Standing tall in the middle of it all…or not: How hands-on are you as a reef keeper?

[MorReefs]

The majority of my tank is automated. Top offs and water changes are manual for me though. My tank is too big(300g DD) and my property not conducive to setting up large ATO and water change station. I just roll some brute trash cans out. As for me it isnt a question of not wanting to get my arms wet but rather I just cant reach everything. But I check my tanks vitals every other day and spend atleast 1 hour each day observing and appreciating it.

 

[EliMelly]

I am super hands on. I built the aquascape, do consistent water changes myself, treat my own fish, set up my own equipment. I personally don’t have a lot of respect for people who get a fish tank as a piece of furniture, expect someone else to take care of it, and have no idea with anything that’s going on in the tank. It’s a bit of a shame…

 

[boacvh]

I was very heavy hands on the first 2 years. Then I just started to let the tank do it's thing and find its own balance and started to intervene only if absolutely necessary and then I really started to find more success.

 

[Bob Weigant]

I keep things easy. I do the water changes every 2 weeks. Auto dose my alk and thats pretty much it. Probably why my tank thread is so boring

 

[HaiFish]

Standing tall in the middle of it all…or not: How hands-on are you as a reef keeper?

There are reef keepers that hire others to take care of their tank and others that have automated their reef system to the point where they rarely get wet. In contrast there are some that are very interactive with their tanks and livestock and are fully immersed (both literally and figuratively) in their small section of the reef. How hands-on are you as a reef keeper? Let us know about your experience and level of interaction with your reef in the related comments.

Photo by @seth&angelle


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IMO, I am ALMOST as hands on as it gets. I am not a very "Automated tank" person. I have a 10 gal but I constantly DIY and see what works through trial and error. You dont need to have a lot of special equipment for your tank to work and thats what I love about this hobby! However, I am not "IN" the tank too much as that can interrupt the stability of the tank but in terms of DIY, VERY hands on.

 

[John Biddle]

I voted "Very hands-on" because I do any and all work on my tank myself. That said, I try to make minimal changes. I have an ATO and have purchased a doser but not yet started to use it. I manually do a 5% water change twice per week (1 gallon each time for my 20G tank) and I manualy dose 1 ml of vodka daily. So, I'm not doing all that much work but what is done is done by me.

 

[reefsaver]

If I had the money to go "Not hands on at all" I would be sitting on my Yacht right now watching my servants clean my aquarium hahaha

 

[twentyleagues]

Very. I do all maintenance, dosing, testing, water changes, feeding. I have an ato and my lights do all the cool led function stuff...lol. I have built most of my stands and canopies, I do my own plumbing, I have wired ballasts in the past and more recently, I once built my own led setup. I used Steves leds but I had to wire, solder, and attach 480 leds. I like to tinker but I try not to make too many un-necessary changes.

 

[TinnysReef]

I think asking for help and having someone help with tank maintenance is not a bad thing if it's something you can do. I'm very grateful that I'm able to have help with my tanks, but am still very hands on in caring for all of my pets living in them. 5 years ago, when I first researched getting into the saltwater/reefing hobby, I read something that said "expect to spend up to 3x what you think you will need to, because you will have several failures at first." I figured I could do that, maybe get frustrated or burned out, buy the wrong/suboptiomal equipment that will need replacing, or I could ask for the help of an expert and set things up right from the start. I found someone in town that helps maintain tanks who has 20 years experience and I'm glad I did!

I work away from home sometimes 10 days at a time (especially in winter when commuting can be impossible) and so without help I would not be able to keep my tanks up and keep them healthy. I have 5 tanks, and when I am home spend hours per day working on them (trying to keep my hands out lol). Other than the water changes and giving the fish some nori when I'm away, I do everything else. I have automated feeders and a ATO direct from RODI system. No automated dosing as I'm too paranoid something would go wrong while I'm away. My fish expert is also a low tech guy who has had great success with just water changes and very little additives.

Honestly, I think since I do have "breaks" from messing with the tanks while away at work it does allow everything to become more balanced and things thrive. This taught me to let things be and be more patient.

- I keep a day planner of what I do/what is happening in all of the tanks so that I can track progress and setbacks.
- I built my own aquascapes (and now my "fish guy" is having me do so for his other clients which is saving me $$ on his help).
- I feed and clean all my tanks, maintain the filters and sumps.
- I have a cart on wheels with all of my fragging supplies and go from tank to tank fragging and maintaining the corals.
- I installed and organized the equipment/electronics/wires in my fish room (behind display tank). I hooked up ozone for the first time last month and LOVE it
- I planned out my coralscape for MONTHS before actually putting them in. Many many drawings of islands and rocks and what would go on them lol.
- I obtain and care for all of my livestock - inverts, fish, corals.
- And, of course, reefing while "at work" lol ...being on R2R while on call in the middle of the night (waiting for my pager to go off) and scoring some awesome corals during flash sales .

