LowTech Reefs Come on in!

Clownfish221 · 06/11/2015, 08:18 PM

Just curious as to how many people here have low tech setups and that are succesful.

Would love to check out your tanks
show us pictures
thanks guys, happy reefing!!

kraftyforu · 06/11/2015, 11:31 PM

I think mine is pretty "low tech". Don't have a controller of any sort. Maybe once every 3 months or so I'll do a water change. Dont dose anything. Just got a skimmer about a month ago.

And lastly a very outdated full tank
shot

reeftanker3295 · 06/12/2015, 12:23 AM

Wow beautiful tank! I wish I could let my tank go 3 months without a wc, anything longer than a week right now and my water gets cloudy and corals close up... how much/often do you feed that tank and what's the bioload like?

A sea K · 06/12/2015, 07:37 AM

My little nano is low tech. Too early yet to be considered successful. It has a light and a dinky little corner powerfilter and thats all. I will probably install a heater before winter starts coming on as that is when my house temp really starts to fluctuate between day and night.

3dees · 06/12/2015, 10:25 AM

my 120 gal. is very low tech. no sump, hob skimmer, two jeboa powerheads, two Chinese dimmable led units. 15% wc every two weeks. going on two years.

BleuFish · 06/12/2015, 11:00 AM

Mine is pretty similar to 3dees. No sump, no dosing, just a reef octopus bh-2000 hob skimmer only run it for 8 hours a day bc of noise, Koralia and jeboa rw8 powerheads, two Chinese dimmable led units, and a heater. Recently changed my WC schedule to doing 5-6 week 35% WCs with RC. Tanks been up for 1.6 years

kraftyforu · 06/12/2015, 12:25 PM

I feed it a generous pinch of pellet food once every 2 out of 3 days. On that 3rd day when I'm at work I have no idea how much or even if it gets fed(sometimes the kids want to "help" by feeding them). I only have 2 fish, a banded serpent star , 2 hermit crabs, and a bunch of mini brittle stars, astrina stars, and stomatella snails.

Clownfish221 · 06/12/2015, 04:41 PM

Nice tank man danmmm that thing is beautiful krafty your corals have got some serious growth lol !!!

Clownfish221 · 06/12/2015, 04:43 PM

Hey guys im new new to the forum so can you help me as to how can i post pictures on here would love to show you guys my tank ? It is a nano hehe.

ocellaris123 · 06/12/2015, 05:05 PM

Here is mine, 2 years running,

no sump, hob reef octopus protein skimmer, hand dose, barely test parameters and 3 mp10's. I do 10 gallon water changes weekly.

Azedenkae · 06/12/2015, 05:22 PM

How do you define 'low-tech'?

CStrickland · 06/12/2015, 05:31 PM

Dayum Ocellaris! That's the first pic that's really made me question my cheap Chinese LED's. If you don't mind, how many gallons and what do you dose?

I'll contribute my low tech sump, she ain't pretty but she filters. lol
I had a lot of fun building a ghetto overflow, but so far I haven't needed a skimmer or an ato so I never got around to actually plumbing the whole thing. I <3 my diy filter socks, all my little coral frags are becoming slightly larger frags by the day

BleuFish · 06/12/2015, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clownfish221

Hey guys im new new to the forum so can you help me as to how can i post pictures on here would love to show you guys my tank ? It is a nano hehe.

I send the photo to my email then right click on it and copy image location. Then start making a post on reefcentral go advanced, and click on insert image icon, then first delete the http://, then paste.

If it worked you should be able to preview the post to see if it worked.

ocellaris123 · 06/12/2015, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CStrickland

Dayum Ocellaris! That's the first pic that's really made me question my cheap Chinese LED's. If you don't mind, how many gallons and what do you dose?

