Ever just want to give it all up?

What's the max time it can sit?

Ash, this might be a solution to making things easier.

 

I always leave mine overnight to get it room temp..but I have never let it set more than 48 hours after adding salt.

But thats a good question...how long can it set.?

hi jack... : / lol

 

I got into this again, when I agreed to get my son a new pet if his behavior improved by the first parent teacher conference! Well it did, so we went to the pet store! First choice, guinea pig-NO,2nd ferret- He!! NO, 3rd choice rabbit-"Crap what did I agree to?" Then he saw a Nemo, and EUREKA, I was saved or so I thought! I had TONS of FOWLR tanks in college, with some piranha tanks and oscars, so I thought no prob! Got a 55 and supplies and got her running! Then I got a coral, OOPS! There goes my time and money! So then I need a skimmer and lights, cha ching cha ching! You know the rest of the story!

So then Corrialline and MikejrIce get me addicted to clams! thanks a lot! And then the maintenance starts! I started getting a little frustrated with my families teasing about why nothing is growing, even though I see it growing! Then I read how I NEED a dosing pump, and new flow! I was on my way to full blown clam and SPS! But I realized being a single father of a 7 year old who is going through a "testing his limits" stage right now, that I needed to put the brakes on a bit! So I'm keeping my clams and sticking with an LPS tank for now! SPS will have to wait!

Luckily the clams aren't killing my levels yet, and somehow my wc's are keeping up! I'm kinda hoping they do!

But, at night, when my boy is asleep, and my whites turn off, and my corals glow, and all the little critters come out to play, That is my zen, my peace! Just me, a miller lite, peace, quiet, and staring! Only me time I ever get! No daddy this, daddy that! Love my boy, but after a long day of work, and homework, dinner, this practice or that event! I need the tank! SERENITY NOW! lol

Hang in there bud. I know it sucks when someone comes over, and you're pumped to show off your tank, and they say something like, whats all that purple crap on your glass? Or why aren't there more fish? I take a deep breath, imagine punching them, and then explain.

 

Story of my life.

 

Very well stated.. agree.

 

Ashevillian I feel ya.

No one around me gets this hobby like I do. My wife of nearly 24 years now hated the tanks so bad she actually threw down an ultimatum about two years ago and I was forced to down scale to just one tank. Then she decided she wanted another reef in the house and I thought, cool finally we are going to see this on the same plain. But the friggin bi-polar has kicked in again and I'm once again spending to much time on the tanks, they cost to much, blah blah blah. I'm at the point with the relationship that if another ultimatum comes my response is going to be you can have everything but the tanks.
People come over and call the corals plants. Even those who have already gone through the whole cnidarian speech before. THEY ARE NOT PLANTS!
And when it comes to these forums do not concern yourself with who likes you or not. Here it really doesn't matter at all with exceptions of course. But what I'm trying to say is don't post pics up just so you get some recognition. That is part of it I know but when it doesn't happen don't sweat it.
I can't even begin to say how my feelings for all forums have changed and I would only come around once in a blue moon if I wasn't addicted to them like my wife is to soap operas. Who needs the Real Wives of Jersey when you have As the Saltwater Boils. ;D

 

Yup, I feel ya too Ash, and I think you have gotten tons of great advice from all kinds of folks here. It sounds like you are turning a corner now, but I think along with lots of other things in this hobby, don't make any rash decisions. Give it a few days, see how you feel and roll with it.

I'm not suggesting you do this in any way, but for me I had a tank perhaps 10 years ago. Loved it, loved the hobby, and loved that there was so much to learn. Well, a major tank crash, not much money, and constant moving made me decide to give it up at the time. Since then, I have found myself constantly keeping my eye on the marine world although not nearly as actively. I guess it finally dawned on me that I must really dig this stuff if I am doing it 10 years later. So, been in the process of wading back in (which is taking forever BTW, but I'm okay with that).

That being said, make the best decision for you. If you decide to take a break for awhile its not the end of the world, and I suspect, like me, you will find that you will want to be a part of it down the road. If you stay in now, even better!

I think one of the big challenges with this hobby is that it can be VERY easy to get in over our heads because we do enjoy it so much. We want to learn the next thing and make the next jump to the next level of challenge and sometimes we do it too quickly, or we go too far too fast for our given situation and then get frustrated. When that happens, its not a bad thing to slow things down for a bit or simplify your methods to regain your balance. Once you are comfortable with your system once again, I am sure you will get that itch to push the envelope, to try more challenging corals/techniques/systems and it the cycle will start all over again. It's all about peaks and valleys, and usually I have found the frustration comes at a time when we learn the most about our hobby, and it gets us ready for the next thing.

Not sure if that helps any. Hang in there. Most importantly, do what YOU enjoy and what is right for YOU. If you do that, then things have a way of working out...Good luck!

 

From what I have gathered from the web/other posts, as long as you have a sealed container that is not leaching cheimcals into the saltwater that you have made, it should be good for months. Household cheimcals can be a source of contamination if the container is not sealed properly and pure RODI water will leach on to anything it touches so always keep a lid on your RODI. I have let my water run in a 5 gallon bucket with a powerhead for 5 days with ill effects. I think it will last longer than I thought as long as you keep an eye on SG and PH of course. There is some danger in plastic containers leaching phosphate, but I have yet to come across that and I use a plastic trash can for my RODI water. Every time I check it the TDS always is 0 and sometimes the water will sit in it for 1-2 months. Not sure about that one.

 

Good to know..thanx ! : )

 

Ash!!!!! You have been pretty quiet!!!!!!

I have a few questions for ya!


1. What salt do you use?
2. What are you currently dosing?
3. Are you using RO/DI water?
4. Do you have an ATO?
5. Why does your RKL not work? Have you called them?
6. Please tell me you are feeling better about keeping your reef?!