How old is your reef and how has it progressed?

[vlangel]

Hi, I read a lot of new tank build threads. That got me curious about how many of those tanks were still operating 5 years later and how did they progress. It seems like aquarists often get restless to upgrade, downgrade, change their reef focus or what have you.

To be honest, I have done that myself. In my 25+ years of reef aquarium keeping, I have had 4 tanks. I would have them running 4, 5 or 6 years then do something different. Maybe because I am older and more settled but I am finally happy with the tank I have. Perhaps I have figured out what I like to keep and how much work I want to put into it. Anyhow, I can say I am happy with my current tank just as it is. Here is the progression from Nov 2016

 

[nuxx Verified Sponsor]

Hit about the 5 year mark and had some fish deaths I couldn't explain...

Was too scared to lose the rare fish in the tank and shut it down

 

[brandon429]

Here’s ten years ago


2016




17 years old, it progressed as non aged because of rip cleans. it will look this way on year 25 as well

here's the build pic from '06:

cured base rock

rip cleaning is stopping the substrate from aging up with waste, but letting the rocks and corals age. it is a method of cheating any reef tank into old age, as long as you want to run it.


non rip clean options that get to year seventeen in a fishbowl are ideal but I couldn't figure them out, so I did what it took to force the system to run anyway. once every year or two, it gets a simple deep clean to eject waste.


that's the fountain of youth pill for nano reefs.

 

[vlangel]

17 years old, it progressed as non aged because of rip cleans. it will look this way on year 25 as well

here's the build pic from '06:

cured base rock

Of course I have seen your jar reef. You, PaulB and nano sapien seem to have learned the art of longevity.

 

[brandon429]

Paul and I clean in very similar ways/the super deep cleaning of a diatom filter ran across all the sand is alot like just taking a reef apart and cleaning out the sand, then putting it back. plus Paul is using a lifted sandbed that has water pushed up from underneath out the top...that also acts as a de-aging design vs a sinking design where the sand is never touched.

Ralph @Nano sapiens how are you handling detritus in your old nano reef, you don't do disassembly cleaning yours is stick stirring is that correct/bed in place but ejected up detritus lands in filter catchments then is exported?

 

[brandon429]

adding in our friend Maritza the vase reef, she doesn't post on forums but this is a fishbowl on year eleven that has never been cleaned, nor stick-stirred, it's the longest untouched sandbed in a nano/pico I've ever seen along with the best corals I've ever seen in a fishbowl:

 

[vlangel]

adding in our friend Maritza the vase reef, she doesn't post on forums but this is a fishbowl on year eleven that has never been cleaned, nor stick-stirred, it's the longest untouched sandbed in a nano/pico I've ever seen along with the best corals I've ever seen in a fishbowl:

Yes, I have seen her jar reef as well and I knew she did not disturb her sandbed.

 

[vlangel]

Hit about the 5 year mark and had some fish deaths I couldn't explain...

Was too scared to lose the rare fish in the tank and shut it down

I am sorry nuxx. It is very troubling when creatures die and you can't figure out what caused it. I would find that really upsetting as well.

 

[Nano sapiens]

Ralph @Nano sapiens how are you handling detritus in your old nano reef, you don't do disassembly cleaning yours is stick stirring is that correct/bed in place but ejected up detritus lands in filter catchments then is exported?

Once a week light gravel vac of the exposed sand bed area with the water change.

Once a month I attach a filter sock to the pump outlet and use a turkey baster to stir up the sand bed and blast under the perimeters of the live rock. I'll also baste the rear AIO chambers to suspend the detritus. I'll then turn on the pump for around 20 minutes to collect the suspended material in the sock.

Ever quarter or so I'll temporarily reposition a base rock, gravel vac the area that was underneath, then replace the rock in its previous position. The following quarter I'll do the same with a different base rock and so in a year I'll have cleaned underneath all the different base rocks.

Depending on the condition of the system (mainly looking at the coral, nuisance algae proliferation (if any) and frequency of visible algal films on the glass), I may adjust to do more detritus removal, or less, throughout the year.

