Maintenance Schedule - what to do when

seastar · Aug 6, 2015

Does anyone keep a maintenance schedule, or can you point me to a general guide? I know for sure we all have very different tanks with different equipment so we most likely will be vastly different, but I was hoping for some rough guidelines. something like:

Daily:
feed
clean glass

Bi-Weekly:
check water parameters
clean filter sock

Weekly:
etc
Monthly:
etc
Quarterly:
etc
Semi-Annually:
etc

Coach63 · Aug 6, 2015

Need this too, following along...

ilovereefing <3 · Aug 6, 2015

This is my schedule:

Daily - Feed fish, check ATO reservoir, stare at the tank
Bi-Weekly - Clean glass, change filter socks, clean skimmer cup, test water parameters, feed corals
Weekly - 5% or so water change, rinse all pre-filter sponges, back flush RODI system, clean and refill ATO system, wash used filter socks
Bi-Monthly - change carbon, clean overflows
Monthly - change GFO, vacuum/clean sump, vacuum dust out of chiller air intake, clean saltwater mixing container, check stock on supplies (test reagents, GFO, carbon, etc.) and order as needed
Quarterly - back flush chiller, vinegar soak and scrub all pumps (circulation pumps, return pump, chiller pump, reactor pumps), pull skimmer out and scrub entire body
Semi-Annually - replace RODI filters and resin
Yearly - Not sure yet, my tank isn't quite that old yet! Still learning as I go.

I also log all of my test results, actions, and observations (if any) on a spreadsheet so I can keep track of trends. It helps to know approximately when something happened that may have caused good and/or bad things in my tank.

I hope this helps. Great question!

seastar · Aug 6, 2015

ilovereefing <3 said:
This is my schedule:

Daily - Feed fish, check ATO reservoir, stare at the tank
Bi-Weekly - Clean glass, change filter socks, clean skimmer cup, test water parameters, feed corals
Weekly - 5% or so water change, rinse all pre-filter sponges, back flush RODI system, clean and refill ATO system, wash used filter socks
Bi-Monthly - change carbon, clean overflows
Monthly - change GFO, vacuum/clean sump, vacuum dust out of chiller air intake, clean saltwater mixing container, check stock on supplies (test reagents, GFO, carbon, etc.) and order as needed
Quarterly - back flush chiller, vinegar soak and scrub all pumps (circulation pumps, return pump, chiller pump, reactor pumps), pull skimmer out and scrub entire body
Semi-Annually - replace RODI filters and resin
Yearly - Not sure yet, my tank isn't quite that old yet! Still learning as I go.

I also log all of my test results, actions, and observations (if any) on a spreadsheet so I can keep track of trends. It helps to know approximately when something happened that may have caused good and/or bad things in my tank.

I hope this helps. Great question!

This helps a TON to help me get mine started!!! Thank you! "daily - stare at the tank" Love it, almost forgot to put that on my own list.

ilovereefing <3 · Aug 6, 2015

seastar said:
This helps a TON to help me get mine started!!! Thank you! "daily - stare at the tank" Love it, almost forgot to put that on my own list.

Hey, you have to make sure to admire your hard work! Plus, it relaxes my over stimulated brain!

Happy reefing!

Russ265 · Aug 6, 2015

Daily: feed fish, put maxima clam back where he belongs
Weekly: tests, change carbon, turn gfo on for 4 hours if po4>.06, feed coral
Biweekly: clean glass, sand, chuck powerheads in the dishwasher, clean filter sponge
Monthly: scrape ats
2 mo: change GFO, change 1 di cartridge out
3 mo: change prefilters of ro unit
6 mo: Clean return pump, flush chiller
1 yr: 5% WC - lol

Wbrian · Aug 6, 2015

Following along... Anyone use an app for their phone for this?

ilovereefing <3 · Aug 6, 2015

Wbrian said:
Following along... Anyone use an app for their phone for this?

I haven't tried using an app yet, though I have heard there are some pretty good ones out there. I use a simple Excel spreadsheet. I think an app would make setting reminders and such easier though. Probably need to look into one! Lol!

dbl · Aug 6, 2015

I've tried of few of the apps, but ended up finding a simple Excel spreadsheet works best. Here's a snapshot of a portion of my maintenance log. Quick look tells me what needs to be done. As an example, I have some pumps to clean this weekend!!!

ilovereefing <3 · Aug 6, 2015

dbl said:
I've tried of few of the apps, but ended up finding a simple Excel spreadsheet works best. Here's a snapshot of a portion of my maintenance log. Quick look tells me what needs to be done. As an example, I have some pumps to clean this weekend!!!

