Where the Wild Things Are: 100 Days (rezing the thread)

[Weetabix7]

[kimberbee]

[Felicia]

 

On 10/23/2017 at 11:24 AM, lkoechle said:

Okie doke, so here's the sad situation with my tanks, this one is just... well all of them are a mess.  In their own way.  I'm stressed trying to fix all of them, so instead, I'm consolidating.  I moved Maru, Ursula (the serpent star), and Mr. Cling to the 25g yesterday.  Mrs. Cling is being rehomed Wednesday.  I'm going to keep the tank running and trying to fix it as I get time, and its going to be an observational QT while we finish stocking the 25.  I still want a twin spot hogfish for that tank and I've come to the conclusion I hate having a QT in my bedroom.  So, this fixes that problem barring the incoming fish developing something like ich in which case I'll have to remove it for a medicated QT.  TBH though, I have only gotten ich once from one store (and to be fair, that was a tang) and marine velvet from DD and I don't do either of those stores anymore. I don't live in denver anymore and I don't like paying shipping for dead/dying fish. lol  The stores here locally, well the two that I buy from, I have never seen any sign of ich in their sales tanks. Ever. One I know completely drains and bleaches their systems every week.  The other store I don't know.  I just happened to stop by while they were draining a quarter of their store and found out that nifty info while the boss man was jokingly harassing the drainer for flooding the store a while back. lol 

 

Anyways, what will happen to this tank after that?  I don't know.  I like it, I think it's in a cool spot.  I'm playing with the idea of maybe another mantis shrimp? I don't know, something low maintenance.  Might even copy some of the other contestants like @SeaFurn and go RFAs?  Who knows, it will be a few months before we're there.

So sorry to hear about all the troubles.  Watching a tank struggle and making the decision to reboot is always so hard.  I think consolidating is a good plan and hopefully you can reset the 14 gallon.  I really love the 14 gallon so I hope to see you do something else wonderful with it!  

[lkoechle]

So, the contest tank is almost a year old.  Its like… 9 months? Right?  I don’t remember.  I think it started in May.  Anyways, it has been a challenge.  It’s been a while since I’ve updated.  I’m a stay at home mom… Or at least I thought I was.  If you have followed any of my previous tanks, you know horses intermittently pop up.  I was hired in December as a riding instructor two days a week, and now I’m the only riding instructor at five days a week.  Yay <-sarcasm-  I’m grateful to be working with the animals that are my life’s major passion (my husband always dubbed the tanks my substitute horse since we started during a very horse-less time in my life).  But I really love being a SAHM and I hate my current schedule.  So fingers crossed that we hire another instructor soon so I don’t lose my mind.  Because I hate people.  I only wanted to work twice a week, I was happy with that.  I could play with horses and still be fresh and give my family the best side of me because I consider being a SAHM and all the work and expectations that go with that as my primary occupation.  (I’m a regular June Cleaver when I’m in my zone).  But this 5 days a week thing has taken that from me and subsequently, my family (and they have all been super supportive of me but they miss the old life.  Mac and cheese for dinner every night wears toddlers out eventually).  Okay, enough of the work rant. Lol  I am happy to be with horses again, I’m appreciative of the money, but I want to go back to my original commitments. (I also run the office/scheduling as well… its killing me.)  Okay, now I’m done.

 

Sorry.

 

Back to the tank.  So, It’s still going.  It’s been a lesson in perseverance and just letting things ride since the hard crash it had like when? October?  I don’t let things ride very easily.  I always feel the need to have it go perfectly or start over.  With the aforementioned schedule, I don’t even have time to pull the tank down so it was just riding since the crash.  I consolidated as previously mentioned, moving the fish to the 25g and then I just let the tank ride.  I did not touch it, did not do water changes, barely cleaned the glass.

 

The resilience of life amazes me.  My caulerpa went sexual a few times (again no waterchanges).  But despite the neglect, the tank is blooming and I think we’re on the brink of saying thriving.  A week ago, I added banagaii cardinal, so I’m paying more attention to the tank now because of said fish, and things are coming back.

