Tank Trials: Ultra Low Maintenance Tanks | BRStv Investigates

dirtdobber06

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To me ulm would mean less time testing the water parameters, less time fighting pestilence, and more tI'm drinking coffee in front of my tank. Setting up water changes if they are going to be done where they are easy and fast means they are more likely to get done. Before I starter switching to Triton. I used a Siphon to a sink that I drained outside the building and cut the pipe where the Siphon broke at the 20 gallon line. Set up mixing pump where I opened a valve and refilled. Water change was fast and easy. I still can't get my tank to look like I want it to. I think I will resolve to change as little as possible for at least 6 months after I install my new Triton sump.
 

mattgsa

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BRS has some great videos, and I'm sure this series will be no different. Looking forward to seeing what they come up with.
 

Bacon505

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This is my ULM system
Just 3 powerhead
1 return pump
Skimmer
Kamoer doser
And ofcourse the lighting system.

F09431F7-E3B8-46D1-8633-11A37E7A4DEB.jpeg


21103B8C-6BDF-4E1F-8E2A-0F4A93661E84.jpeg
 

Bacon505

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BF0E8506-A4BD-4643-A911-A0F5CFAEAE68.jpeg
Gorgeous! Thanks for showing.

HOB Skimmer?
Nutrient export method?
Thank you. Its an external skimmer, also my only nutrient export other than xenia. I do WC about once a month and i test for alk and cal once or twice a month. You can check out my build for more info
 
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randyBRS

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Tank Trials: Tank Selection for ULM Tanks Ep-2 | BRStv Investigates

This week we are taking the discussion to the next level, by reviewing your guys' thoughts on tank and stand selection! Today Ryan discusses some ULM tank selection criteria and talks about what comes next.

Thanks to everyone for joining in on the larger discussion and be sure to chime in each week!
A very special thanks to @AquaART ; @Reef_Pilot ; @pdiehm ; @splix ; @iemsparticus ; @andyg1960 from the Reef2Reef community, as well as Leif Wallin ; Shivu Bachan ; Carlson Moncrief from YouTube!


This week's question:

-What sump would you choose, within the footprint of our test tanks, with absolute ULM in mind?

 
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Ryanbrs

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To me ulm would mean less time testing the water parameters, less time fighting pestilence, and more tI'm drinking coffee in front of my tank. Setting up water changes if they are going to be done where they are easy and fast means they are more likely to get done. Before I starter switching to Triton. I used a Siphon to a sink that I drained outside the building and cut the pipe where the Siphon broke at the 20 gallon line. Set up mixing pump where I opened a valve and refilled. Water change was fast and easy. I still can't get my tank to look like I want it to. I think I will resolve to change as little as possible for at least 6 months after I install my new Triton sump.

"More time drinking coffee in front of the tank" : )
 

CoralDanimal

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@randyBRS I love all the BRStv series recently. I overhauled my sump to allow as big of a refugium as possible and bought a Kessil H380 to light it. Looking forward to the ULM series. In the most recent video, it was mentioned Red Sea is giving away a Reefer 170. How do we participate to enter into that contest?
 
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randyBRS

randyBRS

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@randyBRS I love all the BRStv series recently. I overhauled my sump to allow as big of a refugium as possible and bought a Kessil H380 to light it. Looking forward to the ULM series. In the most recent video, it was mentioned Red Sea is giving away a Reefer 170. How do we participate to enter into that contest?

You can find the sign up page HERE! :)
 

CurtnStac

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Dag, I really wish an AIO tank would have been chosen. Just purchased an IM sr80 from ya'll and would have loved to see some tips on how to make it ULM.
 

CurtnStac

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Dag, I really wish an AIO tank would have been chosen. Just purchased an IM sr80 from ya'll and would have loved to see some tips on how to make it ULM.
 

pdiehm

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@randyBRS

Thanks for the shoutout!

for the 40 breeder display, or the 60 cubes that @Ryanbrs demo'd, I would try to match that in the stand. Not knowing if that's possible, it comes down to money. Somatic and/or Trigger cube sumps would probably be perfect under the 60 cube's, but it would depend on the footprint inside the cabinet.
 

Forsaken77

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ULM is definitely NOT on a larger AIO tank. Speaking from experience with an IM SR-120 AIO, so much detritus gets caught behind the back wall and it's extremely difficult to reach and remove without stirring it up.

