Need Help To Stay In This Beautiful Rewarding Hobby.

[427HISS]

My wife and I started reefing back in the 90's, got out to have other hobbys, then started bsck up five years ago. The excitment was wonderful, seeing the new technologies in every category. We bought two new 93g cubes, a complete running 55g, mostly for just the live rock, fish etc.... a 29g and two 14g Biocubes. LED lighting for all the tanks. Then a new 125g that I'm planning as a in the wall tank in the living room, where I had a 75g reef in the 90's. I made the room in back of it, again as the fish room.

The 29g, 14g and the 55g are for quarantine tanks for corals and fish. Those three tanks will be in the fish room. The in the wall will be a mixed reef with several fish, soft coral and leathers. One of the 93g cubes will be a Clown Fish harem tank,....in the living room.

VERY,..excited about that !!!

We've bought many, many products to control all the tanks. I bought a hardly used and perfect condition large sump for the 125g.

Here's the problems. I've fallen into some real bad health issues the last 4 years. Heart attack, a bad infection called septic blood, that almost killed me twice. I have three other bad health problems. My engine builder for my 427 Shelby Cobra replica stole 10k in money and parts. On June 25th (my Birthday) I was rearended by a woman going 60 mph, and I was going 35 mph on our highway, her fault. It totaled my 2000 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab truck that I loved, with only 78,000 miles.

She does NOT have insurance !

I broke c5 and c6 disks in my neck several years ago and they hurt hear and there, time prr time. The accident has caused damage to the tendon' and ligaments from under my skull down to my middle back. According to my physical therapist, says mine is the worst she's seen in her 8 years of practice. I had a fall as a 2 year old so I have daily cronic headach pain with electrical like zaps 24/7.

Anyway, our insurance will cover the blue book price of my truck for another one, but isn't @hit for what my Dakota was. Book is only around 4k. It was in great condition too.

The 55g and the BioCubes have fish and a few corals, but I haven't changed the water in several months. I'm discusted to look at them. Their not dying yet, but I am. lol.....
I can't lift more than 15lbs because of my neck.

What can I/we do to get my mind back healthy again, to go on with our well loved hobby ?
The depression is terrible, and I'm on a lot of medications for all my organs after the septic blood, including depression. But, I can't even get up to mix new saltwater. Everytime I start to be active, I pay for it in pain, so then it's back to sitting or laying down.

I just can't give up the fish and coral life (we love it), at least not yet, but what do we do ?

 

[Krzydmnd]

My first thought is to research any potential for local reef clubs, or even a reefer on this site who might be local and willing to give you some time to help get your tanks back in manageable condition.

If I lived close enough I'd offer a few Saturday afternoons to help you out!

Once you get the tanks back to somewhat normal conditions it might not be as hard mentally or physically for you to keep that up.

Best of luck!

 

[Flippers4pups]

I just woke up from my nap and came across your post. You my friend have had a string of very unfortunate events. Don't know if your a faith based man, but I will pray for you nevertheless.

As many of my friends and colleagues here on reef2reef can speak for me, I've been through some tuff times lately.

I'm recovering right now from having a ICD implanted in my chest. After talking with my cardiologist today, I need my unit turned down, it's too high and is giving me pain in my left arm at night keeping me from sleeping well at night.

Anyway, I'm aware that at some point, ether sooner or later, I'll have to make a decision on my hobby. As of right now, I can manage doing maintenance on my system. But who knows what the future will bring. God only knows.

Everyone here knows I'm a deeply faith orientated man.

With so much on your plate, I could easily see down sizing what you have. Possibly friends and family could pitch in to help do maintenance on one system.

Everyday I thank God for another day and for what I have. Prayer never hurt anyone. Think about it.

 

[ReefersDelite]

That's a very tough situation my man. I understand looking at sometime that's disgusting. My Tank was like that for a while and i was able to redo it and I'm so happy. Unfortunately, that doesn't really sound like an option so the next best is to possible do like said above and see if there are any local clubs or groups near you and if not try a Local Fish Store (LFS) and they may be able to help you with the maintenance that's needed to get it back together. and Like said above, ill keep you in MY prayers as well. I sure wish there was something I could do to help.

