Tips You Might Not Read in a Book...

[CalmSeasQuest]

They say experience is the best teacher. I'm sure everyone has come across or developed ways to make a maintenance process easier, faster - or just less of a hassle. Or a simply DIY solution to problems that can plague most any Marine Aquarist (I have a distaste for being referred to as a "reefer".)

I thought it might be of value to create a place where we can collect all those "pearls of wisdom" so that others might benefit. I'll start off with a couple to get the ball rolling...

Heat Can Be Your Friend
When cleaning pumps, probes or virtually anything covered in calcium or mineral deposits - You can dramatically decrease the time it takes for vinegar to dissolve the calcium deposits by warming it (I simply stick it in the microwave.) The same holds true when mixing 2-parts solutions. While Calcium (Calcium Chloride) dissolves readily, Alk (Sodium Carbonate or Soda Ash) and Magnesium (Magnesium Chloride and Magnesium Sulfate) can be tougher to mix and prone to clumping. Once again, simply warm the water and the material will dissolve mush faster.

Ziploc Silence Method
I developed an easy method to quiet a noisy overflow. Simply "drape" an appropriate size Ziploc bag immediately behind it. (usually secured with a couple zip ties.) The causes the water to run between the overflow and and the Ziploc bag in total silence... It also is self adjusting and requires little if any maintenance.



That photo was taken 1/2010 and it's been running perfectly since. It doesn't have to be a Ziploc bag, it's just what I had handy. You could use any type of inert, thin plastic sheet. There's no risk of overflow as the plastic is placed inside the overflow and only affixed at the top. It moves in response to changes in water flow. At all flow rates, my overflow is now completely silent. There is no sound of moving water whatsoever

OK - You get the idea. Lets see your solutions to everyday challenges

[Wy Renegade]

wonderful thread idea. I'll work on a couple things to add a bit later.

[schminksbro]

A turkey baster is a "Marine Aquarist's" best friend. You can simulate storms with brisk dusting of your reef. It is amazing how much detritus settles in the nooks and crannys no matter how much flow you have. Using the turkey baster allows you to kick that stuff up so that it can get filtered out.

[brandeewyne]

Originally Posted by schminksbro

A turkey baster is a "Marine Aquarist's" best friend.

-two thumbs up- .. i couldn't agree more!

i'll have to take some time to think on this one. for some reason those time/money saving habits we all develop along the way quickly become habit more than something we have to think about. as i'm going through my regular routines i'll have to consciously take mental note of which tricks i regularly use.

one tip i can think of off the top of my head: keep a length of fishing line and a needle handy. it makes fragging a breeze for some of those softies that don't get along so well with adhesives.

[CalmSeasQuest]

The life of your DI resin depends on the quality of the water it's being fed. One challenge is TDS Creep. RO Membranes produce the lowest TDS water at higher pressures. When an RO is turned off, the pressure around the membrane drops and it allows much lower quality water to pass through and on to your DI resin. There are a couple of easy solutions to this problem that can eliminate or reduce the negative impact on your DI resin...

• Longer Run Times
  It's better to make as much water as possible in one session, rather than frequent, smaller volume sessions. This will lessen the amount of TDS creep, extend the life of your RO membrane and that of your DI resin. If you're using a shutoff float - change your floats to support a "latching" arrangement allowing for longer runs.
  
  
• Bypass your DI for a few minutes when you first start up your RO
  Split the line between your RO and DI and install a valve. Run the bypass line (the one with the valve) down the drain. When you first start your RO, open the DI bypass valve and allow the high TDS water to go down the drain (or use it for anything other than your reef - even as drinking water as it's far better than whats comes out of your tap.) This enables you to run your RO for a few minutes, eliminating high-TDS water and extending the life of your DI Resin.

If you have a TDS meter between your RO and DI, you can monitor how quickly the TDS drops and know when to close the valve and allow water to flow to your DI resin. My RO/DI goes from an initial reading of ~90TDS, down to about 2TDS over the course of 5 minutes.

[igot2gats]

How about using one of those "boxes" with holes in it for your new fish, once you've acclimated it & QT'd it?

This way it allows other inhabitants to get used to the new neighbor in the tank w/o harrassing it / chasing it around...thus stressing it out even more.

Also, randomly checking the temp of your water with a different thermometer, so that you can compare readings / check to see if your thermometer that you use all the time is correct.

And one last thing - watch your tankmates when you feed. See who is shy & who is not....so the next time you feed, you know who to look out for, who needs special attention, etc.

[CalmSeasQuest]

A few more...

• Costco sells inexpensive, 5 liter jugs of vinegar
  
• Walmart is the cheapest source for nitrile gloves I've found thus far.
  
• Bamboo skewers (like those used for shish-kabob) are very handy for cleaning pumps, skimmers, filters... They allow you to reach and scrape hard to get at places but are soft enough not to scratch or scar.
  
• When working with epoxy to affix rocks or frags, it helps to press the item into the epoxy to make an "impression", then use cyanoacrylate (super glue) to instantly adhere the rock or frag to the epoxy while it cures.
  
• Anyone interested in photography should not purchase a bowfront or curved panel tank as the glass bends distort the image and resulting photos.

[AJ :)]

Great thread!
A childs fishing pole can work great for removing a fish from a reef tank.
Barbless hook of course.

[CalmSeasQuest]

Over time, airlines used in Durso drains can become partially blocked by salt creep and/or mineral deposits. This can reduce the amount of air allowed into the drain thereby reducing the capacity of the drain, causing surging and an increase in noise. There are methods to correct this without having to remove the airline (often difficult if your Durso is buried deep in an overflow.)

• Pour small amounts of hot water down the airline. This typically dissolves the blockage and cures the problem.
  
• For more stubborn blockages, a straightened coat hangar can be used to "ream" the airline and restore it's capacity.

[Wy Renegade]

An old plastic water bottle, with the lid cut off an inverted makes a great, inexpensive fish trap;


Plastic zip ties work great for holding LR in position;


A small plastic cup with slots cut in the side works great for attaching unattached mushrooms like ricordia;