melev

We've all been there. Your tank is on auto-pilot, you aren't making any new purchases, you see the same troublesome areas that need to be tended to but have little desire to actually get those cared for. Your patience is less than before, and what you want continues to be postponed by one thing or another. It's annoying, to say the least.

For me, that was very frustrating. I set up my 400g in February 2011 and by this point I should have a rockin' reef nearly three years later. The leak was a major setback but I felt like it would be resolved in a matter of a few months. It took much longer; I had many people tell me they would have left the hobby if they were in my shoes. Still I continued to see the bigger picture and waited it out, knowing it would all work out. Getting the 400g running again was very important to me, because a lot of planning went into the fishroom where it was meant to be.

With the 215g gone, it feels like I can finally move forward with the reboot. Every time I look at the reef from my desk, I love how clear it is, how nice the water looks, and can foresee how the corals will grow in. The fish seem excited to explore every nook and cranny and the entire reef relaxes me. Cleaning the glass to maintain a pristine view, I enjoy seeing each coral's texture, color and polyps. I've been reaching in the tank to make tiny adjustments, and have been going through towels like crazy lately with the constant need to catch the drips, rinse and dry off.

Decluttering the frag tank and moving many pieces into the big tank at last, it's nice to think where each one will eventually be secured. The Teardrop Maxima I got at DFW-MACNA in 2012 is finally now in the 60g anemone tank, and it's no small clam any more. Small frags became mini and some not-so-mini colonies over time. Now I just have to dial in the reef, do some cable management and keep everything stable. During December, the woodwork will be completed to wrap the tank with a nice built-in look.

Would it be easier to just walk away and try again later? Probably, but at a cost. All the animals you have now you must entrust to others, and no-one can make any guarantees they will keep them with the same care or even know what to do when things fall apart some day. I've given a presentation to clubs about what to do, and how to prepare for tank emergencies, but living through it yourself is when your mettle is truly tested.

Keeping livestock alive for many months while repairs are underway is extremely challenging. Knowing I have corals, fish and anemones 10 years in my care were strong motivators to get everything back to normal, but it came at a price. Some things were lost in the process, space was filled with gear I didn't intend to have to work around, and it affected my overall feelings from time to time. I can always tell when I'm happy, because I'm taking lots of pictures and sharing them often. During bad times, few pictures are taken and it almost feels like I'm at a standstill or holding pattern.

I'm very happy to have my 400g reef going once more. It's Thanksgiving this week, and I'm about to spend it with family. Entrusting my reeflings to my tank sitter once more, I'm hoping all will go well whilst I'm away and yet already I can't wait to get back to see how everything is doing.