Who's still Reefing Ol' School?

[Moo76]

I use a mix. LEDs, ATO with lime water from a trash can in the stand, dosing by hand, rodi, timers instead of a controller, algae scrubber in the sump, lots of rock and sand, like my previous set up years ago. I even use a pneumatic timer for feeding - it is 20 years old
I have a refractometer but i use it to check the calibration of my swing arm (much easier when mixing salt water).
new technology skimmer, pump, wave maker. I like the idea of dosing pumps but the cost.
I do lots of DIY.
One comment on the LEDs - i would change to a dimable driver for the whites to be able to tweak the color temp. LEDs are much cooler running and energy efficient. Mine is all DIY. could not afford this hobby if I didn't built a lot myself.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Being in the hobby a long time, I've seen a lot of changes. I'm still old school still relying upon the old tried-and-true Berlin method, but I've changed with the times. Leds being one that I've finally embraced after years of T5's.

 

[64Ivy]

Also been doing this quite awhile. Still giong berlin No dosers, no controllers (well, one if you count the LiterMeter running the ATO), no dc pumps, nothing requiring an 'ap'. I'm also still employing UV, ozone, and metal halide lighting. Much of this will finally change when I move and embark on what I hope will be my final build but right now I'm considering offering tours to newbies demonstrating state-of-the-art reefing circa 1995.

 

[Paul B]

When I started there was no live or dead coral for sale, and forget about rocks. I decorated my tank with dead corals that I had to get in a furniture store. They would display it on the furniture. A lot of my reef structure is still held up by that old dead coral from furniture stores.

 

[Pntbll687]

I'm actually switching from"newer" things, like LED to t5 for lighting.

I'm younger, and like to see innovation, but some things just don't appeal to me. I have no need to know the minute by minute temperature or pH of my tank.

I do use rodi water, but enjoyed my first few years reefing with tap water and prime. They only difference I've noticed since using rodi is less severe algae blooms.

I use a swing arm for salinity. And I will say the new coralife swing arm is way more accurate than the instant ocean one. I only switched because I misplaced the one I had and stepped on it by accident.

I like using outlet timers for my lights. With work, I'm not home to see the ramp up and different events that lights do now, so I stick with outlet timers that just go on and off. Less to go wrong in my opinion.

 

[teller]

My old Southdown DSB 240, circa 1996...

I find this photo amazing so we newer to reefing to realise how things were done some time ago.

 

[fish farmer]

When I started there was no live or dead coral for sale, and forget about rocks. I decorated my tank with dead corals that I had to get in a furniture store. They would display it on the furniture. A lot of my reef structure is still held up by that old dead coral from furniture stores.

My grandparents had a coral skeleton on top of their TV in the 70's. Once they passed that piece went into my first SW in the early eighties. I still have a couple of pieces of rock that I picked up in the Bahamas in the early 80's as well.

 

[HB AL]

Only thing high tech on my tank are the led lights, only because my tank is in my bedroom, the hottest room in the house, so i dont need a chiller anymore. I manually dose everything. Also although you cant see them under all the live rocks are big dead coral colonies i used to by at the swap meet back in the 80's.

 

[Paul B]

You could see that dead coral here circa 1972.



And here in 1979 when I was building the place. We used to take out the dead corals every few weeks and bleach off the algae. You can see a couple of pieces that I just bleched.


\
And more recently with real rock and live coral.

 

[ScubaShane]

FOWCS. Yup I started with coral skeletons too. Fish only with some nems in a AGA 55gal with a canister filter and florescent lights.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Paul the old photos rock. Thats what tanks looked like when I got in 1990. Cool to see.

I am running a fuge and a mag 12 for a return, purchased in 2002. My tank was purchased in 1996, clarity plus 125. Euroreef 180, just replaced with a reef dynamics 135, due to needing a new pump or impeller. I have rock from 1990 and live rock from that time frame. ATI T5 fixture, on old wall timers. Glass heater on my reef keeper. I am however running ATI essentials on a doser and am happy not to be doing water changes.

