lemonpeel20
Member
i've been posting a lot more and wondering what the hell. i don't want to kill my livestock. i feel like all the LFS are out for my money and not the well being of my tank. i feel like dismantling my tank. :dummy:
dismayed & discouraged
- Thread starter lemonpeel20
- Start date
Dweezil
Well-Known Member
Most of them are. Don't get discouraged. The biggest weapon you can arm yourself with is knowledge. Ask questions when you are not sure about something.
Do LOTS of research. Buy books, google, RS etc etc. Don't give
lemonpeel20
Member
oh i have posts all over this forum with all the stuff... if you look at my tank thread, it's not very long, you can get a good idea of my issues. I feel like crying. sigh.
Corailline
Member
I have been at this a very long time and honestly some days I feel like throwing my tank out the nearest window it gets so frustrating. Tanks are like dominos at times once one thing falls sometimes it starts a cascade.
Most days though I look at my tank and think what a beautiful jewel, with the colors and life and I am proud of my accomplishments. It is a love hate relationship or me and that is probably why after several years I continue to enjoy it.
Hang in there and just keep reading and asking.
Most days though I look at my tank and think what a beautiful jewel, with the colors and life and I am proud of my accomplishments. It is a love hate relationship or me and that is probably why after several years I continue to enjoy it.
Hang in there and just keep reading and asking.
lemonpeel20
Member
:laughroll at your signature Corailline
I read a few of your threads, and picked up some info here and there. I think your parameters are out of whack and you might be adding livestock to fast, which is probably either causing your problem or making it worse. If you post what's going on now, and what you parameters are, you probaly will get some of the experts help. Telling people to go read another thread is asking them to do work to help you. Please don't take this as criticism, I know your dissapointed, dismayed, discouraged, disheartened, and probably a lot of other "dis" words, I'm just offering another point of view, and trying to help.
lemonpeel20
Member
steved, i'm not peeved. (i just thought that was necessary) in fact part of my discouragement, is that i don't think i'm doing the water changes right, but i'm looking for what i'm doing wrong and going to change things... anyway, thanks for "harsh truth" lol... i spend A LOT of time reading on here... and I am neither the first one with problems nor the one with the worse of them. so that's a plus! but take my rant as someone who was on a pity pot and venting to people who get it, or have made the same mistakes or just offer a sound piece of advice. i have since mourned and keep my threads more upbeat and informative.
(i just thought that was necessary) in fact part of my discouragement, is that i don't think i'm doing the water changes right, but i'm looking for what i'm doing wrong and going to change things... anyway, thanks for "harsh truth" lol... i spend A LOT of time reading on here... and I am neither the first one with problems nor the one with the worse of them. so that's a plus! but take my rant as someone who was on a pity pot and venting to people who get it, or have made the same mistakes or just offer a sound piece of advice. i have since mourned and keep my threads more upbeat and informative.
One encouraging thing... is you seldom ever see any flames on RS, only lots of nice members that want to try to help everyone have sucess !
Hang in there... when my tank has any problems... I start back looking at the basics... if that helps any
Hang in there... when my tank has any problems... I start back looking at the basics... if that helps any
steved, i'm not peeved.
I'm happy your not peeved.
I absolutely did not mean to be harsh. I saw the lol, so I'm thinking/hoping I did not offend. I sensed you were on the "pity pot", I was just offering a different point of view, because I would like to see you get the help you need.
This is a great place to get the help you need, I think if you put all the info and questions in one thread here, the help would be more on target, and forthcoming. For instance this is the first I'm reading that you're having trouble with water changes...either I missed it in the other threads or it's the first you're bringing it up. Hang in there, plenty of people here will help you sort it out.
Hang in there, im pretty sure we have all been there before. I do not share the same hatred from LFS as everyone else seems too, in fact i worked at one for a number of years and i can tell you what i think most people problem is. Keeping a reef is not an exact science, there are things that work for most people, but there are things that work for other people that shouldnt in most tanks, as an employee i always told people what i thought they should do, but most of the time people just have in there mind what THEY want to do and dont listen. My best advice is find someone, either here or at the store that you actually trust, do your own reserch but find someone that can walk you through little things that you have a problem with.
I cna tell you at my store, (which i am sure is different than most) We always went with a happy customer is a customer that comes back. We never tried to sell someone something that would be harmful for their tank, we wanted to get to know our customers. However, most customers did not tell us everything that was going on in their tank, so we had to make educated guesses.
