I'd love to see an AIO aquarium like a Red Sea Max E or IM Nuvo tank as one of the builds. I think there are many people like myself who for one reason or another have gone the AIO route and pretty quickly feel the restriction of the rear sump compartments. Any insight as to how to maximize the success in those tanks would be much appreciated. In the same vein would be a nano tank (under 30-40 gallons say) where water parameter fluctuation is more of an issue for a ULM mentality...
Tank Trials: Ultra Low Maintenance Tanks | BRStv Investigates
- Thread starter randyBRS
- Start date
- Tagged users None
I'd love to see an AIO aquarium like a Red Sea Max E or IM Nuvo tank as one of the builds. I think there are many people like myself who for one reason or another have gone the AIO route and pretty quickly feel the restriction of the rear sump compartments. Any insight as to how to maximize the success in those tanks would be much appreciated. In the same vein would be a nano tank (under 30-40 gallons say) where water parameter fluctuation is more of an issue for a ULM mentality...
I have a full SPS 90 gal tank at home.. which entails 2x water testing a week, feeding, dosing, cleaning and water changes (all the works).
Now my office tank is a the opposite...
My office tank is SUPER ULM. (softie tank; zoa, shrooms, xenias, 2 rainbow rbta, 2 clowns, yellow clown goby, handful of cerith snails, tons of bristtle/fire worm)
tank info.
tank has been running about 2 years now. I have maybe done 3 water changes of 5 gal so far. I don't dose anything, I tested the water when i started the system and once last month. Everything seems happy and thriving so I don't bother testing anything. RBTA split 2x already.
20 gal display 10 gal sump/fuge
Apex Jr
Kessil
Tunze 6040 pump
Eheim return pump
150w eheim heater
Fuge with chaeto/xenia/halimeda power by a LED spot lamp
Tunze 9004 skimmer
Fan controlled by the apex
Weekly maintenance includes -
Dropping some pellets for the fish daily
Refilling the ATO container
and dumping the skimmer cup
Cleaning the glass
5 mins!
Every 1-2 months I take out half of my chaeto/halimeda and trim some xenia from the fuge - 5 mins.
I setup the system so that most of filtration is done biologically through chaeto and xenias. I really don't even think i need the skimmer. There isn't much on the skimmer cup anyways. Excess nutrients are absorb by the xenais and chaeto.
Now my office tank is a the opposite...
My office tank is SUPER ULM. (softie tank; zoa, shrooms, xenias, 2 rainbow rbta, 2 clowns, yellow clown goby, handful of cerith snails, tons of bristtle/fire worm)
tank info.
tank has been running about 2 years now. I have maybe done 3 water changes of 5 gal so far. I don't dose anything, I tested the water when i started the system and once last month. Everything seems happy and thriving so I don't bother testing anything. RBTA split 2x already.
20 gal display 10 gal sump/fuge
Apex Jr
Kessil
Tunze 6040 pump
Eheim return pump
150w eheim heater
Fuge with chaeto/xenia/halimeda power by a LED spot lamp
Tunze 9004 skimmer
Fan controlled by the apex
Weekly maintenance includes -
Dropping some pellets for the fish daily
Refilling the ATO container
and dumping the skimmer cup
Cleaning the glass
5 mins!
Every 1-2 months I take out half of my chaeto/halimeda and trim some xenia from the fuge - 5 mins.
I setup the system so that most of filtration is done biologically through chaeto and xenias. I really don't even think i need the skimmer. There isn't much on the skimmer cup anyways. Excess nutrients are absorb by the xenais and chaeto.
Last edited:
Mandelstam
Well-Known Member
Ok, I would leave out "mommy".
I think the key aspect of ULM to me is being able to leave the tank for an extended period and not have to worry about anything. I think what you keep in the tank will define how much tech is needed to ensure ULM. I also think ULM is related to the amount of time it takes to perform some maint that may be required. If I have to change water how do I make it easier for example
As for a tank I think there are pros and cons to all sizes and automation and maint will be different for each size. My 8g nano tank with about 13g of total water (including sump) is easy to do water changes on about a gal every so often works well and takes no time at all
As for a tank I think there are pros and cons to all sizes and automation and maint will be different for each size. My 8g nano tank with about 13g of total water (including sump) is easy to do water changes on about a gal every so often works well and takes no time at all
WDKegge
Well-Known Member
My reaction when I find out you guys are doing not 1, but 3 new tank builds for me to binge watch on youtube,
Seriously tho you guys kick butt and in my opinion doing some flat out amazing stuff for the reefing community.
Seriously tho you guys kick butt and in my opinion doing some flat out amazing stuff for the reefing community.
jeffrey holloway
Active Member
Following "info junkie" always great info on this site.
