Super-low low budget 2ft tank

[cdckjn]

Any expert, "old-bird", senior care to comment please, I want to learn and find out if I am doing the right way.

This tank was started in Aug 2005 so on its way to 2nd year.

The setup is a 2ft (main tank) and another 2ft below as a sump and Weipro 2014 only going about 3 hr a day (using timer) There is a DIY overflow joining the main tank to the sump and a return pump to pump the water back up. There is a Seio pump for water circulation.

As the tank is near the balcony it gets a little of the morning sun and afternoon sun, thus don't require so much lights. So I only switch on the lights about 3 hours a day.

In my opinion, I only do a water change about once/twice a year during the longer school holiday breaks. As my tank is a FOWLR (now with some mushrooms/leathers/tubeworms) else it is a simple tank. So far no problems with the tank.

So in my opinion, I only top up with the tap water directly from tap - every 2 weeks about 4 litres. I don't dose the tank or add any additives. I will wash and clean the filters - the Weipro skimmer and the hangon filter. I have some macro algae growing - to export the wastes. Yes the sump is covered with a layer of stuff at the bottom, but generally don't bother me at all.

My lifestock, a blue tang, a foxface, 2 Africa clown, 1 firefish, 2 bluish/green damsel, 1 fish from Tampines seaside, 2 pyjamas fish, lots of snails, 2 starfish in main tank.

In sump have 2 tomato clowns with a cleaner shrimp.

Lots and lots of live rocks in sump and in main tank.

I used to have a canister but all these pumps greatly increase the heat generation as I do not have a chiller, so I remove as much as I can.

Temperature of tank about 30 to 31 degrees. Don't even have time to check on the SG although have a floating hydrometer in the sump.

But I feed the fishes daily once I return from home - so do a visual check only. Feeding with brine/mysis shrimps every other day, otherwise pellets - marine ones and fresh water type (trying to finish the bottle of it quickly) the fishes hungry so mostly will eat else the snails and starfish will finish them. Sometimes will feed the dried seaweed (buy from LFS)

So far no huge tragedy all fishes very healthy.

[Nitro]

Sorry to said this... but after reading what you've put here... I think you really need to re-think abt keeping this hobby if you've got not much time to spare due to whatever reasons.

There is some basic to having a hobby esp in fresh water and marine reefing. U'll need to monitor some basic like SG, monitor the LS health conditions etc.

Topping up water is good but regular water change is require as you need to remove some "old" water from the tank which is concentrated with waste and bad bacteria etc.

Dosing supplements is require cuz marine is different from fresh water tank. Marine does involved slightly more chemical compound like Strotium, Iodine, Calcium etc beside the normal Nitrate, Nitrite and Phosphate which the later 3 can also be found in fresh water.

This chemicals can be remove by the skimmer and consumed by corals too so if you don't dose them, basically they'll be used up and skimmed away leaving literally salt water behind. Your LS and corals will def won't do very well in such conditions.

If you don't want to do dosing, can. Do weekly water replacement. That is the old way of keeping reef tank and it does work. But the water must be from a trusted source. Either buy from LFS or mix it yourself. Water direct from the sea might be full of good stuffs but it does come with bad stuffs too, which we won't know what they are.

Once again, I hope I'm not putting you down when I said if you've got no time, do re-think abt keeping this hobby. Every hobby needs a fair amt time to keep it going and successful.

Cheers

[LoReNsIa]

dosing of the supplement i think no need ba.. but ur skimmer u should run 24/7 and not only 3 hrs per day..

[bgrking]

Hi LoReNsIa,

Noted. Thank you.

Best Regards,

bgrking

[cdckjn]

dosing of the supplement i think no need ba.. but ur skimmer u should run 24/7 and not only 3 hrs per day..

Thanks, I understand the skimming part. What bothers me is the water changing routine. What is a reefer has a 4ft tank, and he only keeps FOWLR does he need to perform a 10% water change every weeks?

That's a lot of water.

Thus for my 2ft main tank I will try to do every 4-5 months a 10% water change. This schedule should be ok?

Any comments on this?

[ah fat]

but 2014 for a 2ft tank on 24/7? wouldnt it be overskimming?

[cdckjn]

but 2014 for a 2ft tank on 24/7? wouldnt it be overskimming?

That's why it is on only from about 3 hours about from 6.00pm to about 9.00pm (time when I return and also feed the fishes) Otherwise in the day, the tank has got sunlight filtering from the balcony.

Thanks.

[Nitro]

U dun really have to chg 10% of the tank water, it's juz a guide line rite

Mine is a 2 footer too and I only chg abt 2 pail of water once every 1 or 2 weeks. Total amt of 2 pails is abt 15 to 20 litres.

[colinsoon]

U dun really have to chg 10% of the tank water, it's juz a guide line rite

Mine is a 2 footer too and I only chg abt 2 pail of water once every 1 or 2 weeks. Total amt of 2 pails is abt 15 to 20 litres.

bro your pail sooo small ah!?

hahaa

[Nitro]

colinsoon > I think so only lah, didn't really measure how many litres , maybe it's 40-60 litres for both lor But def not 10% of the tank water.

[Nitro]

Sorry to said this... but after reading what you've put here... I think you really need to re-think abt keeping this hobby if you've got not much time to spare due to whatever reasons.

There is some basic to having a hobby esp in fresh water and marine reefing. U'll need to monitor some basic like SG, monitor the LS health conditions etc.

cdckjn > Juz to apologised if I've sounded harsh on my comments to you rgding my first post. Sorry man

[cdckjn]

it is okay brother, although it did sounded harsh.

I am only keen and interested to keep a low-budget and low-effort tank and so far I have been very low-budget and low-effort on it. Of course I understand that those "showcase quality" tanks will never be in my house but I am happy with just a FOLWR and so all my fishes all fat-fat and eating well. So far in fact my sold my foxface away as it grows until 5" and now my 2nd replacement foxface is also fast approaching 4" and bule tank is 5" so I mat have to sell them away soon as they will be too big for my 2ft.

But so far the joy of a low-budget low-maintainance tank is bringing joy to my family. Thanks for the comments though as it is a reminder that marine reef tank is an effort-taking hobby.