Trying to get back into the hobby

ReeferBob

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I have, for the most part, been out of the hobby for the past around 5 years. I still have a 120 gallon tank which has 2 clown fish, a couple of peppermint shrimp and a snail or 2. I got the shrimp for Aiptasia control but still have those jerks in my sump. I haven't done a water change in over 5 years all I do is feed them and keep the ATO topped up (when I remember). The heater had been broken for most of that time as well and the water settled to around 68. I got a new heater maybe 6 months ago and water is now around 75. I wasn't even using the light up until a few months ago when I set it on a 4 hour a day schedule. Well with the water warmer and turning the light back on that has caused algae to grow and reminded me all over again why I got fed up with the hobby. I am giving it one last shot and will try to keep up with water changes. I am not hopeful but will give it the old college try and see what happens. Maybe I will just get some of that algae killer as I have given up on corals long, long ago.

So anyway today I emptied and cleaned the entire sump and all of the spawn of the devil Aiptasia and filled it with 25 fresh new gallons of saltwater. I threw out all of the rubble which did almost nothing but allow detritus to collect. Maybe 3 lbs of it not much.

We'll see how it goes wish me luck!
 

MnFish1

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I have, for the most part, been out of the hobby for the past around 5 years. I still have a 120 gallon tank which has 2 clown fish, a couple of peppermint shrimp and a snail or 2. I got the shrimp for Aiptasia control but still have those jerks in my sump. I haven't done a water change in over 5 years all I do is feed them and keep the ATO topped up (when I remember). The heater had been broken for most of that time as well and the water settled to around 68. I got a new heater maybe 6 months ago and water is now around 75. I wasn't even using the light up until a few months ago when I set it on a 4 hour a day schedule. Well with the water warmer and turning the light back on that has caused algae to grow and reminded me all over again why I got fed up with the hobby. I am giving it one last shot and will try to keep up with water changes. I am not hopeful but will give it the old college try and see what happens. Maybe I will just get some of that algae killer as I have given up on corals long, long ago.

So anyway today I emptied and cleaned the entire sump and all of the spawn of the devil Aiptasia and filled it with 25 fresh new gallons of saltwater. I threw out all of the rubble which did almost nothing but allow detritus to collect. Maybe 3 lbs of it not much.

We'll see how it goes wish me luck!
Good luck! - Might suggest that you check your pH, Alkalinity, Ca and PO4/Nitrate - since you haven't changed much water for years. You may also want to bleach your rocks to remove the algae, and then run some carbon (Since you don't want corals). Also - unfortunately - keeping a large tank takes work. Its not about 'luck' per se. The people that have the pristine tanks with no algae front or back, and clean rocks, etc - put a lot of work into those tanks. Plus - they also probably clean them before the photos:).
 
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ReeferBob

ReeferBob

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Thanks. I might try to resurrect my algae reactor. I hope to get in 4 20% water changes this week.
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

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