Thing is, I wonder if the impatient will have the patience to read the article 
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Celebrating patience. Elevating the reef hobby.
- Thread starter Scott Fellman
- Start date
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want2bsleepy
Active Member
Great article! My husband is constantly telling me "no" when I am wanting to hurry up and add that first fish or coral. Patience is hard! But, it certainly works in this hobby. We have seen the bad from rushing as well as the good from taking our time.
Right now our 65 seahorse tank is getting the longest cycle ever due to a lack of funds to complete the build. By the time we get the proper lights and chiller, it will be the most cycled new tank ever, lol! It started cycling back in April, and it will be at least the end of the year before it is complete. At least it is going through it's ugly algae phase now and not when there are critters and corals in there.
But, on the other end, last week I set up a 3 gallon pico in my husband's office as a surprise. Had it up and running with a frogfish in 1 week. I keep holding my breath that it continues to do well, because that was so rushed! I was able to start it with established rock and sand, so keeping my fingers crossed!
I think the only way to realistically have a tank up and running with minimal bad effects is to buy an established tank that someone is selling. But that takes away all of the fun!
Right now our 65 seahorse tank is getting the longest cycle ever due to a lack of funds to complete the build. By the time we get the proper lights and chiller, it will be the most cycled new tank ever, lol! It started cycling back in April, and it will be at least the end of the year before it is complete. At least it is going through it's ugly algae phase now and not when there are critters and corals in there.
But, on the other end, last week I set up a 3 gallon pico in my husband's office as a surprise. Had it up and running with a frogfish in 1 week. I keep holding my breath that it continues to do well, because that was so rushed! I was able to start it with established rock and sand, so keeping my fingers crossed!
I think the only way to realistically have a tank up and running with minimal bad effects is to buy an established tank that someone is selling. But that takes away all of the fun!
OP
OP
Thanks! I think we all never stop learning, growing, and adapting...And that's part of the fun of the "journey" of the hobby!
OP
OP
Many times people don't share the struggles when things go wrong and the struggle to get a tank to where you want it too be. The time it takes to get a tank to where you feel it is at it's best can be grueling painful.
Yeah, we have mindset that time is so important (and it IS), that even the things that can be enjoyable are considered by many to be "too time consuming"...Getting there really IS considerably more than half of the fun! If only...
OP
OP
LOL, yeah, if only it was a meme or a gif or something, lol!Thing is, I wonder if the impatient with have the patience to read the article
OP
OP
I agree that sometimes, those "constraints" (budget, time, etc.) are actually kind of GOOD, because they enable us- or I guess- COMPELL us- to enjoy "where we are" in our process of creating an aquarium ("Wow, look how nice the sand looks when the lights first come on!" )
We "deal with it"- and possibly end up better aquarists because of it! Nothing is ever wasted, IMHO.
Scott
OP
OP
Yes, the struggles, challenges, and obstacles that are surmounted on the "route" to a successful reef are well worth documenting and sharing. And often, seeing how hobbyists get through the rough patches is often just as engrossing to me as the finished product!Many times people don't share the struggles when things go wrong and the struggle to get a tank to where you want it too be. The time it takes to get a tank to where you feel it is at it's best can be grueling painful.
Paul B
10K Club member
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
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Article Contributor
Rock Pool Reef Keepers
I totally agree 100% Scott. I tell people reefing is like sailing. The enjoyment of sailing is the act of sailing itself. Not because you are trying to get someplace. If you were trying to get someplace, why would you jump into a very expensive, very slow means of transportation and get wet along the way.
A functioning reef system is an ongoing project. If it ends, that means it crashed.
The Joy in this hobby, to me anyway is the process, the DIY, the feeding, the spawning, the growing and yes, even the dying as dying is a fact of life. It allows us to get something new. If nothing ever died, this would be like stamp collecting where the worst thing that ever happens is if a stamp gets yellow or someone inadvertently sticks it on an envelope and mails it.
As for patience, my own tank took many years to become stable and in that time I killed more fish than StarKist Tuna. But I learned from each one and tried not to make the same mistake. My tank is still an ongoing project and I hope it never ends.
I was lousy at this but kept going. In the beginning I thought fish were supposed to have those white spots all over them. I relished when I finally could take a sick fish and cure it in some usually home made brew.
Eventually I enjoyed changing water, cleaning the glass, scraping the algae filter and bleaching the skimmer cup.
A functioning reef system is an ongoing project. If it ends, that means it crashed.
The Joy in this hobby, to me anyway is the process, the DIY, the feeding, the spawning, the growing and yes, even the dying as dying is a fact of life. It allows us to get something new. If nothing ever died, this would be like stamp collecting where the worst thing that ever happens is if a stamp gets yellow or someone inadvertently sticks it on an envelope and mails it.
As for patience, my own tank took many years to become stable and in that time I killed more fish than StarKist Tuna. But I learned from each one and tried not to make the same mistake. My tank is still an ongoing project and I hope it never ends.
I was lousy at this but kept going. In the beginning I thought fish were supposed to have those white spots all over them. I relished when I finally could take a sick fish and cure it in some usually home made brew.
Eventually I enjoyed changing water, cleaning the glass, scraping the algae filter and bleaching the skimmer cup.
Bruce Burnett
Valuable Member
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I totally agree 100% Scott. I tell people reefing is like sailing. The enjoyment of sailing is the act of sailing itself. Not because you are trying to get someplace. If you were trying to get someplace, why would you jump into a very expensive, very slow means of transportation and get wet along the way.