FragileReefer
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2017
- Messages
- 249
- Reaction score
- 331
Sorry I got excited Tl;Dr at bottom
Newbie reefer here. I'm lazy, inexperienced, cheap and thirsty for knowledge. I've spent the last month learning, researching, filtering thru every forum I can to start my first reef tank. My goal of having a Ultra Low Maintenance softie reef tank. So this video series will be a valuable resource for me.
Your stated goal is to have 3 different tanks with softie, LPS, SPS corals and be ULM. But to me it sounds like you have accepted the task of starting 3 different tanks for 3 different reefers in mind. These different corals appeal to vastly different reefers. Myself being on one side of the scale to the experienced hobbist where the sky is the limit looking for logistical challenge on the SPS side.
I believe the easiest solution is to have a monster tank with all the bells and whistles jam different corals in each one and call it a day. I hope that's not the case and you take the time to profile what kind of reefer each tank has in mind.
I would love to see a All-in-one tank for softies, a DIY tank for LPS and monster for SPS.
Softie tank being something like the Nuvo Lagoon 50, with just the right amount of equipment to make a truly ULM but nothing overboard. I'd love to see the augmentations you add to work around the in tank sump Nuvo is famous for. But make it something a newbie like me can replicate.
LPS is a great testing ground for all the creative diy solutions to making a tank ULM. Something in the 90g range with really innovative placement of coral. And test some awesome ideas the forums give us.
We all know how the SPS tank will go. Go Big or Go Home! The Tesla of reeftanks, sleek, sexy, self run and too expensive for me. Give something reefers aspire to.
Sorry for the wall of text but I'm a newbie with excited vigor and this video series will be my guide to success. Keep me in mind in all your future planning.
Tl;Dr
Nuvo Lagoon 50g -softie
Diy 90g- LPS
Monster 300g-SPS
Newbie reefer here. I'm lazy, inexperienced, cheap and thirsty for knowledge. I've spent the last month learning, researching, filtering thru every forum I can to start my first reef tank. My goal of having a Ultra Low Maintenance softie reef tank. So this video series will be a valuable resource for me.
Your stated goal is to have 3 different tanks with softie, LPS, SPS corals and be ULM. But to me it sounds like you have accepted the task of starting 3 different tanks for 3 different reefers in mind. These different corals appeal to vastly different reefers. Myself being on one side of the scale to the experienced hobbist where the sky is the limit looking for logistical challenge on the SPS side.
I believe the easiest solution is to have a monster tank with all the bells and whistles jam different corals in each one and call it a day. I hope that's not the case and you take the time to profile what kind of reefer each tank has in mind.
I would love to see a All-in-one tank for softies, a DIY tank for LPS and monster for SPS.
Softie tank being something like the Nuvo Lagoon 50, with just the right amount of equipment to make a truly ULM but nothing overboard. I'd love to see the augmentations you add to work around the in tank sump Nuvo is famous for. But make it something a newbie like me can replicate.
LPS is a great testing ground for all the creative diy solutions to making a tank ULM. Something in the 90g range with really innovative placement of coral. And test some awesome ideas the forums give us.
We all know how the SPS tank will go. Go Big or Go Home! The Tesla of reeftanks, sleek, sexy, self run and too expensive for me. Give something reefers aspire to.
Sorry for the wall of text but I'm a newbie with excited vigor and this video series will be my guide to success. Keep me in mind in all your future planning.
Tl;Dr
Nuvo Lagoon 50g -softie
Diy 90g- LPS
Monster 300g-SPS
Bruce Burnett
Valuable Member
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2015
- Messages
- 1,296
- Reaction score
- 979
So my system is 300 gallon total, 240 gallon display. I have no problem leaving for two weeks, just come home clean the glass, maybe empty skimmer cup and maybe clean ATS. I don't do water changes, have a calcium reactor, media reactor for ROX, skimmer good for heavily stocks 450 gallon tank, good size ATS. Bare bottom with tupper ware with sand for wrasse. To go for 4 weeks I would have to go bigger on ATO not a big deal, Skimmer can go for 4 weeks as currently adjusted but it will sure stink by then, Algae Scrubber never gets cleaned before two weeks and could go 4 weeks. No all in one controller I kind of look at it like this, If I am going somewhere for 4 weeks straight it means it is not next door but many miles away probably by airlines so I don't want to know if the system has failed as nothing I can do quickly and no one I could call. Now for less work I think I am already there except choice of corals. I will be pulling most of the rocks out of my tank so I can get rid of most of my monti caps as they grow like weeds and grow over everything. Next is a large flat rock about 18" diameter that only had a few palythoa on it, there are 3 different types on there but it is completely covered now. I believe they are the toxic ones if anyone would like to confirm I have attached a picture. If they are I am not going to try and remove them from the rock as it would be easier to remove the duncans and trumpet coral. I would say that for ease of cleaning and other maintenance tank should not be taller than 24" and stand not so high to need a ladder both where I failed. Choice of reliable equipment is more important than having all the bells and whistles. So long vacations an auto feeder and ATO are must along with reliable dosing or calcium reactor. Long run choice of corals as at some point they will need trimmed or removed. Like I said my monti caps grow about 1/4" every day or two and i failed to keep them isolated.
pfoxgrover
Active Member
Awesome idea for a video series! You guys are number one in my book! Please keep up the awesome content!
