Are We Overthinking This?

[bigbris1]

After reading some of the threads here and elsewhere I'm seriously starting to think some of us are over thinking this hobby. This may be materialized, if not for the gratuitous amounts of items FS (equipment) but for some of the threads started and participated/perpetuated in on here (and there).

It's not necessarily rocket science. There's a tremendous amount of info available on the topic, but as with anything else on the net, you have to have a filter sock and skimmer on your search engine

I'm interested to find out what you spent copious amounts of time (and money) on only to find out it really wasn't all that serious.

Oblige me, please.

Thanks

 

[Aquadicted]

Hi, I think you have a point in that people might over analyze. But I firmly believe there are still so many things we need to research regarding how to keep our aquatic pets happiest and healthiest. Sure we know a lot but so much more needs to be understood. And people in the hobby are the one of the leading researchers so keep over analyzing! We are trying to capture the piece of the ocean in our living room and establish a, to some extent, a self run eco system. I think that's more intricate than rocket science any day.

 

[fishman1069]

Aqua has a very good point! If it wasnt for hobbiests over thinking eveything, we wouldnt be as far as we are in reef keeping. Back in the day people relied on undergravel filters and keeping SPS was almost unheard of! If it wasnt for people being very anal about their setups and thinking outside the box, we wouldnt have the insane SPS tanks we see all the time now. I think anything that involves living things should be over thought. Just mt .02

 

[bigbris1]

I hear ya, there have been great strides made in this hobby but I believe at this point one's having even basic information can prove successful. Of course, there are dynamics such as location, species kept, etc. But I don't think it has to be nearly as intimidating to get into this hobby and see success as in times past.

 

[OOtzie]

basic info leads to basic setups which leads to basic corals/fish/inverts, its all fun but the best fun is in innovation and the desire to experiment

 

[Imbarrie]

I dont look at this as over-thinking. I see my reef-tank as a tendency toward complexity.
When we start out we tend to have livestock that is more tolerant and as some of us progress we develop into less tolerant livestock that requires a higher level of care to thrive. This complexity requires a huge amount of thought and deliberation.
I think the single most important factor to most reef tanks, that perpetuates what you are referring to, is the Internet.
Without the ability to rapidly access research from many varied sources, knowledgeable and not knowledgeable, we would still be fumbling around at the mercy of the advice absorbed from the LFS we visit. I would place forums like MR in the leading edge of that effort.
As for the actual physical hardware, anyone can buy a skimmer or a light. It is a well advised aquarist that picks out the correct item for their application. That would be much harder without the volumes of data accessible today.

 

[marrone]

But I don't think it has to be nearly as intimidating to get into this hobby and see success as in times past.

It's a lot easier now, the learning curve is much quicker, then say back in the 80's-90's, but that has a lot to do with advances in equipment, products, and knowledge, all of which you're now taking for granted or in some cases don't understand. Then again some of the success has to do with the corals that are now being kept, or in some cases not being kept. Frags from people tanks seem to do better, they can take the fluctuations in our tank better, and are more hardier than wild colonies.

That being said, there are still the same problems with Cyano, hair algae, green bubble algae, tank overheating in the summer, top offs not working, to high nitrates, Cal, Alk and Mag being out of balance, all of which lead to tank failures. In the end it maybe easier, or somewhat quicker, to get a tank up and running, but it's not the speed of doing it but the long term success, which you'll find it a lot different, and hardier, then getting a tank up a running.

 

[Mattl22]

Keeping a crap tank is easy but if u want a pristine tank healthy for many years it's not easy and requires alot of time money and effort!


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[Imbarrie]

Anyone running an old school reef tank?

My first FOWLR was back in the days of undergravel filers powered with Penguin PHs and a skilter. My parameters were always the same as the modern tank I run today.

Kind of curious if it is really the equipment that is so much better or is it something else.

Dont mean to hijack the thread.

 

[Josh]

The key to any tank is regular and consistent water changes. If you can handle that you will never have a chemistry problem outside of Ca/Alk buffering. If you can't do regular water changes then you start to rely on more equipment and more dosing.

 

[tosiek]

I still don't understand exactly what you mean by too serious or serious how but here goes my view.

First off, SW tanks aren't cheap even on the cheap. Any setup of 20g+ is going to run you 800-1000$ in new equipment. If your spending that much money on something you need to care and be interested enough to do the reading and research otherwise you might as well shred that money and hit yourself over the head untill your head hurts, and waste a few weeks of time because thats what is happening.

