Is your tank a joy or a chore? How to keep it fun!

[atomos]

mostly all fun unless i forget to clamp down the tubing then it's a minor detour to reattach and soak up the excess spillage.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

1. When does a reef aquarium hobby become a chore, become work to you?

The thing that's getting me lately is that I just can't stop dumping money into the thing. It's not that I can't afford it but I keep wondering if it ever stops being a money pit. I have a room that seems full of discarded and broken equipment and products. More research might have saved me some of the mistakes, but it feels like even armed with the best information the mistakes and failures keep happening (mixing station pump died last night).

Sometimes it feels like there isn't a day without some sort of drama. I've got a fish that gives me fits every day because she's a picky eater (will Macaroni eat today???). I have a mostly dead toadstool that had been a wishlist coral for a long time (the disappointment is real) and a really pretty zoa that just melted. Nutrients sky high. Every day seems to have more questions than answers.

I keep trying to find ways to streamline things, like find filter media that's less hassle and find a way to make water changes go more smoothly. The search continues.

I just want to sit back and enjoy this thing after this much time.

2. What are some tips for keeping the hobby enjoyable and fun?

And on that last note, I think the big thing is that no matter what is going on you need to take a moment and sit back and enjoy the view. It can be hard to look past the stuff that isn't quite right (darn dead toadstool is front and center) but the reality is that these tanks are true wonders. When I take the time to just watch all the amazing things going on in the tank I know it's all worth it. Watching a hermit crab go shell shopping or watching my porcelain crab fan in the flow. Seeing my Duncan gobble a chunk of mysis. My wrasse hunting for amphipods. The clowns biting their rock.

Even with the problems, the tank is an amazing place. Which is probably why I fuss over it endlessly.

 

[Josh Hobgood]

For me I'm still relatively new to the hobby, coming up on 6 years. Something that has helped me is gaining enough experience to take my time and only do things that are necessary. i.e. I don't have to check nitrates/phosphates every week. I've made water changes easy. I enjoy the maintenance side of things but making it realistically manageable has become invaluable. It's not that I don't enjoy husbandry. My family and job take precedence. During those times when those two things are demanding my attention, it has become paramount to keep it simple and only do things that are necessary. Then when those days are past, I give the tank "ideal" attention again. This has served me well instead of being all or nothing about it. Having every tank on a controller at least gives me peace of mind as well to avoid catastrophic events (and it has done so several times now).

 

[Greybeard]

When I planned this tank, I SERIOUSLY looked at maintenance, simplicity, easy access, automation, in all aspects of the build.

The tank itself, large enough to keep the animals I want to keep, small enough to keep water changes easy. Peninsula style, making access easy. Tank dimensions, 60" x 30" x 18". Short, broad, and fat... makes it easy to reach whatever I need to reach. Stand is low, strong (1.5" powder coated square tube steel), easy to clean (top is covered in bar top epoxy), and convenient, with a 10" wide 'shelf' around three sides.

NO equipment located under the tank... display shelving unit. No need to get under the tank. Sump and other equipment is in a repurposed hall closet. No bending, working from my knees. Everything is easy to access, and there's room for everything.

Mixing station is a simple 55g drum, with a safe auto refill system, easy switch to pump water to sump, shelf for my salinity checking tools, storage for bags of salt, mixing pump... making up new salt water is as simple as I can make it, with zero chance to make a mess.

Automation of Alk/Calc/Mag measurement and dosing, automatic top off with safe, direct water supply. Auto filling reservoir for the Kalkwasser reactor... I'm not doing auto water changes anymore, but aside from that, the system is _very_ automated... including an auto feeder.

Tunze magnetic glass scraper, takes me about 5 minutes once a week.

Water changes, I can do 3 changes from a single mixing barrel full... I use 2x 10g rubbermaid buckets and a 1.5" silicone hose. Takes me maybe 5 minutes to do an 18g water change. I use the waste to keep weeds out of a gravel bed out back.

PLAN your tank as fully as possible, make changes as required, and ALWAYS keep maintenance in mind.

 

[AVVITT]

1. When does a reef aquarium hobby become a chore, become work to you?

2. What are some tips for keeping the hobby enjoyable and fun?

My own experience has been a mixture of stress and enjoyment. As I started 9 months ago it was the adventure into the unknown and the journey of setting it all up, learning what I needed to do and not do as well as what livestock I wanted.

