Giving it up.

[Katchupoy]

Oh I forgot. I floss heavily. Three days, wash, and then put it back. I am bare bottom and power heads are pointing to the floor so the floss can catch it. That's the only maintenance I do. Clean the glass, wash the floss.

It is terrible I know, but it works with my busy schedule... And other hobbies...

 

[N1Husker]

I

I am not saying you do what I do, but I have this tank for 18 years now and there are so many times I want to quit to the point to just give it away.... But for some reason, even if I intentionally neglect the tank, it still hanging there for me.

Define neglect?

Well what about water change twice a year? Or feed the tank with one brand of flakes for the last 15 years? I think that is the worst one can do to a tank, but the tank is still there for me...

Maybe you can stretch your regimen schedule to make it work for you? Instead of you working for it?

I am going to stretch out my water changes, since I have a light bioload. I feed a frozen cube in the morning and either Seachem flakes or New Spectrum 1mm pellets in the evening, fed every other day.I have a saying that I used to teach to my truck driving students and I follow, “take care your equipment and it will take care of you.” What’s good for trucking, is good for our hibby.

 

[N1Husker]

Oh I forgot. I floss heavily. Three days, wash, and then put it back. I am bare bottom and power heads are pointing to the floor so the floss can catch it. That's the only maintenance I do. Clean the glass, wash the floss.

It is terrible I know, but it works with my busy schedule... And other hobbies...

I have a sand bottom, sugar sand. No floss, except when I clean the sump.

 

[Katchupoy]

May I ask you N1H,. Which part of the water change is hard for you? If you are going to dissect it step by step?

For me, it is the carrying of 5 gallon water from 2nd floor to 1st floor through the stairs... That is the hardest part.

Now maybe in your case it is different? And maybe we can focus a solution to that specific problem. So you can continue doing your regimen?

 

[N1Husker]

May I ask you N1H,. Which part of the water change is hard for you? If you are going to dissect it step by step?

For me, it is the carrying of 5 gallon water from 2nd floor to 1st floor through the stairs... That is the hardest part.

Now maybe in your case it is different? And maybe we can focus a solution to that specific problem. So you can continue doing your regimen?

It’s carrying the buckets from my RODI place into the fish room, where my sump is located. I have a foot that has a serious medical problem, it’s called charkots. It’s basically, my bones have atrophied and break easily. It gets very painful. I am supposed to limit my walking on it. I am also 69 years old and not as spry as I once was. I only fill 8 buckets up with 3 gallons in each bucket, then change out 24 gallons, when I perform a water change. That is the main problem I encounter, the rest I can handle fine. I’ve got a walker that has a seat on it, so what I am planning on doing is, putting the bucket on the seat and transport it via the walker. Everything is on the same floor, there is only one floor. My house is small and I am limited on room.

 

[Randy]

It’s carrying the buckets from my RODI place into the fish room, where my sump is located. I have a foot that has a serious medical problem, it’s called charkots. It’s basically, my bones have atrophied and break easily. It gets very painful. I am supposed to limit my walking on it. I am also 69 years old and not as spry as I once was. I only fill 8 buckets up with 3 gallons in each bucket, then change out 24 gallons, when I perform a water change. That is the main problem I encounter, the rest I can handle fine. I’ve got a walker that has a seat on it, so what I am planning on doing is, putting the bucket on the seat and transport it via the walker. Everything is on the same floor, there is only one floor. My house is small and I am limited on room.

Husker. I have stopped doing water changes. It’s been about 2 years now. Many reefers are going this route. Check out triton method on line. It can be modified to meet your needs. Refugium is essential. I never harvest any cheato. In twelve years of reefing this has been my most productive period. No algae healthy fish and corals.
let me know if you would like more info.

 

[Katchupoy]

Would it be possible to bring the RODI tube close to the tank? And fill the reservoir there?

Another option is to have another reservoir close to the tank with similar or bigger capacity than the first reservoir? Then you just use a long hose to connect the two? So that you don't have to carry it? And when dont, just roll the hose back?