This is really awesome! Nice work! I am not very good with Excel...functional, but not good. Are you able to write a formula so it changes it's status depending on the date? My spreadsheet is much simpler, but I rely heavily on my phone's calendar (which I have to manually input) to remind me when I need to do things. @dbl

lysaer · Aug 6, 2015

Russ265 said:
Daily: feed fish, put maxima clam back where he belongsl

He clearly doesn't like that spot, lol

Russ265 · Aug 6, 2015

lysaer said:
He clearly doesn't like that spot, lol

lol. nah he gets beat up by my melanurus wrasse or flipped by my yellow tang if there is a shred of algae on his shell

madtownguy · Aug 6, 2015

Daily fish feeding seems excessive. I guess tank size really matters too. The fish don't have anywhere to work out and burn the calories, I have mine on a strict diet. I do between 10-20% water change every 2 weeks. Probably will cut down once tank is established.

acolotto · Aug 6, 2015

Daily:
feed (pellets everyday, Rods Food every 3 days, Mysis twice a week, Spot feed SPS Reef Roids once a week, Scoly,acans, chalices gets mysis once a week as well)
Inspect corals, fish, and equipment
Learn normal behavior of everything (will make it easy in future to tell when something is off)
Check ATO that it is functioning proplerly (This is done every morning before work just lift up float valve to make sure pump is not clogged and that float valve is still functioning)

Weekly:
10% Water Change
Test Alk/Cal/Mag right before a waterchange (to see if my kalkwasser is keeping everything where it supposed to be) and the day following a waterchange (to make sure lvls are good)
Clean Skimmer Cup
Clean Glass

Bi-Weekly:
Dose Prodibio products

Monthly:
Clean Powerheads and skimmer

Quarterly:
Replace Chemipure

Semi-Annually:
Empty out sump/refugium and clean
Clean return pump

For the most part that is my schedule. Granted it changes every so often based on new equipment, something not looking ok, etc.

Paul B · Aug 6, 2015

Every morning I put my finger on the glass to check the temperature. Then I shoot some live blackworms into the tank.
Every night (if I have time) I feed the tank with clams and more live worms.
I hatch brine shrimp every day for the pod eaters. I put them in their feeder every day, if I have time.
When I can't see through the top of the skimmer and I have time, I clean it.
When the front glass looks dirty, If I have time, I clean it.
If I am near the sea and I have time, and buckets, I collect some water and I change some every few months. Sometime two months sometimes four months depending on if I have time.
If the RO unit stops making water, and I have time, I change it. The one I am using now is eight years old.
When the DI resins turn color, and I have time, I change them. They only last six months or so.
If I am in a LFS and I have time and I see something I like because I have never seen one before, I buy it.
If I am out in my boat and it is low tide, and I have time, I may collect amphipods and mud for the bacteria.
Every time a powerhead stops, I remove it to see the problem. They are all 20 or 30 years old.
That's my maintenance schedule. I don't write it down because that would just be silly as it is not very structured.
I forgot, I dose driveway ice melter for calcium and baking soda for alk, a couple of times a week, if I have time
Of course if I was a Noob, I would do all the things you guys do.

acolotto · Aug 6, 2015

madtownguy said:
Daily fish feeding seems excessive. I guess tank size really matters too. The fish don't have anywhere to work out and burn the calories, I have mine on a strict diet. I do between 10-20% water change every 2 weeks. Probably will cut down once tank is established.

Tank size does not come into play. Its the amount you feed. These fish eat everyday in the wild, also feeding a pinch of pellets everyday is not a lot of food. It completely dependant on the type of system and live stock you have. Anthias have very fast metabolism so they need to be fed everyday, also well fed fish tend be able to fight off diseases better. OR may run a ULNS which then you need your fish pooping so the nutrients dont get to the point where the corals start turning that dreaded white. Also the point of a water change is to export/import nutrients. You are removing phosphates and nitrates and replenishing used up cal/alk/mag and trace elements. A mature tank doesn't change that, you either replenish these things by water changes or dosing (triton, balling, etc). The whole mature tank thing is a myth IMO, what it should be is a mature reefer. People say mature tanks because by a time a year has gone by the reefer has learned the dos and donts. They have a greater knowledge of how their system works and with this comes the ability to keep parameters stable thus making the harder corals easier to care for. I am not saying you are doing anything wrong, heck its your system you know what it needs, more of just answering why people feed everyday. Also didnt know if you meant cut back on water changes or feeding.

Russ265 · Aug 6, 2015

i think acolotto brings up some good points.
i also believe your tank is a reflection of how you care for it. that is why we all have deferring setups yet can be equally as successful.

my .02

ilovereefing <3 · Aug 6, 2015

Paul B said:
Every morning I put my finger on the glass to check the temperature. Then I shoot some live blackworms into the tank.
Every night (if I have time) I feed the tank with clams and more live worms.
I hatch brine shrimp every day for the pod eaters. I put them in their feeder every day, if I have time.
When I can't see through the top of the skimmer and I have time, I clean it.
When the front glass looks dirty, If I have time, I clean it.
If I am near the sea and I have time, and buckets, I collect some water and I change some every few months. Sometime two months sometimes four months depending on if I have time.
If the RO unit stops making water, and I have time, I change it. The one I am using now is eight years old.
When the DI resins turn color, and I have time, I change them. They only last six months or so.
If I am in a LFS and I have time and I see something I like because I have never seen one before, I buy it.
If I am out in my boat and it is low tide, and I have time, I may collect amphipods and mud for the bacteria.
Every time a powerhead stops, I remove it to see the problem. They are all 20 or 30 years old.
That's my maintenance schedule. I don't write it down because that would just be silly as it is not very structured.
I forgot, I dose driveway ice melter for calcium and baking soda for alk, a couple of times a week, if I have time
Of course if I was a Noob, I would do all the things you guys do.