Not to mention that IM doesn't have quality gear meabt for their tanks. On the SR-120 we have a Ghost Skimmer on each side, which (as we all know) are useless even on smaller tanks.

Everything is setup to be auto dosed anyway. So the lack of a sump on a larger model tank just makes things more of a hassle with no sump area. The dosers and Zeo reactor are shoved between shelves on the stand. Deal with setting up a tank properly in the beginning and then you have an easier time down the road.
 

SalinFL

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Dag, I really wish an AIO tank would have been chosen. Just purchased an IM sr80 from ya'll and would have loved to see some tips on how to make it ULM.
My thoughts exactly, so did I. Arriving 14 Dec.
 

laverda

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I switched to the DSR method as described here on R2R and have found it to be far less maintenance than other methods I have used. I especially like not doing water changes. I have only done two 55 water changes since I set up my 300-gallon tank and both were in the first 6 months of setting it up. the tank is now 2years old and I am very happy with it. It requires more water tests then I would like, however it is well worth it in my opinion.
 

SantaMonica

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Some people think low-maint means things are handled by auto controls. And others think that low-maint means things are handled by biology like real reefs are. I like the biology route.

Consider a reef pond, in a black plastic tub. Extremely cheap, unbreakable, unscratchable, and the most natural view there is (top-down) for both viewing and picture-taking like on an exposed Australian reef at low tide. The best part is, probably, that there's no glass to clean; matter of fact the more periphyton that grows on the plastic walls, the better it looks and the better it filters and feeds. So this way you get natural filtering from both the surface of your rocks, and the surface of the walls too.

Some types of plastic bins to consider are for horse feeding, dog washing, koi ponds, etc, and the one we used was from here: http://www.tufftubs.com/htdocs/KMR75.htm

With just rock and sand, and a powerhead or two, it will be as easy and cheap as possible. Maybe a net over the top if you will have jumpers. A pendant light or two probably makes the most sense, since it would leave almost the whole above area open, but you could also lay some waterproof LED strip lights across it like we did.

If power goes out, nothing happens. Plenty of surface area for oxygen transfer for a while.
Earthquake, nothing. Maybe splashing, but nothing broken. There are no water pumps, overflows, returns, or anything else to buy, break, or mess with. Any other equipment you might want can go behind a divider wall that you add, like a AIO sump.

If desired, no water changes.

And again, no glass cleaning, ever.
 

Gareth elliott

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Tank Trials: Ultra Low Maintenance Tanks Ep-2 | BRStv Investigates

This week we are taking the discussion to the next level, by reviewing your guys' thoughts on tank and stand selection! Today Ryan discusses some ULM tank selection criteria and talks about what comes next.

Thanks to everyone for joining in on the larger discussion and be sure to chime in each week!
A very special thanks to @AquaART ; @Reef_Pilot ; @pdiehm ; @splix ; @iemsparticus ; @andyg1960 from the Reef2Reef community, as well as Leif Wallin ; Shivu Bachan ; Carlson Moncrief from YouTube!


This week's question:

-What sump would you choose, within the footprint of our test tanks, with absolute ULM in mind?



Trigger cube? Or somatic modular, Space saving yet can still clean quite easily. Any sump with with spaces your hand cant fit in makes that moment when you do need to maintain or clean all the more unenjoyable.
 

rtparty

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After having had a 2ft cube for 8 months, not a chance I'd ever have one again. Sad to see that was the route chosen. 40g Breeders turned sideways and run as a peninsula would have been really cool IMO.

Problems with a 2ft cube:

Scaping is hard since you don't have enough horizontal run to make a vertical run not look like a giant pillar.

2 feet severely limits livestock choices. Not that 3 feet is a ton better but 2 feet basically eliminates any algae grazing fish. They just don't have room to swim.

Sump selection just became very, very limited without going custom. Most cube sumps I look at make you make a compromise somewhere or leave something to be desired. Trigger seems to be the best bet and may be the way I go someday.

Lighting becomes a little tougher as well IMO. A 6*24w Sunpower is probably the easiest way to go for simple plug and play. It will spill quite a bit of light out of the tank though. The Aquatic Life hybrid would also be a good fit. Maybe with Kessil 360, AI Prime (probably 2) or an XR15.

I'm torn between using a skimmer and all the maintenance they require or just going with a big ball of chaeto and an LED grow light. The chaeto would require harvesting though.
 
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