Unconventional Reef Keepers: Are you one of them?

Would you consider yourself to be an unconventional reefer?

  • Yes in many ways (tell us in the thread)

    Votes: 86 19.9%
  • In some ways (tell us in the thread)

    Votes: 203 47.0%
  • Not at all

    Votes: 133 30.8%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 10 2.3%

  • Total voters
    432

monicalooze

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I am so new to this. My tank is six months old, and I originally subscribed to the sterile tank idea that's everywhere. It seemed logical. But as I read more, I realized that I want everything to be as optimized as possible for me. I don't like gear for gear's sake; I want to create a stable ecosystem that's as natural a possible......for an ocean in a box.
It means: I run an oxydator, I buy mud and microfauna from IPSF, and I don't run a skimmer. I have a fuge in my AIO tank and it is certainly working overtime. I've cobbled together my "method" from BRS, scientific journals, gut feeling, vintage German reef stuff, @Paul B, @Lasse, @atoll and @brandon429. I haven't met any of you, but thank you for your help and guidance.

Like I said, I am new to this, but I love the ambiguity that comes with it. The world is literally your oyster in this hobby. Never stop learning. .....I still wish I had started with real live rock. Hitchhikers be danged.
 

ArtsyFish

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Tank is a 150 Tall w/ a 50g sump.
No live or dry rock. scape is fabbed pvc/2 part putty.
started with 5 8x8 MarinePure Bio Blocks in the sump.
have since removed them and replaced with 12L of SeaChem Matrix.
no skimmer. using an up flow floating algae scrubber.
rarely test. maybe once a month.
NO3 40/60 PO4 over 1.0.
no dosing. total water in the system is a measured 140g. 30g water change done every 7/10 days.
Curious why you replaced the Marine pure with the Seachem Matrix/ Thank you.
 

PAreefer710

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I would sway to the unconventional side. No rodi, no testing, no dosing, blasting coral with as much light as I can push. And all is well.
 

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runcis

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My tank is roughly 100 gal.
Two biggest fish are a feisty old fire clownfish and a very quiet filefish. Others are 5 species of damselfish, pair of c.b. springeri dottybacks, a hasselt goby, an ocellaris clownfish, and 2 separately added starry blennies that are often friends and sometimes foes.
There are also 4 seastars, 4 sea urchins, plenty of snails, 2 shrimps, 2 crabs, 2 nems, mushrooms, soft corals, macroalgae, bubble algae.
Technical equipment consists of light (giesemann matrixx II), a heater, and 4 tunze turbelle nanostreams. Frequent small water (3 gal) changes.
So slightly unconventional.
 

CanuckReefer

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My tank is roughly 100 gal.
Two biggest fish are a feisty old fire clownfish and a very quiet filefish. Others are 5 species of damselfish, pair of c.b. springeri dottybacks, a hasselt goby, an ocellaris clownfish, and 2 separately added starry blennies that are often friends and sometimes foes.
There are also 4 seastars, 4 sea urchins, plenty of snails, 2 shrimps, 2 crabs, 2 nems, mushrooms, soft corals, macroalgae, bubble algae.
Technical equipment consists of light (giesemann matrixx II), a heater, and 4 tunze turbelle nanostreams. Frequent small water (3 gal) changes.
So slightly unconventional.
Sounds as though we are eerily similar in approach. No sump, Refugium, Cannister or Skimmer?
Lots of inverts / CUC in my setup as well 90 G ....
 

James_O

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1. What reefing practices, methods or ideas do you employ that others might consider to be "unconventional reefing?"

2. What's the craziest thing you have ever done in reefing that was a success?
1. I don’t have a sump. I wish I did, but I don’t. My nano tank really doesn’t need a sump, but many people question why I don’t have one.

2. Started reefing, lol. I’m a freshwater scrub, going on 7 years of fishkeeping, so starting a saltwater tank was prettyyy crazy for me. :D:p
 

CanuckReefer

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1. I don’t have a sump. I wish I did, but I don’t. My nano tank really doesn’t need a sump, but many people question why I don’t have one.

