Today my Reef reached 48 years old

[Paul B]

I moved it three times, the last move was 8 months ago. I moved 60 miles and transferred everything from my old 100 gallon tank into a new 125 gallon tank. The old tank was 40 years old and the front was very scratched. I wanted a larger tank anyway and that old one was built into a wall and I couldn't remove it anyway.
Since this tank is 6" higher, I need some more corals to fill it but corals have been scarce in LFSs lately and there are none around here so I have to drive long distances to get some.
I didn't lose any livestock in the move.

 

[Retro Reefer]

A very happy birthday to your Reef! Tank looks great.. Cake and ice cream for all?

 

[sfin52]

Your tank is just awesome.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Hi Paul; what specimens/organisms/offspring do you still have from 48 years ago

 

[Hot2na]

Great !!!

 

[Ubergroover]

That's awesome!

 

[Matt Carden]

Happy Reef Birthday! Looks good as usual

 

[Katrina71]

Happy Birthday! Still looking gorgeous!

 

[homer1475]

Hi Paul; what specimens/organisms/offspring do you still have from 48 years ago

Also very curious.

 

[Paul B]

Hi Paul; what specimens/organisms/offspring do you still have from 48 years ago

Maybe a pod. I wish I had something from 48 years ago. I don't think I have a coral more than 10 years old, but I have 27 year old fish.
Like many tanks I have had coral die offs, especially SPS as you can see in that picture. In all those years the tank should be packed, but it is not.
The last big die off I had was when I went on a riverboat cruise in Germany. My tank sitter who had no experience with tanks let the water level fall about 7". I lost all the corals above that which was most of the corals. I have been trying to re-grow them but it is going slow.
This tank is also bigger so it is rather sparce.

I broke most of the montipora's in the move and didn't glue all of them back. My favorites though are gorgonians.


The tank evolved over the years.


And I do like LPS better because of the movement.


The acropora grew huge until the water level want down and killed most of them. They re grew and my pair of clown gobies spawned all over them every week. You can see her eggs here. Every batch of eggs kills about an inch of acropora. In 6 months there was none left so now I only keep one clown gobi. But that is a natural thing and I likes having spawning gobies.

 

[Subsea]

Happy birthday Tank. Instead of cake & ice cream, let’s keep it Nautical: clam chowder & crab cake.

Paul,

I need to mow my lawn. You can have all of the green star polyps that you want. I want ghost shrimp, green mollies, sheeps head minnows. I especially go “cuckoo over copepods “.

Next year at this time, for your 49 th, I will bring live shrimp from AQR Mariculture:
“Live Produce Equals Zooplankton”.

 

[chris85]

Happy birthday or fill up... Whatever you call it!!

 

[SDK]

Incredible milestone to reach. Congratulations on the tank and and sorry for the 8 billion dollars that LILCO-LIPA has probably sucked out of you by now

 

[truepercs]

Congratulations!

 

[MrsBugmaster]

Happy 48th Reef Birthday!

 

[Lor]

Wow Happy birthday reef! Do you have a thread or blog for your reef? I want to read on your succesful journey, very inspiring.

 

[Ruben's Reef]

!!! Congratulations @Paul B !!!

 

[lapin]

Wow Happy birthday reef! Do you have a thread or blog for your reef? I want to read on your succesful journey, very inspiring.

I think the movie is coming out in 2 years for the 50th.

 

[Fourstars]

Did you set it up with the reverse under gravel filter again? Any changes with how your running this tank?

 

[JDowns]

Congrats on the longevity @Paul B. Thats quite the acheivement.