My rant because no one else gets it

[seastar]

I'm all in with all the latest equipment.
I've bought my dream tank (redsea 525xl) and frag tank.
I've QT'd all my fish.
I RO/DI like Im supposed to.
I've bought tons of really nice corals...

I should be THRIVING. Really enjoying watching frags grow out. It's my time to share amazing FTS.

Nope. Somehow Dinos got in despite all my precautions. Instead Im dosing po4,no3/testing/blowing off sand and rocks daily, losing frags and have a generally ugly tank.

I'm not giving up. I've got this. (I think). It's just frustrating.

For the coders out there... </rant>

 

[Heliarc19]

Dang! It will pass

 

[Greybeard]

<rant on>
HTML isn't really coding, is it?
</rant off>

I feel for you. Been in (and out) of this game for several decades. Set up a new, custom, 140 gallon wide, shallow peninsula about 4 months ago, and not having much success with it, so far. I've always referred to it as 'new tank syndrome'. Give it some time, address the issues promptly as they show up, it'll settle in over time.

Return null;

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I feel your pain man. After coming back from my last trip my tank looked terrible and I'm trying to recover...Bleh!

 

[seastar]

<rant on>
HTML isn't really coding, is it?
</rant off>

Hahahah! Touché.

I think the dino's mostly came about when I had my nitrates and phosphate undetectable for so long that the things that naturally outcompete them in the tank could no longer survive. It'll be a process to get them going again.

 

[Flippers4pups]

The waiting for our tanks to mature and settle is the hardest part of this hobby. Hang in there!

 

[seastar]

Dang! It will pass

Gosh I hope so! Thanks!

I feel your pain man. After coming back from my last trip my tank looked terrible and I'm trying to recover...Bleh!

Thanks! That really stinks, you have such an impressive setup. I really don't mind putting work into a tank and all that, I really enjoy it in fact. It's just when you are putting in all that effort and still losing frags. Spending 90% of the time you'd normally be putting into the tank on just battling dinos instead of the day to day things we get a ton of enjoyment out of. :mad:

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Well, you did ask for it.

Enjoy.

I know I do. How boring would it be if the tank just sat there with fish and corals. Really. I'd rather learn something every single day.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

static void PostMessage()
{
string comfortMessage = "I feel you man. My first tank I used tap water, changed water once every few months (if that), fed pellet food with a heavy hand and never removed any of the excess food. I had a single fish and freshwater gravel as a substrate. Not a lick of algae. I've had nothing but failure my last two tanks. RO/DI, weekly water changes, GFO, moderate feeding and removing excess food immediately, organic carbon dosing, and only moderate success after tons of hard work. I'm doing everything I \"should\" do, but still no joy. Fortunately, I have found a foolproof method to having a thriving, beautiful reef tank. The secret is as follows: ";

comfortMessage = comfortMessage + SecretToReefing();

Console.WriteLine(comfortMessage);
}

static string SecretToReefing()
{
//Todo: implement
return "";
}

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

A fwiw, becuse reefers love to share the pain/joy, have you done the peroxide or ph cures? They seem most effective. Add that to increased mech filtration like a canister or diatom filer, reactor etc.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

static void PostMessage()
{
string comfortMessage = "I feel you man. My first tank I used tap water, changed water once every few months (if that), fed pellet food with a heavy hand and never removed any of the excess food. I had a single fish and freshwater gravel as a substrate. Not a lick of algae. I've had nothing but failure my last two tanks. RO/DI, weekly water changes, GFO, moderate feeding and removing excess food immediately, organic carbon dosing, and only moderate success after tons of hard work. I'm doing everything I \"should\" do, but still no joy. Fortunately, I have found a foolproof method to having a thriving, beautiful reef tank. The secret is as follows: ";

comfortMessage = comfortMessage + SecretToReefing();

Console.WriteLine(comfortMessage);
}

static string SecretToReefing()
{
//Todo: implement
return "";
}

Best post of 2017.

 

[seastar]

Well, you did ask for it.

Enjoy.

I know I do. How boring would it be if the tank just sat there with fish and corals. Really. I'd rather learn something every single day.

Couldn't agree more! This has prompted me to do countless additional hours of read time here on r2r (Something I really enjoy, and I could probably tag 20-30 people here who have provided invaluable insight into this skurge). I am now the proud owner of a large UV light. I now micro-bubble. I dose nitrates and phosphates and I'm methodical on my testing routine now. It prompted me to finally install my ORP probe and read up on it. Lots of wins came out of this to be sure.

 

[Potatohead]

Read you loud and clear ;Blackeye

 

[Greybeard]

I am eating ceviche in my profile pic... the irony is not lost on me.

We had a male betta fish named Ceviche, and a rabbit named Hasenpfeffer

What irony?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Couldn't agree more! This has prompted me to do countless additional hours of read time here on r2r (Something I really enjoy, and I could probably tag 20-30 people here who have provided invaluable insight into this skurge). I am now the proud owner of a large UV light. I now micro-bubble. I dose nitrates and phosphates and I'm methodical on my testing routine now. It prompted me to finally install my ORP probe and read up on it. Lots of wins came out of this to be sure.

Much more fun than golf. The tan is better with golf though.


No3 po4 most effective not in balances but in cases of limitation of one or the other. Benicficial microfauna get starved out.

 

[seastar]

static void PostMessage()
static string SecretToReefing()
{
//Todo: implement
return "";
}

This entire post made my day! Hahahahah! Much appreciated

 

[seastar]

A fwiw, becuse reefers love to share the pain/joy, have you done the peroxide or ph cures? They seem most effective. Add that to increased mech filtration like a canister or diatom filer, reactor etc.

I typically run an oxidator, and I have chased off a few pest issues in the past with great success by manually dosing. I can't for the life of me get my PH above 8.1 on this tank and I've even ran an external airline to my skimmer. I've been tempted to buy a diatom filter as well, maybe that's the next step.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I'd go with Kalwasser to make the ph change or a buffer (alk)
For a short term increase.

 

[Quah]

“However baby man may brag of his science and skill, and however much, in a flattering future, that science and skill may augment; yet for ever and ever, to the crack of doom, the sea will insult and murder him, and pulverize the stateliest, stiffest frigate he can make; nevertheless, by the continual repetition of these very impressions, man has lost that sense of the full awfulness of the sea which aboriginally belongs to it.” - Herman Melville

One of my favorite books is Moby Dick and I always think of this quote when I'm having tank issues. I know it doesn't offer any help or advice but even when you put the ocean (I know its but microcosm of one) in a glass box there are times it will get the better of you but the good news is we can cultivate its wonders and mitigate the horrors with perseverance, tenacity, and dedication.

I know this doesn't help anyone in any way but it sounds good.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I know this doesn't help anyone in any way but it sounds good.

The art of Jeet Kun Do by Bruce Lee is a book of philosophy.
The lessons of both writers apply to life. They also apply to reeftanks. Not a coincidence.