Yup didn’t make it a year

[doubleshot00]

I think im done. That amount if time i spend testing, inspecting and adjusting things in my tanks is so time consuming. Like it’s annoying. This is the most frustrating hobby I’ve ever been into where nothing goes as planned. Its like going out on the boat but you literally always break down or you never catch fish.

I really don’t see how anyone is successful in this hobby. I have been so diligent in testing and keeping everything as perfect as i can but it is taking up a ton of my time.

My wife wants me to end it.

I had a 90 running transferred everything over to a new 90 no issues until last week. Levels tanked over 2 days and now have dinos. Everyone said i need a sump. I got a sump. All i do is keep adjusting the gate valve because the water level in the tank after about a 2 weeks it goes down. Like literally don’t get why its doing it. I literally hate my tank.

Had a fluval wanted a nicer tank so got a new IM15. Transferred everything over. It has dinos now and all the coralline on the rock is dying.

Im at a lost for words how terrible everything goes in this hobby. I want to succeed but everything is against me.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Maybe just go fish only with live rock?
Sorry if any way I can help you I will.
I don't test phosphates. Nitrates. Or salinity really at all.
Temp yes.
With a float and sinker thermometer in my sump.
Bigger the volume of water. The more forgiving.
The solution to pollution is dilution. Lol.
An old reefer phrase.
Don't chase numbers either
D

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Try not making and keeping everything perfect

 

[doubleshot00]

Try not making and keeping everything perfect

Well i was testing once a week just when i didnt my levels tanked and i have dinos. Si now im paranoid.

I think im just gonna say F it and let the tank go and see what happens.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Well i was testing once a week just when i didnt my levels tanked and i have dinos. Si now im paranoid.

I think im just gonna say F it and let the tank go and see what happens.

Just for perspective, I maintain dozens of big reef tanks (200gal and up). I have no idea where any of my testing reagents are.

And it wouldn’t even matter if I did find them, because they’re all several years old and no good anymore.

I did test salinity in a tank a few months ago (it was where I thought it would be).

 

[Gtinnel]

I think im just gonna say F it and let the tank go and see what happens

I have been where you are at, at one point I had my tank crash and kill all of my fish, if not for the mess I was about to bust the front glass out of the tank. I started doing the bare minimum to keep the tank running for months and slowly it started to look better. I’m a strong believer in a mature tank is an easier tank. If you are going to quit anyway and have nothing to lose why not go with the f it approach and see how it goes?

 

[doubleshot00]

Just for perspective, I maintain dozens of big reef tanks (200gal and up). I have no idea where any of my testing reagents are.

And it wouldn’t even matter if I did find them, because they’re all several years old and no good anymore.

I did test salinity in a tank a few months ago (it was where I thought it would be).

I think thats part of the problem with this hobby. Got guys like you that dont test a thing and everything is perfect and newbs like me that try ti keep things right and it all goes to Hell

 

[Jekyl]

Sounds like you're constantly changing things and chasing numbers. Strike 1 and 2.

 

[doubleshot00]

I have been where you are at, at one point I had my tank crash and kill all of my fish, if not for the mess I was about to bust the front glass out of the tank. I started doing the bare minimum to keep the tank running for months and slowly it started to look better. I’m a strong believer in a mature tank is an easier tank. If you are going to quit anyway and have nothing to lose why not go with the f it approach and see how it goes?

Exactly F it. Wait it out and see how bad the rocks and corals look after a few months see how it goes.

 

[doubleshot00]

Sounds like you're constantly changing things and chasing numbers. Strike 1 and 2.

Listening to r2r advice

And can’t figure out my tank water level. It literally does what it wants.

 

[Beau_B]

When you say “levels tank” … what do you mean specifically.

The switch from one tank to another happened in September. I would think things are still settling in.

What type of overflow/plumbing do you have? It can certainly take some fussing to get the valve set correctly. I have to adjust mine perhaps once a month.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Well i was testing once a week just when i didnt my levels tanked and i have dinos. Si now im paranoid.

