Need to be talked out of giving up

I have been through stages in time where I hate my reef. It sucks up time money and still looks like ****.
Then one day, out of nowhere, the mushrooms that had been just hanging out start to pop, or the RBTA that was quarter sized for a year suddenly doubles.
Lately my reef has been neglected while I build another tank, but last weekend it finally got more than just a WC, algae wipe and water test. That little bit of extra TLC had it looking really good last night. Not TOTM good, but better than usual. Hang in there and savor the small victories.
Remember too, that non-reefers don't see an ugly tank. They 'know' that reefs are 'hard to keep' and are amazed that you have such an awesome tank !
 
I can agree wwith everything that has been said in this thread. I've had a 30 cube which I pulled within the first couple months of having it all setup. My mistake was bad information with topping off with salt water. However I never gave up. I was irritated that things didn't go as plan. So I start over again. New salt water and help from other readers until I came across "stackemdeep" who helped me more then he will ever know. I worked on getting all my levels perfect. I would test what ever he wanted me to test and do what he suggested. I to don't have a TOTM, I'm not embarrassed by how my tank looks or try to compare it to other who have huge tanks. I do research and ask questions. If I don't get answers I ask again and again. I also try to find threads that on similar topics that I am dealing with at the time.

However my tank has
2 clowns
1 yellow wrasse

My corals don't grow fast like I see with other tanks but I still enjoy working on the tank. When I get something new for the tank I become all excited. I have went through periods where I didn't do proper maintenance or dosing for a few weeks. However who I opened my eyes again I realized that I need to stay on things. Even my water changes.

Now I test my big three before and after each water change, dose daily and test alkalinity ( kh ) daily. On top of that I record everything I do with aquarimate app.

I have enjoyed this hobby so much I've decide to upgrade from a 30 cube to a 125 which just came online last weekend.

The point of all this is don't give up even though you go through periods of giving up things can still turn around and you can get enjoyment out of the hobby.

And just to show you that there is no embarrassment for showing off a small tank regardless of how it looks here you go. My 30 cube. Also yesterday I noticed I to am having a battle with hair algae. So I researched what to do and started pulling as much as I could off the rocks.

Anyways there is light at the end of the tunnel. A lot of reefer go through the ups and down in this hobby but nothing is achieved without hard work and dedication to get there.

Good luck.
 

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I hope you hang in there. My tank is over 4 years old and I have gone through many ups and downs with it. One day it looks awesome and then slowly over a week or so I see an algae growing that was never there before. I bet even some of the best looking tank owners go through the same sort of ups and downs... we all do. All in all, I love sitting back and watching the tank to de-stress. I don't have the best looking tank and most likely never will but it's mine and I love it!
Jim
 
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