Automated or Overrated? Is your reef automated?

[AlyciaMarie Verified Admin]

The technological advances in our world are impressive, and these advances are bleeding over into our reefing world, too. Today, you can do just about anything to your tank with just a click of a button or a setting of a timer. Some of us reefers may love this aid as it may free up some time and make being away a little less worrisome, while others feel like these conveniences can be a recipe for disaster and short-cut the overall joy of maintaining a reef. But what do you think?

Is your reef automated?

For reference, some common types of automation in reefing are auto top-offs, auto-feeders, dosing aids, lighting timers, etc.

 

[ShadowMan]

While in no way essential, automation has definitely taken some of the guess work out of maintaining my tank. Not the cheapest option, but the Trident has resolved one of my biggest issues... being a colour-blind reefer. ;)

 

[scotty333]

Only water top off , calcium , magnesium, kh and vodka
The traces goes in with the ato every 11 days

 

[Paul B]

The only automation I have is a DIY auto top off and a $7.00 timer to turn the lights on. :)

 

[scotty333]

The only automation I have is a DIY auto top off and a $7.00 timer to turn the lights on. :)

Your a robot haha

 

[Reefer Matt]

I have to have automation, otherwise I would not be able to have my reef tanks. I work a lot, so I am not home to test, dose, and top off the tanks. I do maintenance on the weekends that I am off.

 

[Jimbo327]

I feel that automation really contributes to ease and stability of maintaining a tank.

Automation really helps when you need to travel for work/vacation or unexpected downtime for weeks at a time. Also, when reef fatigue hits hard or real life gets busy (kids, commitments, sickness), it's nice to have the automation there to kind of lessen the blow.

Just imagine that you need to go out of the country for 3 weeks (for whatever reason) and you only have a neighbor come by once a week to top off the feeder or do basic maintenance, how will your tank fare? That's kind of how I think when I set up a tank now.

 

[Red_Beard]

I have automated ATO, feeding, and AFR dosing. Makes it easier to go camping over the weekend. When i am home i hand feed frozen and dote on it more, but it is nice to be able to walk away for a bit knowing the basics are covered.

 

[Danny McElroy]

Absolutley everything I can automate I do, with multiple redundancies. It's like having two hobbies in one. I enjoy tinkering and maintaining all the gear and automation. I also enjoy being able to monitor and adjust continuously. My first tank in 2013 was not automated and I did not enjoy the hobby as much. This time I am fully automated and enjoy the hobby much more and have much more success with the corals.

 

[William Chiavetta]

I have very complicated automation and most people could never dream of this level of automation. It is called a light on a timer... Everything else is too expensive

 

[landlubber]

some automation is almost a requirement in this game.
While possible, running a tank without an ATO or dosing pumps ramps the challenge up considerably.
That being said, I think people starting their first SW tank should avoid as much as they can and learn the manual way long enough that they're not inept when their fancy Trident doesn't dose properly or they get so complacent that they tank starts becoming a decoration in the backround instead of a group of family pets.

 

[Johnd651]

Lighting schedule and ATO. Just to much of a swing with evaporation in the 15 gallon.

 

[BasementBox]

The technological advances in our world are impressive, and these advances are bleeding over into our reefing world, too. Today, you can do just about anything to your tank with just a click of a button or a setting of a timer. Some of us reefers may love this aid as it may free up some time and make being away a little less worrisome, while others feel like these conveniences can be a recipe for disaster and short-cut the overall joy of maintaining a reef. But what do you think?

Is your reef automated?

For reference, some common types of automation in reefing are auto top-offs, auto-feeders, dosing aids, lighting timers, etc.

No way is it overrated. For water changes and my rodi the water automatically dumps into my sewer line. I haven’t automated dosing as I’m not that far along but technology means consistency and stability. And stability is always essential.

 

[mboley]

Automation adds to the enjoyment of the hobby imo, that is, if you can afford it. I like all the gadgets but they still don't guarantee success.

 

[bubbgee]

I'm lazy with testing. I love monitoring the health of the tank on my phone.

 

[BristleWormHater]

I'm hoping to get an ato soon and an uato doser eventually, but I only have three lps, and the rest are softies, so weekly wc replenishes enough for them right now. Only current automation is my ai prime running it's schedule

 

[Yellow Eyes]

I sometimes think I am in the hobby more for the automation and the technology than the fish and corals. I love piecing together all the tasks to help maintain the environment of the reef. Playing God in a way.

I think I have most of it through the apex. Auto top off, temp controller, light automation, power head automation, auto feeder, flow meters, auto water change with sensors to let me know when the storage tank is empty, calcium and alkalinity dosing, trident, and cameras watching the tank and sump. Of course the fun is setting up all the interlinking of all these pieces to keep a stable environment and also avoiding or postponing disaster.

 

[nickm]

Some automation but nothing able to adjust dosage.

 

[Captain-Barnacle]

It's the exact same set of tasks, whether a robot or human does them. Whatever is best for the critters. An AI aquarist can be programmed to curse, while we can "beep" if required. Let them help, I say.

 

[reeferID]

Automation brought me back to reefing. Auto WCs , rollermat, auto dosing , apps for lighting , power heads, and pumps has made some of the things I didn’t like doing a lot easier.