Well. I feel like I'm doing things backwards. I first came in freaking out over a new anemone, then moved to tank specs, and then found the welcome forums! So, without further ado. Time for introductions!
(I also apologize profusely for how long this post could be. Painkillers make me ramble horribly.)
Hello all! You can call me Rider, Highway, Josh, Cripply, whichever you want! So long as its done with -respect- :) I've just entered into the world of saltwater aquariums, jumping in the deep end with a ::drumroll:: 100 gallon saltwater reef tank that I hope to use to keep me calm and zen out and keep my super busy mind busy instead of getting anxious and succumb to cabin fever. ::queue music from muppet treasure island - cabin fever::
See, I was in a motorcycle accident several years ago while on my way to work. It was in Connecticut, beginning of December. Theres not a lot of bikers that will risk that kind of weather. I understand that people dont look out for us out there normally, but this womans actions... she was pregnant, and floored it from the drive through getting her coffee, cell phone in her hand, and didn't even stop pulling out into the street. Just one quick zoom and caused me to run dead into the side of her. 3 Herniated discs, broken forearm, wrist, and shattered my ankle. One hell of a life changer.
My wife has been more than a trooper throughout this entire ordeal, and I swear I hit pay dirt with her. We've been together almost a decade and our love has only gotten stronger. Its like falling in love with her all over again. Shes unwaveringly taken better and better care of me, indulged me in many of my whims, and has been a pillar of strength helping me keep my mind and tempering our bond with her service. I cannot do most of the work around the house, so to keep me feeling useful and important to our relationship dynamic she allows me to direct her in our day to day routine. I'm more than grateful for her doing so. I wouldn't even be here on this forum were it not for her enabling and empowering me.
So. I'm no longer able to Swim, Kayak, Fishing, Ocean Fishing in said kayak, and do most of the outdoor type stuff I used to. How do I stay connected to the ocean? Well. First move to a place with more sunshine so I dont get run over, get situated, and...Get a tank! The decision for this was made more than a year ago, and thus started my research into whats needed; the skills, knowledge, maintenance, upkeep costs, equipment, scheduling. Most of it very confusing in the beginning. Especially with a $1000 budget for the entire tank and equipment. That was a solid budget, non negotiable, and I wasn't able to add more each month. Thats every penny agreed upon to get this up and running.
Scouring craigslist Helped me refine the searches to a more directed area once I found a tank that I couldn't say no to: $90 for a 100 gallon glass tank with stand and lid, natural wood. I was in love! Spent months scrubbing it and getting it ready for re-finishing, painting, engraving, scrubbing, sanding, putting as much love and time as I could into it to prepare for adding whichever else I needed.
After that was done and set up, and the salt build up on the inside was finally scraped off (biggest pain in the ass in the world for me, lol) I spent another 3 months sourcing parts, keeping the kittens out of the tank, and researching continually for best techniques and ways to do things. And then, the perfect storm hit.
About a week ago I found a long time person in the community selling parts of his 250 gallon shallow set up in preparation to move. I jumped on it right away, many of his parts I still needed, and for the prices I couldn't say no. $75 for a Gen 1 Radion Light system, $1/lb of live rock, polyps on them came free, protein skimmer, refractometer, and two flow jets. I left his place with all that, plus a Carpet Anemone, Pizza Urchin, several species of crabs, a hitchhiker neither of us knew about - A tiny baby starfish, and some mushrooms, as well as his sand and water straight from his tank. $250 for all of it, I felt on top of the world.
After a 4 hour drive back from picking up all this fun stuff, I'd realized I had potentially made a fatal mistake. I had impulse bought critters that while I believed them compatible I knew absolutely nothing about. My painkillers removed any ounce of reasoning I walked in there with. After setting up the tank and doing my ****dest to keep identical living conditions for all the inhabitants, I was about done. My body was spent, and ready to quit. During the night the urchin, I'm more than sorry to say didn't make it. I had no idea they were as fragile as they were, and I'm still cussing myself out for it. It could have been anything, and at the same time everything. From me forgetting RO water only, to the 4 hour bounce around in the back of the car, the salinity bouncing up and down, the ::ahem:: non cycled tank... Many lessons were learned, and will not be forgotten.
A day later, this beautiful nem decides to yell "DERP!" and faceplanted the sand. Well, it seemed to be happy there, the crabs arent torturing it. Okay, We have a sand nem then! It had since been another 5 days, and slowly, from the center of its stem, it seems to be turning itself inside out. Or at least relaxing itself more than I'd expect. I freaked out, and found myself here requesting help. My first posts on here were over that nem, which I've been told is a dwarf carpet. I cant imagine a tank without him now, and intend to split it and buy some more later on once the tanks become stable.
All but the phosphate counts are down to zero now, and we all know what high phosphate counts mean: Algae outbreaks. I've got Cyano overruning the bare rocks and sand right now, and has been creeping up the side of the tank walls right now. Snails cant do much with it, its a -lot-. I need to siphon it out once I'm able to stand up right and have my balance back, this could be an interesting battle while I do what I cant to battle it out. If it werent for fear of a massive ammonia spike I'd buy an army of lawnmower blennies and let em at it. :p
That about brings us up to speed on where I am now, I hope to make many new friends on here and once I've gained more knowledge I hope to some day give back all that I can to the community. :king: Thanks again for having me, and I hope this hasn't been too long winded! If it has I'm sorry, but... Thats my story and I'm stickin to it!
