Your weekly tank maintenance ritual?

I have a freshwater tank with a huge bio-load on it and on a good week I can do a 30-50% water change every Saturday. If that doesn't keep up with the Nitrates I have to do it twice a week every Tuesday or Wednesday and Saturday. That usually depends on if I feed them or if the wife or a friend decides they want to feed them also and I end up with extra food in the tank. I have two Oscars in a tank that's technically too small and I hate it but at the moment I don't have a choice in the matter. So if you are upset about your maintenance just think about me. Oh and to make it better, I have to refill using a 5g bucket because I rent my house I can't exactly just rework plumbing to do a ATO or anything. I saved these Oscars from some people that had to get rid of them and didn't know what to do. At one point they were going to euthanize them. I couldn't let that happen so I took them off their hands. Lot of work for me to keep up with them but they are also a lot of fun to watch. Now, if I can only convince the wife to let me set up a reef tank after we move... LOL

 

Weekly: clean glass as necessary, empty/clean skimmer cup, top off and dose, test CA/ALK
Bi-weekly: 20% water change
Monthly: change GFO and check purigen color (change as necessary) inspect pumps and clean if necessary

 

water changes are a very often debated subject.

To me if my levels are being consistent, params are good to go, coral and fish are healthy, the ATS is has good growth.... what good does a water change really do other than ensure my wallet doesnt over fill cause im buying more salt?

For my level of expereince and the types of livestocks & corals I have its just what I have come to the conclusion that works.

 

If their isn't a problem, I don't see a reason to do a wc. But soon I hope to be able to do automated water changes at the flip of a switch.

That reminds me...I should test my parameters tomorrow to see how I am doing now with the calc/mag levels.

 

Alright, if you don't do weekly pwc do you have to dose stuff?

 

Hmm. Really depends on my work load and energy level... lol

1. Headphones on, upbeat music.
2. Always make sure I have atleast 30 gallons of salt and fresh water in my holding containers.
3. Top off daily. I need an ATO system....
4. Scrub glass when needed.
5. Feed my pig of a tang that just started nipping at my clam. I usually do this 2-3 times a day.
6. Feed corals atleast 2 times a week.
7. Empty skimmer collection cup 2-3 times per week.
8. Around a 25 gallon water change every 3 weeks.
9. Dose 2 part daily.
10. Test cal, mag, alk, nitrates, nitrites, ect. Atleast weekly.
11. Document everything. All testing data, all purchases, livestock updates, amount dosed, ect.

Hmmmm.... I feel like there is more. But this is only for my frag system. I feed all my other tanks daily.

 

Well, yes, if you have a lot of corals you may need to dose the essentials. But you wouldn't need to dose anymore in this case than it would if you do weekly wc.

I think wet skimming keeps things simpler for me. I haven't done a "normal" (10%) wc since I started this tank. Skimming wet takes water out daily, so when i top off, I add salt to it (lower ppm salt to offset the evap.).

Right now I have only a few corals, so the new saltwater I add (and old water I remove from the skimmer) is enough "change out" to keep my levels where they should be. If you have a lot of corals that suck up calcium/alkalinity (sps *cough cough* sps) then you will need to dose more regularly.

 

I wipe off my glass, top off with RO, feed my fish, and do a few gallon water change every few weeks and that's it.. I try to do as little as possible, and keep my hands outta there.

 

Ritual:

Clean Glass : Every Other Day
Top Off w/ RoDi : Every two days
Feed : Monday / Wednesday / Friday ... weekend they eat out.....LOL
Check Parameter's : Weekly
Change out Sump Socks: Every two weeks
Clean Skimmer Cup : Every two weeks
WC 10% 10 gallons : Every two weeks

E

 

My 'ritual' changes often, I've only been at it about 7 months.

I do a PWC every 10-15 days
I use the mag float on the glass when it needs it by looking down the inside of the glass thru the side of the tank- about every 3-4 days.
I do manual RO/DI top offs usually daily- 1-2gallons
I NEVER HAVE dosed anything, thus far anyways.
I occasionally test params- 1-2 months apart. Check SG every 1-2 days-just because
Empty my skimmer cup every 1-2 days- I have the drain plugged.
Change filter 'bag' (it's huge) about every 5-7 days.
'Tinker' with aquascape almost daily

Spend as much time as possible 'watching' my DT!

See a short vid of my DT- link in my sigsnature