 

[i cant think]

Here’s my 4’ reef! It’s currently 3 years old, and here are all my FTSs I’ve found of it (Dates can be seen in the corner of each photo going DD/MM/YY).

By the way, they are in chronological order just for your ease

 

[srobertb]

Hi, I read a lot of new tank build threads. That got me curious about how many of those tanks were still operating 5 years later and how did they progress. It seems like aquarists often get restless to upgrade, downgrade, change their reef focus or what have you.

To be honest, I have done that myself. In my 25+ years of reef aquarium keeping, I have had 4 tanks. I would have them running 4, 5 or 6 years then do something different. Maybe because I am older and more settled but I am finally happy with the tank I have. Perhaps I have figured out what I like to keep and how much work I want to put into it. Anyhow, I can say I am happy with my current tank just as it is. Here is the progression from Nov 2016

My tank (in my mind) is coming up on 5 years. A 120g IM Nuvo AIO. Sadly it sprang a leak about 3 weeks ago… But we were able to save most things and transfer them to a 125g off the shelf tank.

It’s stable now (kind of) and I’m waiting for my contractor to price out a basement fish room, for my broker to finalize my glasscages quote, and for me to butter up my wife into dropping $20k on things that hold and move water. I’ll probably have to buy her a puppy (I am one of those terrible people who doesn’t want a dog).

So…I’m not sure I can say my tank has been running for 5 years to be fair. Maybe I get an asterisk? I feel like act of god should get an asterisk but keep the years?

 

[vlangel]

My tank (in my mind) is coming up on 5 years. A 120g IM Nuvo AIO. Sadly it sprang a leak about 3 weeks ago… But we were able to save most things and transfer them to a 125g off the shelf tank.

It’s stable now (kind of) and I’m waiting for my contractor to price out a basement fish room, for my broker to finalize my glasscages quote, and for me to butter up my wife into dropping $20k on things that hold and move water. I’ll probably have to buy her a puppy (I am one of those terrible people who doesn’t want a dog).

So…I’m not sure I can say my tank has been running for 5 years to be fair. Maybe I get an asterisk? I feel like act of god should get an asterisk but keep the years?

I agree, an act of God is worthy of an exemption. I hope your new fish room is all you've dreamed of and is up for decades. And I hope your wife enjoys her puppy!

 

[vlangel]

Here’s my 4’ reef! It’s currently 3 years old, and here are all my FTSs I’ve found of it (Dates can be seen in the corner of each photo going DD/MM/YY).

By the way, they are in chronological order just for your ease

Thank you 'i can't think'. That is exactly what I was wanting to see.

 

[srobertb]

I agree, an act of God is worthy of an exemption. I hope your new fish room is all you've dreamed of and is up for decades. And I hope your wife enjoys her puppy!

I really don’t like dogs. I’ll have to hide in my fish room.

 

[Nano sapiens]

Thank you 'i can't think'. That is exactly what I was wanting to see.

Ah, I see, you'd like to see a series of progression photos.

Thing is, with 15 years that's a lot of pics so here's a reduced sampling:

Jul, 2008

Mar 2010

Aug 2013

Jul 2016

Aug 2018

Aug 2020

Dec 2022

 

[vlangel]

Ah, I see, you'd like to see a series of progression photos.

Thing is, with 15 years that's a lot of pics so here's a reduced sampling:

Jul, 2008

Mar 2010

Aug 2013

Jul 2016

Aug 2018

Aug 2020

Dec 2022

Yep, that is exactly what I wanted to see. Thanks Nano sapiens!

 

[Lineatus]

This ones been through a lot lol. 2020-23

 

[vlangel]

This ones been through a lot lol. 2020-23

It looks like it's doing pretty well. I see you have macroalgae in it. Do you run your nutrients high to help with that?

 

[muggle0981]

Here was my 120g reef that was a 8 yr old reef in house after we moved-was 2 yrs in prior house

Then upgraded to my -180g that is now 2 yrs old

 

[X-37B]

Here are a few. Curently the 45 frag system is 3 years old.

My 20g nano day one to 8 months before breakdown.

Last is my 120 from day one to 33 months before take down.
The nano and the 120 have build threads from day one to take down if you want to take a look