do you like your tank?

[Anonymous]

i noticed something about myself and my aquarium today.
while looking over hair algae threads and the attitudes presented within i came to a realization new to me....
my tank never is in the condition that i think it should be in, and i often look back to a specific peak in it's appearance and try to regain this former state.
i seldom reach my goal and on the off chance that i do, soon afterwards something happens (as in going on vacation, skimmer problem, overheating event, etc.). this then starts a bloom or something and i start the recovery again.

my tank is not in a steady decline.. it just is rarely in top form.

i think maybe this is something aquarists can deal with that many people cannot.
i know of several people that are so anal that this alone would send them into panic attacks and would ruin the hobby for them... but then again, maybe i am in the minority this way... maybe most reefkeepers think their tanks are in top form most of the time.

 

[Anonymous]

My tank truly sucks right now. It has a bunch of cool SPS frags, but also a lot of nuisance algae. They grow, but not very fast. M. digitata loves it but Acro spp. are slow growing. I've gone and stocked way too many fish for the system, and my Ca/Alk addition is sporadic at best.

Future plans are to remove a couple fish and add a Ca reactor. Should take care of these problems.

 

[Anonymous]

My tank is in good health, but I don't like how large the monti caps have gotten. They got so large that they shaded things underneath them and that shaded area of the tank doesn't looks so great.

My coraline algea growth isn't what it used to be. That something I need to work on.

Last year I did bi-monthly WC's for the whole year. This year I am going back to monthly and I'll note any differences in the tank.

But overall, I'd say it's in pretty good shape.

Louey

 

[fishfanatic2]

Hair algae. Hair algae, hair algae, and more dam hair algae. I dont trim corals, I mow the lawn.

I need a few more snails, maybe some media in there, possibly a lettuce nudi if i need, and maybe eventually a refugium. However my first goal is to rid myself of the devil's grass.

 

[Anonymous]

My alter-ego won't let me have my own tank. :wink:
Not enough room for the size I want.
His is ok but kinda small but he won't let me near it to muddle it up. :?

mario

 

[Anonymous]

I think you have to look at it this way

My tank is almost exactly what I want it to be now.

Its not perfect, and I don't think it ever will be, but looking at it makes me happy.

 

[Anonymous]

I have scaled down my tanks in number and size. I enjoy my 29g more now that I have time to concentrate on it as my only real reef tank. It is in pretty good shape, but they can always be better.

 

[Anonymous]

I am getting there. The transition from my bigger tank took longer than expected so I am starting with hair algae problems. I like the setup of my tank.

 

[melas]

i'd say my tanks are looking better now than they ever have. over the last year i have really just got a handle on the relationship between calcium, pH, and alkalinity. i dealt with the nuisance hair algaes when i first set up my big reef as it was cycling through the initial development of the nitrogen cycle. i've been a "good boy" with my water changes (small weekly changes-my wife loves the tank and yells at me if i don't keep up with it. . . if that isn't motivation i don't know what is! **rubs back of head**) and the addition of my buffer system and it shows. i haven't had any algae problems in my tank for the past 3 years except for recent cyano when i first installed my new halide system with cheap bulbs (that's all better now : ) ). I have very low fish stocking densities in my reef (1 fish/20 gallons).
I do know what you guys mean though about having little things always happening. Last year my tank crashed when I was on vacation for a week. One of my friends was watching my tank with very careful instructions when my main pump died. He was unaware of it and i lost much of my coral livestock. that happened just as my tank was really picking up from my new-found knowledge of calcium/pH/alkalinity. geesh! here are some pictures of my reef tank. its still coming along after losing 75% of my corals last summer. these pictures were taken as the cyano bloom from my new halides was dwindling.

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=65173&highlight=

 

[Anonymous]

I'd have to say that my tank is in good shape, and has been for a few years. It's very stable...pretty much the same corals and fish for as long as I can remember.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

I look into my 30 cube and notice all the things I need to fix. SPS growing so fast that the tips are now out of the water. Major issues with flow direction - I have a dead spot that I absolutely cannot seem to fix, and there's constantly a bit of cyano there. I need a surface skimmer...the list goes on. Overall, the tank looks good, but I see all it's faults. Now...my 2.5 on the other hand is great. So much easier to maintain!

 

[melas]

one nice thing is you can always invite someone over to look at your tank that knows nothing about reefkeeping. they are sure to be amazed and will make you feel better. . . if only for a moment. : ) i guess its just like being an artist though. we're always so critical of our own work.

 

[Anonymous]

All my tanks are "okay" now, the big 72 is coming along, the nano fir the build off is planned ready for execution (and payday) but my 29 FW planted Krib fry grow out tank needs some serious work.

Actually, the "unfinished" feeling that Pod talked about is one of my favorite aspects of the hobby, there is always something to change or improve.

 

[Anonymous]

my tank sux right now- its a slow climb back up to its former glory- if I ever see my ex again...well lets just say you'll be hereing about it on the news...

 

[Anonymous]

Tracy, how 'bout some new pics of your 72?

 

[Anonymous]

Tracy, how 'bout some new pics of your 72?

When I get home tonight I'll take some Chrispy.

 

[Anonymous]

Thankee, dear. Me loves da piccies!!

 

[Anonymous]

Thankee, dear. Me loves da piccies!!

(curtsy) an' be welcome Sai.

The only bump in the road with that tank has been a nasty Cyano outbreak that wound down about two weeks ago. I could not figure it out, until I remembered there is a huge sponge in the Sump between the Skimmer compartment and the pump side to help keep any micro bubblesdown

. I hadn't cleaned it since the darn thing was set up and it was caked w/crap.

 

[Anonymous]

All my tanks are "okay" now, the big 72 is coming along, the nano fir the build off is planned ready for execution (and payday) but my 29 FW planted Krib fry grow out tank needs some serious work.

Actually, the "unfinished" feeling that Pod talked about is one of my favorite aspects of the hobby, there is always something to change or improve.

myself, I'm waiting on a hydor water directional unit for my nano- damned Marine Depot didnt bother telling me it was back-ordered, waited 7 working days for it to arrive before I called them- bastiges. Thats one more place that wont be getting my money again.

 

[Anonymous]

I love to look at my 29! I love the aquascaping, I love whats in there, but I need more circulation. I have a dead spot smack in the middle of the tank 8O I always wish there were more inhabitants and I really would like to have more coralline algea growing too.