Are you Star Roll or are you Flunking Out? Grade yourself!

[Double monti 61]

I only give myself an A because I believe that there are many ways to run a system but sometimes you can overcome many problems by being observant and controlling as much as possible in your system without resorting to methods that may be more harmful to your system I have good coral growth and little to no algae I have some small life for a cuc that helps I change 2 gallons per week and add pe mysis shrimp daily and have had no problems except for some aptasia that showed up but currently I eradicated the few I had seen with a little help from a peppermint shrimp that I recently received unless I need to test for possible problems I use my eyes to monitor what is happening in my system and respond the best way possible if needed.

 

[Bleigh]

I have myself a c. Not for lack of trying. my corals started looking BAD about 3 weeks ago. Just got the icp test back and I have a LOT of tin. Would have never guessed it and have no clue where it’s coming from. So now it’s a process of elimination and taking things a part… maybe I’m just turning in the assignment late.

 

[Gogol_frag]

@Gogol_frag thanks for the tips. I'll have to look into growing Daphnia, and Ulva Lactuca. Is that macro algea? But I have lost many battles over the month5s to algae, and I am finally winning the war! I'm starving the B@st4rd$ out of my tank! I'm running a algea scrubber (knitting sheet and grow light in my sump) to use up excess nutrients along with weekly water changes with rock scrubbing and turkey basting. for the past month my reading have been NO3=0 PO4=0 and algea has pretty much all stopped growing and started dying off. Yeah the LPS/SPS (what's left of them) aren't having a good time but the softies don't care. I think after the last bit of algea is scrubbed off the rock and my hammers and sticks start recovering I'm going to stick to buying mostly soft corals. I don't feel like doing this again. Every time im working in my tank removing algea i manage to bump a coral causing it to recead and die faster. I dont want that stress!

10-4 Whitetail. Thanks for the info. I have a TAS as well, which grows Turf Algae within it, but hasn't been quite the resounding success that I had hoped for. Have you tried amphipods as detritivores/algaevores? Paul B swears by them, and I definitely trust his judgement on reefing.

I have been tinkering around with a decoupled refugium/sump idea (having a refugium/sump that doesn't cause a siphon) ... Will keep y'all posted.

 

[-XENOMORPH-]

I'll take a grade of B. Only because I check the tank everyday. Not "tinker" ...just. check. I'm best at weekly water change and changing floss or socks, depending on which tank. (2 tanks) I'm worst at getting my nutrients in check. Friggin diatoms. Come and go. But it is what it is.

 

[cheykaser]

Ok so none of you are totally flunking out, we call that learning at your own pace! Last night I was cleaning the glass of the tank and I asked myself this question. "If I were to give myself a grade on being a reefing hobbyist what would it be?" I wanted to answer truthfully so gave myself a C+. I mean there are things I get an A+ on but some things an F- so a C+ is about where I would average out. Let's talk about it today.

BE HONEST!

1. If you were to give yourself an overall reefing hobby grade what would it be?

2. What is an area you excel in and get an A or A+ in?

3. What is an area you are not good at and maybe flunking

 

[cheykaser]

expand...

Well I graded myself a D at this point...I currently have a thriving 10yr old reef in my office....started 2 tanks at the house (50 & 25nano) battling dinos at the moment and getting SOOOO many confusing suggestions...do this don't do that...no do this not that ...at this point just picking ONE method of treatment and working with it.....hopefully gonna raise that grade to at least a C soon ...thank goodness no final exams in this hobby

 

[WhiteTailFish]

10-4 Whitetail. Thanks for the info. I have a TAS as well, which grows Turf Algae within it, but hasn't been quite the resounding success that I had hoped for. Have you tried amphipods as detritivores/algaevores? Paul B swears by them, and I definitely trust his judgement on reefing.

I have been tinkering around with a decoupled refugium/sump idea (having a refugium/sump that doesn't cause a siphon) ... Will keep y'all posted.

Yes im interrested in seeding amphipods. I do have a manderin tht would also enjoy that very much. The problem for me is finding a source.