 

[reefcleaners]

Any one still doing things the old way and don't care about the new ways? Like using tap water conditioner instead of RODI system? Using a salinity gage instead of a refractometer? Measuring cup/spoon for additives like trace elements versus dosing pumps? How about that old glass floating thermometer vs. digital or a controller? Who still mixes salt in the bathtub with a 5gal bucket? Do I have to ask about lighting? I already know most prefer T5s over LEDs. Some still prefer halides even. I started with PCs and got excellent results. How about you, did you make the plunge for the high end LEDs? Pumps, OMG pumps, ol' school power heads or top of the line pumps or wave makers? Is it like the 50s diner of reefing at your place!

I think I was the last person to give up my trusty swing arm hydrometer.

I had t12s until two years ago...oh the old school stuff was fun. Remember when compact lights were breakthrough technology to change the reefing world forever? No more sneaking into hydroponic stores for metal halidea thinking the neighbor may see you and wonder what that light from your house is now that he thinks about it....

Good times!

 

[reefcleaners]

Paul the old photos rock. Thats what tanks looked like when I got in 1990. Cool to see.

I am running a fuge and a mag 12 for a return, purchased in 2002. My tank was purchased in 1996, clarity plus 125. Euroreef 180, just replaced with a reef dynamics 135, due to needing a new pump or impeller. I have rock from 1990 and live rock from that time frame. ATI T5 fixture, on old wall timers. Glass heater on my reef keeper. I am however running ATI essentials on a doser and am happy not to be doing water changes.

Live rock from back in the 90s from FL if kept alive would probably be a bit of a collectors item.

 

[Paul B]

I think I was the last person to give up my trusty swing arm hydrometer.

Nope, I still use mine

 

[cracker]

I have a swing arm in my tackle box . My 1st 3 sumps were made of plywood. But use old tanks now.

 

[ScubaShane]

I have a swing arm in my tackle box . My 1st 3 sumps were made of plywood. But use old tanks now.

Why the tackle box? Do you go fishing in your tank? Is it a tank filled with trout or salmon like at Cabela's? ;Smuggrin

 

[kp1991]

Any one still doing things the old way and don't care about the new ways? Like using tap water conditioner instead of RODI system? Using a salinity gage instead of a refractometer? Measuring cup/spoon for additives like trace elements versus dosing pumps? How about that old glass floating thermometer vs. digital or a controller? Who still mixes salt in the bathtub with a 5gal bucket? Do I have to ask about lighting? I already know most prefer T5s over LEDs. Some still prefer halides even. I started with PCs and got excellent results. How about you, did you make the plunge for the high end LEDs? Pumps, OMG pumps, ol' school power heads or top of the line pumps or wave makers? Is it like the 50s diner of reefing at your place!

Me its quite exspensive the new way plus to you become depedent on digital results haha imo

 

[ScubaShane]

Me its quite exspensive the new way plus to you become depedent on digital results haha imo

Agreed! Thats why I sarted the thread! I feel the hobby got too "Gimmicky"!

 

[fish farmer]

Agreed! Thats why I sarted the thread! I feel the hobby got too "Gimmicky"!

I was thinking about these "controllers, etc." the other day while I was up in the North East Kingdom of Vermont. No cell service and no electricity...drove by a camp that did have a dish on it, must have a generator. I don't even have a smart phone...my dumb phone has a hard enough time picking up a signal when I'm away from the house.

 

[kp1991]

Agreed! Thats why I sarted the thread! I feel the hobby got too "Gimmicky"!

Right like your required to buy all these devices to be succesful i get by with a powerhead and a normal filter with a uv sterilizer been good all this time i use a medical sringe to dose anything i need to never had issues its just the new era and people wanting things they dont really need to serve the same pourpose your brain already dose lol