How often are you servicing your tank?

[Oshengems]

So my tank is hitting the 3 years mark this weekend, I had friends over Saturday and my friends were asking about maintenance my auto reply was I barely touch it and my GF yelled from the other side “LIES” lol. Made me think has it become so automated I can’t even tell ? lol

Maintenance schedule
1.Once a week refill ATO empty skimmer cup
2.Test kh once maybe twice a week
3.Glass clean every 4-5 days
4.water change 5 gallons every 4-6 weeks( my average sometimes by monthly)
5.every 4-5 months clean salt creeps and sump area recalibrate dosers.

And of course I feed my fish every day that’s one of the pleasures!

Please share you tank schedule/routines

 

[ryeguyy84]

I have the exact same situation. Non reefers just don't understand.

For me there's a lot of tinkering, so that takes some time. Checking dosing containers, making sure dosing lines aren't full of air, staring at the sump for a while ect.

 

[Seamore2001]

Pretty much the same:

1. Top off daily with kalkwaser (never set up an ATO), just do it in the AM and PM
2. Feed two or three times a day (including grabbing some chaeto from the refugium for the rabbitfish)
3. Empty / clean skimmer cup every few days
4. 10% water change once a week
5. Testing once a week
6. Scrape coraline algae off glass every week or so

The funny thing is that when I travel (1 week per month) my instructions to my wife are to come by every other day and drop a single cube of frozen mysis in the tank and pour some water in from a 1/2gal bucket I leave beside the tank for top-off. Couldn't be easier than that, so pretty clear the maintenance is simple.

I think our SOs see us fooling around so much with our tanks because we like to spend time watching and can't resist sticking our hands in and messing with something. That's not maintenance, that's playing.

 

[Mical]

I try to test both tanks every Sunday, clean skimmer cups, glass and ATO sensors. Fill ATO's and check auto feeders. Occasionally I do a water change and harvest some chaeto. Other than that it's on cruise control all week. (keeping my hands out of the tank)

 

[Captain Quint]

............. I had friends over Saturday and my friends were asking about maintenance my auto reply was I barely touch it and my GF yelled from the other side “LIES” lol.
...................

LOL, 'bout fell out of my chair...too funny man. :)

 

[Captain Quint]

*WC of ~20% every 10 days
*Clean skimmer cup during WC
*Wipe of both Gyre230's during WC
*Check all parameters during WC

*Once a month take return pump, PH's apart and clean in white distilled vinegar RODI fresh mix
*Tear skimmer completely down and clean all every 3 months which is also a good time to clean sump nicely.

 

[Oshengems]

LOL, 'bout fell out of my chair...too funny man. :)

She always has something to say lol... I do sit in front of my tank daily especially after work, great to unwind she does too. I’ve gotten 2 friends into the hobby and I’m always watering down maintenance lol which too me I feel it’s not much after of course the set up and few first months. I try to keep my hands out. People see the size of the tank and I guess that’s what’s intimidating and yes 75g in a nyc apt looks like 300g in a house lol

 

[d2mini]

"LIES!" LOL! ;Hilarious

So true. haha

 

[Oshengems]

A shocker for mostly anyone that’s asks specially those with fresh water tanks or owned aquariums in the past are my water changes, that’s the first question most of the time.,,”that’s a big tank water changes must be a B****” when I say 5-10g every month or so they get the weird looking their faces l

 

[Mastiffsrule]

I must be the odd ball, or just straight up lazy.

I went 6 months without any thing but glass cleaning and top off. I am now doing bi monthly. I rarely ever test. If tank looks off I may check Calcium and mag

Equipment never gets cleaned unless some “happens”. I cleaned my wet side mp40 once in 8 years. It works for me. Aside from fans going out on my AI lights have not had to change or replace anything.

Asterisk- I did do a major cleaning 2 weeks ago, and what do I get for my trouble. Leak in bulkhead that lead to a new sump and total redo. Learned my lesson.

 

[KrisReef]

My tank has been on auto pilot for over a year. I found aefw and treated for a few months with two products, and was so overwhelmed watching my collection dwindle that I stopped doing “weekly chores,”other than testing for alk and adding top-off water and feeding.

The coralline has covered the entire inside except for 2.5 spots that I scraped now and again so I could glance inside to make sure the fish were still moving.

Two weeks ago the acrylic attached overflow split a seam where it was supposed to have been bonded to the tank. I got home for a few days and re-bonded and reinforced the box in place so that it’s working again.

When I get home this weekend I may start to scrape a little more viewing space as I begin to start rebuilding the reef with whatever survived over the last year.

The corals really perked up after my wife’s emergency water changes. But I don’t think I’m going to do as much routine going forward, the tank is pretty stable with auto top off and a calc reactor & thermal stability (heater& chiller) and lights on a timer. I probably should change the bulbs,...

Less is better.

 

[Oshengems]

My first and 2nd year I think I did about 2-3 water changes I was I been doing more water changes because I too struggled with AEFW and the purge worked on my system but it shot my Po4 and No3 off the roof I been doing small changes to keep up but my maintenance I feel Ian not that much maintenance or at least I don’t feel it

 

[Oshengems]

Buying a $100 reefbot( that’s what I’m telling her) to eliminate testing as well