 

One of the native LPS had been going down hill and bleached in some spots but is now coming back and color is returning.  The brittle stars have grown immensely since I got them.  Two LPS (non native) I added a few months ago are growing.  The native macros have come back.  There are bivalves somehow still alive and I think more than before. Some how a gorgonian still lives, same with a sponge.  The native glass anemones I thought I lost are coming back (there is one, possibly two) and feather dusters are popping up every where.  There are also more polychate worms.  

 

My urchin has lived this entire time which I think is pretty funny.  Lol And the two olive letter snails live as well. I have no idea what the levels are in the tank.  But somehow it’s found its own equilibrium without any interference from me.  I’m even holding some optimistic hope that one of my porcelain crabs (out of like the 20 I had) may have made it.  There is no foundation or evidence for it, but so much has survived that I thought I lost, so why not?

 

My 25g has also suffered similar neglect and is also starting to turn around.  I am so optimistic, that I’m leaving my bleached cora (sideaffect of peroxide, but thats another story for another tank thread) l to see if they come back since they still have tissue.  Long shot for sure, but hey, I don’t have anything to lose by leaving them in.

 

I’ll post photos later or instagram links.  I’m typing this from my laptop on the bathroom floor while attempting to potty train my two year old #momlife (not going well, but its the first day and that was the hardest with my son too).

 

 

 

[vlangel]

1 hour ago, lkoechle said:

So, the contest tank is almost a year old.  Its like… 9 months? Right?  I don’t remember.  I think it started in May.  Anyways, it has been a challenge.  It’s been a while since I’ve updated.  I’m a stay at home mom… Or at least I thought I was.  If you have followed any of my previous tanks, you know horses intermittently pop up.  I was hired in December as a riding instructor two days a week, and now I’m the only riding instructor at five days a week.  Yay <-sarcasm-  I’m grateful to be working with the animals that are my life’s major passion (my husband always dubbed the tanks my substitute horse since we started during a very horse-less time in my life).  But I really love being a SAHM and I hate my current schedule.  So fingers crossed that we hire another instructor soon so I don’t lose my mind.  Because I hate people.  I only wanted to work twice a week, I was happy with that.  I could play with horses and still be fresh and give my family the best side of me because I consider being a SAHM and all the work and expectations that go with that as my primary occupation.  (I’m a regular June Cleaver when I’m in my zone).  But this 5 days a week thing has taken that from me and subsequently, my family (and they have all been super supportive of me but they miss the old life.  Mac and cheese for dinner every night wears toddlers out eventually).  Okay, enough of the work rant. Lol  I am happy to be with horses again, I’m appreciative of the money, but I want to go back to my original commitments. (I also run the office/scheduling as well… its killing me.)  Okay, now I’m done.

 

Sorry.

 

Back to the tank.  So, It’s still going.  It’s been a lesson in perseverance and just letting things ride since the hard crash it had like when? October?  I don’t let things ride very easily.  I always feel the need to have it go perfectly or start over.  With the aforementioned schedule, I don’t even have time to pull the tank down so it was just riding since the crash.  I consolidated as previously mentioned, moving the fish to the 25g and then I just let the tank ride.  I did not touch it, did not do water changes, barely cleaned the glass.

 

The resilience of life amazes me.  My caulerpa went sexual a few times (again no waterchanges).  But despite the neglect, the tank is blooming and I think we’re on the brink of saying thriving.  A week ago, I added banagaii cardinal, so I’m paying more attention to the tank now because of said fish, and things are coming back.

 

One of the native LPS had been going down hill and bleached in some spots but is now coming back and color is returning.  The brittle stars have grown immensely since I got them.  Two LPS (non native) I added a few months ago are growing.  The native macros have come back.  There are bivalves somehow still alive and I think more than before. Some how a gorgonian still lives, same with a sponge.  The native glass anemones I thought I lost are coming back (there is one, possibly two) and feather dusters are popping up every where.  There are also more polychate worms.  

