What is the best reef method?

[ThatTennesseeBeardedGuy]

So I have seen several different methods of reefing since starting. Triton, Zeovit, BRS, etc. What ones do you run and feel free to talk about your experiences. I want to follow something tried and true so that I come out with the best tried and true results possible.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

The one that works for you and you can stick with! Honestly. There is no best. “Many ways to skin a cat” as Confuscious used to say.
Do lots of reading, no shortcuts to a healthy thriving reef. Take it very slow as nothing good happens fast as they also say.

 

[Hot2na]

short answer: No such thing....as above - whatever works best for you...i am using things from 2 different schools of thought. .plenum/nnr/jaubert system and an algae scrubber....do alot of research first.

 

[Anthony Scholfield]

haha, I dont mean to chuckle but every time i see one of these "best" threads on here i cant help it. There isn't a "best" anything in reef keeping. I use and have used a combination of tactics for keeping my 3 systems. I researched, made a plan and followed through with it. As time went on and goes on i review what im doing and make modifications as i think it will help in my success of keeping these beautiful animals.

Dont get caught up in all the hype and knowing is half the battle.

 

[Nano sapiens]

So I have seen several different methods of reefing since starting. Triton, Zeovit, BRS, etc. What ones do you run and feel free to talk about your experiences. I want to follow something tried and true so that I come out with the best tried and true results possible.

Not much to add here as it's already been said above.

The main objective for the reef aquarist is to know about and provide an environment conducive to coral health and growth (understanding what constitutes proper lighting, flow, temperature, water chemistry, nutrition, etc.). The goal of the various 'methods' (or hybrids of methods) is simply to provide a way that can achieve this goal.

 

[Paul B]

All that was said. Find someone who has a tank you like with some age on it and no problems and follow them. I personally don't use any of those methods you mentioned and use a reverse undergravel filter. Go figure.

 

[Nano sapiens]

All that was said. Find someone who has a tank you like with some age on it and no problems and follow them. I personally don't use any of those methods you mentioned and use a reverse undergravel filter. Go figure.

Everything nowadays is a 'method':

'PSDTATUF' (Paul's Super Duper Tried and True Undergravel Filtration Method)

 

[Nano sapiens]

Corrected: 'PSDTATRUF' (Paul's Super Duper Tried and True Reverse Undergravel Filtration Method)

 

[ThatTennesseeBeardedGuy]

I think alot of these posts miss the point. I want to know what works for y'all and why. The reason being is that everything is so mixed and complicated so I am trying my best to narrow down what I am going to do. I like to ask because I want to see if someone has had great success with something in particular. Personally I am watching melevsreef as my guide however I am always trying to improve in the mean time.

 

[Aqua Man]

The reason being is that everything is so mixed and complicated

KISS, always works. Great example is @Nano sapiens tank.

Keep good notes.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Best method is to use salt water. Maybe. Heater too. LOL
D

 

[laverda]

I think alot of these posts miss the point. I want to know what works for y'all and why. The reason being is that everything is so mixed and complicated so I am trying my best to narrow down what I am going to do. I like to ask because I want to see if someone has had great success with something in particular. Personally I am watching melevsreef as my guide however I am always trying to improve in the mean time.

I am sure there are people that have had success with all the methods mentioned. A lot depends on you, your tank size and what you plan to keep.
When I had a 12 gallong nano on my desk at work it was easy to do a 5 gallon water change once a week. That was pretty much all I did to maintain water quality. I cold not even begin to change proportionaly that on my current system with 375 gallons of water. I only change a small amount of water weekly,, instead I dose a variety of elements. A hybrid of several other methods, that suit my schedule and the tanks needs.

 

[Paul B]

I think alot of these posts miss the point. I want to know what works for y'all and why.

OK, what works for me is an undergravel filter using dolomite gravel probably only available in a cemetary supply now. No dosers, no chemicals except calcium and alk, no quarantine or hospiral tanks, no medications of any kind.

DIY Skimmer, lights, DIY algae scrubber and thats about it. Tank is running successfully for 50 years this year.

 

[N.Sreefer]

OK, what works for me is an undergravel filter using dolomite gravel probably only available in a cemetary supply now. No dosers, no chemicals except calcium and alk, no quarantine or hospiral tanks, no medications of any kind.

DIY Skimmer, lights, DIY algae scrubber and thats about it. Tank is running successfully for 50 years this year.

Is there a diff between granular dolomite lime and dolomite gravel or is it the same thing? Jw because its cheap and easily available here I and I may add some to my sump after seeing the success you've had using it.

 

[131696]

Best method is simple stop making it so hard simple is best and proven for 20 years now before all this tech came out we just had water changes and that's it. Save your money and keep it simple

 

[BiggestE222]

I think alot of these posts miss the point. I want to know what works for y'all and why. The reason being is that everything is so mixed and complicated so I am trying my best to narrow down what I am going to do. I like to ask because I want to see if someone has had great success with something in particular. Personally I am watching melevsreef as my guide however I am always trying to improve in the mean time.

Depends on what you want to keep. That is step one. It wouldn’t make sense to follow any method unless the method used matches the same type of tank you are trying to achieve. SPS- high flow very low nutrients very strong lighting. Mixed reef- intermittent flow low nutrients/ heavy in heavy out medium lighting. LPS- low flow medium nutrients low or basic reef lighting. I have a mixed reef 24” cube. I have an XR30 blue. Used at about 45% 2 MP40s used at 55% synched. An oversized Bubbke Magus 7 curve skimmer. A Pax Bellum N18 algae scrubber. Only dose kalk matches evaporation. Heavy feed food. Just 3 small fish. Dose amino acids. Also 2 daisy chained co2 scrubbers keeps ph 8.2-8-8-4. Calcium 440-470 ALK-10-11 mg 1400-1550

 

[BiggestE222]

This is best video on most methods.

 

[N.Sreefer]

After having many diff tanks set up diff ways Ive realized there is no best way. What worked on my 75 doesn't work on my 150 I needed to use a skimmer for the first time ever, my first tank (20 gal long) had just the berlin method didn't work on the 75 always had high nitrates had to use a canister and hob filter to lower nitrates and phosphate to acceptable levels (adding a huge colony of shrooms solved that in the end) . Every time I start a new tank I experiment and see what works best for my current setup.

 

[Reefing102]

I never followed a “method”. I just read and researched what worked for other people and tried to see if it would work for my issue. For me it’s old school water changes. I don’t dose anything. I run a skimmer 24/7. I feed “commercial” foods. Maybe when I get more coral I might dose calc and alk but that’s a while down the road.

 

[cvicente]

As the other fellow reefers said, "whatever works for you". In my 130 gal system I run Triton CORE7 Other Methods. I don't use Calcium nor Kalk reactor, just dosing, 38ml per day of each component. I don't use macroalgae for PO4 & NO3 management, just a methanol denitrator and Rowaphos.