tom obrecht
Active member
Holy quadruple post Batman!! Sorry about that!!
New Tank
- Thread starter tom obrecht
- Start date
huskerreef
New member
Its a sad day for the hobby
huskerreef
New member
Tom has alway been an outstanding ambassador to the hobby, alway willing to help other hobbyists and share his experiences with his marine hobbyist fraternity. It is a shame that he had to endure so many pitfalls, most of wich were caused by the lack of integrity from vendors that make a good living off this hobby, from water purification vendors to skimmer manufacturers. This hobby is challenging and at times patience trying. From seeing Toms past TOTM in person and his attention to detail and providing his animals with the highest degree of care I know the frustration he must feel watching things in his tank suffer. Its a black eye on this hobby when a great reefkeeper like Tom reaches his wits end and walks away. Shame on those that dropped the ball...and we know who you are.
tom obrecht
Active member
Very kind words Jim...thanks! I think the real enjoyment was not so much of the inhabitants of the tank but rather the comradery of fellow reefers. My best friends have come from this hobby and even though I am leaving for now the friendships continue so I feel no loss at all.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Perhaps taking it in a different direction is an option until you get your nerve back (I too have gone through the burnout over the years)? Something easier for a while to allow you to enjoy having the tank. You could take out all the saltwater stuff and do a massive amano freshwater planted tank... you have all the right components for it. If you returned the skimmers, took out the rock and sand... shut off some of the flow pumps... you could keep the halides up top (maybe not need as many or go with a more 'day' spectrum though). Several components from reefkeeping are directly useful for such tanks... the lights, the flow, the CO2 regulator/system (directly injecting CO2 into the water rather than through a calcium reactor), as well as the R/O unit and pH probes. I dont know if its your thing, but they can be made VERY striking, and it would lower expenses ALOT.
http://www.hemmy.net/2007/08/06/aquarium-art-by-takashi-amano/
You could also keep the rock/sand, and do an african lake tanganyika setup (you would have to clean the rocks/dry them but african cichlids prefer hard water, and mequon well water is ideal for them (I had 2000-3000g of tanks in my mother's basement in Mequon at one time because every tanganyikan I had would breed ASAP on the hard wall water up there). I used to import direct from Africa for wild breeder stock... still have a couple friends who import still and I could hook you up with. The reason I mention it is because there is a Lake Tanganyika version of the Anthias genus... they are called featherfins. When I look at Anthias, I keep thinking about them actually because how similar they are. Benthachromis tricoti is the 'king':
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2083
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1963
Thats a species I used to breed... a 'sand sifter' much like a goby.
But I think you will find most species of Cyathopharynx/Opthalmotilapia to be very similar to Anthias:
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=8
The 'rift lakes' are often described as the freshwater equal to reefs... the water is crystal clear, and it may not be 'salty', but its full of salts like calcium. The fish are the most stunning of all freshwater species. The only problem is getting your hands on many of the better species isn't something you can do at the local store. You have to find the breeders/importers... which, as it turns out, Milwaukee/Chicago have the largest concentration in the nation, and you can easily buy babies for a fraction of the cost of saltwater. The fish are as diverse as in a reef... there are 'shell dwellers', 'goby cichlids', 'rock dwellers', etc. They are all cichlids (freshwater relatives of damsels it turns out), but they have diversified to replicate many reef type fish. The tropheus are like saltwater tangs... right down to their shape, behavior, and color. The frontosas are much like saltwater Angelfish. The Synodontis catfish from that lake are even a blast to watch (and their breeding is very interesting... they are 'bandit breeders' that use cichlids to host their babies)
I hope someday to set up a tanganyikan tank or two again. The tank overall may not have the diversity or concentration of life that a reef has, but the fish... oh, the fish. The behaviors and brainpower that those fish have is amazing. No saltwater fish I have kept can match them. They interact/communicate, etc... even between species often times. They have social structures and 'personalities'. Most saltwater fish, having so much more space available, never develop such interactions... its either eat or run away when not doing a breeding ritual. The only fish that come close are the damsels, pseudochromis (which the african neolamprologins are a near match), and jawfish in saltwater.
Just an idea for something to check out. I dont know if its more of an 'all or nothing' issue for you, but even without a reef, you might find something else in the meantime to provide enjoyment w/o aggrivation until the day comes when you want to give it a go again. Or, keep the reef as it is, and just drop the temps to 70 and raise/breed cuttlefish. I hope to someday have a cuttle tank myself... those things are just so complex and amazing.
Im just thinking that taking that beast apart might be a chore that might be easier to just convert to a different type of tank until sometime in the future. That way you dont have to go through buying it all over again. In the meantime maybe hone your SPS skills on a smaller tank... like a 120 or something... not that I think your tank's demise was your own fault, but you know... you could figure out your own way to success and then apply it to something large.
Heck... you could keep sharks or something...
http://www.hemmy.net/2007/08/06/aquarium-art-by-takashi-amano/
You could also keep the rock/sand, and do an african lake tanganyika setup (you would have to clean the rocks/dry them but african cichlids prefer hard water, and mequon well water is ideal for them (I had 2000-3000g of tanks in my mother's basement in Mequon at one time because every tanganyikan I had would breed ASAP on the hard wall water up there). I used to import direct from Africa for wild breeder stock... still have a couple friends who import still and I could hook you up with. The reason I mention it is because there is a Lake Tanganyika version of the Anthias genus... they are called featherfins. When I look at Anthias, I keep thinking about them actually because how similar they are. Benthachromis tricoti is the 'king':
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2083
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1963
Thats a species I used to breed... a 'sand sifter' much like a goby.
