Anyone still keeping it simple?

[Piper27]

Originally Posted by ComforablyNumb

Here's my 55gal mixed tank with sps that is 2 yrs old.
No sump, no dosing, no filtration at all... except for a skimmer

Where is the sps?

[ComforablyNumb]

Originally Posted by Piper27

Where is the sps?

Middle of the tank and top right.


Here's a couple of pics showing the growth of one of them:

Original frags 20 months ago:


Last month:


Lighting is Kessil only. Cheers.

[tripdad]

I'll have to let you know. I have recently left all the chasing behind after some major changes at work that are sucking up any and all free time. So I have adopted Adam at BC's model, pure water, good skimmer, good lighting(I hope) and minimal additives. He has great success and has had great success for a while so I'm shutting up and listening to him. I hope I can replicate his and others success. P.S. I believe Therman and he are old friends, maybe they know something?

[ryanrid]

iused to run zeo for 6 years this tank however skimmer only with 2 part dosing and small weekly WC of approx 7%

[Denadai]

I always did it...keep it simple...works very well !

[tripdad]

Wow! ryanrid and Denadai, those are both gorgeous tanks. You have both been doing great tanks for years, thanks for sharing them.

[nemodan]

65 G DT connected to a 40G fuge. With lots of macro algae and Matrix/Siphorax.

25G weekly WC, 2 part dosing (b-ionic), NP-Pro and AF bacteria.

Skimmer, no mechanical filtration.

I only feed the fish every other day.

This is my last video:

https://youtu.be/htifGrqElxU

Best
Daniel

[markalot]

Originally Posted by Nanook

I read so many posts of folks having problems with acropora and the common theme seems to be they can't stop dosing this, testing that, or trying this/that. The tanks that just grow SPS colonies seem to be the ones that abide by the basics of good husbandry. I've had my share of ups and downs over the years, but I've managed to grow 4 or 5 tanks of frags to colonies by keeping it simple, no fancy additives (I'm too dumb to use them anyway).

My basics are DSB, skimmer, calcium reactor, water changes, lots of flow and lots of full spectrum light, then just letting it ride. I do limit feedings and stock fish appropriately so I'm not fighting excess nutrients.

Have we gone too far in over complicating things?

Is a calcium reactor simple? I guess it depends on what you're used too. I dose traces to make up for lack of regular water changes and the goodies a calcium reactor can add. I switched to all dropper dosing because I can handle # of drops.

[markalot]

Woops, I left out my maintenance.

Occasional water changes if things look off.

Timed topoff with saturated Kalk. I adjust for evaporation using a fan or manual topoff when needed.

Two part dosing, started after Kalk could not keep up.

AF MicroE for traces, one drop per day (I backed off after two part started since the mixture I use contains some of these traces)

AF Kalum for Potassium.

I regret not going with a fuge and I'm using PhosphateRx for PO4 control and Matrix for Nitrate control. Not sure I will change at this point, maybe if I have to restart for some reason.

I do dose a few other magic potions but in very small amounts and I don't think most make much of a difference.

[happyhourhero]

Doesnt really hold up to most of your tanks yet but mine is simple. Skimmer, ATS, Flow and daily 2 part.

[abhishek@1985]

Well started back after 6 years and jumped on the Aquaforest bandwagon. Realised after 4 months , big mistake and now changed over to simpler method as I was used to .

30 in x 30 in x 18 in tank with 3 7 year old Tunze 6055s on 7095 controller and 2 gyre 130s and a seaswirl for return .

Siporax and live rocks in the sump and a Deltec sc 1350 soon to be changed to Bubble king Mini 160.

Lit by 2 250 watt Radiums on M80 ballast and 2 reefbrite tech leds

2 parts with weekly water changes of 15-20%

Oh salt is still Aquaforest Reef salt soon to be changed to my trusty old Tropic Marin .

Tank is only 5 months old and 95% acros and anthias.

Will upload pics soon once I get hold of the cyano caused by Aquaforest Pro Bio S and Np Pro over dosing . Gave away all aquaforest stuffs and came back to simple reef keeping with light light, high nutrients and high flow .
No gfo or carbon...

Regards,
Abhishek

[slin1977]

Simple times - calcium reactor, lanthium dosing, Illumagic LED, regular water changes.
Got bitten by the acro bug and things have never quite been the same...
What has changed is no more lanthium , moved to Siporax, running T5 lights, still calcium reactor and currently dosing amino acids, vitamins, and an eye watering array of trace elements and minerals.
My tank dimensions have stayed the same however there is a coast to coast beananimal hanging off the back!

