I neglected my tank and it's probably unrecoverable at this point (at least by me)

Coelli · May 6, 2018

My 65g tank was set up in late 2014 and it was beautiful. At the time I had lots of spare money to put into it and keep it maintained. I added a 30g display fuge, so I actually have *two* tanks that are a mess now.

Because of some family issues I had to drop out of the career thing in and stay at home. I couldn't/can't afford regular water changes anymore (problem #1). I bought a bunch of snails that subsequently died, compounding water quality issues. Bubble algae had always been an issue, but that turned into hair algae. The tank became such a source of stress and guilt that I neglected it even more. I can't remember the last time I did a water test. Vicious cycle. My fish and pistol shrimp, two BTAs, mini maxi, and a starfish are still hanging in there along with some cleanup crew. My SPS is dead, my softies are hanging in there but getting choked out by algae. About the only thing I've done right is making a weekly trip for RODI to top off.

Now my skimmer pump is dead and I'm trying to decide whether to replace it or just throw in the towel. I'd really miss my fish but I just don't think I have the money or time to get the tank back on track.

Thing is I don't even know where to start breaking it down - I'm overwhelmed. I'm ashamed to even let another reefer see it right now.

I mean, it's BAD.

Anyone else been through this? It's so depressing!

Nick Shades · May 6, 2018

I've gone through those. After my last move, i was really put thriugh the ringer. It took me about 4 months to identify an the issues, and another 3 to take everything thriugh its of steps of remediation.

I wanted to throw in the towel twice, but i knew it wasn't worth doing.

Sticking with it is not always worth it, but it is always possible.

Peter Hall · May 6, 2018

If you cant afford to do water changes, sell everything and stabilize your finances. Sounds like you need a new skimmer pump, to do a butt load of water changes, and use a ton phosphate remover to bring the tank back.

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Coelli · May 6, 2018

By some miracle, the skimmer pump decided to start working while I was in the shower so at least for now we're good there. I do have some GFO still and have been using it... the algae is somewhat reduced from some previous efforts, though there's weird scum and cyano in the sump still. I'm so torn between trying to keep going and risking having something expensive fail, or just calling it. I mean where do you even start when breaking down? I'm not sure anyone even wants the tank, it's gorgeous but it only has a single drain and a permanent rock wall in the back that's probably going to leech stuff for a while. I'll keep the lights for plants, the Apex & all the extra modules can go to a new home.

If I could get it back to looking like this, it would be amazing. https://imgur.com/Fij0Blj

sklywag · May 6, 2018

Well. It appears you don't really need to put all that much into this hobby. The mentality of the glass half full, you can think of it as two fuge displays. One with more life than the other, and If you just do half as bad as you're doing, seems things would be doing good. So do you change your mindset and apply a little more effert and see a change for the better. Or do nothing and it gets worse and you fall deeper in the hole.
I'm a nut, and if I saw your setup for sale I'd take it or buy it for the right price. Many if not most or all others would walk by. I look for life in buckets of stagnant water. Even own some. Just make sure salinity/ specific gravity is right and pull some of the algae out. Got yourself tidepool.

Coelli · May 6, 2018

[MENTION=3281]sklywag[/MENTION] I have some bits of various macros in the sump fuge still, maybe I'll throw them in the display and just let it go nuts

If you want weird life, I have a bunch of unidentified sea cucumber scavengers that seem to be doing fine and multiplying. No idea what they are and have never been able to find out! They're nocturnal and don't get longer than 1" long when stretched out, but occasionally I'll find one on the glass: https://imgur.com/xLEopWt (you can see the algae in the background - it's actually better now). One came as a hitchhiker on my first piece of live rock, so they seem pretty adaptable to good and bad conditions.

sklywag · May 6, 2018

Coelli said:

That thing whatever it is is cool. I like things that live in water. Grew up on the ocean and bass fishing. Like I said, if I were you I'd clean it just enough to enjoy the life in it. I'm sure for one of your nems you'd be able to get a Lawnmower blenny or something to help control algae. A Seahare would do wonders too.

Crud. Just saw the other picture, "the before". I was thinking you had some crummy set up like mine. You have money in livestock. Sell one or two things for what you need. Pump, impeller, whatever? Spend ten minutes a day for a week on that thing and then do a weekly or bi-weekly half hour routine. What's the wall made of that it would be leaching anything?

Most of those that cry "I'm out" really have no excuses. Just get out if your not into it anymore. That's respectable. but don't blame no time or money. Stop watching whatever lame tv show you watch for a half hour daily, and this hobby doesn't even need that but once a week. Stop smoking, Starbucks, Jack in the box, mc Donald's, put the bottle or the pipe down. Not you personally but in general.

laverda · May 29, 2018

Hair algae is actually pretty easy to control. Increase the light cycle on your Refugium for one. By growing algae there instead of your tank the algae in the tank will die back. Any rocks you can pull out easily pull the bulk of the algae off and rinse with hydrogen peroxide. It will kill the algae and pods, brittle stars and probably any of the nudibranks. I find ATS are more effective then macro algae at removing nutrients, although you do need to remove the algae they grow weekly or so. I find the red and blue grow LEDs work great and are cheap for growing macro algae and an ATS. It sounds like you should give your skimmer pump a good cleaning in vintages before it quits totally. Water changes are not not they best way to solve the problem in my opinion, although that is what most will recommend.
If your just tired of dealing with it, sell your live stock first, than rock. Used tanks and equipment dont sell for nearly what they cost, but it will sell. Typically tanks go for 15-25% of what they sold for new. While equipment sell for 40-50 of new if in good condition and not too old.

sklywag · May 29, 2018

Doesn't sound like you're ready to give up. Put 45 minutes into it in one 24 hour day once a month and see it turn around. Don't tear it apart. Just yank the big clumps out like Steve said and I think I did earlier somewhere. Clean all your pumps which would take about 20 minutes so they perform better. Get to work.

I neglected my tank and it's probably unrecoverable at this point (at least by me)

Coelli

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Nick Shades

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Peter Hall

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Coelli

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sklywag

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Coelli

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sklywag

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laverda

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sklywag

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