Hours per week on maintenance

solitude127 · 06/01/2011, 11:39 AM

I was wondering how much time y'all spend doing maintenance on your reef tank. This includes cleaning skimmer cups, changing socks, water changes, changing media, cleaning panes, etc.... this does not include time you spend on RC.

Edit.... This should include time testing water parameters as well.

Captainfester · 06/01/2011, 11:56 AM

about 2 hours and i clean the glass everyday with one of the magnet things as im a lunatic about clean glass

cloak · 06/01/2011, 12:02 PM

It usually takes me about an hour or so to change some water, empty the skimmer, wipe down the reflector, clean the glass etc. This is usually done on a Friday or a Saturday. I try not to fiddle with it the rest of the time.

Kerreefer · 06/01/2011, 12:04 PM

ok so i honestly put 0-2 hours, BUT i spend about 3-4 hours a day just looking at it all... *3 sumps and a dozen repiping's in a years time* dang OCD!

oh and invisible glass from an autoparts store works amaisingly well on the glass!

phenom5 · 06/01/2011, 12:11 PM

20 mins or so a week cleaning out the skimmer cup, few minutes a day running the magnet over the glass, and 30-60 minutes a week to do a water change. Closer to an hour if in need to scrape the back glass or change out the media in my reactor, closer to 30 minutes if it's just a water change.

vorm · 06/01/2011, 12:12 PM

I put 0-2 hours as well, and that my best guys on how much time I spend on actual maintenance, however I often spend way more time than that messing with stuff, as I often can find something to do on my tank even if it's not really needed or necessary.

Dadekster · 06/01/2011, 01:04 PM

Since its per week I figure 2-4 is pretty fair for me but it does ebb and flow according to what is going on in my life. Weekly all I do is clean the front panel and clean the skimmer every 3 or 4 days but once a month is when I do the more serious aka time consuming stuff. This includes water change, water testing, check/clean the intake screens on the two vortechs, check CA reactor, check plumbing/overflow, check RODI unit, check bio-pellet reactor, check phosphate reactor, check fuge, etc etc. If nothing needs any work I can get the major maintenance done in 30 minutes but if anything needs to be taken apart and cleaned or refilled the hours can stack up. Luckily most of that stuff is spaced out over months though.

Agu · 06/01/2011, 03:47 PM

2-4 on my nanos. It takes less time to clean a nano but with 4 tanks every task has to be done 4 times. Also since I don't have ATOs, four kalk dripping bottles have to be refilled every day.

shifty51008 · 06/01/2011, 03:52 PM

i am lucky to spend 30-45 min. a week on my tank. it takes about 10 min to turn a couple ball valves and hit a switch to do a water change, and the other 20 min. depending on what week to change the carbon or GFO. I haven't had to clean my glass for monthes.

solitude127 · 06/01/2011, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shifty51008

i am lucky to spend 30-45 min. a week on my tank. it takes about 10 min to turn a couple ball valves and hit a switch to do a water change, and the other 20 min. depending on what week to change the carbon or GFO. I haven't had to clean my glass for monthes.

WOW, that sounds like a well thought out system.

shifty51008 · 06/01/2011, 04:13 PM

it took me 5 years to finally get everything this automated but IMO worth it. I figure the easier you make things the more often you will do it.

sunil6784 · 06/01/2011, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phenom5

20 mins or so a week cleaning out the skimmer cup, few minutes a day running the magnet over the glass, and 30-60 minutes a week to do a water change. Closer to an hour if in need to scrape the back glass or change out the media in my reactor, closer to 30 minutes if it's just a water change.

