What's your maintenance routine?

[C.Mydas]

DAILY:
stare at tank, harass the pepermint shrimp if I can...lol
feed (about 10 pieces of brine, and 1 drop cyclops EVERY OTHER 2 DAYS)
top off with RO/DI (about every other day)

Bi Weekly:
50-100% water change (depending on how mangled the starfish is from the harlequins eating on it)

scrub glass (with a toothbrush...no magnets for me...lol)

vacuum sand bed (takes 20mins if the starfish is in one piece...takes 2 hours if they've demolished it...and the fact that Im a perfectionist so its gotta be sparkling) lol. I turkey baster the sand to stir it all up, let it settle, vacuum, repeat. over and over...very relaxing actually...lol. I also baster the rocks to make sure nothing is collecting on them either.

Vacuum back chambers of the tank out too.

When I first put the starfish in I get away with weekly water changes, but after the first week and 1/2 I have to up the changes.

No real weekly or monthly schedule, except replacing carbon as needed.

[Reef69]

..And you should see the way that nano looks.. :shades ics

[C.Mydas]

:blush
Thanks.

[AlexKilpatrick]

DAILY:
Bi Weekly:
50-100% water change (depending on how mangled the starfish is from the harlequins eating on it)

Wow! You do that much of a water change? That's a lot of work. Is this a hunch, or do you see an actual effect from not doing it? Have you tried smaller water changes?

[AlexKilpatrick]

I have a question for those of you that test a lot (pete). How often do your tests show a problem? And when they do, what you do about it?

[Reef69]

In a tank that small and as stocked as it is, any parameter swing can be lethal, so you gotta keep the water immaculate. Keep in mind the harlequin shrimp are tearing the starfish appart, so all the residue rotts in the water, so you gotta keep the water quality high.

[C.Mydas]

Well said Diego. Nanos are a lot of work, especially if you put messy eaters in there. I dont have the luxury of not doing big water changes, Ive got to get the pieces of starfish the harlequins dont eat out, and then replace the water so my nutrient levels dont climb. Like I said it depends on how messy the harlequins are being. If they arent being too bad then I can get away with 1 50% change a week, if they decide to be picky eaters and throw a lot of it away then Im doing more and larger water changes. LOL..I wouldnt change it for the world!!

[AlexKilpatrick]

Oh, it is a nano. Nevermind. :roll A 50% water change in a nano is no big deal.

[C.Mydas]

lol...yeah maybe we should include size in this post.

[z28pwr]

DAILY:

Feed Fish

Top Off Tank Every 3 Days


Every Quarter:
Get off my butt and clean the skimmer and the viewing pane.


I know once I get more fish I won't be able to be so lazy, but for the meantime I like it .