But I think you will find most species of Cyathopharynx/Opthalmotilapia to be very similar to Anthias:
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=8
The 'rift lakes' are often described as the freshwater equal to reefs... the water is crystal clear, and it may not be 'salty', but its full of salts like calcium. The fish are the most stunning of all freshwater species. The only problem is getting your hands on many of the better species isn't something you can do at the local store. You have to find the breeders/importers... which, as it turns out, Milwaukee/Chicago have the largest concentration in the nation, and you can easily buy babies for a fraction of the cost of saltwater. The fish are as diverse as in a reef... there are 'shell dwellers', 'goby cichlids', 'rock dwellers', etc. They are all cichlids (freshwater relatives of damsels it turns out), but they have diversified to replicate many reef type fish. The tropheus are like saltwater tangs... right down to their shape, behavior, and color. The frontosas are much like saltwater Angelfish. The Synodontis catfish from that lake are even a blast to watch (and their breeding is very interesting... they are 'bandit breeders' that use cichlids to host their babies)
I hope someday to set up a tanganyikan tank or two again. The tank overall may not have the diversity or concentration of life that a reef has, but the fish... oh, the fish. The behaviors and brainpower that those fish have is amazing. No saltwater fish I have kept can match them. They interact/communicate, etc... even between species often times. They have social structures and 'personalities'. Most saltwater fish, having so much more space available, never develop such interactions... its either eat or run away when not doing a breeding ritual. The only fish that come close are the damsels, pseudochromis (which the african neolamprologins are a near match), and jawfish in saltwater.
Just an idea for something to check out. I dont know if its more of an 'all or nothing' issue for you, but even without a reef, you might find something else in the meantime to provide enjoyment w/o aggrivation until the day comes when you want to give it a go again. Or, keep the reef as it is, and just drop the temps to 70 and raise/breed cuttlefish. I hope to someday have a cuttle tank myself... those things are just so complex and amazing.
Im just thinking that taking that beast apart might be a chore that might be easier to just convert to a different type of tank until sometime in the future. That way you dont have to go through buying it all over again. In the meantime maybe hone your SPS skills on a smaller tank... like a 120 or something... not that I think your tank's demise was your own fault, but you know... you could figure out your own way to success and then apply it to something large.
Heck... you could keep sharks or something...
tom obrecht
Active member
Thanks for the advice...however I'm looking more at this instead of another tank!
http://www.portyamaha.com/new_vehicle_color.asp?veh=87174&CatDesc=ATVs#detail
http://www.portyamaha.com/new_vehicle_color.asp?veh=87174&CatDesc=ATVs#detail
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Goin' all out country-boy there, aren't ya?
Tom,
If you're leaning toward the ATV hobby, check these out:
http://www.can-am.brp.com/en-CA/mod...fi/outlander-max-800r-efi-xt/key-features.htm
I have two of these and they're awesome!!
If you're leaning toward the ATV hobby, check these out:
http://www.can-am.brp.com/en-CA/mod...fi/outlander-max-800r-efi-xt/key-features.htm
I have two of these and they're awesome!!
tom obrecht
Active member
YYYEEEHHHAAAWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!:lol:
huskerreef
New member
I have a Kawasaki Brute Force 750....is there a ATV forum out there? 
It is OK to have both hobbies.
It is OK to have both hobbies.
tom obrecht
Active member
Well, the tank is being drained as I write this. The end of 15 years of blood, sweat and tears...oh, and let's not forget ALOT of money! I would just like to thank all of those who have followed this build and gave their advice and encouragement. As I have said in the past, my very best friends have come through this hobby and I will not loose that. Good bye.
Tom
Tom
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
Tom - Sorry to see you leave and happy to have met you while you were in Omaha and us South Dakota people came down
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
tom obrecht
Active member
I'll still be around here on the boards. Just not getting my hands wet so to speak.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Tears? Tears? THERE's NO CRYING IN REEFKEEPING! Oh, wait... thats baseball. Hey, if you had to break out the box of tissues over a hobby... then I would agree you made the right choice...lol. I mean, when things go that far... yeah... thats not worth it. You need to save those things for when your kids bring home their first loves... all covered in piercings and tats. Still, if you start choking up on tears when you are taking it down... it might be an indication you need to reconsider.
Tom, even though you are 'out', why dont you come up to the WRS christmas party? You aren't the only one who has been taking the tank down recently (prugs is moving due to work, so even 'el presidente' is taking things down)... Ryan's place up in West Bend is something you dont want to miss though. You have a nice basement, dont get me wrong (some real similarities between the two of yours with the pool table, fish tank, and bar placement)... but his is... well... insane (additional marcus theater attached with slurpie machine outside, air hockey, and an arcade among other things). Unless you think the wounds might still be too raw then...
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tom obrecht
Active member
For those non believers that know me well enough to have threatened to leave the hobby before and never did I thought I would post proof. It's official.
Before:
[/IMG]
After:
[/IMG]
And most of all the whole family is ok with the decision...even you know who.
[/IMG]
Before:
After:
And most of all the whole family is ok with the decision...even you know who.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Awww... too bad, that would have made an awesome amano tank...
I hope to see you back into the hobby someday Tom.
I hope to see you back into the hobby someday Tom.
tom obrecht
Active member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13686175#post13686175 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Volcano1
You got the door back in already.
:lol: Believe it or not it was probably back in before you got out of Milwaukee.
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