Blog Comments

Also sorry to hear about your bad luck with your tank Marc. I guess it comes with the territory but with all the different components, it must be hard to keep on top of everything.
Thank you for all of your advice as now I have the RODI unit and auto top up working and my tank is looking better than ever probably because of the increased stability of the water parameters. Wishing you the best successes Marc.

Sorry to hear about your loss, my tank is finally coming back after a crash in Sept. X10 modules can get alittle crazy with all the interference from power strips, TV's, lights, etc. sometimes the signal doesn't get there. Theres a newer product called INSTEON works great from Home Automation.

Man I thought I was the only one who experienced stuff like this. I love your honesty even if things aren't going the way you want them. It gives me hope that I can turn my reef back around. Thanks

Another plus, the remaining SPS in your tank is hardy. I'm still loving your tank and wouldn't mind if nothing was added just grown out. Keep going next year this tank will be amazing.

LOL @ Paul B. Certainly the calcium reactor played its part, but I wonder if the new bio-pellets may not have been doing such a great job like the first ones were?

I know what the problem is. You have too many test kits, dosers and reactors. I don't have any. My last test kit came in a wooden box and said "keep in a cool chariott"
But your tank looks great to me.
Good luck.
Paul

Fun stuff.It is indeed a hobby that can frustrate the dedicated. Don't forget to test the tank for stray voltage.

Nice update Marc! Your tank will be even more awesome next year. You have been a very busy person lately. And, it's sometimes hard enough to find time or just overcome our human procrastinating ways.

I think I'll go now and do some Maintenance and cleaning on my tank!

Marc, I am really sorry to hear about the decline that seemed to affect your SPS and clams the most. Have you considered if perhaps the Angel might be partially responsible? I recently had a similar experience with losing a decent amount of SPS. In my situation, first the SPS started losing color, then shortly after that they went downhill quick. Prior to the decline of my SPS, they were flourishing. I was seeing great growth and they were all coloring up nicely. I then decided it was time to put an Angel in my tank. I have read various reports that Angels can live happily with SPS but to expect less polyp extension. My experience was certainly not just less polyp extension. I removed the Angel and things are finally beginning to turn around for the few pieces that survived my Angel experiment. As much as I love Angels, it looks like I will only be able to have my Swallow Tail Angel if I also want to have SPS. Interestingly enough, I did not have any issues with LPS or zoas/palys with the Angel in the tank. SPS seemed to be his meal of choice.

Persistence. If there is one thing this hobby teaches (preaches), that's it. And while it likely doesn't help you to hear it, believe me the fact that someone with your knowledge and experience in the hobby can also run into problems reminds the rest of us that sometimes these things can happen. Even to the best of us. Keep persisting, the reef will undoubtedly be incredible one day soon.

Love your honesty even when things do not go as planned.Thanks for a great update too.And ya,people all over the world look to you for advice and inspiration.My new 180 is modeled a bit around your current system and if I can come even close to achieving what you have done I will be thrilled!

Nice and thorough update Mark. While I'm sorry for your losses and understand your frustration, it is reassuring for those of us still relatively new to the hobby to see (1) that even those of you who have lots of experience in the hobby still have problems from time to time and (2) how you go about correcting those issues in your own tanks.

One thing of which I am sure, having found Melev's Reef and read about your earlier tanks, your 400 will be beautiful in time.

Thanks for the years of hard work and sharing your experiences with all of us.

For what it's worth, you still have some beautiful corals.

In a few of my images, the streaks were a passing plane with flashing lights.

One Flame Angel arrived DOA, but the vendor was nice enough to give me a credit toward a future order.

The other two are in QT and were eating last night.

nice. you know there are over a billion stars in our galaxy alone. there are billions of galaxies. there must be some other intelligent life out there but the distances are so vast that we are essentially alone.

I don't know about lps, but my African Flameback leaves my rics and zoas alone. He doesn't like my Wheeler's Watchman goby though. I'm hoping with more space in the 75 they'll both be able to find enough room to get along.

Very nice...the second is probably my favorite...what's the streak in the right third about the middle in the first picture?

Amazing! i may have to try this

very cool. It's pretty amazing how many stars you can see when you get away from the city lights. I live in a rural area and can see tons and tons of stars from my back yard. Cool pictures Marc.

Very nice pics Marc!!