As far as seriousness there is a big difference between someone like Reefbum's tank and someones low care mushroom grow out tank. There really is a higher level of care and consideration between certain coral and how well and successful your tank is and what you want out of your tank.

The people that are serious need/want the hobby to be serious for them to enjoy it. If you know what your doing you can easily disregard alot of things happening like bio-pellets, vodka dosing, ect. Still knowing what to disregard takes some serious research and knowhow. There is still a certain level of maintenance and care needed, and if you think that that is too much or too serious for you then you need a new hobby. By basic care and maintenance I mean weekly water changes and testing, some form of nutrient export and top offs, understanding your parameters, ect. Those are the standards and if you can't do that then this hobby is too serious for you.

Also, The more you know the quicker you can fix problems.

Anyone can have a simple low need LPS/softie tank, do monthly WC's and just run carbon and phosban and maybe a filter sock. No addatives, just top off.

Someone can get higher demand LPS and softies that just won't make it long in the simple low need tank and need calcium and more frequent WC's, direct feeding depending on coral. ect. The level of seriousness and understanding already greatly increases. SPS, non photosynthetic, deeper water, ect all require certain things, conditions, ect and knowing any of that info requires seriousness and research and time.

You can tier any tank. Attention, seriousness and maintenance do make a big difference in the final presentation. Maybe not to someone that doesn't know SW reef tanks because a hippo will amaze them =0)

 

[JavyJaverson]

My tank is very clean and i rarely do water changes, maybe once every 6 months and even then it's about 15%. I've learned that its not just about doing massive water changes as often as possible, but about matching your output to your input. Its about creating an eco-system where the tanks bio-filter handles most of the bio-load and the skimmer handles the rest. Get this down and you'll only have to worry about Ca/alk

 

[Quang]

I feel it's necessary to understand the concepts behind the husbandry and the technology, for your own benefit but it's not absolutely essential. For instance, it's easy enough now for someone to follow simple instruction to get optimal calcium levels by adding a capful of bottle A and bottle B of B-Ionic two part, without understanding the chemistry behind it. All technology is supposed to make life easier so that we have more time to look at our tanks, and consequently, make the hobby more enjoyable. I think things get silly when your tank and all its' components become too much of a hassle and this, supposedly, "relaxing" hobby is causing you sleepless nights, worrisome vacations, headaches, broken hearts and bankruptcy.

It's like when I was teaching my mom how to use the computer. I could go into explaining that there are a series of ones and zeros being sent out into space, or I can just show her how write an email, look at silly youtube videos and download music. Keep it simple and enjoy it!

 

[bigbris1]

I feel it's necessary to understand the concepts behind the husbandry and the technology, for your own benefit but it's not absolutely essential. For instance, it's easy enough now for someone to follow simple instruction to get optimal calcium levels by adding a capful of bottle A and bottle B of B-Ionic two part, without understanding the chemistry behind it. All technology is supposed to make life easier so that we have more time to look at our tanks, and consequently, make the hobby more enjoyable. I think things get silly when your tank and all its' components become too much of a hassle and this, supposedly, "relaxing" hobby is causing you sleepless nights, worrisome vacations, headaches, broken hearts and bankruptcy.

It's like when I was teaching my mom how to use the computer. I could go into explaining that there are a series of ones and zeros being sent out into space, or I can just show her how write an email, look at silly youtube videos and download music. Keep it simple and enjoy it!

Bingo

 

[e.muehlbauer]

I do much less work on my tank now than I did when I first started. I remember how I handled water changes....set up the new water hours before, sometimes the day before, sticking in a powerhead or at least an airline to mix the water...sometimes a heater to bring up the temperature. Now? I toss in the salt, fill the bucket with DI, swirl it around with my hand until dissolved, drain 5 gal, pour in 5 new gal. Temperatures don't match? Who cares....salt solution too new? They can handle it. I certainly have far fewer problems now than in those early days. I'm even going skimmerless on my 30 gal clown/mushroom tank. When my Seaclone finally died this summer, I never replaced it. (I figured it wouldn't matter anyway, given how hard that skimmer worked...) I never dosed anything, since all I had were 'shrooms anyway. Thought I would do more water changes...oh well, maybe not. I do them every 3-4 weeks....same as before. So what did I see all of a sudden a week ago when I took a close look at the tank? Montipora's that I thought were long dead had started to grow. Despite no powerhead circulation, no Ca/alk dosing, only 1 96 wt pc bulb, and no skimmer. So...I started dosing again...but that's all. No other change in my maintenance.

