My 24g Nano Cube has been up and running for about 4 months now without any major issues. The water params are always fine but I still check them almost every day. I must wipe the glass 10 times a day not to mention I look closely at my fish constantly to see if I see anything that looks out of the ordinary. Don't even get me started on having to buy every little gadget available for it (Stevie T media basket is scheduled to arrive today ). Does it ever end?

Yeah... you've got it bad.

Welcome to the hobby

You should just sit back and watch all the things (pods, worms, etc.) besides the fish. Try to enjoy what is already inside it. For water testing, make sure not to fall into the race for "perfect" values.

I stopped checking my water parameters besides salinity and temperature a long time ago. I haven't had anything die or any other problems since. I got tired of testing every other day and then after that every weekend. Water changes are enough to keep things happy in my tank.

Eventually it ends.

3 or 4 tanks later --- after 6 or 8 years you will eventually ..............

stop testing,
stop tinkering,
stop using additives,
stop constant feedings,
stop being neurotic

and just sit back and enjoy a peaceful tank. And if you really take your time building the system you will also have very little maintenance to worry about.

My 1st reef tank. I use to drive 20 mins home for lunch so I could watch the tank for 20 mins and then drive 20 back to work. I had it bad.

Im with phorensic on this one, it definately goes away. I was just like you about 4 months ago. I do still worry about it while Im working and all, haha.

wiping your tank 10times a day is kinda OCD.......

i take it no one has caught you with your eye an inch away from the glass with a flashlight trying to ID something at 3 am ?

..."honey i swear i saw something"...wife just shakes head and goes back to bed...she calls this site my fish porn

I think our wives must be related, even worse since I found this site.

I worry more now about a stable tank then parameters. I measure ALK once in awhile cause I know its low, been 6.5 for years n years but why change it if nothing broke. PH comes from the controller... about the extent of my measuring.

im a month over due for a WC.....when the xenia shrivels up, i know its time to tweek the water

+1

Wow I almost never test and only clean the glass for pics or when I do a WC every week or two...

Partially because my old o chem professor would punch me in the mouth if he even suspected I was measuring water in a test tube with a line printed on it lol. It just feels wrong and I broke my pipette...

I honestly rarely test. I check pH and salinity every other day Kh and Calcium Weekly. Saturday was the first time I ran a full parameter check in 2 months. If the corals look happy and are growing I feel it unnecessary to waste the resources on testing.

Oh My.... I'm in trouble.

My wife says the same thing and I'm on my first tank. (bout mid way through cycle), this isn't going to end well...

I'm gonna miss her. Lol.

Heres a noob question.What is the best ALL AROUND Test kit? i bought a nutra fin Mini master test kit. Just for early testing an add ons for my FW. Ammonia test says for fresh water. Can I use It with an SW tank? Does it matter? Ammonia is ammonia IMO.

API master saltwater test kit, it will cost ya around 30 bucks but worth it

my girl is more OCD about my tank then me, so i got it covered


I win

I've kept aquaria since I was ten (that means 21 years!).

The only time I get anal is when I try something totally new and out of my experience. Once I get a grasp of how things work, ie, I find the "rhythm" of the tank, it's smooth sailing (until bryopsis starts growing then Mr. Anal comes back).

I agree with the API test kit. Avoid the Red Sea kit at all costs- it sucks and takes much longer to check all parameters. I began this hobby a year ago and three tanks later, I'm still married!

for some, yes. for you, probably not. don't feel bad, my tank owns me too.