Reusing an old tank

reneeL

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Good amount of information. Well, I would clean the sand, take most of it out. Clean it using buckets and your garden hose. Do this until water is clear. You have to just do small amounts at a time. Scrub you rocks. Drain the water. When you add it back let it run for days, assume all equipment and tank was cleaned. I know you can get real live rock and stuff to put into that will jump start the bacteria. I had saved my sand from 6 years ago and used it in my new in March rs tank. My fish and coral are good. Test your water. Wishing you the best of luck.
I hope your tank is not a red sea, do yourself a favor check your seams. My rs seams are in the process of failing and I need to find aquariums to put my critters in.
Good luck.
 

BristleWormHater

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Curious where you learned this information about amoebas and harmful bacteria. Do you have a background in microbiology? I don't want to assume that since you've only been reefing since July that you don't know what you're talking about, but I don't know that your point is common knowledge so I'd like to know more. What strains of bacteria would you be concerned about in this case?

I would imagine the microbiome has shifted due to the increased salinity and decreased circulation. But I would think that by adding heat, circulation, regular water changes, and gravel siphoning would promote the sort of conditions that would cause the microbiome to shift back to a favorable makeup. I wouldn't throw anything other than some more live rock in for at least several weeks. I wouldn't suggest doing a water change and adding $1,000 in coral and fish right off the bat.
Edit: Not a microbiologist
I do not know specifically what strains, but strains under anaerobic bacteria is generally what I mean by "harmful bacteria", since they thrive in this environment without oxygen, and are a common source of infections that could be dangerous to the aquarist and to livestock.

Water forms a layer of surface tension at the top. Oxygen cannot effectively pierce this surface tension only diffuse into it, hence why there must be flow to break the surface tension and allow oxygen to enter. Bacteria that we add to our tanks (nitrifying bacteria) require oxygen. Without this oxygen, they die, dead bacteria provides a food source for fungi and anaerobic bacteria(which do not require oxygen). This gives an ideal environment for amoeba too, though there are not many types of saltwater amoeba, its better to be safe than sorry, same goes with aerobic bacteria and fungi. Y'know just because I made my r2r account in July doesn't mean I only started fish keeping in July. It's true I only just now created a permanent setup, I've had many enclosures for some wild-caught invertebrates, never anything permanent, I have also kept freshwater before.
You are right, re-introducing flow and heat will shift the microbiome, but that will take awhile, probably an equal amount of time to sterilizing and restarting. Anaerobic bacteria are somewhat normal in our tanks, they form in dead spots and areas of detritus buildup, and are not harmful unless disturbed, I would rather start a new tank with 0 anaerobic bacteria, just to avoid any dangerous hydrogen sulfide levels(a biproduct of anaerobics).
When did I suggest putting 1,000$ in fish and coral in?
I don't like having problems with people, so I hope we can work this out :)
Edit: Just got fact checked by @Fish Fan , saltwater amoeba do not exist, my bad!
 
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BristleWormHater

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The protozoan commonly known as an amoeba is a freshwater organism, and will not be found in saltwater, especially not hypersalinated saltwater, though I agree with your overall point; nasty, old saltwater = yuck city lol!
You got me there, my bad!
 

SueAubu

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Make sense but I just read that they can't survive without oxygen. No water movement no oxygen, right?

Amoebas are freshwater microbes, for the most part.... Especially under the increased salinity of your evaporated tank. Let's stop this freak-out tangent.

That being said, clean it out. It's gross. No oxygen. Dead stuff. Why risk what you want to put in there next? Rinse the sand, acid/vinegar the glass and equipment. It'll be fine. The ocean isn't a clean place, either.

I once found a live damsel when I emptied a tank after nothing to it for months, after hurricanes. Everything wasn't dead, after all!

** Awww nuts- I wish I'd seen Fish Fan's post.... Everything s/he said- YES!
 

BristleWormHater

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Amoebas are freshwater microbes, for the most part.... Especially under the increased salinity of your evaporated tank. Let's stop this freak-out tangent.

That being said, clean it out. It's gross. No oxygen. Dead stuff. Why risk what you want to put in there next? Rinse the sand, acid/vinegar the glass and equipment. It'll be fine. The ocean isn't a clean place, either.

I once found a live damsel when I emptied a tank after nothing to it for months, after hurricanes. Everything wasn't dead, after all!

