Tank Trials: Ultra Low Maintenance Tanks | BRStv Investigates

[Tjm23slo]

@Rip Van Winkle What is the noise level of your portable system? I like the idea. I like @siggy s idea of the cannister, so if you combine the idea of a cannister and sump, the first chamber is full of rock rubble to catch the large detrius (food) This chamber could have hermits and other detritus consuming creatures picking away at the rocks. Next chamber would be macros like Cheto to catch the smaller particles and eat phosphates and Nitrates. Next chamber is for a grow out refugium with live sand. Last chamber has rock rubble and/or any devices to help polish last of the bad stuff out of the water before the return pump.

 

[randyBRS]

Tank Trials: Sump Selection for ULM Tanks Ep-3 | BRStv Investigates

This week we discuss some of your opinions on what goes into a sump being considered ULM and preview what next week has in store for the Ultra Low Maintenance tanks!

Thank you to everyone who chimed in on the larger discussion this past week! A very special thanks goes out to Joe Kelly; NavyTom91; Zarek Goeken; T Surro; Discus Pat on YouTube as well as @demeyer2 ; @Gareth elliott ; @rtparty ; @Donovan Joannes from the Reef2Reef community.


This week's question:

-What type of filtration methods would you consider to be ULM?

 

[Robert Collings]

For my Red Sea 250 it's a Somatic 90 leaving out the skimmer..using the middle chamber as a fuge.
Filter sock plus a GFO/carbon reactor and plenty of Bio filtration (Marine pure).
Don't be shy my friends give me your experienced know how on this!
Merry Christmas to one and all!

 

[rtparty]

Glad I was quoted for my dislike for 2ft cubes...lol. If it saves one person from buying one, my job is complete. Basically, 10 minutes of trying to explain the thought process behind picking a sump with so many restrictions supports my argument. I can't imagine how much actual time was spent discussing and filming all that. I know I've spent hours trying to come up with a good sump solution on a tight budget for mine. The Mr Aqua with my own baffles would be a decent solution.

I like the Somatic as well but don't want the skimmer that comes with it. I'm getting to the point that I'm questioning if a skimmer is even needed for what I plan to keep. (I question if skimmers are needed at all any longer. Yes, they are one of the best inventions the hobby as ever had but we've come a very long way since their invention. A lot of us are now dosing N and P back into the tank...but I digress)


To the point with skimmers on these tanks...I don't think one is needed for any reason on the polyp or LPS tank. I'd actually welcome you guys running 2 of these tanks with no skimmer. Have one run a big ball of chaeto with a strong light and the other run an ATS. (I do wonder if an ATS fits the ULM criteria. Maybe the time needed to harvest the algae is similar to emptying and cleaning a skimmer cup?)

I personally would not get into carbon dosing or bio-pellets on any of these tanks. I just don't think it's necessary. Especially if no skimmer is going to be used. Lowering N and P is pretty easy these days

 

[Donovan Joannes]

I am on complete recycling method at this moment. Nothing is purposely removed. A non lit sump with bacteria towers, a cryptic zone and live oysters to consume nutrients and suspended detritus/debris before it goes back into the display. Tiny filter worms, sponges and other critters handles the scrubbing works.

A small algae through in my canopy grows various algae for further nutrients processing. Light spillage from my main fixture drives the algae through.

My CUC handles the cleaning part in my display. Corals play a roles as well.

All nutrients are converted into biomass. Overgrown corals are trimmed and given away. Algae goes back to fishes or thrown away (dragon breath). No skimmer to clean.

Every hour a small pumps in my sump creates havoc, blowing detritus and small particulates to feed the live oysters, filter feeders, NPS corals and sponges that lives in the system. It seems like my SPS and LPS enjoys the extra foods as well.

 

[Mauricio Barrientos]

Awesome idea. I would a 90g tank with soft corals

 

[Greaps]

Filtration..Definitely no socks or dealing with skimmers and waste containers.

How about a pair of algae reactors by skimz on alternate timers for 24 hour nutrient uptake. This would provide 24 hour uptake of nutrients and allow one reactor to be harvested at a time improving tank stability and potentially reducing the frequency of harvests since the macro has twice the container space to grow and a shorter photo period.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

I would love to have seen you use the internal Tunze system for one of the tanks. This option would have left the cabinet open for any additional top off sump or equipment to enhance the system. I have used the complete systems in the past for mixed soft and LPS tanks with great success. This was almost 30 years ago but the success was a direct challenge to the trickle filter or sump systems of the day. It was a jaw dropping tank in its time.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Agree socks are probably not needed for daily filtration. If coupled with controlled feeding. I removed mine to hook up a larger skimmer. But can be invaluable when something goes awry and have to do a deep fix-it cleaning. So even if not used regularly, space to hook up either a sock or hob filter during a sand stirring or in tank algae scrubbing to catch the by product.
Would add Carbon and perhaps gfo, gives you more time between pwc, as well as combat yellow water.

 

[SantaMonica]

Two reactors would add a lot of stuff to do, more than desired here. But a single algal filtration, yes.

 

[nickenayat]

Wow!

