Calling all advanced reefers...
- Thread starter earlybird
- Start date
maxalmon
Active Member
Tank is 125g mixed LPS softie. 3x250w MH 4x96 Actinics. 350lb LR and 2" LS bed. 55g Sump is BB with huge blob of chaeto and Needlewheel skimmer, just a little over 18 months old. Tropic Marine PRO salt. Tank temp is a 78-81. Ca is pretty stable at 425, dKH is around 10-11.
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I spend 2-3 minutes each day
I spend a couple of hours every 6-8 weeks doing the water change
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Routine in the morning is add 3g of water to sump, then add 60ml each of Ca and alk (b-ionic) clean the glass. Every other day I feed 1 cube of various foods. Can't remember the last time I checked water perameters.
35-45g water change every 6-8 weeks, I seriously vaccume the LS bed whenever I do a water change and I also check ever square inch of the tank for detritus buildup. About every 3-4 months I change the direction of the powerheads and sump returns (there are 6 x 1200 MJ's hidden behind rockwork). Every 6-8 months I change the bulbs.
About 8-10 months ago the tank became stable or seasoned as they say. It was at that point I decided to not add another item to the tank and to simply let it evolve and grow. I think that people tend to keep messing with their tanks when they should be left alone, keep your hands out of your tanks! I don't move corals, I let sting wars happen, if a fish dies, then the crabs will have a feast as I won't tear the tank apart to find it. I don't fuss over my tanks.
.
I spend 2-3 minutes each day
I spend a couple of hours every 6-8 weeks doing the water change
.
Routine in the morning is add 3g of water to sump, then add 60ml each of Ca and alk (b-ionic) clean the glass. Every other day I feed 1 cube of various foods. Can't remember the last time I checked water perameters.
35-45g water change every 6-8 weeks, I seriously vaccume the LS bed whenever I do a water change and I also check ever square inch of the tank for detritus buildup. About every 3-4 months I change the direction of the powerheads and sump returns (there are 6 x 1200 MJ's hidden behind rockwork). Every 6-8 months I change the bulbs.
About 8-10 months ago the tank became stable or seasoned as they say. It was at that point I decided to not add another item to the tank and to simply let it evolve and grow. I think that people tend to keep messing with their tanks when they should be left alone, keep your hands out of your tanks! I don't move corals, I let sting wars happen, if a fish dies, then the crabs will have a feast as I won't tear the tank apart to find it. I don't fuss over my tanks.
jonthefishguy
Active Member
Originally Posted by maxalmon
I think that people tend to keep messing with their tanks when they should be left alone, keep your hands out of your tanks! I don't move corals, I let sting wars happen, if a fish dies, then the crabs will have a feast as I won't tear the tank apart to find it. I don't fuss over my tanks.
THAT IS SOO TRUE!!!! I tell my customers that all the time. Just let it be. You dont see mother nature picking up corals and putting them somewhere else just because. Survival of the fittest.
I think that people tend to keep messing with their tanks when they should be left alone, keep your hands out of your tanks! I don't move corals, I let sting wars happen, if a fish dies, then the crabs will have a feast as I won't tear the tank apart to find it. I don't fuss over my tanks.
THAT IS SOO TRUE!!!! I tell my customers that all the time. Just let it be. You dont see mother nature picking up corals and putting them somewhere else just because. Survival of the fittest.
teen
Active Member
i add kalk every night, and calcium and magnesium as needed. i turn my skimmer on a few times a week over night. clean the glass like once or twice a week, or as needed. feed the fsh every morning, sometimes right before lights out. i try and spot feed my acans every other day.
maxalmon
Active Member
Originally Posted by earlybird
Max your tank is my fave for sure.
Keep em coming
Ah, thanks...
Just wish that I could get a decent shot of the tank, the above photo is so bad, colors washed out...The frogspawn is fraking HUGE, gota have 20-25 heads and deep purple and green....The 2 umbrellas when fully expanded will touch and they will total almost 3' across the front of the tank..
Max your tank is my fave for sure.
Keep em coming
Ah, thanks...
