Obsession: Your reef is better because you quit doing this?

[WallyB]

Stopped one bad habit (Specifically "Whenever things got better with Corals", I would get excited I and would "Make changes to improve things more") ... that just made things worse and I would be back at square-one and the reset would take time all over again....Vicious Cycle.

 

[mindme]

We're always looking to make our reef better and a lot of times we equate that to doing more, adding more, tinkering more etc. And while there are some things that we can do to make our reef a better reef there are also some things that we can QUIT doing that could cause improvement as well. Today let's talk about it!

1. What is something that you QUIT doing that caused your reef tank to do and be better?

2. What do you obsess over when it comes to your tank?

A reef to inspire you via @TUSI

If I'm being 100% honest.

1. Water Changes

2. Coming up with excuses to avoid maintenance.

 

[MillennialReefer]

There was never a specific thing I was doing, but I'm just OCD when it comes to tests, tank layout, equipment cleaning.....everything lol. I just learned to let it be and only feed and clean equipment when needed. As long as everyone is fed, and looks happy and the glass is clean everything will be fine. Took almost a year to get here but eventually leave your tank alone and just enjoy watching the animals interact with their environment!

 

[McPuff]

My obsession is with exotic cars. It is potentially unhealthy to my tank because it could eventually mean I have to give up one to get the other. :0)

 

[RocketEngineer]

While my current tank hasn’t even seen water yet, I learned from my last system not to make constant changes. My bigger tank needed new lights that fried the corals. New white rock needed more critters but the gulf aquacultured rock brought crabs that killed my small fish. This time around I want to set it up and not make changes for a couple years.

 

[blaxsun]

1. Far less crap when supplementing.
2. Clean glass. Tunze strong magnet scraper for the win!

 

[Wasabiroot]

The biggest thing for me was waiting more time between changing anything. I removed a Jebao pump and replaced it with another AI Nero so I could sync them. Stuff's doing better now, but everything was confused and annoyed for a week.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I'm trying to read my corals more to see if there are any problems. I also swapped to testing alk daily. While this is technically more, I think having a closer eye on alk while my tank matures is a good idea.

 

[Kayanarka]

I haven't stopped yet , but I am getting a little better. I make changes too often.

Changes to flow (look at the torch it it too much flow, now not enough for the Duncan. Up and down)

Changes to lighting. It's too bright, it's too dark. Up and down.

Changes to dosing. I have a new thread on this one right now.

I need to just stop messing with it and let everything g get acclimated, but we get so worried when one coral does not look perfect.

 

[jsker]

1. What is something that you QUIT doing that caused your reef tank to do and be better?

I stopped experimenting with all the quick fixes and just came to the resolution that time and small adjustment work better.

 

[Wrassenaround]

Along with water changes I used to dose calcium and alkalinity, growth increased a little bit but it was to difficult to keep it at the numbers I was wanting, ended up losing a few pieces and decide to just go with the water change route. Since making that choice the tank has really thrived, acros growing and euphyllia splitting like wild. All in a 20 gallon, so maintenance and just letting your corals "tell" you what they need seems to be foolproof IMO

 

[Just a Wrasse.]

Stopped overdosing chemicals...

 

[unchaotic]

I have stopped relying on chemical media for quick fix solutions to an issue. I have tried to go with a more natural focus with only a bag of carbon in my sump and my skimmer. Controlling other things with proper feeding habits and tank husbandry as needed.

This is one of the biggest reasons I can't stand the FB groups that I'm in. Someone mentions something they want to change in their tank and the immediate answer is always dumping in some chemical. Then they don't understand why they consistently have the same problem or things start spiraling out of control.

 

[ZoWhat]

You'd be amazed by just how little your Reef needs blinding light and a lot of flow.

Sorta like growing tomatoes with 10000w flood lights in a 60mph wind gusts

 

[BillyW]

Using kalk in my ATO. It would always sludge up the sensor on my ATK and be a pain in the butt.

 

[MONTANTK]

I stopped trying to overcomplicate things. I’ve always had the best success by allowing as few fail points as possible

 

[casey012293]

1. Stopped vacuuming the sand with water changes. All it did was muck up my water and stir too much into the column. 2 fighting conch and some nassarius keep my sand plenty cleaned and aerated.

2. When I make corrections, I do them to fast sometimes. I dosed AFR to increase my alkalinity by a point after adding stony corals dropped it to 6.7 and everything closed up for several days. I should have done it more gradually, and as typing this am going to go home and split my doses into multiple times daily instead of once at night.

 

[ReefRxSWFL]

Buy Julian Sprungs book, and spend the time you would spend screwing with your tank reading the book. If you quit screwing with your tank, stop adding gear and livestock someone says you need and stick to the basics, you will be happier with your results.

 

[Swede's Reef]

To many changes. Now I only add anything if needed such as ca,alk. Everyone is much happier.

 

[RevMH]

I don't think I do, unless you consider want g a more a bad habit for the tank.

 

[TreyC2010]

Stop changing things that you aren’t certain of changing. Sometimes the tank does well when you let it be.