What makes you clam up: Are there parts of the hobby that you don’t talk about?

[G Santana]

Only one...

 

[Bladezz]

Only the good stuff. That 20 gallon spill... Ain't telling nobody about that. lol

 

[nuxx]

Lots of spills, mostly with forgetting to turn off the RODI filling up my fresh water barrel for a few hours.

Mysterious deaths.

$$$$$

Hitchhikers.

QT time for fish and coral.

Fear of disease.

What is that on a fish???

Why is the drain making so much noise?

 

[marcus aurelius]

So I've never asked for help. I'm about to start my build thread. And now it's time for some help. "The struggle is real"

 

[DeniseAndy]

I do not put out my challenges too often, but am happy to share them when a question or a sympathetic story is needed. Being in reefs for almost 20 years, you learn a lot, but I only share my experiences. Happy to help where I can and sympathize as needed.

I do not share money topics with family or friends generally. Just this forum to share most things and other reef keepers. No one else really cares.

 

[MoshJosh]

I particularly care to talk about cost, failures, deaths, and not testing as often as I should. . . but I do sometimes. . . And I’m definitely willing to talk about that when the occasion arises

 

[Brian Berry]

What makes you clam up: Are there parts of the hobby that you don’t talk about?

Losing fish and corals, plumbing something wrong and then replumbing it wrong again, or maybe simply not knowing the name of a coral or fish – what are the things in the saltwater and reef hobby that you normally don’t talk about? This isn’t meant to be a thread to solve the reefing world’s problems, but rather to offer a (hopefully safe) place to share…or maybe you can share about what topics in the reef hobby that your ‘friend’ doesn’t want to talk about!

Photo by @Hiachi20

Losing fish because of a bully fish in a 26gal. nano. My fish have peace now and I can tell they are so much happier. Fish combination that I am sticking with in my tank. 2 clowns, 2 Atlantic Chalk Bass, 1 Neon Blue Goby. Note: I had a paired set of Neon Blue Goby. Still bummed about that one. Have a good one.

 

[StatelineReefer]

 

[LPS Bum]

The crazy amount of money that I spend on this hobby. At least with my wife. She still thinks Yellow Tangs are $19.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

How much money I'm spending

Oh yeah, this for sure…

New suit, mortgage payment , or new Radion GenXYZ30?

 

[Wayne P.]

When somebody gets out and gives me their critters, because they would have flushed them, and then one dies, yeah, I clam up.

 

[Greybeard]

The idea of a site like this is to learn from other's mistakes. If you don't post your mistakes... what's the point?

Misfortune, mistakes, bad decisions, judgement errors... Hey. It happens. Share the experience, you might just save someone else from making the same error.

Misery loves company

 

[RichReef]

I have no problem sharing my challenges and fails. No problems asking for advice or help but that has generally went away with experience.

What I don't like to share is how I do some things. Some of my opinions are not popular and quite frankly things people do not want to hear. Due to backlash about the way I approach some things I just stay quiet. But ....

1. The more coral you have the more success you have. The longer you wait to add the more problems you will have. Coral is the absolute best filter in your tank.

2. Over do electric supply for your tank. Just flat out over do it.

3. The less electronic equipment you have, the more long term success you will have.

4, It only takes a few minutes to cycle a tank.

Don't respond to these right now. I don't care. My tanks are banging.

 

[Julbra]

The time I actually spend on maintenance. When people ask I normally say “Oh it only takes me a couple of hours at the weekend and maybe an hour mid week”. In reality it varies a lot but with a QT on the go I probably spend over 8 hours at the weekend and at least another 4 hours through the week, feeding testing topping up everything, cleaning the glass, managing algae etc. I feel if I told them the truth they’d think I’m a freak

 

[Dburr1014]

What happened to this thread? Won't open.

 

[design.maddie]

I share everything. If something doesn't get shared it is because life got in the way of my build thread. I was thinking today that I should post an update because I have been getting my butt kicked by GFO/Carbon/AFR/GHA. I think I finally have it in check. I also have new fish. I have a tendency to loose a lot of my fish during the first 14 days so I wait 4-6 weeks before posting info about them.

 

[BaliReefBox]

everything costs $5 as far as the wife is concerned...

 

[Double monti 61]

If I posted everything I think I would be hated just like now! My 15 gallon tank very simple but it does well.

 

[cancun]

I share everything....the good,bad, and the ugly. I respect that each person does things there own way, just like I do. I learn from others, but I don't judge.

 

[shakacuz]

i don't talk about my losses! i have shamefully lost count of how many corals I've had die on me due to ego or negligence! also, i don't talk about how often i neglect my sump....my return is due for a massive cleaning and I've put it off so many times!!