Too much hassle?

[gparr]

If your reef system is easy to monitor and maintain, you're more likely to keep it in top condition. If everything you have to do to maintain the system seems to require a lot of extra work and hassle, you'll tend to put it off, only to find that the amount of needed maintenance grows to the point where it becomes work instead of a hobby. Is your system easy to maintain or a general pain? If it's a pain, what are you going to do to fix the problems?
Gary

 

[coral diver]

1, 10 to 15% NSW change every Saturday
2, test Cal, Alk, Mag, Ph & Sal Sunday add suppliments if needed and everything else is automated
3 once a month all the rest of the test
It has been a normal routine for 8 years

 

[beaslbob]

For Fo tanks mine are extremely easy to maintain.

For a more reef environment I do have to test and dose calcium/alk/and magnesium. Which requires mixing up the solutions and doing an alk test twice a week or do.

I do no water changes and tank have ran for 6-8 years that way. Also no skimmer but do have a wet dry on one tank. Which requires rising the filter media twice a year or so.


my .02

 

[jordan3548]

All I do to my tank is look at it. It maintains itself I do add Ca,Alk,Mag but I dont do anything else, my tank has been up so long I know when something is needed and take care of it. Maybe a water change a couple times a year.

 

[CoralBandit]

need to hook up my doser lol I have had it for a month just no time!!!

 

[fsn77]

I like to work on my tanks... If I didn't, I would be inclined to tear them down and sell them off. If I was somehow in denial, my wife would be sure to point it out to me, as she really doesn't like it when any of my hobbies result in all hassle and no enjoyment.

Oddly enough, the working on them can be more enjoyable at times than trying to simply sit and enjoy them. I'm definitely not some skilled DIY-er, so it's not even that... I guess I just have a complex that makes me feel like the tanks are not good enough the way they are and I can figure out a way to make them better. Fortunately, any missteps I've taken thus far have only been minor ones.

 

[SaraB]

I think overall system simplicity is key. If something is a pain to do or get to, that task tends to take a back burner to other more simplier tasks.

 

[Alpha Aquaculture]

My tank has the usual annoyances like cleaning the protien skimmer collection cup and cleaning of pumps. I also have an algal turf scrubber that needs to be cleaned weekly but its only a 5 min process. Water changes are simple but still require time in measuring salt and equilibrating water chemistry. Regular water testing is another good practice that takes time.

The single biggest time consuming factor in my tanks is target feeding every mouth on every coral with meaty foodstuffs every other nite with a turkey baster. I do feel very good about the amount of food my corals intake. The flip side of this is I siphon out (with the same turkey baster) all of the uneaten food the alternate days. While it might be unnecessary to keep my corals alive and even growing, target feeding gives me a level of satisfaction. I think it satisfies the corals too :xd:

 

[ddinox64]

Clean my scrubber once a week.
Add water to ATO once week.
Clean my glass every three days or so.
Test my water about once a month.
Feed speradictly.
No skimmer. No water changes.

 

[Hammsreefbeer]

Voted!!

I enjoy it to much sometimes and some SPS suffer.Im at the end of my cube build so they will soon be much happier.

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

I have 5 aquariums at home, a business that involves fish, and I manage a fish laboratory at the campus that I attend. I take care of 45 aquariums that are in that lab. The more time, money, and effort you put into your tanks the more rewarding they seem. At least for me.