Ditto

dzfish17 · 06/01/2011, 04:24 PM

I spend about 2 hrs per week if you include top-off, and feeding. Most of my time is spent cleaning the front pane (4'x8') every week. I also spend about 30 min. every month cleaning my artificial corals. My water change set-up is like the above poster... valves and a switch. I do spend some time everyday checking on livestock and equipment.

milhous3er · 06/01/2011, 04:25 PM

4-6 hours a week. I enjoy doing the manual task on my tank.

powderhound · 06/01/2011, 04:25 PM

Around 3 hours per week. Includes cleaning glass 15 gallon water change manual dosing two part and cleaning skimmer and doing water tests

geccles · 06/01/2011, 05:43 PM

0 - 2 hours, probably pretty close to 2 hours on the average. Having a reef tank is actually less work than when I used to raise discus.

Lynnmw1208 · 06/01/2011, 05:52 PM

I said 0-2 hours as most of my weekly maintenance is using the magfloat on the glass, cleaning stuff out of powerheads, cleaning skimmate and every 3 weeks a water change. I also have to fill up the RO/DI reservoir every week as well. not too bad I guess

0 tds · 06/01/2011, 07:25 PM

2-4 if you include feeding. I do check water parameters every week and do smaller water changes every friday night. Working on setting up an automated water change to do a gallon or so a day.

Reef Job · 06/01/2011, 09:45 PM

I'm anal about keeping the glass spotless inside and out. Water change + skimmer cleaning doesn't take very long but my daily glass OCD starts to add up.

solitude127 · 06/02/2011, 10:03 AM

I wonder if I added how much time is spent on RC, how much more would the time go up?

KafudaFish · 06/02/2011, 10:10 AM

15 minutes per week.

Week with water change:

30 minutes.

steelhead77 · 06/02/2011, 01:02 PM

I think the size of the tank will factor into how much time is spent to some extent. I'm sure maintenence on my 180 is a bit more than on a 40. Just in water changes and other bi-weekly stuff, I spend about 3-4 hours every other Saturday. Daily it's about 40-60 minutes in feeding, cleaning glass, checking things out, uncovering things my goby has buried, things like that.

All of that work is very soothing and theraputic for me, plus it provides a sense of accomplishment on a daily basis.

pimp4cheddar · 06/02/2011, 01:15 PM

0-2...

It's pretty easy for my home tank. Just clean glass and feed during the week...every 2 weeks a simple water change.

My work tank is also easy...2 minutes to clean glass and feed...every 2 weeks a simple water change (it's only 6 gallons!!!).

snorvich · 06/02/2011, 03:52 PM

Two largish tanks. About 4 hours weekly, five minutes daily.

JVManlius · 06/02/2011, 07:30 PM

5 minutes a day for cleaning the glass, water top off and feeding. About 45 minutes once a week to do the real maintenance.
Funny how a lot of people not in ths hobby think that this is a time consuming hobby. I think people that own dogs and cats spend just as much time, if not more, to take care of their pets.

View Poll Results: How many hours
0 - 2 hours	77	44.51%
2 - 4 hours	64	36.99%
4 - 6 hours	20	11.56%
6 - 8 hours	5	2.89%
8 - 10 hours	1	0.58%
greater than 10 hours	6	3.47%
Voters: 173. You may not vote on this poll

06/01/2011, 11:39 AM	#1
solitude127 Proud user of IO Salt! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 9,136	Hours per week on maintenance I was wondering how much time y'all spend doing maintenance on your reef tank. This includes cleaning skimmer cups, changing socks, water changes, changing media, cleaning panes, etc.... this does not include time you spend on RC. Edit.... This should include time testing water parameters as well. __________________ Mike <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ ReefKeeping.com TOTM Nov 2012 Socalireefs Featured Reef Oct 2011 Current Tank Info: 603020, 8x54 ATI Powermodule, ReefBrite XHO, ATB Elegance 200, Aquamaxx CTech CaRx, Ecotech Vortechs, Apex Controls, WM Ecobak powered. RedSea Reefer 170, MP10, Apex Jr, Ecotech Radion XR15, Aquamaxx WS-1 Last edited by solitude127; 06/01/2011 at 12:30 PM.