Just be smart and the only thing that i have found to be an absolute in this hobby, is the slower you take things, the better they will become. That is a hard lesson that i still have trouble with, but hang in there, it is worth it.
I cna tell you at my store, (which i am sure is different than most) We always went with a happy customer is a customer that comes back. We never tried to sell someone something that would be harmful for their tank, we wanted to get to know our customers. However, most customers did not tell us everything that was going on in their tank, so we had to make educated guesses.
Just be smart and the only thing that i have found to be an absolute in this hobby, is the slower you take things, the better they will become. That is a hard lesson that i still have trouble with, but hang in there, it is worth it.
StirCrayzy
Well-Known Member
I also will say, its not worth giving up. The rewards are great if you are willing to do the work. This is not a hobby you can do halfheartedly, which is what brings the joy of accomplishment when you are succesful. I have spents 100's of Hours and gallons of sweat creating and maintaining these small ecosystems. And before i found RS and the combined wealth of knowledge shared in this community, i had lost many more fish/corals/Tanks, just trying to learn.
Personally, i had the most destructive tank crash in my experience last year. Parasites took out every fish in the tank 1 by 1 despite my exhaustive efforts and nearly every waking moment at home to try to prevent it from happening. My 9 year old clown pair which were the first SW fish i ever bought were the last to die.
that was tough to bounce back from, but after a year of quarantine with no Fish, im ready to start over because i KNOW the rewards of my labor.
Once you get by this setback, keep learning from what really is happening, and searching for solutions, and eventually, success will arrive.
Most everyone here you will run into, wish very much for your success, and so many are willing to put time into writing up articles / procedures/ info.
Oh... and dont be put off by folks telling you like it is and being blunt,.
Its best to cut the crap sometimes and get to the root of a situation for the good of all involved .
Take advantage !! try simple searches in the forums for what you need, or post a specific thread to a problem situation. (yes i have been following some of yours)
"Ideal water Parameters"
"Whats the best test Kit"
"Water Change procedure"
"Proper acclimation of ______"
"Treating _______ disease"
Your tank will thank you....if you are persistent and patient... trust me
Personally, i had the most destructive tank crash in my experience last year. Parasites took out every fish in the tank 1 by 1 despite my exhaustive efforts and nearly every waking moment at home to try to prevent it from happening. My 9 year old clown pair which were the first SW fish i ever bought were the last to die.
that was tough to bounce back from, but after a year of quarantine with no Fish, im ready to start over because i KNOW the rewards of my labor.
Once you get by this setback, keep learning from what really is happening, and searching for solutions, and eventually, success will arrive.
Most everyone here you will run into, wish very much for your success, and so many are willing to put time into writing up articles / procedures/ info.
Oh... and dont be put off by folks telling you like it is and being blunt,.
Its best to cut the crap sometimes and get to the root of a situation for the good of all involved .
Take advantage !! try simple searches in the forums for what you need, or post a specific thread to a problem situation. (yes i have been following some of yours)
"Ideal water Parameters"
"Whats the best test Kit"
"Water Change procedure"
"Proper acclimation of ______"
"Treating _______ disease"
Your tank will thank you....if you are persistent and patient... trust me
lemonpeel20
Member
thanks everyone 
Plus I think you have to look at nature too. Hurricanes, typhoons, pollution, random weather fluctuations take out HUGE swaths of reef. You have to remember that these aren't cats or dogs or people. Fish are pretty r selected and losses happen, hard as it is to see your beloved fish die. Not to ever excuse bad husbandry, but I think if we are careful, patient and expert, we really do provide these animals a better lot than nature does.
On the other hand, if you don't enjoy your maintenance routine, reading, etc, maybe you should pack it in. Work is for work. Reefkeeping is too much effort if you don't enjoy it.
On the other hand, if you don't enjoy your maintenance routine, reading, etc, maybe you should pack it in. Work is for work. Reefkeeping is too much effort if you don't enjoy it.
Oh, and just as an aside, I don't hate the LFS, but I don't go on their word either. You just can't let them push you around. If they don't have the fish you researched, don't let them suggest alternatives. Listen to their advice, GO HOME and do your own research, then buy the fish tomorrow if it is still a good idea. "No we don't have any BTA, but here's a lovely LTA." After going home and reading, I'm glad I held out for the right organism for my tank.