Motivation, I need it.

[Hugh Mann]

It seems like there's always something going wrong with my tanks. I started up February, Velvet devastated my tank in April, during treatment another fish died, and after it finished another jumped. Interspersed with equipment failure, budget limitations, limited supplies from covid, and now my new (3.5 weeks) Hippo Tang has ich in QT, and I am praying to Posiodon himself that I didn't have any cross contamination before the signs showed up.

I can see where I want to be, (the empty 265gal taunts me on a daily basis) and I see where I am at now, and all I am starting to see is a very long, expensive road.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to pack up and sell everything, just finally admitting that it's hard.

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

20 years!

In 20 years of reefing my husband had never, EVER, had a tank crash on him. Fresh water, community, planted, South American, African, planted. Brackish of many varieties. Saltwater, fowlr, predator reefs, nano and pico reefs, mixed, dedicated lps and sps systems, nem only tanks, ponds even! Last year he lost that streak. We still haven’t pinned down exactly what in the world caused it. I know it still drives him nuts! It’s like they say about riding a motorcycle, it’s not if, it’s when. It really sat him down and put him in a frame of mind as to figure out how not to let it happen again. Keep your head up! Do your water changes and research. The learning never ends in this hobby! You’ve got this!!! And if you ever need someone to just vent to, pm me! If I can’t answer, my husband probably can and if he can’t we have an amazing community here on R2R! Even if we do bicker from time to time! Lol.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

 

[Hugh Mann]

Thanks. Sorry to hear about his tank. Hard to imagine going 20 years without issue, that must have been wonderful. I really hope I get to that point soon.

I knew this hobby was not going to be easy, but never did I imagine the Rollercoaster that it has been.

 

[jeffrey750750]

my last tank that I had set up for a little over 2 years till I moved out of state never ever had a problem. The 1 1/2 years on my current tank has been a roller coaster. The only 2 things that were different were I had a wet dry sump that was filled with liverock instead of those balls. The other is that I had two ushio halide bulbs and 4 this. I just found that weird

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

Thanks. Sorry to hear about his tank. Hard to imagine going 20 years without issue, that must have been wonderful. I really hope I get to that point soon.

I knew this hobby was not going to be easy, but never did I imagine the Rollercoaster that it has been.

Oh! It was NEVER without issue! We’ve battled everything from our daughter spilling milk (ie poison) into an absolutely stunning South American tank, to the dreaded red bug in sps heavy reefs! But there have been stretches of pure bliss! You will get there!

 

[tsouth]

 

[fishguy242]

you got this!!! we have your back ;)

 

[Thespammailaccount]

Thanks. Sorry to hear about his tank. Hard to imagine going 20 years without issue, that must have been wonderful. I really hope I get to that point soon.

I knew this hobby was not going to be easy, but never did I imagine the Rollercoaster that it has been.

If you are new to the hobby start with live ocean rock you will not have all the problems new reefers encounter and you will be much more successful since it will give you a stable environment to start out with

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Hang in there man, as hard as this is, you will grow from it. In knowledge, experience, confidence. Everything that happens has a lesson to be learned hidden within.

 

[KingTideCorals]

Keep your head up! Recently got in a tank running about 5 years back that ich destroyed a gorgeous pair of maroons, a yellow tang, and a fun little school of anthias that I had come to really fall in love with. Hobby can give you twist and turns, but its all about finding the next mountain to climb! You got this, we are all here to support and help!

 

[Hugh Mann]

Thanks everyone. It will get better, I know it. Have to, dare I say it, "Just Keep Swimming!"

 

[vetteguy53081]

You are in a hobby where it takes time for the ocean in your home to stabilize and also realize this is a hobby that will challenge both the novice and the most experienced hobbyists.
I treat every frustration as a learning experience and a situation that builds my knowledge base. Like most hobbies, it’s generally one thing or another but at the end of the day- we admit we still enjoy it

 

[DSEKULA]

Oh wow, I remember going through all this fun stuff.. starting isn't easy. When I did my restart I decided to put everything through a nice qt process while I built a new dt and held my coral in the sump. The system sat fallow just to ensure a nice fresh start and as fish goth through quarantine after the fallow period they were added to the sump frag tank. It was horrible so many fish came in covered with flukes or ick and right when I was getting to the end my last batch of fish was lost by FedEx :(
While doing all this I was also building a new dt and integrating and building new equipment getting bad batches of LEDs frying motherboards, breaking saw blades, and even ended up with gives stitches across my wrist cutting myself when I slipped with a carpet knife pulling the carpet in the room the tank was going(still have nerve damage). Sometimes starting seems like a bunch of set backs espically if you want to quarentine etc. But, I got through it and so can you. My tank is now just hit one year from adding stock and the algae and cayno are coming to an end. Here's a pic, it's worth it push though!! And feel free to share stories and complain to us if it helps, we've been there too and can lend a sympathetic ear.

 

[KingTideCorals]

Remember like you said "Just Keep Swimming"... something I always do to cheer/motivate me in the hobby is taking a trip to the LFS

Found this little guy who may be perfect to try and become a boyfriend to my other maroon! The joys of this hobby are there, just can get frustrating at times (trust me times when I want to dropkick the lagoon) LOL

 

[TriggerFinger]

I feel this so hard today. Know that you are not alone. keep on keepin on.