My two cents:
I would think something at least 60 gallons.
Apex for sure.
Don't break the bank.
If you start with mature live rock and large corals from established aquariums, that would be cheating!
My two cents:
I would think something at least 60 gallons.
Apex for sure.
Don't break the bank.
If you start with mature live rock and large corals from established aquariums, that would be cheating!
NY_Caveman
likes words, fish and arbitrary statistics
I second that it would be great if one of the tanks was an AIO. Maybe without an APEX also to see how ULM one could go without a controller.
Tristren
Well-Known Member
There seems to be a lot of interest in an AIO tank. Though to me that's aiming for a simplest setup vs an ULM setup. But I'd say you would do well to do a separate video on that at some point at least.
Based on the way you described ULM, and how I understand it, it's being able to not have to touch the tank for a week or month and have it be just fine. So you really need to to have a big enough system, with a goodly amount of automation and monitoring, but minimal mechanical filtration.
I would suggest that the 4x2x2 120g seems to be a pretty popular tank. So one of those coupled with a 40g sump / refugium would be good. The equivalent of a 40g breeder that is cheap and accessible. Though a purpose built sump will likely be more appropriate.
You have a Triton system already, so an Aquaforest setup would be great to see.
The key will be robust microflora - fauna so I am really looking forward to hearing you talk about those details.
Personally I would say this seems like the perfect time for you to test out GHL products, which seem renowned for their stability and so are perfectly suited for this.
I have a sneaking suspicion that you may have other plans in the works for the SPS tank if the timing works out...
My vote would be for the same basic setup for the three tanks (same tank and sump at least).
In any event I can't wait to see how it turns out!
Cheers, Tony
Ps. In order for us to really learn anything from this study you will of course need an appropriate photosynthesis yield analyzer... I assume you have one of those?
Based on the way you described ULM, and how I understand it, it's being able to not have to touch the tank for a week or month and have it be just fine. So you really need to to have a big enough system, with a goodly amount of automation and monitoring, but minimal mechanical filtration.
I would suggest that the 4x2x2 120g seems to be a pretty popular tank. So one of those coupled with a 40g sump / refugium would be good. The equivalent of a 40g breeder that is cheap and accessible. Though a purpose built sump will likely be more appropriate.
You have a Triton system already, so an Aquaforest setup would be great to see.
The key will be robust microflora - fauna so I am really looking forward to hearing you talk about those details.
Personally I would say this seems like the perfect time for you to test out GHL products, which seem renowned for their stability and so are perfectly suited for this.
I have a sneaking suspicion that you may have other plans in the works for the SPS tank if the timing works out...
My vote would be for the same basic setup for the three tanks (same tank and sump at least).
In any event I can't wait to see how it turns out!
Cheers, Tony
Ps. In order for us to really learn anything from this study you will of course need an appropriate photosynthesis yield analyzer... I assume you have one of those?
Last edited:
DracoKat
2500 Club Member
I have not stuck my hand in my pico tank since early July. Only thing I’ve done is water changes twice a month and top off as needed.
I have a hob with floss, chaetos (that’s not growing well) and a small chem pure nano carbon. I use a scraper to clean the glass as needed.
Does that consider ulm system?
I have a hob with floss, chaetos (that’s not growing well) and a small chem pure nano carbon. I use a scraper to clean the glass as needed.
Does that consider ulm system?
NY_Caveman
likes words, fish and arbitrary statistics
You are probably right. AIO would be good for a separate study. Tanks should be the same for apples to apples comparison.
Dr.Xipoles
Active Member
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2017
- Messages
- 126
- Reaction score
- 84
Super excited for this new series of BRStv.
My first ULM tank would be an AIO tank from innovative marine with skimmer and the such while dosing a carbon source or running a biopellet reactor to keep nutrients ultra low. And dont forget WC's.
My second ULM system would be similar to the first with a tank with a sump and dosing carbon or biopellet reactor and large skimmer. Dont forget WC's.
My last ULM system would be the triton method.
My first ULM tank would be an AIO tank from innovative marine with skimmer and the such while dosing a carbon source or running a biopellet reactor to keep nutrients ultra low. And dont forget WC's.
My second ULM system would be similar to the first with a tank with a sump and dosing carbon or biopellet reactor and large skimmer. Dont forget WC's.
My last ULM system would be the triton method.
Similar threads
