Reefer Matt
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Why You Aren’t Successful at Reefing (And How You Can Be)
by Reefer Matt
Reefer Matt’s clownfish “Nemo jr.” in his Elegance coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei).
Hey Reefers! In this article, I’ll share some of the reasons why you might not have the reefing success that you’d like. I’ll also give my tips to hopefully get you back on track.
Please note that most Reefers will have pitfalls and struggles along the way, and that these challenges are normal. Even industry experts have problems sometimes. What you do to solve them however, can make all the difference.
You Don’t Know The Problem
So to start, identifying your reefing problem will be the most challenging. After all, how can you solve it if you don’t what it is? This will get easier with experience. In the meantime, ask questions to other Reefers around you. Try not to make assumptions or wait it out if you have doubts. Most Reefers enjoy helping others, and are happy to help.
You Don’t Know What To Do
When looking for answers, sometimes there are a lot of solutions offered. I suggest picking the one that has the most concurrence, and offers some proof of viability. It’s also important to not just seek validation for your own assumptions or solutions. If you think you know the answer, but want others to agree with you, make sure to mention it. That may give someone an opportunity to prove your hypothesis as true or not.
Walt Disney (Acropora Tenuis) colonies in Reefer Matt’s SPS tank. These have been bleached and “greened out” in the past. The colors became more vivid when phosphate was corrected from zero.
You Don’t Implement The Change
You’d think that after going through all the effort of discovering an issue and a possible solution, that this would be the easy part. Well believe it or not, this is where a lot of Reefers fail. They may dismiss the advice given or try to implement only a portion of it. (ie. modify tank fallow period for ich, etc.) In order to rule out solutions for a problem, a fair effort should be given to the one you decide on. More on this later.
You Can’t Afford The Fix
Sometimes a problem is the result of a missing piece of equipment or livestock. Maybe the lighting isn’t adequate, or an algae outbreak requires a lot of cleanup critters to fix it. This can be discouraging sometimes, but feel free to lean on your reefing community for support. You might find out that someone has what you need for a much lower cost than a store, or they can at least share their money saving tips and resources.
You Don’t Have The Time
Sometimes life gets in the way of our reefing enjoyment and we have to do other things first. That’s certainly understandable by everyone. Just try to remember that a reef tank is like owning a bunch of pets. They need to be fed and cared for like most other living creatures. If you don’t have the time to perform maintenance or care for the tank, consider a family member, friend, neighbor, or even your lfs to help you out. Also consider automation equipment if it’s within your budget.
A Tomato Clownfish (Amphiprion frenatus)
in Reefer Matt’s old 36 gallon reef tank.
You’re Sticking With Bad Advice
Even if you’ve identified the problem and tried a fix, the issue may still be there. Knowing when to cut bait and try something else is key here, but only after giving it sufficient time to act. Sometimes even the best mentors get it wrong, but that’s because it can be difficult to diagnose a problem by pictures and descriptions alone. However, trying something else may give you better results even if the person giving the advice insists they are right.
You Bought On Impulse
Reefing is a very exciting hobby. It invokes a lot of satisfaction and happiness when we get things for our tanks. However buying first and researching later is never a good strategy. I suggest researching all livestock requirements before making a purchase. It’s a painful lesson to learn what eats what by trial and error.
You Fidget With The Tank
We all like to tinker with our hobbies, that’s one of the reasons we have them. However, coral don’t like to have flow, lighting and other parameters changed often. They also don’t like to be moved around consistently because you may be bored with them. Making adjustments can make a huge difference in reefing success, but doing them too often can have the opposite effect. I suggest giving things at least few weeks to see if the change you made is working or not, as long as immediate detriment isn’t noticed. Once things appear to be better, leave them be!
A Montipora digitata colony in Reefer Matt’s SPS tank breaching the water with the flow off.
There Is No Problem
Overreacting is a quick way to create a problem that doesn’t exist. Things like dosing products impulsively because a water test result is off, or turning up the lights because they look dim come to thought. Sometimes we invent a problem in our mind and our perceived “cure” causes more harm than good. A cautious, yet optimistic approach can help us to not overreact when something suspicious occurs, and also allow us to make informed decisions based on facts instead of perception.
Things Still Aren’t Going Right
Sometimes despite our best efforts, we just can’t solve a problem. I’ve had many instances where this was true. We sometimes get desperate in our attempts to save our salty friends, and yet they wither regardless. If this happens to you (and it likely will one day), remember to not be too hard on yourself. Try to resist the urge to quit! Yes, it is unfortunate to lose a living creature, but sometimes that loss results in more life gained. You may learn from the loss and become a better Reefer because of it. As you get comfortable with your reef tank, you may notice that other livestock are doing very well. Perhaps someday you will propagate coral or breed fish and mitigate the need for their ocean harvesting.
Conclusion
No matter what the reason is for not being successful, there are a million more why you will be. There are many fellow Reefers and experts to help you here on Reef2Reef, and likely in your local community as well. I hope to see posts of your proudest moments and challenges won in the months and years to come! I wish you all a happy and successful reefing journey!