 

My urchin has lived this entire time which I think is pretty funny.  Lol And the two olive letter snails live as well. I have no idea what the levels are in the tank.  But somehow it’s found its own equilibrium without any interference from me.  I’m even holding some optimistic hope that one of my porcelain crabs (out of like the 20 I had) may have made it.  There is no foundation or evidence for it, but so much has survived that I thought I lost, so why not?

 

My 25g has also suffered similar neglect and is also starting to turn around.  I am so optimistic, that I’m leaving my bleached cora (sideaffect of peroxide, but thats another story for another tank thread) l to see if they come back since they still have tissue.  Long shot for sure, but hey, I don’t have anything to lose by leaving them in.

 

I’ll post photos later or instagram links.  I’m typing this from my laptop on the bathroom floor while attempting to potty train my two year old #momlife (not going well, but its the first day and that was the hardest with my son too).

 

 

 

Hang in there Ikoechle, 'this too shall pass', particularly in regards to the potty training!  I hear you about being committed to being a SAHM.  I too was committed to being a SAHM, and I too struggled with a part time job,(working for a lfs).   Now with our 3 boys grown, married and having their own families I look back with satisfaction.

 

I am happy that your tanks are rebounding.  That must be gratifying.  Good for you!

[Pjanssen]

Nice to "see" you again. I was fortunate to also be a stay at home mom while my girls were little. Now I have the joy of helping to raise my grandson since his mom chooses to not be a stay at home mom. Working with horses sounds great, too bad people have to get in the way .

 

I'm confident  you can bring your tank(s) back to where you want them. Keeping it simpler will help a lot. Keep us updated, always fun to follow your threads.

[lkoechle]

checking in again lol

 

]

 

Still going.  The bivalve is growing, I have brittle starfish all over, new tunicates, and feather dusters.  chug chug chuggin' along

 

 

A 19th century ship wreck washed ashore Tuesday night so my kids and I went looking for it yesterday.  It was pretty cool.

 

 

And on a not salt related note, ponies.

 

Well, sort of.  This is chocolate and she is salty.  She's my favorite horse I work with.  She's very bitter though, very much a mare.  I like to make her things because she's adorable.  and I'm sharing her because she's adorable whether she's salty or sweet.

Riding POV sort of, you should look ahead past the ears, this was for photo purposes lol.  If you were wondering. lol  And yes, I have a shiny rhinestone butt boop stick (aka dressage whip) that matches my shiny rhinestone dressage bridle.

 

Mirror selfie with super unimpressed Choco.  She seriously makes the best faces of "wth are you doing?  why do I put up with you?"  But she loves me in her weird way.  If any lesson kid drops the reins or stops riding (as in telling her what to do), she finds me and makes a bee line.  I like to think its because she likes me.  In reality it is probably because she knows I'm the instructor and I can tell children to get off of her and put her away. I'm her key to being returned to the barn.  And yes, that is a sushi roll saddle pad.  Like I said, I make things for her because she is cute.  She has amassed quite the wardrobe since I've started working here.

 

Thats really all I have to share. lol  I'm just tired and bored atm 

 

 

[fishfreak0114]

The tank looks amazing!  So lush and natural.  Chocolate is a cutie  

[Pjanssen]

Tank looks great. Jealous that you got to seethe shipwreck. Wanted to go up to see it but couldn’t justify a 5 hour drive. So cool. Cute horse 

[skoechle]

Quick hardware update on the Current-USA Orbit Marine Pro light. We attempted to move the light over to our 25 we were selling but discovered the lights remote was busted. The battery that came with it had leaked and the battery acid seemed to corrupt the circuitry of the remote. Luckily a replacement remote can easily be found for under $15 (have not received the replacement from Amazon yet). I wish they had an Android App since most of those phones seem to have a built in IR blaster.

