Use to be a day when standard t12s and fresh real saltwater and a power head was enough. Today many of the problems suffered in a saltwater tank being blamed on lack of flow, poor lighting, or what brand of salt you're using. Looks to be many of the tanks suffering are definitely not lacking of any of that. Nor are they lacking in every piece of equipment or additive there is on the market. Those of you in the medical field, and not, know it's not good to mix medications. Yet you have your tank soaking in more chemicals than just plain water. Call it keeping up with the Jones' or whatever, but you know you use to have a decent tank without all that crap. And with it you find yourself having more problems than before and wondering what next additive to dose to counter the new problem you're going through. Scrap it and get back to basics. Decent skimmer and water changes once in a while. Or more if you see problems showing up. One dead coral or fish out of many raises an eyebrow but not really a sign of things going bad. Two or three of them within a day or two and now you have a sign of something needing fixed. But is it the water or something living in your tank. But a life form isn't too much of a problem anymore because it seems everyone kills their rock and purifies it before adding it to their system to bring it back to life. We use to want it straight from the ocean with any and all the life it had looking for something new to pop it's head out. Good or bad. It was exciting to find a hitchhiker.
Anyway. Back to water. Ever hear the term "too much of a good thing can spoil it"? Could that be happening in your system? A little this a little that and some of this and.... What the heck! I got an algae breakout. Everything tests zero. Shouldn't be happening. I'm dosing everything in the fish store and on line. I should have tank of the month. We know chemicals can mask chemicals. So you test your water with your chemical test kit to test the chemically masked water in your tank. I have the same setup as him so why do I have problems and he doesn't? It's a different system. I've set up a few tank the same size and tried the same equipment thinking, hey! If that one worked, so will this one. Enhh.. Nope. Not happening. Just because it worked on one or for another hobbyist does not mean it will work for you. But it's science, it has to work. It's life. It does not have to work.
If you look at your tank, the fish and corals are fine, you have a healthy tank. But you have algae of any type, which is not a sign of an unhealthy tank. There's an easy fix. Clean it out, the algae, and fix the problem. But I've tried everything. Nothing is working. Really? Try taking everything OFF and try water and basic filtration.
Before getting discouraged. Getting out. Try the basics. Just keep water. Or you're realizing you're really not into the hobby of aquariums. People that are into "the hobby", whatever hobby. Don't quit it. May alter it, but don't quit.
No time for the hobby. Having a baby! Working to much! New girlfriend! Wife! Car!
You don't have 20-30 minutes a week if that to check on a system that is self contained? I don't put that much time in my every other week(if that) water changes. Grant it I only have a FOWLR currently, but my reef tanks didn't take anymore than that when I had them. Now is when you think, this guy isn't hobbyist, doesn't even have a reef tank. Wrong! I'm into fish tanks and whatever will live in them. Ever since I was in second grade getting my first aquarium. I've never been without something with water in it. Even if it were just a bowl or bucket with a single fish or something else in it. Back to "no time". Bet you have time for gaming, Facebook, the bar, TV, washing the car, the girlfriend, whatever. Are you any different than the next guy on this site or any other with a job, wife, girlfriend, car, dog, house and all that goes with it or more than one hobby? These things(aquariums) don't need constant doting over like a new girlfriend, and believe it or not. More forgiving. If you have a basic setup. It only needs basic care.
I vacation three times a year and have short weekend getaways. I need someone to care for the dogs daily. The aquariums? Nope. They'll be fine for a week. I just make sure there is water at the levels they need be. I know what happens over a week period without me doing anything. The fish, and when I had them, corals, will be fine without anything done daily while I'm gone. What if the power goes out? Which happens too often here in HB for some reason. I have reliable pumps I know will start back up and I know my water levels when things shut down and all my water will stay confined to the system. No back up needed. But what about circulation while it's off? If fish can travel around the world in a small plastic bag for a day or so. I think it'll be okay for an hour or so. Usually the outage is shorter than that. Again, a basic set up needs only basic care. Maybe you're really not into the hobby. And if you are. The girlfriend if she really likes you will like it too. If you have kids, they'll like it better than the wife or girlfriend. The dog won't care. Cat maybe. My neighbor next door likes reptiles. Almost got rid of them because of his prego wife. Talked him out of it. Told him kids aren't that tough. Two years later he has three kids(twins) and his animals and is happy he didn't get rid of them because he would have bought more instead of the ones he raised and already owned.
