sad to be leaving this hobby

[Susan Edwards]

I have some sad news. I am considering--seriously--having to get rid of my dream tank. In March I took on a full time position at work and I just can't keep up. On top of that I also had covid and had to do a 2 week training course, with commute time. On top of that, my hands are cr**. Arthritus and multiple trigger fingers. Even scraping the glass is difficult and I won't talk about trying to do sump maintenance. I can't close my hands more of the time and have lost strength. I'm doing some stuff to try to fix/heal, but in the meantime, I just can't deal with it

It saddens me, but I need to look into selling a monster tank, and with no strength to speak of in my hands right now, I won't be able to do much.

If anyone knows of a club etc. or fish store in calif: Bay area up to sacramento who might help, please let me know.

There are no fish services in the area either

On the good news front, being totally neglected, my corals are thriving lol's. Dead corals are thriving once again. Salinity is high, they don't care. Don't test often. They don't care. Dosing when I remember to fill the containers or splash some in the sump. Even my chaeto is growing. I need to remove more than half of it again.

Bad news is there is aptasia but it's not getting worse....

anyway, any help or advice appreciated.

 

[fishguy242]

Sorry to hear Susan... Best wishes...
here are some possible connections...
@DonTavo27 @boacvh @MERKEY @Daniel@R2R
#Cronies ,any ideas ?

 

[VintageReefer]

@JoJosReef
@TangerineSpeedo

 

[~MD~Reefs~]

Hey Susan. I am in San Jose. I suggest looking into BAR, there is most likely members in your area. You’d have to become a supporting member ($30 annually) in or for you to post in the B/S/T forum. Or there is also a few groups on Facebook, I’d recommend Bay Area Coral Lovers or Bay Area ***** Salty Reefers. It’d be hard to find someone to take everything on a tank that big but if you sell off livestock first and then worry about the tank and dry goods after it might be easier.

Edit: This is for if you’re going the selling route. Although, in these groups you also might find someone willing to do regular maintenance for you if you plan on going that route

 

[DonTavo27]

Hey Susan. Let’s see some current pictures of the tank. My tank has aptasia as well, all things that naturally occur in our reef tanks, but have simple solutions, I’ve always had great success with peppermint shrimp, I’m sure we can all help.

 

[EliMelly]

Good luck with everything Susan. Is there any way to automate water changes and have someone take over the maintenance for the time being?

 

[MERKEY]

Hey Susan. I am in San Jose. I suggest looking into BAR, there is most likely members in your area. You’d have to become a supporting member ($30 annually) in or for you to post in the B/S/T forum. Or there is also a few groups on Facebook, I’d recommend Bay Area Coral Lovers or Bay Area ***** Salty Reefers. It’d be hard to find someone to take everything on a tank that big but if you sell off livestock first and then worry about the tank and dry goods after it might be easier.

Edit: This is for if you’re going the selling route. Although, in these groups you also might find someone willing to do regular maintenance for you if you plan on going that route

Hi Susan, sorry to hear this and I do hope it gets worked out for you!

The clubs mentioned above should be able to get you set up.

For the small annual fee there are tons of members who can help out finding you the correct solution.

Whether it be selling or getting someone to do the weekly maintenance for a fee. The bay area is huge, Id like to think there will be a smaller company/LFS that interacts with the clubs that offers these types of services.

The Seattle area is quite smaller than the bay area and we have 3 LFS that also offer servicing.

They don't advertise it but that's honestly how the smaller shops stay open.

Trust me it's not just selling coral haha

We go all natural in our tanks, skimmer, algea scrubber and that's it. Maintenance doesn't have to be grueling.

Change water once a week if I remember lol.

Think about how much a month would be worth it to you to keep the tanks.

If the maintenance is going to cost more than that amount for someone to do it then, it's not worth it

Good luck and try to keep your head up!

