[gobytron]

Have an RSM130 that I set up with the intention of being low maintenance as my interest in the hobby comes and goes after 12 years.

The tank was set up with no skimmer.

The bio load is pretty light.

A flasher wrasse and an indigo dottyback along with CUC (5-10 snails and 5-10 various hermits and a sea hare) make up the bulk of it's inhabitants.

It is also populated with 5 or 6 Zoa varieties, a few Euphyllia, a plate coral and a few other lps and softies.

Well, the last time I did a water change (or anything more than dump some food in) was June, 2015.

The algae on the glass was so bad, you could not see into the tank to see what was going on.

This past weekend, I decided to get back into it and made up a 5 gallon wc.

I had set this tank up, with a dsb and a clean up crew purposefully so that aside from feeding a couple times a week, it wouldn't need anything to survive but even i was totally surprised by how great everything looked.

Zoas had grown, LPS had grown, all fish and coral were alive and accounted for.

Even though it was what I was going for, I was still stoked to see how well it turned out.

Just goes to show, this hobby can be whatever you want it to be.

I don't regret the hours spent trying to maintain a pristine sps tank but I don't get any less satisfaction out of the low maintenance set ups either.

I can confirm guests who are not in the hobby themselves are no less impressed with one than the other.

Just for fun, I did a couple tests and found trace ammonia and 0 nitrates.

respect your bio filter.