It soon got daunting as I realised the amount of work which went into it (and money!) but after about 6 months of making mistakes, messing up the cycling process (because I didn't read instructions properly) having high nitrates, GHA, killing a fish having I stressed it too much because I was too anxious about what to do and many other things In between.

I did have a Eureka moment about 3 months ago when I realised most of my stress was from over thinking and not enough sitting back and enjoying

Don't get me wrong. I'm a hands on reefer who enjoys getting stuck in. I don't like automatic systems because I'd worry about if they failed. If I'm in control then I know where something has gone wrong. I'm not daunted by the work needed for all necessary maintenance but I've stopped worrying so much so it already feels like I'm doing half as much!

 

[flyfisher2]

I'm surprised at how many people said it's all fun. Not sure if I should be jealous or skeptical. I mean it certainly isnt fun dipping that $100 coral for the fifth time and having it die anyways. Or siphoning a bunch of nuisance algae just to do it all again next week. Not to say it isnt worth it but "all fun"?? Come on now...

It's a hobby. Hobbies are many times a challenge. They make you think and ponder better ways to achieve your goal, to do it better. It'll wake you in the middle of the night and remind you of something you read or heard that pertains to whatever is troubling your system. If the hobby doesn't challenge your skills then it's boring and you lose interest. If it overwhelms then you have the option of seeking help or giving up.
It's fun. Better than sitcom reruns... Reef on .

 

[robert teseo]

it used to be all fun. i,ve had a saltwater tank of some kind since the late 60's. now i have a fullblown reef and as i age[[now 73] it is starting to become a chore.but, to take it down would really kill it, and i can't do that. [it's also the best tank i,ve ever had]

 

[flyfisher2]

a money pit? Is that an option? I don't mind the maintenance. I just had my reeflo return pump die on me as of last night. Thankfully I had a spare on my water change station and swapped it out last night. However, today I woke up to puddles of water all over, so I don't know if the pump is leaking or if there's something else wrong.

Good luck finding what's wrong. Let us know how you make out. I hope it's nothing too serious.

 

[Rocketfish]

I have a 30 gallon nano reef with some nice thriving acros for over a year, but now the absorption rate of KH specifically is more than 10ml per day.

That wouldn't be a big deal except that adding 10ml in one shot to a 30 gallon tank will swing the KH from 7.3 to 8.3... The maximum amount of change to introduce to your system in a 24 hour period. This created a good bit of manual work for testing and dosing daily.

I added a doser to the system, and that helped for a while, but the evaporation rate of the tank is about 20 to 30 ounces per day. Now I am adding the KH to the top off water and trying to get those numbers dialed in that way. This seems to be keeping the tank more stable, but this is a good bit of work now.

I would like to go back to testing weekly, but right now I don't dare go more than 2 days in case something doesn't go as expected.

How does everyone else handle dosing higher levels of KH and Calcium in a nano tank with high growth rates?

 

[BlackGoldReefs]

Owning a saltwater reef aquarium is so exciting and full of joy! Or at least it should be! From picking out the critters and equipment to designing the perfect aquascape involves a lot of fun or we wouldn't be doing it. Then we get to watch our fish and corals grow from little to big from frags to mature and everything in between. But if we're not careful it will become a chore! So how do we keep that enthusiasm and joy from turning into a chore? Let's talk about it!

1. When does a reef aquarium hobby become a chore, become work to you?

2. What are some tips for keeping the hobby enjoyable and fun?


image via @Reef Hacks and their Exploring Water Changes article.

Unfortunately since the snow storms in Texas it has seemed like a chore and money pit. I have lost all may favorite corals and I just can’t seem to grow anything in my tank anymore. I have spent hundred and even tried the triton water test. I thing out of the ordinary showed up on the Triton Lab except for small amounts of aluminum. I am at a lose, I am guessing my tank is now to clean. I just removed my carbon reactor and started dosing nitrate and phosphate to hopefully balance out my tank again.

 

[Buckster]

Excitement thrives from the beginning. Willing to put in many hours which lead into days. Patience while waiting to add corals and fish. Countless hours have been rewarding as its been a year and a half. Many hours researching the drawbacks. I generally do things in 10 year periods. Is it only 8 1/2 years remaining for this phase or will break a trend. Time will tell! In the meantime, 5 tangs which many say you shouldn't (Gem is my favorite). Softies, blastos, acans, play's, hammer's, torch's etc. Oh I forgot to mention GHA & asterina. The fun continues!

