13 year old reef tank - In danger of crashing soon?

[burks]

Hello RC,

I've had my reef tank for around 13 years now and after reading some topics I'm worried about the dreaded tank crash due to age. How much truth this holds I'm not sure so I'm coming to you for help. Here are some specs about the tank:

180g AGA
300g sump (not 300g of water but built to handle 300g)
1020gph return
2 x Koralia 4
~250lbs Live Rock
~50lbs Live Sand
2 x Blue Hippos (one 5", other 3")
1 x Clown Tang (2.5-3")
Various corals - Hammer, Frogspawn, Lobo, Briarium, etc.
2 x 400w 20k MH's
2 x 160w VHO actinics

Through the years various fish and corals have come and gone including inverts. I'm just worried about a potential crash.

If anyone has any advice please let me know. If you need more information please let me know as well. This way I can get things ready for the summer if I need to take it down and restart it.

Thank you RC. Have a good one.

[corals b 4 bills]

Most of the discussion here on RC about time bomb tank crashes is the rumor of a deep sand bed failing, you only have 50 lbs. of live sand why are you think your tank will crash soon?

[burks]

Originally posted by corals b 4 bills
Most of the discussion here on RC about time bomb tank crashes is the rumor of a deep sand bed failing, you only have 50 lbs. of live sand why are you think your tank will crash soon?

Been doing a lot of reading lately on here and other forums kind of gets my brain going. Seeing a tank crash is a horrible thing. Just kind of covering all my bases to make sure it doesn't happen to me.

[craab]

agree with corals b 4 bills,

I think you are fine. Just keep an eye on your parameters and do what you have been doing for the past 13 years. Congratulations on sustaining a tank that long, thats a challenge in itself.

[wildcatt]

I would like to see a photo of a 13 year old tank..... I would bet the growth is great

[deansreef]

this thread needs some pictures

[IceWish]

wow 13 years is a long time, congrats on keeping your tank that long., hows the maintenance like? how often do u do a water change and how much? pics would be nice too

[AJ69]

we need pics...

[rbrusletto]

FWIW, I got my tank from its original owner who had it setup for 15 years in his house, with the ORIGINAL bioballs. Don't believe everything you read, only take it as suggestion. When I got the tank, I replaced the bioballs, and sump, scrubbed down all the rock(which had been let go and had a good thick layer of green algae on it), and redid the plumbing. I never had a cycle(not sure I would expect one scrubbing the outside of the rock), and replaced half of the water. I replaced the original 220w vho ballast with an Icecap 660, and added two more bulbs. The tank has been nothing short of solid. I should also mention its had the same crushed coral substrate in it for now 16 years.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is given the fables of old tanks crashing, mine at least doesn't live by that rule. This considering all the "old technologies" like bioballs and crushed coral substrate, filter socks, etc.

I think a valid thing to look at is your habits... I.E: do you constantly do water changes, test levels, look for signs of issues..... or have they waned over 13 years.... I test my water every month unless I see something out of place like a coral not opening... I do a 10% water change every week, or 20% if we go out of town for the weekend, while my friend(who hooked me up w/ the tank) watches it. I'd guess if it'd been going good for 13 years, and you see no signs of issues, you probably wont see issues and have good habits.

Cheers!

[Sk8r]

If I were worried, I'd set up a fuge and run some polypad...the fuge to export anything that will grow algae, just in case; and the polypad/polyfilter to export anything from accumulated metals in trace to excessive organics.

[rustybucket145]

Yeah, a polypad wouldn't be a bad idea at all. I run one once or twice a year just to remove any metals or contaminants that may have entered the system somehow during the year.

Just put it in and monitor it. The coloration will let you know if it's pulling anything out or not. Buy two when you get them so you have one on hand for any future problems.

[burks]

Here is a picutre that was taken a while ago. Never been a huge fan of keeping a ton of stuff in the tank so....looks empty compared to a lot of people's tank.

[seapug]

nice tank. After 13 years your tank is probably less likely to "crash" than a good 90% of other people on this board. Crashes usually come much earlier in the game, from doing too much too soon. With good husbandry and maintenance I think the "Old Tank Syndrome" is very little to worry about.

[thor32766]

wow i think thats awesome!! I also dont think you have much to worry about.

[stuccodude]

theres a guy on hear that goes by paul b and his reef set up is 35 years old, sweet tank by the way. the kind of story i like to read about.

