reefer newby
Active Member
Sorry to say , but I tore down my reef tank and sold it. Just couldn't get it like I wanted it. Way too much work and exspense. Going back to a freshwater planted tank.
Too much trouble
- Thread starter reefer newby
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Sorry it didn't work out for ya.
Mike J.
2500 Club Member
Saltwater tanks can be very expensive and can be a burden to the budget. Keeping a saltwater tank should be considered as a luxury. In other words, an expense after every other need is taken care of.
If the hobby was mainstream there would definitely be an organization like AA or Gamblers Anonymous associated with it.
If the hobby was mainstream there would definitely be an organization like AA or Gamblers Anonymous associated with it.
so sorry to hear 
it is an expensive and time consuming hobby that's for sure. Perhaps you may consider coming back later on down the life road.
it is an expensive and time consuming hobby that's for sure. Perhaps you may consider coming back later on down the life road.
Now this, I must diagree with. I run a very cheap set up myself.
I got my 240g tank for only $300
I bought all my stuff either used or off e-bay, and modified it to make it work better. I dose Vodka so i don't have to do frequent water changes. I use Baking Soda for ALK, I use SeaKlear for Phosphate Remover. I get by doing as little as possible to my tank. So i hate to read that people can't do this hobby because its to expensive, I post nothing but cheap stuff that does work, but doens't have a brand name in the business.
I got my 240g tank for only $300
I bought all my stuff either used or off e-bay, and modified it to make it work better. I dose Vodka so i don't have to do frequent water changes. I use Baking Soda for ALK, I use SeaKlear for Phosphate Remover. I get by doing as little as possible to my tank. So i hate to read that people can't do this hobby because its to expensive, I post nothing but cheap stuff that does work, but doens't have a brand name in the business.
TrialandError
Well-Known Member
I run a simple and cheap setup as well. It can be done
3dees
Well-Known Member
I went to sw after 25 years of fw. my converted 120 gal. is a breeze. started as a fowlr and now turning into a softie tank. no dosing. my tank was a wild discus biotope. grew tired of 80% wc's twice a week, constant vacuuming, and cleaning the wood of algae. I spend less than 1 hour per week on this tank. sw can be as expensive as you want it to be. I will never go full reef as I am retired with medical issues so I just keep it as simple as it can be.
Bad Company
Well-Known Member
I run a large algae waterfall scrubber on a FOWLR, it actually holds my tap water fed tank at 0 nitrates. I do a 10% WC once a month or so. I do have a skimmer, bu I buy NO filter media or water treatment chemicals other than seachem prime for the WC and a buffer. Maintenance is now roughly 35 minutes a week and costs me less than $5 a month (salt, prime, buffer). Electricity draw is about 200W wihout the heater, 400W with; at $0.125/kWh the tank is costing me about $23 a month in electricity. It can be done cheaply if you are willing to set it up right.
Ever hear of an eco-sphere?
I know... they might seem silly to someone used to keeping corals, but honestly, it's a nice aquatic addition to any home disinterested in maintenance.
The shrimp themselves are pretty interesting. They're native to Hawaii and often live out their lives in tide pools, where water conditions are often far from ideal and salinity can swing wildly. Makes them pretty hard to kill. Heck, you could conceivably stick a few in a jar, seal it, put it on a shelf near indirect sunlight, and literally do nothing.
They love it!
Hawaiian Red Shrimp
Opae ula ("red shrimp", in Hawaiian)
Halocaridina rubra (red shrimp, in greek, or is it latin?)
I know... they might seem silly to someone used to keeping corals, but honestly, it's a nice aquatic addition to any home disinterested in maintenance.
The shrimp themselves are pretty interesting. They're native to Hawaii and often live out their lives in tide pools, where water conditions are often far from ideal and salinity can swing wildly. Makes them pretty hard to kill. Heck, you could conceivably stick a few in a jar, seal it, put it on a shelf near indirect sunlight, and literally do nothing.
They love it!
Hawaiian Red Shrimp
Opae ula ("red shrimp", in Hawaiian)
Halocaridina rubra (red shrimp, in greek, or is it latin?)
vlangel
Seahorse whisperer
I'm sorry it didn't work out but I commend you for recognizing that and making a change before the animals suffered. FW plant tanks can really be awesome so I wish you the best as you take a new direction!
