Thoroughly modern silly...
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Eienna
5000 Club Member
I once heard it said that more "cool features" are just more things that can break. For the most part, I agree.
For example, an ATO sounds like a great thing, especially with my current back issues - but I've heard of far too many instances of catastrophic failure. It's just not worth it to me.
On the other hand, a good controller sounds excellent - not to replace observing the tank, but to alert me if there's trouble, like if I'm away and the tank cracks, or if my heater fails (which happens to people far too often.) Being able to check my params without fighting with the test kits would be a nice side bonus, especially in an emergency (omg, all my fish are at the surface - is it O2? Ammonia? Maybe soap?!)
I'd also like to note that my params are pretty decent right now. As of last test, I was reading 5 nitrate, 1 phosphate (down from 2.) I don't have a skimmer, reactors, pellets, sump, anything at the moment (still pre-upgrade due to a bill issue)...just an old-style Tetra Whisper 60 HOB, a plastic thermometer, live rock, one Petco powerhead, and two heaters. My lighting, while insufficient IMO (mainly because it's too short), is a 24" white and blue two-strip LED. I dose Dr. Tim's Waste-Away and have begun dosing vita-chem because my struggling diploastrea responds well to it. I did add a half-dose of PhosGuard to the HOB a couple days before testing. I also feed heavily. That's it.
For example, an ATO sounds like a great thing, especially with my current back issues - but I've heard of far too many instances of catastrophic failure. It's just not worth it to me.
On the other hand, a good controller sounds excellent - not to replace observing the tank, but to alert me if there's trouble, like if I'm away and the tank cracks, or if my heater fails (which happens to people far too often.) Being able to check my params without fighting with the test kits would be a nice side bonus, especially in an emergency (omg, all my fish are at the surface - is it O2? Ammonia? Maybe soap?!)
I'd also like to note that my params are pretty decent right now. As of last test, I was reading 5 nitrate, 1 phosphate (down from 2.) I don't have a skimmer, reactors, pellets, sump, anything at the moment (still pre-upgrade due to a bill issue)...just an old-style Tetra Whisper 60 HOB, a plastic thermometer, live rock, one Petco powerhead, and two heaters. My lighting, while insufficient IMO (mainly because it's too short), is a 24" white and blue two-strip LED. I dose Dr. Tim's Waste-Away and have begun dosing vita-chem because my struggling diploastrea responds well to it. I did add a half-dose of PhosGuard to the HOB a couple days before testing. I also feed heavily. That's it.
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Eienna
5000 Club Member
All that said, I AM looking forward to finally having a sump...with lots of macro...maybe a skimmer... 
I should have mentioned that I do 10% weekly water changes, sometimes more if the numbers start to creep up too far.
I should have mentioned that I do 10% weekly water changes, sometimes more if the numbers start to creep up too far.
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buzzword
Well-Known Member
Once again a wonderful article, opinion presented well and couldn't agree more. Been in this hobby since 99' and still try to keep it simple. Controller as soon as I can afford it for my 220g I am about to put water in, love the idea of that. But that being said I will continue to drip kalk that I make and set up and drip with IV tubing, skimmer, fuge, GFO and carbon, everything else by hand. Some look at our tanks as work but I enjoy the "work" aspect of maintaining my aquarium. And like Scott presented I get to know my tank, biology and every aspect of it better. Don't have to look at numbers to know how it is going for the inhabitants.
Love reading your articles, about the first thing I go to every day. Thanks and keep em coming.
Love reading your articles, about the first thing I go to every day. Thanks and keep em coming.