[spectra]

22 minutes ago, skoechle said:

Quick hardware update on the Current-USA Orbit Marine Pro light. We attempted to move the light over to our 25 we were selling but discovered the lights remote was busted. The battery that came with it had leaked and the battery acid seemed to corrupt the circuitry of the remote. Luckily a replacement remote can easily be found for under $15 (have not received the replacement from Amazon yet). I wish they had an Android App since most of those phones seem to have a built in IR blaster.

 

Funny to see this happen as I just pulled mine apart and am going a all new rout......my frogfish croaked and said #### it lets re boot this tank...….I also went back to a nanobox…...the Current was still working great even though I never programmed it.

 

Post up some pics of the tank!

[lkoechle]

@Weetabix7, you need to check this out for mounting macros!

[Lula_Mae]

8 hours ago, lkoechle said:

@Weetabix7, you need to check this out for mounting macros!

 Love the string of pearls macro! Did you find that from an online vendor?

[lkoechle]

15 minutes ago, Lula_Mae said:

 Love the string of pearls macro! Did you find that from an online vendor?

I have no idea what they are.  It was in the 60 gallon's refugium with the chaeto.  Not a lot, just this maybe three other pieces (which are still in the fuge lol)

[1891Bro]

On 3/30/2018 at 10:19 AM, lkoechle said:

checking in again lol

 

]

 

Still going.  The bivalve is growing, I have brittle starfish all over, new tunicates, and feather dusters.  chug chug chuggin' along

 

 

A 19th century ship wreck washed ashore Tuesday night so my kids and I went looking for it yesterday.  It was pretty cool.

 

 

And on a not salt related note, ponies.

 

Well, sort of.  This is chocolate and she is salty.  She's my favorite horse I work with.  She's very bitter though, very much a mare.  I like to make her things because she's adorable.  and I'm sharing her because she's adorable whether she's salty or sweet.

Riding POV sort of, you should look ahead past the ears, this was for photo purposes lol.  If you were wondering. lol  And yes, I have a shiny rhinestone butt boop stick (aka dressage whip) that matches my shiny rhinestone dressage bridle.

 

Mirror selfie with super unimpressed Choco.  She seriously makes the best faces of "wth are you doing?  why do I put up with you?"  But she loves me in her weird way.  If any lesson kid drops the reins or stops riding (as in telling her what to do), she finds me and makes a bee line.  I like to think its because she likes me.  In reality it is probably because she knows I'm the instructor and I can tell children to get off of her and put her away. I'm her key to being returned to the barn.  And yes, that is a sushi roll saddle pad.  Like I said, I make things for her because she is cute.  She has amassed quite the wardrobe since I've started working here.

 

Thats really all I have to share. lol  I'm just tired and bored atm 

 

 

I don’t care about beasts of burden but that first photo in this ancient post, holy 🐄. It looks awesome. Hopefully it hasn’t changed too much. 

[lkoechle]

1 minute ago, 1891Bro said:

I don’t care about beasts of burden but that first photo in this ancient post, holy 🐄. It looks awesome. Hopefully it hasn’t changed too much.

Haha. Thanks but I love my beasts of burden.

 

The tank hasn't changed too much.  It's balder at the moment.  The macro is still growing back after its last haircut. lol  But other than that, it looks the same if you replace the bangaii with a clownfish.  

[Pjanssen]

Would love to see a current FTS. Mine looks a little different now. Lost all of the green macros, and most varieties of the reds, just one strain left that grows like a weed. Still keeping it strictly caribbean, but expanding outside of Florida.

[lkoechle]

Your FTS y'all requested @1891Bro and @Pjanssen

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lkoechle]

4 hours ago, Pjanssen said:

Still keeping it strictly caribbean, but expanding outside of Florida.

Yeah, I expanded from Florida.  I still want it to be "floridian" but I had to migrate stuff from different tanks.  Maru got really territorial and aggressive so he went to the LFS, Xena was moved from the 25 to this tank because I sold it (or tried to).  I wanted to move her to the 60 G  but now I've become attached to the Spotcintus pair. so... lol  The clown goby was because I already fell of the wagon. 🤣

 

Since experimenting with Reef Welder though I would like to get some gorgs and sponges and go for round two.  I would really love to set up a 40B or larger and do another package for a predator tank.  I still haven't abandoned that idea lol

[Pjanssen]

5 hours ago, lkoechle said:

I would really love to set up a 40B or larger and do another package for a predator tank.