I think im just gonna say F it and let the tank go and see what happens.

I tested daily in the beginning to really see how my tank was progressing and how it was building or consuming nutrients. Everything was going great and last week I got dinos. This resulted in my tank became to clean as a result of my over filtration and lack of dosing po4. Also because I stopped testing as frequently. I'm now cleaning the tank daily, replacing filter floss daily, and dosing po4 to detectable levels. Just 4 days in the dinos aren't building up as much.

My advice is to just set aside time to at least test 3 times a week but more if you can right now. Once you understand your tank you can make better adjustments to dial things in or avoid an issue before it starts.

Most of the time if you're testing you can see a trend and catch an issue before it arises.

 

[Miami Reef]

Dang. I’m kind of disappointed in the answers in this thread. Not helpful IMO.

I really like @Beau_B advice so far.

I will type of my response soon.

 

[EagleEye121]

Nothing good in this hobby happens fast

 

[Beau_B]

Also, dinos happen, it’s not a death sentence. Most of us have had them at some point and worked through it.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I think thats part of the problem with this hobby. Got guys like you that dont test a thing and everything is perfect and newbs like me that try ti keep things right and it all goes to Hell

Trust me…there were growing pains in getting there. It’s all about learning to let go of control and trust the process.

I apply the same philosophy to reefing that I do to raising kids….the more you try to grip a handful of sand, the more of it will go through your fingers.

 

[workhz]

What’s with the valve stuff and sump? Let it drain into the sump and pump it back into the tank ..... then chill and cross fingers. Yeah, it can definitely be frustrating at times

 

[doubleshot00]

When you say “levels tank” … what do you mean specifically.

The switch from one tank to another happened in September. I would think things are still settling in.

What type of overflow/plumbing do you have? It can certainly take some fussing to get the valve set correctly. I have to adjust mine perhaps once a month.

Internal overflow durso style with emergency pipe. 1”. Durso has gate gate valve and emergency is straight down

Then a 1” return dc pump coming in but also have a uv with a separate ac pump running the uv coming in.

the water level inside this box drops over time. As you see in the picture the emergency pipe. The water will drop just randomly. Almost like the water is evaporated from the main display and the sump level staying the same.

This alone is the biggest pain out if this whole tank. And its not like there is a resource that tells you you did it right.

 

[Miami Reef]

So it seems the issues is that the water level is not staying consistent which requires constant readjusting of the gate valve.

And then there’s the issue of nutrient bottoming out and the dino bloom. And the coralline dying off (from the Dinos).

Was there anything else? @doubleshot00

 

[OfficeReefer]

I think im done. That amount if time i spend testing, inspecting and adjusting things in my tanks is so time consuming. Like it’s annoying. This is the most frustrating hobby I’ve ever been into where nothing goes as planned. Its like going out on the boat but you literally always break down or you never catch fish.

I really don’t see how anyone is successful in this hobby. I have been so diligent in testing and keeping everything as perfect as i can but it is taking up a ton of my time.

My wife wants me to end it.

I had a 90 running transferred everything over to a new 90 no issues until last week. Levels tanked over 2 days and now have dinos. Everyone said i need a sump. I got a sump. All i do is keep adjusting the gate valve because the water level in the tank after about a 2 weeks it goes down. Like literally don’t get why its doing it. I literally hate my tank.

Had a fluval wanted a nicer tank so got a new IM15. Transferred everything over. It has dinos now and all the coralline on the rock is dying.

Im at a lost for words how terrible everything goes in this hobby. I want to succeed but everything is against me.

@doubleshot00 I don't understand. Everything looked great on the 24th in your build thread. Sometimes some of these things take patience and documenting one's build with everyone piling on with their comments can be frustrating. I think your tank looked great and you did very well. I've been doing this for 15 years or so, on and off and I can tell you that you've made far less errors than I did in the first five years.

I like to think of this hobby like Bob Ross taught painting, in that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks but what you think of your artwork. I personally think you did great.