A functioning reef system is an ongoing project. If it ends, that means it crashed.
The Joy in this hobby, to me anyway is the process, the DIY, the feeding, the spawning, the growing and yes, even the dying as dying is a fact of life. It allows us to get something new. If nothing ever died, this would be like stamp collecting where the worst thing that ever happens is if a stamp gets yellow or someone inadvertently sticks it on an envelope and mails it.
As for patience, my own tank took many years to become stable and in that time I killed more fish than StarKist Tuna. But I learned from each one and tried not to make the same mistake. My tank is still an ongoing project and I hope it never ends.
I was lousy at this but kept going. In the beginning I thought fish were supposed to have those white spots all over them. I relished when I finally could take a sick fish and cure it in some usually home made brew.
Eventually I enjoyed changing water, cleaning the glass, scraping the algae filter and bleaching the skimmer cup.
I was wondering if anyone was going to say that a system is always on going project. Why rush to your own crash.
Ashish Patel
2500 Club Member
I refrained from starting a build thread because I knew I would have added 30+ frags in the first 3 months and done everything in my power to get them to color up including tweaking my lights and flow too much. Therefore, I opted to wait 2 months before adding my first frags and the goal was to ensure everything acclimated well and survived. I hate the way my tank looks but have to be patients. mother nature's beneficial bacteria can't be bottled, if it could more people would be writing about how vital it is to survival of your tank. Even when adding LR it still takes time 8-12 months.... I will surely make a Tank thread eventually once I stop fiddling and my tank is somewhat stable..-which is close at 5 months.
OP
OP
Yes!! Evolving as a reefer, in every way...right along with your tank. It's kinda what the hobby/art of reef keeping is all about!I totally agree 100% Scott. I tell people reefing is like sailing. The enjoyment of sailing is the act of sailing itself. Not because you are trying to get someplace. If you were trying to get someplace, why would you jump into a very expensive, very slow means of transportation and get wet along the way.
A functioning reef system is an ongoing project. If it ends, that means it crashed.
The Joy in this hobby, to me anyway is the process, the DIY, the feeding, the spawning, the growing and yes, even the dying as dying is a fact of life. It allows us to get something new. If nothing ever died, this would be like stamp collecting where the worst thing that ever happens is if a stamp gets yellow or someone inadvertently sticks it on an envelope and mails it.
As for patience, my own tank took many years to become stable and in that time I killed more fish than StarKist Tuna. But I learned from each one and tried not to make the same mistake. My tank is still an ongoing project and I hope it never ends.
I was lousy at this but kept going. In the beginning I thought fish were supposed to have those white spots all over them. I relished when I finally could take a sick fish and cure it in some usually home made brew.
Eventually I enjoyed changing water, cleaning the glass, scraping the algae filter and bleaching the skimmer cup.
-Scott
OP
OP
LOL, true... and we've pretty much all been there!
OP
OP
You're so right...no point in rushing what Nature has done some well for eons. And I think it would be awesome for someone to post like a daily pic of his/her reef as it is evolving...tedious, slow, unexciting...the REALITY of an evolving reef! And if someone ever said "boring"- the response would be..."And you say this because??? Why?"
OP
OP
Exactly...there is simply NO valid reason to rush the development of a reef tank, IMHO...
Ashish Patel
2500 Club Member
My 5 month realistic progression I spend alot of time on the rockscape knowing it would take sometime to cover. This is with 50/50 mix of dry & liverock aswell..
I spend alot of time on the rockscape knowing it would take sometime to cover. This is with 50/50 mix of dry & liverock aswell..
Reefiness
Well-Known Member
Another nice read. Speaking to the need of patience in the hobby, I remember back when I set up my tank in 2004 using live rock and doing the whole curing and cycling process which it almost seems is a thing of the past with the push towards dry rock that is cycled with powdered ammonia and bacteria out of a bottle.
I remember the first night after my rocks were delivered from LA, scrubbed down and placed in the empty tank I had. I must have stared at that rock every night waiting for something to happen. Even the first little bit of algae that started to grow out of the live rock got me excited. A few weeks later I remember getting my first fish from Petco or similar store... just a few damsels. Then I remember having to take all the rocks out of the tank just a few days later to catch all those fish after realizing the mistake I had made getting damsel fish. I remember my first major hitchhiker I encountered, a mantis shrimp, which scared the bajeezus out of me. Boy how my tank has evolved over the past almost 2 decades. Probably never could have imagined the ride I would be taken on in this hobby.
I remember the first night after my rocks were delivered from LA, scrubbed down and placed in the empty tank I had. I must have stared at that rock every night waiting for something to happen. Even the first little bit of algae that started to grow out of the live rock got me excited. A few weeks later I remember getting my first fish from Petco or similar store... just a few damsels. Then I remember having to take all the rocks out of the tank just a few days later to catch all those fish after realizing the mistake I had made getting damsel fish. I remember my first major hitchhiker I encountered, a mantis shrimp, which scared the bajeezus out of me. Boy how my tank has evolved over the past almost 2 decades. Probably never could have imagined the ride I would be taken on in this hobby.
Ashish Patel
2500 Club Member
Well said....And also thanks for hooking me up with that 30+LB of of your 2004 old live rock!
- I have sponges growing in my protein skimmer now lol
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Reefiness
Well-Known Member
@Ashish Patel I still have that other sponge filled piece waiting for you if you want. The goby is gone so his old home is free to find a new home.
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