 

[glennf]

Low maintenance can be done, i have been doing it succesfull for years.
1- eliminate water changes
2- use minimum technics
3- determine consumptions for supplements by basic measurement
4- start automatic dosings
5- sit back and enjoy the ride

Maintenance shedule:
- daily fish feedings
- Every other day cleaning of window
- Replace filtermaterial every 2-5 days
- clean skimmercup every week
- measure kh, ca, po4, no3 every week and once stable every other week
- once tanks start going frag corals every 3-6 months
- clean light fixture every month
- remove salt deposit every 2 months
- replace T5 tubes every 6 months

That's all i can think. Every other thing is on autopilot.

I maintain 7 tanks without waterchanges

 

[Mandelstam]

Low maintenance can be done, i have been doing it succesfull for years.
1- eliminate water changes
2- use minimum technics
3- determine consumptions for supplements by basic measurement
4- start automatic dosings
5- sit back and enjoy the ride

Maintenance shedule:
- daily fish feedings
- Every other day cleaning of window
- Replace filtermaterial every 2-5 days
- clean skimmercup every week
- measure kh, ca, po4, no3 every week and once stable every other week
- once tanks start going frag corals every 3-6 months
- clean light fixture every month
- remove salt deposit every 2 months
- replace T5 tubes every 6 months

That's all i can think. Every other thing is on autopilot.

I maintain 7 tanks without waterchanges

W O W

I think I just peed myself a little...

 

[Ryanbrs]

I am on complete recycling method at this moment. Nothing is purposely removed. A non lit sump with bacteria towers, a cryptic zone and live oysters to consume nutrients and suspended detritus/debris before it goes back into the display. Tiny filter worms, sponges and other critters handles the scrubbing works.

A small algae through in my canopy grows various algae for further nutrients processing. Light spillage from my main fixture drives the algae through.

My CUC handles the cleaning part in my display. Corals play a roles as well.

All nutrients are converted into biomass. Overgrown corals are trimmed and given away. Algae goes back to fishes or thrown away (dragon breath). No skimmer to clean.

Every hour a small pumps in my sump creates havoc, blowing detritus and small particulates to feed the live oysters, filter feeders, NPS corals and sponges that lives in the system. It seems like my SPS and LPS enjoys the extra foods as well.

Very cool! Would love to see this tank and system, got any pictures?

 

[Ryanbrs]

Low maintenance can be done, i have been doing it succesfull for years.
1- eliminate water changes
2- use minimum technics
3- determine consumptions for supplements by basic measurement
4- start automatic dosings
5- sit back and enjoy the ride

Maintenance shedule:
- daily fish feedings
- Every other day cleaning of window
- Replace filtermaterial every 2-5 days
- clean skimmercup every week
- measure kh, ca, po4, no3 every week and once stable every other week
- once tanks start going frag corals every 3-6 months
- clean light fixture every month
- remove salt deposit every 2 months
- replace T5 tubes every 6 months

That's all i can think. Every other thing is on autopilot.

I maintain 7 tanks without waterchanges

Living the dream, awesome results!

 

[Gareth elliott]

Not really filtration, but biggest bang for the buck nutrient control i have is being able to easily turn 1 4oz cube into 6 .67oz cubes. Easiest filtration is just not having to filter it.

 

[Dr.X]

The biggest key to a low maintenance tank is automation, in my opinion. I've pretty much gotten everything on my tank automated except feeding and scraping the glass, considering one of those electric snail things to see if they work.

Same here. To add: large system helps (mine is 150 gal). System age helps.
Marine organisms are very resilient. They tolerate SLOW changes well. It's the rapid swings that harms them the most. IME.

 

[Murica]

Low maintenance can be done, i have been doing it succesfull for years.
1- eliminate water changes
2- use minimum technics
3- determine consumptions for supplements by basic measurement
4- start automatic dosings
5- sit back and enjoy the ride

Maintenance shedule:
- daily fish feedings
- Every other day cleaning of window
- Replace filtermaterial every 2-5 days
- clean skimmercup every week
- measure kh, ca, po4, no3 every week and once stable every other week
- once tanks start going frag corals every 3-6 months
- clean light fixture every month
- remove salt deposit every 2 months
- replace T5 tubes every 6 months

That's all i can think. Every other thing is on autopilot.

I maintain 7 tanks without waterchanges

Very impressive! What do you supplement?

 

[Matthew Frost]

I love seeing the pictures of other people's set ups and seeing/hearing what they have done to create some truly awesome ULM set ups. One more thing to think about when it comes to this experiment and ULM strategies, the set ups truly have to be somewhat easy to replicate and in turn the results somewhat easy to duplicate.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Very cool! Would love to see this tank and system, got any pictures?

I am reluctant to show my setup, nothing is eye catching due to simplicity but ugly looking. I don't spend much on my setup as this hobby is considered as "for the rich and elites" down here. For the sake of sharing, here is my setup (in order)...

1) Cryptic zone (3 weeks)
2) Bacteria reactors (2 years)
3) Return section with cooling fans
4) Live oysters (3 months and still alive)
5) Algae through @ frag rack