Hybird,
You mean the world to us and at times we all can get burnt out.

Maybe a small cube anemone (species) reef could get the fire back.

Maybe you just need some down time and rest from all the OT you've put in and going threw the holidays.

 

[Mick1of10]

I too went through this. i have kept marine fish since 1969. I added live rock in the early 80's and kept going. Am now retired and felt like quitting, then found R2R and decided to start a reef. Excitement is back, even the old 80 gallon fish only is more fun again!!

 

[NY_Caveman]

I too went through this. i have kept marine fish since 1969. I added live rock in the early 80's and kept going. Am now retired and felt like quitting, then found R2R and decided to start a reef. Excitement is back, even the old 80 gallon fish only is more fun again!!

Nice point. Adding a fish only tank is a great idea. Not as worried about micromanaging parameters for finicky corals.

 

[NY_Caveman]

This thread is great because we have all been here. Makes me think, most pets have a lifespan, but an aquarium is very different. It goes on indefinitely. Because of that, it only makes sense that our excitement will wax and wane. Issues like @hybridazn dealt with can lead to a deep waning. Of course, once you hit the low you can really only swing up!

 

[hybridazn]

Hybird,
You mean the world to us and at times we all can get burnt out.

Maybe a small cube anemone (species) reef could get the fire back.

Maybe you just need some down time and rest from all the OT you've put in and going threw the holidays.

Thanks Freddie, that means a lot.

I'm not totally sold on the idea of a new setup will help. I will be taking on the local clubs frag tank here soon so I guess that will qualify lol.

I like the idea of doing 1 thing everyday as opposed to everything in one. That is essentially what I did back when the tank was very successful. I need to start doing that again.

 

[Hogo_]

One idea to stay in it and minimize maintenance by switching over to the Triton method, buy into their dosing method and testing along with the overall method. Then automation makes that all easy to manage and water changes go away and are only for emergencies. But other times call for a break from the hobby, just need to evaluate if even going to an ultra low maintenance system is the answer or if you just aren't that interested in it anymore/ right now. You can always come back to the hobby.