Systems thinking - any you are still fine tuning?

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Art

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The good thing about setting up a new (or re-doing) aquarium is that you get a chance to re-think the systems you use to maintain it. To me, each aspect of the aquarium is a system. Getting each to work well for me and together is the name of the game.

The systems I've identified are:
  • Lighting
  • CO2 Supplementation
  • Temperature
  • Filtration
  • Water Exchange
  • Fertilization
  • Substrate
  • Water flow
  • Feeding
  • Safety
To me, systems are different than routines. A routine would be trimming, performing substrate cleaning when doing a water change, and weekly inspection to make sure things are all working as they should.

With this latest setup, I'm feeling pretty good about each of the above systems except for feeding. I'm still working on that one. A little challenging because I want to automate it.

Have you thought about your setup the same way? What system are you not totally happy with at the moment? What can you improve it?
 
I can relate to this approach,
with 4 tanks im never really happy with my co2 system, it always runs out faster than i'd imagine and sometimes i feel like when raising co2 in 1 aquarium another aquarium gets less.
i would really like to try a flowmeter to help me understand better how much gas is injected but i have small tanks and flowmeters are pretty expensive if you buy 3/4

flow is always a thing for me, i can be obsessive for it sometimes, to add a powerhead or not to thats the question, the solution? dosing less maybe, for less growth haha

the solutions to everything is to have 1 or 2 co2 supplmented aquariums so its easier to focus and remember each of them weaknesses and schedule.
 
Yes, I can't imagine having more than one aquarium. Impressed with anyone that does more than one well. Dedication and discipline for sure.

Flow, IMHO, is underrated in planted aquariums. I know of many people trying to achieve more by adding multiple filters. I'm not sure that's the best way to do it. A well-placed powerhead, especially a controllable one, can achieve better flow. Again, in my opinion.

I plan to use an Ecotech MP10 on my latest build. You can program it to create a wave that lifts detritus up from the substrate into the water column every once in a while. I can also have it pulse to drive CO2 laden water down to the lower portions of the aquarium and the corners. Really gives me more options at the cost of having a powerhead stuck to the side of the aquarium.
 
Flow, IMHO, is underrated in planted aquariums
I'm finding this has been one of my biggest problems I never knew I had until setting up my new tank. Everything has been easier with the incredible flow and distribution this tank has.
 
I’ve been pondering this question, because I do think about my tanks, and especially my pond, in terms of various systems, and how to locate weak links and improve areas that could be working better.
However, I don’t agree with some aspects of your chart for our purposes.

IMG_0942.png

For instance, in reading the lines from Conventional Thinking vs Systems Thinking - short term success and quick fixes to a system can easily lead to long term success, particularly when stability is key (ie. a small adjustment in co2 dosing today, shows up as a long term improvement after observing the change over the next few weeks).

Optimizing the parts of a system can lead to improved relationships between the parts (ie, swapping your needle valve for a flow meter - the whole co2 system works more efficiently).

Do as much as you can, as quickly as you can AND focus on a few key coordinated changes over time (ie, heavily plant a tank right from the start to get a tank established, then tweak, rearrange and improve the aquascape as time goes by).

And back to the first point in the chart, I think problems and causes are very often connected in thinking about our systems. I know my pond prefiltration is inadequate and I know exactly why as well (can’t afford a good sieve or rotary drum filter) and this is a weak point in my entire filtration system. I do my best to come up with what fixes or improvements do work for me, in relation to the rest of the system, and what technology is available and affordable.

So, in conclusion, I agree with all your observations about the systems we think about … everything except the chart : ) I don’t think it pertains to our situation very well.
 
Thanks, Ci. I agree with you.

Honestly, it was an image I pulled from Google and used it more for the title rather than the individual points. What I was intending to say is what you captured. We need to think of our aquariums in terms of interrelated systems. This sometimes leads to identifying things you otherwise would gloss over or not think about until something happens (redundancy systems).
 
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