the "I can't believe I lived without..." thread

[jacksonpt]

I'm curious about what everyone thinks was their best tweak, upgrade, splurge, whatever regarding their tank. Think of it as a "If I could only do/add/upgrade" 1 thing above a basic tank setup (by which I mean decent lights, flow, stocking), it would be" thread.

Some of us have fancy systems with elaborate sumps, fuges, reactors, etc... some of us have more basic setups. What the 1 thing you (or your tank) couldn't live without?

For me...
I have a pretty simple system, so mine would be my auto topoff. Not having to think about evaporation or sg is soooo convenient. Having sg remain pretty much constant has made my tank more stable as well.

 

[Piazzon12]

agreed... auto top-off of kalk is mine.... takes care of top off needs, and the need to dose two part more than occasionally

 

[blue ridge reef]

I was gonna say the MP3 player, but since we're talking reefs, I'll go with a controller that alerts my phone and PC if there is a problem.

 

[Capt_Cully]

My Neptune Aquacontroller Jr. It does so much and overall, for not that much $$$.

 

[Conesus_Kid]

Using the drain line on my skimmer cup. Cleaning it once a week is better than emptying it daily. :thumbsup:

 

[shawna1972]

Using the drain line on my skimmer cup. Cleaning it once a week is better than emptying it daily. :thumbsup:

I agree daily is a pita,

 

[Piazzon12]

Using the drain line on my skimmer cup. Cleaning it once a week is better than emptying it daily. :thumbsup:

I thought about this, but every now and again my skimmer goes nuts and overflows.... so I'm too scared to set this up.

 

[mnemonix]

The list is huge for my.
3 purchases that changed my reefing habits 100% each time were:
- hammerhead mag cleaner - the best mag float ever built.
- vortech mp40w - cant believe I kept SPS without them.
- tunze osmolator auto topoff, best single tool i ever added for basis stability of a water parameter.

 

[Newreeflady]

ATO

Peristaltic pump for dosing 2-part (but, if I couldn't have this it'd be a Ca reactor all the way!)

Auto-feeder for vacations.

 

[reefscape15]

HOB refugium for me. I will NEVER have another tank setup without some type of refugium attached to the system.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

re: I couldn't live without it

re: I couldn't live without it

E Z blade stainless steel blade attachment. It's cheap. It's effective. Glue it on a cleaning magnet to EASILY remove corallines from glass.
Thank you Dr. Klier

 

[livingstone]

Refugium

Refugium

HOB refugium for me. I will NEVER have another tank setup without some type of refugium attached to the system.

Absolutely! It's the refugium I can't believe I tried to do without.

 

[drbronx]

I can't believe I lived without a foxface lo. While they are far from the most attractive fish in the ocean, they are absolutely indespensible due to their incredible appetite for algae, including bubble algae. Since adding foxfaces to my home display, office and zoo tanks, I have not seen a hint of green hair or bubble algaes. They are the lazy reefer's dream. Since adding them, I have seen no need for cleaner invertabrates since their efforts pale in comparison. They are still cool to watch so I still keep them around but I am less likely to replace them as their numbers dwindle over time. Cool thread idea by the way Jackson~!