dgasmd
New member
It seems most, if not almost all, threads in this forum are from someone setting up a larger tank. That in itself has surprisingly gotten so extremely popular that nobody even raise an eyebrow anymore when someone says they are doing a 300g tank!! I guess the economy must be really good............ Back to topic!!
I always wonder what does people do in their maintenance and what products they use not in the set up as those are obvious ones, but rather in their daily/weekly/monthly maintenance. We sort of assume we all do the same with some minor variations, but I am aways curious to see if there is more to differences than similarities. So, why don't you copy/paste the questions in bold below and just fill in with your answers. Many of us may learn a few things.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I do a bi-weekly 100g water change (10% of my system). I will be stepping it down to monthly.
What salt do you use and why? I use IO. Because I have been using it all along with good results. Also, it is the cheapest I can find.
What type of carbon do you use and why? I use Two Little Fishies hydrocarbon. I change it every 6 weeks. I use 2 Lb each time (1/2 bucket). It is the "best" (subjective data only) I have found although not the cheapest.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? I use Phosban 600gr (1/2 bucket) and change it every 6 weeks. No difference in performance compared to Rowaphos regardless of how much they love to say it is. Cheaper too.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed every other day to every third day. I feed frozen Pro-Salt foods and PE mysis shrimp. I also feed decapsulated brine shrimp eggs and cyclopeeze once per week. I was feeding multiple times per day and all I got was a bunch of unwanted algae. My anthias don't seem to be missing the daily feeding either, and I can't tell a difference from looking at any of the fish.
How often do you clean your glass? About once per week I pass the magnet. About once per month I scrape any extra coralline.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? From every week to every 6 weeks. Average is about every 4 weeks or so.
Do you dose anything else? I "squirt" a good amount of 20% strntium chloride of ESV brand weekly and a few dropper full of Kent's lugol solution every other week. I seems to have boosted my coralline like wildfire and the colors look better on the corals too!!
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? Currently use the Schuran media. Will be going back to crushed coral when it runs out. No difference really and so much cheaper. Also locally available.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? If my LFS would get the stuff I order in the sizes I want, I would give them the business even at a higher cost. I currently buy it all, except for the frozen food, online and get it to last me a few months at a time. Even with shipping included the LFS can't come even close in cost either.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? Realistically, about every 5-6 weeks. Should have been doing it more often, but it is a PITA. I will get a shallow sand bed in the future.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I do it about every 4-6 weeks. I wipe off everything and try to clean the cooling fins on all the pumps. I wanted to take apart all the pumps and soak the wet ends on vinegar for 3 hours at least once per year, but it has not happened in the first 2 years yet.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I solely use a Ca reactor these days. I was also using Kalk and found no added benefit. I was an extra piece of equipment to mantain and had to also buy kalk by the buckets (TLF brand).
Your turn...................
I always wonder what does people do in their maintenance and what products they use not in the set up as those are obvious ones, but rather in their daily/weekly/monthly maintenance. We sort of assume we all do the same with some minor variations, but I am aways curious to see if there is more to differences than similarities. So, why don't you copy/paste the questions in bold below and just fill in with your answers. Many of us may learn a few things.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I do a bi-weekly 100g water change (10% of my system). I will be stepping it down to monthly.
What salt do you use and why? I use IO. Because I have been using it all along with good results. Also, it is the cheapest I can find.
What type of carbon do you use and why? I use Two Little Fishies hydrocarbon. I change it every 6 weeks. I use 2 Lb each time (1/2 bucket). It is the "best" (subjective data only) I have found although not the cheapest.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? I use Phosban 600gr (1/2 bucket) and change it every 6 weeks. No difference in performance compared to Rowaphos regardless of how much they love to say it is. Cheaper too.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed every other day to every third day. I feed frozen Pro-Salt foods and PE mysis shrimp. I also feed decapsulated brine shrimp eggs and cyclopeeze once per week. I was feeding multiple times per day and all I got was a bunch of unwanted algae. My anthias don't seem to be missing the daily feeding either, and I can't tell a difference from looking at any of the fish.
How often do you clean your glass? About once per week I pass the magnet. About once per month I scrape any extra coralline.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? From every week to every 6 weeks. Average is about every 4 weeks or so.
Do you dose anything else? I "squirt" a good amount of 20% strntium chloride of ESV brand weekly and a few dropper full of Kent's lugol solution every other week. I seems to have boosted my coralline like wildfire and the colors look better on the corals too!!
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? Currently use the Schuran media. Will be going back to crushed coral when it runs out. No difference really and so much cheaper. Also locally available.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? If my LFS would get the stuff I order in the sizes I want, I would give them the business even at a higher cost. I currently buy it all, except for the frozen food, online and get it to last me a few months at a time. Even with shipping included the LFS can't come even close in cost either.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? Realistically, about every 5-6 weeks. Should have been doing it more often, but it is a PITA. I will get a shallow sand bed in the future.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I do it about every 4-6 weeks. I wipe off everything and try to clean the cooling fins on all the pumps. I wanted to take apart all the pumps and soak the wet ends on vinegar for 3 hours at least once per year, but it has not happened in the first 2 years yet.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I solely use a Ca reactor these days. I was also using Kalk and found no added benefit. I was an extra piece of equipment to mantain and had to also buy kalk by the buckets (TLF brand).
Your turn...................
I just drool over DGasMDs tank! Anyway......
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