I have this affliction do you have it too?

[atoll]

It's called "if it ain't broken fix it anyway".
I am never completely satisfied with my tank. The status quo is not an option, wverything can be improved. Take my lightingI have continuously upgrated it either changing it completely or adding to it. Each time I think that's it perfect
job done and comete. However, it doesn't last so long, satisfaction that is.

I can't help seeing imperfections and how things might be improved, a liitle here a tweak there or something more radical. Take my current tank. I changed my Orphek Atlantics for the newer icons. Great I thought but then I could see areas of shading still existed that could be improved on. I added an Orphek blue plus light bar, that helped. Later another then a day plus. Right that's it lighting done and dusted.
Well, ermmm not quite. I have a Magnifica anemone that I know likes a warm looking light with a daylight spectrum. I added a 6500k Asta 20 freshwater 16w LED spot light above it. The nem responded well to it.

Now the nem was doing just fine under the Orpheks before I added the spot anyway. Then I thought what if I add another Asta 20 but the full spectrum one to the 6500k. That didnt seem to add much in truth so not to be outdone I replaced it with another 6500k Asra 20. The nem liked that better.

Right all done now everything's looking great. Then the, if it ain't broken fix it kicked in and the what if. What if I replaced the 2 Astas 6500ks with a single Kessil 160 Tuna Sun. Found one at a good price complete with gooseneck on Facebook and replaced the Asta's with that. Nem is loving it so time to relax, lighting finished all done completely satisfied now. Ermmmm yeah.

Now before people say that chopping and changing must have cost you a small fortune, well not really. Most were bought secondhand and at very good prices. I sold most of the outgoing equipment around what I paid for them or near enough to make the upgrades worthwhile.

The lighting is just one example there are more I can assure you where I look at something and think I can improve on that. It's an affliction for sure, never satisfied with my lot.

My tanks have always been my sort of laboratories. I do a fair bit of DIY and enjoy the experimental things I do without putting my animals through too much risk.

You may also have this curse if so I sympathise.

 

[Gtinnel]

I kinda have the opposite affliction.

If it is broke maybe I’ll fix it tomorrow.

With my tank I’ve found that sometimes my affliction is not in the best interest of the tank, although occasionally a hands off approach works well.

 

[vlangel]

It's called "if it ain't broken fix it anyway".
I am never completely satisfied with my tank. The status quo is not an option, wverything can be improved. Take my lightingI have continuously upgrated it either changing it completely or adding to it. Each time I think that's it perfect
job done and comete. However, it doesn't last so long, satisfaction that is.

I can't help seeing imperfections and how things might be improved, a liitle here a tweak there or something more radical. Take my current tank. I changed my Orphek Atlantics for the newer icons. Great I thought but then I could see areas of shading still existed that could be improved on. I added an Orphek blue plus light bar, that helped. Later another then a day plus. Right that's it lighting done and dusted.
Well, ermmm not quite. I have a Magnifica anemone that I know likes a warm looking light with a daylight spectrum. I added a 6500k Asta 20 freshwater 16w LED spot light above it. The nem responded well to it.

Now the nem was doing just fine under the Orpheks before I added the spot anyway. Then I thought what if I add another Asta 20 but the full spectrum one to the 6500k. That didnt seem to add much in truth so not to be outdone I replaced it with another 6500k Asra 20. The nem liked that better.

Right all done now everything's looking great. Then the, if it ain't broken fix it kicked in and the what if. What if I replaced the 2 Astas 6500ks with a single Kessil 160 Tuna Sun. Found one at a good price complete with gooseneck on Facebook and replaced the Asta's with that. Nem is loving it so time to relax, lighting finished all done completely satisfied now. Ermmmm yeah.

Now before people say that chopping and changing must have cost you a small fortune, well not really. Most were bought secondhand and at very good prices. I sold most of the outgoing equipment around what I paid for them or near enough to make the upgrades worthwhile.

The lighting is just one example there are more I can assure you where I look at something and think I can improve on that. It's an affliction for sure, never satisfied with my lot.

My tanks have always been my sort of laboratories. I do a fair bit of DIY and enjoy the experimental things I do without putting my animals through too much risk.

You may also have this curse if so I sympathise.

I used to have your affliction but after 40+ years of aquaria keeping, I have finally learned to relax (for the most part) and just enjoy my aquarium. After being in marine aquaria 25 years, I now know how much maintenance I want to do, what animals and coral I like best and so have dialed my aquarium in to meet those constraints. Are there still things I think about changing or upgrading? Yes, but I no longer feel driven to do it and can be satisfied without doing it. If all my animals and coral are happy, then so am I.

 

[atoll]

I used to have your affliction but after 40+ years of aquaria keeping, I have finally learned to relax (for the most part) and just enjoy my aquarium. After being in marine aquaria 25 years, I now know how much maintenance I want to do, what animals and coral I like best and so have dialed my aquarium in to meet those constraints. Are there still things I think about changing or upgrading? Yes, but I no longer feel driven to do it and can be satisfied without doing it. If all my animals and coral are happy, then so am I.

40 years plus in the hobby and I still have it. There have been periods where I haven't done any upgrades but that never lasts long.

I do get enjoyment from my tinkering esp when I itvresults in an improvement. I can also sit back esp in the evening, sit back and enjoy the tank don't get me wrong. However if I get a light bulb moment or an itch then I begin thinking about it.
I don't do nor does my tank need a lot of maintenance and water changes are a rarity.

 

[Waters]

I definitely have the same issue. Tank looks good....everything is growing and coloring up........maybe I should dose aminos to get more color? Or maybe add some iodine.........increase light intensity? Before too long I have created problems that weren't there previously lol. I have to keep reminding myself to leave everything alone.

 

[RocketEngineer]

Yeah, I HAD that issue. Then I was an idiot, spent way too much time and money on DIY LEDs and did this:

That brain coral upper right? I grew that from a frag no bigger than the top of the plug up to one the size of a softball.

Needless to say, I’m much less inclined after my “upgrade” was the beginning of the end for that system. I respect those who try new things but my current tank is going old school tried and true methods as much as possible.