 

[Quang]

I do much less work on my tank now than I did when I first started. I remember how I handled water changes....set up the new water hours before, sometimes the day before, sticking in a powerhead or at least an airline to mix the water...sometimes a heater to bring up the temperature. Now? I toss in the salt, fill the bucket with DI, swirl it around with my hand until dissolved, drain 5 gal, pour in 5 new gal. Temperatures don't match? Who cares....salt solution too new? They can handle it. I certainly have far fewer problems now than in those early days. I'm even going skimmerless on my 30 gal clown/mushroom tank. When my Seaclone finally died this summer, I never replaced it. (I figured it wouldn't matter anyway, given how hard that skimmer worked...) I never dosed anything, since all I had were 'shrooms anyway. Thought I would do more water changes...oh well, maybe not. I do them every 3-4 weeks....same as before. So what did I see all of a sudden a week ago when I took a close look at the tank? Montipora's that I thought were long dead had started to grow. Despite no powerhead circulation, no Ca/alk dosing, only 1 96 wt pc bulb, and no skimmer. So...I started dosing again...but that's all. No other change in my maintenance.

ha, and your carbon footprint is less now that you've taken this....bohemian... approach to tank maintenance. less headaches, energy-saving. it's a win-win!

 

[bigbris1]

I do much less work on my tank now than I did when I first started. I remember how I handled water changes....set up the new water hours before, sometimes the day before, sticking in a powerhead or at least an airline to mix the water...sometimes a heater to bring up the temperature. Now? I toss in the salt, fill the bucket with DI, swirl it around with my hand until dissolved, drain 5 gal, pour in 5 new gal. Temperatures don't match? Who cares....salt solution too new? They can handle it. I certainly have far fewer problems now than in those early days. I'm even going skimmerless on my 30 gal clown/mushroom tank. When my Seaclone finally died this summer, I never replaced it. (I figured it wouldn't matter anyway, given how hard that skimmer worked...) I never dosed anything, since all I had were 'shrooms anyway. Thought I would do more water changes...oh well, maybe not. I do them every 3-4 weeks....same as before. So what did I see all of a sudden a week ago when I took a close look at the tank? Montipora's that I thought were long dead had started to grow. Despite no powerhead circulation, no Ca/alk dosing, only 1 96 wt pc bulb, and no skimmer. So...I started dosing again...but that's all. No other change in my maintenance.

This may be the most awesome post I've read on here in like 5 years.

Thanks

 

[bigbris1]

Right now I'm running a Remora on my 26BF but only after I feed and/or scrape algae from the glass (my tank gets direct sunlight for about an hour (11AM-NOON) and ambient light from the morning until sundown) so I just run my LED moonlights and actinics during the day and turn my daylight bulbs on in the evening for a couple of hours.

Already getting fantastic growth and my parameters are spot on. Fish and corals seem happy (save for the 1 clove polyp I moved like 10 times). For water changes I just pour the water from one bucket to the next like 10 times. It's a workout for me and aggressively mixes the water and aerates it at the same time.

 

[cdamiano]

It really all depends on what you make of it. You may be able to get by with some of those philosophies with some less demanding soft corals and easy to keep fish and inverts if that's what you are inclined to keep. However, there are other types of fish/inverts/corals that are quite a bit more demanding and will not survive well with just the basic maintenance tasks. Some people enjoy the extra work and challenges involved in keeping the more difficult animals. That is what makes this hobby so great.....the large diversity of different types of animals that we can keep and learning about what it takes to keep them happy.

 

[NYreefNoob]

as someone else stated yes you can run a very basic system and do hardly anything and have a thriving tank, my seahorse tank is a example, it is as basic and low maintanance as it gets, 24g ap, solana skimmer, mj600 for return, koralia nano powerhead, 5 wc in 2.5 years, only need to clean glass once a month if that, tank has 5 fish and 2 sh's, oh did i mention there is only shroons in this tank and alot of macro and rock. Now my full blown reef, i do have all the bells and whistles, and a few i could get rid of and do stuff the old fashion way and manually dose, flick a switch to turn lights on and off, could just dump ro water to bring sump level back up, didnt truelly need the 2 vortechs, really dont have to have a chiller, sure i might be able to get by with alot of fans and sticking icepacks in it, but this is a sps dominated tank, that needs the stability, plus i dont want to have to do some of those things as some days i forget, your making it like you have this tank full of corals and fish and it is just that easy. well for shroons and some other softies maybe, but stack your fish up and see how the algea goes and the tank, your 2 weeks in and thinking your done with cycle and so forth. would love to see some honest numbers and photo's in a month while you continue to do the basic stuff