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I know exactly how you are feeling. I was hit with multiple health issues (vision loss, tremors, muscle weakness, spasticity, etc.). I went through a bout of depression and neglected my tank for a long time. I had pretty much everything automated so that was a major help though. There are always things one can do to continue on…. If that’s what you really want to do. Understanding the issues with your hands, maybe a strap to hold your mag scraper onto your hand or wrist so that you aren’t clenching it with your fingers. Multiple automatic pipettes set to the levels of your test kits (10ml for Hanna water samples, 1ml for Hanna alk reagent, etc). These are much easier to operate with hand issues than a syringe. I use ai (seeing ai) on my phone to read aloud my Hanna checker results, Milwaukee salinity results, etc. I’m not saying that it’s easy and believe me I think I understand some of the frustration you are facing. It is possible though if so inclined. If you want to bounce some difficulties off me, I may have found a solution that is working for me. I don’t want to write a book here but you don’t have to give it all up if you don’t want to.

Edit. Something I personally have great difficulty with, is asking for help. People truly want to help others when the need arises. If you can find a local reefer on here, I’m sure they would have no problem lending a hand when needed. Non hobbyist friends, family, or neighbors would be more than willing as well, although you have to remember you’re speaking a foreign language to them. Easier said than done….i finally broke down and asked a local (on here) to help me with something (a super simple task, but something I just couldn’t do) and they jumped right in without hesitation. Someone I had never met or really dealt with. I’m working on being able to ask for help, but I’m a knothead.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Hey Susan. Let’s see some current pictures of the tank. My tank has aptasia as well, all things that naturally occur in our reef tanks, but have simple solutions, I’ve always had great success with peppermint shrimp, I’m sure we can all help.

I'll post some after I get home from work (and scrape the glass lol's)

 

[Susan Edwards]

Good luck with everything Susan. Is there any way to automate water changes and have someone take over the maintenance for the time being?

I actually don't do water changes. Haven't in a couple years. aside from the po4 getting a bit high, my nitrates are always almost too low. I do have the DOS set up for when I do want to do some smaller water changes. This system is so dialed in, its crazy. due to higher salinity, I just remove a couple pitches of water and add.

there are no maintenance companies near me or I'd consider that route. But it still takes time, and working full time, I just can't find it. I'm so overwhelmed as it is.

T hanks for the post

 

[Susan Edwards]

I know exactly how you are feeling. I was hit with multiple health issues (vision loss, tremors, muscle weakness, spasticity, etc.). I went through a bout of depression and neglected my tank for a long time. I had pretty much everything automated so that was a major help though. There are always things one can do to continue on…. If that’s what you really want to do. Understanding the issues with your hands, maybe a strap to hold your mag scraper onto your hand or wrist so that you aren’t clenching it with your fingers. Multiple automatic pipettes set to the levels of your test kits (10ml for Hanna water samples, 1ml for Hanna alk reagent, etc). These are much easier to operate with hand issues than a syringe. I use ai (seeing ai) on my phone to read aloud my Hanna checker results, Milwaukee salinity results, etc. I’m not saying that it’s easy and believe me I think I understand some of the frustration you are facing. It is possible though if so inclined. If you want to bounce some difficulties off me, I may have found a solution that is working for me. I don’t want to write a book here but you don’t have to give it all up if you don’t want to.

Edit. Something I personally have great difficulty with, is asking for help. People truly want to help others when the need arises. If you can find a local reefer on here, I’m sure they would have no problem lending a hand when needed. Non hobbyist friends, family, or neighbors would be more than willing as well, although you have to remember you’re speaking a foreign language to them. Easier said than done….i finally broke down and asked a local (on here) to help me with something (a super simple task, but something I just couldn’t do) and they jumped right in without hesitation. Someone I had never met or really dealt with. I’m working on being able to ask for help, but I’m a knothead.

wow, I admire your dedication to push through with difficulties. thanks for the suggestions

 

[Susan Edwards]

Hi Susan, sorry to hear this and I do hope it gets worked out for you!

The clubs mentioned above should be able to get you set up.

For the small annual fee there are tons of members who can help out finding you the correct solution.

