Tank birthday, 47+ years

[Paul B]

I know I mentioned the parameters because I can see myself holding up the paper with them on it. I know the calcium now is 520 but the rest I have no idea.

 

[anthonygf]

I know I mentioned the parameters because I can see myself holding up the paper with them on it. I know the calcium now is 520 but the rest I have no idea.

Thanks, I may have missed it. I didn't get a chance to view it all.

 

[Paul B]

I found the paper I am reading from in the video. My parameters before I changed the water were

KH 14
Nitrate 20
Phosphate 0>25
Calcium 480

 

[Paul B]

This morning I walked where I haven't gone before. Through the center of the golf course in front of my house.

 

[Paul B]

Good Morning. I am really not liking the look of this ASW. I have to clean the glass twice a day but thats due to all the dead stuff I have in my rock after I cleaned it. Much of it I just let sit in the dark and some of it I left out in the cold in sea water. Some I just wire brushed to get all the sponge off and some I bleached. :)

The fish are happy and most of the corals are opening up but my skimmer is going crazy and there is a fine coating of algae on most surfaces which is a good thing. The tank thinks it's a new tank even though the gravel and about a third of the rock I didn't do anything to except rinse.

I dropped my diatom filter and it leaks so I have to run it in a bucket. I need to fix that asap because I can't be in this hobby without the thing.

After I am sure that none of that invasive sponge is growing, I would like to go back to NSW but I may wait at least a year.

It's snowing pretty hard now so I won't go collecting bacteria today. :D

 

[atoll]

Keep at it Paul, little good happens quickly as you know.

 

[Paul B]

Atoll, It is looking pretty good now. This is the first time it is looking normal and lost that ASW white look

 

[atoll]

Atoll, It is looking pretty good now. This is the first time it is looking normal and lost that ASW white look

Hope it keeps going in the right direction for you.bit of a mammoth task only a geezer would take on.

 

[Cthulukelele]

The tank is doing well. I just had my arms in it for an hour gluing gorgonians and leathers and "fixing" the rock which is very precarious and I am sure it will fall soon :sick:

I added more rock and still have a lot left over that probably won't go in.
Unfortunately I found a dead fish in the vat where I had the rock after I removed it from the tank. It was a cool looking gobi who must have hidden in a rock as I removed it. I didn't even know I had him. :(

All in all one fish lost isn't all that bad considering all the work I did to this tank yesterday.

Soon, maybe today depending on the tide I will drive down to the beach to collect some algae covered rocks to temporarily add for the diversity and bacteria. I want to make sure algae grows and some new, fresh amphipods and copepods won't hurt and will give some food to my urchin and 7 or 8 pod eaters.
It's still a little murky from my hands being in there just now.

Looks fantastic! Hard work pays off in reefing. Most reefers half your age wouldn't even do a job half as thorough on a project like this. Makes sense why the system has been around over 50 years.

 

[Paul B]

It's getting there. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[atoll]

It's getting there. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Looking mighty fine there Paul.

 

[fishybizzness]

If only we could all achieve that level of understanding with regards to saltwater aquariums! Truly amazing!

 

[Paul B]

Fishybizzness, I try to show my methods as often as I can. Some work well, some, not so much.

Yesterday my reef reached 52 years old. After the thorough cleaning last week I wasn't sure it was going to make it. :anguished-face:

It is looking good now and I didn't scrub clean the back and side glass or completely clean the gravel because I wanted to keep as much bacteria and critters as I could.

I have about 6 pod eaters and they all seem to be finding enough to eat which is something I was concerned about.

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Fishybizzness, I try to show my methods as often as I can. Some work well, some, not so much.

Yesterday my reef reached 52 years old. After the thorough cleaning last week I wasn't sure it was going to make it. :anguished-face:

It is looking good now and I didn't scrub clean the back and side glass or completely clean the gravel because I wanted to keep as much bacteria and critters as I could.

I have about 6 pod eaters and they all seem to be finding enough to eat which is something I was concerned about.

Happy 52!

 

[fishybizzness]

Fishybizzness, I try to show my methods as often as I can. Some work well, some, not so much.

Yesterday my reef reached 52 years old. After the thorough cleaning last week I wasn't sure it was going to make it. :anguished-face:

It is looking good now and I didn't scrub clean the back and side glass or completely clean the gravel because I wanted to keep as much bacteria and critters as I could.

I have about 6 pod eaters and they all seem to be finding enough to eat which is something I was concerned about.

Hi Paul, are you still seeing any of the invasive sponge on any of the rockwork? I'm hoping all your efforts are rewarded. After all that work the tank should be ready for another 52 years at least!

 

[atoll]

My latest little DIY build a Asteria starfish scoop to remove them from the front glass. I also put it in the DIY section.

 

[Paul B]

It was a mammoth task even though I didn't find any Mammoths.

 

[fishybizzness]

Hi Paul! As a diy and hands on person myself, I can't help but looking more at all the tools and different gadgets in your workshop in those pics than at your aquarium stuff! Any chance you could do a video about your workshop to show all the different contraptions you've setup to make doing things easier? I was just looking at the ceiling mounted pulley system and was intrigued by how you set it up and what you use it for!

 

[Paul B]

My latest little DIY build a Asteria starfish scoop to remove them from the front glass.

Why do you want to remove them? I kind of like them because they look like the Andromeda Galaxy :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Fishybizzness I think I could do that. Many of my power tools are hidden away and "fold" out to go on the bench which is about 12 or 15' long.

I actually built the entire wall to slide on garage door pulleys to reveal my furnace and water heater. I also have a large workshop in my garage with the big power tools like a large radial arm saw and band saw.

I was a mechanic 100 years ago for Oldsmobile soI have all my mechanic tools and jacks there.

In between that I was a plumber so I have every electrical tool, plumbing tool and mechanic tool along with of course carpenters tools. I like to build as you can see. :)

 

[3Zreefer]

Why do you want to remove them? I kind of like them because they look like the Andromeda Galaxy :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Fishybizzness I think I could do that. Many of my power tools are hidden away and "fold" out to go on the bench which is about 12 or 15' long.

I actually built the entire wall to slide on garage door pulleys to reveal my furnace and water heater. I also have a large workshop in my garage with the big power tools like a large radial arm saw and band saw.

I was a mechanic 100 years ago for Oldsmobile soI have all my mechanic tools and jacks there.

In between that I was a plumber so I have every electrical tool, plumbing tool and mechanic tool along with of course carpenters tools. I like to build as you can see. :)

Hi Paul-
3zreefer here. Huge new supporter of your way of reefing and fish keeping. Can you please show me where I can purchase your book about the diatom filter, reverse under gravel filter and disease management… foods to feed fish? I’d love to run a system similar to your whilst having a colorful mixed reef system. Will your methods work to ppl running a Zeovit system? Either way- please shoot over anything. I’m a sponge and I am very intrigued by your experience and methods.