-Reefer Matt
by Reefer Matt
Reefer Matt’s clownfish “Nemo jr.” in his Elegance coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei).
Hey Reefers! In this article, I’ll share some of the reasons why you might not have the reefing success that you’d like. I’ll also give my tips to hopefully get you back on track.
Please note that most Reefers will have pitfalls and struggles along the way, and that these challenges are normal. Even industry experts have problems sometimes. What you do to solve them however, can make all the difference.
You Don’t Know The Problem
So to start, identifying your reefing problem will be the most challenging. After all, how can you solve it if you don’t what it is? This will get easier with experience. In the meantime, ask questions to other Reefers around you. Try not to make assumptions or wait it out if you have doubts. Most Reefers enjoy helping others, and are happy to help.
You Don’t Know What To Do
When looking for answers, sometimes there are a lot of solutions offered. I suggest picking the one that has the most concurrence, and offers some proof of viability. It’s also important to not just seek validation for your own assumptions or solutions. If you think you know the answer, but want others to agree with you, make sure to mention it. That may give someone an opportunity to prove your hypothesis as true or not.
Walt Disney (Acropora Tenuis) colonies in Reefer Matt’s SPS tank. These have been bleached and “greened out” in the past. The colors became more vivid when phosphate was corrected from zero.
You Don’t Implement The Change
You’d think that after going through all the effort of discovering an issue and a possible solution, that this would be the easy part. Well believe it or not, this is where a lot of Reefers fail. They may dismiss the advice given or try to implement only a portion of it. (ie. modify tank fallow period for ich, etc.) In order to rule out solutions for a problem, a fair effort should be given to the one you decide on. More on this later.
You Can’t Afford The Fix
Sometimes a problem is the result of a missing piece of equipment or livestock. Maybe the lighting isn’t adequate, or an algae outbreak requires a lot of cleanup critters to fix it. This can be discouraging sometimes, but feel free to lean on your reefing community for support. You might find out that someone has what you need for a much lower cost than a store, or they can at least share their money saving tips and resources.
You Don’t Have The Time
Sometimes life gets in the way of our reefing enjoyment and we have to do other things first. That’s certainly understandable by everyone. Just try to remember that a reef tank is like owning a bunch of pets. They need to be fed and cared for like most other living creatures. If you don’t have the time to perform maintenance or care for the tank, consider a family member, friend, neighbor, or even your lfs to help you out. Also consider automation equipment if it’s within your budget.
A Tomato Clownfish (Amphiprion frenatus)
in Reefer Matt’s old 36 gallon reef tank.
You’re Sticking With Bad Advice
Even if you’ve identified the problem and tried a fix, the issue may still be there. Knowing when to cut bait and try something else is key here, but only after giving it sufficient time to act. Sometimes even the best mentors get it wrong, but that’s because it can be difficult to diagnose a problem by pictures and descriptions alone. However, trying something else may give you better results even if the person giving the advice insists they are right.
You Bought On Impulse
Reefing is a very exciting hobby. It invokes a lot of satisfaction and happiness when we get things for our tanks. However buying first and researching later is never a good strategy. I suggest researching all livestock requirements before making a purchase. It’s a painful lesson to learn what eats what by trial and error.
You Fidget With The Tank
We all like to tinker with our hobbies, that’s one of the reasons we have them. However, coral don’t like to have flow, lighting and other parameters changed often. They also don’t like to be moved around consistently because you may be bored with them. Making adjustments can make a huge difference in reefing success, but doing them too often can have the opposite effect. I suggest giving things at least few weeks to see if the change you made is working or not, as long as immediate detriment isn’t noticed. Once things appear to be better, leave them be!
A Montipora digitata colony in Reefer Matt’s SPS tank breaching the water with the flow off.
There Is No Problem
Overreacting is a quick way to create a problem that doesn’t exist. Things like dosing products impulsively because a water test result is off, or turning up the lights because they look dim come to thought. Sometimes we invent a problem in our mind and our perceived “cure” causes more harm than good. A cautious, yet optimistic approach can help us to not overreact when something suspicious occurs, and also allow us to make informed decisions based on facts instead of perception.
Things Still Aren’t Going Right
Sometimes despite our best efforts, we just can’t solve a problem. I’ve had many instances where this was true. We sometimes get desperate in our attempts to save our salty friends, and yet they wither regardless. If this happens to you (and it likely will one day), remember to not be too hard on yourself. Try to resist the urge to quit! Yes, it is unfortunate to lose a living creature, but sometimes that loss results in more life gained. You may learn from the loss and become a better Reefer because of it. As you get comfortable with your reef tank, you may notice that other livestock are doing very well. Perhaps someday you will propagate coral or breed fish and mitigate the need for their ocean harvesting.
Conclusion
No matter what the reason is for not being successful, there are a million more why you will be. There are many fellow Reefers and experts to help you here on Reef2Reef, and likely in your local community as well. I hope to see posts of your proudest moments and challenges won in the months and years to come! I wish you all a happy and successful reefing journey!
-Reefer Matt
