I have reef fatigue.

[Anonymous]

Anybody else experience this? At the moment, I have only a small 29 gallon reef. I used to have a 90 gallon, and also have a 65 gallon in the basement that I was planning to put up once I get my butt in gear and finish the basement itself. I've got the Lifereef VS-24, a sump, nice pendants, etc. ready to go... but I lack the gumption to move the reef into the other tank. Not sure I want to hassle with a calcium reactor, and sure as hell don't want to drip kalk. I seem to have lost the drive and am in fact considering selling off all reef stuff including livestock, and instead putting up an easy and cheap freshwater tank.

It's bittersweet, though. I love my fish, and corals, and will be sad to see them go. But I really can't be arsed to maintain proper calcium anymore, and after a heater malfunction last year I lost my clams and a bunch of corals.

I am thinking of doing a 5-gallon nano instead. That might rejuvenate my reefkeeping desires. Maybe just the clownfish and some softies, and then I'll pay no attention to skimming or calcium at all.

HD

 

[Anonymous]

You should still skim.

Burn-out is like that. Kind of like having sex. After awhile it just gets really dull and repetitive. That's why after age 40 litigation takes its place.

 

[Anonymous]

You should still skim.

Burn-out is like that. Kind of like having sex. After awhile it just gets really dull and repetitive. That's why after age 40 litigation takes its place.

I don't know about that, AOTS...I haven't maxed out on sex yet.

HD..I downsized my collection of tanks and ended up with a F/O tank. Heater, skimmer in the sump and lights on top. Alot less maintenance, no worring about corals, calcium levels, all that nerve wracking chemistr. I use basic tap water - no R/O. The tank I have left, I spend about an hour a month on maintenance. I'd miss the fish I have if I got out completely.

 

[Anonymous]

When I first started I had so much interest in it all. I couldn't wait to get home to tinker. Now I just want to look at it. I dunno... Plus I'm afraid I've become a bit of a cheapskate.

 

[Anonymous]

It happens. Having my tank tosted by Katrina was a good thing in a way. It has given me a chance to take a break and reevaluate if I want yo set it back up. For me I will be setting it back up early next year. The time off was nice. Also, a chance for me to start over and fix the few things that need fix'n

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. A break is needed. I love keeping fish, but freshwater is just easier and cheaper, and I've always wanted a nice planted tank. Then in a few years when we're in another house, I'll set up the reef I've always dreamed of- automated!

 

[Anonymous]

Then make the change. If you intend to get back with a similar sized tank keep the gear.

 

[Anonymous]

Simplified is one option to Reef Fatigue (been there!) Something small, pretty and simple.

Another is to take a new path. For me Breeding Banggai has proved to be a successful way to rekindle passion and I've managed to break even on the costs by selling the fry.

There's also a small bit of satisfaction in knowing that maybe fewer of these soon-to-be-scarce fish are being pulled from the ocean.

 

[Anonymous]

A few losses this past year of cherished fish and corals has dampened my desire somewhat. I scaled back from 5 tanks to 3. Currently have 300 gallon reef, a 6 gallon nano with a mantis in it and a 60 gallon cube SE asian planted tank.

I got both the dreaded red bugs and monitpora eating nudibranchs in my big tank and though under control now I lost a few colonies I'd been growing out for years. Also my tuskfish died early this year and I returned from vacation to find my powder brown tang I've had for 2+ years missing - no body, no spike in levels, nothing.

I still enjoy my big tank but am so busy with a promotion at work and planning to go to grad school to do much with it. I don't have the time to devote to it like I did - as it stands now I may trade off most of my remaining SPS and just put some lower maintenance softies in their place - running 1k of halides over that tank plus allt he pumps, skimmers etc gets expensive.

Take a break, downsize etc - I could never get rid of my fish - most of the ones I have now have been with me 3-5 years but fiddling with levels for my stonies gets old even with massive automation.

 

[Anonymous]

Exactly my feeling, techno.

 

[Anonymous]

My salt water is empty. I am going to put some more fish in it, just don't know what yet.

 

[Anonymous]

For me Breeding Banggai has proved to be a successful way to rekindle passion and I've managed to break even on the costs by selling the fry.

I'm about to embark on this experiment. If God gives you aptasia, make Bangai, as my grandmother used to say.

I've read the Inland aquatics page but would be happy for any pointers. One thing I have for them is plenty of food. Are they hermaphrodites?

 

[Anonymous]

In my case I scaled back due to lack of space at home and lack of time at home. I brought 3 tanks into work and essentially turned them over to some colleagues who have turned them into showpieces, and I've propagated many of the corals I have into them. So I get all the benefit with little of the work and expense.

Unfortunately my original aquarium at home has started to tank, but that is the subject of a different thread.

 

[Anonymous]

If I don't start a new tank, I think I want to make a serious mangrove swamp refugium. I think this would be kind of cool and add a new dimension to the system as well as improve its faltering health.

 

[Anonymous]

Buying new equipment for the tank always keeps it interesting - not exactly good for spare room in the garage or the budget though.

 

[Anonymous]

Are they hermaphrodites?

Nope. Start a new post and I'll be happy to share all I have learned over the years.

 

[intensity888]

HD, Having been a freshwater planted tank guy (actually at this moment still am and now moving towards reefkeeping; I will tell you that it is rewarding. Even visitors enjoy seeing a beautifully aquascaped freshw. tank. They also like to see the live freshwater clams and african dwarf frog.

Also, cichlids can be pretty fun too. I still have a cichlid in a 6 gallon (its a fullsize demasoni 3")

Of course to do a great planted tank i recommend co2 and pc lighting so you can grow red plants not just green,lol.

Whats interesting to me is that we are on opposite ends of the spectrum as i have gotten bored and apparently have a keen desire to spend lots of money, hence my attraction to marine life!

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I talked it over with my wife and she agreed that I could sell all my stuff and use the money to set up a killer FW planted tank. I think the money I recoup from selling my reef stuff should be able to more than handle any lighting and co2 needs, plus a nice new tank. This is all down the road, because first I have to get my butt in gear and finish the basement. Good thing I have a lot of men in the family ready to bring their hammers.

 

[owenz]

Yeah, I talked it over with my wife and she agreed that I could sell all my stuff and use the money to set up a killer FW planted tank. I think the money I recoup from selling my reef stuff should be able to more than handle any lighting and co2 needs, plus a nice new tank.

This is a great plan. I also recently entered SW after years as a planted tank guy. It is very different and just as satisfying. Between substrait and CO2 alone, there's plenty of stuff to learn. And that's not even getting into the hundreds and hundreds of plant species out there.

My favorite fish was always the Apistogramma family, which - in my opinion - is the perfect fish for the planted tank. Gives you all the personality of cichlids without the size, aggression, or digging of their larger cousins. Although there is always something to be said for kribs, since they will breed quite literally anywhere. Watching the krib parents defend a clowd of fry from the rest of the tank inhabitants is pretty cool. I've had up to ten krib fry survive to adulthood in a fully stocked community planted tank. Haha, I forced every FW tank owner I know to take one.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not familiar with those species you mentioned, but a favorite of mine is the gourami. I would think they'd do nicely in a planted tank, but of course I have a lot of research to do. If I had my way, there would be gouramis, glass catfish, cardinals, perhaps some hatchets, and naturally the requisite pleco. I guess you need a clown loach with plants, eh?