Reef Tank Maintenance Schedule Guide: Daily, Weekly, Monthly

Reef tanks reward rhythm. This reef tank maintenance schedule guide from Gensou Aquascaping at 5 Everton Park lays out a realistic daily, weekly, fortnightly and monthly routine for SG reefers running nano and mid-sized systems. Skip a week in Singapore’s warm, evaporation-heavy climate and alkalinity drifts by 1 dKH, film algae coats the glass and salinity creeps up. A written schedule on the cabinet door is cheaper than any coral insurance.

Daily Tasks — Under Five Minutes

Each morning: glance at the display, check return flow, confirm skimmer is pulling, verify temperature on the controller reads 25-26°C, top off ATO reservoir if running manually. Feed fish once; a pinch consumable in 30 seconds is plenty. Note anything abnormal in a short log. The whole routine should take three to five minutes and catches 90 per cent of problems before they escalate.

Twice-Weekly Touches

Scrape the front glass with a magnetic cleaner on day two and day five. Wipe the skimmer cup neck. Empty the skimmate collection cup when half full. Check and refill the calcium reactor effluent or two-part dosing reservoirs — Red Sea or BRS two-part runs roughly SGD 55 per 3 L and lasts a 90-gallon six to eight weeks at moderate coral load. Inspect fish at feeding for breathing rate, appetite and spots.

Weekly Water Change

A 10-15 per cent weekly water change remains the gold standard for small and mid-sized reefs. Mix saltwater in a dedicated food-grade bin at least four hours ahead (overnight is better). Match temperature within 1°C and salinity within 0.001 SG using a refractometer calibrated with 35 ppt fluid (SGD 15 a bottle, annual). A nano 30-gallon uses roughly 15 L weekly; budget Red Sea Blue Bucket at SGD 85 per 175 L equivalent.

Weekly Testing Block

Pick one evening — Sunday works for most hobbyists. Test alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, nitrate and phosphate. Hanna Checkers HI772 (alkalinity) and HI774 (phosphate ULR) run SGD 120-180 each and remove most human error. Log every number. A 0.5 dKH weekly drop means your coral demand has outgrown water changes and dosing needs adjusting.

Fortnightly Equipment Care

Every two weeks, pull the powerheads and soak the impellers in a 1:5 white vinegar solution for 20 minutes, rinse in RODI, reinstall. Coralline algae fouls impellers quickly in our warm water. Inspect return pump volute the same day. Clean the ATO float sensor or optical sensor — slime biofilm causes false readings and either overflows the sump or dries out the skimmer.

Monthly Deep Clean

Once a month, break down the skimmer fully, disassemble the pump, soak the needle-wheel and body in vinegar, rinse and reassemble. Replace filter socks if using them (SGD 8-12 each, wash or discard after a week). Wipe the sump waterline. Change activated carbon (SGD 35 a bottle, lasts two to three months) if running it passively or in a reactor. Service the chiller — clear dust from fins with a vacuum, which drops power draw noticeably in SG dust.

Monthly Trace Element and Refractometer Check

Calibrate the refractometer monthly with 35 ppt calibration fluid. Run a comprehensive ICP test every two to three months (SGD 60-80 sent to Triton or ATI in Germany) to catch trace element imbalance before it kills corals. Adjust salt brand or supplements based on results. This is the single most underrated maintenance habit for reefers running SPS.

Quarterly Bulb and Media Audit

LED diodes degrade slowly; output drops roughly 20 per cent over three years. Every three months, recheck PAR with a borrowed or loaned meter (some SG aquarium shops rent Apogee units for SGD 20 a day). Replace GFO (SGD 25/kg) and fresh carbon quarterly regardless of how clean the water looks. Inspect return plumbing unions for salt creep; tighten with a light smear of silicone grease, never Teflon tape on aquarium ball valves.

Electricity and Running Costs

A mid-size 90-gallon reef in Singapore draws roughly 350-450 W averaged across chiller, skimmer, return, powerheads and lights. At SGD 0.32 per kWh, that totals SGD 80-110 monthly. Nano 30-gallons run lower at SGD 40-60 monthly. Factor consumables — salt SGD 40-80, food SGD 15-25, test reagents SGD 20-40, carbon/GFO SGD 15-25 — and running costs land at SGD 200 (nano) to SGD 500 (mid) a month.

When to Break the Schedule

Life gets busy. Missing a water change once is forgivable; missing three in a row begins a slow drift. If travel or work removes you for more than a week, pre-mix saltwater, brief a reliable friend on feeding and topping off, automate dosing if possible. A steady reef tank maintenance schedule guide compresses to a weekly 45 minutes once you settle in, and the system effectively runs itself between touches.

Related Reading

• Reef Tank First Month Routine Guide
• Reef Tank Parameters Beginner Guide
• Reef Tank Water Change Complete Guide
• Reef Tank Budget Beginner Guide
• Saltwater Aquarium Beginner Complete Guide