Snake's 75g build thread

snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Like i said, im going to back off for a little while. Let things settle in. Do some water changes and just watch things. I know that i should be patient. I know things will pass. I am just frustrated at the moment. I keep telling myself to "just keep swimming." Its just frustrating to see my tank in such a poor state. I keep wanting to mess with it and tweak it like you tell me not to.
I believe you when you say that i can have an sps tank with my current equipment. Im just frustrated that i have yet to have any good success. It will come. I just have to regroup and do some basic maintenance and be happy with what i have.
I hate that my torch coral is doing poorly. Too much light i guess.
 
tthemadd1

tthemadd1

Active Member
When you look at the amount of effort out into our tanks and the sliver of the "safe zone" or "perfect microenvironment". You have to wonder how did the ocean get so damn cool. There are so many tiny things that could have steered everything in a different direction.
Not into religion but you have to sit back and be amazed by the perfection
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Thanks.
What you said reminds me of a walt whitman poem: the learn'd astronomer
When I heard the learn’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I, sitting, heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable, I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out, I wander’d off by myself,
Into the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.
 
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siptang

Guest
I had to go through mini cycle as well Lois.
Seth - don't be discouraged. I don't think it's calrx's fault. It may be combination of new lights, heavy feeding(?) and less maintenance (less frequent wc?).
You need to work on that temperature though. I didn't have too much luck with my temp around that high when I had metal halides. I know certain part of ocean is that temperature so on so forth but in my personal experience and talking to everyone that is considered as guru in this hobby, (tony vargas, martin moe, julian sprung to name few) it does much better under or around 80 and they set their tanks anywhere around 76 to 78. Little bit slower growth with colder water but less irritable and less acceptable to parasites. Put a fan in the canopy. You will be surprised if you haven't already.
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
Seth. I think you will be happy with the results of "Just keep swimming". Let things settle down and let the tank go through the stages, and keep up on your maintenance. Set a WC schedule and keep to it. After the summer, I would bet that the tank is in pretty decent shape.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I can no longer keep a saltwater tank going. I have to start paying $125 a week for child daycare, that I don't have at the moment to really spend. So, my "fun money" has been cut in half, if not more and most of that money already went to other obligations, other then the tank.
Tomorrow I'm turning in my critters and selling some live rock. I'll be storing the sand in a pillowcase and depending on how much time I get, emptying out the tank.
I have some freshwater stuff laying around and I will be converting this tank to a freshwater planted tank with a louisiana biotope theme (essentially, getting my fish and plants from the bayou for free.) I'll be using that fancy led light on the tank afterall. I think freshwater is the way to go for me right now at this point in my life while I am still in school and on such a tight budget.
 
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eric b 125

Guest
Bummer bro. I hate to say it but it seems like this is a good idea for now. A hobby is not a hobby if it causes pressures like the ones you seem to be feeling.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I just need a break from the hobby. I still really enjoy the hobby and will stay in the hobby, but only in theory, not in practice. Once I graduate college and start a decent job and cut expenses, I'll set another tank up. I'm only a year and a half away from graduating, and it's something to really look forward to in the future. Right now it just seems like I can't get anything right and I am frustrated beyond belief and just don't feel like dealing with it,.. besides not having a steady money supply that our tanks require.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
dang it. My wife wants to keep it. She doesn't understand why I want to get rid of it. I'm frustrated. First, I can't get the tank on track like I want it. I have temperature problems and my corals are all pissed off at me and I can't get anything to grow or do right. Now that I made a decision to take it down officially, my wife doesn't want me to get rid of it until I've given it a final "real" try at least. She said once I get back from MACNA I'll want a salt tank again and then I spent all that money converting it to freshwater...
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Hah. She is. But im just sick of it right now.
I got a 40g tank and im collecting water now. Should be able to get enough to do a water change by sunday. Im going to deep clean and add extra sand to the tank. Sump is getting a thorough cleaning with a powerhead. Im taking all the equipment off the tank that is not necessary. No reactors. Im also adding teo additional powerheads to the tank and try to start changing thr filters out every week instead of month.
 
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eric b 125

Guest
I think that simplifying the system is a step in the right direction. I mean, I can't imagine your calcium demand is high enough to warrant a reactor right now. Keep in mind, though, that you're making more big changes to the tank. Adding new sand and cleaning out the sump are two messy objectives.
If it were me, I would get rid of everything I didn't ultimately want in the tank as far as livestock goes. Do that and right off the bat you have less to worry about and less to disturb down the road when you start adding more and more sps. I would take this time to get everything cleaned up real nice and get the aquascape the way I want it (because moving rocks around sps colonies is not my favorite thing to do). Essentially you would be starting over with a bare-bones system. Also, I would let it settle, not adding any corals until MACNA.
At least, that's how I'm handling my rebuild. I'm using a frag swap at the beginning of the year as my coral-ready deadline. That way I've given my tank plenty of time to get stabilized and it provides me with enough time to make purchases and put $ aside for the swaps without really feeling too much of an impact on my wallet.
 
S

siptang

Guest
Simple things are the best!!
I used to try this, try that and everything and im just happy with reduced clutter and simplified equipment and chemicals.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
My ac is broken. The coils are frozen over. I guess its a gas leak. No wonder my bill is so high. I feel like i should hire an actual company to fix it this time. I am so tired of sweating my butt off over the weekend after i have worked outside all week.
Due to the broken a/c and a faulty heater, my tank got up to 89*f before i pulled the faulty heater. Now it is down to 87.2*f. Still high but i do want it to come down gradually. Hopefully the ac guy will come this evening.
I added a small powerhead to the sump to add extra flow. Maybe that will help gas exchange and evap.
 
tthemadd1

tthemadd1

Active Member
Frozen AC. Did you check the filter? Had that happen a few years ago. Realized no one had hanged the filter in a looonnngggg time.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I keep my filters changed out every two weeks. Definitely not a filter issue.
I just bought a couple fans. 6" clip on fans. That should help, right?
 
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