It's time for me to say goodbye

guitarfish · 08/30/2006, 06:47 PM

I never imagined this day would come, but I have to leave this awesome hobby. I haven't been to RC a whole lot over the last year or so, but back in 2002-2004 I was here every day, so I'm sure some of you remember me.

When I got into this hobby I was in a real funk - depression. I fought it for years, and was ready to see a doctor, but decided to make a last ditch attempt to beat it by starting a new endeavor. I needed an outlet, something new and challenging, and I decided it would be a reef tank. Back in '02 I setup a 28g salt tank and didn't have a clue what I was doing. After a lot of learning here at RC, I spent the next year designing and building a 75g RR setup. I built the stand, designed the plumbing, built an electical control panel, filled her up, and went from there. It was so much fun, it seems like only yesterday. The depression was gone before the first year was out, and I never looked back.

I still remember getting my first (and 2nd, and 3rd) delivery of live rock. I still remember getting my first corals, taking the day off, waiting for the FedEx truck to come. Those were the days, I'll tell ya. There's nothing like watching a flame angel swim around in a reef tank in your own home. What beauty.

My tank came out really nice, and I had a lot of wonderful experiences showing it off to visitors. Unfortunately, I had my struggles too.

First and foremost - ich. I got it out of my display, and setup a QT tank for new arrivals, but I had a string of failures. Every time I brought home a new fish, they'd end up dead before I ever got them in the display. Either I couldn't kill the ich (several failed hypo attempts), or they didn't acclimate well, or wouldn't eat. My fish never did well with copper. Once, a gorgeous coral beauty almost made it with, but the heater locked up and cooked him in the QT.

Then there was algae. Despite using RO water, skimming, growing chaeto, dripping kalk, using Phosban, and feeding lightly, I had recurring bouts with slime algae, which would come back with a vengeance whenever I put in new lights, and it would stay for months. Weekly siphoning off the rocks and sand got old quick.

Finally, there was the cost. This isn't a cheap hobby if you do it right, and the rewards weren't there anymore. It got to the point where I couldn't sit in front of my tank and enjoy it because all I'd see were the things wrong with it. All I do all day long at work is solve problems, and I could no longer stand coming home and have my reef become just another "problem" to deal with. (Major Type A personality here).

I actually wrestled with the idea of taking it down for almost a year and a half. Finally one day, that was it, I made the decision. A month ago I started selling pieces. Tonight, a buyer drove away with the tank, stand and sump. I have a few misc. items left to sell, that's it.

Taking it down was sad and painful. The night I drained the water, I hung my arm over the side of the tank, running my fingers through the sand, it smelled like I was at the ocean. I shed a tear, I'll admit. Perhaps if my life's circumstances undergo a drastic change, I may have another reef someday, but I doubt it. I love the hobby, but recognize it's not something I can do.

My other hobby, my number one, is guitars, as my screen name indicates. I treated myself to a new amplifer with some of the money from the selloff. I still have to have fish in my life - I pulled out my original 28g tank and setup a freshwater tank, complete with live plants. Incredibly easy and cheap compared to a reef.

My reef adventures will be limited to stopping by the LFS or visiting my friend's reef from time to time, as well as an occasional trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD. Someday I'll dive a real reef too.

RC and all you people here - THANK YOU. You really did help me pull out of an awful period of my life, where a dark cloud followed me everywhere I went. And knowledge? The amount of stuff I learned here...simply astonishing.

Below are a few pics of my journey. Take care everyone. You guys have been great.

-Dave

ACBlinky · 08/30/2006, 07:15 PM

I'm sorry to see someone leave the hobby, especially when you had such beautiful tanks, but I can understand. It sounds like it's been an evolution and, for now at least, you've come to the end of the journey. Hopefully you'll be back, but for now enjoy the planted tank -- they can be just as rewarding (and sometimes as much of a PITA) as reef tanks. Check out www.plantedtank.net and www.aquaticplantcentral.com, they've got nice forums with loads of info

Ritten · 08/30/2006, 07:18 PM

Don't leave Dave, just take a break if you need to. You have been around so long, you are a friend to a lot of us.

Duchess · 08/30/2006, 07:20 PM

Good luck, Guitarfish! May you have fair winds and following seas!

And guitar strings that rarely break!

stereomandan · 08/30/2006, 07:45 PM

I remember you a lot Dave!! When I saw the title of this thread, and then saw that you posted it, I knew I had to take a look.

