Should I start over?

So basically this is my story! Some sad moments, some shameful moments, but I wish to turn it all around!!

It all started when I got a goldfish as a joke for my 23rd birthday. I have always loved fish, love the outdoors, etc etc. I took the goldfish home, and it died the same night I got him. This was an ongoing joke for a while in my family about how I received a dead fish as a birthday president.

About a year later, I received a full aquarium as a gift. Had 5-6 pieces of Live Rock and gravel in it. No inhabitants, after a few weeks I went to the fish store and purchased 2 clowns, 2 turbo snails, a peppermint shrimp, and 2 hermits.

Since then I am ashamed to say I haven't really taken proper care of the tank as I should have been. After a trip to the beach, my love for the ocean and its inhabitants came back around. I have been on a mission to fix my tank and build it into a beautiful habitat.

During the times when I wasn't taking to much care of the tank, the two turbo snails died, one hermit disappeared, and the shrimp disappeared as well. The two clownfish are still going strong. I had a large Aptasia infestation and am currently trying to fix it as we speak, the live rock (which had no corals or anything growing on them) is sitting outside drying in the sun after a fresh water dip for 2 days. I had a hair algae problem a while back but that has seemed to have subsided. I added an emerald crab too try and control the algae, but he disappeared as well after about 2 months. I have been doing tons of water changes to try and fix my PH level because it is a tad bit to low, there is no ammonia problem, and no nitrate or nitrite problem. Along with the water changes I have been "vacuuming" the gravel in my tank because it is filled with ... I don't even know what, it just doesn't look pretty and you can tell it is dirty. Every time I vacuum the water becomes extremely mirky which concerns me as well.

Right now I have two snails, a hermit that I have had for almost a year just disappeared last night, I am not sure if he is under the gravel molting because I cannot find his body anywhere. He was sitting in his shell moving around yesterday, and I went to look and his shell is empty. The two clownfish, and a peppermint shrimp to help with the tiny aptasia growing in the gravel.

What I ask is this. Is it worth it for me to go through all of this to try and fix my tank? Or would you reccommend getting a few pieces of live rock, along with some base rock. Replace the gravel. Move the inhabitants to a temporary location, and just spend the day redoing my entire tank? I ask this because I don't think it would be as bad for me, because my tank wasn't that well established. I had no corals in it, and only a few inhabitants.

Thanks guys!

 

I wouldnt start all over again......you will always have detritis in your tank and sand. Sounds like your levels are fine. If you want to you can add more LR to the system, especially before you return the dried out rocks to the tank

You are causing problems however everytime you mess with the tank and sand! You dont really have to be that serious with vacuming the sand that frequently you are releasing a bunch nutrients into the tank that can cause problems by stirring up the bed. I would add more hermit crabs, a couple snails and have one or two nassarius snails to clean the sand out.

One question, how big is the tank

 

I appreciate your story.

My habit started when I won a stupid $.10 goldfish at that ping pong ball toss game at a local fireman's fair. I was determined to keep the damn thing alive and that translated into a 10 gallon tank, a 37 gallon bow front, a 10 gallon nano-reef, a 50 gallon reef, now i'm back to a 10 gallon reef, and I am building a 29 gallon reef....

Yea I don't even want to know how much this little hobby has cost me over the years..

I think before you rebuild / start over you should do more research.

Instead of vacuuming the sand maybe you could get a sand sifting Goby of sorts to help with that. The aptasia problem can be handled in many ways, and it all depends on how patient you are.

What do you have running on your tank as well, and how big is it?

And I am not sure, but the sun dried live rock should cause another cycle in your tank (someone more knowledgable can tell you for sure) so buying some cured rock may be smarter IMO.

Good Luck with the second attempt there will be a third ;D

 

I will suggest that when you post and are asking for help or for ideas, please include all basic information. Basic information should include; all water parameters(Calcium,Magnesium,Alkalinity,Ph and Nitrate and Phosphate levels) along with Temp. of your tank and Sg (specific gravity).Size of tank and complete set up meaning, filter type (sump, canister etc.), if you use a skimmer,lighting (what type and total output)plus what type of lighting are you using and what is your lighting schedule (how long a period are your actinic and daylights on) and if you have fish only with live rock and if you keep
corals. Also how long the tank has been up. I know some of this is in
your bio but many bios don't contain this info. How many times has someone posted and then there is this list of postings addressing the above. If you give the most info you can to give us a good profile, it will cut down on response time and mis-diagnosis or answers that don't
fit and we will all benefit.

 

For those of you joining us that are new to the hobby - the best piece of advice you'll get around here as a saltwater newbie is 3Reef's slogan
"Go slow, let it grow."
And for those experianced hobbyists joining us - it's still good advice
good luck and post pics soon

 

you have gravel or sand? sounds like gravel. your story, in context of having a gravel substrate - I would say go ahead and start over. Dump the gravel and use regular old sand.

Keep whatever rock you have in there now (if any) wet while you do this reset (all at same time) and add that rock back in. When I say rock, I do not mean gravel, k.

 

if you just used FW for the rock and then the sun, there will be nasty dead stuff up in there. It will probably cycle your tank.

Properly nuking rock uses a bleach solution mix for 3 days and then 2 turns at 3 days in FW (so 9 days) and then a sun dry out.

The bleach sterilizes the death in there (mostly bacteria).

 

oh I did not even notice that it could be gravel and not sand! Good point

 

I noticed that as well... It should be sand.. Depending on the size of the tank & how deep you want to go is going to reflect on how much you need. Buy reef sand dry, then seed it with live sand after. I have a 90gal & used 5lbs of live sand to seed mine.

So yes I would start over. Depending on what your water tests at, you might be able to save it. As for nuking rock be careful. If not done correctly you could leach beach into your system from the rock & NOT recommended for a novice..

How much live rock do you have??

Welcome & best of luck.

 

That's pretty funny, but I could see where someone could get confused.. ;D