Minimalist Reefer
- Thread starter Ron Reefman
- Start date
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I finally added a signature and link to this thread, but think its a little big maybe? Lol.
vlangel
Seahorse whisperer
Ha ha, I think this happens to a lot of us as we age and are in the hobby a long time. Time and life are short and I guess our priorities change which is ok. I know that is what happened to me. I loved seahorses and even successfully raised fry but without a committed fish sitter when you travel, seahorses don't fare well. When our out of state kids had children we wanted to see them but did not want to neglect the seahorses. So we let the ones we had live out their lives and moved to easier animals. With easier animals came an easier tank system with less equipment and things to go wrong. It works well. We went on a 23 day motorcycle trip to Alaska with just visits from family 2Xs a week to check on the tank. And it was fine. I love the freedom to do that and I still enjoy my aquarium, so it's a win win!I'm all about KISS because as I get older I get lazier and realize I have less time to accomplish my dreams and last I want is slaving over fish. Why I'm researching all methods to simplify my interest vs trying to fit my schedule to accomplish finally getting my dream tank which won't be small therefore needs to be efficient along with the fact space is at a premium as I don't want a bigger house as that needs greater up keep. All about having time to vacation and family while still having the box of water full of living art. I'm prioritizing life over keeping to the point I'm liquidating my reptile business that I've nurtured as a side business since the late 80s and have been running as a premium breeder last 20 plus years. Can't do everything. Must eliminate something.
Goal is an AIO to eliminate external sump and it's associated noises and potential leaks. No skimmer to service. No socks or rollers to stink the house up or require maintaining. Oversize closed loop biological filtration to not only satisfy full decomposition or at a minimum down to mulm which will be periodically extracted along with moving enough water that wavemakers will be needed at a minimum. This way main filtration can be run 24/7 should a power outage occur whether home or away by just backing up one pump at slowest flow setting to keep biological running even if inhabitants not at their happiest. Keep evaporation at it's lowest thereby minimizing the need for top off while I'm away as well as large enough Fuge to remove excess co2 along with adding oxygen that skimmer and open top would have provided. Large enough dosing containers to keep everything in check along with an obvious controller with redundancy to control all aspects along with hopefully auto testing that can be relied onto to check main parameters when as sleep or away. Keep needing others to a minimum for emergencies as last I want is another not as versed messing my dream in the worse way. Not exactly minimalist being dossers and controllers being used but minimal in equipment or need for a separate room to house everything. Nice to have that I can't have. I'm also looking at applications such as advanced oxidation process to assist with solving items such as coral warfare since it seems that's the last reason we need to change water considering where filtration and ICP testing has progressed. If I could automate ICP then that would be the final frontier I'd seek.
What I keep will have to fit above versus forcing Sticks and the inability to make both work. Life beats Sticks
CoastalTownLayabout
Active Member
Interested in how you pay attention to the micro-level life in a system. I would love to diversify mine as much as possible
First thing is to assess what you have already. Best done after lights out when actively scavenging. A bit of food can bring them out and a red light torch helps too.
If you’re not seeing any scavenging micro crustaceans, worms, starfish etc.. you need find a source to populate the appropriate habitats in your tank, primarily the rock and sand. I source direct from local waters, small bits of rock, live sand and macro algae’s. Obviously not everyone has a natural source available to them but you can achieve similar results from established tanks or retailers.
Stable populations depend on adequate food, habitat and avoiding over predation.
You and I on the same page...
56longroof
Active Member
Count me in! As someone who kept reef tanks in the early 90's I find the current trend of relying on technology to manage a aquarium completely unnecessary. Hopefully this thread gains traction and some new hobbiest can gain valuable insight.
Gregg @ ADP
Valuable Member
To me, minimalist reefing is a mindset centered around understanding that a lot of equipment, tech, and maintenance is not a necessity for successfully keeping a reef. It’s not so much a rebuke of modern reef keeping strategies, but rather an opportunity for me to step away from all of that stuff and just enjoy the ecosystem for what it is…even if it isn’t perfect.
I need some room to breathe, because the systems we set up do typically have all of the trappings of the modern reef…skimmers, reactors, Apex controllers, dosing pumps, ATO systems, apps all over the place, etc etc. I have to do that because I typically get 1 hour of time with the tank a week at the most. So I happily sell and set up the modern reef. And after 30 years and hundreds of tanks, it’s safe to say that I have tried everything at least once, so I have some frame of reference. A lot of it has worked really well. Most of it has also proven over time to not be necessary.