Hey, don't feel bad. There are lots of fun things to do in life and I'm glad that this hobby got you out of a slump.

Have a great time in the future, and I'm grateful for the great threads you've started and the experiences and photos you've shared.

I neglected my tank big time, and haven't been around here much for the last year and a half due to building a house, but I'm going to finally swap to a 90g from the 38g I've had for 10 years now as a salt water setup.

God's blessings in the future.

Dan

chrismunn · 08/30/2006, 07:46 PM

sorry to hear it man. i know how it feels to give it up. i sold my tank 2 months ago when i left for texas.
and if it makes you feel any better, ill let you in on a little secret thats eating ME inside. not only do i not have a reef tank, but wife just told me she's leaving me and taking our 2 year old daughter and moving halfway across the country to san francisco california. what a drag!!!

Tomzpc · 08/31/2006, 11:01 AM

Best wishes Dave. I'll always remember the avatar.

jeffbrig · 08/31/2006, 11:22 AM

Sorry to see you go, Dave. I remember discussing QT and treatment methods with you in the "Ich-free tank" thread quite a while back. Whether you were ultimately successful or not, sharing your experience was valuable to me and I'm sure many others. It's a shame you had such frustrations, and I sincerely hope you have better luck next time around.

-Jeff

smokinprice · 08/31/2006, 11:30 AM

Good luck Dave

hawaiianwargod · 08/31/2006, 12:10 PM

guitarfish

Good luck dude....you could just chime in once in a while here in RC from time to time and share your knowledge to others here. We will indeed miss you here.

HW

sw-addict · 08/31/2006, 11:22 PM

cmon dave I just made it back here after over a year myself. now who's going to play ich tag or ich conspiracy with me? I will miss looking for posts by you, they were almost always the same concern that I was having at the time, I thought our tanks were linked through space and time. perhaps we'll meet in a freshwater forum someday(I have salt and fresh tanks). I really did learn alot from you being here, that being said welcome back!

CPT. MURPHY · 08/31/2006, 11:25 PM

Take care dave!

boomsticks · 09/01/2006, 07:25 AM

It really is such a rewarding hobby Dave, and yes a PITA! LOL...anyway good luck

dougie · 09/01/2006, 09:29 AM

good luck champ.

Sk8r · 09/01/2006, 09:44 AM

And never say never! I 'got out' of reefing when I moved cross country and changed from a big house to a little apartment...

And here I am, with the living room bubbling again. I've started and stopped reefing, oh, when I went to college [I got a tank]---and when I set up housekeeping: house 1, no tank, house 2, no tank, house 3--8 fresh and reef tanks and an indoor 'pond'' in a corner. Apartment 1, no tank. Apt. 2, and bingo, another reef!

So rest up, enjoy another aspect of life, and when you miss the sound of bubbles---there you are.

Nano Chris · 09/01/2006, 10:41 AM

Hopefully one day you will come back, good luck!

GatorReefman · 09/01/2006, 07:58 PM

Guitarfish, I am sorry to hear you having to leave the hobby. For myself, I 've also had bouts with algae problems- battling one now two years later. Hope you can rekindle the interest again sometime in the near future and get back again. Good luck and take care.

jun_celis · 09/01/2006, 08:12 PM

Wow, Dave... that is so sad to see someone who knows alot about this hobby just give it away. You have given me some advice before but here I am, still battling, struggling, and eventually will be successful with this beautiful hobby. Actually, I am pretty successful now with some help from you...

JayB1224 · 09/01/2006, 08:13 PM

Best wished Dave.. feel free to send your wisdom down to northern New Jersey.. we're about 45 minutes away from you. If you know of any local hot spots to help out relatively newbies, drop us a pm. Best wishes and stay well..

Gary Majchrzak · 09/01/2006, 08:26 PM

Sorry to see you saying goodbye, Dave.
What kind of amp did you get? Do you gig?

Agu · 09/01/2006, 08:40 PM

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together

The best of luck in whatever the future may bring you..............

LBCBJ · 09/01/2006, 08:53 PM

What an awesome story. I'm always amazed at how this hobby has so much to offer...

hawaiianwargod · 09/01/2006, 09:09 PM

LBCBJ,

Totally...l agree.

