A practical reef tank maintenance routine

A useful maintenance routine should tell you what needs attention and leave you enough time to enjoy the aquarium. Start with a short list you can follow, then adjust it as you learn how your reef behaves. The routine for a lightly stocked aquarium will differ from one with rapidly growing stony corals.

Every day: look before you adjust

Spend a few minutes observing the tank before feeding or maintenance. Notice whether fish are behaving normally, whether corals look different from their usual pattern, and whether water is moving as expected. Check the temperature and top-up supply. Automation helps with repetitive tasks, but a quick visual check remains useful.

Make an observation specific enough to compare later: “return flow weaker than yesterday” is more useful than “tank looks odd”. A photograph can also help you remember a change.

Set a regular water-check session

Record salinity, temperature and the chemistry measurements relevant to your reef. Nutrient tests and, where appropriate, alkalinity, calcium and magnesium help build a picture over time. The testing frequency should reflect the livestock, growth and any dosing programme you use; a new or changing system may need closer monitoring.

Use the same method consistently and follow the test instructions. If a result is unexpected, check the measurement before making an adjustment. Choose targets appropriate to your aquarium rather than borrowing a single number from an unrelated tank.

Give cleaning a clear order

Plan the session before taking equipment apart. Put out clean aquarium tools, a waste-water container and any prepared replacement water. Clean viewing panes with tools suitable for the tank material. Attend to collected debris and mechanical filtration, and check the skimmer cup and equipment inlets. Follow each manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.

Use a water-change schedule suited to the aquarium. Prepare replacement saltwater according to the salt manufacturer’s directions and check its temperature and salinity before use. Freshwater evaporation top-ups are a separate task.

Finish with a restart check

After maintenance, confirm that equipment you paused is operating again, water levels are correct, and lids and feeding covers are seated properly. Check for drips around anything you moved. Leave a brief note of the work and any setting you changed.

Keep the record simple

A notebook or phone note is enough. Use four headings: date, observations, measurements and work completed. Add a reminder for the next check. A short record that you keep is more useful than an elaborate spreadsheet you abandon.

Read our guide to evaporation and top-ups for help separating water-level maintenance from water changes. For lid fitting and ordering questions, visit the FAQ page.