Introduction: A Catastrophic Failure To start the Hobby!

AcroNem · Jul 28, 2020

Thank you for the introduction and telling us your story, welcome to Reef2Reef!

hdsoftail1065 · Jul 28, 2020

Thank you for your service Foughter!!! Welcome to R2R and thanks for sharing your story!

Kris 2020 · Jul 28, 2020

Welcome! What a great intro story.

Darrell Brady · Jul 28, 2020

Welcome. You defiantly came to the right place.

Rp8 · Jul 28, 2020

Foughter said:
Hello All,

I have always been a fan of aquariums. As a kid, I kept a 20-gallon freshwater, fish only tank until I moved out. Later as an adult, I built a more elaborate 40-gallon freshwater tank that supported a catfish and a turtle and added my old freshwater fish into the fray... that tank went very poorly… soon I had only a catfish and a turtle. The water was murky, the tank always smelled terrible and the turtle splashed water out all over the wall and floor. I did not get the deposit back on my first apartment...

I enlisted in the Marine's and spent a lot of time moving around for about 6 years. I didn't keep any tanks for that time. However, during this time I lived with a friend for about a year who had a 50-gallon fish only saltwater tank. No sump, just a display with an overflow box. I loved it. I was going to school to become an engineer and the tank seemed to be a continual project. The tank smelled of the ocean, not a swamp. The water was clear, and the fish were colorful. But above all, the tank seemed to an engaging problem that always seemed to develop new elements of complexity. I loved the idea of creating and maintaining a miniature ecosystem. I dreamed of someday having a Saltwater tank of my own.

After my time in the Marines, I got married and bought a house. As soon as we got married my wife wanted a cat, and I convinced her that I needed a fist tank. This was going to by my long wish for saltwater fish tank. But we were flat broke! My wife cat costs $12.00 at a rescue... I started my research and quickly learned that a saltwater tank was not going to cost me $12.00. I decided to go with a FOWLR tank. But I had to do it CHEAP, and I wanted it NOW!

I planned on starting my new saltwater tank using my old 40-gallon tank and canister filter/pump. I was able to convince my wife that I needed $100.00 to complete my very first saltwater tank! I started to read the forums and ask around for advice on building a FOWLR for under $100. I didn't find a single supportive article or thread... the internet seemed to be laughing me. And the owner of my local fish store audibly laughed. So, I simply stopped looking for advice. I soon learned why everyone thought that $100 and a 40-gallon tank was a laughable FOWLR tank build.

Undeterred, I got the tank up and running in a week! Fully stocked and ready for enjoyment! (insert ominous music) In order to save money, I got 2 inches of sand from the beach, don't worry not from the ocean beach. I got my sand from the river by my house. I rinsed it out really well with tap water in a bucket. I also thoroughly cleaned my canister filter and old tank with dish soap. So far my cost is still $0.00. I went to my local fish store and bought a small tub of the cheapest salt on the shelf, $16. As well as an 11lbs live rock from the store frag tank, $60. I got a heater- $20, hydrometer - $10, and a small API saltwater test kit - $18. At this point, I'm over budget and still don't have any fish. So, I go home set up my tank with what I have. I placed my tank in front of a window with blinds for a "controllable light source". And I "cycle" my tank for a week, I did three 80% water changes. Each time buying RODI water from my local fish store. Once I got the hang of testing, I concluded that once I was able to keep the tank relatively stable for 24 hours I could stock the tank. So, at the end of that week, making my 10th trip to my LFS, I bought two clownfish! $8.00 x 2. For about $150 I started my first saltwater tank!

Did I mention I liked my life hard and complex? Well for the next two months I probably spent over 100 hours just trying to keep my fish alive. EVERYTHING that could go wrong went wrong. both original clownfish died within a week. I was constantly battling algae, it seemed to grow as I cleaned the tank. I was doing 50% water changes every week, sometimes twice. I vacuumed up the sand and cleaned my filter canister multiple times a week. It was a nightmare. Nothing lived in my tank but algae. My LFS worker saw my frustration and tried to help. He suggested moving the tank away from the window and getting light on a timer. And I, ever the economical algae keeper, went to Home Depot and bought a 24" Halogen bulb mount, some wire and a Christmas light timer. I also bought one "full-spectrum" Halogen grow light. I moved the tank to a shady corner and hung the light from the ceiling with the wire. I set the timer to run for 4 hours a day. Within a week I was able to get the Algae under control. I finally had a stable tank with clean water and clear glass.