Lunchbucket · 09/01/2006, 10:33 PM

guitarfish i wish we could keep you from going. i hope i speak for us all when i say we enjoyed you on RC.

even though you don't have a tank can you please keep coming to visit on RC??

hope to see you around. if not my God bless all your future endevors

Lunchbucket

guitarfish · 09/01/2006, 10:38 PM

You guys are awesome. I will miss the camaraderie on RC very much, so yeah, I'll have to stop in from time to time.

It's nice to know I've helped some people out, but only a smidgen compared to what you've all done for me!

BTW, no, I don't gig, I just play with friends. And I got a Crate V3112 tube amp which has been a blast !

08/30/2006, 06:47 PM	#1
guitarfish Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milford, PA Posts: 2,666	It's time for me to say goodbye I never imagined this day would come, but I have to leave this awesome hobby. I haven't been to RC a whole lot over the last year or so, but back in 2002-2004 I was here every day, so I'm sure some of you remember me. When I got into this hobby I was in a real funk - depression. I fought it for years, and was ready to see a doctor, but decided to make a last ditch attempt to beat it by starting a new endeavor. I needed an outlet, something new and challenging, and I decided it would be a reef tank. Back in '02 I setup a 28g salt tank and didn't have a clue what I was doing. After a lot of learning here at RC, I spent the next year designing and building a 75g RR setup. I built the stand, designed the plumbing, built an electical control panel, filled her up, and went from there. It was so much fun, it seems like only yesterday. The depression was gone before the first year was out, and I never looked back. I still remember getting my first (and 2nd, and 3rd) delivery of live rock. I still remember getting my first corals, taking the day off, waiting for the FedEx truck to come. Those were the days, I'll tell ya. There's nothing like watching a flame angel swim around in a reef tank in your own home. What beauty. My tank came out really nice, and I had a lot of wonderful experiences showing it off to visitors. Unfortunately, I had my struggles too. First and foremost - ich. I got it out of my display, and setup a QT tank for new arrivals, but I had a string of failures. Every time I brought home a new fish, they'd end up dead before I ever got them in the display. Either I couldn't kill the ich (several failed hypo attempts), or they didn't acclimate well, or wouldn't eat. My fish never did well with copper. Once, a gorgeous coral beauty almost made it with, but the heater locked up and cooked him in the QT. Then there was algae. Despite using RO water, skimming, growing chaeto, dripping kalk, using Phosban, and feeding lightly, I had recurring bouts with slime algae, which would come back with a vengeance whenever I put in new lights, and it would stay for months. Weekly siphoning off the rocks and sand got old quick. Finally, there was the cost. This isn't a cheap hobby if you do it right, and the rewards weren't there anymore. It got to the point where I couldn't sit in front of my tank and enjoy it because all I'd see were the things wrong with it. All I do all day long at work is solve problems, and I could no longer stand coming home and have my reef become just another "problem" to deal with. (Major Type A personality here). I actually wrestled with the idea of taking it down for almost a year and a half. Finally one day, that was it, I made the decision. A month ago I started selling pieces. Tonight, a buyer drove away with the tank, stand and sump. I have a few misc. items left to sell, that's it. Taking it down was sad and painful. The night I drained the water, I hung my arm over the side of the tank, running my fingers through the sand, it smelled like I was at the ocean. I shed a tear, I'll admit. Perhaps if my life's circumstances undergo a drastic change, I may have another reef someday, but I doubt it. I love the hobby, but recognize it's not something I can do. My other hobby, my number one, is guitars, as my screen name indicates. I treated myself to a new amplifer with some of the money from the selloff. I still have to have fish in my life - I pulled out my original 28g tank and setup a freshwater tank, complete with live plants. Incredibly easy and cheap compared to a reef. My reef adventures will be limited to stopping by the LFS or visiting my friend's reef from time to time, as well as an occasional trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD. Someday I'll dive a real reef too. RC and all you people here - THANK YOU. You really did help me pull out of an awful period of my life, where a dark cloud followed me everywhere I went. And knowledge? The amount of stuff I learned here...simply astonishing. Below are a few pics of my journey. Take care everyone. You guys have been great. -Dave __________________ "For wisdom is better than corals, and all other delights themselves cannot be made equal to it." (Proverbs 8:11) Current Tank Info: Former tank: 75g AGA MegaFlow, 30g sump, 100lb LR, MAG 9.5, AquaC EV-120w/MAG 5, Aqualight 260w PC

