what keeps you going?

[Oilers]

Coralgurl,
I totally understand where you are coming from. After reading your post, I just remember I haven't cleaned out my skimmer for about 3 months now. Boy, it's full of c**p in there. I have been busy with kids, work and life that my tank has been neglected as well. But like others have said, when I sit down and watch the tank for a few minutes, it's a wonderful feeling that's hard to explain. It is something that keeps me going so I hope you would be able to continue on with this hobby. I think most of us go through this one time or another. You are not alone. There are reefers in Calgary that would be able to help you out with your tank to set it in the right path again. Good luck.
David

[Midway]

What keeps me going in this exciting hobby? Well I was so close to shut down when I did the stupidest thing in this hobby so far (hopefully last one ever). I took my 90 gals sump offline because I did build a refugium in there, not to make the history long, I ended up killing every single fish I had because of lack of oxygen in the tank. Because i had to wait for the silicone to cure over night, i completely forgot that one of the pumps that was stirring the surface got shutdown at night back then and there it was, no sump to bring oxygen to the DT through the skimmer and return pump.

Next day I almost drop to the floor when i went to check the tank and saw all my beloved fish dead. I went into a mild depression right after that and I thought I'm done with this hobby. My wife when into a shock when she found out what I'd done but I'm still in this hobby because of my very beloved wife that encouraged me to keep going and to be more careful from there on.

After that disaster, I've been going even stronger that before, almost weekly water changes, checking parms, dosing alk, mag and calc, because of that my tank is looking better than ever. Maybe that had to happen so I had to be more serious and discipline when taking care of our reef. Don't be discourage keep going you won't regret it.

[Coralgurl]

There's been so many of you that have had crashes and losses that just have me shaking my head at how you do it but it's great that you do and can share your stories. I did a large wc last night on the 55 (20 gls), hopefully that will help in addition to the 20 gls I did on the weekend. All I can do now is make more water and have it ready in case of emergency while we are gone.

I guess things have just been so busy I just haven't been able to spend the time fixing, testing etc. we've had a tank going for the last 6 years so it would be weird not to have anything. The family is great and help out when I threaten their lives. jk

Hopefully things will turn around soon. Thank you all again!

[Dez]

My tank is built into the wall of our living room so I know that no matter what it's a part of my house so I have to keep up the maintenance on it. It's 3.5 years old and I don't do too much to it. For the past couple of years it's just water changes every couple of weeks. I make sure to magnet the glass every few days so that the glass algae never "builds" up. It's worth it and doesn't have to take a lot of time. I have 2 young kids and other hobbies too, so life is always busy and the tank doesn't impede.

Downsizing to only one tank and making maintenance a breeze. Also taking a vacation away from Canreef helps.

[Leah]

Stupidity!

[kien]

Money.

[riceboy]

trust me i have been there multiple times in the last 2 years, weither its the dreaded marine velvet ( happened twice) and a total tank crash from not maintaining it (busy with work and never home), constant bickering from my mom that the tank looks bad and i'm wasting my money.....etc. I was pretty much ready to throw in the towel and wait until i moved out of my parents place to restart.

Well once construction season came to a hault and I wasn't in the field or doing 12 hrs a day, I had realized how relaxing this hobby could be just by staring at my tank with the fish swimming around and the couple of mushrooms and toadstool swaying back and forth from the wave. My stress would just melt away. After this realization I was hooked again, and viewed this as a new build with upgrading my existing equipment, and finally getting rid of my aiptasia problem and recycling my tank again. (i should of taken all the sand out at that time as i suffered a little crash from syphoning the sand later and having my po4 spike thats another story ). Now I can change the rock scape to what i want it to look like from other inspiring tanks, and i'm working on getting my tank to be as little maintenance as possible and having things automated so i can enjoy the relaxing and soothing aspect of the hobby.

[riceboy]

Originally Posted by kien

Money.

very good reason to. to much invested in all the equipment and fish to let it go to a waste lol, and people on this forum are great to talk to and give you guidance so hopefully you don't experience another crash again.

[kien]

Originally Posted by riceboy

very good reason to. to much invested in all the equipment and fish to let it go to a waste lol, and people on this forum are great to talk to and give you guidance so hopefully you don't experience another crash again.

that's one way of looking at it.. i was reading the question a little differently, like, how are you able to keep going in this hobby??? Well, without money you're hooped.. LOL.