What was the best change or upgrade you made to your tank(s)?

[BrotatoSalad]

If you had to narrow it down to one single thing you did for your tank, what is the best change or upgrade you made? Anything from a change in methods or dosing to a piece of equipment is fair game!

 

[blaxsun]

Other than upgrading to a larger tank, a few things (toss-up as to which one is the best):
• Apex controller
• DOS and Trident-controlled testing and dosing
• AquaUltraviolet UV sterilizer

 

[DavidinGA]

Stopped using a skimmer in 2008 and went to an ATS for all tanks.

 

[Jedi1199]

My tank took off right after I did 2 things. I did them almost at the same time, so I can't say for sure which was the actual larger benefit.

I upgraded from cheap, black box lights with no timer so no set schedule, to Kessil A360x TB with full controls. Now my lights run on a set schedule every day. I suspect that schedule helps quite a bit, but have no data to back that up.

The other thing I did was install a HoB overflow to a 10g "sump" which houses an oversized skimmer. The old HoB skimmer I was using was inefficient at best. My tank is so overstocked that the oversized one I have now is really necessary.

 

[mindme]

Recently I bought and cut a piece of glass to put in my sump over 4 of my 6 sock filter holes. It's made me extremely happy and my sock usage is much more reasonable/cost effective.

 

[X-37B]

For me it was a 30g remote fuge for the 120 and a sump fuge for my 45g frag system.
I run no po4 reducing media now and po4 runs 0.05 and no3 <3.
I still feed heavy.

 

[EricR]

ATO with large reservoir (polypropylene trash can) -- biggest "convenience" change I can remember.

 

[Dkmoo]

Started brewing and dosing live phyto

 

[Chortanator]

Upgraded from from a basic tank with a canister filter to a red sea reefer with a sump and chaeto, my tank has improved sooo much

 

[Dburr1014]

Apex for stability and carx for, well, stability.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Sump was the best for me

 

[Sean Clark]

Sulfur denitrator hands down. I purchased it long ago and it has been on 4 tanks so far. I doubt I would ever run a system without one.

 

[Jedi1199]

Sump was the best for me

My new 135 will be a reef ready with a sump.

I am happy with my canisters and my tank looks amazing, but I am super excited to see what I can do with a sump.

 

[Slocke]

Refugium: Pod breeding, nutrient reduction, free herbivore food, and my LFS buys my excess macro.

 

[dvgyfresh]

My new 135 will be a reef ready with a sump.

I am happy with my canisters and my tank looks amazing, but I am super excited to see what I can do with a sump.

So many options on how to run the tank with a sump , I turned mine into cryptic zone / refugium Not to mention it hides all the equipment you’re gonna love it!

 

[glb]

Adding automatic water changes with the Neptune DOS

 

[Kfactor]

cx reactor

 

[Johnz]

Algae scrubber. Been keeping reef tanks since the 90s, had refugiums on most tanks. Every year or two I would have a battle with hair algae. When ATSs came on the scene I didnt pay much attention. I would use different methods to clear up the algae, but it was always a pain. Since getting an ATS, I have not had an algae outbreak. I feel like I rarely even have to clean the glass. Nothing out competes a nuisance algae like the same nuisance algae growing in a different spot. Of all the stuff that has come out in the last 30 years, algae scrubbers are my favorite.