Are you a ONE HIT WONDER?

[BackToTheReef]

I fear being a one hit wonder, not because of frustration or lack of accolades, my goal isn't to get likes but to set up a tank or tanks that make me happy.

My initial plan was to set up my dream tank with supporting QT, etc. and go all in. Taking my time and putting systems/processes in place for long term success and overcome those "speed bumps" that happen to a tank. I've gotten to a place where I can afford to go bigger or some of that expensive livestock I dreamed about or thought was out of reach 15+ years ago.

BUT my budget/credit limit isn't unlimited though, I can afford to do some of these things once. So one big tank disaster might sink the whole thing. I screw the acrylic up while building the tank, over. Jack up drilling the holes, over. Tank crashes and mass livestock loss, over. Job loss, over. So I have spent the last 30 days obsessing over the details.

Now I am considering a small change. Instead of building "Onion Boy" (Shrek reference - you're so wrapped up in layers onion boy") that I am thinking of setting up a smaller system, call it "Shallot boy," and making sure I can do this from a skills and husbandry aspect.

Onion boy - Roughly 1,200 gallons (120"x48"x48")
Shallot boy - 100 or so gallons?? (Red Sea Reefer??)

My advice - Nothing good happens fast in a reef tank (or any tank really)

 

[living_tribunal]

Gotta roll with the punches in this hobby. One week it's tragedy, the next everything is fantastic. As you progress, and learn to identify/deal with more situations, the fantastic weeks begin to outnumber the tragedy.

All about learning and recognizing how to deal with a wide array of situations.

 

[revhtree]

Good stuff!

 

[Ippyroy]

I feel like a lot of people start hobbies with the idea of being perfect and great right out of the gate. That is a major reason why I am so grateful that I learned wood working and cabinetry at an early age. With wood working the end goal is clearly defined and there many steps to take to get there. Each step has to be completed before you are able to move on to the next step. The best part of it is that you can't hurry any of the steps and you get a feeling of accomplishment each time. From planing and joining to cutting the board to size, to gluing to sanding to staining. Each and every step takes x amount of time.
I am treating reefing the same way. I have a long term goal and I have broken it down to smaller steps, and each step is broken down into easy attainable goals. My forever tanks will not be in existence for several more years, my first tank is still ugly, but I am happy in the way it is going.
There will be set backs. When doing cabinetry I've had tools break, I've made the wrong cut, and the worst, I've sanded against the grain. This doesn't mean I scraped the entire project, I just took a step back, punched the wall maybe or kicked the saw dust, then I would readjust my plan and carry on.
Nothing good in life comes easy. Sometimes you have to reassess and take a detour. I am usually happier with a finished product that I had to do that on. It makes the finished product so much better and the feeling of accomplishment so much greater. Except for door frames. I can't measure a door frame. At all. They always come out like a trapezoid. It is a truly amazing feet.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Patience. Experience. Willingness to learn. Ability to take advice. Ability to overcome failure

 

[Kjames]

If you can't see the tank, be wary of the advice. Find someone who has a documented track record of success and try to emulate their approach. And be patient.

 

[Ippyroy]

Another point I'd like to make is don't keep looking for the solution without finding the cause. A solution without knowing the cause is a band aid at best and snake oil at the worst. It's always best to fix the cause than change stuff for a solution in a bottle. Too many people want to know what to pour into their tanks to fix the problem instead of finding out what is causing the problem. This can become very expensive very quickly and it is most likely allowing the minor issue(s) to become major ones that lead to people giving up.

 

[mattdg]

I am like a 4 hit wonder at this point? ish. Hoping this will be my 5th, some day!

 

[G Santana]

When I started reefing in the 80s one hit wonders were the RAGE. Folks would get angry and quit in short order.
Back then unless you knew someone with a reef tank and were able to get sound information/advice, it was easy to get discouraged.
Now with the internet, instant information and groups like this, it's easier to weather the rough patches of reefing even through the loss of fish and corals, those who want to learn from their mistakes, will!!!

 

[mattdg]

My top tips.

- Trust that patience will pay off, but don't put off addressing obvious problems.
- Observe and learn the rhythm of your system and develop a maintenance schedule that you are able to stick to. Don't assume that copying exactly how someone else runs their tank, is how you will find success.
- Celebrate small victories
- If you are having problems, technology is usually not the first right answer. Fix the issue first, with the tools you already have available and then (if you wish) build in technology to support your observation.
- Ignoring key parameters, is worse than chasing them.
- Algae is natural. If it becomes a problem, address it.
- Make a running list of all of the things you need to do, that require you to put your hands in the tank. When it gets long enough, do them all at once.
- Make time every week to simply enjoy and observe your reef, without making any changes.
- Re consider the friends that don't notice your amazing reef tank. JOKING!

 

[najer]

Come on get your tips in!

Oh tips out, my bad at the shock reaction.

 

[Paul B]

My first salt water tank I set up in 1971 is the tank I still have. I moved it three times because I moved but the tank was always simple. Reverse undergravel filter. Almost no maintenance and it really can't crash, even if the pumps stop for a week or two which has happened.

Natural food as much as possible which means to me that not all of the food is store bought strictly aquarium food. Some of it is human food from a supermarket because thats the only place where you can get the living bacteria our tanks depend on to be and stay healthy.
Clams for human consumption is the best food by far for almost anything in our tanks.

Stop tweeking. The tanks with the most tweeking and the ones that crash.
Parameters are a suggestion and they don't need to be exactly anything, close is fine.

Don't change water to much. If new water was so good, new tanks would look great, but they look lousy.
Seawater takes in some healthy benefits as it ages up to a point. I change about 20% of my water 4 or 5 times a year.

