Share a FAVORITE reef tank maintenance tip!

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Share a FAVORITE reef tank maintenance tip!

What's something you've learned, or something you do to makes tank maintenance easier?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Staying on top of cleaning your glass can save you from a lot of headaches in the future!

 

[Dburr1014]

Go with what you know.

 

[BryanM]

Magic sponge for the win.

 

[LafondReef]

Plastic spray bottle filled with RODI water. Rinse down spray all my sump and lids to keep salt creep and build up away. Especially after my weekly water changes.

 

[BryanM]

Plastic spray bottle filled with RODI water. Rinse down spray all my sump and lids to keep salt creep and build up away. Especially after my weekly water changes.

Stealing this!

 

[JoJosReef]

Stealing this!

Also stealing this!

 

[Reef-Mart]

Plastic spray bottle filled with RODI water. Rinse down spray all my sump and lids to keep salt creep and build up away. Especially after my weekly water changes.

Genius!

 

[Jimbo662]

Plastic spray bottle filled with RODI water. Rinse down spray all my sump and lids to keep salt creep and build up away. Especially after my weekly water changes.

I also use this with news paper to clean the tank glass.

 

[TX_REEF]

use the largest auto top-off reservoir you can in your application!

I use 23 gallon slim jim trashcans for each of my ~90 gallon systems and don't have to refill for ~2 weeks. Less frequent maintenance, and allows you to go on vacation/travel with less stress! I use these trash cans due to their small footprint, durability, and cost-effectiveness versus "purpose designed" acrylic reservoirs: https://amzn.to/4fgS1ZT

 

[PharmrJohn]

use the largest auto top-off reservoir you can in your application!

I use 23 gallon slim jim trashcans for each of my ~90 gallon systems and don't have to refill for ~2 weeks. Less frequent maintenance, and allows you to go on vacation/travel with less stress! I use these trash cans due to their small footprint, durability, and cost-effectiveness versus "purpose designed" acrylic reservoirs: https://amzn.to/4fgS1ZT

I've been looking for ideas along this line! Thanks!

 

[KrisReef]

Hire a maintenance person.

 

[Peace River]

Plastic spray bottle filled with RODI water. Rinse down spray all my sump and lids to keep salt creep and build up away. Especially after my weekly water changes.

I will add to this and suggest a plastic handled squeegee. On the large spaces of glass, I spray with RODI water and then use the squeegee to wipe away the water. I wipe the squeegee rubber off with a micro fiber cloth in between passes. I initially used a squeegee with a metal handle but rust became an issue.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Setup your tank to make maintenance easy. Spend the extra time and money up front. If it’s a pain to do something, it likely won’t get done.

 

[BigAl07]

My most time-saving tip would be:

Using a Microfiber Glove to clean the glass. If there's any visible salt creep I clean that with a towel first. Then I spray glass cleaner on the GLOVE then wipe the glass. Works GREAT and lets me be very specific about where the Glass Cleaner goes and no "over spry" by mistake.

 

[KQuillan]

Stealing this!

Me too!

 

[Crabby48]

No water changes

 

[BigAl07]

My 2nd best tip is using a thin sheet of Magic Eraser on the inside of my glass between the MAGNET and the GLASS! Works wonders for cleaning day to day when you don't really need a hard scrub and don't want to put a SCRAPER to work. I buy them in bulk and toss each one after it's been used. It's shocking how much each one removes day in and day out.

Just be sure to NOT get any sand/grit stuck between the sheet and the glass.

 

[KQuillan]

I just found the reef mat hack, that's a winner for me.

 

[JayM]

I added an extra ball valve to my manifold to pump water into a bucket for water changes vs. having to use a separate pump.