2. Started reefing, lol. I’m a freshwater scrub, going on 7 years of fishkeeping, so starting a saltwater tank was prettyyy crazy for me. :D:p
Meh....the question as to why no sump? Ignore it imo. I haven't had one for 20+ years. To each their own. If it works for some then great.
 

CanuckReefer

Simple...Salt, Water, LR, Lighting and Flow.
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I has a sump
IMG_3330_HEIC-M.jpg

Why wouldn't everyone want one?
And I love it! Pulling out all the tools of the trade. This is a SUMP! Bravo WVNed.... and so long as you are all Gold and Blue Eers thats cool with me too! Season ticket holder from Canada here.....
 

BeltedCoyote

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I has a sump
IMG_3330_HEIC-M.jpg

Why wouldn't everyone want one?

Ned you’ve got what I’d call an end game setup. It’s the sort of build someone like me who is getting into the hobby daydreams about building. It’s amazing. And I hope to one day have my own take on a multiple tank system.
 

Blumy

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Yes in that I never test my water. I’m SPS dominant and use a Duncan as a gauge. Opens too big, it’s dirty. Closed up, too clean. Opened but small, just right. I also manually add water, AB and other supplements based on how the SPS look. Completely successful. No issues.
 

maleks.reef

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Well, where do I start.. I am a 19-year-old university student with a very tight budget. I also don't have tons of spare time.
1) I didn't run a skimmer or fuge for 2 months (my tank is 4 months old today!)
2) I built a little DYI fuge in my all in one 35 gal tank
3) Added an old HOB skimmer (will be removed by the end of the year)
4) Everything in my tank is used and therefore cheap (except the heater, can't risk that!)
5) As of right now i only test for nitrates whenever i feel like i overfed (especially that i started feeding reef roids)
6) Did not experience any algae outbreaks
7) Water changes are not a priority (for my tank at least)
8) Started with dry rock and dry sand, tank cycled in 3 weeks
9) I can't say that my growth is stupidly fast but it is okay and I'm happy with it
10) I don't drip acclimate my live stock, only a bag float for 30 mins
11) I don't dip my corals (FOR NOW)

PS: If you want to check out my progress from the day I bought the tank up until this point check out my Instagram:
@maleks.reef
 

runcis

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Sounds as though we are eerily similar in approach. No sump, Refugium, Cannister or Skimmer?
Lots of inverts / CUC in my setup as well 90 G ....
no sump/fuge/cannister/HOB filter/skimmer :)
there is no need having them.

I also like your calm/relaxed approach to the whole thing.

I do not dose anything, either. It seems the bioload is adequate to the given space, water movement and light, at least now. We shall see how things will develop in the future...
 
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tony'stank

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I have a RSR450 that has been running for 7 years without water changes. I rarely test parameters. I do an ICP test every 3 months and adjust things as per their requirements. I 37 years I have never had a major disease outbreak or tank wipeout. I manage my tank much as Paul B does. I feed heavily with with live food or high quality frozen food. My tank is very stable. Since I have significant health issues my tank must be low maintenance.
 

pseudorand

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Yes. I run RFUG. This is mostly because I hadn't kept a tank in 20 years and didn't do enough reading before setting up my current tank. But I don't yet have any suspicions that any of my tank's problems are related to RFUG. Supposedly they are nitrate factories, but I'm consistently at 5ppm feeding 2 cubes/day in a 120g + 20g fuge.
 

Mixing lighting technologies: Do you use multiple types of lighting for your reef?

  • I currently use multiple types of lighting for my reef.

    Votes: 12 46.2%
  • I have used multiple types of lighting for my reef in the past.

    Votes: 2 7.7%
  • I haven’t used multiple types of lighting for my reef, but I plan to in the future.

    Votes: 5 19.2%
  • I have no plans to use multiple types of lighting for my reef.

    Votes: 7 26.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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