Low maintenance tank build

[benmed]

Looking to build a low maintenance tank, LDS probably around 120G. Im going to run a sump in the basement in a mechanical room that has running water.

I can be pretty busy so im looking to make this a lower maintenance tank as I expect that will help it be more successful.

im looking at the guys who have tanks over two years old to suggest what specific equipment has helped lower their workload the most? Fleece rollers? ATOs? Auto water change?

what specific equipment do you have and why do you like it or not?

 

[HuduVudu]

Looking to build a low maintenance tank, LDS probably around 120G. Im going to run a sump in the basement in a mechanical room that has running water.

I can be pretty busy so im looking to make this a lower maintenance tank as I expect that will help it be more successful.

im looking at the guys who have tanks over two years old to suggest what specific equipment has helped lower their workload the most? Fleece rollers? ATOs? Auto water change?

what specific equipment do you have and why do you like it or not?

Lower maintenance means lower wow factor for lack of better words.

Equipment won't lower your maintenance. In the hands of an inexperienced reefer equipment will actually raise your maintenance.

You can't have it all and the learning curve is steep. Start simple get understanding under your belt and then see where that takes you.

I suggest that you start with a FOWLR and do that for several years. If you truly love the art then this will keep you happy and busy enough.

 

[blaxsun]

There's always going to be some aspect of maintenance, and if you don't stay on top of things they can quickly go sideways. By this I mean maintaining your water parameters, RO top up, water changes, temperature, salinity, feeding schedule, etc.

As @HuduVudu alluded to - technology is only beneficial to those who utilize it properly.

But there are some things that can lower your overall maintenance: a fleece roller, good UV system and adequate skimmer for your system size/bio load.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I spend 4 weeks out of 8 travelling.

Almost everything is automated, but in the time I'm home I spend a huge amount of time on the tank.

there is no such thing as a free lunch

 

[TheDragonsReef]

Low maintenance = low stocking. Keep fish small and infrequent and you will have alot easier of a time maintaining it.

Auto top off is a must have for me.

 

[Screwgunner]

Alge turf scubber clean it once a week or every other week . I would not run a tank with out one.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

a freshwater tank is the lowest amount of maintenance you can have, and sounds like the best fit for your life style now.

It is possible for an experienced hobbyist to achieve a low maintenance saltwater tank, but even in the beginning, the first couple of months, a lot of hands-on effort is required.

 

[Paul B]

My tank is very old and I have no sump, controllers, dosers etc. I do have a skimmer and an algae scrubber that will need servicing about every month depending on what is in the tank.

I dose by hand and almost never test.

 

[topjimmy]

My tank is very old and I have no sump, controllers, dosers etc. I do have a skimmer and an algae scrubber that will need servicing about every month depending on what is in the tank.

I dose by hand and almost never test.

I was going to say the old Berlin style tanks were pretty low maintenance. Skimmer, sump, rock. I imagine you can swap out the rock, or some of it with an ATS and that should take care of biological needs. An ATO would be my only addition to a low maintenance tank.

 

[Screwgunner]

I do the same as Paul B but I have a sump . I add reef builder to every gallon of make up water . Add magnesium and calcium as needed ,add trace once a week ,no water changes.

 

[Screwgunner]

Berlin is good but you have to have a very good skimmer and a low bio load (not many fish)

 

[benmed]

a freshwater tank is the lowest amount of maintenance you can have, and sounds like the best fit for your life style now.

It is possible for an experienced hobbyist to achieve a low maintenance saltwater tank, but even in the beginning, the first couple of months, a lot of hands-on effort is requir

Looking to build a low maintenance tank, LDS probably around 120G. Im going to run a sump in the basement in a mechanical room that has running water.

I can be pretty busy so im looking to make this a lower maintenance tank as I expect that will help it be more successful.

im looking at the guys who have tanks over two years old to suggest what specific equipment has helped lower their workload the most? Fleece rollers? ATOs? Auto water change?

what specific equipment do you have and why do you like it or not?

Follow up information:

this was not really the question. I have had two FOWLR tanks, one for two years, one for five years each of which I had to take down for a move. They were pretty simple back then, HOB skimmers and fluval self contained filter. I am now in my forever home and would like to set up a nice tank but don’t have a lot of interest lugging buckets around. Obviously, I am not going back to freshwater. I still am busy with kids. So I’m looking to minimize some of the less interesting tasks. I have more disposable income than I did. The less I have to do of the mundane things, the more I can focus on the bigger picture stuff

 

[Screwgunner]

I suggest 125 or bigger sump with algea turf scubber after the initial cycle size your scrubber so you keep phosphates at .05 or a tad higher for softys no water changes keep your alkalinity around 8 I like mine lower 7.4

 

[CB06]

My tank is very old and I have no sump, controllers, dosers etc. I do have a skimmer and an algae scrubber that will need servicing about every month depending on what is in the tank.

I dose by hand and almost never test.

What do you dose and how do you know that you aren’t dosing more then what your corals are consuming?

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

Use ocean harvested live sand and live rock, your tank will mature faster, which means less work, more stability.

 

[Aspect]

Neptune Apex + Neptune DOS will automate your water changes, took out at least 50% of the work I used to do.

 

[Screwgunner]

What do you dose and how do you know that you aren’t dosing more then what your corals are consuming?

If you do water changes it is hard to dose because you are replacing some with your water change . I do not do water changes unless I have to. I have mostly softys and 3 sps. I feed the same thing every day so I adjust my scrubber to my phosphates .05. Now my trace keeps my calcium mag up . The only thing I dose is reef builder for alkalinity. For 120 gallon tank I dose 1/4 teaspoon everyday if my peramiters are all good it goes up to 1/2 teaspoon . My corals like .1 phosphates and 10 nitrates keep alkalinity at 7.5 mag 1300 to 1400 . If you do water changes I would not dose that day. If you have alot of sps you will need to put calcium in. I suggest hanna phosphate and alkalinity checkers.

 

[Paul B]

What do you dose and how do you know that you aren’t dosing more then what your corals are consuming?

I add some calcium and alk and once or twice a year I add a bag of epsom salts for magnesium. If I get really crazy I put in some iodine. I rarely test but after 51 years with this tank I can kind of guess what it needs by looking at the creatures.

I also have a cup of rusty nails in water and I add some of that water every week or so for iron. Not very scientific but it works.

 

[helmsreef]

Consider doing some softies, easy LPS, fleece roller will save you time and if your bioload is low you will not have to change out your mat for a few weeks to a few months. ATO is always good and if you are in the basement you might as well have the biggest container you can get. Make your own water with a RODI, start a refugium and add some macroalgae if your nutrients start to rise. You can make things relatively low maintenance. Don't necessary need any fancy controllers but automate what you can that won't make things more complicated. Depending what you are stocking will determine how often you will want to test. If you have the ability to do an auto water change setup then you should. Its pretty straight forward.

 

[Dburr1014]

Tunze ATO.
Controller if you are tech savvy. But as said, there is a learning curve.
Battery backup if you plan on being away.