 

[spieszak]

My Rodi is in the basement and I have to pump it upstairs.
Got a $15 wifi outlet and can turn the pump on and off with my phone or alexa.
Seems like that could be a quick something you could do at pretty low cost to eek out a little more time

 

[Katchupoy]

On a side note. Speaking of those smart switches. I have these, and they are so fun that I use 8 of them on my tank. For the lights, and pumps,

Smart plug, Gosund Mini Wifi Outlet Works With Alexa, Google Home & IFTTT, No Hub Required, Remote Control Your Home Appliances from Anywhere, ETL Certified,Only Supports 2.4GHz Network(4 Pieces) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079MFTYMV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GWCYDbYPM19YR

 

[spieszak]

I have an apex for the tanks, but I think its a waste to use those outlets for light timers ... so I use the wifi outlets for that.
(if they weren't LEDS and I might need to do something with them if the tank got hot or something, that'd be different)
They have power bars too.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

@N1Husker have you looked into an Algae Scrubber?

I have my own 120g tank and another 144g that I maintain at a local dentist office. I haven't done a water change on either tank in 3 years. Now, that's not necessarily the best thing to do, I understand that...but there's been no need from a perspective of nutrient reduction to do water changes.

These are not lightly stocked tanks either, they are medium stocked, maybe more. The 144 has a 6" Blue Tang, 6" Angel, 5" Yellow Tang, and a smattering of fat & happy smaller fish (because the office staff over-feeds them) and no algae problems

My personal tank is a bit of a different story, overfed, underfiltered, kind of a long term non-harmful LARS test system. There's some algae in there but fish are all healthy

But seriously, I make them (Turbo's Aquatics) so I may be biased but many others will tell you the same thing, so do your research. Natural filtration is the best.

 

[N1Husker]

@N1Husker have you looked into an Algae Scrubber?

I have my own 120g tank and another 144g that I maintain at a local dentist office. I haven't done a water change on either tank in 3 years. Now, that's not necessarily the best thing to do, I understand that...but there's been no need from a perspective of nutrient reduction to do water changes.

These are not lightly stocked tanks either, they are medium stocked, maybe more. The 144 has a 6" Blue Tang, 6" Angel, 5" Yellow Tang, and a smattering of fat & happy smaller fish (because the office staff over-feeds them) and no algae problems

My personal tank is a bit of a different story, overfed, underfiltered, kind of a long term non-harmful LARS test system. There's some algae in there but fish are all healthy

But seriously, I make them (Turbo's Aquatics) so I may be biased but many others will tell you the same thing, so do your research. Natural filtration is the best.

I don’t need an algae scrubber, I have hardly any algae. I get a little that collects along my overflow slots, but that just pulls off. I don’t have any anywhere else.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

I don’t need an algae scrubber, I have hardly any algae

I wasn't suggesting that you did - but an algae scrubber is not only for battling algae, it's for nutrient control. You mentioned this:

I’m 69 years old and doing the water changes and other maintenance is becoming increasingly more difficult.

An algae scrubber would reduce the need for water changes (it would eliminate it completely if you were only doing water changes for nutrient control) and would likely take the edge off other maintenance as well. Namely, you might be able to eliminate some or all other filtration.

 

[N1Husker]

Update on my tank. My son and wife went out and picked up a 50 gallon, white plastic drum and he is going to redo my sump room. He is going to plumb my RODI unit off of the water heater plumbing so it can be much more automated for me when I do water changes. Once we get over this virus thing, my grandson can come over from U of W/Bothell and help. He is self quarantined and doesn’t want to come over and possibly infect us. He’s around a lot of people.

 

[spieszak]

That's great to hear

 

[xkozbenimx]

I think you should keep looking, even if it's hard, I don't think you want to be deprived of this pleasure.








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[N1Husker]

I think you should keep looking, even if it's hard, I don't think you want to be deprived of this pleasure.

My sump room is all finished. I have my RODI filter unit, 55 gallon plastic drum, cut down to 35 gallons, equipped with heaters and powerheads and a reinforced vinyl hose that I unhook and can drain into the sump for water change. It is so much easier. I’m okay now, at least a few more years. I’ll be 70 in a couple more months and it’s going to make it a lot easier for me.







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