Switch to Artificial Reef

[moneymm]

I am 2 years in, and lets face it, a failed hobbyist. I just lost the passion and drive.

my tank has not been presentable in the 2 years i have had it.

All different types of algae issues, and solving them is just not fun and not worth it.

I was wondering, if i remove the live rock, and get some artificial reef in the tank. what else do i need to keep to do?

im guess my lights gotta go, b/c they are for growing coral right and will produce alot of algae?

all the snails and crabs gotta go right?

 

[SFish]

Have you tried an ATS or GFO? Have you tried turning the lights off for a few days? Snails and crabs eat algae so I wouldn't get rid of them. Algae can grow on fake rock as well.

Hang in there

 

[albano]

Algae can grow on fake rock as well.

can, and will!

 

[rocsec1]

My tank was the same. We moved and the tank wasn't in the living room any Moore so I lost interest since I wasn't seeing well watching tv. I did a couple of big water changes and renewed the clean up crew. Now a couple of weeks later a gig change. I am also finally getting the 12 plumbed and running. Excited again.

 

[g_langley]

You need the passion or else it just turns into a "I'll do it tomorrow" type of thing - and it doesn't take long for the tank to go bad. The ideal is to create something which fits in with your lifestyle.

 

[moneymm]

i have regrouped and attempted several times to get rid of the algae and get back into it, but im just unsuccesful with it.

anyone have any answers on how to convert this tank into the artificial reef tank?

 

[Ztous]

Your artificial reef tank will still grow algae if it isn't managed.

 

[moneymm]

maybe i should just hire a company for a couple months or so to get me back on track? how much could that cost on long island, ny?

 

[SFish]

Have u tried carbon doseing?

 

[lockdown52]

Sounds to me like you have already thrown in the towel. You are probably better off just letting the tank go and find something that fires your passion. As already stated, fake corals and anything else you place in an aquarium will grow algae without proper care.

 

[Lrfox]

Sounds to me like you have already thrown in the towel. You are probably better off just letting the tank go and find something that fires your passion. As already stated, fake corals and anything else you place in an aquarium will grow algae without proper care.

Agreed. Most tanks never look "perfect," and the ones that do are the ones that are meticulously maintained by the most passionate folks out there. It's a slippery slope. If it devolves into a "I'll get to it tomorrow" thing, your algae and other problems will only get worse- quickly.

I went the opposite route- started with fake coral because I wanted FOWLR. Then i took a bit of an interest in Zoas and Mushrooms, upgraded my lighting, and now have a reef (albeit a newbie reef) tank and couldn't wait to get the fake corals out of there (they looked OK, but I knew they were fake and that was enough).

My point is that I started small and am working my way up. My tank looks better and better to me and that motivates me. I think a lot of people get into the hobby with grand plans and when they don't reach those goals right away (2 years isn't a terribly long time in this hobby), they lose interest. Having an end goal in mind isn't bad, but start small... the first goal (and moment of pride) should be creating a non-toxic environment that supports various marine life. Then establishing a healthy population of pods, upgrading your lighting, getting that first rare fish, getting that first difficult coral, etc. Trying to do too much at once (or expecting it all to happen within x amount of time) will lead to burnout. Having a "next step forward" to look forward to keeps me motivated. Enjoy what you have and look forward to making it better.

 

[Bent]

If I were you, I'd just tear it down and part it out. Nothing is maintnence free, even an artificial reef. If your tank now looks like poo poo, your future tank will also look like poo poo. You need to get the drive back. The only way that will happen in my experience is to just rip it down.

 

[moneymm]

could not using RODI or mixed salt water be a cause for the algae.. many times i will leave water for days before using it.

 

[worldbook]

Sorry to hear about your frustration. I've been there. I started a 40 breeder reef before and was plagued with bad luck. I rehomed the fish, tossed all the sand and put the live rock in rubbermaid container with saltwater, heater and circulation. Keep it dark for months. I pulled the rock out every few weeks and scrubbed it and replaced water. While I was doing this, I really didn't know if I would attempt a tank again. I think I had the rock stored like that for 8-10 months. I decided to start again and am pretty happy now.

I agree with some of the other responders-- if you have lost the desire, I would either go FOWLR or rehome animals.

 

[ericarenee]

could not using RODI or mixed salt water be a cause for the algae.. many times i will leave water for days before using it.

RODI at near 0 tds is almost a must for most. There are exceptions but i do not think your skill would fit into one. I Mix saltwater 50 gallons at a time twice a month for my tank. I do small water changes every 3 days.
The days i do the water changed i mix the pre made saltwater for a hour that morning.The mixing tank has a pump on a timer..

So to have a nice tank you need to properly maintain it and have the right equipment..

things you must have
1. rodi unit with tds meter.
2. saltwater mixing tank with proper pump and testing
3 proper TESTING Kits to know where your water quality stands
4 Proper lighting run at the right number of hours.
5. Proper methods to remove organics from your tank
6.properly stocked tank .
7. proper water movement and filtration ..

Might be time to pick another hobby to be honest. Reef / marine tanks are not cheap and take time and dedication...

Good Luck

 

[moneymm]

RODI at near 0 tds is almost a must for most. There are exceptions but i do not think your skill would fit into one. I Mix saltwater 50 gallons at a time twice a month for my tank. I do small water changes every 3 days.
The days i do the water changed i mix the pre made saltwater for a hour that morning.The mixing tank has a pump on a timer..

So to have a nice tank you need to properly maintain it and have the right equipment..

things you must have
1. rodi unit with tds meter.
2. saltwater mixing tank with proper pump and testing
3 proper TESTING Kits to know where your water quality stands
4 Proper lighting run at the right number of hours.
5. Proper methods to remove organics from your tank
6.properly stocked tank .
7. proper water movement and filtration ..

Might be time to pick another hobby to be honest. Reef / marine tanks are not cheap and take time and dedication...

Good Luck

I have all these things.

I was asking how long RODI water (for top offs) and Mixed Salt water (for water changes) can sit for without a pump, before going bad.

I Currently just keep a 5 gallon bucket with RODI water next to tank, and add it lasts about a week. (but i dont have a pump on it)

When i do water changes, i use 3 5 gallon buckets, usually have them mixed a day before the change. I add 1 bucket at a time, after it has a pump in and a heater for an hour or so (until right temp). then i go on to the next bucket.

 

[A sea K]

I have all these things.

I was asking how long RODI water (for top offs)

I Currently just keep a 5 gallon bucket with RODI water next to tank, and add it lasts about a week. (but i dont have a pump on it)

My top off water is stored in a 15gal tank and it also lasts about a week. Never had a pump and have used this method for years with no issues. I will periodically remove the tank and give it a good cleaning but typically go 2-3 months before doing so.