What do you struggle with most?

[apb03]

Hey, fellow reefers!

Recently I decided it was time to finally roll up my sleeves and re-scape my tank. I think in the past week or so I've moved at least 20 corals, with a bunch more planned. I realized that I am horrendous at coral placement and general aquascaping. My friend, @JM302 is incredible at building visual depth in his tank while mine feels so two-dimensional.

It got me thinking about what others feel their weakness is in the hobby that they struggle with.

Let's hear your stories!

 

[JM302]

Well thanks... I say I got lucky with the aquascape in the new tank and @LeeLoo Lola is my partner in crime.

I struggle most with flow as you can't really measure it. Lights - easy.. PAR meter. Water quality - easy... test or ICP if you need a more detailed view.

Flow - not so easy for me. Does it look good? Is the coral open and happy? Are you getting detritus buildup somewhere? Is there enough surface agitation? Are you getting good O2 exchange? I find myself constantly tinkering, not knowing when enough is enough or when not enough is not enough.

Most recently I learned that mixed tanks are truly difficult - and for me the biggest challenge is the flow. I've been running LPS dominated tanks for 20 years. This time I've added in a few Anacropora, an acro, a bunch of stylos and digis and I'm finding it impossible to keep them happy with flow w/o completely wrecking the lps.

They're all growing well and what I consider 'good'... but it seems nearly impossible to obtain 'great' with the mix in my tank.

 

[apb03]

I hear that. When I first started I was extremely frustrated with coral requirements that said "Medium Flow". That is quite unhelpful!

This is why I like SPS. Blast it with flow and light, no problem!

 

[Cthulukelele]

Mood killer alert, but I am most bad about taking losses personally. Loss is a part of the hobby--be it an out of your control life event related crash, the sudden death of your favorite fish, or a die back of one of your favorite colonies. I really really take those like a gut punch, and it's hard to keep up the will and passion for the hobby to keep doing the work when those things bring you down.

 

[apb03]

Mood killer alert, but I am most bad about taking losses personally. Loss is a part of the hobby--be it an out of your control life event related crash, the sudden death of your favorite fish, or a die back of one of your favorite colonies. I really really take those like a gut punch, and it's hard to keep up the will and passion for the hobby to keep doing the work when those things bring you down.

I lost my gorgeous Madagascar Flasher Wrasse, no idea what happened he disappeared one day and then showed up nearly dead in the corner a few days later. I tried everything I could in my QT tank to no avail and he died a week later.

I know exactly what you mean. This hobby has a way of humbling all of us.

I hope you stick with it!

 

[Cthulukelele]

I lost my gorgeous Madagascar Flasher Wrasse, no idea what happened he disappeared one day and then showed up nearly dead in the corner a few days later. I tried everything I could in my QT tank to no avail and he died a week later.

I know exactly what you mean. This hobby has a way of humbling all of us.

I hope you stick with it!

100% will. Big event was around 2 years ago now. Was out of town for a work thing and had a week+ long power outage I tried to guide my then partner through. Lost everything but a yellow watchman goby and a toadstool coral. Almost broke it down. Now almost 2 years later it's back to thriving and turning purple. Just gotta keep at it. The challenge is part of what keeps us all doing it.

Also sorry for the loss of your fish. Sure it was a beaut

 

[zheka757]

i struggle to understand why corals die!

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Well, sense my wife started paying attention to my reef tank and wanted to learn about the coral, I found my biggest weakness. I CAN'T SLIP A NEW CORAL PAST HER! What I get now is" how much did that cost as she sees my new coral. It sucks!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Well thanks... I say I got lucky with the aquascape in the new tank and @LeeLoo Lola is my partner in crime.

I struggle most with flow as you can't really measure it. Lights - easy.. PAR meter. Water quality - easy... test or ICP if you need a more detailed view.

Flow - not so easy for me. Does it look good? Is the coral open and happy? Are you getting detritus buildup somewhere? Is there enough surface agitation? Are you getting good O2 exchange? I find myself constantly tinkering, not knowing when enough is enough or when not enough is not enough.

Most recently I learned that mixed tanks are truly difficult - and for me the biggest challenge is the flow. I've been running LPS dominated tanks for 20 years. This time I've added in a few Anacropora, an acro, a bunch of stylos and digis and I'm finding it impossible to keep them happy with flow w/o completely wrecking the lps.

They're all growing well and what I consider 'good'... but it seems nearly impossible to obtain 'great' with the mix in my tank.

My wallet.
When I bought it, I was under the impression it came with Automatic refills !

Lol- high prices are an issue for me

 

[Miami Reef]

I dislike scraping the coralline off the back glass. Too much work.

I’m considering just leaving it alone from now on. Let’s see if I can manage to not scrape it.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I dislike scraping the coralline off the back glass. Too much work.

I’m considering just leaving it alone from now on. Let’s see if I can manage to not scrape it.

You can do it! I have faith.....

 

[Cthulukelele]

I dislike scraping the coralline off the back glass. Too much work.

I’m considering just leaving it alone from now on. Let’s see if I can manage to not scrape it.

Just do what I did and make the back of your 2000 pound tank completely inaccessible! Ez pz

 

[apb03]

Well, sense my wife stated paying attention to my reef tank and wanted to learn about the coral, I found my biggest weakness. I CAN'T SLIP A NEW CORAL PAST HER! What I get now is" how much did that cost as she sees my new coral. It sucks!

That's a tough one! I picked up this frag the other day a rainbow splice (no red unfortunately) but still way too much to admit to the wife haha. Shhh...

 

[TheGrimReeferTx]

Getting my Apex to work....

 

[Miami Reef]

You can do it! I have faith.....

I know I can do it, but it’s not fun, and I dislike every second of it. I think I want to try letting the back grow wild for a bit. Maybe the tank would look better with the coralline completely covering the back? What do you think?

 

[zheka757]

I dislike scraping the coralline off the back glass. Too much work.

I’m considering just leaving it alone from now on. Let’s see if I can manage to not scrape it.

Or you can do what I did! Let the coral take over backwall

 

[JM302]

I struggle with fancy names on corals to justify higher prices..... Want to make that torch more expensive? Just call it a Holy Grail Rapunzel Tiger True Gold Banana Indo Torch. That's guaranteed to fetch $500 / head.

 

[Miami Reef]

Or you can do what I did! Let the coral take over backwall

Wow. That looks pretty nice.

 

[apb03]

I know I can do it, but it’s not fun, and I dislike every second of it. I think I want to try letting the back grow wild for a bit. Maybe the tank would look better with the coralline completely covering the back? What do you think?

I'm going for the GSP plan, myself

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I know I can do it, but it’s not fun, and I dislike every second of it. I think I want to try letting the back grow wild for a bit. Maybe the tank would look better with the coralline completely covering the back? What do you think?

I don't clean mine. I like it that way. My new tank hasn't been touched. I call it free food for the fox face and clean up crew.