Hard Headed Frinds

[AquaGrizzly]

Any one have some of these as far as trying to help them start a saltwater tank? I have one that has probably spent $2000 on live stuff and only has about $400 to show. He is so hard headed. I keep telling him not to buy anything else until he gets his levels straightened out. He told me his nitrates are up. I keep telling him to use ro water he keeps using tap. I tell him if he waits I would frag him some of my corals for a third of what the LFS sells them for. Does he wait? No. For ex. he spends $30 on a pom pom frag when I sell mine for $5. He has a 55 g. He asked me what I thought about a powder blue tang about 6" long and I told him no he is not ready. What does he do? Goes and gets it. It stresses and gets ich and wipes out his mated oce. clowns, 2 chalk bass, chromis. The only fish he had left was a damsel. What is a guy supposed to do about hard headed friends (associates) like this? This is only 1/3 of the advice I tried to give him to no avail. He started his tank 2 months after mine. If what I am doing is working and I have all of my fish and corals don't you think you would want to follow too an extent? Oh well I'll let him waste his money.

[grallster]

Well, all you can say is you tried. At least try to convince him to give the ocean a break and only buy aquacultured.

[AquaGrizzly]

Originally Posted by grallster

Well, all you can say is you tried. At least try to convince him to give the ocean a break and only buy aquacultured.

Tried that. He wants everything now so his tank can start looking like mine (nothing to brag about).I don't want to sell him any frags to just have them die.

[bklynmet]

eventually your friend will come to a point where he'll either start caring about the tank and its inhabitants or give up on the hobby all together because he's had poor results... and you - being his friend, will help him become successful at it - teaching him the right way. OR you'll end up buying his equipment from him at a reasonably reduced price

[lostwhirley]

It's unfortunate because the fish/corals is what suffers.

It really makes me #$% when I hear newbies talk about buying a tank, thinking that they can do it cheap. Now, if they DIY, I understand, but some newbs think they can get away with a skilter, or such.

The other day, I was at the LFS, and I over heard a newbie saying that they're going to buy a lionfish, blue tang (or should I say, 'Dora' fish', in his terms), powder tang...o...and of course, several 'Nemo' fish. He said he'll add them a month or two after he started filling his water.

Newbs.

Of course, I goto some LFS and I can't understand how they can have such crappy setups. A LFS that I go to, I watch them bring in some acropora one day, 3-4 days later.....buh bye! How sad.

I guess I would point them in the right direction and that's about it...can't do much else. Perhaps pooint them to these forums where they can learn.

*shrugs*

[Bender 2]

That is a tough situation. As we all know, this hobby takes plenty of patience as well as cash. If you don't have the patience, you will spend a lot more cash, not to mention all of the livestock that will be killed. Hopefully your friend will come around soon and start listening to reason. Maybe direct him here or someplace like it and have him read and then read some more. Good luck.

[lostwhirley]

Perhaps an intervention is needed?

[Adnuces]

Please do an intervention then let me know after so I can buy some of his stuff....

[AquaGrizzly]

This would not be possible. He is the type of person that thinks he is the boss, always right and "Mr. Jones". He has no ideas for himself and has to copy everyone but try to one up them. So there is no way he would get rid of his tank because I have one.

[lostwhirley]

Boy, that's not much of a friend..

Yah, I'd hate to be in your position. I had to bite my toungue the other day when i was at the LFS, and some guy was buying a sun coral.

The buyer asked the LFS, what do I feed it.

Course, the seller said flake food.

Poor, sun coral....