I'm a lazy reefer, I'll admit it. We designed our system around being lazy.
Water treatment ... let's see. Carbon - I keep it on hand, but only run it in one of the following situations:
- Something dies
- Things look "wrong"
- I do some extensive fragging, especially of softies.
No canister or other mechanical filtration. No filter floss, poly-floss, etc. No UV, no P04 sponge. No chemicals, unless you include the Calcium reactor and Kalk reactor.
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I don't feel it right, on natures part to keep a full reef and still not have the best possible system, routine and stability I can offer.
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I agree with this sentiment, but may disagree with some on how to accomplish this. My theory is though we will never be able to "mimic" nature, that I should do my best to keep things as natural as possible. No mechanical filtration, no carbon, no chemicals. How do I keep my system "clean" - and how do insure my water is "treated"?
- A good calcium/alk supplementation scheme...keeping all my water parameters as close to NSW as possible.
- Good protien skimming
- Good nutrient removal (good current, water movement, and blowing detritus around with a turkey baster so it is suspended in the water column & skimmed, a good refugium, a good cleaner crew).
- Don't add a lot of nutrients that you have to take out -- keep a low bioload, don't overfeed.
That's it! My tank maintenance/water treatment consists of this:
- Maintain membrane/filters on RO/DI
- Maintain C02 & reactor media in Ca reactor, maintain adequate kalk powder in Nilsen reactor.
- "Blow" off rock with turkey baster at least weekly.
- Hubby cleans out the skimmer monthly or thereabouts.
- Water changes? Maybe once a month, usually 10% every 6-8 weeks.
- Clean the glass.