Just wish that I could get a decent shot of the tank, the above photo is so bad, colors washed out...The frogspawn is fraking HUGE, gota have 20-25 heads and deep purple and green....The 2 umbrellas when fully expanded will touch and they will total almost 3' across the front of the tank..
trippkid
Active Member
120 gal mostly sps, 10-15min a day to feed,add buffer,calcium,magnesium(when needed), clean glass(when needed,about every 3rd or 4th day),and to refill ATO container. About a half hour every Sat. night to do water change(20 gallons). Making my water takes the longest of my chores(for refill and for waterchanges) seems like I am always filtering water, just have to be there to shut off when needed.
Matt
Matt
groupergenius
Active Member
I must admit, the most amazed I was about how my tank looked, was when I was in the Keys for a week. Friends of ours took care of the dogs, cats, and all the other critters. I told them to just add the R/O water in the tank to a certain point each day and thats all.
I don't know if it was because I missed the tank or what. But it looked killer.
I don't know if it was because I missed the tank or what. But it looked killer.
grubsnaek
Active Member
ill give a big hell yea to max on that one. yes many people do, do to much to there tank. things happen thats nature, my routine is basic.
top off about a 1-1.5g a day
clean glass everyother day
15-20g water change every other week.
this is where i switch it up, i get premade salt mix from my store (LFS) for my water changes. they use instant ocean. every so often when i do a top off i will add alittle tropic marin pro salt to it. just to give it those trace elements. so far corals are responding great to this.
i however do not clean sand, not really sure how to, i guess just vac it.
when placeing new coral, research and place.
dont really test cause fish or corals will show signs if something is wrong.
unless you have a large amount of SPS, then a tank of good size will maintain its self after a while. with SPS such as murph tank has to be prestine, so maybe worry less and enjoy and see if that helps.
you know how it goes, if you thinks somethings wrong it will and you'll find it. so worry less. not saying be careless, just enjoy and see if things start to settle in your favor.
top off about a 1-1.5g a day
clean glass everyother day
15-20g water change every other week.
this is where i switch it up, i get premade salt mix from my store (LFS) for my water changes. they use instant ocean. every so often when i do a top off i will add alittle tropic marin pro salt to it. just to give it those trace elements. so far corals are responding great to this.
i however do not clean sand, not really sure how to, i guess just vac it.
when placeing new coral, research and place.
dont really test cause fish or corals will show signs if something is wrong.
unless you have a large amount of SPS, then a tank of good size will maintain its self after a while. with SPS such as murph tank has to be prestine, so maybe worry less and enjoy and see if that helps.
you know how it goes, if you thinks somethings wrong it will and you'll find it. so worry less. not saying be careless, just enjoy and see if things start to settle in your favor.
bullitr
Active Member
Can't remember the last time I checked water perameters.
35-45g water change every 6-8 weeks,About 8-10 months ago the tank became stable or seasoned as they say. It was at that point I decided to not add another item to the tank and to simply let it evolve and grow. I think that people tend to keep messing with their tanks when they should be left alone.
i strongly agree
35-45g water change every 6-8 weeks,About 8-10 months ago the tank became stable or seasoned as they say. It was at that point I decided to not add another item to the tank and to simply let it evolve and grow. I think that people tend to keep messing with their tanks when they should be left alone.
i strongly agree
earlybird
Active Member
My 29g is about 6 months old.
Daily: I top off in the morning and at night, visual check of filters, temp, flow, skimmer and that all equipment is working. I also clean my glass.
Weekly- 4 gallon water change and I clean one piece of equipment on a rotating schedule (powerheads), U-tube and OFB, skimmer, return pump. I blast or baste my rocks the night before my water change.
Monthly- shake off my rubble in my sump and siphon my sump clean. Clean up any salt creep and wipe down my cords, plugs, gfci, etc.
As needed- about 2-3 times/week I empty my skimmate. I'm anal and don't like it to get to the half way mark. Filter change a couple times/week. I have a filter pad betwen my baffles and sometimes can go a week withouth changing it but I have a crazy bloom from time to time of vermetid snail web mucus that really clogs my filter and requires daily changing or my sump backs up.
Daily: I top off in the morning and at night, visual check of filters, temp, flow, skimmer and that all equipment is working. I also clean my glass.
