Are you proud or embarrassed of your reef tank?

Are you proud or embarrassed of your reef tank?

  • Proud

    Votes: 300 59.8%
  • Embarrassed

    Votes: 61 12.2%
  • Neither proud or embarrassed

    Votes: 121 24.1%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 20 4.0%

  • Total voters
    502

bkhunt

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Embarrassed right now. Corals look like crap and lost some - got some algae possibly Dino right now - no fish currently because I lost them all to velvet.

Few days left in fallow period - got 2 baby filefish in qt right now. Waiting on a group of mocha ocellaris clowns from someone. Going to be ordering some others soon as well.
 

olonmv

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Proud that as a complete noob I haven’t murdered all my inhabitants. Went into it a year ago with zero knowledge and so far it’s gone in the plus instead of the minus. Gots way more to learn.

I don’t share it, not because of embarrassment, but because it’s exhausting to show it off. Plus I’m not the flashy type. Nothing against it, just not my thing.
 
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jfoahs04

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Neither at the moment. My tank is too young to have that established TOTM look, I’m battling a little bit of nuisance algae (possibly some Dino’s, but looking more like it’s GHA), and I haven’t added all of the coral I’d like to grow out. So it’s incomplete and you can tell. I also did a really bad job gluing some frags and the glue/putty is very visible. Time and a little effort should change most of this.

On the other hand, I’ve made a handful of upgrades to the tank that I really like (rimless, Kraken Reef Lid, AI Prime, Nero 3), I’ve got positive growth on everything I’ve put in the tank apart from a single gorgonian which I gave away, and I managed to get rock work that I like on a true peninsula tank (a tiny one at that). I’m also using exclusively NSW that I’m collecting myself and the coral is responding very well.

So it’s an immature tank and that shows, but I am relatively happy with the progress. But it’s not show off worthy yet.
 
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olonmv

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Used to be proud of my tank but not so much anymore. Two years into it I thought it'd get easier but it's the total opposite and only gotten harder (speaking on keeping corals, my fish are doing great). For the life of me can't get the Alk, CA and Mg levels in a good range or to stay stable. I've spent countless hours researching and watching videos online but I still can't get it right. I don't get what the heck I'm doing wrong. So frustrating.
All for reef on a single head dosing pump has kept me from burning my tank down. A4R has alk CA and Mag in one simple solution along with trace elements. One of the best decisions I’ve made when it comes to the hobby.
 

arussellnsg

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It's my passion and my friends and family have no idea about reefs so they think mine is magnificent which I know has a long way to go, but it's definitely a feel good since no one around me criticizes anything other my husband who knows a lot about the costs it takes to keep up and stock to make it how I envision my master reef to look
 

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Paleozoic_reefer

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Great tank, do you also have fish in that beautiful reef too?
@Cabby James I do!...somewhere. there is 13 total:
3 clowns
2 mandarins
1 starry blenny
1 Royal Gramma
2 flame gobies
1 purple flame goby
2 Banggai cardinalfish
1 purple dottyback

I'm working on making a new build thread so I can post more on the tank...
 

Auquanut

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I voted other. I'd have to say that I'm both proud and ashamed.

I'm proud that my tank seems to be doing well. My fish, inverts and corals seem to be happy and healthy. My parameters appear to be basically on cruise control with my current dosing and maintenance schedules.

I'm ashamed because I've allowed my corals to do their own thing, instead of keeping them in check and building a more attractive display.

I haven't posted a full tank shot in quite a while. So here it is. I know I have a lot of pruning to do.
FFV 10 21 21 3.jpg
FFV 10 21 21 1.jpg
FFV 10 21 21 2.jpg

Oh yeah. I also need to clean the glass. That's on the schedule for tomorrow.
 

carbasaurus

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I’m pretty proud. 5 years ago it was a dinoflagellate farm where dying green hair algae provided the food for the toxic red tide that was my tank. It almost led me to drop out of the hobby. This is my tank today
 

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kingkongreef

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Your tank looks better with no skimmer, cleaning, or water changes than mine does WITH a skimmer, daily glass cleaning, weekly water changes (was 2x a week to get a hair algae issue under control.)

Despite not being proud of mine, I am happy with it and love sharing it with people that come over. So I definitely fall in the neither proud or ashamed camp. I am on recently getting to share mine here on the forum.

I think everyone should share, even if they are ashamed. What I love about this forum, is I haven't found any replies that shame someone... only help. Sharing ones struggle can both get them the help they need as well as help others who might be struggling.

Here's the most resent pic of my tank.
PXL_20211019_015354340.jpg
Great look it will only get better here’s my reef with no glue or putty.
 

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X-37B

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Proud and embarressed.
Getting close to trim time. Alot of coral warfare going on at the moment.
Embarressed that I allowed the 3-4 green disco mushrooms to turn into an unknown amount.
I remove 8-10 every 2 weeks and many I can not reach.
They have released and damage/ kill anything they come into contact with.
I removed half a rock from my frag system and their were about 15 on the piece I tossed out.
Last pic is the mushrooms in question.
20210927_142736.jpg

20210927_142744.jpg

20210809_135349.jpg
 
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chizerbunoi

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I am proud that I have a species tank and focused on anemones. At one point I even had 9/10 of all the hosting anemone species together in the tank.

I am also embarrassed because I sold off all my expensive top end equipment when I kept a mixed SPS reef. Then I started back into this tank with the cheapest cheap. I didn’t want to spend all that money again when I sold it off for peanuts. It just looks so terrible, but at least you don’t need much equipment to be successful.