I use to love @Felicia‘s predator tank! Do it!

[lkoechle]

FYI I'm trying to figure out  how to put photos in, so excuse me if you read this and there is funkiness going on.

 

So a year and a half later.  Tanks still kicking.  hasn't changed much.  The tube coral unfortunately went south.  But I'm not surprised.  

 

Here's the deal.  I'm taking off my make up with you guys because my 65 is in a similar state:

 

I'm not into tank maintenance.  I wish I was @metrokat who has been like my goal since 2011 or @Veng or @teenyreef or a whole host of others I've admired so much.  But I'm not.  It's just not in the cards for me just like I might teach someone who will make the olympic team, but I'm not going to ride in the olympics.  And thats not even a sarcastic comment.  A girl I taught to ride like when she was starting out on ponies is starting her push for the US Olympic Equestrian Team 2024. 

 

Life has been full ups and downs lately.  I'm also posting this for some of our very successful reefers, far more successful than me, who are having tank issues because children ruin everything. (that's not true, but they make life very difficult and are very good at showing you, you are not in control of your life) or for anyone else who happens on the google search: children babies and reef tanks .  I've also seen some FB posts in my local community about people thinking of leaving because they cant handle the stress.

 

I have been taking the advice of a local reefer who has had the same tank for 18 years.  dude's OG.  Pretty much quoted frozen and said let it go.  Just let it do what it will and be okay with that.  Take a break, dont tear it down, minimal maintenance (so for me that refilling the ATO and feeding the fish) and don't worry about anything else.

 

That does mean I am not buying homewrecker acros or anyone's crazylongridiculousname high end coral.  But I've learned to give myself a lot of grace lately. 

 

I've been having heart trouble which is concerning.  I'm 28 years old, 5'2", 130 lbs can run an 8 minute mile, two healthy all natural pregnancies and deliveries.  In summary:  I'm very healthy.  And I've been having  episodes for 10 years that I thought was just "being sensitive" and I would occasionally faint.   I was teaching about a month ago and I was actually riding which is unusual when I teach, but I had an advance student so I could ride with her.  And i just got hit with one of these episodes and I nearly passed out off my horse.  I knew what was going on since I've had these before so I was riding her to where I could get off, but I was so out of it I didn't even realize I had dropped the reins until she overshot my mark and I had a moment of clarity thinking, "Why are you being so slow to respond?"

 

(Me and my excellent pony who takes care of me.)

 

The child I was teaching that day, her mother was there and she happens to be an ER floor admin and the barn owner who had the day off is a paramedic with the fire dept.  They both noticed things were not right and its not "sensitivity".  So I was taken to the ER and got in with the cardiologist.  Good news is it isn't anything structural.  But we don't know what it is yet.  I'm hoping its something that can be fixed instead of "managed" because I hate living with these episodes.  They are scary and they prevent me from doing things like hiking that I would like to do but I'm afraid to feel like crap or worse pass out and I hate being a burden to the people around me.

 

But I'm thankful for it happening in front knowledgeable people.  The owner wasn't suppose to be there and neither was the student and mom, they rescheduled at the last minute with me that morning.  So maybe its providence.

 

Anyways, I'm not going to pretend I wasn't neglecting my tanks before then but the new issues certainly haven't helped.  The important thing to note though: I wasn't stressing over them.  Could they crash? yes.  Could I lose things? yes.  Is it something I'm going to lose my head over?  Maybe even 10 months ago, the answer would be yes. I would have freaked out.  I have anxiety problems.  I have said things to people (plural person) and they actually respond with, "That escalated quickly." 

