IS this a sign to quit the hobby?

[KafudaFish]

As the old saying goes, "Bad luck travels in groups of three." and there must be some truth to that. This has been a terrible year for me as a hobbist. I lost my peakcock mantis that I had for over two years, my gold severum that I had for almost 8 years and my "daughter's fish" that she was thankful for at Thanksgiving (yes it is freshwater), and on Sunday morning I woke up to my 95 having gone through a complete tank crash during the night. The only thing that has survived is a teardrop maxima clam.
So being at work instead of working on things I thought I would invite others to give their opinions of what I should do. Should I give up and store everything until the need hits again or should I refocus my efforts and maybe go in a different direction? Hey how often do people ask for your opinion and really want it?

[LoyalConvict]

if you have the financial means I’d definitely start over..... I know if I ever have a tank crash I would love the chance to drain everything boil my rocks get new live sand and restart the addiction with a wider knowledge base and not half-a__ as much as I did in the beginning … that’s my opinion/option/suggestion

[LoyalConvict]

oh...and the only sign to quit the hobby is when god comes and taps your shoulder and says that the reefs are nearing depletion and he needs your corals to and others to start anew, barring that never give up on what you enjoy... sorry for the back to back posts

[trippkid]

I have to agree with LoyalConvict, if you can afford it, start over and try to learn from possible past mistakes. Do you know what caused your tank to crash? Good luck, I wish you well this time around.
Matt

[crvz]

I wouldnt give up, but it may be time for a new direction. If your clam survived, maybe build a system around clams? There are some really cool different clams and I always find myself looking for new ones.

[PhilTheEel]

never give up

[spleify]

Hang in there!!

[KafudaFish]

Thanks guys. I don't think I could ever give up. I have been keeping fish since 6th grade and have always had a tank going.
I have thought about a clam tank. Perhaps that could be the direction I should go. Any other ones?

[MMOORE0324]

Hang in there! If you had to ask if you should give up then you definatly shouldn't!

[Patroklos]

On the bright side, if you do start over the only cost will be the livestock, at least you still have all your hardware.

I'm with LoyalConvict, the best part of starting over is, well, you get to start over!

[spsfreak]

Never give up, however, maybe take a few months to re-access what you have in way of equipment and such. Then take into account as to why your current tank crashed and make sure that the new system has fail safes or something in place to assure (as best one can) that it doesn't happen again. Then take the plunge with the new tank\direction that you want to go.

[Tyrenlds]

hang in there.

[KafudaFish]

Thanks again everyone. My wife is at home sick today and she said that my teardrop's mantle is out so there is some life still in there. Who knows maybe a clam tank is in my future.

[CookieJar]

I'd say to try a new type of tank, I think a sea grasses tank with different 'display' macro algae could be real cool. could have pipefish in that system. maybe a clam tank w/ a big variety of invertebrates. trying a new tank style would keep it fresh and stiumlating.

[sikpupy]

I would move the clam to a small tank and just clean the wiz out of your bigger tank. Boil some rock, vacume the sand, swirl it, sift it, filter the wiz out of it, pull some rock, boil it, douse it with bleach, drop the salinity down to kill things so you can start a new, do things to the tank you never would with livestock in there, rearange the rock.... Basicly, dont put any money into it right now and play with it. If you still feel like starting again in a month or two, your tank will be clean and ready to go.

[Micky]

I can understand where you are coming from, I myself have been at this hobby for a few years as yourself. I have been on reefcentral a few years as well mostly reading (as you can tell by my posts) but I have been at the wall that you are at now. You sound like a lifer as some of us. You will need a breath, regroup and come out swinging. As many have said here you have a good base, equiment, knowlege, and this will make your next system better and stronger. Best of luck.....

[seeriousmac]

Having almost wiped out my reef by a newbie mistake, despite having been at this hobby for almost 8 years, mistakes happen, crashes happen, s**t just happens...but to see the recovery in my tank, to witness the comeback of corals, and even the occupants who seem to be doing better than ever it's an easy answer....DON'T QUIT....take some time, and slowly rebuild your system, and realize what pulled you into this hobby. The love of seeing a world often never seen, except by divers. It was my scuba diving that prompted me to take the risk of starting up a reef, and despite some high stress moments in the past, it's all been worth it when i see the corals bloom, and the life big and small throughout the tank busy at their daily lives...So get back to your pet store and start rebuilding asap...

[bsagecko]

Maybe go in a new direction...

take this time to think about an upgrade if you have the money or a downgrade if you feel that you may not have as much time in the coming years to take care of a tank esp. with the econ as bad as it is.........

I dont know your financial status but I would think that an upgrade to a bigger tank would be a good time since so many people are going out of the hobby to get a full system cheap would be pretty easy

On the otherhand, you can just keep all your equipment and start in a new direction: perhaps, a tank with no fish only inverts, coral, and clams ( i do know that technically clams and corals are inverts but yeah)

macro/lagoon style tanks are also cool

[KafudaFish]

Again thanks for the kind words everyone. This is one of the good aspects of this hobby and RC. People help one another here with their knowledge as well as a support staff for when things go badly.

When I got home tonight and opened the front door that "walking on the beach at low tide smell" hit me. I figure it would be easier just to unplug everything and start draining the tank.
The first thing I pulled out was my dead clam and smelled it but instead of stinking it smelled clean and more importantly it closed shut. So as of now both clams are still alive. I also noticed a few zoa polyps slightly open so there is hope for that as well. I also have one purple cap that is browned out but not bleach white like everything else.
I pulled out about 15# of sand and hooked up my DIY mechanical filter made from a one gallon rubbermaid container and poly fil from Walmart. It pulled a crap load of well crap. My skimmer is working again so I am hoping that any bacteria can be removed.
Most of my rock was already pulled out of the tank and has been cooking since summer and as my wife pointed out, "Hey at least most of your red turf algae is dead."

So things are in limbo as of now but I am trying to stay positive.

[mattman7858]

i had a crash too and im using the opportunity to re aquascape, put some new equipment in, play around with it. i still have some of my fish though, but im trying to capitalize on my loss, you just have to do that. good luck with it all, and keep on fighting, its too great of a hobby to give up on

[Mojo Jojo]

No!