** Awww nuts- I wish I'd seen Fish Fan's post.... Everything s/he said- YES!
Yeah, sorry I started the amoeba panic :grinning-face-with-sweat: lol
 

Fish Fan

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Water forms a layer of surface tension at the top. Oxygen cannot pierce this surface tension, hence why there must be flow to break the surface tension and allow oxygen to enter.
My new friend, this is just untrue. No chemical reaction runs to 100%, so to say that "no" oxygen can diffuse into the water is not accurate.

Bacteria that we add to our tanks (nitrifying bacteria) require oxygen. Without this oxygen, they die, dead bacteria provides a food source for fungi and anaerobic bacteria (which do not require oxygen).
With great respect, I think you are speaking about organic gardening, or a hobby that's not reef keeping?? Maybe farming something green....??? Just asking, but I think that you are pulling info from another "hobby".
 

SueAubu

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Yeah, sorry I started the amoeba panic :grinning-face-with-sweat: lol
The search led me to a quora post that said "I think I got a brain-eating amoeba..."

Being a former teacher, I already despair for this person's IQ... But I've had 3 things cross my mind, at this point:
1. You'd be too dead to post.
2. It must be eating from back to front, (but you can still type...)
3. Yes, definitely ask quora over... Say.... An emergency doctor.
 

BristleWormHater

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My new friend, this is just untrue. No chemical reaction runs to 100%, so to say that "no" oxygen can diffuse into the water is not accurate.


With great respect, I think you are speaking about organic gardening, or a hobby that's not reef keeping?? Maybe farming something green....??? Just asking, but I think that you are pulling info from another "hobby".
Dang... maybe I should exit this thread lol

Sam Elliott Hello GIF by GritTV

To my understanding without anything to break the surface tension, a biofilm, consisting of bacteria(live and dead) and possibly fungi forms at the top. Shouldn't have said food source there, more like the death of the nitrifying bacteria leaves space for anaerobic bacteria to grow. Anaerobic bacteria do not require oxygen, I know that at least
The point I was trying to make is that stagnant water= bad
 

BristleWormHater

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The search led me to a quora post that said "I think I got a brain-eating amoeba..."

Being a former teacher, I already despair for this person's IQ... But I've had 3 things cross my mind, at this point:
1. You'd be too dead to post.
2. It must be eating from back to front, (but you can still type...)
3. Yes, definitely ask quora over... Say.... An emergency doctor.
Quora is... interesting
 

Cichlid Dad

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You had all the equipment OFF, right? I would completely sterilize then, water circulation is extremely important, all kinds of bacteria that you absolutely do not want will build up in stagnant water, hence why people use a powerhead and heater to culture live rock.

Stagnant water is it's own ecosystem. I'm not saying there is amoeba, but it is a great environment for them, they would be eating bacteria and other microbes.
Agreed. That is why we don't have anything in our systems that can hold stagnant water. If you don't run carbon or GFO all of the time, we keep some water moving through the reactor during off times.
 

Fish Fan

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Dang... maybe I should exit this thread lol

Sam Elliott Hello GIF by GritTV

To my understanding without anything to break the surface tension, a biofilm, consisting of bacteria(live and dead) and possibly fungi forms at the top. Shouldn't have said food source there, more like the dead of the nitrifying bacteria leaves space for anaerobic bacteria to grow. Anaerobic bacteria do not require oxygen, I know that at least
The point I was trying to make is that stagnant water= bad
My friend, don't "exit the thread"!

I've been blasted on these forums for recommending the wrong fish net, lol!

And I personally am not saying you're "wrong". You have the right idea. Some of us just like to split hairs ;-)

You're absolutely right about braking the surface area, this adds oxygen to your system. But you can leave a 5 gallon pail of water out in your garage, and it will diffuse *some* oxygen, and microbes will persist.

I hope that helps!
 

BristleWormHater

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My friend, don't "exit the thread"!

I've been blasted on these forums for recommending the wrong fish net, lol!

And I personally am not saying you're "wrong". You have the right idea. Some of us just like to split hairs ;-)

You're absolutely right about braking the surface area, this adds oxygen to your system. But you can leave a 5 gallon pail of water out in your garage, and it will diffuse *some* oxygen, and microbes will persist.

I hope that helps!
What kind of fish net is the "wrong one" lol
 

Cichlid Dad

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@Cichlid Dad what do you think?

In this case, I think the OP should do a bleach cure for their old rock.

Your thoughts?
Absolutely. I would start completely over. Bleach rock, I would get new sand. No problem foreseen with the silicon. I would not give that a second thought. Fill tank with water add vinegar and a good power head and completely clean tank to new. Vinegar and water bath all equipment and start over.
 

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