I don't have the nicest tank on here
- Thread starter Paul B
- Start date
tank stalker
Active Member
You know Paul I really respect your views about this hobby, when I first started I stressed about EVERYTHING but after reading a lot of your post not so much now I've had things die in my tank mainly to my carpet anemone 
but so goes the cycle of life. My tank is hands off for the most part with the exception of wc. Thank you for sharing your years of wisdom with the rest of us. Btw what branch if the service were you in?
something smells fishy
but so goes the cycle of life. My tank is hands off for the most part with the exception of wc. Thank you for sharing your years of wisdom with the rest of us. Btw what branch if the service were you in?something smells fishy
Paul B
Well-Known Member
Cracker, Thank you, my tank could also use some work. It can always use some work but because it is a hobby, today I will go boating. The gorgonian that fell down in my tank a few days ago will do just fine laying on the gravel and I will get to it when I get to it. As a hobby I can put as much or as little as I want to put into it and I can spend as much or as little as I want. It's my tank.
Tank Stalker. Yesterday a large tridnacna clam died in my tank. It was an expensive clam and I really liked it. I have kept some of them for many years where they grew huge. But the way I think about it is that , in a few hours I am going out to lunch on my boat to a seafood restaurant on the water and for appetizers I will order a dozen clams on the half shell. Of course they will be a lot cheaper than my tridacna clam and not as pretty but they are all just clams with the same rights as any other clam. I certainly didn't want to see my prized clam die, but better him than me. I don't know why it died as the corals are all doing just fine. I can't worry about these things as that would drive me nuts. If other things were dying I would have to take some sort of action because I am not complacent about my tank, I am just a realist. Sometimes things die. I can test all the parameters, change the water, offer up tea leaves to the moon etc. But that clam will still be dead. My Grand Children are fine. We need to put this into perspective.
I took this in Bora Bora. See those "rocks" in the water in the bottom picture? Those are tridacna clams. Here we call them expensive "Pets" in much of the South Pacific they think of then as Lunch
Tank Stalker. Yesterday a large tridnacna clam died in my tank. It was an expensive clam and I really liked it. I have kept some of them for many years where they grew huge. But the way I think about it is that , in a few hours I am going out to lunch on my boat to a seafood restaurant on the water and for appetizers I will order a dozen clams on the half shell. Of course they will be a lot cheaper than my tridacna clam and not as pretty but they are all just clams with the same rights as any other clam. I certainly didn't want to see my prized clam die, but better him than me. I don't know why it died as the corals are all doing just fine. I can't worry about these things as that would drive me nuts. If other things were dying I would have to take some sort of action because I am not complacent about my tank, I am just a realist. Sometimes things die. I can test all the parameters, change the water, offer up tea leaves to the moon etc. But that clam will still be dead. My Grand Children are fine. We need to put this into perspective.
I took this in Bora Bora. See those "rocks" in the water in the bottom picture? Those are tridacna clams. Here we call them expensive "Pets" in much of the South Pacific they think of then as Lunch
ChitownRomeo
Active Member
Sitting here going thru alot in life and crying and stressing as a man i felt weak. But after reading this post it has taught me to not care and just live life happy. I don't know you, never saw your tanks or anything, but I do thank you for this post. I really am glad I read it. I need to stop stressing about life and just enjoy it. Thank you!
Pat24601
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure what kind of problems you are facing, obviously, but this life stuff gets really hard for pretty much all us at one time or another. So, it's not just you.
I think @Paul B attitude is an important thing to remember in good times and bad. Easier to say than do, but a good thing to remember.