My classroom 180g is my reef tank. It’s the only tank in my world that I have nearly daily interaction with. My goal was to make it as simple as possible.
As Ben’s Pico Reefing pointed out, we try to have light, water movement, and nutrient/matter delivery and management, and gas exchange. But not much else. I do have AI leds, and I do have an Ice Cap wave gyre and controller. I do have a sump…but there is nothing in it but detritus and micro-fauna.
The rest is just sitting back and letting the ecosystem (as closely as I can replicate it) run the show. No mechanical filtration. No skimmers. No chemical media. No RO/DI. No water changes. No quarantine. No dipping. No treatments. Just animals, plants, protists, and bacteria. They are there to do all the work.
Here is a pic from today:
In 5 months, I have lost a total of 3 chromis and 1 frag. Not sure how many corals I have added…30 maybe? Mostly SPS. All doing pretty well so far.
I am going to break one of my rules and do a small water change. I had to tear the tank apart to fix something, and there is about 1/2” of detritus covering the bottom.
But after that, it’s back to the ecosystem running the show.
I need some room to breathe, because the systems we set up do typically have all of the trappings of the modern reef…skimmers, reactors, Apex controllers, dosing pumps, ATO systems, apps all over the place, etc etc. I have to do that because I typically get 1 hour of time with the tank a week at the most. So I happily sell and set up the modern reef. And after 30 years and hundreds of tanks, it’s safe to say that I have tried everything at least once, so I have some frame of reference. A lot of it has worked really well. Most of it has also proven over time to not be necessary.
My classroom 180g is my reef tank. It’s the only tank in my world that I have nearly daily interaction with. My goal was to make it as simple as possible.
As Ben’s Pico Reefing pointed out, we try to have light, water movement, and nutrient/matter delivery and management, and gas exchange. But not much else. I do have AI leds, and I do have an Ice Cap wave gyre and controller. I do have a sump…but there is nothing in it but detritus and micro-fauna.
The rest is just sitting back and letting the ecosystem (as closely as I can replicate it) run the show. No mechanical filtration. No skimmers. No chemical media. No RO/DI. No water changes. No quarantine. No dipping. No treatments. Just animals, plants, protists, and bacteria. They are there to do all the work.
Here is a pic from today:
In 5 months, I have lost a total of 3 chromis and 1 frag. Not sure how many corals I have added…30 maybe? Mostly SPS. All doing pretty well so far.
I am going to break one of my rules and do a small water change. I had to tear the tank apart to fix something, and there is about 1/2” of detritus covering the bottom.
But after that, it’s back to the ecosystem running the show.
OP
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Ron Reefman
Lets Go Snorkeling!
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Tampa Bay Reef Keepers
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Absolutely! Chemistry... I have, well... I had no affinity for chemistry when I started in the hobby. Ca wasn't much of an issue, but alk was and how alk and Ca intersected was really a problem. And like many, I wanted to use the very best chemicals. So I paid a premium for Ca, alk and Mg. I was also willing to try other additives to hurry the process along.
The other issue that I think most new reefers have, was taking my time. I wanted to make the process go faster. And then there was the issue of how much stuff cost.
vlangel
Seahorse whisperer
I didn't like it but how much it costs forced me to "somewhat" take my time! LOL
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Ron Reefman
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That is commonly know as golf ball coral or star coral and it is strictly non-photosynthetic and 100% a stony coral. So, yes, it is illegal to collect and the odds of it living in a standard reef tank for more than a month or two is very minimal.Thank you for the update. It was this coral.
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Ron Reefman
Lets Go Snorkeling!
Reef Squad
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
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Tampa Bay Reef Keepers
MAC of SW Florida
In some ways you are a tiny bit less minimalist than me (basically the sump). But in other ways you are way more minimalist than me (no water changes, no mechanical filtration, no RO/DI).To me, minimalist reefing is a mindset centered around understanding that a lot of equipment, tech, and maintenance is not a necessity for successfully keeping a reef. It’s not so much a rebuke of modern reef keeping strategies, but rather an opportunity for me to step away from all of that stuff and just enjoy the ecosystem for what it is…even if it isn’t perfect.
