MTRC Full Tank Shots

TinaFoster · Jun 11, 2011

Now THAT's a thriving ecosystem! In fact, it should be named a sea! In miniature anyway. Very inspiring, Paul. Thanks for sharing.

Paul B · Jun 11, 2011

Have you had any long term issues with that tank being up so long to deal with? What type equipment are you using? Old school or newer type things like skimmers and such?

No issues, it is Old School and almost the same as the day it was set up. The rocks and gravel are original as is the reverse UG filter which is the heart of the system and the main thing that has kept it going. I designed it so that it runs very slow, in reverse with a filter on the inlet.
The 5' skimmer is a DIY and I use ozone in it. That is the only high tech thing I do but I have used ozone from about the late 70s or early 80s.
The lighting went from incandescent to flourescent to VHO then to PC to MH and just last week LEDs.
The only dosing is home made 2 part calcium which is Dow Flake ice melter and baking soda. Magnesium is added about 4 times a year in the form of Epsom Salt.
I have no test kits, hospital or quarantine tank as I have not needed one of those in many years.

There was an article published about it after the first 25 years Trial and Tribulations of an OLD Reef Tank (A 25+ year journey with a saltwater tank) by Paul Baldassano

And a thread about it here in Reef 2 Reef https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/reef-discussion/55423-tank-birthday-40-years.html

The skimmer, I don't remember when I built it

poolkeeper1 · Jun 11, 2011

Paul B said:
No issues, it is Old School and almost the same as the day it was set up. The rocks and gravel are original as is the reverse UG filter which is the heart of the system and the main thing that has kept it going. I designed it so that it runs very slow, in reverse with a filter on the inlet.
The 5' skimmer is a DIY and I use ozone in it. That is the only high tech thing I do but I have used ozone from about the late 70s or early 80s.
The lighting went from incandescent to flourescent to VHO then to PC to MH and just last week LEDs.
The only dosing is home made 2 part calcium which is Dow Flake ice melter and baking soda. Magnesium is added about 4 times a year in the form of Epsom Salt.
I have no test kits, hospital or quarantine tank as I have not needed one of those in many years.

There was an article published about it after the first 25 years Trial and Tribulations of an OLD Reef Tank (A 25+ year journey with a saltwater tank) by Paul Baldassano

And a thread about it here in Reef 2 Reef https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/reef-discussion/55423-tank-birthday-40-years.html

The skimmer, I don't remember when I built it

Thanks for sharing your journey and how you achieved success in your own way ahead of the crowd! Amazing to say the least.
Bill

gmoney243 · Jun 11, 2011

First page quotes are great paul .. " I think people keep tank to sterile and rock was easy just fly to carribbean get it carry it on your lap in the plane" lol well those may not be exact quoye but basic are there :p

Paul B · Jun 11, 2011

Thanks Bill, it was easy in those days with no internet you learned by trial and error and you had no incorrect information to confuse you.

think people keep tank to sterile and rock was easy just fly to carribbean get it carry it on your lap in the plane"

I still feel tanks are too sterile, thats why I add mud and "critters" from the sea all the time.

Bishop · Jun 11, 2011

Paul B said:
I still feel tanks are too sterile, thats why I add mud and "critters" from the sea all the time.

I really like this. I'm very new to marine tanks but I strongly feel that having the water to pure is bad for the livestock. Corals and anemone do inflate with water for good reasons and I feel that this is their way of taking in water to absorb organics and nitrates which are used as food as well as absorbing light. This is also the first tank I've even heard of that is more than 7 years old. What kind of corals were you housing in it back in the 70's? When it comes to lighting, I aim to compete with the sun which is impossible so I really feel that my idea of moderate light is someone else's idea of high light.

With all the talk of how much lighting is needed for corals, It's kinda amazing to hear of a tank from the 70's running on incandescent. light. The truth is though, I have grown many corals under 27w 6500k household CFLs. Can't afford expensive lighting all the time.

Was reading the article and feel a little more understanding now. Seems you didn't get into any type of invert or coral till after the 70's were gone. I am a fortunate one that these days are the best time ever for new reef hobbiest with the rapid increase in LED tech as well as other great lighting. Not to mention the internet. While much of the info can be wrong, forums such as this are full of people that actually have experiences in the reef tank. That is often something that people at the LFS do not have and is a very valuable way to learn a lot.

Paul B · Jun 12, 2011

There were no corals for sale in the 70s. Only some fish and in the early 70s only damsels. The first inverts were arrow crabs, banded coral shrimp and then anemones.

commonstranger · Jun 12, 2011

That is so neat to have someone supply info of what it was like back then. More details the better. Oh yeah Jay your tank is looking nice man.

Paul B · Jun 12, 2011

That is so neat to have someone supply info of what it was like back then. More details the better

For some reason the only two times I was asked to speak at Aquarium societies I was asked to speak about the history of the hobby.
Boy, you can tell when people know you are old :sad:

gmoney243 · Jun 12, 2011

Hey paul Do you use ro/di water or nsw or tap? I also love your quotes from one of those threads where u say this hobby doesn't have to be expensive glad someone out there can prove u can have a long term tank without having spent thousands of dollars in equipment. I often see so many threads and vids where people say its required to have all these expensive items.

orthokardia · Jun 12, 2011

Paul B said:
I set it up in March 1971

Best I can figure....I was "set up" in mid 1971 as I was born Feb 72. It is always great to hear from folks that have been in for the long haul. It also give a chance to pick on someone other than Bill:)

Paul B · Jun 12, 2011

Do you use ro/di water or nsw or tap? I also love your quotes from one of those threads where u say this hobby doesn't have to be expensive glad someone out there can prove u can have a long term tank without having spent thousands of dollars in equipment. I often see so many threads and vids where people say its required to have all these expensive items.

I use RO/DI but for about ten or fifteen years I used tap water that I ran through carbon. We didn't have RO then that I knew about.
I really have no idea why so much money is spent on this "hobby" I think I spend a couple of hundred dollars a year at most.
One year with my boat costs more than 40 years with this hobby.
I feed frozen food, live worms and fresh clams. That is about $20.oo a month. I use baking soda and Dow Flake ice melter for additives, about $7.00 a year.
I change some water 5 or 6 times a year so that is maybe $70.00.
I do use electricity but I just installed LEDs so I guess I do spend a little on electricity, I didn't figure that into the equasion but that comes to about $150 a year.
What else do you need to spend money on? The fish live 10 or 15 years and the rocks don't go bad.
I give up. :squigglemouth:

orthokardia · Jun 12, 2011

orthokardia · Jun 12, 2011

orthokardia · Jun 12, 2011

First pic was through right side....second was a front shot. I need to scrape some glass, but not today:)

-bart

gmoney243 · Jun 13, 2011

Nice pics bart. Hey paul I thought. I had seen a post from you in a thread about algae turf scrubbers. Don't u use one of those to keep ur nit/ phos down?

Paul B · Jun 13, 2011

Hey paul I thought. I had seen a post from you in a thread about algae turf scrubbers. Don't u use one of those to keep ur nit/ phos down?

I use one of those so the algae if any grows in there and not on my corals.

TinaFoster · Jun 13, 2011

Hey Bart,

I was admiring your tank pics and noticed that your tang has lines on its underside just behind its belly. Like grooves. Mine has that too. Is that something all tangs have? I was worried it might have been something bad on mine.

Tina