How Would You Do it?

[s@ndm@n]

Hello, is there a way to set up a tank without the need for expensive testing and tank monitor equipment? Is there a method that is fool proof and does not use a lot of equipment and is healthy and stable?

[downbeach]

There's no fool proof method, even with the most expensive equipment and testing equipment.

[bassick]

You dont need any monitoring equipment to have a successful reef tank. On the other hand good quality tests are worth their weight in gold.

[Timfish]

Read up on Lee Chin Eng's system. Design for redundancy and plan out what happens when each piece of equipment fails. Include individual outlets in power strips especially if you use controllers as an outlet can fail "On" as well as "Off". Here's a video of a system I maintain with just 4 internal power heads and a couple air pumps.

http://youtu.be/-eCQSVdqBQA

[Butch01]

Read up on Lee Chin Eng's system. Design for redundancy and plan out what happens when each piece of equipment fails. Include individual outlets in power strips especially if you use controllers as an outlet can fail "On" as well as "Off". Here's a video of a system I maintain with just 4 internal power heads and a couple air pumps.

http://youtu.be/-eCQSVdqBQA


So you have no sump, skimmer, etc?? That's incredible!!

[s@ndm@n]

You dont need any monitoring equipment to have a successful reef tank. On the other hand good quality tests are worth their weight in gold.


What would be the best testing test kits and what should I monitor if your don't mind me asking, I know SG? Thank you for your help

[hkgar]

My first tank was a 40B and the only equipment was a skimmer and an Aquclear 70 HOB filter, and test for Ammonia, Nitrite and ammonia. I don't think I even had a heater since the setup was in Florida.
That was a long time ago. Now I have nah, you don't want to know. Just like everything in this hobby go slowly and add what you can when you can. Just work within the parameters of what you have. With my first basic setup would not work for more than softy corals and a few easy to keep basic fish.

[HidingReefer]

Call me a bad reefer, (been reefing for two years now) but i've been running my 90 gallon reef without testing, all the corals are growing fine, some are even growing fast. You don't need expensive monitoring equipment to run a good reef like someone said above, I would monitor nitrate, phosphate, alk, and calcium. But again, I don't, simply because I haven't had the need too (so far)

[s@ndm@n]

My first tank was a 40B and the only equipment was a skimmer and an Aquclear 70 HOB filter, and test for Ammonia, Nitrite and ammonia. I don't think I even had a heater since the setup was in Florida. That was a long time ago. Now I have nah, you don't want to know. Just like everything in this hobby go slowly and add what you can when you can. Just work within the parameters of what you have. With my first basic setup would not work for more than softy corals and a few easy to keep basic fish.


Thanks you

[s@ndm@n]

Call me a bad reefer, (been reefing for two years now) but i've been running my 90 gallon reef without testing, all the corals are growing fine, some are even growing fast. You don't need expensive monitoring equipment to run a good reef like someone said above, I would monitor nitrate, phosphate, alk, and calcium. But again, I don't, simply because I haven't had the need too (so far)


Thank you

[Green Chromis]

Call me a bad reefer, (been reefing for two years now) but i've been running my 90 gallon reef without testing, all the corals are growing fine, some are even growing fast. You don't need expensive monitoring equipment to run a good reef like someone said above, I would monitor nitrate, phosphate, alk, and calcium. But again, I don't, simply because I haven't had the need too (so far) :fish1: Ok, your a bad reefer, but on a serious note, I very seldom test my system anymore, but use my vision to observe the tank, and at first signs of a problem, I will do some water test. When you first set up your system, I would do the normal water test until your system stabilizes. I used fresh ocean collected sand and a very high quality live rock to establish my system, and did very little water testing, and just observed the tank for any problems, but that is the way I did it, and I would not recommend this method to someone who is just starting out. It usually takes years in this hobby to be able to just observe your system, and notice a change or problem in your system. :fish1:

[ReefsandGeeks]

It is more important to monitor closely, and test more frequently when the system is not mature yet <6months, not yet cycled, or if any problems are ongoing. If everything has been going well in my system, I only occasionally check a few parameters to see if everything is inline before a problem starts, maybe once a month. If I know something is going one I will test weekly.

you can have a successful tank without ever testing anything, BUT this is much less likely, as water parameters get out of line and it can be very difficult to know what is going wrong without testing. This is why almost all experienced reefers harp on testing so much. After everything that is invested in a tank and livestock, quality test kits start to look like a really good deal.