I need some room to breathe, because the systems we set up do typically have all of the trappings of the modern reef…skimmers, reactors, Apex controllers, dosing pumps, ATO systems, apps all over the place, etc etc. I have to do that because I typically get 1 hour of time with the tank a week at the most. So I happily sell and set up the modern reef. And after 30 years and hundreds of tanks, it’s safe to say that I have tried everything at least once, so I have some frame of reference. A lot of it has worked really well. Most of it has also proven over time to not be necessary.
My classroom 180g is my reef tank. It’s the only tank in my world that I have nearly daily interaction with. My goal was to make it as simple as possible.
As Ben’s Pico Reefing pointed out, we try to have light, water movement, and nutrient/matter delivery and management, and gas exchange. But not much else. I do have AI leds, and I do have an Ice Cap wave gyre and controller. I do have a sump…but there is nothing in it but detritus and micro-fauna.
The rest is just sitting back and letting the ecosystem (as closely as I can replicate it) run the show. No mechanical filtration. No skimmers. No chemical media. No RO/DI. No water changes. No quarantine. No dipping. No treatments. Just animals, plants, protists, and bacteria. They are there to do all the work.
Here is a pic from today:
In 5 months, I have lost a total of 3 chromis and 1 frag. Not sure how many corals I have added…30 maybe? Mostly SPS. All doing pretty well so far.
I am going to break one of my rules and do a small water change. I had to tear the tank apart to fix something, and there is about 1/2” of detritus covering the bottom.
But after that, it’s back to the ecosystem running the show.
And that is the kind of differences I want to explore in this thread. So WELCOME to the party!
vlangel
Seahorse whisperer
I just thought of a new way to help new reef keepers. There is a thread where members can submit their tank as an entry for "Reef Tank 365". If new aquarists browse that thread they will come across our KISS aquariums.
Seansea
Valuable Member
Ya thats it. Some dude at hotel i was staying at said it was a favia and photosynthetic. It was only in 18 inches of water and getting pounded by sun. Wasnt in good spot as it was where people went in and out of water alot so was worried someone would step on it.
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Ron Reefman
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My wife and I have been retired for 5+ years and we've started to travel a lot more now that we have the time and money. We have a cat, so we asked 2 friends with cats to share the morning and evening cat feeding. They are happy to do it.
One of them also does the manual dosing of the tanks and checks on the ATO. And she knows she can call us if something big goes wrong.
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Ron Reefman
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That is a super common coral we see all over the place almost anywhere we snorkel. It's more often found as an individual rock in the sand than attached to some big rock structure. I know a couple of people who didn't know better, collected a small piece and had it die in their tank over a fairly short time.
Gregg @ ADP
Valuable Member
The sump itself is minimalist. There is nothing in it. The plan is to turn part of it into a beefy cryptic zone, and the other part will just be a place to house the saltwater ghost shrimp the octopus will eat.
I have this 54g sitting around that I might set up with nothing but a wave pump and sunlight. It would get about 4hrs day of direct-ish sunlight, and another 4hrs of semi-direct (on sunny days). I’ve always been curious if many high light demanding corals would thrive under those conditions w/no additional artificial lighting. My thinking is that I have been on plenty of reefs…many parts only get direct light in mornings or afternoons, yet there are plenty of corals growing there.
So that one will be tank, wave pump, and heater.
vlangel
Seahorse whisperer
That is a very clean looking tank. I love how uncluttered and you see very little equipment! Yes, I would say that you are a minimalist!I like the idea of minimalist.
I would like to be part of this club.
Don't know if I qualify.
Pics:
If I did not have a percula clownfish and pistol shrimp living in my sump, I would take the sump offline and run my display with just powerheads and lights.
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Ron Reefman
Lets Go Snorkeling!
Reef Squad
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Reef Tank 365
Article Contributor
Tampa Bay Reef Keepers
MAC of SW Florida
There is no 'qualify', there is only be here and post here! Welcome aboard!I like the idea of minimalist.
I would like to be part of this club.
Don't know if I qualify.
Pics:
My 30 is fairly minimal I think. It’s a FOWLR with a canister filter, light and power head. I only do water changes if there’s an issue- and that always seems to correct what ever problem I’m having. Is stocked with a cuc and 7 fish, including a linckia starfish. It’s been up and running for two years now with no major issues.
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