6 months no water change, no skimmer, no testing and everything looks great

[Ryanerickson]

May of went ok but 6 months no maintenance and minimal feeding come on why even have a tank. If If don't feed my animals dog-fish everyday I feel like a jerk and is also a form of animal abuse, bad a enough we lock them in small aqauriums and this is why I no longer buy fish. Good luck with your dungeon tank.

[gobytron]

I'm sure if we could interview the two fish in there, they would tell you they have lived a pretty happy, peaceful life.

Much less stress in an environment where they can't constantly see humans walking by or light's shining into the tank at random times, no hands in there, no big changes or fluctuations in water chemistry.

Fish would also be just as happy with the rich, natural diet of pods and algae than they would be with something you are putting in there.

Again, the idea is that things didn't just get by, they did well....as well as in tanks that I would spend an hour a day or more on.

The fish are fat and healthy, the corals have all grown, both zoas and LPS and the RBTA has split several times.

No animal abuse here.

My two dogs and two cats agree.

[Fin2you]

I have 2 similar tanks on the FW side of things. they are run with tetra whisper filters with Seachem's Matrix live rock in for "filter medium". the only chemicals I use is Prime when I do water top off. They are planted with a good base of Volcanic aquatic soil & well planted. Plants thrive being fed from the fish waste, the oldest kid probably over feeds them but hey they're happy. I find if I have algae growth on the tank it means something is out of balance. I removed a bunch of snails out of my big tank into the smaller & they hatched out baby's. I'm slowly picking the baby's out of the smaller tank & putting them into the big tank. Algae problem being solved. When I have it back under control & the snail baby's are a good size off to the LFS they'll go for some store credit!
In the Salt water tank lastnight I was estatic to discover some Chaeto growing on the back wall! I put my seaweed sheet "clip" which the lawnmower blenny seems to recognize immediately b/c he follows it the minute I slid it into the tank to the middle of the patch empty & he knew what to do

[gobytron]

Originally Posted by Fin2you

I have 2 similar tanks on the FW side of things. they are run with tetra whisper filters with Seachem's Matrix live rock in for "filter medium". the only chemicals I use is Prime when I do water top off. They are planted with a good base of Volcanic aquatic soil & well planted. Plants thrive being fed from the fish waste, the oldest kid probably over feeds them but hey they're happy. I find if I have algae growth on the tank it means something is out of balance. I removed a bunch of snails out of my big tank into the smaller & they hatched out baby's. I'm slowly picking the baby's out of the smaller tank & putting them into the big tank. Algae problem being solved. When I have it back under control & the snail baby's are a good size off to the LFS they'll go for some store credit!
In the Salt water tank lastnight I was estatic to discover some Chaeto growing on the back wall! I put my seaweed sheet "clip" which the lawnmower blenny seems to recognize immediately b/c he follows it the minute I slid it into the tank to the middle of the patch empty & he knew what to do

It really is all about finding a balance.

Once you have that balance, things get a whole lot easier if you don't mess with it.

I haven't kept FW in a long time but the tanks I see now rival reefs for color and beauty.4

King Ed's has a couple on display that definitely get a guy thinking.

[Fin2you]

Originally Posted by gobytron

It really is all about finding a balance.

Once you have that balance, things get a whole lot easier if you don't mess with it.

I haven't kept FW in a long time but the tanks I see now rival reefs for color and beauty.4

King Ed's has a couple on display that definitely get a guy thinking.

I have picts of my 2 FW tanks in my profile albums, if you want to see them. I'm seriously thinking in my 30 of getting rid of the purple Cabomba it is hard to keep bushy & stay colored up if I forget every day to put in the fertilizers. If I do I'll put a background back on this tank to hid the wall & cords. but my 10gal betta tank I love being able to look thru it & see it from both the dining room & kitchen.

[gobytron]

Looks nicer than any FW tank I ever had.

[Zoaelite]

Pictors please?

Agreed though, I find its when I start sticking my grubby hands into the tank that things start going bad.

KISS method FTW.

[gobytron]

Originally Posted by acepumping

LMFAO@ so true!!

Thank you for your concise analysis.

I wholly expected a certain kind of a reaction, especially from a certain kind of board member

I agree, its somewhat counter intuitive to how this hobby is often portrayed and I would have never had the confidence to do a set up like this when I first started in the hobby in 2003.

All the more reason I want to share the experience with other reefers.

I'm pretty happy with how this tank has gone.

It's been exactly what the years I have spent learning about this hobby and all the methodology that it entails has led me to expect.

Even so, I was still pleasantly surprised when it seems to have worked so well in practice.

The combination of the DSB, a large amount of well established LR, the proper flow and selectively chosen inhabitants has been a success for my intentions.

I had thought that for sure, after 6 months, there would be a higher ammonia and/or nitrate reading but several tests before i did my first wc proved that wrong.

The water even still smelled fresh and looked clear.

[Jordon]

Pics or it didn't happen. Seriously, every thread I see about "no water changes" the OP never posts photos.

[gobytron]

Originally Posted by acepumping

It's not that, I have too much I could say.. that's all!!

you can always text me again if you still have lots to say...beats adding your insightful input on any thread I post.

Always an entertaining exchange, bro.

"I live my life to the fullest, bro".....lol

Still cracks me up.

I did update my signature....much more appropriate now

Pics are taken, I guess I'll blow the dust off my macbook to load them up to show you guys.

Funny how I'm so used to working on an ipad...should have got the dslr with bluetooth I guess.

Also, tank looks even better now that I've cleaned up the 'scape.

I even picked up some peppermints, a clown goby and traded my wrasse for a gramma.

While adjusting the 'scape, I found I did wind up loosing a number of heads of trumpet corals, they weren't glued and the sea hare knocked them down where they sat face down in the sand for months.

Still...pretty stoked with the results.