I'll contribute my low tech sump, she ain't pretty but she filters. lol
I had a lot of fun building a ghetto overflow, but so far I haven't needed a skimmer or an ato so I never got around to actually plumbing the whole thing. I <3 my diy filter socks, all my little coral frags are becoming slightly larger frags by the day

Hey, 80 gallons, and I dose reef fusion 1 and 2, and three times a week I put in some a and b reef energy

Clownfish221 · 06/12/2015, 07:30 PM

Bleu fish thanks alot dude ! And ocellaris dude your tank is supper nice. defintion of no special gadgetry needed for a appealing tank.!

kzeller · 08/02/2015, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kraftyforu

I think mine is pretty "low tech". Don't have a controller of any sort. Maybe once every 3 months or so I'll do a water change. Dont dose anything. Just got a skimmer about a month ago.

And lastly a very outdated full tank
shot

What lighting are you using?

kzeller · 08/02/2015, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3dees

my 120 gal. is very low tech. no sump, hob skimmer, two jeboa powerheads, two Chinese dimmable led units. 15% wc every two weeks. going on two years.

Lighting?

kzeller · 08/02/2015, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ocellaris123

Here is mine, 2 years running,

no sump, hob reef octopus protein skimmer, hand dose, barely test parameters and 3 mp10's. I do 10 gallon water changes weekly.

I really like that glow that ur tank has. What lights are you using to make that effect?

3dees · 08/03/2015, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kzeller

Lighting?

two Chinese dimmable led's.

Nano sapiens · 08/03/2015, 10:11 AM

A fair number of nanos are run 'low tech'. This 12g AIO has been running for 7 years with just a heater, pump, Hydor rotating return, LR, LS, no chemical media or mechanical filtration and 10% WCs):

All corals grown from finger nail sized pieces.

borderreef · 08/03/2015, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CStrickland

Dayum Ocellaris! That's the first pic that's really made me question my cheap Chinese LED's. If you don't mind, how many gallons and what do you dose?

I'll contribute my low tech sump, she ain't pretty but she filters. lol
I had a lot of fun building a ghetto overflow, but so far I haven't needed a skimmer or an ato so I never got around to actually plumbing the whole thing. I <3 my diy filter socks, all my little coral frags are becoming slightly larger frags by the day

I love this!!

kraftyforu · 08/03/2015, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kzeller

What lighting are you using?

I have a Current 2X 250w HQI/4X54w T5 fixture.

whosurcaddie · 08/03/2015, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ocellaris123

Here is mine, 2 years running,

no sump, hob reef octopus protein skimmer, hand dose, barely test parameters and 3 mp10's. I do 10 gallon water changes weekly.

This is beautiful! How long has the tank been running? I love the contrast of those stags, they're absolutely nuts.

Corona007 · 08/04/2015, 10:43 AM

Beautiful tank ocellaris!!

Corona007 · 08/07/2015, 04:38 PM

20g mixed reef, pretty low tech. No chem's ie gfo, activate carbon ect, no supplements.
Home made skimmer, hydra 26 @10~15k
Just fish poop and sunshine. PO3 <5 PO4 .02.
10% water change every 4 weeks the last 3 months.
Would like to get an dedicated SPS reef someday

.
Need a little cleaning in this picture. Just lazy lol

06/11/2015, 08:18 PM	#1
Clownfish221 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 26	LowTech Reefs Come on in! Just curious as to how many people here have low tech setups and that are succesful. Would love to check out your tanks show us pictures thanks guys, happy reefing!!

06/12/2015, 07:37 AM	#4
A sea K Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Branford Fl Posts: 3,024	My little nano is low tech. Too early yet to be considered successful. It has a light and a dinky little corner powerfilter and thats all. I will probably install a heater before winter starts coming on as that is when my house temp really starts to fluctuate between day and night. __________________ I am not a pro so excuse me if I'm wrong. Current Tank Info: 30gal Deep Blue rimless 9/10/2014, 80gal Deep Blue rimless 40gal sump/refugium 9/11/16 LPS reef, 2 x Kessil A160 with a single Maxspect Razor, RO Prime 150INT skimmer, Sicce 3 return pump, Vortech MP40 and MP10