08/30/2006, 07:15 PM	#2
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	I'm sorry to see someone leave the hobby, especially when you had such beautiful tanks, but I can understand. It sounds like it's been an evolution and, for now at least, you've come to the end of the journey. Hopefully you'll be back, but for now enjoy the planted tank -- they can be just as rewarding (and sometimes as much of a PITA) as reef tanks. Check out www.plantedtank.net and www.aquaticplantcentral.com, they've got nice forums with loads of info __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

08/30/2006, 07:45 PM	#5
stereomandan Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,888	I remember you a lot Dave!! When I saw the title of this thread, and then saw that you posted it, I knew I had to take a look. Hey, don't feel bad. There are lots of fun things to do in life and I'm glad that this hobby got you out of a slump. Have a great time in the future, and I'm grateful for the great threads you've started and the experiences and photos you've shared. I neglected my tank big time, and haven't been around here much for the last year and a half due to building a house, but I'm going to finally swap to a 90g from the 38g I've had for 10 years now as a salt water setup. God's blessings in the future. Dan __________________ 90g Tank, 75 lbs Live Rock, T5, T8 and VHO Lighting, Closed loop on Snapper Pump 1.5" Sand in main tank, DSB in 38g Sump, B-ionic Daily, Temp 79, SG 1.026 LPS, Softies Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon Reef

08/30/2006, 07:46 PM	#6
chrismunn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 4,200	sorry to hear it man. i know how it feels to give it up. i sold my tank 2 months ago when i left for texas. and if it makes you feel any better, ill let you in on a little secret thats eating ME inside. not only do i not have a reef tank, but wife just told me she's leaving me and taking our 2 year old daughter and moving halfway across the country to san francisco california. what a drag!!! __________________ Marine Aquarists Association of South Texas Austin Reef Club PBITAWA... Current Tank Info: 14g bio cube

08/31/2006, 11:22 AM	#8
jeffbrig Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL Posts: 5,548	Sorry to see you go, Dave. I remember discussing QT and treatment methods with you in the "Ich-free tank" thread quite a while back. Whether you were ultimately successful or not, sharing your experience was valuable to me and I'm sure many others. It's a shame you had such frustrations, and I sincerely hope you have better luck next time around. -Jeff __________________ Beware the power of stupid people in large groups..... Current Tank Info: formerly 250g room divider

08/30/2006, 07:18 PM	#3
Ritten Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 2,164	Don't leave Dave, just take a break if you need to. You have been around so long, you are a friend to a lot of us.

08/30/2006, 07:20 PM	#4
Duchess Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 165	Good luck, Guitarfish! May you have fair winds and following seas! And guitar strings that rarely break!

08/31/2006, 11:01 AM	#7
Tomzpc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: NY Posts: 1,738	Best wishes Dave. I'll always remember the avatar.

08/31/2006, 11:30 AM	#9
smokinprice Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 224	Good luck Dave __________________ Jeff Current Tank Info: 46G bowfront reef

08/31/2006, 12:10 PM	#10
hawaiianwargod Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: 11 54' N, 121 55' E Posts: 1,836	guitarfish Good luck dude....you could just chime in once in a while here in RC from time to time and share your knowledge to others here. We will indeed miss you here. HW __________________ "To be a successful reefer, one must master the art of mimicry" ~Hawaiianwargod~ [E] levated [L] evel [O] f [S] weetness Current Tank Info: 210+ - "G" Elos 160XL [~]

08/31/2006, 11:22 PM	#11
sw-addict Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: NE Posts: 432	cmon dave I just made it back here after over a year myself. now who's going to play ich tag or ich conspiracy with me? I will miss looking for posts by you, they were almost always the same concern that I was having at the time, I thought our tanks were linked through space and time. perhaps we'll meet in a freshwater forum someday(I have salt and fresh tanks). I really did learn alot from you being here, that being said welcome back!

08/31/2006, 11:25 PM	#12
CPT. MURPHY Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,148	Take care dave!

09/01/2006, 07:25 AM	#13
boomsticks Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Good ol NH Posts: 547	It really is such a rewarding hobby Dave, and yes a PITA! LOL...anyway good luck __________________ Don't take life too seriously, nobody gets out alive anyway. Current Tank Info: 55 gal reef, 24 cube

09/01/2006, 09:29 AM	#14
dougie Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: NSW AUSTRALIA Posts: 607	good luck champ. __________________ Steve Irwin, still my hero, and never forgotten. Current Tank Info: 210 gal, 7x2x2, LED, mp60's. mixed reef.