I think that counts as very hands on, even if I can't be there for every water change.

 

[Highest20]

Got a 20g Long...Used to have a 90g but downsized when Moving to Florida. Have Lights on a Timer but Do Everything Myself. Thinking about Dosing Pump/Controller but Sometimes Simpler is Better. Worried dosing Pump could malfunction and spike KH so I check 2-3 Times Daily. Cleaned all 4 Powerheads Today, Filter, BioBalls, Protein Skimmer, UV Sterilizer, Glass, Pulled Out Hair Algae, Changed Media/GFO Reactor yesterday. Got a Heater Set at 77ish and a Fan to Keep Cool. Kinda Don't trust the automation or others to Maintain unless I MUST for Vacation. I have a Auto Feeder I've Used to Feed Flake before but I usually do Frozen. I got 8 fish that are small and lots of Corals a Few SPS, Some LPS, and lots of Softies, 3 Anemones. Usually keep KH 8.5 if I can and Phosphates Earlier Today were .08. Thanks, Have a Good One. Here is a Pic of My Tank...Hope U Like!

 

[Highest20]

By the Way My Fish are Melanurus Wrasse, Multicolor Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse, Coral Beauty Angel, Black/White Clown, Green Mandarin Dragonet, Blue/Yellow Damsel, and 2 Female Lyretail Anthias...1 prob gonna turn to Male Soon...Also a Blood Red Fire Shrimp, and Peppermint Shrimp. I Know kinda A Lot for the Size but will Re-Home if Needed and at Least Its a 20g Long so More Horizontal Swimming Space! Please Let Me Know what U think and if U Want More Info! Have a Great One!

 

[steveschuerger]

By the Way My Fish are Melanurus Wrasse, Multicolor Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse, Coral Beauty Angel, Black/White Clown, Green Mandarin Dragonet, Blue/Yellow Damsel, and 2 Female Lyretail Anthias...1 prob gonna turn to Male Soon...Also a Blood Red Fire Shrimp, and Peppermint Shrimp. I Know kinda A Lot for the Size but will Re-Home if Needed and at Least Its a 20g Long so More Horizontal Swimming Space! Please Let Me Know what U think and if U Want More Info! Have a Great One!

Sorry, but that’s too many fish and many of them need the space your former tank offered. Especially the Melanurus, Coral Beauty and the Anthias need bigger digs .

 

[steveschuerger]

Right now the only automated thing is the lights. I’m hands on for everything else at the moment.

 

[Highest20]

Sorry, but that’s too many fish and many of them need the space your former tank offered. Especially the Melanurus, Coral Beauty and the Anthias need bigger digs .

Ya I Know I've Crammed Em in but Everybody is Happy and will Re-Home if Needed Ya Know!

 

[Highest20]

Ya I Know I've Crammed Em in but Everybody is Happy and will Re-Home if Needed Ya Know!

Also Thinking about adding a 75g Sometime in Near Future!

 

[Hhaynie]

mental health makes me a little inconsistant

good day: i'm working on the tank for hours
bad day: staring in dread at the algae I don't have the motivation to address

thank god for easy corals and hardy fish

 

[reefermadnes5]

Im super hands on. At least i have been. I battled a learning curve and suffered mistakes. Recently been in a good stable point so now im adding softies and building a zoa garden. I do plan on and keep telling my wife that very very soon the tank will be ready to watch grow. Just need a few more of these....

 

[kc4mnp]

I do all my own maintenance, water changes , top offs , water testing , filter cleaning , lights are on a timer right now and i will have auto top off in near future but i do the rest !

 

[Gino]

I choose "Somewhat". Many reasons, because I like to do everything in the tank by myself. But, I prefer not to intervene constantly and let it run to do it's own. Obviously keeping up on regular and scheduled maintenance, feeding, ect. "Imagine"... my return pump die about 3 months ago, so the tank is running only with the UV PUMP, even that I brought a new one a week later, I haven't installed yet and a new manifold that all the parts are sitting in a box for almost 6 months now. "Call me lazy" but everything looks better than before. Parameters are more stable, everyone looks better to be honest. So, ones I hook up the new manifold and return pump, I think that I will have to rethink how much turnover to push thru the system.