Every day, check the temperature, that everything’s running and that the livestock looks right. Every week, do a water change, test alkalinity, nitrate and phosphate, empty the skimmer and clean the glass. Every month, test calcium and magnesium, calibrate your salinity tester and check your RODI filters. Pumps get a deep clean every few months.
Daily: a two-minute look
Most problems show up as something looking or sounding different. A quick daily check catches them early.
- Check the temperature on a separate thermometer
- Make sure the return pump, wavemakers, heater, skimmer and lights are running
- Check the top-off reservoir has water in it
- Count the fish and look at how the corals are opening
- Feed, and watch that the food gets eaten
Weekly: the main session
Pick a day and do these together. It’s easier to keep a routine when the jobs are grouped.
- Water change. See how often and how to do it
- Test alkalinity, nitrate and phosphate, and check salinity
- Empty and rinse the skimmer cup
- Clean the glass, inside and out
- Change filter socks or floss. Bulk Reef Supply suggests every 1–3 days if nitrate is a problem
- Top up the dosing containers and check the pump is delivering
Monthly
Jobs that drift if you don’t schedule them.
- Test calcium and magnesium
- Calibrate your refractometer or salinity meter
- Check your RODI output with a TDS meter and change filters when needed
- Clean the skimmer’s neck and body more thoroughly
- Change carbon or other media, if you use them, as the maker suggests
- Wipe salt creep off lights, lids and electrics
Every few months
Deep cleans that keep equipment working well.
- Strip and clean the return pump and wavemakers (vinegar soak if the maker allows)
- Clean the heater and check it’s reading true
- Replace dosing pump tubing if it’s a peristaltic type that wears
- Check the ATO sensor, plumbing and seals
- Review your routine: what’s slipping, and why?
Keep track, or it drifts
The weekly jobs usually happen. It’s the monthly and quarterly ones that slip, because nobody remembers when they were last done. That’s where a checklist with dates helps most.
The Companion counts each interval from the day you actually do the job. A late water change moves the next one on rather than piling up catch-up tasks. Add the whole list above with one button, untick anything that doesn’t apply and change any interval to suit your tank. Read more about building a schedule you’ll keep.
Common questions
What’s the most important reef maintenance job?
The daily look. Catching a stopped pump or a failed heater early prevents most disasters.
How long does weekly reef maintenance take?
It depends on your tank and kit. Time yourself once or twice; knowing how long it really takes makes it easier to book in.
Can I print this checklist?
Yes, though the Companion version keeps the dates for you and shows what’s due each day.
Sources and limits
Last checked 12 October 2026. Intervals are common starting points, not rules. Your equipment’s manuals and your own tank come first.
- Bulk Reef Supply: 5 ways to lower nitrates
- Bulk Reef Supply: how to use a refractometer
- Red Sea: how to mix salt
Keep going
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