Whether it be selling or getting someone to do the weekly maintenance for a fee. The bay area is huge, Id like to think there will be a smaller company/LFS that interacts with the clubs that offers these types of services.

The Seattle area is quite smaller than the bay area and we have 3 LFS that also offer servicing.

They don't advertise it but that's honestly how the smaller shops stay open.

Trust me it's not just selling coral haha

We go all natural in our tanks, skimmer, algea scrubber and that's it. Maintenance doesn't have to be grueling.

Change water once a week if I remember lol.

Think about how much a month would be worth it to you to keep the tanks.

If the maintenance is going to cost more than that amount for someone to do it then, it's not worth it

Good luck and try to keep your head up!

I'll ck the clubs. trouble is, I'm a good 1 to 1.5 hrs from bay area and sacramento (more with traffic) so adding in the travel time prob. makes service too expensive. I'll keep cking around

 

[Susan Edwards]

Hey Susan. I am in San Jose. I suggest looking into BAR, there is most likely members in your area. You’d have to become a supporting member ($30 annually) in or for you to post in the B/S/T forum. Or there is also a few groups on Facebook, I’d recommend Bay Area Coral Lovers or Bay Area ***** Salty Reefers. It’d be hard to find someone to take everything on a tank that big but if you sell off livestock first and then worry about the tank and dry goods after it might be easier.

Edit: This is for if you’re going the selling route. Although, in these groups you also might find someone willing to do regular maintenance for you if you plan on going that route

do you have contacts or a website for this?

 

[Lavey29]

Sad, but your health and well being is far more important then this hobby....good luck to you

 

[sfin52]

I have some sad news. I am considering--seriously--having to get rid of my dream tank. In March I took on a full time position at work and I just can't keep up. On top of that I also had covid and had to do a 2 week training course, with commute time. On top of that, my hands are cr**. Arthritus and multiple trigger fingers. Even scraping the glass is difficult and I won't talk about trying to do sump maintenance. I can't close my hands more of the time and have lost strength. I'm doing some stuff to try to fix/heal, but in the meantime, I just can't deal with it

It saddens me, but I need to look into selling a monster tank, and with no strength to speak of in my hands right now, I won't be able to do much.

If anyone knows of a club etc. or fish store in calif: Bay area up to sacramento who might help, please let me know.

There are no fish services in the area either

On the good news front, being totally neglected, my corals are thriving lol's. Dead corals are thriving once again. Salinity is high, they don't care. Don't test often. They don't care. Dosing when I remember to fill the containers or splash some in the sump. Even my chaeto is growing. I need to remove more than half of it again.

Bad news is there is aptasia but it's not getting worse....

anyway, any help or advice appreciated.

I'm so sorry

 

[~MD~Reefs~]

do you have contacts or a website for this?

Here is the Bay Area club:

Bay Area Reefers | BAR

The #1 site for all coral reef enthusiasts of the Bay Area (San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose)

www.bareefers.org

I will attach screenshots of the Facebook groups

 

[vetteguy53081]

Sorry to hear but this hobby is an addiction and sooner or later we come back.
Best of luck moving forward

 

[Susan Edwards]

Here is the Bay Area club:

Bay Area Reefers | BAR

The #1 site for all coral reef enthusiasts of the Bay Area (San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose)

www.bareefers.org

I will attach screenshots of the Facebook groups

Thank you

 

[Susan Edwards]

Sorry to hear but this hobby is an addiction and sooner or later we come back.
Best of luck moving forward

it is, but I've also got age to deal with . At 68 I just can't handle as much. I may someday get a small tank again. I have an RS e170 that is empty (was going to include it with the big tank) but I have the same issue of time and hands.

I will get pics tomorrow. Too late as lights were already going down

 

[~MD~Reefs~]

Thank you

If there’s anything I can do to help you, let me know. I’m in San Jose so I honestly wouldn’t be the right person to go out there regularly for maintenance but if you needed a hand with something I can definitely make time on my day off. Especially within the club BAR, members always try to help each other out. I know I’ve gotten a lot of help from those folks