Since it's so quite and I'm still gasing Nitrogen form vacation I'll put my boring two cents in. Here is an update from my mass extinction a year or so ago.
Biggest thing I learned (it only took me 10yrs): stop playing with the chemistry. I tinker therefore I kill. Now I just run the basics and every one is happy.
What I lost: ohh about $2K in corals...yes my wife was very happy with me.
Now my little fish tank is humming right along:
4 different colored zoos, 12" cup coral (one survivor), 12" Durian (2nd survivor), zombied green acro (3rd survivor), Hawkins acro, blue tip acro, pink tip acro, blastomussa (frag), pink birds nest (frag), hairy mushrooms, tonga blue mushrooms, Red mushrooms, nice big gomezi acro, frog spawn, torch, pink devils hand, Pink club finger acro, Sinularia (flex.), orange monopora, maxium clam, scosa tang, coral beauty, clowns, b/g chromis and a few peppermint shrimp"¦and some very sad looking carnations that I and fruitlessly playing with.
I am happy to say all my water specs are at optimum tank specs. Now if I can just keep from playing with chemistry.