 

[Davy Jones]

Couple of good ideas above so I'll just add a bit on there.

I think an auto waterchange setup would help you tremendously

Maybe hire a maintence company to get your tanks right and help get the AWC setup and then take it from there?

 

[Katrina71]

I agree with contacting a reef club. Things get overwhelming sometimes. Maybe scale back to one tank? I would come change your water and scrub for ya if you lived closer. Everybody needs a little help now and then. Please don't give up.

 

[Greybeard]

Yes on contacting local reef club, if there is one... to see if they can help get stuff back where it needs to be. That's what local reefing groups are there for!

Yes, also, on downsizing, or consolidating, anyway. Maintaining multiples increases maintenance dramatically. I might plan that new 125 you spoke of, and plan to eliminate the other tanks. Perhaps maintain a single quarantine tank, if you feel that is necessary.

Reviewing current technologies and trends on low maintenance reefkeeping seems in order. BRS's Low Maintenance series might give you some ideas. Automatic water changes seem to be all the rage (I'm looking into it myself). Moving to a system of reefkeeping that reduces reliance on water changes (Triton, for instance) might also be something to look into. Shooting for a more low maintenance type of reef (softies, rather than SPS) is probably worth a look, too... but it sounds like you're already on that path. Kalk ATO or automated 2 part and an Auto Water Change System, coupled with fish, coral and invert selection intended to be low maintenance. I must say, properly used, a good aquarium controller can help dramatically on maintenance tasks, as well.

 

[mcarroll]

Low bio-load = low maintenance

(mostly that means fish)

I barely touched my system over the last 5 years but it's doing well.

Refilling the ATO and cleaning the skimmer are my only real tasks...and the ATO fill-up could be automated.

You can do it too!!

 

[427HISS]

Like others here, I'm into God and the Lord which helps a great deal !
For instance, with my headache' and the zaps in my head I have had a scale from 1 to 10 since a child to tell my parents snd doctors what amount of pain I'm in at any hour. When I get to a 6 I can take my meds, have a hot shower then lay down in a dark quiot room. If it's getting any higher, we know the worst is coming and there's nothing we can do. Usually I have about 30 minutes to get home if I'm out, or stop if I'm driving and call someone. This time it hit me fast and hard from a 4 to 9. I passed out from the pain and woke up laying down on my bench seat, and notice the windshiels was shattered, and prayed I didn't hurt anyone. A friend following me home saw the whole thing. I went through a home's front deck, breesway and into the living room. After my friend dove through the passenger door to hold my ears because of the sirens that were coming, I passed out for the next 5 hrs.

Here's the great part. Even at 5:30 pm, none of the 5 family members were home !
All I had was a cracked right hip from the force of the seat lap belt. I somhow slipped out of the shoulder belt !
The third thing was a 8ft length of 6" pvc pipe, came through the windshield at where my head should have been, and a 2 x 4 x 8 was right at my torso. If I had stayed in the normal upright postion with the shoulder harness across my chest, I'd would have died. Nobody,.....can say that the Lord was not with all 6 of us, plus any animals, pets, birds or people walking down the sidewalk, wasen't given a Miracle !

My truck was holding up the 2nd story of the house, so they left me inside my truck for two hrs, until a construction engineer shored it up enough to be safe. My bro in law went passed the house and midnight and my truck was still in their living room.
The truck was of couse totaled. The front from the firewal, to the bumper was bent up 3.5 ft.and twisted clockwise about 12". From the transmission back was down about 2'. The bed was twisted counter clockwise about 2'. The engine broke away from the bellhousing ! Lol.......Never seen that before !. Lol

There was $50,000 dollars of damage to their older 1940's house. The owners laughed saying, it needed a remodel anyway ! Lol !
Again, beleive in the Lord or at least God people, and beleive in MIRACLE'S, I'm living proof !!!

I will contact some local reefing stores and any clubs to ask help. I'll swallow my pride to do so, because I can to give up this wonderful and very rewarding way of life. I'm now building a new engine for my 427 Cobra with a stout 428FE engine. 575-600 HP in a 2400 lb car. Lol...

I'll take some pics of my project later. Gotta get to fix'in some grub.

Thanks guy's, I really appreciate your help and prayers and mine to you as well !
Kevin