Gallons per hour???

[dragoneggs]

Okay, not sure how this poll is going to go but I am wondering if there is an 'efficient' tank volume where you get most gallons per hour. Not even sure how one starts a poll but I think I need two pieces of information. First how many hours per week do you spend on your tank? Second, how big is your tank? Krish, help me out if I can't get this going right.

 

[dragoneggs]

I think I already screwed this up... I think the poll choices need to be revised to more hours after thinking about it but I can't seem to change the poll choices.

 

[thatguy559]

im confused thread states Gallons per hour....Poll states How many hours i spend looking at my tank?...

 

[Krish]

Lol! What do you want them changed to Mark? Let me know and I can change them or if you want to start the entire poll over let me know. I can delete this one and you can start another. Also, when setting up a poll you can put it to accept multiple choices (ie 2 votes) if you need it that way, but it has to be set up like that from the get go.

 

[Krish]

So I re-read your post Mark and a bit back on your pm about it I think I kinda get what you are trying to find out. You want to know if there is that perfect sized tank that only requires so much attention per week? Is that right? I would think "generally" speaking the smaller tanks might be the winners if this is the case, but still so many things to factor in. Alot of people only change 10-20% of their water every week. 10-20% on a 20 gal will take a lot less time than a person doing the same percentage water change on a 250 gal tank. Then there are those with sand beds who need to vaccum and those who are bare bottom that don't need their tank bottom vacuumed. Then there are people with fuges that need pruning/harvesting and those who don't run a fuge so no time needed there. Those who have auto top-offs and those who have to top off manually themselves. Those who make their own water (ro/di units) or those that actually have to go out, buy their water lug it back home then mix up a batch of salt water. Then there are those with reactors which dose for them and then those who have to test first then mix up a batch of whatever to dose the tank. So many things to factor in that consumes tank time. Probably won't find that perfect sized tank because of these things. Just a thought if I have what you are asking right.

 

[Skimmy]

i voted 1-3 hr per week, and i have a 20g softy/lps tank w/20g sump.
biopellets in a TLF reactor powered by a mj-1200,
and a SWC 120 cone skimmer, W/C every 2 weeks.

 

[NWDiver]

If I'm getting the idea, you want to know "how many hours" and "how large is the tank". It seems to me that another important metric would be how new the system is. I find that I have to spend less time on maintanence as the tank matures and I figure out time saving methods. I think that new folk like me spend more time working because we don't know what the heck we are doing part of the time

 

[jrgilles]

Put less than an hour. Maybe its 1-2 hours. Feeding about 4 times a week, ranging from 3 minutes to 10 minutes depending what I'm feeding. Average at 5 is 20 minutes.

Then glass cleaning, when is needed maybe every 2 weeks, but isn't bad: 10-15 minutes.

Water change and running my RO/DI, maybe 20 minutes of actual work, but the rodi runs for way longer than that.

 

[dragoneggs]

Yeah you guys are all on the right track. I know it really requires two polls that are linked. One, how many hours per week. and Two, how big is the tank. Me thinks Krish already said it best as it depends also on the automation of your system, especially when you start going above 50 to 75 gallons as the evap amounts, water changes, etc get to be a pain in the arse if you haven't automated. But that being said, I still appreciate the responses so far explaining how big and your what is taking your time. I found out a long time ago that I spent a lot of time diddling around thinking it would help the tank. Now I have automated the mundane things and observe, test when it seems something is changed, and spend the rest of the time researching on why something died. I don't know if people are as anal as I am but I research and read a whole bunch but I can't say I have put that into the equation for the poll. Let's let it roll for now.

 

[user 2204]

I currently have 20L, 20H and a 10G running and spend about 2-3 hours a week on maintenance stuff. Top off water daily on both the 20's. And always check the tanks daily for just a quick visual considering they're all in the computer room.

 

[dragoneggs]

Wow! A couple votes more than 10 hours a week! Does that include time spent on Reef Frontiers? LOL