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I don't test water parameters. Same with my freshwater tanks.
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Clarify please ... DIN /DIP/ DOC ... disolved nitrates, phosphates, organics?? If that is the common vernacular , then I don’t disagree as I’ve seen those being needed in my own tanks for their life cycle / reproduction etc...Corals are the most important component of filtration for removing DIN and DIP. SPonges are the most important component of filtration for removing labile hydrophilic and hydrophobic DOC. Equipment only needed for water movement and light.
I too run no skimmer, just a small refugium in the sump, but chaeto and Calerpa does great , nitrates stay between 2-5 (Salifert) po4 usually .09-.2 (Hanna) ... but when those nutrients are high and ca/alk are 400+/ 9.8+ I see the most polyp extension ... and assume the most potential for growth.No skimmer, no filter socks, refugium only, populated with gha caulerpa and some other unknown algae. Chaeto doesn't seem to grow as prolifically. Also DIYed most of everything... Lights, hood, sump, auto top off system, soon to come auto water change system. Also I have no problem doing things slow... Actually it was probably more of a problem going slow. Was having problems keeping enough nutrients because I hadn't gotten fish into my system until well after I set it up and put corals in it... Oh well lessons learned on that point.
The carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles are more complex than I'm presenting here but this should help show some of the complexity we are dealing with.Clarify please ... DIN /DIP/ DOC ... disolved nitrates, phosphates, organics?? If that is the common vernacular , then I don’t disagree as I’ve seen those being needed in my own tanks for their life cycle / reproduction etc...
I have to agree and say that I do whatever works for me because all systems are different and what one person does is not necessarily going to work for someone else believe me I have tried suggestions from other reefers and it did not work in my system. I live in Florida and it is humid so I do not have much water evaporation but do have an auto top off. I too have mixed clown species and they did fine, yes they did fight in the beginning but eventually got along and had them for years. I do not have sand because I like the simplicity of the cleaning of the tank and I attach corals or will when I get them to the bottom glass and the back along with the live rock. I have gone a day without feeding my fish and they did not waste away. I have to say I do not believe that there is truly any wrong or right way of doing, you have to do what works for your system, your home, and your life.1.a. I actually want algae. As much as we want bacterial diversity, I find any diversity is good. So long as the algae is not smothering my corals, then they can live in the tank. Ugly or not, reality is all these algae exists on wild coral reefs, and they probably have their own roles to play.
1.b. Survival of the fittest - I don't necessarily fit my water parameters to my live stock, but vice versa. Reality is different salts and everything can generate different sets of parameters. Even something like where one lives - that can matter. For example, Chicago is super dry and I lose 3% of my water from evaporation every day, and if I go for 3 days without topping up that's 10% less water in the tank, and obviously concentrations of a lot of things would increase, including salinity. I do have an auto-top off system but it is ugly, so instead whatever lives in the tank have to be able to live with the conditions or die. Simple.
1.c. Stir up the sand, a lot. I believe in 'balance' from chaos, which kinda is like @Paul B's thing in a sense. I let the aquarium actually go through 'hardships' that strengthen the system. The other day I changed the entire scape and while I do stir sand, it is only some of it. That other day when I was redoing the scape, I actually stirred up all the sand that was untouched for four months. Nothing happened. No spikes in any parameters, no angry fish or corals. Well, one angry clownfish, but that's more because I was changing up her home and I got about twenty bites from her that day. Yes I released a lot of detritus that day.
1.d. I starve my fish until they accept the food I want to feed them. I thought this was more common, but anyways yeah, kind of the same point as (1.b.)-ish, but also different. Once the fish gets hungry enough, they'll eat whatever they can.
2. Mixed two species of clownfish. I have done that multiple times, though always one individual of each species. Longest period has been a year, though none of it is because of deaths or injuries, just because I had to tear down aquariums.
I acclimate my fish but I do not quarantine my fish and have never had any sickness, ich, or any other diseases.I'm unconventional in many ways. Started in 2013 with a 40g breeder and then a 57g rimless and now a 32g biocube
I have never acclimated anything and havnt had issues.
I dont test any parameters but do water changes every few weeks. More often if things look unhappy
I dont mind some hair algae and the fish love it
I have a 4 inch hippp tang in a 32g biocube and she is loving life
I have 3 clowns in the same tank and they get along. I had a pair and the female died after 4 yrs so i took my brothers pair because he was getting out of the hobby
Currently i have over 20 corals and 6 fish with 2 shrimp and several turbo snails and a conch in the biocube
I have an upgraded return pump/innovative marine protein skinner and just started chaeto
I emphasize balancing out and stabilizing the system with macro algae right from the start. then starting the system with FW mollies.Unconventional - Not based on or conforming to what is generally done or believed.
Unconventional Reef Keepers - Reef Aquarium Hobbyists who say, nah..I'll do it my way and still succeed. (my definition)
There are so many ways to do so many things in reef keeping and not everyone always does the same thing to accomplish the same goal. That was a mouth full! What's even better is that in some instances reef keepers employ certain methods, ideas and practices that many others might consider unconventional but are still very successful. Their motto is..."I'm not a part of this system!" Let's talk about it today!
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?
Did you go fallow after velvet or just plow ahead?I tried the QT thing, hated how it restricted me from buying and adding to the tank…..got velvet..lost my oldest and favorite fish friends. Almost went back to QTing but tried one more time. Almost 2 years now with zero casualties and 25 fish. Ich pops up frequently but the fish get over it.
I just kept going man, I had two fish that made it so I added a third a few weeks later and so on.Did you go fallow after velvet or just plow ahead?
You had me nodding "fine" until tap water. But then I am guessing your tap water is different than many of us. No fluoride. No chlorine. No chloramines.No skimmer
No quarantine
NSW for water changes
Tap water for top ups
Like to have a small amount of algae in the DT
I treat my reef like an ecosystem. Imo increased diversity improves system resilience. Sterilising the system just makes it more prone to imbalances when you get one aspect slightly out. Running three tanks (two reef and one macroalgae) this way.
We do have small amounts of Chlorine but certainly no fluoride or chloramines in Tasmanian water. Wife is a chemist for the state water dept. So I get daily updates on water quality. I use a decent dechlorinator.You had me nodding "fine" until tap water. But then I am guessing your tap water is different than many of us. No fluoride. No chlorine. No chloramines.