Well Guys, I quit...

[AquAsylum]

(sort of :D )

I am tired of losing inverts when I can't for the life of me figure out why. Of the corals we've tried, the leather I got from Scott is the only thing still going, along with a tiny patch of xenia. That was pretty cool, actually- the xenia dwindled down to almost nothing, and after I moved it toward the bottom of the tank, it immediately started sprouting new guys. Hopefully it will flourish. We've lost- mushrooms (two attempts), ricordia, star polyps (which are supposed to take over), and Jim's thumb.

I've tried 3 anemones, and they just don't make it. Can't keep shrimp either. Right now I have 2 fighting conchs and 4 turbo snails, and they seem okay.

Our parameters have truly stabilized and I am cautious with feeding. Lights are on 11-12 hours per day. I just don't know what the deal is!

So, I QUIT trying to add corals when they aren't going to make it. After our hyposalinity treatment is done (and all fish are doing great, by the way), we're going to go FOWLR for awhile, with the surviving exceptions already mentioned. Hopefully after the tank matures I can start adding the beginner species again, with better luck.

I'd love to talk to everyone Sunday for theories on what hasn't clicked.

[myakkareef]

Laura, I understand your pain, and I also understand your plan...Goig FOWLR and what corals you have is not a bad plan. Actually I started with only fish for the first 2 years of my SW hobby. You will still get frustrated with fish only because you will still have algae to deal with, fish death. Get your tank running for a year or more then try to add some simple shrooms and corals again.
Also even though I have been in the hobby for know close to 10 years there are still simple items I can not keep, why??? I do not know, one of them are Zoas. For some reason they will not thrive in my tank, could be fish related but I can not ever catch any fish eating them. Another is Frogspawn, I have tried several and they all dwidle, again some claim fish related. But I have other LPS (a Big Beutiful Pesky Torch, bubble coral) that do thrive and have never seen fish eat them. Now that I have upgraded my lighting and am trying some SPS and things are even more frustrating, probally because I have so many leathers and LPS but not sure and not enough knowledge. I know I have said it before but the key to success in this hobby is time and patience, people hate to believe it but it is true. Yes you can build a beutifull reef tank and stock it with cool stuff but untill the system becomes a true "eco system" of it's own things will not survive long term....Also in alot of cases "Less is More", you noticed I was giving away alot of old additives, test kits, potions at my last meeting. For the last 4 or more years I have only tested my Specific Gravity, PH and thats it.. I have only added Salt, Kalk (for calcium and stabile PH), charcoal in a filter bag to (clarify water)and food...I can tell when something is not right in my tank just by the appearence of the water and inhabitants.
I think all the succesfull people in this hobby will tell you it took them time, not months but years...But after time things got better, and i am sure they will for you as long as you kick back, and let your tank mature...Hope you still come to the meetings to hang with us.

[multi striped 12]

I know what you are going through...I could even quote former President
Clinton and say " I feel your pain"...come over sunday and you can come up with a long term stategic plan to map out you future tank inhabitants..

Sorry that sounds to much like I know what I'm doing. The senior water box keepers will help you out....

As Scott says be patient ..

[jerrymlr1]

I almost quit altogether a short while back. Now I'm back full force. Dumped another few thousand into this hobby and now I feel a lot better! :)
Jerry

[wahwoo]

Glad to hear that all the fish are doing well. Keep up the good work!

I think a lot depends on the source of your corals, as much and even more than your tank quality. Ive had corals in the past that would not quit, even when my water was poor and I didnt know better. Now, with my best water quality yet, I am getting mixed results.

I attribute that to the health of the live stock I purchased and also to the lighting that they were kept under. If a coral is stressed all the way to the store then you buy it and it fails, thats not your tanks fault. Also if a coral is kept under 400-1000w MH and then the LFS has poor lights then we put them under a middle of the road light, that all causes stress and poor adjustment. Same in reverse with the lights - poor then we blast them with high intensity.

Generally, the LFS here have very high prices on very weak and stressed samples of coral. Try going to Tampas Ichthythings or try an online order.

Then theres Coral Conection that can grow anything under 110w PC. Go figure. They buy healthy coral to begin with and keep very good water quality. I think thats how.

[wahwoo]

Edit: I forgot to menion Agu at the top of the list for growing anything under PC .... and in nano tanks!!! Those are impressive.

[floridareefs]

its not hard growing under pc's.

[Bugs825]

Hey Laura,

I had the same problems when I first started. But, I was blessed with a very small budget for the tank and was forced to slow down. Now I add things slowly and things are growing wild. Take a break for a while. There were times that I forgot about my tank for weeks (due to frustration). When I cooled off and checked on it after the time, it looked better than ever.

keep cool,

Nathan

[sandman12]

agree^^^

[guntercb]

Laura,

What is your Ca and Alk levels? How often do you do wanter changes? What type of salt do you use? Do you dose anything?

Cheers,
Chris