[jsyteng]

I have a well established, 4 yr old 75g Tang community tank.

I am starting to get the itch to go marine. It may well mean I unload all my Tangs (I know of a good friend who can take all of them and give them a good life), and then buying a drilled 90g so I can re-use the stand (and keep the 75g as a quarintine).

I must admit I'm emotionally struggling with this bec. I've raised these Tangs since they were babies, and hate to let them go. But with work and family, there is no way I can maintain 2 tanks, esp. if I go full-on reef with the marine tank.

Have any of you faced this sort of decision before? I'm strongly convinced that my life will be incomplete unless I try marine/reef at least once before I die.

 

[DJRansome]

We usually just do more tanks. You could always wait until the kids grow up and move out.

 

[nodima]

Here is another "push down the slope"

Take a look at your maintenance routine with a critical eye, what can you do to reduce the maintenance burden, while still keeping a healthy tank? Water changes are often the best place to look for ROI - are you using buckets? Python? How is the water pressure when you refill?

Moving from buckets to Python/hose marks a huge step, and improving the water pressure also helps reduce the time. I'm stuck refilling my planted 75 from the kitchen sink, which is a restricted flow, compared to the taps I had my plumber add at the water heater. In fact, a 50% change in the 75 takes longer to fill than a 50% change in my 125, it is closer to the time my 180 takes. This cost me a pittance to have him add, and has reduced the time I spend on water changes.

Filtration - the other time sink with a tank is filtration - are there filters better suited to easier maintenance?

Substrate - a swap to sand from gravel reduces the need to vacuum substrate, again reducing the burden.

These are all things to consider when at a crossroads, and making the maintenance aspect reduced will increase the enjoyment factor. Having multiple tanks is the equivalent of having multiple TV channels, variety is good!!!

 

[DJRansome]

Nodima, did you mean switch from gravel to sand?

 

[jsyteng]

Nodima:

I am almost embarrassed to say this, but until I saw your reply, I didn't even know what Python was. I just did a quick google/youtube and WOW . . . what a GAMECHANGER! I've always been using buckets. Interestingly enough, my Tang tank is right next to the slider that leads into my screened porch, so I recently had an idea where I could get a long plastic hose and run it from the tank, into my screened porch, and then out a back door . . . so conceptually in terms of extraction the Python is similar. But adding the water back in via Python is a revelation.

This could be the discovery I need to keep my Tang tank and start a 2nd reef tank. I'm really glad I checked things out here. Thanks!

 

[nodima]

Nodima, did you mean switch from gravel to sand?

Of course I did! Thanks. I'll update accordingly.

 

[nodima]

Nodima:

I am almost embarrassed to say this, but until I saw your reply, I didn't even know what Python was. I just did a quick google/youtube and WOW . . . what a GAMECHANGER! I've always been using buckets. Interestingly enough, my Tang tank is right next to the slider that leads into my screened porch, so I recently had an idea where I could get a long plastic hose and run it from the tank, into my screened porch, and then out a back door . . . so conceptually in terms of extraction the Python is similar. But adding the water back in via Python is a revelation.

This could be the discovery I need to keep my Tang tank and start a 2nd reef tank. I'm really glad I checked things out here. Thanks!

Well, that is why we are here. It really is a different game, using a hose. FWIW - you don't need to attache to a faucet to drain the tank, you can simply do a siphon outside or to a tub/toilet, whatever is convenient. You will love the difference!

 

[rookie-cichlid1978]

Here is another "push down the slope"

Take a look at your maintenance routine with a critical eye, what can you do to reduce the maintenance burden, while still keeping a healthy tank? Water changes are often the best place to look for ROI - are you using buckets? Python? How is the water pressure when you refill?

Moving from buckets to Python/hose marks a huge step, and improving the water pressure also helps reduce the time. I'm stuck refilling my planted 75 from the kitchen sink, which is a restricted flow, compared to the taps I had my plumber add at the water heater. In fact, a 50% change in the 75 takes longer to fill than a 50% change in my 125, it is closer to the time my 180 takes. This cost me a pittance to have him add, and has reduced the time I spend on water changes.

Filtration - the other time sink with a tank is filtration - are there filters better suited to easier maintenance?

Substrate - a swap to sand from gravel reduces the need to vacuum substrate, again reducing the burden.

These are all things to consider when at a crossroads, and making the maintenance aspect reduced will increase the enjoyment factor. Having multiple tanks is the equivalent of having multiple TV channels, variety is good!!!

@nodima - could you shed some more light on the "taps at the water heater"? I use the bath faucet with my python and to me the main advantage is getting the "mix temp" just right before starting the tank fillups. So I am thinking how would i that without a drain.
But as the OP said, amazing how much there is to learn

 

[punman]

I use a garden hose hooked up to where the shower head is - and just drain to the bottom of the shower.

 

[nodima]

Here is another "push down the slope"

Take a look at your maintenance routine with a critical eye, what can you do to reduce the maintenance burden, while still keeping a healthy tank? Water changes are often the best place to look for ROI - are you using buckets? Python? How is the water pressure when you refill?

Moving from buckets to Python/hose marks a huge step, and improving the water pressure also helps reduce the time. I'm stuck refilling my planted 75 from the kitchen sink, which is a restricted flow, compared to the taps I had my plumber add at the water heater. In fact, a 50% change in the 75 takes longer to fill than a 50% change in my 125, it is closer to the time my 180 takes. This cost me a pittance to have him add, and has reduced the time I spend on water changes.

Filtration - the other time sink with a tank is filtration - are there filters better suited to easier maintenance?

Substrate - a swap to sand from gravel reduces the need to vacuum substrate, again reducing the burden.

These are all things to consider when at a crossroads, and making the maintenance aspect reduced will increase the enjoyment factor. Having multiple tanks is the equivalent of having multiple TV channels, variety is good!!!

@nodima - could you shed some more light on the "taps at the water heater"? I use the bath faucet with my python and to me the main advantage is getting the "mix temp" just right before starting the tank fillups. So I am thinking how would i that without a drain.
But as the OP said, amazing how much there is to learn

@rookie-cichlid - sure thing. My water heater/furnace are a combined unit in the basement. I had my plumber tap into the hot and cold water lines and add a spigot at the water heater. He needed a cold one there anyway to drain water when servicing the unit so it was not a big deal to add the second. I used a Y hose which typically is used for washing machines.

I am NOT using a python hose for this - I bought some 3/4" tubing which is much faster than the 1/2 or 5/8 that the python uses. Added a female hose connection to the end and connect that to the Y hose.
As I did not put a sink below this, I keep a bucket there for drips. When doing a water change, I attach the aquarium hose to the end of the Y hose and turn on the water. I check the water coming out at the tank for temperature and adjust as needed. After a couple of times, I can pretty much nail temps first time.

The only "trick" is that in order to drain the hose, the end has to be lower than the Y end, so I remove it from the tank, then put it in either the sump or a bucket. Disconnect the hose at the Y, and drain it.

 

[rookie-cichlid1978]

thanks nodima - unfortunately nothing conveninet in my water heater+furnace setup that will not involve major water drip/flood issues. off to give the python another hug