Having learned my lesson about getting livestock to quickly, I cycled my fishless tank for about 2 weeks. During this time, I started keeping a spreadsheet log of water parameters as well as water changes. I also added another 24” grow light and put it on a second timer. The cheapo build was finally coming together! Though it was definitely over $100.

I was overly worried about algae due to my earlier failures. So, when I started stocking, I went heavy on the cleanup crew. Soooo many turbo snails. Some might say, too many. But I was tired of cleaning algae off the glass. I let the snails get cozy for a few days then I bought another pair of clownfish. And a nice blue fish that kind of looked like a tang, but was cheaper… you know, like Finding Nemo… to this day I have no idea what the blue fish was. But I had a working, stocked saltwater tank!

I kept the tank for about a year like this, with a few modifications. After I added livestock, I noticed a spike in nitrates so I built a sort of homemade nitrate reactor using PVC and bio balls. I also got a hang on protein skimmer that constantly overflowed. The tank looked good if a bit cluttered, and the fish seemed happy! I still needed to test daily and had to do large frequent water changes. I would get RODI water from my LFS on the way home from work every Thursday and change the water that night.

Then, one fateful weekend, we went on a 4-day summer vacation. We had planned on this trip for about a month. I changed the water before I left, and we had a friend feed the animals while we were gone. We left without a worry in the world and had a great time! However, our friend, who was extremely helpful, turned off all our lights (including unplugging the power strip for my tank) and our turned AC off whenever he left our house to help us save money on our power bill. Very courteous and helpful… Open arriving home I found everything in the tank dead. After working so hard for a year to get a barely stable FOWLR tank up and running, it was all dead in one long weekend. I was so discouraged. I threw everything away that week and swore off aquariums for life.

6 years later once my wife and I both finished college and got full-time positions. I decided to try again. This time for a full-blown reef tank. However, considering my earlier experience I gave myself a few “rules of engagement” for my new aquarium:

1) Research everything and trust the experts.

2) Take your time and do it right the first time.

3) Do not be cheap, be economical.

4) Build everything you can yourself.

5) Build with the end in mind.

For the last year, I have been researching, building, and buying my way slowly towards a 120-gallon display tank with a 50-gallon sump. I have held to my “rules of engagement” strictly. I have already learned so much. I am looking forward to learning with everyone in the forum!

Thanks,

Foughter (pronounced “fodder”)

Welcome aboard! Very good write up, sounds a little like deja vu!

PTXReef · Jul 29, 2020

Foughter said:
Hello All,

I have always been a fan of aquariums. As a kid, I kept a 20-gallon freshwater, fish only tank until I moved out. Later as an adult, I built a more elaborate 40-gallon freshwater tank that supported a catfish and a turtle and added my old freshwater fish into the fray... that tank went very poorly… soon I had only a catfish and a turtle. The water was murky, the tank always smelled terrible and the turtle splashed water out all over the wall and floor. I did not get the deposit back on my first apartment...

I enlisted in the Marine's and spent a lot of time moving around for about 6 years. I didn't keep any tanks for that time. However, during this time I lived with a friend for about a year who had a 50-gallon fish only saltwater tank. No sump, just a display with an overflow box. I loved it. I was going to school to become an engineer and the tank seemed to be a continual project. The tank smelled of the ocean, not a swamp. The water was clear, and the fish were colorful. But above all, the tank seemed to an engaging problem that always seemed to develop new elements of complexity. I loved the idea of creating and maintaining a miniature ecosystem. I dreamed of someday having a Saltwater tank of my own.

After my time in the Marines, I got married and bought a house. As soon as we got married my wife wanted a cat, and I convinced her that I needed a fist tank. This was going to by my long wish for saltwater fish tank. But we were flat broke! My wife cat costs $12.00 at a rescue... I started my research and quickly learned that a saltwater tank was not going to cost me $12.00. I decided to go with a FOWLR tank. But I had to do it CHEAP, and I wanted it NOW!

