Tank Maintenance. How often do you...

supersaltlick · 05/19/2007, 10:05 AM

...
Top off
Clean glass
Blow off rock
Water change
Clean skimmer
Clean Power heads
Change bulbs
Clean light hoods
Test Parameters

I am trying to establish a maintenance schedule for our new 70g reef tank. Have I covered everything above? Is there anything I shoud add to this list? Thanks

woodycb · 05/19/2007, 10:20 AM

I Top off about every other day. Keep an eye on your specific gravity, as water evaporates salt stays behind thus raising your specific gravity.
I clean glass as needed.
I blow off the rocks with a turkey baster about every 2 weeks.
I do a 5gal water change once a week.
I clean my skimmer, power heads, etc. once a month.
I change bulbs every 6 to 8 months, since I have pc lingting.
I check specific gravity everyday, I test all other parameters once a week.

fancyfish · 05/19/2007, 10:47 AM

I top off automatically. I have a resorvoir in my basement and pull the water up to my tank with an aquamedic dose pump. This is hooked up to a JBJ auto top off unit
I change my water every 10 days or so. I change about 25 gallons so this will total 50 gallons monthly on my 180 gallon with a 40 gallon sump which is about 25% the total volume. sometimes I change a bit more frequently.
I scrape the coraline on the front and sides each time I do a water change. Some times sooner depending on the amount.
I am a bit more lazy with the tunze power heads but clean once every 6 months.
I rarely blow off my rocks with two tunze 6100 I have 6300 gallons per hour in my 180 of flow. Should really do this more.
I change my bulbs about every 8 months
I test my parameters weekly
I clean my skimmer as the need arises. If the production of skimmate falls off or if there is just too much nogg in the neck.
I usually clean the glass on the lights when I do the water change.
Good luck with your system

alan214 · 05/19/2007, 11:07 AM

Looks like you have most everything covered there. Here's my maintenance schedule:

Top off: As needed via auto topoff (Tunze Osmolator)
Clean glass: Weekly
Blow off rock: Monthly
Water change: Monthly
Clean skimmer: Every 3 days
Clean Power heads: 6 months
Change bulbs: Yearly
Clean light hoods: Monthly
Test Parameters: When tank/corals don't look normal. The exception is pH for which I have a Pinpoint meter setup so I watch that daily.

Best of luck to you!
Alan

sabbath · 05/19/2007, 11:36 AM

Good stuff here,
-My add is clean fuge bulb and reflector once a week.
-Most here will say don't do this but works for me. With a 1" sand bed I rake at it lightly to bring out any settled waste. This is done at about 20% of tanks sand every 1.5 months. My Nitrates drop when I do this,so I do it. I think cleaners mostly just poop in it again. Note; Don't touch a DSB!

Toddrtrex · 05/19/2007, 01:57 PM

Top off -- sort of auto -- have gravity fed kalk dosers.

Clean glass -- at least weekly - more of having company over.

Blow off rocks -- at least once a week ((that applies to 2 out of 3 of my tanks -- the 29 is a couple of months old with new rock, and the 75 was redone with all new rock.

Water change -- 5 gal a week for each tank.

Clean skimmer -- empty cup/clean cup couple times a week -- full skimmer clean -- every 6 months or so.

Clean powerheads -- about every 3-4 months -- but clean the intake sponges twice a week -- have anemones that I don't want eaten by the intakes.

Change bulbs -- every 9 months or so. The MH are every 9 months, the PCs on my 75 once a year (should do more often, but get the bulbs [6 65 watt] for Xmas presents.

Clean light hoods -- clean the acrylic about once a month.

Test prams -- about twice a month.

dragonrm · 05/19/2007, 02:24 PM

Top off - every few days
Clean glass - about 2 weeks or so
Blow off rock - never
Water change - when I think about it and I'm bored (3 months or so)
Clean skimmer - once a month - 3 month full clean
Clean Power heads - 3 months
Change bulbs - 3 months PC - color will shift after 3 month or so
Clean light hoods - I have a bare wood hood with no top so I rally don't clean it. But I clean the acrylic top cover while I'm cleaning the power head and skimmer
Test Parameters - only after a water change and that's usually just salinity - full test every 6 months

Nano Chris · 05/19/2007, 04:14 PM

Top off - Every day
Clean glass - Every week
Blow off rock - Every week
Water change - Every week
Clean skimmer - Every 2 weeks
Clean Power heads - When show deturis built up on intakes.
Change bulbs - Have not yet (only 8 months old, soon to replace at 9)
Clean light hoods - Every few weeks
Test Parameters - Test every so often (i do calc/alk/mag to keep them in line)

supersaltlick · 05/19/2007, 07:55 PM

Thanks for all the responses. these help alot.

