What's your secret weapon?

[ciscomania]

I am upgrading to a 21 gallon sump and hope it will fix many of my aquarium problems which include
1) algae growth on rocks
2) reduce nutrients in water
3) prevent infection
4) reduce water changes
5) Also I want to make a refugium in the sump and add copepods.

I am definitely asking for too much, does anyone have advice on sumps?

Upgrading to a bigger sump will only fix #5 and nothing else imo.

 

[OnlyTono]

I keep a 125 gallon mixed reef and to keep it looking great, I avoiding big production water change and try to keep things stable.

My water change scheduled (if you can call it that) consists of a gallon or two ever once in a while when I remember. Seriously - when I stopped doing consistent 10/20% water changes, my tank really took off and has never looked better. Combined, I'll change out 8 gallons per month.

My guess is the minimal water changes also contribute to the overall stability, since I auto dose, have a right-sized skimmer and run bio pellets.

So, I would call my 'secret weapon', Stability.

 

[mckinney0171]

biopellets and lots and lots of feeding. my tank has never looked better since i started.

 

[Scurvy]

Nobody told me we could use weapons!? And here i am trying to become a chemist.

KISS has been the best recipe for this short timer. And learning when NOT to touch things.

 

[luke33]

I dump my skimmate down the toilet vs the sink now, it is my secret weapon to keep the wife from beating me : ()

Honestly I just keep things natural as we can in a glass box. No chemicals, no reactors. Chaeto, skimmer, lots of flow, lots of food and strong light.........and BB ofcourse

 

[jsker]

I have found the more I play with thing, the more trouble I create. I went back to simple and life has been really good

 

[Whipples]

KISS has been the best recipe for this short timer. And learning when NOT to touch things.

I think this is the hardest part of the hobby to learn. Anyone can mix water and salt, calculate dosing, etc., but really learning to be patient and not panic at the first sign of a problem is difficult. We all want those beautiful tanks right off the bat but there is a natural pathway all tanks must take to get there, if only every tank ran its course in an identical fashion!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

And here i am trying to become a chemist..

Always a worthy goal.

 

[Scurvy]

Always a worthy goal.

No doubt about it! 25 years later i really wished i payed more attention in Chem.

 

[Scurvy]

I think this is the hardest part of the hobby to learn. Anyone can mix water and salt, calculate dosing, etc., but really learning to be patient and not panic at the first sign of a problem is difficult. We all want those beautiful tanks right off the bat but there is a natural pathway all tanks must take to get there, if only every tank ran its course in an identical fashion!

Exactly. I tinkered, tweaked and tried all kinds of things when what i really needed was a pair of handcuffs and locking cabinet doors
I wouldnt change any of it however as I learned... albeit the hard way as usual.

 

[Cory]

Vodka dosing and or an algae turf scrubber.

 

[Lasse]

My two most secret weapons are two sentences

Keep Your Hands Dry

and

If it’s not broken – do not fix it

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Donovan Joannes]

The biggest secret is actually "there is no secret at all". We failed because we made mistakes. The key to a successful reefing are patience, get the right equipment and essential test kit (not necessarily expensive) and most importantly don't be lazy.

 

[atoll]

Without a doubt my Atlantis 2 Algae turf scrubber. I feel I could remove all other forms of filtration and just rely on it to cleans my water.

 

[Fugs]

Discipline, consistency and patience.

 

[dbl]

Best advice I was given when starting was to keep my hands out of the tank...so that is my secret. That and vodka dosing - not the tank, but the tank owner!!!

 

[MJC]

Every Friday night from 2 a.m until 2:05am I dance naked around my tank with one pinky finger in the tank water all while smoking a joint.
I swear this keeps all alge out of my tank and my pH is perfect.

Seriously I agree
"K"eep"I"t"S"iphoned&"Skimmed.
and before you do something to your tank ask yourself what exactly are you trying to fix?

 

[George Lopez]

This might sound really bad but I put an airstone in my reef tank to reduce my algae growth which was uncontrollable.
Luckily it does not inhibit my coral growth, since my frags are growing nicely.

I just added a protein skimmer because People swear it removes waste however I have not been able to set it correctly. since I need a larger sump.

Also I belive the correct sump size is beneficial to great aquariums. I currently have a 75 gallon tank with a 5 gallon sump. This is clearly wrong because all the waist is n0t being filtered out.

I am upgrading to a 21 gallon sump and hope it will fix many of my aquarium problems which include
1) algae growth on rocks
2) reduce nutrients in water
3) prevent infection
4) reduce water changes
5) Also I want to make a refugium in the sump and add copepods.

I am definitely asking for too much, does anyone have advice on sumps?

Im running a 45 corner with a 10 gal sump (largest thing i could fit) and i made my own baffles and was able to get everything you are asking for out of it so it's not too much to ask.

 

[alex.mccann99]

I've automated my Vodka carbon dosing. Have a BRS doser 1.1ml per min. I have it dose almost exactly 1.5 ml per day. (My tank is only about 35 gallons total water volume) I also have MarinePure blocks in my sump, no refugium though. I feed daily, sometimes more and I have near 0 nitrates.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

1. Sulfur denitrator. I'm actually mad that I went through so many years in the hobby without one. This thing destroys nitrates and I can feed as much as I want without worry. Starving your fish is not good husbandry.

2. Diamond goby and caribsea special grade sand. I have no idea how anyone keeps a clean white sand bed without this combo.