 

[nicksreefs]

1. When does a reef aquarium hobby become a chore, become work to you?
It doesn't really, sure there's routine stuff that needs to be done at inconvenient times but thats more of a reef vs life kinda thing (my amazing supportive partner is at times something of a fish widow )

I think of it as having my dream job... there's still gonna be 10% that's just boring admin!

2. What are some tips for keeping the hobby enjoyable and fun?
Stare into your tank and enjoy it! ignore whatever problem is keeping you up at 2 in the morning and makes you research all the live long day and just look at what you have achieved you actually have the ocean in your home!

See the play of light and the personalities of the fish and the industrious CUC its amazing

 

[DarkReefer]

I find it enjoyable 95% of the time, the time I have to spend doing water changes I generally don't enjoy. Probably has something to do with the water containers I'm using and that I need to install some taps into them so they don't glug and splash when I'm trying to pour the water out... reeeeaaaally ticks me off when water is splashing everywhere.
Aside from that 1hr of water changing a week and doing the testing 1-2 times weekly for 45 mins-ish which is also a bit tedious, I really enjoy the tank.
I find getting through the maintenance a little easier when there's something new added or something exciting happening in the tank.

 

[Sea escape]

I got into this hobby about 15 years ago and knew absolutely zero. I had a lot of frustration and losses of all kinds, I eventually stepped away for awhile. About 5 years ago, I got a good deal on a drilled 220 gal. And stand. Once again knew nothing about sumps, I didn’t have the proper knowledge or money to successfully keep it maintained. So once again stepped away. So as you can see very much felt like a Hugh chore and to much work. About 8 months ago I decided I wanted to try again, believe me I love these things, but this time I did my research and homework and mostly made sure I was financially stable to do it the right way, for me that was my biggest issue before, couldn’t do what I had to , to have a successful reef tank. Now I own and enjoy this Red Sea reefer 525xxl. Patients and knowledge has been the key to my success this time around and to me I love the work and challenge of a reef tank.

 

[mommbass]

Cleaning my tank is a chore, it requires a ladder and about 3 hour, but I enjoy it the rest of the time

 

[Bruce Burnett]

I said other as it is so expensive compared to 10 years ago for coral and fish. Been doing for many years and never felt it was not fun except when funds were short or you spent money on what you thought was an upgrade to find it was a waste of money. I do maintenance when I feel like it and have never done regular water changes. I buy coral and fish so I can watch them grow not fill the tank with frags and then more frags. When you can brag that your 12" diameter tubinaria started about the size of a quarter or your really large toadstool was only the size of your thumb a year ago, your 100 plus head Duncan started as one head. So chore or labor to see your results may not be all fun but not bad either.

 

[Chukthunder]

Sometimes making small progress on a big problem can feel very satisfying,. Reefing is just perfect for this.

 

[hunterallen40]

I'm still getting started, but I definitely think this is more of a joy than a chore.

There are very, very stressful days. There have been days I look at my tank and just wonder if it will ever stabilize. Then there are those truly heartbreaking days, like when my two headed dragon soul torch dissentigrated into brown mush a month after bringing it home...

But then there are days where I'm just unable to look away. I have a discus tank as well, and they are absolutely my favorite fish, but I can't honestly say that they can compare to the fascinating interactions one finds in a reef tank.

So I'm going to be starting a build thread soon for upgrading my 75 gallon to a 230 gallon haha. I'm definitely going to be around here for a while.

 

[-XENOMORPH-]

When does a reef aquarium hobby become a chore, become work to you?.... NEVER! . .................

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

What are some tips for keeping the hobby enjoyable and fun?

Stop chasing numbers.

 

[kris2for]

1. When does a reef aquarium hobby become a chore, become work to you?
-I've been in aquarium hobby for 20 years, but reef tank only past 2. It started out fun, but due to bad luck (Dinos and mean fish I removed) it has become a chore I am not enjoying. Constant battle with dinos make it a chore that is very discouraging. My other 18 years of planted tank was very relaxing and hands off

2. What are some tips for keeping the hobby enjoyable and fun?
-Only reason I haven't sold off is my wife/baby, and guest enjoy and compliment the tank. Even that is starting to diminish due to Dino