amike5 · 05/19/2007, 08:23 PM

Top off- I top off automatically
Clean glass- every other day
blow off rocks- never, flow in the tank seems to do this for me.
Water change- about 25% every 5 - 6 weeks
Clean skimmer- about every 6-8 weeks
Clean powerheads- Only have 1 in fuge, about every 2 months
Change bulbs- about 12 months
Clean hood- monthly
Testing- ammonia, nitrite, nitrate about every 2 months; Alk and Calcium, weekly

loves saltwater · 05/19/2007, 08:34 PM

Top off - daily
Clean glass- every other day
Blow off rock- monthly
Water change- once a month
Clean skimmer-once a month
Clean Power heads once a month
Change bulbs-every 6-8 months(T5)
Clean light hoods- monthly
Test Parameters-ammonia, nitrate about every monthly; Alk and Calcium, weekly,Salinity-daily

corals b 4 bills · 05/19/2007, 08:37 PM

Fancyfish you only have 6300 gph in your 180? I have three 6100's in my 155 full blast and I'm considering a fourth because it still doesn't seem like there is enough. do you have a closed loop system to assist in flow?

05/19/2007, 10:05 AM	#1
supersaltlick Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 103	Tank Maintenance. How often do you... ... Top off Clean glass Blow off rock Water change Clean skimmer Clean Power heads Change bulbs Clean light hoods Test Parameters I am trying to establish a maintenance schedule for our new 70g reef tank. Have I covered everything above? Is there anything I shoud add to this list? Thanks

05/19/2007, 10:20 AM	#2
woodycb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: N.W. Ohio Posts: 785	I Top off about every other day. Keep an eye on your specific gravity, as water evaporates salt stays behind thus raising your specific gravity. I clean glass as needed. I blow off the rocks with a turkey baster about every 2 weeks. I do a 5gal water change once a week. I clean my skimmer, power heads, etc. once a month. I change bulbs every 6 to 8 months, since I have pc lingting. I check specific gravity everyday, I test all other parameters once a week. __________________ We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART Current Tank Info: 75 gallon

05/19/2007, 10:47 AM	#3
fancyfish Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,418	I top off automatically. I have a resorvoir in my basement and pull the water up to my tank with an aquamedic dose pump. This is hooked up to a JBJ auto top off unit I change my water every 10 days or so. I change about 25 gallons so this will total 50 gallons monthly on my 180 gallon with a 40 gallon sump which is about 25% the total volume. sometimes I change a bit more frequently. I scrape the coraline on the front and sides each time I do a water change. Some times sooner depending on the amount. I am a bit more lazy with the tunze power heads but clean once every 6 months. I rarely blow off my rocks with two tunze 6100 I have 6300 gallons per hour in my 180 of flow. Should really do this more. I change my bulbs about every 8 months I test my parameters weekly I clean my skimmer as the need arises. If the production of skimmate falls off or if there is just too much nogg in the neck. I usually clean the glass on the lights when I do the water change. Good luck with your system __________________ The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax. Albert Einstein I hate micro-bubbles!! Current Tank Info: 215 gallon oceanic Ultimate with starfire front, 3-250 watt metal halide, 4-36 inch 39 watt T-5 actinic and daylight bulbs, aquamedic turboflotor shorty with mesh mod 3-Tunze Turbelle® stream 6105 with controller, 40 gallon sump

05/19/2007, 11:07 AM	#4
alan214 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The Colony, TX Posts: 1,258	Re: Tank Maintenance. How often do you... Looks like you have most everything covered there. Here's my maintenance schedule: Top off: As needed via auto topoff (Tunze Osmolator) Clean glass: Weekly Blow off rock: Monthly Water change: Monthly Clean skimmer: Every 3 days Clean Power heads: 6 months Change bulbs: Yearly Clean light hoods: Monthly Test Parameters: When tank/corals don't look normal. The exception is pH for which I have a Pinpoint meter setup so I watch that daily. Best of luck to you! Alan __________________ I live really close to the airport. The other day I was walking across the living room and the stewardess told me to take my seat. Current Tank Info: 73G FOWLR

