What’s your biggest headache in reef tank care?”

[Millsc]

Hello,

My name’s Charlotte. I’ve been keeping a 240L tropical tank for the past 2 years and moved into marine about 18 months ago. I now run a 640L reef system with two Spiny Pufferfish, a Vampire Tang, Foxface, Bannerfish, Snowflake and Zebra Eel — to name a few!

Since running these tanks, I’ve realised how fragmented the management is — different tools, systems, and apps all doing separate jobs. That’s why I’m working on something new called Smart Aquarium OS — a system designed to take the stress out of aquarium keeping by automating chores and predicting problems before they happen.

Before I go too far, I’d love to get insights from fellow hobbyists. I’ve put together a super short (2-minute) survey about the biggest pain points in aquarium care:

Take the survey here

Your feedback will:
Help shape a solution that could save hours every week
Provide social proof to show there’s demand for smarter tech in the hobby
Give you early access to updates and beta invites

Thanks in advance — every response really helps! My aim is to make aquarium keeping safer, simpler, and more enjoyable for all of us.

Question for the group: What’s the one task you’d love to never have to do again in your tank?

Charlotte

 

[Uncle99]

Hello,

My name’s Charlotte. I’ve been keeping a 240L tropical tank for the past 2 years and moved into marine about 18 months ago. I now run a 640L reef system with two Spiny Pufferfish, a Vampire Tang, Foxface, Bannerfish, Snowflake and Zebra Eel — to name a few!

Since running these tanks, I’ve realised how fragmented the management is — different tools, systems, and apps all doing separate jobs. That’s why I’m working on something new called Smart Aquarium OS — a system designed to take the stress out of aquarium keeping by automating chores and predicting problems before they happen.

Before I go too far, I’d love to get insights from fellow hobbyists. I’ve put together a super short (2-minute) survey about the biggest pain points in aquarium care:

Take the survey here

Your feedback will:
Help shape a solution that could save hours every week
Provide social proof to show there’s demand for smarter tech in the hobby
Give you early access to updates and beta invites

Thanks in advance — every response really helps! My aim is to make aquarium keeping safer, simpler, and more enjoyable for all of us.

Question for the group: What’s the one task you’d love to never have to do again in your tank?

Charlotte

While I always support automation, IMM, these things can fail like anything else.
I have a $1000 system to test and adjust water chemistry. At first it was fun.
But at some point, the probes go out of calibration and the results, disasterous.

So except for an ATO, a Doser and a temp controller, all else not being used now.

 

[wvned]

Cleaning the glass is my biggest problem.

 

[Millsc]

Thank you for your responses I also find glass cleaning a bit of a pain there is always a spot i find that i have missed. Whilst i'm looking into the idea of automation i am also looking into the idea of more rhobust sensors that detect unwanted elements within the water chemistry, early detection of fish sickness to prevent spread throughout the tank. These are just some ideas i have floating around that I have thought of over the past few years that i would find helpful.

Please fill in the survey if you too experience annoyances that you feel there should be a solution within the hobby but has yet to be fully developed or needs an integrated solution.

Take the survey here

Your feedback will:
Help shape a solution that could save hours every week
Provide social proof to show there’s demand for smarter tech in the hobby
Give you early access to updates and beta invites

Thanks in advance — every response really helps! My aim is to make aquarium keeping safer, simpler, and more enjoyable for all of us

 

[Paul B]

My reef has been running 55 years, and I don't find it stressful at all, but the first few years were kind of stressful. I think after a number of years the stress lessens every year and as you get successful you learn how to eliminate any stressful occurrences.

If it is "stressful", why do it?

I do run a natural tank so there are very few stressful moments as I really don't hardly test or dose, do very few water changes and never have to quarantine or medicate so that reduces a lot of stress along with work.

That kind of tank is just relaxation and nothing I would call work. But it does take a number of years before you can get there so your methods make sense to me at least for a newer aquarist.

 

[Guygettnby]

For me it's finding the time for the regular maintenance, but the more mature the tank is and if the filtration is setup good, everything becomes easier in time. With my older tanks, I would get away with not doing water changes or anything for a couple months. ATO is a must have for me, but you must make sure you check everything out and clean sensors. Nothing is a guarantee and things could go wrong. Luckily I have never had an issue there and living in florida, my tanks never needed a heater or chiller.

 

[game misconduct]

hands on is my preferred method makin a mess getting my hands dirty/wet is just more satisfying to me