How do you keep up with all the maintenance for your tank?

[crazyfishmom]

I have changed from sps reefs to LPS - I like the colors, the motion, and that I don’t need a magnifying glass to see the polyps and patterns. Alk and Ca aren’t as crucial to maintain and I have some more flex room for swings. Some single polyp corals can be a massive 3-4” polyp. I find LPS very rewarding

And, I reduced to eliminated almost all maintenance. I would estimate my tank takes less than 15 min a month from me

1 minute - Every 10-14 days - grab handful of algae from the scrubber (2 min total)

1 minute - every 5 days add some top off water with all for reef (6 min total)

1 minute - clean glass weekly (4 min total)

That’s it

I love love love your tank!

 

[ReefGeezer]

I really don't have anything on a schedule and probably don't do anything often enough. I just do what I think is needed at any given time. The ATO, Lights, Pumps, and Alk/Calcium/Magnesium dosing are automated. The tank is over two years old. It kind of runs itself. I suppose it would look better if I was more attentive, but life is happening right now. This is about the best I can manage.

1. Wipe the glass when it is too dirty AND I am around to see it.
2. Empty the skimmer when I remember - Clean it it if it is too caked with gunk
3. Fill All-for Reef Container and verify alk stability when Mobius App says it's empty... it's never really empty
4. Fill the ATO Barrel when it is about empty - Once a month or when the return in the DT starts bubbling.
5. Do a water change or maybe some tests when I think something is off or corals aren't looking perky.
6. Clean wave makers and pumps when they look bad or aren't working well.
7. Blow detritus off of the rocks/stir what little sand I have left - See #1
8. Replace T5 bulbs - When I think I see a color shift, corals seem to be missing something, or algae increases.
9. Feed 1X per day, most of the time. If I miss a day, there is plenty in the tank for the fish to eat.

 

[CKW]

I really don't have anything on a schedule and probably don't do anything often enough. I just do what I think is needed at any given time. The ATO, Lights, Pumps, and Alk/Calcium/Magnesium dosing are automated. The tank is over two years old. It kind of runs itself. I suppose it would look better if I was more attentive, but life is happening right now. This is about the best I can manage.

1. Wipe the glass when it is too dirty AND I am around to see it.
2. Empty the skimmer when I remember - Clean it it if it is too caked with gunk
3. Fill All-for Reef Container and verify alk stability when Mobius App says it's empty... it's never really empty
4. Fill the ATO Barrel when it is about empty - Once a month or when the return in the DT starts bubbling.
5. Do a water change or maybe some tests when I think something is off or corals aren't looking perky.
6. Clean wave makers and pumps when they look bad or aren't working well.
7. Blow detritus off of the rocks/stir what little sand I have left - See #1
8. Replace T5 bulbs - When I think I see a color shift, corals seem to be missing something, or algae increases.
9. Feed 1X per day, most of the time. If I miss a day, there is plenty in the tank for the fish to eat.

I am a putterer so tinkering with the tank is fun. Mostly
I have a 40g and only fish and inverts. No sump and LED lights with timer etc.
just enjoy it. I have had larger tanks over the last 65 plus years and will go back to 90g later this year but no larger.

 

[Chuck_e]

90g mixed reef w/15g sump, about 8 years in now but just starting to recover from a move/crash about a year ago. I have been using AquaticLog to schedule & track water changes, maintenance, feeding, dosing, pretty much anything that isn't automated. The app also helps to track parameters, equipment, and inhabitants. Daily reminders for items due that day help with the things that aren't done "when needed", like cleaning the glass or running the RODI to refill the ATO reservoir. I use Apex to monitor the level in the ATO reservoir, temp, and pH, and the RODI is on a smart-plug that I can start from anywhere and then set on a timer, with a float shut off just in case. The Apex controls the heaters and feeding cycles for the return pump and skimmer. If I ever figure out how to program the Apex I could probably run the RODI from that, too...