I've run my reef for a while with minimal test kits in an effort to save money. I admit I was able to keep a variety of coral with success for the most part. But I've since added a good test kit here and there and have been able to keep my water quality better, see better color and growth from coral, and keep algae growth down. I do use my eye as the first test, and if I see any issue, I do an actual test to find what's up with the water quality. It's less stressful for me to KNOW what my parameters are, rather than guessing like I used to. My fish and coral appreciate it too.

[s@ndm@n]

:fish1: Ok, your a bad reefer, but on a serious note, I very seldom test my system anymore, but use my vision to observe the tank, and at first signs of a problem, I will do some water test. When you first set up your system, I would do the normal water test until your system stabilizes. I used fresh ocean collected sand and a very high quality live rock to establish my system, and did very little water testing, and just observed the tank for any problems, but that is the way I did it, and I would not recommend this method to someone who is just starting out. It usually takes years in this hobby to be able to just observe your system, and notice a change or problem in your system. :fish1:


Thank you for your response

[s@ndm@n]

It is more important to monitor closely, and test more frequently when the system is not mature yet <6months, not yet cycled, or if any problems are ongoing. If everything has been going well in my system, I only occasionally check a few parameters to see if everything is inline before a problem starts, maybe once a month. If I know something is going one I will test weekly. you can have a successful tank without ever testing anything, BUT this is much less likely, as water parameters get out of line and it can be very difficult to know what is going wrong without testing. This is why almost all experienced reefers harp on testing so much. After everything that is invested in a tank and livestock, quality test kits start to look like a really good deal. I've run my reef for a while with minimal test kits in an effort to save money. I admit I was able to keep a variety of coral with success for the most part. But I've since added a good test kit here and there and have been able to keep my water quality better, see better color and growth from coral, and keep algae growth down. I do use my eye as the first test, and if I see any issue, I do an actual test to find what's up with the water quality. It's less stressful for me to KNOW what my parameters are, rather than guessing like I used to. My fish and coral appreciate it too.

Thank you for your response

[hkgar]

Thanks you

You're welcome.

[Potatohead]

If you are keeping soft corals/zoas/even some LPS then I can see never having to test anything really. With SPS or clams or whatever then you're going to need to do more testing

[s@ndm@n]

If you are keeping soft corals/zoas/even some LPS then I can see never having to test anything really. With SPS or clams or whatever then you're going to need to do more testing


Wow, those creatures seem very interesting, thanks for the advice.

[NS Mike D]

Check out the nano forum, there are some beautiful simple tanks in there with little to no monitoring, dosing etc equipment. Going without a good test kit will be very difficult for someone new to the hobby since it does take time for a tank to mature - which translates to developing the micro fauna and other small life that will enable you tank to create a balanced re-cycling of nutrients.

As you have read, the key for a low tech, low budget tank is a well thought out stocking plan. If you want fish, you will be feeding them and they will create waste that will feed bacteria which will create waste that will feed algae and annoy the most sensitive corals.

You don't need all that expensive dosing/topping off equipment if you do it manually. Don't dose if you don't test. Stick with regular water changes, but keep in mind that a 10% water change will only remove 10% of what you want to remove, and only replenish 10% of what you want to resupply.

As some have said, once your tank is mature and you have a much better understanding of it, you don't need to test as often. I test monthly now since I my weekly numbers were very stable and the cyano on the sand bed and algae growth on the glass are just as accurate for me.

The stakes are higher when you venture into harder to keep corals which are also more expensive, so spending money on equipment and test kits makes good sense to protect your investment. My tank is stocked with a lot of beautiful, healthy corals I picked up as $10 frags from my LFS. and have survived a lot of mistakes along the way.

I don't have expensive dosing or monitoring equipment - I have a 29 gal tank with a 5gal HOB refugium. I could easily live without my skimmer and my bio-pellet reactor if I wasn't so heck bent on keeping SPS coral in my tank along with way too many fish.

Lights will cost you a few bucks, with a small tank and less demanding soft corals, you can get by on $100 LEDS, and that's more than a basic test kit.

[reef thief]

Run a pipe to the ocean and have it on a continuous cycle for the rest of your life.