Are you a gear junkie or enjoy simplicity in your setup?

[DavidinGA]

Quick history...I've been in the hobby since the early 2000's and most of my systems have always grown deeper and deeper in complexity in the presumed pursuit of being easy to manage. In the end, I believe I've come to the conclusion that it is a deep dark rabbit hole that I no longer want to travel down. The complexity, cost, and chasing the new best gadgets to have, have not really added to the enjoyment of keeping a reef tank. My last system was an sps 210g with all the bells and whistles and while it was self-sustaining (eventually) with all the complex gear, it still requires a lot of time dealing with everything and was a huge money pit (not that the hobby is ever anything but a money pit lol).

I'm currently setting up a 90g system I picked up a few weeks ago and for the first time I am going to try a minimalistic approach (and try as hard as I can to say no to all the gear I still feel compelled to get). It will be a lps/softie tank this time around I believe. 90g glass tank with a 29g glass sump, no baffles, no skimmer, no reactors, no controller, no dosers, no uv, 1 return pump, 2 led panels, 2 heaters, 1 gyre wavemaker, minimal sand and LR. Export will be an algae turf scrubber (fed by tank drain line) and water changes as necessary. Simple low-cost setup that will also get by on minimal running expenses (especially low electricity costs compared to my previous setups).

I was just curious what others think of such a basic approach? I know some people run an even simpler approach with only doing water changes.

Maybe you love the gear? The fun of all the different cool gadgets you can run with is pretty attractive...

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

[Oldreefer44]

I have lots of gear but the whole purpose of it is to make it simple for me to be successful. Is there a tendency for a lot of us to want all of the latest and supposedly greatest gear? Yes. Just like for a lot of people to want the latest electronics, apparel, cars and on and on and on. I am constantly looking for what will make it easier for me to be successful. If that is something new like my Stratons then great. At the same time, I have yet to find a skimmer simpler and easier to use than my old Life Reef. I am not sure a blanket approach one way or the other is ideal.

 

[MnFish1]

Quick history...I've been in the hobby since the early 2000's and most of my systems have always grown deeper and deeper in complexity in the presumed pursuit of being easy to manage. In the end, I believe I've come to the conclusion that it is a deep dark rabbit hole that I no longer want to travel down. The complexity, cost, and chasing the new best gadgets to have, have not really added to the enjoyment of keeping a reef tank. My last system was an sps 210g with all the bells and whistles and while it was self-sustaining (eventually) with all the complex gear, it still requires a lot of time dealing with everything and was a huge money pit (not that the hobby is ever anything but a money pit lol).

I'm currently setting up a 90g system I picked up a few weeks ago and for the first time I am going to try a minimalistic approach (and try as hard as I can to say no to all the gear I still feel compelled to get). It will be a lps/softie tank this time around I believe. 90g glass tank with a 29g glass sump, no baffles, no skimmer, no reactors, no controller, no dosers, no uv, 1 return pump, 2 led panels, 2 heaters, 1 gyre wavemaker, minimal sand and LR. Export will be an algae turf scrubber (fed by tank drain line) and water changes as necessary. Simple low-cost setup that will also get by on minimal running expenses (especially low electricity costs compared to my previous setups).

I was just curious what others think of such a basic approach? I know some people run an even simpler approach with only doing water changes.

Maybe you love the gear? The fun of all the different cool gadgets you can run with is pretty attractive...

Thoughts? Opinions?

There is a reason for some of the 'gear'. If you did water changes often enough you wouldn't need anything but a heater and some flow. If you're going to do water changes anyway - why not forget the turf scrubber. One of the main jumps the hobby has made over the years is 'Live Rock'. Minimalizing that could be an issue. Second - The Turf scrubber may not be the most reliable export - and it leaves you with no fall back. Third, Dosing Ca and AlK is one of the big helps in keeping coral doing well.

You will probably do fine - and I'm also with you in not relying on too much 'stuff'. But it seems like you are cutting out equipment, but tripling your testing, and work with the tank. In other words there are probably no 'short-cuts' - either you do it with proper equipment - or you do it yourself. Its an interesting idea though - good luck. BTW - not trying to be critical - you asked for opinions

 

[sfin52]

Simplicity. Less things to go wrong.

 

[Reefin Aint Easy]

I find with myself, I'm a huge gear junkie. Give me all the automation and gadgets. My whole tank (for the most part) is fully automated. Money is no factor when caring for this mini ocean I have in my living room because when it comes to the health of my fish/corals and inverts, its what I need to make it all survive because I want stability and for me to be able to be lazy about it. I look at it like this, the more automated and controlled it is, its better for the reef tank and myself. When life gets to busy and you're putting off maintenance on the tank or that dreaded water change etc.. the tank is suffering and soon you will too with the headache of the nightmare of a mess it's created with that tank. Then soon you will get so frustrated that you end up selling your stuff for next to nothing to get out of this amazing hobby. Nothing in this hobby is cheap, so why try and cheap out to not make your life and the hobby easier.

 

[Gtinnel]

Simplicity. Less things to go wrong.

On the other side of that coin a tech junkie knows when something goes wrong....unless the thing that goes wrong is the part that is supposed to tell them that something went wrong.

I guess the key is a balance where you don't rely 100% on any single piece of equipment

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

I find with myself, I'm a huge gear junkie. Give me all the automation and gadgets. My whole tank (for the most part) is fully automated. Money is no factor when caring for this mini ocean I have in my living room because when it comes to the health of my fish/corals and inverts, its what I need to make it all survive because I want stability and for me to be able to be lazy about it. I look at it like this, the more automated and controlled it is, its better for the reef tank and myself. When life gets to busy and you're putting off maintenance on the tank or that dreaded water change etc.. the tank is suffering and soon you will too with the headache of the nightmare of a mess it's created with that tank. Then soon you will get so frustrated that you end up selling your stuff for next to nothing to get out of this amazing hobby. Nothing in this hobby is cheap, so why try and cheap out to not make your life and the hobby easier.