Algae and cyano is actually a good thing. If it bothers you or grows on your corals add, or build an algae scrubber. It costs almost nothing and your algae will be forced to grow there and not where you can see it.

Throw some dirt in your tank. If you can get it from the sea, thats great. Otherwise use some garden soil (no fertilizer or bug killer)

Don't go crazy buying every gadget when you start the hobby. I have been keeping fish about 65 years and still only have lights, Diy skimmer DIY algae scrubber, some power heads and thats about it.

This hobby is not expensive, we make it expensive.

I have set up many tanks and started a few LFSs for other people but always keep it simple.

I look exactly the same and still have that watch and hair. ;Meh

 

[ScottR]

My local reef club hate me because I cut corners. I dip all corals like the plague is on them. But I drop and plop fish. No QT. Beat me up guys. Healthy fish

 

[ScottR]

My first salt water tank I set up in 1971 is the tank I still have. I moved it three times because I moved but the tank was always simple. Reverse undergravel filter. Almost no maintenance and it really can't crash, even if the pumps stop for a week or two which has happened.

Natural food as much as possible which means to me that not all of the food is store bought strictly aquarium food. Some of it is human food from a supermarket because thats the only place where you can get the living bacteria our tanks depend on to be and stay healthy.
Clams for human consumption is the best food by far for almost anything in our tanks.

Stop tweeking. The tanks with the most tweeking and the ones that crash.
Parameters are a suggestion and they don't need to be exactly anything, close is fine.

Don't change water to much. If new water was so good, new tanks would look great, but they look lousy.
Seawater takes in some healthy benefits as it ages up to a point. I change about 20% of my water 4 or 5 times a year.

Algae and cyano is actually a good thing. If it bothers you or grows on your corals add, or build an algae scrubber. It costs almost nothing and your algae will be forced to grow there and not where you can see it.

Throw some dirt in your tank. If you can get it from the sea, thats great. Otherwise use some garden soil (no fertilizer or bug killer)

Don't go crazy buying every gadget when you start the hobby. I have been keeping fish about 65 years and still only have lights, Diy skimmer DIY algae scrubber, some power heads and thats about it.

This hobby is not expensive, we make it expensive.

I have set up many tanks and started a few LFSs for other people but always keep it simple.

I look exactly the same and still have that watch and hair. ;Meh

I believe everything you said. But I’m calling shenanigans on the hair. Perhaps the watch too. But I’m sure the watch is easier to prove.

 

[Reefer1978]

If you are asking for help, provide as much details as possible, engage in the conversation. Quality of feedback is proportional to quality of information that goes into the question.

 

[Paul B]

I believe everything you said. But I’m calling shenanigans on the hair. Perhaps the watch too. But I’m sure the watch is easier to prove.

I do still have the hair. It's in a box, But I have it. I also have the watch. The band rotted away decades ago and it doesn't work. But I have it.......I think.

 

[G Santana]

My first salt water tank I set up in 1971 is the tank I still have. I moved it three times because I moved but the tank was always simple. Reverse undergravel filter. Almost no maintenance and it really can't crash, even if the pumps stop for a week or two which has happened.

Natural food as much as possible which means to me that not all of the food is store bought strictly aquarium food. Some of it is human food from a supermarket because thats the only place where you can get the living bacteria our tanks depend on to be and stay healthy.
Clams for human consumption is the best food by far for almost anything in our tanks.

Stop tweeking. The tanks with the most tweeking and the ones that crash.
Parameters are a suggestion and they don't need to be exactly anything, close is fine.

Don't change water to much. If new water was so good, new tanks would look great, but they look lousy.
Seawater takes in some healthy benefits as it ages up to a point. I change about 20% of my water 4 or 5 times a year.

Algae and cyano is actually a good thing. If it bothers you or grows on your corals add, or build an algae scrubber. It costs almost nothing and your algae will be forced to grow there and not where you can see it.

Throw some dirt in your tank. If you can get it from the sea, thats great. Otherwise use some garden soil (no fertilizer or bug killer)

Don't go crazy buying every gadget when you start the hobby. I have been keeping fish about 65 years and still only have lights, Diy skimmer DIY algae scrubber, some power heads and thats about it.

This hobby is not expensive, we make it expensive.

I have set up many tanks and started a few LFSs for other people but always keep it simple.

I look exactly the same and still have that watch and hair. ;Meh

Sound advice

 

[najer]

Patience. Experience. Willingness to learn. Ability to take advice. Ability to overcome failure

My top tips.

- Trust that patience will pay off, but don't put off addressing obvious problems.
- Observe and learn the rhythm of your system and develop a maintenance schedule that you are able to stick to. Don't assume that copying exactly how someone else runs their tank, is how you will find success.
- Celebrate small victories
- If you are having problems, technology is usually not the first right answer. Fix the issue first, with the tools you already have available and then (if you wish) build in technology to support your observation.
- Ignoring key parameters, is worse than chasing them.
- Algae is natural. If it becomes a problem, address it.
- Make a running list of all of the things you need to do, that require you to put your hands in the tank. When it gets long enough, do them all at once.
- Make time every week to simply enjoy and observe your reef, without making any changes.
- Re consider the friends that don't notice your amazing reef tank. JOKING!

This, patience, if you add a coral it will adjust you nitrates and phosphates, learn your tank, algae is a good indicator, as Douglas said, "don't panic" there is a solution on R2R and you only need to ask

 

[Paul B]

Sound advice

Thats because I collect my water in the Long Island Sound.

 

[schooncw]

Be very wary of anecdotal information and advice...."this worked for me" or "I know someone that....". Having been a hobbyist all of my life and many years in the industry, this will kill you. IE: garlic cures ich, no need to drip new fish, etc., etc. Do your research!