09/01/2006, 09:44 AM	#15
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	And never say never! I 'got out' of reefing when I moved cross country and changed from a big house to a little apartment... And here I am, with the living room bubbling again. I've started and stopped reefing, oh, when I went to college [I got a tank]---and when I set up housekeeping: house 1, no tank, house 2, no tank, house 3--8 fresh and reef tanks and an indoor 'pond'' in a corner. Apartment 1, no tank. Apt. 2, and bingo, another reef! So rest up, enjoy another aspect of life, and when you miss the sound of bubbles---there you are. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/01/2006, 10:41 AM	#16
Nano Chris Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,758	Hopefully one day you will come back, good luck! __________________ Chris ------- 34 Gallon Red Sea Max 130! Setup (Just got back into the hobby) Current Tank Info: 34 Gallon RedSeaMax!

09/01/2006, 07:58 PM	#17
GatorReefman Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Northeast , Florida Posts: 243	Guitarfish, I am sorry to hear you having to leave the hobby. For myself, I 've also had bouts with algae problems- battling one now two years later. Hope you can rekindle the interest again sometime in the near future and get back again. Good luck and take care.

09/01/2006, 08:12 PM	#18
jun_celis Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Algonquin, IL Posts: 1,487	Wow, Dave... that is so sad to see someone who knows alot about this hobby just give it away. You have given me some advice before but here I am, still battling, struggling, and eventually will be successful with this beautiful hobby. Actually, I am pretty successful now with some help from you...

09/01/2006, 08:13 PM	#19
JayB1224 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 342	Best wished Dave.. feel free to send your wisdom down to northern New Jersey.. we're about 45 minutes away from you. If you know of any local hot spots to help out relatively newbies, drop us a pm. Best wishes and stay well..

09/01/2006, 08:26 PM	#20
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	Sorry to see you saying goodbye, Dave. What kind of amp did you get? Do you gig? __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors

09/01/2006, 08:40 PM	#21
Agu Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 30,279	A time to build up, a time to break down A time to dance, a time to mourn A time to cast away stones A time to gather stones together The best of luck in whatever the future may bring you.............. __________________ Less technology , more biology . Current Tank Info: 30 gallon half cube and 5.5, both reef tanks

09/01/2006, 08:53 PM	#22
LBCBJ Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Richmond, Va Posts: 1,332	What an awesome story. I'm always amazed at how this hobby has so much to offer... __________________ Brent

09/01/2006, 09:09 PM	#23
hawaiianwargod Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: 11 54' N, 121 55' E Posts: 1,836	LBCBJ, Totally...l agree. __________________ "To be a successful reefer, one must master the art of mimicry" ~Hawaiianwargod~ [E] levated [L] evel [O] f [S] weetness Current Tank Info: 210+ - "G" Elos 160XL [~]

09/01/2006, 10:33 PM	#24
Lunchbucket Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Brookings, SD Posts: 12,924	guitarfish i wish we could keep you from going. i hope i speak for us all when i say we enjoyed you on RC. even though you don't have a tank can you please keep coming to visit on RC?? hope to see you around. if not my God bless all your future endevors Lunchbucket __________________ Trying to lose weight by walking is like trying to bake a cake w/ a cigarette lighter - Lunchbucket - "Nancy-Boy Extraordinaire" - maxxII- Current Tank Info: 58gal Oceanic RR, 2x400w MH (20k XM and 10k XM), Deltec PF601 Ca Rx, Deltec AP701 skimmer, mag950 return, iwaki 55rlt w/ an Oceansmotions 4-way unit, Tunze 7300 and 6000 each w/ controller, fluidized po4 rx

09/01/2006, 10:38 PM	#25
guitarfish Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milford, PA Posts: 2,666	You guys are awesome. I will miss the camaraderie on RC very much, so yeah, I'll have to stop in from time to time. It's nice to know I've helped some people out, but only a smidgen compared to what you've all done for me! BTW, no, I don't gig, I just play with friends. And I got a Crate V3112 tube amp which has been a blast ! __________________ "For wisdom is better than corals, and all other delights themselves cannot be made equal to it." (Proverbs 8:11) Current Tank Info: Former tank: 75g AGA MegaFlow, 30g sump, 100lb LR, MAG 9.5, AquaC EV-120w/MAG 5, Aqualight 260w PC