[steve the plumb]

Keep doing what your doing.If you parameters are good and you do your tests every week or every 2 weeks you should be fine.If the animals you keep feed and survive off of your system and there is a good balance the system can run itself.When you start to add to many fish and corals and cram it into the tank thats when you do have to be more careful as to how you maintain the tank.My friend has a 125 with 8 to 10 fish (not to big)He doesn't feed to much.He has mostly lps and he has a 40 gal sump.He has had the tank for 6 years now.He hardly does water changes.He has bioballs in the sump.He has about 4"to5" of sand that always gets moved around.He tops off when he remembers .He always uses tap water.He never tests his water.Doesn't run carbon all that often.He has a crappy skimmer(it works)Yet his tank is doing fine.After 13 years you have been doing the right thing so just keep doing what your doing and I wouldn't worry about it.If your nitrates are in check then you are good.

[zotzer]

So this tank is 28 years old?? Wow!!!
Tracy

edit....sorry, two different posters who's tank ages I added together. LOL

[chewie]

Are you running a skimmer?

I'm guessing not. Your tank looks very nice. The only thing I would recommend is to keep your rocks as free of detritus as possible. As long as you keep doing what your doing your tank should do just fine.

[Zoom]

I have my tank now for 14 years it crash on me last year but that was my fault i had family emergency "long story" and i was not able to take care the tank at all one day i came home to a crash tank, i really to this day i don't know the cause of the crash. I lost all my SPS most of the LPS made it i also lost three fish .
The only problem i have after all this years is my Live rock it is full of P04 and i can not get the P04 out of the rock i run GFO continuity but the rock always grows HA and Cyno not much but is there .
I just need to get all new Live rock but i need about 300 LBS so i just wait it out for now and see . I think i just going to get a new tank and new LR and start over soon.

[JPMagyar]

O.K. I admit that I have an occasional devilish streak in me that shows itself with a bit of biting wit, but honestly after 13 years of success I'd say you have more experience than 99.9999999% of the reefers on this board that are going to answer you. If you want lots of 2 cent opinions I'm happy to add my own: I think the long term tank crash sentiment comes from 2 places: 1) DSBs were a plague for many folks as they ended up being waste traps rather than waste processors and 2) reefs are delicate so over a long period of time your odds of making a mistake or running into an "unknown pathogen" are high, neither of which is of concern to you. Seems like you've got it well under control and are doing just great. Keep it up, and be sure to post more pictures and opinions!



joe

[ycnibrc]

I would worry about the seam of the tank crash more than corals.

[Chris2500DK]

Originally posted by Zoom

The only problem i have after all this years is my Live rock it is full of P04 and i can not get the P04 out of the rock i run GFO continuity but the rock always grows HA and Cyno not much but is there .

Sounds like you're a good candidate for cooking your live rock, there's been a lot of threads here on Reef Central about it and it should get rid of the stored up nutrients.

[Paul B]

I am still waiting for that crash after 37 years. Your tank will be fine and there is no such thing as "Old Tank Syndrome"
I do believe a DSB may have problems after too many years but I don't think anyone has one older than ten.
I myself do not run a DSB so I am no expert on them. Time will tell.
Good luck.
Paul

[Zoom]

Originally posted by Chris2500DK
Sounds like you're a good candidate for cooking your live rock, there's been a lot of threads here on Reef Central about it and it should get rid of the stored up nutrients.

Easier said and done I have no where to keep my fish and corals so yes I need to cook the rock but that means I have to take the tank completely of line I have some fish in the tank for 14 years and some corals just as long so if the tank don't crash completely and kill everything I'm not doing any thing . I did change 150LBS of the live rock last year I may just change the other half when I get some $ on hand .

[Mark]

OTS is caused by a number of things. DSB's have certainly endured the brunt of the blame, but other factors need to be considered.

If I were doing a check-up on a tank running for many years, I'd re-evaluate water flow first. Coral growth restricts water flow in the tank. People who overstock their tanks with corals and live rock like a fruitstand will experience this more than folks with aquariums that are aquascaped with less rock and coral growth. The other cause of flow reduction over time is the plumbing. As years go by, the PVC and vinyl tubing have bacterial mulm and featherdusters building up, reducing the internal diameter of the plumbing. Powerheads get coated in algae and inverts as well.

I would also consider longterm trace element depletion and buildup of other compounds. Several large water changes within a short time frame, especially after kicking up detritus with a turkey baster or extra powerhead, will do the trick.