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

[Treenk]

I haven't stopped yet but I need to stop buying a small frag everytime I go to a lfs, because that small frag has gotten me so many unwanted hitch hikers. Dinos,green hair algae, bristle worms, red slime algae, aptasia, and my most recent one green bubble algae. Half the frags dony even make it but the hitch hikers sure do.

 

[nicksreefs]

I went with maybe as opposed to yes because... I've now stopped testing every 8 minutes, changing water every 15 minutes, glass cleaning every 23 minutes, dosing this and that every 34-56 seconds all the while reading every piece of advice (good, bad and weird advice!) continuously... that all the tanks have now settled and are enjoying some piece and quiet

 

[Robert Ranciato]

I grew up within miles of the Gulf of Mexico. I have been through major hurricanes, strong summer showers. I have an obsession with recreating extreme turbulent waters that disturb the whole tank. I had to throw out my 3 pump that I used to simulate the strong surges. Every time I would see the weather get bad outside, I would stick the extra pump in and just leave it causing all sorts of chaos. My philosophy is "It is natural". I stopped doing it around June, and I have had the biggest issue with detritus build up in my tank. I'm sure I have some other compulsion with my tank I don't even notice yet. I'm not OCD per say, I just like to sets something in motion within a ruleset and watch it progress over time.

That's a weird habit

 

[jda]

My tank got considerably better when I quit listening to the mob on the internet. Learned who to trust and listen to instead of the people with no experience who have just repeated what they have heard without really experiencing much. This was back on BB at the time and then forums later.

 

[Burg1222]

Stopped taking advice from videos by people trying to sell me a $900 light.

Yeah and YouTubers that only set up a tank for a month and upgrade before growout

 

[OU812Reefing]

No short cuts Do it right they are my pets

 

[Burg1222]

Stopped taking advice from videos by people trying to sell me a $900 light.

Yeah and youtubers that set up a tank for a month and then upgrade before growout

 

[SaltyShel]

I quite running gfo a few years ago. The coral seem more fluffy and enlarged.

This is great!! I was thinking about using GFO so I’m glad you said this!

 

[evoIX_njreefer]

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)

I am in that boat now. I am ready for my next toy. As you may notice, had 2 evos in the last 14 years. Sold it and itching to get in my next toy. Wifey is forcing me to wait or sell the tank and I can then pick one up. I rather wait anyway. Not sure if I want the new Z, Supra A91, Audi s5 sportback or go old school with a R32/R33.

Tank is staying around. Too much invested and the other toy will sit in the garage most of it's life now that I work from home and I have a beater to do the crap jobs.

 

[evoIX_njreefer]

This is great!! I was thinking about using GFO so I’m glad you said this!

This is a double-edge sword. I switched from 24/7 to running it a few hours a day and now I do weekly tests (hanna) to confirm where I am and then run 1/4 dose to drop it to my acceptable levels before it jumps back up and I do it again.

Usually allow it to drop down to .04-0.05 then by the next weekend it is approaching .09~ppm. Feed daily, don't rinse, ab+ and reef roids every other day.

 

[Mppp]

Water changes. As a beginner I'd read a lot about how bad nutrients were for a reef tanks, but didn't realise what would happen if you have no nutrients. A serious attack of the gunge put me on the right track, and I now dose AFR and only change enough water to keep nutrients at the right levels.

AFR?

 

[nvert]

Def being OCD with testing and then thinking it can be better if I did such and such….chasing the dragon and trying to get the system 100% perfectly dialed in. Impossible! As soon as you get to that 100% you won’t be there long because that’s not how things work. Once I learned to step away when stability FOR MY TANK was reached and I actually understood that then magic happens.

Understand the system, its responses, but trust the process! Then step away and just learn how to watch it. In my experience, careful observation not constantly testing or tweaking for perfect numbers is when my tank become something more than just a saltwater reef aquarium. It actually became a family member. I’ve had my current tank for almost 20years. Ups and downs but 95% ups once I let go and just started to listen to it with my eyes.

 

[hsosa]

I quit putting Kalkwasser in the ATO reservoir. In my system (everyone's is different) the kalk caused ATO sensor failures that caused massive pH swings and other imbalances in the aquarium. Now I am dosing AFR in small doses throughout the day. It's only been a week but I'm already starting to see improvement.

I would recommend a versa or the new kamoar pump as a continuous drip no need for ato sensor . im currently running a versa kalk top off

 

[unchaotic]

I would recommend a versa or the new kamoar pump as a continuous drip no need for ato sensor . im currently running a versa kalk top off

I'm running the a BRS 1.1 ml/min pump for my All For Reef. Between that and a change to my lighting schedule my pH balance has been so much better. As long as my Alk holds steady that's what I'm sticking to. Euphyllia all looks great and some SPS might go back in when everything is stable.

 

[kittenbritches]

Right now my only obsession is trying to decide what to do with or how to rehome my murderous scarlet-legged hermits. In addition to being cold-blooded killers, they also perch on top of all of my sps corals at night. I need them gone.

 

[TigNJaxx]

I quit putting my hands in my tank (as much).

I'm a newbie and am try hard not to as well. So I bought gloves. Still trying

 

[cobast]

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.

Which particular book did you read? Sprungs has many.

 

[Reefstick555]

My wife would like me to admit that putting your hands in the tank everyday is bad. She stands by the idea that the tank is doing better because I keep my hairy arms out of it. Hahaha. Something about the oils in my skin... blag blah blah. I know she's right, but I will not agree in person. Neither will I tell her I see a difference. Also, the sun spots on my arms from the MH bulbs over the years.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I stopped putting my hand in whenever I saw something that needed corrected and couldnt be done with a grabber.. I now keep a list on my phone and Saturday morning maintenance, My hands are going in and i can remember what needed done from the week.

 

[Reefstick555]

Right now my only obsession is trying to decide what to do with or how to rehome my murderous scarlet-legged hermits. In addition to being cold-blooded killers, they also perch on top of all of my sps corals at night. I need them gone.