old tank syndrome

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Hi all

I know there is allot of discussion around this topic

I am think now that I am building a new tank and will have it running a good few years how does one avoid Old Tank Syndrome?

I am really thinking of doing a very minimal bottom and more like glass bottom so I can clean the rubbish from the tank when doing water changes.

what else? Rocks never being moved and or cleaned?

what do you guys think?
 
That is what I am thinking of doing with the new tank which is 1 meter wide

the only issue is the glass bottom does get algae growth on it but I think it's still better then sand
 
2 years 7 months...
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What is did do from the start was mount all the live rock on 50mm pvc piping to allow flow under all my LR
 
Sounds interesting how do you keep the sand out of the pipes?

I know one can catch most of the junk in the sump using filter socks but I am looking to also catch the stuff in the main display
 
Old tank syndrome is something that not a lot of us will have. We tend to upgrade too quickly.

Partly its a lack of maintenance, keeping your husbandry routine.

But a big part is changes in the tank, that affects the original tank design. Mostly around water flow patterns. The corals gets overgrown, blocks the flow pumps and results in a lot less water movement a couple of years later than we originally had. That is with the same flow pumps.

Mostly SPS corals that overgrow and covers the surface, blocking not only flow but light to lower corals.
 
I would say sand with a sand sifter is the way to go. Even just one in that size tank should be enough. And not all of them cover corals in sand.
 
the other part of old tank syndrome is lack of maintenance. That is mostly due to the maintenance routine becoming a work. So even the best husbandry skills becomes a schlep after 3 or 4 years. that is why a simple filtration system is so much more important than a complex system that continuously needs top ups of media, replacing phosphate removers, stirring ceramic rings to release the trapped detritus....

You might have the time now to spend an hour a day on your tank, but as your own kids grow up, you end up going to some school activities, sport, whatever. And your time becomes less and less. That is why you need to ensure that you spend the least amount of time per day on maintenance on your setup.

Another plus of having a simple effective filtration system is that you can go on 2 weeks holiday and the tank sitter only need to feed the fish and fill the RO drum.
 
for those that listened to Riaan at the expo, there are plenty snails i am now looking for :)
 
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