06/01/2011, 12:11 PM	#5
phenom5 Unregistered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,096	20 mins or so a week cleaning out the skimmer cup, few minutes a day running the magnet over the glass, and 30-60 minutes a week to do a water change. Closer to an hour if in need to scrape the back glass or change out the media in my reactor, closer to 30 minutes if it's just a water change. __________________ Rob Current Tank Info: DSA 155 Pro \| ATI Sunpower \| ATB 840 v2 \| Apex \| Wav

06/01/2011, 03:47 PM	#8
Agu Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 30,279	2-4 on my nanos. It takes less time to clean a nano but with 4 tanks every task has to be done 4 times. Also since I don't have ATOs, four kalk dripping bottles have to be refilled every day. __________________ Less technology , more biology . Current Tank Info: 30 gallon half cube and 5.5, both reef tanks

06/01/2011, 03:52 PM	#9
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	i am lucky to spend 30-45 min. a week on my tank. it takes about 10 min to turn a couple ball valves and hit a switch to do a water change, and the other 20 min. depending on what week to change the carbon or GFO. I haven't had to clean my glass for monthes. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

06/01/2011, 11:56 AM	#2
Captainfester Master of the Sea Join Date: May 2011 Location: Meriden ct Posts: 1,482	about 2 hours and i clean the glass everyday with one of the magnet things as im a lunatic about clean glass

06/01/2011, 12:02 PM	#3
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	It usually takes me about an hour or so to change some water, empty the skimmer, wipe down the reflector, clean the glass etc. This is usually done on a Friday or a Saturday. I try not to fiddle with it the rest of the time.

06/01/2011, 12:04 PM	#4
Kerreefer Registered Member. Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 98	ok so i honestly put 0-2 hours, BUT i spend about 3-4 hours a day just looking at it all... 3 sumps and a dozen repiping's in a years time dang OCD! oh and invisible glass from an autoparts store works amaisingly well on the glass!

06/01/2011, 12:12 PM	#6
vorm Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 210	I put 0-2 hours as well, and that my best guys on how much time I spend on actual maintenance, however I often spend way more time than that messing with stuff, as I often can find something to do on my tank even if it's not really needed or necessary.

06/01/2011, 01:04 PM	#7
Dadekster Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 356	Since its per week I figure 2-4 is pretty fair for me but it does ebb and flow according to what is going on in my life. Weekly all I do is clean the front panel and clean the skimmer every 3 or 4 days but once a month is when I do the more serious aka time consuming stuff. This includes water change, water testing, check/clean the intake screens on the two vortechs, check CA reactor, check plumbing/overflow, check RODI unit, check bio-pellet reactor, check phosphate reactor, check fuge, etc etc. If nothing needs any work I can get the major maintenance done in 30 minutes but if anything needs to be taken apart and cleaned or refilled the hours can stack up. Luckily most of that stuff is spaced out over months though.

06/01/2011, 04:13 PM	#11
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	it took me 5 years to finally get everything this automated but IMO worth it. I figure the easier you make things the more often you will do it. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

06/01/2011, 04:24 PM	#13
dzfish17 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Fresno,Ca. Posts: 2,545	I spend about 2 hrs per week if you include top-off, and feeding. Most of my time is spent cleaning the front pane (4'x8') every week. I also spend about 30 min. every month cleaning my artificial corals. My water change set-up is like the above poster... valves and a switch. I do spend some time everyday checking on livestock and equipment. __________________ 600g (96x36x46) FOWLR

06/01/2011, 04:25 PM	#14
milhous3er Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lancaster, Ohio Posts: 326	4-6 hours a week. I enjoy doing the manual task on my tank.

06/01/2011, 04:25 PM	#15
powderhound Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lake Tahoe, CA Posts: 552	Around 3 hours per week. Includes cleaning glass 15 gallon water change manual dosing two part and cleaning skimmer and doing water tests __________________ If it's snowing I'm going! Current Tank Info: DSA 190 pro 48inch cebu sun with 2x 400w radiums 4x54 t5 bubblemagus 220cs

06/01/2011, 05:43 PM	#16
geccles Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 69	0 - 2 hours, probably pretty close to 2 hours on the average. Having a reef tank is actually less work than when I used to raise discus.