 

But a few months ago I really took to heart that piece of advice regarding my tanks.  And I refuse to cause myself harm via stressing.  Now, I don't want warriors coming on and being like "she doesn't care about fish".  no no, if the tanks crashing to the point of threatening fish and inverts, water changes will be done.  I'll make my husband do it if I can't or pay someone. I'm just not going to look at my tank and feel an overwhelming sense of dread and impending doom because I'm not doing a water change or haven't done one in like forever and then let the guilt and shame compound into the anxiety freight train. 

 

And I'm an experienced reefer, I don't know all the shit, but I know quite a bit. and its embarrassing sometimes to give advice to someone when I'm not following my own rules.  But that happens.  And thats okay.  If someone's reading this, who can relate.  I'm telling you its okay.  It doesn't make you a fraud. 

 

Anyways, so the tank is still going and many of the original inhabitants are still alive.

 

 

 

Yoshii's bivalve is still kicking.

 

I have a lot of glass anemones which I really think are cute.  

 

 

The urchin is still with me too!

 

Even some gorgonians! And the snails are original crew too.

 

So, not bad for not doing anything.

 

For future plans, I do plan on doing something unorthodox and something that will have others gasping in horror.  But its how i roll.  I plan to sell either Xena or my spotcinctus clown pair (and then move xena to the 65) and use this tank as an observational/reef safe med QT.  I have lost every fish I have used copper with.  So, I just figure I'm lose fish regardless of what I do if thats the will.  Might as well save my self some stress of ammonia poisoning in a sterile QT and throw the fish in a very established tank.  

 

I plan on getting a few more fish for the 65 and will be purchasing them one at a time to QT in this tank.  When the QT is done, I plan on getting another mantis shrimp and this will be his home.

 

Oh, and speaking of, this is still sitting next to another tank but one of an arboreal variety.

 

 

 

 

GOJIRAAAA!!!! The crested gecko.

 

Now hopefully all my images show.  And If not I'm sorry, I'll try to fix it.

 

[WV Reefer]

4 minutes ago, lkoechle said:

FYI I'm trying to figure out  how to put photos in, so excuse me if you read this and there is funkiness going on.

 

So a year and a half later.  Tanks still kicking.  hasn't changed much.  The tube coral unfortunately went south.  But I'm not surprised.  

 

Here's the deal.  I'm taking off my make up with you guys because my 65 is in a similar state:

 

I'm not into tank maintenance.  I wish I was @metrokat who has been like my goal since 2011 or @Veng or @teenyreef or a whole host of others I've admired so much.  But I'm not.  It's just not in the cards for me just like I might teach someone who will make the olympic team, but I'm not going to ride in the olympics.  And thats not even a sarcastic comment.  A girl I taught to ride like when she was starting out on ponies is starting her push for the US Olympic Equestrian Team 2024. 

 

Life has been full ups and downs lately.  I'm also posting this for some of our very successful reefers, far more successful than me, who are having tank issues because children ruin everything. (that's not true, but they make life very difficult and are very good at showing you, you are not in control of your life) or for anyone else who happens on the google search: children babies and reef tanks .  I've also seen some FB posts in my local community about people thinking of leaving because they cant handle the stress.

 

I have been taking the advice of a local reefer who has had the same tank for 18 years.  dude's OG.  Pretty much quoted frozen and said let it go.  Just let it do what it will and be okay with that.  Take a break, dont tear it down, minimal maintenance (so for me that refilling the ATO and feeding the fish) and don't worry about anything else.

 

That does mean I am not buying homewrecker acros or anyone's crazylongridiculousname high end coral.  But I've learned to give myself a lot of grace lately. 

 

I've been having heart trouble which is concerning.  I'm 28 years old, 5'2", 130 lbs can run an 8 minute mile, two healthy all natural pregnancies and deliveries.  In summary:  I'm very healthy.  And I've been having  episodes for 10 years that I thought was just "being sensitive" and I would occasionally faint.   I was teaching about a month ago and I was actually riding which is unusual when I teach, but I had an advance student so I could ride with her.  And i just got hit with one of these episodes and I nearly passed out off my horse.  I knew what was going on since I've had these before so I was riding her to where I could get off, but I was so out of it I didn't even realize I had dropped the reins until she overshot my mark and I had a moment of clarity thinking, "Why are you being so slow to respond?"