[Nanook]

Originally Posted by slin1977

moved to Siporax, running T5 lights, still calcium reactor and currently dosing amino acids, vitamins, and an eye watering array of trace elements and minerals.

This doesn't sound simple All these potions and fads.

[slin1977]

Originally Posted by Nanook

This doesn't sound simple All these potions and fads.

that was a photo of my previous tank in the age of simplicity - My current tank is a shambles of intervention and does not qualify to be shown on your thread.

[SchnitzelReef]

I've tried dosing all the different additives, to be honest I rarely saw any difference.
My system has a skimmer, small fuge, and a calcium reactor. I do water changes once a month, and never run filter socks. Seems to be working pretty well for me

[abhishek@1985]

Originally Posted by SchnitzelReef

I've tried dosing all the different additives, to be honest I rarely saw any difference.
My system has a skimmer, small fuge, and a calcium reactor. I do water changes once a month, and never run filter socks. Seems to be working pretty well for me

Big fan of your tank SchnitzelReef !! Do you still use the pohl's extra special ? BTW , feels great to see some cyano on the end . Atleast I don't feel left alone

Regards,
Abhishek

[ycnibrc]

Well its depend on how big is your tank. For my tank volume at 400g dosing trace element save me a lot of money compare to water change. At 20% monthly WC is 80g per month which cost roughly 30$ per month WC. I'm dosing AF component ABC which cost 99$ for 2000ml which will last 8 months.

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[tamama]

Very interesting read and I am not the simple guy I guess as I dose lots of stuff. However, when I am overseas for a week or two, that's the time when I stopped dosing anything. I do observe sps colour darkened due to increase in nutrient in general. I have about 30 fishes in my 4 feet tank and no sand bed.

And I think if you are a fan of having pastel and bright colours of sps, dosing may be the only way. Otherwise if you don't mind the deeper or darker colour tone of sps, simple system is sufficient.

Not say it's a must, but when you have a full tank of sps, I think no harm to try dosing and see the colour change for yourself. Eventually it's a personal choice.

Attached my tank video.

https://youtu.be/hUmmrzi99J0

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[Reeferparty]

Originally Posted by tamama

Very interesting read and I am not the simple guy I guess as I dose lots of stuff. However, when I am overseas for a week or two, that's the time when I stopped dosing anything. I do observe sps colour darkened due to increase in nutrient in general. I have about 30 fishes in my 4 feet tank and no sand bed.

And I think if you are a fan of having pastel and bright colours of sps, dosing may be the only way. Otherwise if you don't mind the deeper or darker colour tone of sps, simple system is sufficient.

Not say it's a must, but when you have a full tank of sps, I think no harm to try dosing and see the colour change for yourself. Eventually it's a personal choice.

Attached my tank video.

https://youtu.be/hUmmrzi99J0

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Jaw dropping tank! Great job! What're you dosing? I'd love for my colors to pop like yours


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[kevlow]

I strive for keeping it simple. My sump is an open 40 breeder. Skimmer and basket now with six liters of matrix. [ unfortunately I also have a light down there because I had to keep some corals that my family did not want me to get rid of.]
For dosing I use 3 part and bacteria & carbon.
About two weeks ago I started adding 1 drop of AF vitamins.

That pretty much is my whole routine.

When corals start to pale I will add some Neo Nitrate. If phosphate climbs I will add a drop of phosphate rx.

No dosser here. I have one but have always been afraid to depend on it. I have read too many crash stories so I dose by hand twice a day, 3:45 am and 5 pm.

[johnike]

BRS 2 part and a big skimmer is all I do.
I used Pickling Lime forever until I started with these dang sticks last year.

[tamama]

Originally Posted by Reeferparty

Jaw dropping tank! Great job! What're you dosing? I'd love for my colors to pop like yours


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I am using zeovit. =)

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[SchnitzelReef]

Originally Posted by abhishek@1985

Big fan of your tank SchnitzelReef !! Do you still use the pohl's extra special ? BTW , feels great to see some cyano on the end . Atleast I don't feel left alone



Regards,

Abhishek

Thank you sir. Yes I still use it, but not very often. Maybe once a week

[hart24601]

So in general a calcium reactor is considered "simple" when it comes to reef tanks now? I know they do not require much work when set up, but a nice reactor and everything to run it properly does not seem like a simple set up all at. Manually dosing 2 part or kalk only in the ato I what I think of as simple.

[jda]

Calcium reactor is as simple as the nitrogen cycle. No need for any controllers or monitors - just count drips and bubbles. Of course, people make it way more complicated than that for a while until their monitors/probes fail and they realize that they never needed them in the first place.