This is how I feel about it as well. The only concern I have thus far is that, after having a Trident for over a year, I don't have to touch the tank. I used to have an Innovative Marine 40 that I did religious water changes on every weekend for years. Then I upgraded to my dream in-wall 160g system with Apex, Trident, Dosing, etc. and have done maybe a dozen water changes in the 19 months it's been running. And now my feedings and top-off are automated, the only time I really spend with my tanks is when I put in some Nori or Frozen food. All this to say that I think the automation has made the hobby lose some of its excitement to me. I used to be required to spend a lot of time with my tank, but now I stare at it for a few minutes before bed and that's about it.

 

[G Santana]

I am definitely from the old school of doing things but I appreciate those TECH TOYS that make reefing better.

When I started we had MH lights, airstone skimmers and plastic bio filters and not much else.

Testing today is thorough by comparison, that's tech.

Skimmers are smaller and more efficient.

We have algae scrubbers

Led lights are phenomenal and almost eliminate the need for chillers.

All that is TECH progression.
Controllers are where I am stuck. I don't know if I really need one, I am sort of on the fence.

I won't automate water changes. I do it when I need it.

Will see, still sorting through all the tech lol

 

[Fishfreak2009]

I've always been a fan of the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) method, and regularly apply it to most aspects of my life. My evo has an AI prime with settings set and no more need to do anything, same with the nero 3. In tank chamber basket with various media, and a heater. No ATO, no dosers, no skimmer.

My 75 gallon I'm currently building is using 2 black box Leds (Vivarspectra 165w) daisy chained together, again set and forget, and has a pair of dc powerheads run off a wavemaker (set and forget), a decent skimmer (not bottom end or top of the line, just basic functional skimmer), a simple eheim heater, and HOB overflow with homemade 20g long sump. Using a generic (Jebao) DC return pump, again, set and forget. No fancy dosing pumps, no ATO, I'd rather hand dose than risk having a something fail and nuke the tank.

 

[Gtinnel]

Controllers are where I am stuck. I don't know if I really need one, I am sort of on the fence.

About 6 months ago I bought into the Apex system after spending a year trying to decide if I needed to. I don't regret it at all, if your finances allow you should get a controller IMO.

 

[Frithton]

I'm also of the keep it simple mindset. For 16 years, no dosing, don't have a skimmer (though would if tank was larger), only controller is for lights. 2 pumps and a heater. Have softies and LPS with a few fish, test once a month. System has always done well. Observation of fish an corals have always been a good indicator of tank health. I know this isn't for everyone.

 

[WVNed]

I dont have anything on my system that isn't necessary for the way I manage it.
I have a Hydros because that was the simplest most cost efficient way to get ATO and AWC on my system.
I have a lot of other stuff in my fish room. It is all pretty simple to me and I could explain to you why it is there and what it does.
A doser isn't fancy. It's a labor saving device that keeps me from having to dose things into my system several times a day myself.
To run 4 heaters in sync I have to have a controller.

 

[takitaj]

I love the simplicity all the gear provides. It takes care of most of the mundane tasks and monitors if/when something starts to go wrong. That leaves more time to just enjoy the tank and other aspects of life.

Most of it's not required to keep a successful tank, it just makes it easier.

 

[Reefin Aint Easy]

This is how I feel about it as well. The only concern I have thus far is that, after having a Trident for over a year, I don't have to touch the tank. I used to have an Innovative Marine 40 that I did religious water changes on every weekend for years. Then I upgraded to my dream in-wall 160g system with Apex, Trident, Dosing, etc. and have done maybe a dozen water changes in the 19 months it's been running. And now my feedings and top-off are automated, the only time I really spend with my tanks is when I put in some Nori or Frozen food. All this to say that I think the automation has made the hobby lose some of its excitement to me. I used to be required to spend a lot of time with my tank, but now I stare at it for a few minutes before bed and that's about it.

For sure its a double edge sword. For me I can spend more time looking at it, feeding the fish, adding more fish and corals and the best part is not taking up all my spare time maintaining it. Mine is in our living room so myself and my family are always watching. I would rather watch the tank than tv to be honest haha.

 

[Kellie in CA]

I go incredibly simple. I've never even used a skimmer.

 

[Dabcrusher]

Gear junkie tanks never finished its like an addiction as soon as i think I'm done ill start over on the plumbing it never ends

 

[jrill]

I love all the gadgets and equipment maybe more than keeping the livestock. I have way more stuff running my tanks than I need but that is a large part of the fun for me.

 

[chipchipbro]

Well, I love all those gadgets and controllers and stuff. But in my country things are kind of expensive and you gotta pay that stuff directly. So, if I would go for a bigger tank, I would def. go big from the beginning.

As I only run a small 20g nano, I think its just too much to add controllers, dosers etc. for such a small tank.
Or do you think its still worth for such a small tank?

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Whilst I find technology fun I try to keep tech bloat under control. The more variables you introduce the more possible points of failure there are.
I use tech to monitor but not control to many factors of the tank. That way I find I get the best of both worlds.

 

[A Young Reefer]

I keep it simple less money on gear more money on live stock , nowadays you see many tanks with high tech devices but the displays do not look as good , and you find many people keeping it minimalistic but with displays out of this world .