I planned on starting my new saltwater tank using my old 40-gallon tank and canister filter/pump. I was able to convince my wife that I needed $100.00 to complete my very first saltwater tank! I started to read the forums and ask around for advice on building a FOWLR for under $100. I didn't find a single supportive article or thread... the internet seemed to be laughing me. And the owner of my local fish store audibly laughed. So, I simply stopped looking for advice. I soon learned why everyone thought that $100 and a 40-gallon tank was a laughable FOWLR tank build.

Undeterred, I got the tank up and running in a week! Fully stocked and ready for enjoyment! (insert ominous music) In order to save money, I got 2 inches of sand from the beach, don't worry not from the ocean beach. I got my sand from the river by my house. I rinsed it out really well with tap water in a bucket. I also thoroughly cleaned my canister filter and old tank with dish soap. So far my cost is still $0.00. I went to my local fish store and bought a small tub of the cheapest salt on the shelf, $16. As well as an 11lbs live rock from the store frag tank, $60. I got a heater- $20, hydrometer - $10, and a small API saltwater test kit - $18. At this point, I'm over budget and still don't have any fish. So, I go home set up my tank with what I have. I placed my tank in front of a window with blinds for a "controllable light source". And I "cycle" my tank for a week, I did three 80% water changes. Each time buying RODI water from my local fish store. Once I got the hang of testing, I concluded that once I was able to keep the tank relatively stable for 24 hours I could stock the tank. So, at the end of that week, making my 10th trip to my LFS, I bought two clownfish! $8.00 x 2. For about $150 I started my first saltwater tank!

Did I mention I liked my life hard and complex? Well for the next two months I probably spent over 100 hours just trying to keep my fish alive. EVERYTHING that could go wrong went wrong. both original clownfish died within a week. I was constantly battling algae, it seemed to grow as I cleaned the tank. I was doing 50% water changes every week, sometimes twice. I vacuumed up the sand and cleaned my filter canister multiple times a week. It was a nightmare. Nothing lived in my tank but algae. My LFS worker saw my frustration and tried to help. He suggested moving the tank away from the window and getting light on a timer. And I, ever the economical algae keeper, went to Home Depot and bought a 24" Halogen bulb mount, some wire and a Christmas light timer. I also bought one "full-spectrum" Halogen grow light. I moved the tank to a shady corner and hung the light from the ceiling with the wire. I set the timer to run for 4 hours a day. Within a week I was able to get the Algae under control. I finally had a stable tank with clean water and clear glass.

Having learned my lesson about getting livestock to quickly, I cycled my fishless tank for about 2 weeks. During this time, I started keeping a spreadsheet log of water parameters as well as water changes. I also added another 24” grow light and put it on a second timer. The cheapo build was finally coming together! Though it was definitely over $100.

I was overly worried about algae due to my earlier failures. So, when I started stocking, I went heavy on the cleanup crew. Soooo many turbo snails. Some might say, too many. But I was tired of cleaning algae off the glass. I let the snails get cozy for a few days then I bought another pair of clownfish. And a nice blue fish that kind of looked like a tang, but was cheaper… you know, like Finding Nemo… to this day I have no idea what the blue fish was. But I had a working, stocked saltwater tank!

I kept the tank for about a year like this, with a few modifications. After I added livestock, I noticed a spike in nitrates so I built a sort of homemade nitrate reactor using PVC and bio balls. I also got a hang on protein skimmer that constantly overflowed. The tank looked good if a bit cluttered, and the fish seemed happy! I still needed to test daily and had to do large frequent water changes. I would get RODI water from my LFS on the way home from work every Thursday and change the water that night.

Then, one fateful weekend, we went on a 4-day summer vacation. We had planned on this trip for about a month. I changed the water before I left, and we had a friend feed the animals while we were gone. We left without a worry in the world and had a great time! However, our friend, who was extremely helpful, turned off all our lights (including unplugging the power strip for my tank) and our turned AC off whenever he left our house to help us save money on our power bill. Very courteous and helpful… Open arriving home I found everything in the tank dead. After working so hard for a year to get a barely stable FOWLR tank up and running, it was all dead in one long weekend. I was so discouraged. I threw everything away that week and swore off aquariums for life.

