What are the best choice for me?

cojo8888 · Oct 21, 2018

Ok guys I know it sounds stupid but I want near 0 maintenance tank. (maybe WC once in a month)

My current life style (job) makes me hard to keep up weekly water change and other maintenance
on heavy bio loaded my nano reef (not an aio tank nor has sump... Manual testing and dosing and WC)

I do work in a kitchen for 15 hrs to 16 hrs per day since I got promoted to manager position.. It's good for me but hobby wise no... but I just can't give up the hobby. I love it so much. I love watching my fishes and coral grow.

However after long hour working, I just want to come home and watch my tank for good 20 minutes and sleep... At my day off ( which is one day per week) I need lot of another errands to do.

Maybe my fiance can help up with ATO since I have ro/di filter and tunze ato, but I can't really ask her to do everything for me since shes busy also.

What is my best option to do?

I was thinking

1. Stick with nano.. innovative marine lagoon 25 with maximum small 3 fishes only and corals
and setup up the system all automatic setup with refugium for deal with excess nutrient.
feed really rarely

2. Do 75g DT with 40g sump with refugium f/o tank and just top off water and wc at 1 month.
( I would prefer this but I'm not sure how much evaporation I would get per day...living in South California has chiller 1/10 laying around.. if thats helpful..)

Thanks

Hitman · Oct 21, 2018

Option 2 only because larger water volumes allow for greater error forgiveness. BRS has several videos of low maintenance tank set ups that could guide you. Many of us do not even do water changes and I’m one of them. Haven’t done one in years. Heck the bucket of salt I have I bet is 4 years old lol.
Get yourself a good RODI system to start out with the best water, a auto water top off system, a good Skimmer, as well as the rest of the equipment need. Just remember nothing in this hobby happens fast. Take your time and enjoy.

mahindra.dev · Oct 21, 2018

cojo8888 said:
Ok guys I know it sounds stupid but I want near 0 maintenance tank. (maybe WC once in a month)

My current life style (job) makes me hard to keep up weekly water change and other maintenance
on heavy bio loaded my nano reef (not an aio tank nor has sump... Manual testing and dosing and WC)

I do work in a kitchen for 15 hrs to 16 hrs per day since I got promoted to manager position.. It's good for me but hobby wise no... but I just can't give up the hobby. I love it so much. I love watching my fishes and coral grow.

However after long hour working, I just want to come home and watch my tank for good 20 minutes and sleep... At my day off ( which is one day per week) I need lot of another errands to do.

Maybe my fiance can help up with ATO since I have ro/di filter and tunze ato, but I can't really ask her to do everything for me since shes busy also.

What is my best option to do?

I was thinking

1. Stick with nano.. innovative marine lagoon 25 with maximum small 3 fishes only and corals
and setup up the system all automatic setup with refugium for deal with excess nutrient.
feed really rarely

2. Do 75g DT with 40g sump with refugium f/o tank and just top off water and wc at 1 month.
( I would prefer this but I'm not sure how much evaporation I would get per day...living in South California has chiller 1/10 laying around.. if thats helpful..)

Thanks

It’s tough choice. But start with fish only. If things go well and you are able to maintain it with less maintenance, you can always start to add a few things and making it a reef.
55 or 75 DT and 40sump with refugium and good grow light is ideal. Your ATO is once a week ordeal. I take 1 hr to fill a 5 gallon on my rodi. So if you can fill 2-3 5g buckets and keep replacing them once a week I think you will find this ideal provided you can Keep the tank @ 78-79.