Ideas for the "low maintenance" reef.

[mistermikev]

wow I hadn't checked back in a while and you folks have given me more food for thought than I can even acknowledge... thank you all.
I like the idea of no "swimmers"... I love scooter blennys/lawnmowers dartfish/ shrimp... I can live with that.

I will do macro but in my hang on... it works good and doesn't invade my tank.
strongly considering auto top off at this point...
even toying with a sump idea...

thanks again all!

 

[jthao]

nalbar is right. a lot of lr will do everything you need, if you control what you're putting in the tank. all the equipment is not needed if your tank isn't overstocked. Many have crazy equipments because they want a crazy looking tank also, so with overstocking comes a lot of additional equipment. but I'm all for it because (this may sound weird to some of you) but I'm actually a little more into my equipment than my inhabitants, I always like to buy new equipment (inhabitants too, but doesn't excite me as much as a new gadget!).

 

[mistermikev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12411349#post12411349 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RyanMKintz
get a reef screensaver?? Maintenance is my biggest stress reliever

once again... I'm not expecting to have "no maint"... I've been in this hobby for a few years and am not a newbie.
I'm looking to build a system that is closer to "self sutaining" than my last system which was mostly an acro/monti tank with a few softies.

I believe it IS possible to have a low maint tank... I think much of the advice on this thread will get me there...

-stick to softies (mushrooms, starbursts, torch, toadstool, devils hand) lower needs for ca/other additives/light
-get an auto top off system
-consider a sump... (hate the idea of pumping water out and back in)
-thinking about using normout lights at the front of tank for less glass buildup
-almost all 20k lights (ok for softies... less algae growth on glass).
-set up slow drip for ca - shouldn't require much for coraline and torch
-auto feeder for when I'm really lazy

oughta make this a pretty easy tank to maintain...