I think I have to get out of it

Its been a stressful couple months getting this tank where I wanted it. It is running great and everything is smooth except all my fish are being wiped out by Brooklynella.LOL I would be able to deal with it and keep on trucking except, I just got some new news thats going to bring the stress meter over my limit!
We are taking back our two big dogs we had to part with a year ago due to relocation reasons.
Believe me, I stare at the tank with all the shimmers and little crabs and snails crawling around LR and think how amazing it is. But the Brooklynella just reminded me of how stressful it can be and it is. For goodness sake I just added my CUC and bought an RO/DI. Everything really does look amazing. My cc and sand bed is PURE white with those critters running around now.

Within the next weeks you will start seeing me posting stuff for sale. Unless somehow I can juggle everything.
Originally I got out 4 years ago when our first son was born. Now a couple months ago I decided to give it another go because our two children are a little older and love it, but with the addition of the dogs I just cant see it going on. It sucks but what do I do.

 

Do what you feel is best. When the situation changes jump back in with both feet. Stay with us here on the forum and spread your knowledge and thoughts. Sorry things have changed.

 

get out or don't lol

I don't mean to be mean, but you have said stuff like this a couple times already. And we have always responded once the tank is set up it takes barely anytime at all. I suppose some people like to constantly fiddle with stuff but after a while even they run out of stuff to do and start spending alot of time online on reef forums instead.

Personally I think you could keep up with it.
1 minute each mourning to feed the fish and cut lights on, then 1 minute to turn them off at night. the 15 minutes every other week for a water change.
The wildcard is how much time you feel you need to research stuff you want to buy. but you don't need to buy something every week, you can do it when time permits.

 

I do notice how everything is pretty much running as a system now. I think if I didn't get this Brooklynella I wouldnt be so down and out.
Im thinking of just leaving it go for a while with all the critters and no adding any fish for a while. Just let things settle down once we get the dogs and see what happens. I have like 7 pep shrimp in there too. I enjoy watching those little critters actually.

 

really the longer you let it stabilize and the less you rush it, the easier it will be maturing the tank.

 

Can it run smooth without having any fish for a long time? Its going to take over a month alone for the brook to die off from what I've read.

 

Yeah, it can. A treatment for ich is to leave a tank for 2+ months fallow with all fish in another tank.

 

I agree. I've dealt with Ich many years ago (twice actually- once successfully) and letting it go for at least 6 weeks is a very good idea. You also may want to get some Marine-Max. Maybe I just got better at keeping saltwater tanks, but ever since I started using it, I've never had any disease outbreaks. Going on over a decade (knock on wood) without any problems. I only add the Marine-Max when I do a water change (every couple of months- would like to never do one but can't seem to go more than 3 months before I notice my polyps starting to not fully open anymore- water change and they look great again) or when adding new creatures to the tank. Maybe it's snake oil, but I'll be damned if it doesn't seem to work.

 

yes its fine.
just remember(if you didn't do this the first time) when the time comes only add one fish at a time with a week between each one. The more fish you add at one time the more something may go wrong.

 

well, i had a tank that was 10gal for 9 months that only had a anemone and some CuC in it, so yes it can sustain just fine without fish. in fact, you wont have the waste from the fish, less food in use, and therefore will have easier time keeping nitrates down hopefully.

im sorry for your troubles. id take dingos advice and keep it going and just spend that 30min a week on the water changes.