Why do reefers HATE maintenance?

[DesertReefT4r]

After years in the hobby thing like water changes become a chore that needs to be done. I love having a reef tank and spending time enjoying it. If I can do things to reduce the amount of labor needed to keep it successful Im all for it. Being lazy is not a hood reef keeping practice. Its like like anything else in life, you dont like to take out the trash but like living in a clean home or you like having a reliable car but dont enjoy changing the oil. I love my dog but dont enjoy poop scooping the yard. Its not doing the maintenance I enjoy its the benifits reaped from the maintenance.

 

[biecacka]

I too use the DOS for auto water changes. About 2 gallons a day.

Corey

 

[srad750c]

I’ve been doing it so long that it’s no issue for me, my tank is pretty darn stable, so I can get away with checking my water once a week, clean the front glass. I only change about 5 gals of water a month. Anything more than 10 gals, my corals slow on growth.

 

[Stigigemla]

Maintenance is good because it forces you to have a look in your tank. Just think of how many times you have began to change water just to see its time to empty the skimmer or clean a pump or cut back a coral thats burning another.
I say a good rule is to have your hands in the tank at least once a month. But maybe not more then once a week in order not to disturbe to much.
It will normally take more than a month for a coral to adjust for a new place or new light settings. And fishes can need longer time.

 

[fish farmer]

It's time for the weekly water change tomorrow...didn't do it last week because we were camping, didn't do much after work this week because I was exhausted. Luckily it is going to rain tomorrow so no outdoor house projects, got the dump run done yesterday.

So tomorrow I can focus on trimming some corals and siphoning up the remains. I also have to can some pickles..maybe I'll get that out of the way tonight.

I enjoy maintenance more when I have more time to do it.

 

[jda]

I do not love it, but I also do not hate it. I prioritize it in my life for the sake of the commitment that I made to the corals and fish. Also, I am acutely aware of how my tank does a lot better than people who slack off on the maintenance - this keeps me going.

 

[hart24601]

Like many hobbyists, I like to do things when I want to do them... not when I must.

Water changes are a PITA, no doubt about it. Keeping a regular schedule on water changes is even more so.

It's worth it.

Other maintenance tasks, I don't usually mind. Cleaning the skimmer cup, mixing up a bucket of kalkwasser, keeping an eye on probe values, PO4 and NO3 testing (which are the only tests I run regularly)... none of that bothers me. Feeding? I enjoy that one.

Cleaning socks? Hated it bad enough that I don't use them anymore, and probably never will. Ugh.

It's not just reefing... there's usually something about any hobby that you might not care for. My other hobby is shooting, and I don't mind cleaning guns, reloading (which might count as a hobby all on it's own!), etc. But. When it comes to picking up brass, I'd almost rather let it lay, and buy new. I go as far as avoiding semi-auto firearms as much as I can... revolvers and bolt guns don't throw brass everywhere.

Looking at the OP's alternate hobbies... cars. Wrenching on what amounts to an expensive toy as a hobby == fun. Working on your primary driver because it won't start? Not so much. Gardening? I can appreciate a nice looking flower bed, and I'm always happy to eat the produce of a well tended vegetable garden, but me? Digging up weeds on the weekend? Don't count on it!

Wow, that pretty much nails it for me too. Plus arthritis in my back I don't like cleaning sumps or carrying buckets too far now.

 

[Oliver d]

I love and really enjoy working on my tank,it gives me time to really see whats going on in it.I also love collecting NSW for my tank to me this is not work but part of the enjoyment of having a marine tank.

 

[Doug B]

I'm not entirely sure that gardeners do like digging in the mud, or that car enthusiasts like laying under the car. I like driving the car, not laying under it.
Insofar as maintenance is necessary for the health of the animals in my care, I perform it. As technology advances and is able to perform parts of it for me, I purchase that technology.
In the end I guess I see everything as a trade off between money and time. You spend whichever you have more of. I'd rather spend money to automate maintenance than time doing it.

 

[VTBig053]

I have a nano AIO tank so I feel like I really have to be on top of maintenance. For a while I was cleaning (vacuum sand, scrape glass, clean equipment, clean media racks, vacuum rear chambers, etc.) the tank once a week. This eventually led to my tank running too clean and I ran into nutrient issues. Now I change water and vacuum sand once every two-weeks with a deep clean (equipment cleaning and vacuuming rear chambers) once a month. My corals seem much happier now that I have relaxed on the maintenance routine. I tend to feel more negatively about performing regular maintenance (cleaning and water change) prior to getting started. Once I get started I do enjoy it and it's a satisfying feeling seeing a clean tank when I am finished.

 

[BestMomEver]

I’m an obsessive worrier. Can’t help it. So I’m always trying to find the best way to do something to keep the tank stable. I’m constantly debating over the best lights, best ATO, best doser, kalk or two part, to Apex or not to Apex, water changes, best fish, are corals growing, is their color good...blah, blah, blah.

The only part of the process that I dread is water changes. I have a 60 gallon which means 10% is 6 gallons, but I have five gallon buckets. The idea of mixing 2 buckets of water makes me cringe. That’s where the obsessing over the Apex comes in. Auto water changes? COOL! Anyway, for now I’ll continue to worry.;Nailbiting

 

[Crabs McJones]

I don't mind maintenance at all. That is my ME time. My wife will usually take the girls to the park or outside to ride bikes, so I usually get the house all to myself to do my work. It's peaceful.

 

[landlubber]

personally, if I ever got down to a 3 or less on the tank maintenance scale chances are I would save my fish and coral the trouble and sell it as it likely isn't going to get any better. fortunately, I've kept various forms of aquaria for 35 years and still am hovering around an 8. greatest hobby out there!

 

[siggy]

I have a ton of work to be done but cant get to it, I keep trying to get a day off and concentrate on the tank but something always gets in the way. Maintenance and must do 's first.

 

[Zeal]

I love doing tank maintence. Spent all this money on the tank why not put the effort in keeping it nice and clean.

 

[Servillius]

I really enjoy the maintenance; I don’t even mind the water changes. I have some weird annoyances however; testing and mixing water can cause a bit of procrastination.

I think your poll suggests I’m not alone. We only generally mind the part we mind. As for the rest, I find myself looking forward to having something to do on my tank. I’ve probably bought more stuff just so I ha e something to fiddle with than because I wanted or needed it.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

The only thing I really hate is cleaning the glass. My aquascape is designed not to touch any glass. This is great for my tangs and larger fish, but means I have to constantly get into the little areas to clean film algae. I would pay a considerable amount to never have to clean the glass again.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Don't like the chore BUT it has to be done regardless ... too much time & money invested over the years and now that everything is growing ... why stop right? Like they say ... "Keep on Truckin'"

 

[Britott]

I love the whole process of cleaning my reef, from cleaning the glass too basting rocks/corals and even don't mind the water change, for me if it should ever become a chore than that would probably be the end game and pack it all in, been keeping aquariums now for just over 35yrs and still have the same desire today as I did when I got my first tank at 10yrs old

 

[siggy]

The only thing I really hate is cleaning the glass. My aquascape is designed not to touch any glass. This is great for my tangs and larger fish, but means I have to constantly get into the little areas to clean film algae. I would pay a considerable amount to never have to clean the glass again.

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