Equipment & Husbandry: Do you have an Aquarium Maintenance Schedule?

[Kal93]

DAILY - I feed 2-3x per a day, shake out my chaeto

WEEKLY - Run tests, stir a section of my 3" sandbed, change my filter floss/filter sock, scrape algae from my glass, 10% water change, wipe down stand

MONTHLY - Vacuum out excess debris from my sump

YEARLY - Clean skimmer and wavemaker, replace heater

 

[tuba_mike]

What does your Equipment and Husbandry maintenance schedule look like?

DAILY - What do you do?

Test Alk, clean glass, feed tank, dose by hand (test calcium and phosphate every other day)

WEEKLY - What do you do?

15% Water Change, stir up parts of sand bed, test nitrate and mag, empty skimmer waste collector.

MONTHLY - What do you do?

Clean MP-10 wet sides, clean skimmer collection cup, check all aquarium seams and Bulkheads for any leaks

QUARTERLY - What do you do?

Clean return pump, clean standpipe and overflow, clean sump.

YEARLY - What do you do?

Siphon out some sand and replace with new sand.

 

[X-37B]

Daily- by hand add trace elements and carbon dose. Clean glass if needed.
Test alk.

Weekly- add ato water, change filter sock, usually twice a week now.
Scrape coralline off viewing panels.
Check SG.
Cleam skimmer cup.

Monthly. Siphon detrius off bare bottom.
Check ph.
Check po4
Check no3

Quarterly clean powerheads.
Check ca
Check mag
Check K
Check strontium
Make ro/di and add to storage container.

Yearly- clean carx and add media, now adding media twice a year.
Clean entire skimmer, twice a year.
Clean sump and overflow.
Change lamps.
Clean return pump.
Think about doing a small water change, only if somethings off.

 

[Austin456]

DAILY - enjoy tank and look for anything I should keep an eye on, scroll through R2R
WEEKLY- 5 gallon water change, clean glass,
MONTHLY- clean pumps with citric acid, test water
YEARLY- buy coral and attend RAP NY (reefapalooza)

 

[Paul B]

I don't have any schedule as I like to surprise my fish. They get fed when I decide to feed them. It could be 8:00 am or 10:00 Pm. I feed almost every day, sometimes twice a day and sometimes not at all. Keep them guessing like my wife does to me. When I feed them I put in some alk. It may make their food taste better. After all, it's a lot of worms. ;Yuck

I change some water if I see a nice day and I have nothing to do and I feel like going to the beach. Then I collect some water. That could happen 2, 3 or 4 times a year.

I do have a testing schedule, I test at least once every few months.
Today I soaked a pump in bleach because it almost stopped and snails were using it for a condo.

As for nitrates, phosphates, and all other "ates" I never test for any of that and don't have a test kit. I clean the lights when they get so dirty that bats are nesting on them but I do have to clean the front glass every two days or it looks like galvanized sheet metal that has been left out in the snow for one or two seasons and bears are hibernating under it.

I never bought a Pod as I think that is silly and I never had a sump so I don't have to worry about that. I would never get a sick fish so I have no medications, quarantine or hospital tanks so my tank is almost a no brainer. It is just there and always has been.

I need another hobby with something to do.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I guess I can break some of my stuff down, but a schedule is not my thing. I view the tanks and feed them every day. Well, sometimes I forget or am just that busy or gone. I also add algae each day when I remember (although, all I have to do is look at the fish, they let me know).

I do more water changes on my smaller tanks (40g/20g/6g). My 210g will be fine until I have the water or the inclination to do one. I try to get at least two in a month on the smaller tanks and one on the larger. With the tank water change, I scrub the sides (including backs) well, clean out the skimmer, check the carbon rx, check the algae scrubber (more like weekly on this one), clean the overflow box and powerheads.

Now, I pull algae as I see it getting a bit too much. blow off frags or rock when needed with baster (mostly my smaller tanks).

Then, every so often I will clean all the pumps. This occurs when I decide to do a sump clean usually or at least twice a year. More for some pumps. I remove and clean the chiller in the winter. Do RO/DI stuff usually in Jan. Bulbs as needed (I run MH and T5s) on all systems.

Calibrate my probes once in a blue moon. Check my salinity when I do water changes. That is all for me. I do not test anything else. Terrible I know. I used to, but now, I can see by things in the tank what is good, bad or out of whack.

Oh, I glance at my CaRx bubble counter to check it is still on time and the effluent. Glance at the tank too.

When I travel, I have a very scheduled out day by day for babysitter. If only I followed it.

Oh, I scrape main sides as needed or I get to it.

I record my maintenance in a log (when I remember) along with any things I notice in my tank or changes of anything. QTs are all logged too. This part I am better with.