Why do ‘neglected’ tanks look so good?

[peterhos]

Hello Everybody

This week I have ‘neglected’ my tank for just a few days. Today I cleaned the front glass and everything was looking pretty good. SPS zoas and softies all looking better than a few days back. Am I just imagining this? If I am not, then what is it that a few days of leaving well alone is adding to the tank? I think I know what some of you will say, but fire away anyway.

Many thanks for all ideas.

 

[RedReefer]

You really shouldn't be messing with it daily. I only clean my glass once a week. Water change every two weeks. Three days of leaving it alone is normal.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Many thanks for all ideas.

It could be a figment of your imagination. Seeing dirty glass for days on end and then suddenly wiping it clean revealed an instant moment of gratification.

Or the truth of the matter is far too many people are conditioned to constantly fiddle with their systems. It's amazing what happens when you allow things to happen and let nature take its course.

My tank is hands off and I allow for corals to grow into each other. I don't focus on nitrate and phosphate, I'm bot constantly hovering over it.

 

[jimk60]

A few days of "neglecting" your tank shouldn't really make any difference.

 

[UMALUM]

That's just it's way of saying stop touching me.

 

[VintageReefer]

If I am not, then what is it that a few days of leaving well alone is adding to the tank?

What is it that you are normally doing…

I don’t even do water changes. I don’t understand why people fidget everyday. Hands out. Let things adapt to the spot they are in and give them stable conditions

 

[exnisstech]

What did you not do that you normally do? I have daily things I have to do but I manually dose. I have stopped cleaning my glass every other day. The longer I wait the nicer it looks afterwards lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I suspect in general the comment is like an online review. People are much more inclined to post unusual (and bad) experiences than normal experiences (who wants to read that someone’s Big Mac was the same it always was?).

 

[peterhos]

What is it that you are normally doing…

I don’t even do water changes. I don’t understand why people fidget everyday. Hands out. Let things adapt to the spot they are in and give them stable conditions

Beautiful tank you have there. I do fiddle a lot, but maybe ought to let things be. Logic suggests that those things I usually do daily e.g. manually dosing, glass cleaning, sand basting etc may be the cause to problems, not the solution.

 

[fish farmer]

Beautiful tank you have there. I do fiddle a lot, but maybe ought to let things be. Logic suggests that those things I usually do daily e.g. manually dosing, glass cleaning, sand basting etc may be the cause to problems, not the solution.

Are you blasting sand/rocks daily? I could see that closing things up daily. I do aggressive type cleaning like that either the day before or during a twice monthly water change, because it does close stuff up for a bit.

 

[VintageReefer]

Nothing will ever settle and stabilize if you are doing stuff like that constantly

Your steps for cleanliness and perfection are actually hindering you

 

[peterhos]

Are you blasting sand/rocks daily? I could see that closing things up daily. I do aggressive type cleaning like that either the day before or during a twice monthly water change, because it does close stuff up for a bit.

Very interesting - thank you. I was thinking that a daily turkey batter blast would liven things up. Again, maybe I have overdone that.

 

[peterhos]

Very interesting - thank you. I was thinking that a daily turkey batter blast would liven things up. Again, maybe I have overdone that.

blaster…

 

[peterhos]

blaster…

baster

 

[VintageReefer]

I give the rock cracks a thorough turkey baster blasting every 2-3 months. I never disturb my sandbed. I don’t stir it or touch it. A conch and some nassarius are all I need to keep it mixed and clean. Conch was the game changer for me.

 

[spsick]

Stability is the answer.

 

[peterhos]

I give the rock cracks a thorough turkey baster blasting every 2-3 months. I never disturb my sandbed. I don’t stir it or touch it. A conch and some nassarius are all I need to keep it mixed and clean. Conch was the game changer for me.

A conch. Never had one …must investigate.

 

[exnisstech]

Very interesting - thank you. I was thinking that a daily turkey batter blast would liven things up. Again, maybe I have overdone that.

My coral love when I blow the rocks off as long as I'm not blowing on them. They show a feeding responce similar to when target fed

 

[VintageReefer]

A conch. Never had one …must investigate.

1 adult fighting conch is enough to keep my 75g sandbed clean.

They are completely peaceful despite the name. He burrows completely in the sand, comes out and has has an elephant trunk like nose/mouth and all he does day and night is clean sand

If you have a smaller tank look into a smaller species like strawberry conch.

I wouldn’t get more than one unless you have a large tank or one day they will starve. Start with 1 and give it some time and watch the results

 

[Miami Reef]

Most people who truly neglect their tanks have poor results, but don’t comment on it because it is the expected. Not scraping the glass for 3 days does not equal neglecting.