Tips on avoiding the 'old' tank syndrome...

[trigger0214]

Well,

The reef is established now. Everything is doing well. I can't put too much, if any more bioload in to the system. I have reached a nice balance on the system. I don't really have to scrub the glass, if at all, between water changes (via the macro and coralline algae and skimmer - which rarley needs emptying). My corals are growing well and my fish and invertebrated are healthy. So, I shouldn't complain. But, the thrill is wearing off a bit.

My only plans now are to get a smaller tang to help control the macros....

My biweekly 20% water changes are slowly ramping down to around every 4 weeks or so. I just don't want to get to point where the tank takes a total back seat to the puppy (oh yeah, the new puppy) or whatever is going on in my life.

I am assuming that some or most of you have gone through this? This the healthiest tank I have ever had (and I've kept a lot of them). Just looking for a little motivation from the old schoolers!

 

[Anonymous]

Keep the flow up. Corals growing creates dead spots that had good flow before.

Maintain or remove your DSB if you have one.

Keep up with the WC's. They are a good thing.

Blast your rock good on a regular basis. Storm the whole tank. It makes a mess, but it is good medicine.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

HUH?


:lol:

 

[aquarius77]

Blast your rock good on a regular basis. Storm the whole tank. It makes a mess, but it is good medicine.

Louey

What does that mean?
Basically im asking what blasting your rock is, and what it does for it i guess.

 

[Anonymous]

hit it with a jet of water, as in a good squeeze from a turkey baster, or by holding a powerhead in your hand and focusing it close to the rocks.

The concentrated flow will blow detritus from all the nooks and crannies (it is always fun to blow in one hole and see a puff of junk plume out of another, several inches away). It is good to keep the buildup on/in your rocks down by doing this (mimicing a 'storm') a couple times a month.

jayo

 

[Anonymous]

Once a year I like to do a quick series of large water changes - like 20-25% every other day for a couple of weeks. If your water parameters have drifted out of normal range for any ions this will bring it back into balance.

jayo

 

[Charlesr1958]

To avoid getting "old", change out with "new", such as I do with my DSB, once a month or two, I siphon out one small section right to the bottom of the tank and replace it with new live sand. I also swap out a live rock once in awhile also. Even just changing the landscape around once a year or two helps as well.

Changing out some live sand/rocks also helps to add and maintain the diversity of life that gives meaning to the word "reef".

Chuck

 

[Nautilus1]

What are somwe other ways of maintaing the DSB? I try to add critters that willl "work" the sand. I have a pistol shrimp that does a great job 0f it nut he kicks it up onto corals.

 

[Anonymous]

hit it with a jet of water, as in a good squeeze from a turkey baster, or by holding a powerhead in your hand and focusing it close to the rocks.

The concentrated flow will blow detritus from all the nooks and crannies (it is always fun to blow in one hole and see a puff of junk plume out of another, several inches away). It is good to keep the buildup on/in your rocks down by doing this (mimicing a 'storm') a couple times a month.

jayo

Personally I can't stress the above enough, it makes a huuuge difference. It's one reason why I've moved away from sandbeds, it makes it so much easier deal with detritus.

 

[Nautilus1]

I agree with the DSB making detritus removal hard. However, I still like the advantages the sand bed can offer. I think a DSB in the rufugium with the main display bare botom is the way to go.

 

[dadstank]

when changing the landscape if you are left with exra peices of live rock, can it just be placed around the outer edges of a sump tank that holds nothing but a skimmer?

i can't see any reason why not...

 

[fungia]

siphon the detritus out of your sand half a tank at a time. dont feed too much.

 

[Anonymous]

I use alot of LR in my sump. It is always nice to have replacement pieces available. It helps not hurts your filtration as well. Give the good bacteria more places to grow.