06/12/2015, 11:00 AM	#6
BleuFish Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Socal Posts: 119	Mine is pretty similar to 3dees. No sump, no dosing, just a reef octopus bh-2000 hob skimmer only run it for 8 hours a day bc of noise, Koralia and jeboa rw8 powerheads, two Chinese dimmable led units, and a heater. Recently changed my WC schedule to doing 5-6 week 35% WCs with RC. Tanks been up for 1.6 years __________________ Current Tank Info: 75 gallon softie and lps tank

06/12/2015, 05:31 PM	#12
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	Dayum Ocellaris! That's the first pic that's really made me question my cheap Chinese LED's. If you don't mind, how many gallons and what do you dose? I'll contribute my low tech sump, she ain't pretty but she filters. lol I had a lot of fun building a ghetto overflow, but so far I haven't needed a skimmer or an ato so I never got around to actually plumbing the whole thing. I <3 my diy filter socks, all my little coral frags are becoming slightly larger frags by the day __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

08/03/2015, 10:11 AM	#20
Nano sapiens Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: East Bay, Northern California Posts: 658	A fair number of nanos are run 'low tech'. This 12g AIO has been running for 7 years with just a heater, pump, Hydor rotating return, LR, LS, no chemical media or mechanical filtration and 10% WCs): All corals grown from finger nail sized pieces. Last edited by Nano sapiens; 08/03/2015 at 10:24 AM.

06/11/2015, 11:31 PM	#2
kraftyforu Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Wetumpka, alabama Posts: 637	I think mine is pretty "low tech". Don't have a controller of any sort. Maybe once every 3 months or so I'll do a water change. Dont dose anything. Just got a skimmer about a month ago. And lastly a very outdated full tank shot

06/12/2015, 12:23 AM	#3
reeftanker3295 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 192	Wow beautiful tank! I wish I could let my tank go 3 months without a wc, anything longer than a week right now and my water gets cloudy and corals close up... how much/often do you feed that tank and what's the bioload like?

06/12/2015, 12:25 PM	#7
kraftyforu Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Wetumpka, alabama Posts: 637	I feed it a generous pinch of pellet food once every 2 out of 3 days. On that 3rd day when I'm at work I have no idea how much or even if it gets fed(sometimes the kids want to "help" by feeding them). I only have 2 fish, a banded serpent star , 2 hermit crabs, and a bunch of mini brittle stars, astrina stars, and stomatella snails.

06/12/2015, 04:41 PM	#8
Clownfish221 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 26	Nice tank man danmmm that thing is beautiful krafty your corals have got some serious growth lol !!!

06/12/2015, 04:43 PM	#9
Clownfish221 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 26	Hey guys im new new to the forum so can you help me as to how can i post pictures on here would love to show you guys my tank ? It is a nano hehe.

06/12/2015, 05:05 PM	#10
ocellaris123 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 2,123	Here is mine, 2 years running, no sump, hob reef octopus protein skimmer, hand dose, barely test parameters and 3 mp10's. I do 10 gallon water changes weekly.

06/12/2015, 05:22 PM	#11
Azedenkae Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,196	How do you define 'low-tech'?

06/12/2015, 07:30 PM	#15
Clownfish221 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 26	Bleu fish thanks alot dude ! And ocellaris dude your tank is supper nice. defintion of no special gadgetry needed for a appealing tank.!

08/04/2015, 10:43 AM	#24
Corona007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 205	Beautiful tank ocellaris!!

08/07/2015, 04:38 PM	#25
Corona007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 205	Mixed reef 20g mixed reef, pretty low tech. No chem's ie gfo, activate carbon ect, no supplements. Home made skimmer, hydra 26 @10~15k Just fish poop and sunshine. PO3 <5 PO4 .02. 10% water change every 4 weeks the last 3 months. Would like to get an dedicated SPS reef someday . Need a little cleaning in this picture. Just lazy lol