6 years later once my wife and I both finished college and got full-time positions. I decided to try again. This time for a full-blown reef tank. However, considering my earlier experience I gave myself a few “rules of engagement” for my new aquarium:

1) Research everything and trust the experts.

2) Take your time and do it right the first time.

3) Do not be cheap, be economical.

4) Build everything you can yourself.

5) Build with the end in mind.

For the last year, I have been researching, building, and buying my way slowly towards a 120-gallon display tank with a 50-gallon sump. I have held to my “rules of engagement” strictly. I have already learned so much. I am looking forward to learning with everyone in the forum!

Thanks,

Foughter (pronounced “fodder”)

Amazing experiences nevertheless! Some day you'll look back and just laugh at yourself when you have an awesome reef tank! Can't wait to see it!

Welcome to R2R and happy reefing!

Reefnman2 · Jul 29, 2020

Welcome to R2R!

Jimbhoy13 · Jul 29, 2020

Welcome to R2R and back to reefing. Well done, lots of people would have given up after those problems. Hope this time it all goes well. Lots of knowledgable and helpful people here who will support and advise you when needed.

Paul B · Jul 29, 2020

Welcome, good luck and thanks for your service.

EuroDan · Jul 29, 2020

Welcome. You have some reefer battle scars already, so I hope the next phase is much more stable and rewarding.

BeltedCoyote · Jul 29, 2020

Welcome to R2R! With that much determination you’re going to do great in this hobby!

susan ingram · Jul 30, 2020

Foughter said:
Hello All,

I have always been a fan of aquariums. As a kid, I kept a 20-gallon freshwater, fish only tank until I moved out. Later as an adult, I built a more elaborate 40-gallon freshwater tank that supported a catfish and a turtle and added my old freshwater fish into the fray... that tank went very poorly… soon I had only a catfish and a turtle. The water was murky, the tank always smelled terrible and the turtle splashed water out all over the wall and floor. I did not get the deposit back on my first apartment...

I enlisted in the Marine's and spent a lot of time moving around for about 6 years. I didn't keep any tanks for that time. However, during this time I lived with a friend for about a year who had a 50-gallon fish only saltwater tank. No sump, just a display with an overflow box. I loved it. I was going to school to become an engineer and the tank seemed to be a continual project. The tank smelled of the ocean, not a swamp. The water was clear, and the fish were colorful. But above all, the tank seemed to an engaging problem that always seemed to develop new elements of complexity. I loved the idea of creating and maintaining a miniature ecosystem. I dreamed of someday having a Saltwater tank of my own.

After my time in the Marines, I got married and bought a house. As soon as we got married my wife wanted a cat, and I convinced her that I needed a fist tank. This was going to by my long wish for saltwater fish tank. But we were flat broke! My wife cat costs $12.00 at a rescue... I started my research and quickly learned that a saltwater tank was not going to cost me $12.00. I decided to go with a FOWLR tank. But I had to do it CHEAP, and I wanted it NOW!

I planned on starting my new saltwater tank using my old 40-gallon tank and canister filter/pump. I was able to convince my wife that I needed $100.00 to complete my very first saltwater tank! I started to read the forums and ask around for advice on building a FOWLR for under $100. I didn't find a single supportive article or thread... the internet seemed to be laughing me. And the owner of my local fish store audibly laughed. So, I simply stopped looking for advice. I soon learned why everyone thought that $100 and a 40-gallon tank was a laughable FOWLR tank build.

Undeterred, I got the tank up and running in a week! Fully stocked and ready for enjoyment! (insert ominous music) In order to save money, I got 2 inches of sand from the beach, don't worry not from the ocean beach. I got my sand from the river by my house. I rinsed it out really well with tap water in a bucket. I also thoroughly cleaned my canister filter and old tank with dish soap. So far my cost is still $0.00. I went to my local fish store and bought a small tub of the cheapest salt on the shelf, $16. As well as an 11lbs live rock from the store frag tank, $60. I got a heater- $20, hydrometer - $10, and a small API saltwater test kit - $18. At this point, I'm over budget and still don't have any fish. So, I go home set up my tank with what I have. I placed my tank in front of a window with blinds for a "controllable light source". And I "cycle" my tank for a week, I did three 80% water changes. Each time buying RODI water from my local fish store. Once I got the hang of testing, I concluded that once I was able to keep the tank relatively stable for 24 hours I could stock the tank. So, at the end of that week, making my 10th trip to my LFS, I bought two clownfish! $8.00 x 2. For about $150 I started my first saltwater tank!

