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#26
10/02/2007, 07:06 PM
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every time my wife yells at me... or I get the electric bill...
but I like watching my fishies swim... |
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#28
10/02/2007, 08:46 PM
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if you can minimize your chore down to water change and clean the glass then it doesn't take much to maintain a reef tank. But you have to dose 10 different thing everyday then it will wear you down. I try to automate everything that I can think off so I only have to change water,feed the fish and clean the glass that way I have more time to enjoy the tank. It only take me 20 min per week to maintain my tank....:-)
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Anthony I will trade my golf swing for your tyree frag. |
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#29
10/02/2007, 09:26 PM
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every 2 months when I get the electric bill. 14 hours of lighting, 10 of that halide, is that too much?
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A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them G.Washington |
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#30
10/02/2007, 10:46 PM
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Hey Dave!
Well, as you know, I recently had to sell my 150 as I just couldn't manage the time or energy to keep up 3 tanks. I think I'll be able to keep up with 2 tanks now, but even that is quite a lot of work. I also regret the fact that if I am gone for more than 2 days, I need someone to come over to top off and feed the fish. That is a pain, even though I don't travel a lot right now. I haven't found a reliable way of automating this...and no, I don't trust float valves! Anyway, the bottom line is that it will be your personal choice after weighing the pros and cons, in your own mind and I'm sure you'll end up making the right choice. You can always come back bigger and better at a later date, maybe when the kids are a bit older or when you have more time/resources, if you really miss it, so don't stress about it too much. As you know, it was heartbreaking for me to break down the 150, and it was certainly not a fun process, but now that everything is sold and the tank is gone I am confident that I made the right decision. It also didn't hurt that I took the money I got out of the tank and went out this weekend and bought a 50" plasma which made me feel better! Filled that empty void in my heart (and my living room)!   Take care buddy and let me know if I can help in any way. |
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#31
10/03/2007, 01:20 AM
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This is the main reason I got myself a 6 gallon nano. I thought about leaving the hobby, but I thought I might as well stay, and only own a small piece of the reef.
Auto topoff is a must. I left my tank for a week, and it was just fine. I make a 5 gallon batch of saltwater, and it last me 2+ weeks of water change. If I need to move, I just dump half the water and move it ina plastic crate.
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"If sometimes you feel little, useless, offended or depressed or get that loser feeling, always remember that you were once the fastest and most victorious sperm out of hundreds of millions..." |
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#32
10/03/2007, 11:29 AM
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Quote:
That was one of the toys I thought to get if I sold the tank... a nice TV. I NEED another vehicle in the next year, especially if we decide to try for a girl. I think if that happens I would get rid of everything except for the 24G Nano and use the $$ towards an SUV. You have already helped out Gisho. That blue tipped stag is already growing and will be one of the many pieces I would keep if I decided to downsize. Like that frag, most of my equipment and livestock is from other reefers either downsizing or getting out of the hobby. If I did sell everything it wouldnt be at a huge loss. I think the best plan of action (thanks to all of the input here) is to automate things a bit more and enjoy the hobby when I can. I have two really good tanks now. And the tank that just "crashed".... well the water cleared up and tests fine. The Halimedia is dead, or most of it, but I think the corals, my skimmer and all the aiptasia I have in there took care of the green algae. I dont have a mechanical filter on that tank, and the algae didnt settle on the sand, so that's the theory Im sticking with  Thanks again everyone for the input! SoCal RC'ers are a great bunch and Ive learned a lot from you all.
__________________
MASVC - V.P. F.R.A.G. Swap December 2008! |
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#33
10/03/2007, 11:34 AM
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Quote:
The thing I tell everyone is there WILL ALWAYS BE A DEAL. And have been a total hippocrate in this respect. SIGH!
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MASVC - V.P. F.R.A.G. Swap December 2008! |
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#34
10/03/2007, 04:57 PM
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The electric bill is the only reason I give thought to it, but it's an expensive hobby, there's just no way around that.
The two years I was without a tank, between house moves, I wanted a tank up badly, so I doubt I'd ever be without again. |
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#35
10/03/2007, 05:19 PM
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Travel (work or pleasure) is only reason I may give up this hobby. As long as wife can take care of the tank and keeps adding up more corals, I have no excuse leaving this hobby.
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#36
10/04/2007, 11:08 AM
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Alrighty... tore down my 26 gallon reef and spread the contents across my new NC24 and my 50 gallon. Feels really good to take that tank down actually. It was always a struggle getting the right amount of flow on a 36"X16"X9" tank.
I also added a Reefkeeper to the NanoCube. What a cool little device for controlling lights and temp. I should have purchased one 2 years ago.
__________________
MASVC - V.P. F.R.A.G. Swap December 2008! |
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#37
10/04/2007, 01:32 PM
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Hey Dave,
Beleive it or not, I think about getting rid of the 400 from time to time. But the Mermaid stays. I have decided though that only 1 400G tank would be enough and so am selling the other one. With that said though, it seems that with a bigger tank, it's a bit easier to take care of as it seems to stay more stable. As you know, since you know my system, I've tried to automate as much as I could and still keep it simple. Right now, about all I do is feed the fish and MANUALLY top off the 72 along with adding calicum and buffer with the top off water. Everything else is set up on timmers or works thru float valves and drip systems. It's been a pain lately with the 400 as the fish are bigger and want to tear down my rock work more often. I still do 50 % waterchanges about every other week. That's usually my biggest chore as I start at 6 am and don't finish until around noon. That includes the drive up and back to get water from UCSB. When the eletric bill comes in, I to shudder when opening it. But the look I get from my family when they come in to enjoy the tanks is priceless. The wife is usually understanding when I'm frustrated about the tanks and tries to encourage me. But she won't let me get rid of them as they are her "friends" too. I kept aquariums off and on for the last 35 years so I doubt if I'll ever completely leave the hobby. For the time period I didn't have a tank, it was because of me being in the Navy and traveling a lot. You know that you are more than welcome to stop by any time and pick my brain as to what I have done that seems to work. You know I have the shop to build most of it so I'll be here. See you at the next meeting.
__________________
Click the red house for my tank build thread. Have you THANKED a Veteran lately for the freedoms you take for granted each day? |
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#38
10/04/2007, 04:45 PM
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i thought about it many times, especially when something goes wrong, which really **** me off....sometimes i wonder why would i have a hobby that requires that much time and money and makes me upset ( sometimes). but then again, i can't imagine what my life would be like without it
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#39
10/04/2007, 07:21 PM
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Ray,
I see the effort you put in to your tanks and it always makes me feel silly complaining about my little tanks. The 50 gallon is nice and stable so far. I'm running it bare bottom with a 40 gallon breeder tank as a sump... full, and I mean FULL of live rock. When I took down the 26 gallon tank, I had problems finding space for the 20+ lbs from that tank. I thought a bit more about automation. Anyone have experience with dosing pumps? 
__________________
MASVC - V.P. F.R.A.G. Swap December 2008! |
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