Weekly- 4 gallon water change and I clean one piece of equipment on a rotating schedule (powerheads), U-tube and OFB, skimmer, return pump. I blast or baste my rocks the night before my water change.
Monthly- shake off my rubble in my sump and siphon my sump clean. Clean up any salt creep and wipe down my cords, plugs, gfci, etc.
As needed- about 2-3 times/week I empty my skimmate. I'm anal and don't like it to get to the half way mark. Filter change a couple times/week. I have a filter pad betwen my baffles and sometimes can go a week withouth changing it but I have a crazy bloom from time to time of vermetid snail web mucus that really clogs my filter and requires daily changing or my sump backs up.
perfectdark
Active Member
Im on board with you there... almost 7 month old 29 gal. Weekly water changes I do 5 gals. Other than testing that takes the most time, and its only about 15 minutes or so. Once a month I syphon out my chambers get any sediment out of there thats a 45 minute real good once over. Clean the glass as needed. About 5 minutes a night looking things over. Other than that, the rest of the time I spend keeping my wifes hands out of the tank. " oh but that one is going to sting that one and that one doesnt look as happy as that one" AHHHHHGGGGHHHHH Woman LEAVE IT ALONE !!!! MMMMMKAYYY.
ags
Member
My 90g tank has been up and running since 2001
Daily - less than 2 minutes combined
-Dose two part additive in the AM before lights come on
-Check fresh water top off every PM
-Look for any signs of stress both AM & PM
Every other day - less than 1 minute
- Nori clipped to inside glass every AM (opposite day of pellets)
- feed pellets in the PM (opposite day of nori)
Weekly - 35 minutes
-10% water change
Daily - less than 2 minutes combined
-Dose two part additive in the AM before lights come on
-Check fresh water top off every PM
-Look for any signs of stress both AM & PM
Every other day - less than 1 minute
- Nori clipped to inside glass every AM (opposite day of pellets)
- feed pellets in the PM (opposite day of nori)
Weekly - 35 minutes
-10% water change
perfectdark
Active Member
Originally Posted by peef
AHHHHHGGGGHHHHH Woman LEAVE IT ALONE !!!! MMMMMKAYYY.
Thats funny stuff, my wife is the same way. How exactly do you clean the back chambers by the way? I might need to do this.
Although some people dont see the need to do this, I do. The middle chamber of my cube gets quite a lot of sediment at the bottom. I notice high nitrates now and then after I do a water change. I know where to look, I empty the chamber out, put all my LR and chaeto into a container w my tank water. Then when I do a water change I stick the syphon back there and suck out the sludge. My trates are back down again after that.
AHHHHHGGGGHHHHH Woman LEAVE IT ALONE !!!! MMMMMKAYYY.
Thats funny stuff, my wife is the same way. How exactly do you clean the back chambers by the way? I might need to do this.
Although some people dont see the need to do this, I do. The middle chamber of my cube gets quite a lot of sediment at the bottom. I notice high nitrates now and then after I do a water change. I know where to look, I empty the chamber out, put all my LR and chaeto into a container w my tank water. Then when I do a water change I stick the syphon back there and suck out the sludge. My trates are back down again after that.
coral keeper
Active Member
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
Thats funny stuff, my wife is the same way. How exactly do you clean the back chambers by the way? I might need to do this.
Although some people dont see the need to do this, I do. The middle chamber of my cube gets quite a lot of sediment at the bottom. I notice high nitrates now and then after I do a water change. I know where to look, I empty the chamber out, put all my LR and chaeto into a container w my tank water. Then when I do a water change I stick the syphon back there and suck out the sludge. My trates are back down again after that.
Hmm, good idea, i need to do that.
Thats funny stuff, my wife is the same way. How exactly do you clean the back chambers by the way? I might need to do this.
Although some people dont see the need to do this, I do. The middle chamber of my cube gets quite a lot of sediment at the bottom. I notice high nitrates now and then after I do a water change. I know where to look, I empty the chamber out, put all my LR and chaeto into a container w my tank water. Then when I do a water change I stick the syphon back there and suck out the sludge. My trates are back down again after that.
Hmm, good idea, i need to do that.