Frusterated! And tired of trying!!!

[Salsaking]

About ready to give up on the hobby for now! NO time, and the corals keep dying!! Spent more money on this hobby, and cannot create the same environment as i did on the 325. stn is the cause! All of my perameters are just fine! No Sandbed! Plent of light, Perfect temp. Dont get it!!! Nothing seems to grow! Except for a few sps. NO luck, no time.!!!

Sorry to sound so down! But when you have a system up an going for a year and a half with no luck it sucks. Spent many thousands of dollars and cant seem to figure whats going on!

Salsaking

 

[reedman]

Damn Erik, that sucks. Hope you don't give up. Your tank is such a great show piece. There's got to be something that can be done.

 

[wrightme43]

You know it has to be something.
For me I try to remember that sometimes the very next thing I try will work. If I dont try, I will never know.
Sometimes when I get very very frustrated, I get alot of help from a fresh look at things from someone elses point of view.
Also another thing that has always helped me, is that most problems are the simplest things first.
I dont know alot about your tank, or your troubles with it. If you want link to some threads about your problems with your tank, and maybe someone can help you. I know I wouldnt of started this hobby if I didnt love it. I bet your probley the same way.
I think Winston Churchill said this " Never, Never, Never, Never, Never give up."

 

[Krish]

Maybe you need to take a breather and then tackle it again. I don't know who wanted to give up more times than me, but I kept at it and it seems to be going well. Hope you keep the faith and things make a turn for the better...

 

[Ed Hahn]

Eric,
I saw your tank a year ago. I loved it. My Sister in Law and Now Brother in Law were inspired by it. They wanted to see more tanks after visiting. Your tank is a very nice show piece. I remember watching it being built on cam from work. You guys looked like you were having a ball. I wanted to be there with you. Do you have this hooked up to a monitoring device? I want to think Temperature always. Alk/Calcium- I went back to instant ocean. I just felt better using it. I remember you running a Deltec Reactor. Do you have a ph probe hooked up to measure influent from reactor? You had a stock pile of cool fish in your tank when I last saw it. How are your fish, snails, crabs, etc? I would love to have a tank like yours, but wife would have me sleeping on curb or with tank. I hope to see you next week end.
wishing you luck in finding your invisible problem,
sincerely,
Ed

 

[NaH2O]

Have you checked for acro eating flatworms or other parasites on the corals?

 

[snobanker]

noooooo. Eric you can't get out. Your tank(s) and system are so nice. Keep trying bud, the first time I saw your tank is what got me so inspired.

 

[spongebob lover]

well dood, i know how you feel because i've been there before .
I thought i was never gonna get rid of my flatworms which i've been battling for about a year and a half and trust me when i said i was gonna give up, i really really was going to because i was so frustrated and i just wanted to throw everything in the garbage, seriously that's how bad i felt, but then all my doods and doodettes here gave me some good ideas and IT'S WORKING !!
Seriously don't give up Eric dood, it's frustrating i know but there must be something that it can be done ... dood don't give up ok, do what i do and i'm a girl .. watch some football and if you want yell at the t.v. but don't give up on your tank, please .

 

[tamarindthai]

don't quit,,,find the way to break through the barrier you will make it through,,you 've did it before,,remembered,,,you will got a piece of my CA tort for the reward,,just can not quit man.

 

[nasher8860]

quitting is for smokers and druggies, not hobbyists. Stay up

 

[shallowreef]

Dude,

Listen you just got to explain everything to these guys from start to finish don't leave out a single detail! The people on this forum are genuises when it comes to fixing things. I started here in october not even a month ago and they have blown me away with all sorts of information. Just tell them exactly what you are doing and i mean everything and they will pinpoint your problem trust me! Good Luck dude and don't get out of this hobby....i mean come on from what i hear your tank is amazing.

 

[Ed Hahn]

I visited a large tank not too long ago. One improvement I noticed was that the person created more flow with Tunze streams to prevent no dead spots. I have to admit the persons tank looked Fantastic, it looked good before, but now it was better.
So I am wondering if the same thing would help you.

 

[afishyonados]

STN is normally associated with inadequate flow.
I agree with everyone here. Don't give up until you have given a full listing of all situations, problems and parameters. Surely someone can and will help.
What are the structures of the few that are doing well? If they are looser colonies, this again points to water flow. It's got to be something.
You can do it!

 

[reedman]

Knowing Eric's setup I doubt it's a flow issue. He hass massive random flow and great lighting. I would look more to water parameter consistency over time. Salinity and Alk in particular.

Two other things that come to mind: Pests of some kind (like red bugs) and the wildcard would be something in the air in your office. Maybe something from the factory area getting into the tank through the skimmer? Definitely a stretch, but most everything else you have covered through automation and premium equipment.

 

[afishyonados]

reedman, if you can catch his attention, ask him if he has an ozonizer/air purifier in his office. It couldn't hurt.
A friend had a problem with excess CO2 blowoff from his reactor. This caused tissue loss and a gradual lightening of colors in the acros.
Excess Alkalinity will do the same.

 

[jlehigh]

I think there is another approach in need here. Yes there are a plethora of potential causes, but ultimately perspective is paramount. I have undergone some dissapointments with my tank. Not getting the color I want, things dying, hardware failures ect ect but I have learned to focus on the likeable aspects on the tank with healthier expectations allowing me to enjoy what I have..

Bottom line Erik is you have one of the nicest set-ups in the state. I know you have ambitious plans for it but give it some more time. You have been in the hobby long enough to know about the water chem and filtration concepts, pests ect ect, so keep rolling with it and enjoy the life in your tank that is worth enjoying knowing that the Full picture of your vision for the whole tank is a work in progress.

 

[mojoreef]

Eric you have a large system, not just a large system but a very complex system with a ton of components. With all these components they are not going to make the tank automated, but in reality are going to put more of a demand for time to be put into them to keep up with things and to make sure all of them are up and running properly.
Personally (knowing all the thing the tank has been through over the last year or so) I would say your biggest problem you have is time. I can tell you that thier is nothing inherently wrong with your setup, you have great flow, great lighting, filtration and so on. BUT on top of this 500 gallon tank you have another 2 very large frag systems, 200 gallon sump, two 100+ gallon softie tanks, algae tank and about every peice of equipment known to man .

Problem>>> not enough time in the day to take care of all the components and all the tanks and so on. Why dont you step back make up a list of the things you enjoy doing to the tank and a list of the things you dont like to do (and slack on) and then farm them out to a lfs or maintenence company to take care of them for ya. I am sure you spend the same , if not more money on damage control. This way you can step back and enjoy the hobby like you used to. Besides you can right off the charges against the company you also have to run full time??!!??

Mike

 

[tamarindthai]

i have to argree 100% with ,mike,,tuning time you don't have.

 

[Scooterman]

WOW that sure a lot of stuff to keep up with, we all need time for living & doing other things, I'm currently stepping back myself, I have dreams though but this time it won't be so stressful & costly. We all share a beautiful hobby but we still need time for living, I want a simpler system personally & I know eventually I will get there & it will be better than ever. I hope whatever you decide you take your time to think it through.

 

[spongebob lover]

hmm yeah i agree with Mike dood, you have just a lot of things to take care for, so you can either do what Mike says or be like me.. staying at home mom, i mean Mr. Mom that way you'd be able to take care of all that stuff.
Seriously after what Mike said, no wonder you don't have time dood it's just to much , just my opinion dood.