06/01/2011, 05:52 PM	#17
Lynnmw1208 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brunswick, Ohio Posts: 3,306	I said 0-2 hours as most of my weekly maintenance is using the magfloat on the glass, cleaning stuff out of powerheads, cleaning skimmate and every 3 weeks a water change. I also have to fill up the RO/DI reservoir every week as well. not too bad I guess __________________ equipment: Eshopps psk-200 skimmer, Mag 12 pump, 30gal sump, 2x 300w Finnex heaters, glass-holes 1500gph overflow kit with 3/4" return kits, 72" 8x36w t-5 AquaticLife light, 66lbs of LR, 150lbs of tropic eden reeflakes, 2 Koralia Evo 1400, JBJ ATO, BRS dual GFO/carbon reactors, Hydor smartwave Current Tank Info: 125gallon

06/01/2011, 07:25 PM	#18
0 tds Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: St Augustine Fl Posts: 138	2-4 if you include feeding. I do check water parameters every week and do smaller water changes every friday night. Working on setting up an automated water change to do a gallon or so a day.

06/01/2011, 09:45 PM	#19
Reef Job Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 31	I'm anal about keeping the glass spotless inside and out. Water change + skimmer cleaning doesn't take very long but my daily glass OCD starts to add up.

06/02/2011, 10:03 AM	#20
solitude127 Proud user of IO Salt! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 9,136	I wonder if I added how much time is spent on RC, how much more would the time go up? __________________ Mike <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ ReefKeeping.com TOTM Nov 2012 Socalireefs Featured Reef Oct 2011 Current Tank Info: 603020, 8x54 ATI Powermodule, ReefBrite XHO, ATB Elegance 200, Aquamaxx CTech CaRx, Ecotech Vortechs, Apex Controls, WM Ecobak powered. RedSea Reefer 170, MP10, Apex Jr, Ecotech Radion XR15, Aquamaxx WS-1

06/02/2011, 10:10 AM	#21
KafudaFish Cyprinius carpio Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,496	15 minutes per week. Week with water change: 30 minutes.

06/02/2011, 01:02 PM	#22
steelhead77 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Albany, Oregon Posts: 1,117	I think the size of the tank will factor into how much time is spent to some extent. I'm sure maintenence on my 180 is a bit more than on a 40. Just in water changes and other bi-weekly stuff, I spend about 3-4 hours every other Saturday. Daily it's about 40-60 minutes in feeding, cleaning glass, checking things out, uncovering things my goby has buried, things like that. All of that work is very soothing and theraputic for me, plus it provides a sense of accomplishment on a daily basis. __________________ This really isn't rocket science - it's more like marine biology. Current tank info: 180 gallon AGA, 40 gallon custom sump, AquaC EV240 skimmer, PM calc reactor, 3x 250w DIY MH, PCI CL-650 Chiller, 2x Koralia 4's, 2x Koralia 2's

06/02/2011, 01:15 PM	#23
pimp4cheddar Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Orlando, Fl. Posts: 762	0-2... It's pretty easy for my home tank. Just clean glass and feed during the week...every 2 weeks a simple water change. My work tank is also easy...2 minutes to clean glass and feed...every 2 weeks a simple water change (it's only 6 gallons!!!).

06/02/2011, 03:52 PM	#24
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	Two largish tanks. About 4 hours weekly, five minutes daily. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

06/02/2011, 07:30 PM	#25
JVManlius Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Manlius, NY Posts: 55	5 minutes a day for cleaning the glass, water top off and feeding. About 45 minutes once a week to do the real maintenance. Funny how a lot of people not in ths hobby think that this is a time consuming hobby. I think people that own dogs and cats spend just as much time, if not more, to take care of their pets.

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