Paul B
Well-Known Member
ChitownRomeo. Also as a Man I have cried quite a few times, once in front of my Daughter when my wife was diagnosed with MS. We have all lost loved ones or seen them in intense pain. Some of us, especially the ones of us who served in combat may have lost friends in our arms. These things change us for life. But, they change us for the better as far as attitude is concerned. I am not a psychologist by any stretch of the imagination but I have seen quite a bit of suffering in my life and my theory about that is that if the worst thing that ever happened to you is that you had a splinter. Then the rest of your life is going to be very stressful because everything else you face will be much worse. But if you were say a doctor, watched the people jump from the World Trade Center, or you were in combat and saw many dead people, maybe even had to kill some yourself, then little things like seeing someone with a broken arm won't mean much. Not that I want to see anyone suffer. But it softens you for the rest of your experiences. Now if I see an unfortunate person who may have been hit by a train (something we see occasionally here in NY) it doesn't effect me as much because I have seen so much before.
I think my Dad was the first dead person I ever saw. I was 10 and that thought and feeling is still with me. But every funeral after that was not very bad and they got easier with each one. It's a part of life
SantaMonicaHelp
RS Sponsor
I don't know how your tank looks, and I don't care.. But I always enjoy reading your threads, they crack me up each time! You sir are the best. Respect!
~Sandra
~Sandra
spiraling
Well-Known Member
When I read the title of the thread I know there are some REALLY beautiful tanks on this forum, and mine wouldn't come close to winning an award against them. Although I should have tried for the reefcleaners 'ugliest tank' because I could have been a contender there. Did a little glass scraping today to feel better about it.
But I DO hove the NICEST tank. With cyano, and hair algae, and hitchhikers, and beautiful fish and corals, and noisy lights and skimmer. Its the best tank because it sits in my living room and I can look at it whenever I want. I love the symbiotic relationships of the gobi and shrimp, and of the clown and nem. I love watching it all and trying to be a good steward of these animals we keep in glass boxes.
While we all feel our tanks need a little work, I think we all take pride in what we have and its the love of the things we care for that keep us together. And a little grilled cheese never hurt either
But I DO hove the NICEST tank. With cyano, and hair algae, and hitchhikers, and beautiful fish and corals, and noisy lights and skimmer. Its the best tank because it sits in my living room and I can look at it whenever I want. I love the symbiotic relationships of the gobi and shrimp, and of the clown and nem. I love watching it all and trying to be a good steward of these animals we keep in glass boxes.
While we all feel our tanks need a little work, I think we all take pride in what we have and its the love of the things we care for that keep us together. And a little grilled cheese never hurt either
glad to hear you are feeling betterDesmond, I am cured and back to my Man status. Now, of course my wife caught it but we just went to the Dr. and she is also on antibiotics, (or Sissy Pills)
Greta was 3 yesterday. Here she is eating a grilled cheese on the beach with my wife
i will do some stress curing myself soon when i leave work and hit the marine store and then the shop for some beer self medicated lolWhen I read the title of the thread I know there are some REALLY beautiful tanks on this forum, and mine wouldn't come close to winning an award against them. Although I should have tried for the reefcleaners 'ugliest tank' because I could have been a contender there. Did a little glass scraping today to feel better about it.
But I DO hove the NICEST tank. With cyano, and hair algae, and hitchhikers, and beautiful fish and corals, and noisy lights and skimmer. Its the best tank because it sits in my living room and I can look at it whenever I want. I love the symbiotic relationships of the gobi and shrimp, and of the clown and nem. I love watching it all and trying to be a good steward of these animals we keep in glass boxes.
While we all feel our tanks need a little work, I think we all take pride in what we have and its the love of the things we care for that keep us together. And a little grilled cheese never hurt either
Don't worry about your tank not looking the best. Most tanks can be turned around. Someday, if I ever get around to starting a tank thread, I'm going to call it DaveK's Algae Farm.
Most of the time, people selecting a tank for Tank of the Month pict the most highly colored tank, and fail to consider what the reef keeper is trying to do and what is being kept in the tank. I try to, and it's why I refer to my vote as the DaveK Kiss of Death. Most of my selections don't win.
Paul B
Well-Known Member
This was a picture of my tank many years ago when it was going through one of it's algae cycles. Nothing but algae, but look at the corals, they were extreamly healthy as were the fish. Thats when I started to become friends with algae and realized it was also our friend. It just needs guidance.
