Tank birthday, 40 years

[rookie07]

Thanks Matt, I may just take you up on that, but it will be a boreing day.

Are you kidding me paul?! Your tank is so old that you might find burried treasure or a sunken ship under all those rocks! Heck, for all we know you might find Atlantis!

 

[Paul B]

for all we know you might find Atlantis!

Oh, I found that the last time I did this. Nice place, but damp. :tongue1:

 

[Awibrandy]

:champagne
CONGRATULATIONS Paul, and thank you for the wonderful read! It is always a pleasure reading your posts. Informative, and amusing all at the same time.

 

[Paul B]

I will be doing this cleaning/aquascaping job tomorrow, monday. I have vats all over the house along with tanks and mixed up water. 2 diatom filters are standing by for after I remove all the corals, fish, rocks, bristleworms, Loch Ness Monsters etc.
I will remove all the water except about 30 gallons, then I will stir it all up (with gloves on because of the huge bristleworms) and suck that out. Then I will add more of the old, clean water and stir that up and suck it out.
After a few cycles of that, I may lift the UG filter plates but it depends on how much time I spend on the initial cleaning because I need to complete this in one day as the next day I have a big job on my boat I want to do. I like to see what is under the plates as I have only done it a couple of times.
Also the fish and corals will be in small tanks and the last time I did this I was called away for a family emergency (my Mother died) and so did a bunch of my fish including a moorish Idol.
So I want to get these things back in the tank as fast as possable.
I also will be catching my dragon wrasse to give away to someone who can take care of him.
I built some new cement supports for the rocks and I will put everything back and run the both diatom filters.
It's a good thing I like to do this stuff.
Matt if you want to drop by, PM me, but it will be a boreing day.

 

[Paul B]

I finished in just 4 hours. I didn't lift the UG plates because the gravel was not that dirty.
I was surprised. I took out everything except about 3" of water, then I stirred that up and dumped it out. Then I added some of the clean water that I removed, stirred that up and dumped it out.
Then I ran the two diatom filters with just a few inches of water so they didn't have much water to clean. After an hour of stirring and diatoming, it was crystal clear and I started adding the rocks. First of course I added the cement stands that I built previousely. Very little of the rock is touching the substrait. It is almost all suspended on cement pillars so I can see all the way to the back under the aquascape.
Now I want to give away this dragon wrasse to someone who can take care of it.
This is what I was going for. It is kind of flimsy in spots so I have to be careful not to move too much.

Here is one of the rock supports

All done

 

[KathyC]

Nice job Paul, it looks very clean!

 

[Paul B]

Thanks Kathy. The picture looks lousy but with the two diatoms running for 4 hours, it is crystal clear.
Now I need to give away a 5" dragon wrasse if you know anyone who wants one.
Beautiful healthy fish that likes to dig, a lot.:strange:
I had to empty my tank to catch him, but he is in a spare tank now.
I am afraid he will eventually eat my clown gobies and small pipefish.

 

[natesreef]

congrats on 40 years, that tank sure is amazing

 

[Paul B]

Thanks. Now that I gave away the dragon wrasse one of this pair stays in the front now. Ever since I had that wrase both of them would hide in the back. I noticed after I removed all the rocks that one of this pair is missing. I am not sure how long watchmans live but this pair I got as babies and I think it was about 10 years ago. But I am not sure.
They have spawned numerous times during that time and I saw the both of them a couple of weeks ago. The missing one could have jumped out but I never found her or she could have died of old age, but I would assume them to live at least 15 years.
I am just not sure. I know she was not sick because their last spawning was just a few months ago and my fish generally don't get sick.

 

[Paul B]

My tank now is much too clean. Next week I need to go collecting for worms and amphipods. I will also add some mud for bacteria. I was at my collecting place today but I had a boat full of company so I didn't collect anything.
But I really don't like it this pristine.

 

[Paul B]

Today I added a copperband and long nose butterfly. These have always been my favorite fish. The copperband is not in the greatest health, he has flukes and some wounds. It is not very easy getting a very healthy one of those.
I knew that when I saw him but I got a deal I couldn't refuse.
There are a bunch of local NY grass shrimp in my tank and the copperband thinks they are cleaner shrimp. He keeps hanging around next to the shrimp waiting to be cleaned, but they just look at him funny.

I just felt like adding these pictures

 

[JonnyJ]

Looks awesome man, Always love reading your posts

 

[Paul B]

Thanks, I always like writing them

 

[Belwell]

+1 greats posts! Looking good!

 

[Paul B]

Thanks

 

[Paul B]

 

[xxxAngeloxxx]

Loving the tank aqua scape...But im seeing you have things sticking out next to the corals Paul what are they?

 

[Paul B]

...But im seeing you have things sticking out next to the corals Paul what are they?
__________________

I don't know where you are looking. There are hundreds of brittle star tentacles and there are scratches on the glass.

 

[xxxAngeloxxx]

I don't know where you are looking. There are hundreds of brittle star tentacles and there are scratches on the glass.

No its not the glass nor the brittle star or tentacles. Its inside the tank right in the middle

 

[Paul B]

Which picture do you see it in? I don't see anything