Old Tanks of 21+ years. And I need some help here...

[Delatedlotus]

I wonder if your tank could benefit from high flow aimed right at the rock. Perhaps the 'white snot' would not like that and either recede or let go. If it let's go you will have to change filters often.

Whatever the white stuff is, it must be a nutrient base to feed the cheato and coraline algae so much. Have you tried cutting way back on the food? If it's taking up phosphates and nitrates maybe it can be starved out?

Yes I did about 4 months ago.. No change at all, I know that it would take a lot of time to show as well. But I have done this. I am adding two more power heads also.. "What a game.. The very best game in any town".... lol Thanks Rod,

 

[BZOFIQ]

I have read before about how old tanks can lose their biodiversity over time, losing strains of bacteria that are in normal reef tanks. If you look at my build thread, I did a micorbiome test this spring and was shocked at how low my diversity was. Somewhere around 10% diversiy. I added a bunch of mud and sand from IPSF, and my tank increased in diversity, up to 95%. I would recommend something along those lines to try to increase microbial diversity in your tank. Either real live rock, like the gulf stuff, or some kind of live sand directly from the ocean, not the bagged "live" sand from the shelves at Petco. Something to increase your biodiversity. I'm not going to claim that this will be the cure all for your problems, but there is certainly an argument to be made for the benefits of increased micro boidiversity. What you are describing, sounds like a bacterial bloom to me. So perhaps getting more bacteria strains in your tank will fill the niche that this bacterial bloom is currently taking. It would be interesting if you were patient enough, to do a microbiome test to see if you really are lacking in diversity, and then do a test after some sort of addition, to see if things improve.

I used to do just that, between the sand from the local non-public beach to muck from few of my friends fuge/sump, i think I got the bio-diversity covered.

 

[Subsea]

I have read before about how old tanks can lose their biodiversity over time, losing strains of bacteria that are in normal reef tanks. If you look at my build thread, I did a micorbiome test this spring and was shocked at how low my diversity was. Somewhere around 10% diversiy. I added a bunch of mud and sand from IPSF, and my tank increased in diversity, up to 95%. I would recommend something along those lines to try to increase microbial diversity in your tank. Either real live rock, like the gulf stuff, or some kind of live sand directly from the ocean, not the bagged "live" sand from the shelves at Petco. Something to increase your biodiversity. I'm not going to claim that this will be the cure all for your problems, but there is certainly an argument to be made for the benefits of increased micro boidiversity. What you are describing, sounds like a bacterial bloom to me. So perhaps getting more bacteria strains in your tank will fill the niche that this bacterial bloom is currently taking. It would be interesting if you were patient enough, to do a microbiome test to see if you really are lacking in diversity, and then do a test after some sort of addition, to see if things improve.

@Delatedlotus

How is the biodiversity in your system?

 

[Subsea]

Thanks Paul, Maybe it is good I really don't know.. All parameter's are spot on.. As they never change much at all. I am surprised someone else has this as well.. wow

@Paul B
I like it. You guys have mum and I have sponges feeding on mum bacteria.

 

[Timfish]

Congradulations on having such an old system!

My vote is sponges and I'd leave it alone. IF it really bothers you seeing it without moving the rocks you could siphon out what's obvious but leave what you can't see. Many of the cryptic sponges feed of Disolved Orgainc Carbon (DOC) aka "Carbon Dosing" and are essential recyclers in reef systems removing DOC about a thousand times faster than the bacterioplankton. I would encourage you to increase your biodiversity with either wild sand, maricultured liverock or rubble or soem product that's collected from the wild. Most of the microbial stuff on reefs can't be cultured and stuck in a bottle. For more on the roles of DOC and microbial processes in reefs get Forest ROhwer's "Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas".

 

[Paul B]

A tank that old needs nothing. That is how tanks get old, by leaving them alone. The tanks with all the tweeking, medicating, adding things are the ones with the problems. Go out to dinner. Try the Pino Noir and forget about it.

 

[theMeat]

Hey Paul
Have heard you use natural seawater and sand on occasion

 

[Paul B]

Yes, for the last almost 3 years I use 100% NSW as the sea is behind my house. I also use natural mud that I collect in a lagoon here.

 

[Subsea]

Yes, for the last almost 3 years I use 100% NSW as the sea is behind my house. I also use natural mud that I collect in a lagoon here.

Previously you mentioned preferring live rock from colder water where you are located. Aside from it being convenient for location, what other advantages do you see? What is the neatest thing that you brought in with this rock.

 

[theMeat]

I once scooped up some sand from a local to Paul and I beach. Wet sand as an experiment with my daughter and friends. Couple of weeks later had baby crabs.

 

[Delatedlotus]

Hey Paul
Have heard you use natural seawater and sand on occasion

LOL... I am in Montana the only beach is mine.... LOL

 

[Paul B]

Local New York rock is great. I don't think I have any pictures of the stuff I really like to use but much of it is asphalt that has been in the sea about 100 years. All the nasty oil is washed out of it and it is very porous. Totally filed with tiny anemones, worms, amphipods and who knows what kind of bacteria and sponges. I added a lot of that stuff to my tank and it looks fantastic. Totally black and all holes.

These barnacle covered rocks I like just for the amphipods. I put them for a while then dump them.



These tiny. 1/4" anemones are very common.



There is no problem for the environment using this stuff because it is not reef rock, basically junk.

I take some mud from this tide pool. At high tide the water is 8' deep here.



5 gallons of amphipods that I collect by swirling rocks in sea water.



Of course if you are the type of person that quarantines everything and worries about silly hitch hikers, you can't do this.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

hmmmmm not cycled yet