Part of the hobby besides acquiring new fish and equipment is maintaining and solving issues that go with it. That's any hobby.
How many times do you read on here, "Looking for set up, getting back in"? The hobby is not the problem. You or something else is. You already own it all. Some too much. Fix it and just stay in.
Anyway. Back to water. Ever hear the term "too much of a good thing can spoil it"? Could that be happening in your system? A little this a little that and some of this and.... What the heck! I got an algae breakout. Everything tests zero. Shouldn't be happening. I'm dosing everything in the fish store and on line. I should have tank of the month. We know chemicals can mask chemicals. So you test your water with your chemical test kit to test the chemically masked water in your tank. I have the same setup as him so why do I have problems and he doesn't? It's a different system. I've set up a few tank the same size and tried the same equipment thinking, hey! If that one worked, so will this one. Enhh.. Nope. Not happening. Just because it worked on one or for another hobbyist does not mean it will work for you. But it's science, it has to work. It's life. It does not have to work.
If you look at your tank, the fish and corals are fine, you have a healthy tank. But you have algae of any type, which is not a sign of an unhealthy tank. There's an easy fix. Clean it out, the algae, and fix the problem. But I've tried everything. Nothing is working. Really? Try taking everything OFF and try water and basic filtration.
Before getting discouraged. Getting out. Try the basics. Just keep water. Or you're realizing you're really not into the hobby of aquariums. People that are into "the hobby", whatever hobby. Don't quit it. May alter it, but don't quit.
No time for the hobby. Having a baby! Working to much! New girlfriend! Wife! Car!
You don't have 20-30 minutes a week if that to check on a system that is self contained? I don't put that much time in my every other week(if that) water changes. Grant it I only have a FOWLR currently, but my reef tanks didn't take anymore than that when I had them. Now is when you think, this guy isn't hobbyist, doesn't even have a reef tank. Wrong! I'm into fish tanks and whatever will live in them. Ever since I was in second grade getting my first aquarium. I've never been without something with water in it. Even if it were just a bowl or bucket with a single fish or something else in it. Back to "no time". Bet you have time for gaming, Facebook, the bar, TV, washing the car, the girlfriend, whatever. Are you any different than the next guy on this site or any other with a job, wife, girlfriend, car, dog, house and all that goes with it or more than one hobby? These things(aquariums) don't need constant doting over like a new girlfriend, and believe it or not. More forgiving. If you have a basic setup. It only needs basic care.
I vacation three times a year and have short weekend getaways. I need someone to care for the dogs daily. The aquariums? Nope. They'll be fine for a week. I just make sure there is water at the levels they need be. I know what happens over a week period without me doing anything. The fish, and when I had them, corals, will be fine without anything done daily while I'm gone. What if the power goes out? Which happens too often here in HB for some reason. I have reliable pumps I know will start back up and I know my water levels when things shut down and all my water will stay confined to the system. No back up needed. But what about circulation while it's off? If fish can travel around the world in a small plastic bag for a day or so. I think it'll be okay for an hour or so. Usually the outage is shorter than that. Again, a basic set up needs only basic care. Maybe you're really not into the hobby. And if you are. The girlfriend if she really likes you will like it too. If you have kids, they'll like it better than the wife or girlfriend. The dog won't care. Cat maybe. My neighbor next door likes reptiles. Almost got rid of them because of his prego wife. Talked him out of it. Told him kids aren't that tough. Two years later he has three kids(twins) and his animals and is happy he didn't get rid of them because he would have bought more instead of the ones he raised and already owned.
Part of the hobby besides acquiring new fish and equipment is maintaining and solving issues that go with it. That's any hobby.
How many times do you read on here, "Looking for set up, getting back in"? The hobby is not the problem. You or something else is. You already own it all. Some too much. Fix it and just stay in.
