Tank cleaning

[Paul B]

Today it is snowing and I have to stay home to wait for someone so I decided to clean and re aquascape the tank. No matter how nice you aquascape, in a couple of years the rocks tend to fall and fill in places that you would like to be kept clear. Out of my 4 diatom filters I managed to switch parts and get two of them working.
I removed about a third of the corals and rock and am stirring up the gravel on that half of the tank. I don't like to do this with the bluestripped pipefish in there because I always lose them when I do this. Maybe they can't breathe with all the detritus floating around. The tank looks like Half and Half right now but I am trying to do a little at a time just for those pipefish. It is a lot easier and much quicker if I could just stir everything at once.
I run a Reverse UG filter so I can and have to clean and re juvinate the system every few years. This is not a major cleaning, those I do every 25 years weather it needs it or not.
I do this piece meal and it is almost as good. When it is all back together it will be clean and the corals and fish will be "happy" Now, not so much.
This maintenance is needed to insure complete water circulation through the gravel and I also powerwash the pores in the rocks. My homemade rocks are hollow and they fill with sediment

 

[Paul B]

Well I had a bit of a disaster while I was maintaining. This large giant mushrom was attached to the two largest rocks in the tank which I did not know. One rock fell and tore a nice chunk out of the bottom of the coral. He is not happy and I hope it heals.
It took years for me to get it to that size.

 

[topmav1]

Wow

 

[jaa1456]

If its not broken don't fix it.

 

[Paul B]

If its not broken don't fix it.

Yeah I know, but this tank did not to get to be 38 years old without maintenance.
Some things just need to be done. Many people change water every few weeks, I don't do that but the way I designed this system, it needs maintenance every few years. It is designed purposely so that it can be maintained

 

[xvinny631x]

Ur elephant coral will repair itself.. There pretty indestructable.. I bought one 2 yrs ago and i now have 4! They get huge!

 

[Paul B]

Yeah I know, but he is giving me dirty looks

 

[jaa1456]

38 years is not 38 years when you take a tank down and start again. I had a tank running untouched for 12 years straight. No new corals or fish or even new aquascaping, everything was stocked the forst year. That is what I call running for a true amount of years.

 

[Paul B]

Jaa the tank was not started again all the stuff was transfered but if you like. then call it 31 years old. It hasen't been touched in 31 years.
It makes no difference to me I didn't think of it as a contest but a few people have told me the same thing.
If aquascaping doesn't count then it is not old at all. I like to change things around when ever I get bored and I add things and give away things all the time so I would call it a Noob tank

 

[MIKE NY]

Hey Paul it is a contest I'm trying to catch you...LOL...my tank has never been empty of water since '90...but I may concede....thinking of upgrading.....BTW I always have admired your tank.

 

[E.intheC]

Paul, that Mushroom looks drunk Don't confuse drunk eyes or beer goggles with dirty looks:spin:

Are those Diatom filters sitting on that chair?

 

[Master Shake]

whats with the bottle in the tank?

 

[Paul B]

Mike I cleaned and re aquascaped the tank yesterday so it is only a day old.
Yes those are diatomes on that 50s era chair

whats with the bottle in the tank?

Oh, Is that where I put those bottles?

[IMG]http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/Bottle.jpg

 

[Awibrandy]

Congratulations on your 1 day old Paul.:wink1:

 

[SIReefer]

The bottle that you are holding Paul is like a whole separate ecosystem within your main tank. Really cool - like those Easter eggs you can see into.

 

[Paul B]

Congratulations on your 1 day old Paul.:wink1:

Thanks Awilda, I hope it cycles soon. :lovestory

The bottle that you are holding Paul is like a whole separate ecosystem within your main tank. Really cool -

SIReefer, I actually "built" that bottle to look like that, but it has been in there for a few decades also.