(I also apologize profusely for how long this post could be. Painkillers make me ramble horribly.)
Hello all! You can call me Rider, Highway, Josh, Cripply, whichever you want! So long as its done with -respect- :) I've just entered into the world of saltwater aquariums, jumping in the deep end with a ::drumroll:: 100 gallon saltwater reef tank that I hope to use to keep me calm and zen out and keep my super busy mind busy instead of getting anxious and succumb to cabin fever. ::queue music from muppet treasure island - cabin fever::
See, I was in a motorcycle accident several years ago while on my way to work. It was in Connecticut, beginning of December. Theres not a lot of bikers that will risk that kind of weather. I understand that people dont look out for us out there normally, but this womans actions... she was pregnant, and floored it from the drive through getting her coffee, cell phone in her hand, and didn't even stop pulling out into the street. Just one quick zoom and caused me to run dead into the side of her. 3 Herniated discs, broken forearm, wrist, and shattered my ankle. One hell of a life changer.
My wife has been more than a trooper throughout this entire ordeal, and I swear I hit pay dirt with her. We've been together almost a decade and our love has only gotten stronger. Its like falling in love with her all over again. Shes unwaveringly taken better and better care of me, indulged me in many of my whims, and has been a pillar of strength helping me keep my mind and tempering our bond with her service. I cannot do most of the work around the house, so to keep me feeling useful and important to our relationship dynamic she allows me to direct her in our day to day routine. I'm more than grateful for her doing so. I wouldn't even be here on this forum were it not for her enabling and empowering me.
So. I'm no longer able to Swim, Kayak, Fishing, Ocean Fishing in said kayak, and do most of the outdoor type stuff I used to. How do I stay connected to the ocean? Well. First move to a place with more sunshine so I dont get run over, get situated, and...Get a tank! The decision for this was made more than a year ago, and thus started my research into whats needed; the skills, knowledge, maintenance, upkeep costs, equipment, scheduling. Most of it very confusing in the beginning. Especially with a $1000 budget for the entire tank and equipment. That was a solid budget, non negotiable, and I wasn't able to add more each month. Thats every penny agreed upon to get this up and running.
Scouring craigslist Helped me refine the searches to a more directed area once I found a tank that I couldn't say no to: $90 for a 100 gallon glass tank with stand and lid, natural wood. I was in love! Spent months scrubbing it and getting it ready for re-finishing, painting, engraving, scrubbing, sanding, putting as much love and time as I could into it to prepare for adding whichever else I needed.
After that was done and set up, and the salt build up on the inside was finally scraped off (biggest pain in the ass in the world for me, lol) I spent another 3 months sourcing parts, keeping the kittens out of the tank, and researching continually for best techniques and ways to do things. And then, the perfect storm hit.
About a week ago I found a long time person in the community selling parts of his 250 gallon shallow set up in preparation to move. I jumped on it right away, many of his parts I still needed, and for the prices I couldn't say no. $75 for a Gen 1 Radion Light system, $1/lb of live rock, polyps on them came free, protein skimmer, refractometer, and two flow jets. I left his place with all that, plus a Carpet Anemone, Pizza Urchin, several species of crabs, a hitchhiker neither of us knew about - A tiny baby starfish, and some mushrooms, as well as his sand and water straight from his tank. $250 for all of it, I felt on top of the world.
After a 4 hour drive back from picking up all this fun stuff, I'd realized I had potentially made a fatal mistake. I had impulse bought critters that while I believed them compatible I knew absolutely nothing about. My painkillers removed any ounce of reasoning I walked in there with. After setting up the tank and doing my ****dest to keep identical living conditions for all the inhabitants, I was about done. My body was spent, and ready to quit. During the night the urchin, I'm more than sorry to say didn't make it. I had no idea they were as fragile as they were, and I'm still cussing myself out for it. It could have been anything, and at the same time everything. From me forgetting RO water only, to the 4 hour bounce around in the back of the car, the salinity bouncing up and down, the ::ahem:: non cycled tank... Many lessons were learned, and will not be forgotten.
A day later, this beautiful nem decides to yell "DERP!" and faceplanted the sand. Well, it seemed to be happy there, the crabs arent torturing it. Okay, We have a sand nem then! It had since been another 5 days, and slowly, from the center of its stem, it seems to be turning itself inside out. Or at least relaxing itself more than I'd expect. I freaked out, and found myself here requesting help. My first posts on here were over that nem, which I've been told is a dwarf carpet. I cant imagine a tank without him now, and intend to split it and buy some more later on once the tanks become stable.
All but the phosphate counts are down to zero now, and we all know what high phosphate counts mean: Algae outbreaks. I've got Cyano overruning the bare rocks and sand right now, and has been creeping up the side of the tank walls right now. Snails cant do much with it, its a -lot-. I need to siphon it out once I'm able to stand up right and have my balance back, this could be an interesting battle while I do what I cant to battle it out. If it werent for fear of a massive ammonia spike I'd buy an army of lawnmower blennies and let em at it. :p
That about brings us up to speed on where I am now, I hope to make many new friends on here and once I've gained more knowledge I hope to some day give back all that I can to the community. :king: Thanks again for having me, and I hope this hasn't been too long winded! If it has I'm sorry, but... Thats my story and I'm stickin to it!
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