05/19/2007, 01:57 PM	#6
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	Top off -- sort of auto -- have gravity fed kalk dosers. Clean glass -- at least weekly - more of having company over. Blow off rocks -- at least once a week ((that applies to 2 out of 3 of my tanks -- the 29 is a couple of months old with new rock, and the 75 was redone with all new rock. Water change -- 5 gal a week for each tank. Clean skimmer -- empty cup/clean cup couple times a week -- full skimmer clean -- every 6 months or so. Clean powerheads -- about every 3-4 months -- but clean the intake sponges twice a week -- have anemones that I don't want eaten by the intakes. Change bulbs -- every 9 months or so. The MH are every 9 months, the PCs on my 75 once a year (should do more often, but get the bulbs [6 65 watt] for Xmas presents. Clean light hoods -- clean the acrylic about once a month. Test prams -- about twice a month. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

05/19/2007, 11:36 AM	#5
sabbath Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Twin City's Mn. Posts: 1,771	Good stuff here, -My add is clean fuge bulb and reflector once a week. -Most here will say don't do this but works for me. With a 1" sand bed I rake at it lightly to bring out any settled waste. This is done at about 20% of tanks sand every 1.5 months. My Nitrates drop when I do this,so I do it. I think cleaners mostly just poop in it again. Note; Don't touch a DSB!

05/19/2007, 02:24 PM	#7
dragonrm Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: camden Posts: 3	Top off - every few days Clean glass - about 2 weeks or so Blow off rock - never Water change - when I think about it and I'm bored (3 months or so) Clean skimmer - once a month - 3 month full clean Clean Power heads - 3 months Change bulbs - 3 months PC - color will shift after 3 month or so Clean light hoods - I have a bare wood hood with no top so I rally don't clean it. But I clean the acrylic top cover while I'm cleaning the power head and skimmer Test Parameters - only after a water change and that's usually just salinity - full test every 6 months

05/19/2007, 04:14 PM	#8
Nano Chris Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,758	Top off - Every day Clean glass - Every week Blow off rock - Every week Water change - Every week Clean skimmer - Every 2 weeks Clean Power heads - When show deturis built up on intakes. Change bulbs - Have not yet (only 8 months old, soon to replace at 9) Clean light hoods - Every few weeks Test Parameters - Test every so often (i do calc/alk/mag to keep them in line) __________________ Chris ------- 34 Gallon Red Sea Max 130! Setup (Just got back into the hobby) Current Tank Info: 34 Gallon RedSeaMax!

05/19/2007, 07:55 PM	#9
supersaltlick Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 103	Thanks for all the responses. these help alot.

05/19/2007, 08:23 PM	#10
amike5 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Englewood, CO Posts: 724	Top off- I top off automatically Clean glass- every other day blow off rocks- never, flow in the tank seems to do this for me. Water change- about 25% every 5 - 6 weeks Clean skimmer- about every 6-8 weeks Clean powerheads- Only have 1 in fuge, about every 2 months Change bulbs- about 12 months Clean hood- monthly Testing- ammonia, nitrite, nitrate about every 2 months; Alk and Calcium, weekly

05/19/2007, 08:34 PM	#11
loves saltwater Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Katy,Tx Posts: 945	Top off - daily Clean glass- every other day Blow off rock- monthly Water change- once a month Clean skimmer-once a month Clean Power heads once a month Change bulbs-every 6-8 months(T5) Clean light hoods- monthly Test Parameters-ammonia, nitrate about every monthly; Alk and Calcium, weekly,Salinity-daily __________________ Does anyone have the number to Reef Keepers Anonymous! AM- 0 Rite- 0 Rate- 0 Phos- 0 PH- 8.0 SG- 1.026 Cal- 420 KH- 8.0 dKH Alk- 2.51 meg/L Mag- 1350 Temp-78-80 Current Tank Info: 125RR/30 gal DIY sump-fuge/100 lbs of LR/PM Bullet Skimmer/1000GPH Closed loop/T5 4X54 Watt HO

05/19/2007, 08:37 PM	#12
corals b 4 bills Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: San Francisco Bay Area (Belmont). Posts: 2,381	Fancyfish you only have 6300 gph in your 180? I have three 6100's in my 155 full blast and I'm considering a fourth because it still doesn't seem like there is enough. do you have a closed loop system to assist in flow? __________________ Reefkeeper - (ref-ke-per) n: Individual obsessed with placing disturbing amounts of electricity and seawater in close proximity for the purpose of maintaining live coral reef organisms. Current Tank Info: 29 gallon Bio Cube, HQI 150 watt Nanotuner~Vortech MP10W ES~Arctica Chiller~AC II~Tunze Osmolator ATO~ Tunze 9002 skimmer W/In Tank Cup~ Korallin Reactor W/PH Monitor~ Korallin Denitrator~APC Back-up~Phosban/Carbon Reactor.