About to Quit

[Apollo7235]

Don't quit.

Think of your child... and your children's children.

Do it for the children

Do you really want to end up as the MiniVan Soccer Mom peddling Girl Scout cookies at work?



.

I’m DYING! Ahahaha,

Nooooo, no. I definitely do not! Thank you so much for the visual, hahaha!

 

[Apollo7235]

As with most things in life, there is no one right answer. First, I would invest in a comprehensive water test for both your makeup water and your mixed saltwater. This will eliminate it at least identify any problems there. Compare your testing numbers with the lab results. I think your pH is a bit low and if your Hanna meter is off then it could be worse. Get some more life besides corals in your tank and feed them. Be patient. I know it’s hard to wait to add corals but they can be the least adaptable life forms to an enclosed environment. Or not. I am currently setting up a system and it drives me crazy to see just that particular coral I want for the tank and I can’t have it. It’s usually even on sale!
Step back from your tank a bit. Play with your baby. Let the tank mature while checking the water chemistry results. And relax. Nature takes a long time to build a reef. We rarely can do better.

That’s the hope! I have an ATI test (43 parameters plus RO water analysis) on order and I’m not doing another dang thing until I have those results.

 

[PegasisR]

Classic dry rock... live rock is a necessity. Went through the exact same issues, mainly coral death for 3years, till I added an established marine pure block from a thriving coral vendors tank. If you're worried about pests then you can dip the live rock in high salinity salt water and that'll knock em off

 

[Uncle99]

Classic dry rock... live rock is a necessity. Went through the exact same issues, mainly coral death for 3years, till I added an established marine pure block from a thriving coral vendors tank. If you're worried about pests then you can dip the live rock in high salinity salt water and that'll knock em off

A flame thrower doesn’t kill Aptasia.

 

[Rmckoy]

I just don’t get this case.
While the hobby can be demanding, in this case, so far impossible.
It will be interesting to see what the causes actually were.

I certainly would not be wasting anymore money and marine life on it, I would have cleaned throughly, and restarted the cycle with new rock and sand.

Even in poor light, with correct water chemistry, corals would not die quickly, it would take months.

Lost on this one, but interested in the outcome.

They are mostly nps corals I believe

 

[Rmckoy]

I’m afraid I’m going to end up having to do this anyway.. If some toxic pollutant ends up showing itself on this water analysis, I sure hope I can rod the system of it through carbon, poly filters, and water changes.... But my luck, I’ll have to tear the whole thing down and start over..... and possibly end up in a divorce, hahaha

My as well upgrade to a larger system if that’s the case .

 

[reefinatl]

A flame thrower doesn’t kill Aptasia.

Aiptasia, to me, is probably the biggest threat when doing a liverock start. However the species on the gulf stuff are generally not known to be anything like the pacific species with regards to invasiveness.

Using liverock from another hobbyist's system ot an LFS is begging for issues unless a very long curing/qt/observation and cleanup process is used so we can definitely agree there.

 

[Apollo7235]

They are mostly nps corals I believe

Yeah, I have 5 NPS corals, 3 LPS, and a plate coral if I am not mistaken.

 

[Apollo7235]

My as well upgrade to a larger system if that’s the case .

Ahahaha, yeah, tell that to my husband, would you.

 

[Apollo7235]

Aiptasia, to me, is probably the biggest threat when doing a liverock start. However the species on the gulf stuff are generally not known to be anything like the pacific species with regards to invasiveness.

Using liverock from another hobbyist's system ot an LFS is begging for issues unless a very long curing/qt/observation and cleanup process is used so we can definitely agree there.

Even if I ended up with Aiptasia, I’d be happy! My LFS has at least 3 decent sized aiptasia-eating file fish prime for the picking!

 

[PegasisR]

Personally, aiptasia is easily defeatble. No worry there, file fish, copperband, peppermints, Berhgia pick your favorite... they will all make quick work of it. Imo the least evil of what you could get

 

[kenchilada]

Even if I ended up with Aiptasia, I’d be happy! My LFS has at least 3 decent sized aiptasia-eating file fish prime for the picking!

The small ones can get into tiny little crevices. ;)

 

[Cell]

Dry rock is not the devil.

 

[Apollo7235]

Dry rock is not the devil.

Maybe not the devil, but definitely the devil’s advocate! Hahaha

I don’t think the dry rock in my tank is causing my problems especially considering I do have a large chunk of live rock in my display with the dry. I honestly believe it has something to do with my swollen, mushy, deteriorating MarinePure cubes, but only the ICP test will tell.

 

[Rmckoy]

Ahahaha, yeah, tell that to my husband, would you.

No thanks ...
I have a wife I am working on for another upgrade .
I’m Learning when to Choose my own battles

 

[BoneDoc]

I may be late to the party here, but have you tried lighting your QT with your AI Prime? If not, give it a try. If your coral all of a sudden looked crapped out, then you know the culprit. It should cost you nothing, other than extra work to do this experiment.

In general avoid doing too much, as you won’t know which variable you fixed or made worse with those changes.

 

[jmichaelh7]

I’m battling dinos and feel the same way’

I will not quit this hobby though !!

 

[Apollo7235]

I may be late to the party here, but have you tried lighting your QT with your AI Prime? If not, give it a try. If your coral all of a sudden looked crapped out, then you know the culprit. It should cost you nothing, other than extra work to do this experiment.

In general avoid doing too much, as you won’t know which variable you fixed or made worse with those changes.

I just have a hard time getting on board with the lighting being a problem considering my NPS also began to die on me in my display despite being underneath an overhead...

 

[Rmckoy]

I’m battling dinos and feel the same way’

I will not quit this hobby though !!

In too deep to quit now .
Besides ...
it would be too hard starting a new hobby

 

[Apollo7235]

Random thought....

I wonder if aiptasia would live In my tank? :D