Your Worst/Biggest Aquarium Frustrations??

[DisneyMatt10]

As much as we all love to talk about why we LOVE this hobby, I thought it'd be fun for us to talk about some of our biggest aquarium frustrations. Things that make you want to give up on the hobby, sell all your stuff, and move on. But of course, you don't because... Well... Saltwater Aquariums.

Of course, I'll start! As many of you know, I am in the process of setting up my first saltwater aquarium. Well, I have finally made it to the "filling the tank stage." Which is taking. . . FOREVER!! However, after filling my display tank, I thought I'd go ahead and fill the sump tank. Many hours later the sump tank was full!! (Well, as full as it needed to be.) I let it sit for a little bit while I was adjusting the circulation pumps in the display tank. Out of no where I heard this loud cracking sound. It scared me to death. I look down into the sump, and for some reason 4 of my baffles failed. They simply broke away from the clear silicone, and . . . failed. So now, I have to DRAIN the entire sump, wait for everything to dry, and then re-silicone the baffles, and re-fill the tank. . . It was one of those "Ugh, I don't even want to do this anymore" moments.

So, with that being said, what has been your biggest/worst aquarium frustration that made you want to scream, and give up the hobby?? (Even though you pushed through, and haven't given up on the hobby.)
~Matt

 

[LetItReef]

Scratches on the glass! Not giving bec of this. Just one of those things you cannot fix
Im using magfloat for IM40 tank to clean up algae. I hope using gfo reactor soon will lessen the algae.

 

[highlite2nice]

I hate that I have a addiction and no matter how much I know I shouldn't spend money on the tank I can't stop myself lol. So much money that could of been put to better use.

 

[Triggreef]

I hate that I have a addiction and no matter how much I know I shouldn't spend money on the tank I can't stop myself lol. So much money that could of been put to better use.

This. And knowing that even if i did well selling everything I'd never make a dent back compared to the amount i spent.

But... I love it.

 

[4FordFamily]

Dinos and reinfecting my tanks with ich or velvet because I cross contaminate sticking my arm in there or using nets or water change hoses. Grrrr

 

[Waterjockey]

Not incorporating fail safes till after the disaster (aka closing the barn door after the horse is gone).
1st total tank wipeout....pre ato. Manually topping up with a line straight from my rodi. Forgot I was topping up and went to bed. Woke up to a flooded living room/basement and a bunch of dead animals in a freshwater tank. ATO with redundant cut of methods.......after the fact.
2nd total tank wipeout.....skimmer cup with drain hose to collection chamber. Skimmer went nuts one night...must have pumped entire system volume out 10x over. Ato worked perfectly as was thought at the time solid logic...and kept topping up. Woke up to flooded living room/basement and a bunch of dead animals in a freshwater tank.....skimmer cut off switches and max time limitations on ato...after the fact.
The loss of full stock corals and fish the first time was disheartening. After breaking the bank and completely restocking to lose everything the 2nd time made me so close to throwing everything out and quitting "forever". Tank is not completely restocked yet....I keep wondering what method it's going to catostrophically fail by next

 

[clekchau]

Scratches on acrylic, the never ending war on algae

 

[domination2580]

U know, I have been through gha, diatoms and ive even gotten electrocuted by my tank and ended up with a disaster. Electrocuted, couldnt let go of tank and ended up pulling it on top of me and getting some nasty scars on my legs and hands. Including stitches. Never really had the feeling of giving it up

 

[revhtree]

DIRTY SAND!!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[markstubb]

2nd total tank wipeout.....skimmer cup with drain hose to collection chamber. Skimmer went nuts one night...must have pumped entire system volume out 10x over. Ato worked perfectly as was thought at the time solid logic...and kept topping up.

Trying to follow this so I can potentially prevent it. How was your skimmer hooked up? It overflowed external to the sump?

 

[Waterjockey]

Trying to follow this so I can potentially prevent it. How was your skimmer hooked up? It overflowed external to the sump?

Yes. My skimmer cup has a drain hose that goes to a container external to the sump. That container (it is about a half gallon) now has a float switch in it that will shut the skimmer off in the event it gets more than 3/4 full....and send me an alarm via text message.
Every Sunday is tank maintenance day, and every float switch and controlled device gets checked to ensure it operates as intended.

Another potential fix would be to put a drain hose 3/4 of the way up, back to the sump, so if it ever started going nuts again, it would eventually just drain back into the sump and not trigger the ato

 

[FishLover01]

One of my frustrations is occasionally you get a fish start acting all crazy and starts swimming errarically. All the signs point to dropsy disease. Everything I've read about it says to feed shelled green peas, ect... this may work on a herbivore, but how do you cure dropsy in a carnivorous fish? Help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tahoe61]

My Nirvana tank is always the next state of the art system, I do not have that money to burn.

 

[cmcoker]

One of my frustrations is occasionally you get a fish start acting all crazy and starts swimming errarically. All the signs point to dropsy disease. Everything I've read about it says to feed shelled green peas, ect... this may work on a herbivore, but how do you cure dropsy in a carnivorous fish? Help would be greatly appreciated.

I would add a drop of selcon to the pea to soak in, is a fatty acid/fish oil type supplement, it's very stinky and could entice them to eat it.. Or garlic additive may work

 

[Salty1962]

Keeping the big 3 inline!

 

[DisneyMatt10]

Another one of my biggest frustrations was when we finally finished all the plumbing. We let it dry like we should have. And flipped on the pump, and had the overflow box going. . . And managed to flood our living room.

We are already about 4 months behind where I wanted to be at this point, and it was yet just another setback. I was so annoyed I was tempted to give up, and sell it all. . . But again, I stuck it out, and we finally have the system cycling. . . With... NO leaks!!
~Matt

 

[revhtree]

Algae!

 

[Zekth]

Scratches on glass / acrylic is the worst for me. Everything else is kinda fixable i admit. Except extreme cases like "solenoid Isopods" (not really sure about spelling)

 

[Jp978]

Alkalinity!!

 

[reefer505]

Acans and welsos don't do good in my tank all sps great, euphillia perfect, even scollys are great but acans melt and welsos stay deflated. All levels are in check. Makes me want to pull my hair out!!!!