Did I mention I liked my life hard and complex? Well for the next two months I probably spent over 100 hours just trying to keep my fish alive. EVERYTHING that could go wrong went wrong. both original clownfish died within a week. I was constantly battling algae, it seemed to grow as I cleaned the tank. I was doing 50% water changes every week, sometimes twice. I vacuumed up the sand and cleaned my filter canister multiple times a week. It was a nightmare. Nothing lived in my tank but algae. My LFS worker saw my frustration and tried to help. He suggested moving the tank away from the window and getting light on a timer. And I, ever the economical algae keeper, went to Home Depot and bought a 24" Halogen bulb mount, some wire and a Christmas light timer. I also bought one "full-spectrum" Halogen grow light. I moved the tank to a shady corner and hung the light from the ceiling with the wire. I set the timer to run for 4 hours a day. Within a week I was able to get the Algae under control. I finally had a stable tank with clean water and clear glass.

Having learned my lesson about getting livestock to quickly, I cycled my fishless tank for about 2 weeks. During this time, I started keeping a spreadsheet log of water parameters as well as water changes. I also added another 24” grow light and put it on a second timer. The cheapo build was finally coming together! Though it was definitely over $100.

I was overly worried about algae due to my earlier failures. So, when I started stocking, I went heavy on the cleanup crew. Soooo many turbo snails. Some might say, too many. But I was tired of cleaning algae off the glass. I let the snails get cozy for a few days then I bought another pair of clownfish. And a nice blue fish that kind of looked like a tang, but was cheaper… you know, like Finding Nemo… to this day I have no idea what the blue fish was. But I had a working, stocked saltwater tank!

I kept the tank for about a year like this, with a few modifications. After I added livestock, I noticed a spike in nitrates so I built a sort of homemade nitrate reactor using PVC and bio balls. I also got a hang on protein skimmer that constantly overflowed. The tank looked good if a bit cluttered, and the fish seemed happy! I still needed to test daily and had to do large frequent water changes. I would get RODI water from my LFS on the way home from work every Thursday and change the water that night.

Then, one fateful weekend, we went on a 4-day summer vacation. We had planned on this trip for about a month. I changed the water before I left, and we had a friend feed the animals while we were gone. We left without a worry in the world and had a great time! However, our friend, who was extremely helpful, turned off all our lights (including unplugging the power strip for my tank) and our turned AC off whenever he left our house to help us save money on our power bill. Very courteous and helpful… Open arriving home I found everything in the tank dead. After working so hard for a year to get a barely stable FOWLR tank up and running, it was all dead in one long weekend. I was so discouraged. I threw everything away that week and swore off aquariums for life.

6 years later once my wife and I both finished college and got full-time positions. I decided to try again. This time for a full-blown reef tank. However, considering my earlier experience I gave myself a few “rules of engagement” for my new aquarium:

1) Research everything and trust the experts.

2) Take your time and do it right the first time.

3) Do not be cheap, be economical.

4) Build everything you can yourself.

5) Build with the end in mind.

For the last year, I have been researching, building, and buying my way slowly towards a 120-gallon display tank with a 50-gallon sump. I have held to my “rules of engagement” strictly. I have already learned so much. I am looking forward to learning with everyone in the forum!

Thanks,

Foughter (pronounced “fodder”)

Hi Foughter... are we twins.. all I have to say is ME TOO!!! Welcome to R2R!!!

SPR1968 · Jul 31, 2020

Welcome to R2R!!!

Fink · Jul 31, 2020

I feel your pain Foughter, Both of my tanks are AIOs with the best addons I could find, but my son's doing his tank on the cheap. It is amazing how much more difficult it is to keep a cheap tank. Good luck in your endeavors, and welcome to R2R!