Any K.I.S.S system on this board?

[Johnv281]

Does anyone have a super simple system without all the gadgets? Like no doser, fuge, super fancy pumps, controllers, etc? Just WC, manual dosing,lights, and sps. If so, I'd love to hear some success stories that are simple as a,b,c.

 

[Wazzel]

I have a doser, but other than that no gadgets. I did manual dosing, but the usage on my system got to the point I was dosing several times a week, instead of just twice. Check out my build thread for info.

 

[Johnv281]

Wow nice colors. i have a 20G cube so manual dosing 3-4x a week is not a big deal to me. For the time being I'd like to keep everything to a minimum. Once I upgrade to a 90g then a doser is probably going to be needed.

 

[Wazzel]

Thanks. I am real busy with kids and what not so getting a doser was needed to make my life easier.

 

[jda]

I use metal halide lights alone, berlin method, calcium reactor, 2 skimmers and some heaters on a ranco. I top off by hand (turn a ball valve). You could have run nearly this same system 10 years ago if not 20 (not sure if the ballasts would have been available).

I think that a calcium reactor is as simple as it gets on a larger tank. The rest of it is pretty simple too since I don't trust heaters on their own.

 

[Johnv281]

I'm hoping to set up my 20G cube with the barest of essentials and a moderate bio loads. No skimmer, fuge, reactors, doser, etc. Just light, dosing by hand a few times a week, and occasional WC. Anyone went this route and still maintained a thriving system?

 

[Pete_the_Puma]

If you are willing to dose things manually every day then I am sure you can be successful with a K.I.S.S. approach. I'd rather have a machine/computer/robot do this for me.

I think the only real problem with once a week dosing would be keeping up with your ALK + CA demand without dosing a bunch of alkalinity only once a week inducing big swings which pretty much everyone agrees are deleterious to the corals.


P

 

[happyhourhero]

I have skimmer, ATS, Drip Kalk, SB Reef Lights. Nothing fancy.

 

[JVD BVI]

I have a 17 gallon, no doser, fuge, sump, but I do have a small skimmer and ato with Kalk. SPS have been doing great but I just switched LED's from cheap Chinese to a Kessil and unfortunately I'm now experiencing a brown out

 

[Johnv281]

If you are willing to dose things manually every day then I am sure you can be successful with a K.I.S.S. approach.


P

Don't plan on dosing manually Ca & alk everyday ,but maybe every other day. How does that sound?

I'd like to get a doser but have no fuge so that's a no go

 

[joshky]

Don't plan on dosing manually Ca & alk everyday ,but maybe every other day. How does that sound?

I'd like to get a doser but have no fuge so that's a no go

It depends on your alk consumption, you want to avoid large alk swings so as things mature just keep an eye on it.

 

[dadummy]

150g, lights on timers , two skimmers in sump, return pump, chiller, powerheads, ato with kalkwasser, no fancy gadgets here

 

[Acronic]

but where are the pics! Lets go guys

 

[71xlch]

Don't plan on dosing manually Ca & alk everyday ,but maybe every other day. How does that sound?

I'd like to get a doser but have no fuge so that's a no go

First what does a fuge have to do with dosing? Using a dosing pump evens out the swings of adding alk and Cal. Say your tank requires 1dkh a day. Easier to spread that over 24 hours to have minimal swings in PH etc. Or just wait 3 days and try to bump it 3dkh and lose everything. I manually dosed for 2 months on my old tank. Life gets in the way and things get missed. Tank pays for it.

 

[Johnv281]

Don't most people have their doser near their fuge/sump?

 

[ryanrid]

My tank runs a skimmer only for filtration, I need a dosing pump as I travel for work 3 days/week but don't run gfo, pellets just do 60l water Change on 800l tank weekly

 

[Wazzel]

Lowlight front shot from Feb.

 

[Johnv281]

Wowwww looking good guys. Hopefully I'll get there someday