My uncle came to my house & saw my 2ft reef tank. Suddenly he told me about his reefing experience 20 years back. He started reefing with 0% knowledge on Marine tank. What he does is, he takes all of the live rocks, live sand & seawater direct from the sea in Changi. And place everything on his 4ft tank. Running on a over-head filter. No activated carbon, no addictives, no skimmers, no chillers, no test kits, nothing! Just flourescent bulb lighting(not sure T5 or T8) and a over-head filter. WC done every month. Stocking up fews damsels, baby groupers & 5 Copperband Butterfly Fish caught from Semakau Waters. (Fyi: Singapore waters has alot of Copperbanded Butterfly Fish) Feeding fishes on Market Prawn. He even stocks up Sea Fans, & all those common corals in singapore waters.
What Im surprise is everything on the tank survive for 3 years until a blackout cause everything to die.
How can my uncle's tank system survive for 3 years, without those equipment used by reefers today? Any explaination?