Things that reefers can do to help save themselves money

[Reef Pilot]

I have 2 display tanks, one on the main floor, and one downstairs on the other side of the wall from my sump room. When changing water (every 2 weeks) I reuse the upstairs water to replace the water in my downstairs tank. I also have a QT that also uses the upstairs tank water when I change it (about once every 2 months or more depending on usage).

My upstairs display tank has SPS and other more demanding corals. So it gets the new fresh SW with a change. For that tank, I also dose Ca and KH, MB7, trace elements, as well run a bio pellet reactor, carbon and GFO. When I change water, my N03 and P04 are at or near zero in that tank, so that water is still very suitable to reuse in my downstairs tanks.

But in my downstairs tank, I don't dose anything. I have mostly softies and less demanding LPS in it, and they seem to be just fine.

With my plumbing, and how my tanks and sump are situated, water changes are very easy to do. And I only have to use 1/2 the salt and other chemicals that otherwise would be necessary for all my tanks.