Unsure where to go from here

[Junk2]

Here's my story. Back before Sandy, I had just gotten my 120 up and running. Then all the coral died off, like what happened to most. Since then I have started and stopped as family health issues took priority.

I'm not sitting here with a 120g that has 1 true percula, 1 junior emporata, 1 bird wrasse, 1 dog face puffer, 1 Vlamingi Tang that is huge. While I love watching the dog face, he has to go after eating the B. TA I just put in. I'd love to catch the bird wrasse and tang as they are now both so big that they need a bigger tank for more swim room.

At times I feel like taking everything down, even the plumbing and starting all over again. Am I crazy? Surely I'm not the only one that feels like throwing it in at times. But I love watching nice looking aquariums and my teenage son is getting fascinated.

We'd love to somehow get this converted to a tank that was just anenomes, clownfish and maybe a few other fish like a fridmani dottyback, yellow tang and we'd like to keep the emporata.

Do you recommend somehow catching the 3 fish that I want to take to the LFS (Feng said he would take them or even let me trade in for coral) or am I better off ripping everything out and starting fresh? The one thing is that plumbing scares the heck out of me. At one point my fuge developed a leak and even with my pond liner in the tank stand it still flooded the main floor of the house and dripped into the basement.

Thoughts? and thanks!

 

[BryanDuggan]

Thoughts from a (quasi experienced) reefer. For whatever it's worth.

My tank was semi-successful for about 3 years, and at times it went amazingly well, and then a few things doomed it: it was a nano (unforgiving), the stand was too small to run any fuge or reactors (unforgiving), and I had life issues in the process, ie a nasty divorce where my ex intentionally killed the tank (unforgiving, but I'm getting there). I am now restarting my tank from zero, and I'm amazed at how reinvigorated I am by the hobby. I went bigger this time and did my own plumbing, including drilling my tank. It went great! It was easier than I thought, too. It feels really good to build on the knowledge I had and then strive for that next level. I say go for it, you are not crazy and you will learn things in the process, which is 90% of the thrill of this hobby for me. Start a thread, let's see how it goes and I bet those with more experience than me will guide you along the way.

 

[raccioppi83]

Agreed ^

 

[Mrx7899x]

An easy way to catch the fish is to lower the water level in the tank so they don't have as much room to swim around in.

The only thing bad about starting over is that it's expensive

 

[MadReefer]

If your son is interested I would say start from scratch and make it a project you can do together. Great learning experience for you him a much bonding.
My son is into the tank but more into reptiles. He had some snakes and turtles in which we both learned things and bonded. We would frequent reptile shows often.
Best of luck.

 

[iTzJu]

I've been in and out of the hobby so many times in the past 3 or so years. lol Life happens and nothing you can do about it, one thing though and @BryanDuggan touched on, is sometimes you have to just start from the beginning to make it enjoyable again. Also, i'm sure members here will definitely be around to help out when you faces some issues.

 

[joe b]

I'd work with what you have... You were vague on your plumbing problem, equipment list, routine and present tank condition.

 

[mnat]

I would pull the bigger fish and do what you want with the tank. This hobby is tough enough to have a tank you don't really like. Also those fish will get really big for a 120 and might cause even more problems down the line. Get your teenaged son involved and get him hooked and you will have another set of hands. I agree with a lot of the people above, starting a new build can really make the hobby fun again if you are in a funk. Good luck and ask a lot of questions.

 

[horseplay]

Throughout my reef keeping career I have always changed things around. I look at the aquariums I like and try to come up with my version of it. When I am done I move on to the next project. Think about what you like to do and make it a project both your son and you will joy. BTW it's great your son enjoys the hobby as well, my kids never care much about it at all but I wish they did.

 

[BryanDuggan]

If your son is interested I would say start from scratch and make it a project you can do together. Great learning experience for you him a much bonding.
My son is into the tank but more into reptiles. He had some snakes and turtles in which we both learned things and bonded. We would frequent reptile shows often.
Best of luck.

Madreefer, we should meet up at Hamburg one day. Seems we run in similar circles. My office is equal parts reptiles and fish.

 

[falconut]

If your tank is running successfully and just looking to stock in a different direction, then just sell/trade off the bigger fish and use the cycled tank. If you were possibly planning on starting over, why not just remove rock (into buckets with tank water) making it easier to catch fish. Then rescape the rock, so it'll look like a new tank and add the new fish and/or corals.

 

[Trio91]

What about going all Leathers (Not LPS) in your tank? They should be safe with your puffers and other larger fish. From what I understand, they aware of toxins they possess so they stay away. May even hang out around them.

Also, like @joe b mentioned, pix of the tank can help us out in helping you out. No judgement from us as im sure we've been close to our breaking point with tanks.

(If you check my build thread, im at a point where Im going to put my fist through my tank but that's normal)

 

[Trio91]

@Junk2

 

[Junk2]

Thanks everyone. I'll grab some pics hopefully tonight if the power stays on. Guess I was just at the point where I needed some encouragement

Getting some buckets for rock and water seems to make a lot of sense. Thank you.

 

[Junk2]

Here's a few pics of my current tank. Does anyone know what's growing on the rocks? They're pretty see-through and are about 1/8-1/4" in diameter, stick out from the rock about a 1/4" and retract anytime the wrasse goes near them. You can see the xenia I just put in there is doing horrible and you can see what's left of my bta after the dog face puffer snacking on it. I never had a canopy for the tank but am trying to figure out a design to put on top that will flip up and I can mount my Chinese leds's to it.

 

[iTzJu]

you actually have a pretty good setup so far, can we see a pic of your sump setup?

 

[Trio91]

How deep is that tank? The light may be too intense for the corals. May need to be lifted up a bit

 

[Trio91]

The lps corals may be getting blasted by light hot spots with its intensity

 

[Mark_C]

Light looks too intense.
Xenia usually ‘stand’, mine look like that if i have too much flow.
What things on rocks? If you’re talking the purple rock pic I actually thought those were coral polyps, hate to think thay’re aptasia.

 

[Mrx7899x]

Hard to tell what they are from the picture but they look like little feather dusters or hydroids