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fully automated nano reef


truckinreefer

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truckinreefer

I'm a trucker and I'm on the road one week to two weeks at time. I absolutely miss having a reef system up. I was wondering how automated I could get a 20 gal Nano tank. it would just be all coral and no fish or shrimp. questions I have 

 

1. is there any equipment that can automatically add trace elements, calcium, and any other liquid need for the coral?

2. are there automatic feeders for coral or, is there a way I can do it?  

3.  is there a way to automatically fill up the tank while I'm on the road if the water runs low?

4. is there a way to add fresh or salt water if needed 

 

I'm still up in the air and really don't want to start a tank up unless I know 100% without a doubt I can have the tank running automatically. 

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NoOneLikesADryTang
1 hour ago, truckinreefer said:

1. is there any equipment that can automatically add trace elements, calcium, and any other liquid need for the coral?

There’s a fantastic product out there by Tropic Marin called all for reef. It’s a single item to dose, that great at keeping your parameters stable and adding trace elements. I have ours set up on a single head doser, and it doses small amounts 8 times per day. 
 

1 hour ago, truckinreefer said:

2. are there automatic feeders for coral or, is there a way I can do it?  

I’m not aware of one, but I’m also not sure I’d be comfortable with one, in case it failed and dumped all of the food at once. It’s a tank crash waiting to happen. I’d argue why not just feed when your home? 
 

1 hour ago, truckinreefer said:

3.  is there a way to automatically fill up the tank while I'm on the road if the water runs low?

There are a bunch of ATO (auto top off) devices out there. You’d just need to have a large enough reservoir for your RODI water, to last while you’re on the road. 
 

1 hour ago, truckinreefer said:

4. is there a way to add fresh or salt water if needed

I’m not really sure what you’re asking here, it seems a lot like your third question, as far as auto top off is concerned. 

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M. Tournesol

yes, yes, yes and yes. But it is complicated if you do it yourself (see reef-pi https://reef-pi.github.io) and costly if you buy an "industrial solution".

the better know system with some auto testing module are GHL (https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/products/), neptune system (https://www.neptunesystems.com/apex-2016/) and Focustronic/ reef factory who have a less complete environment http://www.focustronic.net / https://www.reeffactory.com/?state=home

 

you could also do thing individually whiteout a central controller.

  • For item 1, it's what we call a "doser". A lot of brand do them. red sea released one recently. Search "best dosing pump" on google.
  • For item 2, a doser could do it but your coral food must be liquide (easy boster nano http://www.easyreefs.com/en/easydose_general_en.html). if it's not, an auto-feed should do the trick.
  • For item 3, it's what we call an "auto top off" (ATO). Search "best auto top off" or "best nano auto top off" on google.
  • For item 4, ... I don't know if you could do it without a central controller controlling your dosing pump. Search "auto water change" on google.
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Welcome to Nano-Reef.com.  Sounds like you aren't new to this.

 

Two weeks is a long time, so some automation will be required (namely an automatic freshwater top off system and light timer).  Also, certain types of livestock and setups will be easier to maintain than others.  For example, soft corals don't require the same kind of dosing that stony corals do; and a covered top should experience less evaporation than an open top.  Not that you have to adhere to either of these restrictions.

  1. Which corals you decide to keep will dictate what you need to supplement.  Trace elements aren't typically necessary to add.  Water changes when you get home should replenish most trace elements that your corals will need.  However, with stony corals (SPS and even LPS), you should try to maintain alkalinity.  If dosing alkalinity, you will also likely have to dose calcium and magnesium as well.  There are "two part" dosing solutions which can be administered via dosing pumps (although magnesium can be dosed manually whenever you are home).  But you can avoid dosing pumps by simply keeping just soft corals.
  2. Although possible to automate feeding dry coral food, or dose liquid coral supplements, I wouldn't setup a feeder or doser for corals.  Your corals should be fine being fed when you are home.  They will get the bulk of their nutrition from your reef lighting and their symbiotic algae.  Again, soft corals usually don't require feeding.  However, your LPS will benefit from target feeding once a week (although skipping a week when needed won't be a problem).
  3. There are a number of reliable automatic top off units available.  However, you don't want to come home to a flood, so don't skimp here.  The unit should have at least one other redundant sensor (often using another technology) to make sure that it doesn't over fill.  There are float sensors, laser sensors, pressure sensors, etc.
  4. In my opinion, there is no need to automate water changes.  Without fish, monthly water changes should be sufficient.

I got notified of the other responses while typing.  They might have covered things sufficiently already, but I continued my reply.  Hopefully it adds additional insight.

  • Like 2
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truckinreefer

okay thank you guys so much for the info. I've done some more research on my side and I have come across the Neptune apex controller. looks like I can handle everything from my phone while on the road. dosing, top offs lights and even feedings. I'm going to be doing some more research into what the apex can and cant do after I put together a list of corals I want and see what exactly I will need to automate. I will also take a ride to wide world corals store when I get back home and talk to the guys over there and see what the suggest. i know its going to cost a pretty penny so I'm going to put together a parts list and start striking things off soon!

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M. Tournesol

GHL and Neptune apex have application that give you the possibility to handle everything from your phone while on the road (I am not sure for reef factory and Focustronic). you should look at the different controller solution before choosing your environment. Looking at the price, better chose the best the first time 😉

 

You could also set a web camera (the option is disponible for GHL https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/knowledge-base/webcam/ and Apex https://forum.neptunesystems.com/forumdisplay.php?45-Camera-amp-Media-Integration-with-APEX-Fusion-APEX-Local-amp-Classic-Dashboards)

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Corals do not need to be fed. If I were going fishless I would just dose sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate to keep them at 5-10 and .03-.05 respectively. Its a lot easier to do this without fish and I've seen incredible frag and propagation tanks sustained via just nitrate and phosphate dosing and no fish.

 

LPS will of course benefit from manual feeding, but I would lock nutrients down first.

 

Not a fan of All for Reef in a mixed tank. Mature SPS....maybe.

 

I cover my tanks with glass to slow evap and two weeks is a stretch. You will need an auto water top off.

 

The Neptune controller works well, but I will get to the point. You will be spending most of your time playing with alkalinity and not seeing calcium move much. I wouldn't even bother with calcium and just track alk and leave calcium replenishment up to water changes.

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