Also embarrassed to show visitors my tank. They see no fish because they are all hosting. The tank is very boring with no fish movement in it. I thought of adding juvenile clowns from each complex and then separating again when they mature to breed again.

Honestly I don’t update my build thread much except for contest entries. Also it’s boring talking about my own tank. Lol

74582565-FEFE-44ED-91BB-A33BFF66668D.jpeg
 

Jeevan

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Out of curiosity, do you think you've identified what caused it, and what are you doing to get it back under control? I'm at (what I am hoping) is the end of my battle with a bad outbreak. I've been fighting it for 6 weeks-ish. In my case I think I tracked it down to a combo of things:
  • Let my cleanup crew get too under-staffed
  • return pump was starting to fail, and I wasn't getting as much turnover through my sump as I used to
  • My tank is in a place where it gets more partial sunlight than I'd like (can't undo this one... but it seems to increase the risk)
  • Went on vacation for 2 weeks before identifying addressing the first two points.
Yes! It's my carelessness! :/
At Early stage, I used to feed a lot and my test kits are Api. Day by day I learned much here and still I'm improving, thanks to all R2r members. For now to prevent gha, DT lights out (not blackout) and I'm running refugium light 16hrs/day, and no feeding. Copepods are doing good now. So I stopped feeding. =)
 

reefsaver

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I'm very proud of my reef. But! I'm also embarrassed. I'm not the richest guy in the world, my reef is quite literally probably a good 10% my net worth, and it still needs equipment. Mainly a Boosted RODI filter, I've been watching one for $550, it could use an MP10 pump, and a new return as my one is so loud.. I still have a Reef though, and surprisingly not too much algae considering I've never used RODI water.
 

Saltysav96

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both.....

proud i actually have a nice system worth showing off

embarrassed to show it off on social media because its not as good as it should be. it has alot of potential and i have been putting more time, effort and money into this system to try and get it where it should be with less results then i have had with previous tanks that i didnt put much time and effort into.
 

Karen00

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So far I'm proud of my first tank (5g AIO) but it's only four months old so ask me again in eight months! Haha. I had cyano for a couple weeks but that seems to be gone. I pray none of the other uglies show up! I still have the stock pump and lights in. Those will be upgraded when I get corals. I have a Hi Fin/pistol shrimp pair, pom pom crab and green clown goby (although my pic makes it look lifeless). :)

Don't mind the fake silicone coral. I had those in there to test the circulation and flow of the stock pump. There's hardly any. Haha. The problem now is that my clown goby and pom pom crab have taken up residence in them so they'll stay for now. :)
 

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Pistondog

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We talked about build threads yesterday and today I wanted to press you on something else I was thinking about pertaining to sharing build thread photos or just how you share your tank in general with others. More specifically how do you feel about your tank and does that play a factor in how you share it via photos on the forum or LIVE with people visiting your home. Let's talk about it!

1. Are you proud or embarrassed of your reef tank?

2. Does how you feel about your tank play a role in whether or not you share it with others and should it?


How about sharing a current photo of your reef tank in this thread?

Here is my current 400g, no skimmer, no water changes, no cleaning in well over a year. Just the glass. See how I'm making excuses??

I am officially neither proud or embarrassed.
IMG_1220qqe8.jpg
Embarrassed when tanks get neglected and coralline and algae build up on the glass/acrylic. Pround how good they look after cleaning.
 

dvgyfresh

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I am proud that I have a species tank and focused on anemones. At one point I even had 9/10 of all the hosting anemone species together in the tank.

I am also embarrassed because I sold off all my expensive top end equipment when I kept a mixed SPS reef. Then I started back into this tank with the cheapest cheap. I didn’t want to spend all that money again when I sold it off for peanuts. It just looks so terrible, but at least you don’t need much equipment to be successful.

Also embarrassed to show visitors my tank. They see no fish because they are all hosting. The tank is very boring with no fish movement in it. I thought of adding juvenile clowns from each complex and then separating again when they mature to breed again.

Honestly I don’t update my build thread much except for contest entries. Also it’s boring talking about my own tank. Lol

74582565-FEFE-44ED-91BB-A33BFF66668D.jpeg
Bro this is literally tank goals for me.. I love anemones and have 2-3 doing great but can’t seem to make my GBTA happy and here you are with different anemone species! It’s awesome and I hope I can replicate
 

nicksreefs

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Super proud that I’m loving the tanks (even when the glass needs a clean )

that they’re doing well and that They’re heading in the right direction…

and I’ve got the age/stability needed to fill them with cool stuff…

A little embarrassed that they aren’t super colourful and lovely yet.. particularly after a meaningful word from my bank balance
 

Nemo&Friends

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I voted other. I do not know if I qualify to answer. I do not have corals, except, I got a gorgonian 1 month ago and it seems to be doing well. It is a coral right? I am fascinated by my tank which is constantly changing. I started around 10 years ago, when a friend had to give up his aquarium. He did not have the time to take care of it and brought over as I had fresh water fish and a pond, and deducted I might enjoy it. I did upgrade his 55g to a 120G.
It is a FOLWR, except for that gorgonian, and coraline. Coraline went from pink, to purple, to now red, but some purple seem to be coming back.
Asterina appeared one day, after years of having none and now I had to buy a harlequin shrimp. Brittle star also appeared out of no where. When I inheritated the tank, it was full of bubble algae and Halimenia. It is now gone. I am proud that my fish are happy, and the display and the rock are for them, more than for me. They have tons of hiding places. Fish are healthy, and I do not have tons of equipment. Only have heater, HOB filter, HOB refugium and 1 power head. That is it. I do not test, I just go to my LFS every month and have them test it for me. Testing is what make me avoid the corals.
 
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