 

(Me and my excellent pony who takes care of me.)

 

The child I was teaching that day, her mother was there and she happens to be an ER floor admin and the barn owner who had the day off is a paramedic with the fire dept.  They both noticed things were not right and its not "sensitivity".  So I was taken to the ER and got in with the cardiologist.  Good news is it isn't anything structural.  But we don't know what it is yet.  I'm hoping its something that can be fixed instead of "managed" because I hate living with these episodes.  They are scary and they prevent me from doing things like hiking that I would like to do but I'm afraid to feel like crap or worse pass out and I hate being a burden to the people around me.

 

But I'm thankful for it happening in front knowledgeable people.  The owner wasn't suppose to be there and neither was the student and mom, they rescheduled at the last minute with me that morning.  So maybe its providence.

 

Anyways, I'm not going to pretend I wasn't neglecting my tanks before then but the new issues certainly haven't helped.  The important thing to note though: I wasn't stressing over them.  Could they crash? yes.  Could I lose things? yes.  Is it something I'm going to lose my head over?  Maybe even 10 months ago, the answer would be yes. I would have freaked out.  I have anxiety problems.  I have said things to people (plural person) and they actually respond with, "That escalated quickly." 

 

But a few months ago I really took to heart that piece of advice regarding my tanks.  And I refuse to cause myself harm via stressing.  Now, I don't want warriors coming on and being like "she doesn't care about fish".  no no, if the tanks crashing to the point of threatening fish and inverts, water changes will be done.  I'll make my husband do it if I can't or pay someone. I'm just not going to look at my tank and feel an overwhelming sense of dread and impending doom because I'm not doing a water change or haven't done one in like forever and then let the guilt and shame compound into the anxiety freight train. 

 

And I'm an experienced reefer, I don't know all the shit, but I know quite a bit. and its embarrassing sometimes to give advice to someone when I'm not following my own rules.  But that happens.  And thats okay.  If someone's reading this, who can relate.  I'm telling you its okay.  It doesn't make you a fraud. 

 

Anyways, so the tank is still going and many of the original inhabitants are still alive.

 

 

 

Yoshii's bivalve is still kicking.

 

I have a lot of glass anemones which I really think are cute.  

 

 

The urchin is still with me too!

 

Even some gorgonians! And the snails are original crew too.

 

So, not bad for not doing anything.

 

For future plans, I do plan on doing something unorthodox and something that will have others gasping in horror.  But its how i roll.  I plan to sell either Xena or my spotcinctus clown pair (and then move xena to the 65) and use this tank as an observational/reef safe med QT.  I have lost every fish I have used copper with.  So, I just figure I'm lose fish regardless of what I do if thats the will.  Might as well save my self some stress of ammonia poisoning in a sterile QT and throw the fish in a very established tank.  

 

I plan on getting a few more fish for the 65 and will be purchasing them one at a time to QT in this tank.  When the QT is done, I plan on getting another mantis shrimp and this will be his home.

 

Oh, and speaking of, this is still sitting next to another tank but one of an arboreal variety.

 

 

 

 

GOJIRAAAA!!!! The crested gecko.

 

Now hopefully all my images show.  And If not I'm sorry, I'll try to fix it.

 

Glad you are back posting again. 🙂  

 

You don’t owe us explanations but Im glad that you shared.  Hopefully the heart thing is nothing major. 🤞🏻

 

I’ll send some good vibes down your way.  ~~~~~~~~~

 

#girlpower

[kimberbee]

I hope you are able to get some answers. 

 

[SeaFurn]

Love that you keep it real.  

And still love this tank!

 

Your plans sound good!  Thanks for the update!  

 

Take care of yourself and the fam - and you do you! 

[William]

How are you liking the gecko