brando's 75 gallon tank (like Mr. Saltwater says "confused" tank)

[brando]

So I've been at it about a year. Started with this tank and a Fluval 405 canister w/ a HOB NAC5 bubble magus and a Coralife light set with 2 halides, 2 T5's and 4 LED's. I've since gone with a HOB overflow and a wet/dry sump. Still figuring things out. Haven't lost much though. I've had a few things disappear with the main being a bubble rose anemone, which was tragically later found minced in the Fluval, and a sea slug, which I couldn't even find when he was with me, but he has just completely is vanished now, tragically to meet his maker I'm sure. Guess not a lot has changed as I have a bright green anemone now, put him in about two weeks ago and he was gone the next day. I later found his hiding spot after 5 days. That lasted 3 days and he's currently MIA. Meh, let him be. I'm sure he'll reappear.

I've learned a TON about reef keeping. Mainly because of the support from the local LFS and especially Andres who introduced me to this forum and also hooked me up with my tank and is always cool about talking about aquarium stuff in general. This is a frogspawn that is just immaculate and by far the thief of the LED light show. I do have a few other corals though that I want to show.

The main thing I've learned is yes, patience is actually important. Also, you aren't going to do it better than someone else starting off. Everyone has their own opinions, but a canister compared to a sump or wet/dry is insane. The canister requires SO much more complicated maintenance. Pulling the sock off the HOB filter, putting on the other, dry clean one, and scratching of the debris in the sink so I have a new one ready to go in a couple days takes as long as it did to unplug the canister filter. Basically, the easier you make it on yourself to maintain, the more enjoyable it becomes. Similar to a yard, if mowing is a pain in *** you aren't going to be planting a flower bed any time soon...

The second thing I learned was do it right once. Get in your tank, don't fiddle with it. Go in there and do what needs to be done all at the same time. It does get so much easier with time though. I'm about to do water change and I'll probably just spill a little on the side of my tank instead of a bucket-full on my floor.

I'll post some more pics later, but it's really been a good, expensive, pain-in-the-***, masochistic ride. I dig it though. I'm at the point of no return. Aren't we all always?

Without forums like this, the average Joes just don't get how many things go into an successful tank. It's like bonsai (I imagine from watching Karate Kid) except the water doesn't fall from the sky and the light necessarily must be artificial. And instead of living in our current environment, the environment of the tank is alien with everything except temperature. Otherwise, totally bonsai.


Still learning,

Still growing frustrated and want to give it up at every turn,

Still pushing on,

Keep reefing,


-- Brandon

I'll add some more pics in the next few days. Thanks for looking!