How do i make my new tank OLD?

codyreed29 · 01/30/2014, 09:06 PM

I was wondering what are the best ways to make a new tank old. OR as close to old as possible. What would help make a 1 month old tank more like a 20 year old tank.

Coral Dilema · 01/30/2014, 09:10 PM

Short of finding a source of 1.21 gigawatts and a crazy old man with a delorian, wait. It really is as simple as that. Biological systems take time to populate and stabilize. If you try to rush it you will just make it take longer.

Keep your water parameters good, do regular maintenance, and be patient. Nothing good happens quickly in a reef aquarium.

Sugar Magnolia · 01/30/2014, 09:11 PM

There is no way to do that. Tanks take months to get established. Even a year old tank can be considered newly established. I would suggest taking it very slowly for your success in this hobby. Rushing things often leads to disaster.

KafudaFish · 01/30/2014, 09:11 PM

Are you wanting to scratch the glass up and beat the frame?

rfgonzo · 01/30/2014, 09:13 PM

Let your tank crash lol

gam3ovr · 01/30/2014, 09:18 PM

221 posts and you're asking this sort of question? Surely you've seen threads discussing this before. As some have already said, nothing happens fast in this hobby.

Patience.

cheezybuda · 01/30/2014, 09:20 PM

Think of reefing like underwater bonsai....

Timfish · 01/30/2014, 09:21 PM

Another 19 years and 11 months.

Even if you did big water changes from a system that was 20 years old you're still most likely going to go through a maturing process that will most likely take another 8, 10 or 12 months. Or it might not, biology doesn't always want to be predictable.

Misled · 01/30/2014, 09:21 PM

johnike · 01/30/2014, 09:31 PM

Put metal braces on the outside and get a slate bottom.

KafudaFish · 01/30/2014, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnike

Put metal braces on the outside and get a slate bottom.

I still have mine and my goldfish are in an O'Dell.

fishysteve · 01/30/2014, 10:59 PM

Get a bunch of bleached white coral skeletons and some damsels

campos · 01/30/2014, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KafudaFish

Are you wanting to scratch the glass up and beat the frame?

Lol!! That's what I was thinking.

igot2gats · 01/31/2014, 09:41 AM

Time.

This is a marathon, and not a race. If there was one or a few things that you could do to speed up time, and have a well established tank early in the life of your DT, we'd all be doing it.

codyreed29 · 01/31/2014, 10:56 AM

Ok I guess you guys are right. No way around it. Well I will give it my best shot. I will start it with nsw and a bio start I think something zyme 900 turbostart plus live rock. and then I will take ten or so gallons out after it cycles for a about 6 weeks and replace with my ten gallon which is from a old *** tank

MondoBongo · 01/31/2014, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia

There is no way to do that. Tanks take months to get established. Even a year old tank can be considered newly established. I would suggest taking it very slowly for your success in this hobby. Rushing things often leads to disaster.

this.

my tank is just over 18 months, and has just started really hitting its stride.

KafudaFish · 01/31/2014, 10:59 AM

If you have live rock that is all you will need to "age" a tank.

mx51 · 01/31/2014, 11:03 AM

I bet if you were the guys from tanked you could do it... LOL

d2mini · 01/31/2014, 11:36 AM

Marry it and make it have little nano tanks.
That'll do it every time!

markaren · 01/31/2014, 11:51 AM

I have been Tanking for 2 years now like Bonsai to get a tank to a point stable and to acquire experience BEFORE I dive into corals and expensive companions. It is paying off.

disc1 · 01/31/2014, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codyreed29

and then I will take ten or so gallons out after it cycles for a about 6 weeks and replace with my ten gallon which is from a old *** tank

That's not going to help you at all. It may even hurt you. The water from that old tank doesn't have any of the bacteria that you are trying to foster. They live on the surfaces. That water will have a lot of nutrients and other pollution that will help to turn your tank into an algae farm a little faster.

So if you're going for an old tank on its last leg full of algae then that's a great plan. If you want an old established tank then you need to let that ecosystem build. Only time will do that.

vitz · 01/31/2014, 12:24 PM

if you don't learn patience soon, i predict you'll be out of the hobby in 2 yrs or less.

and what disc1 said-the bacteria etc we desire do NOT hang out in the water column-they almost instantly gravitate to surfaces, and all you'll really get are the wastes that ARE in the water column

'all things come to those who wait'

leveldrummer · 01/31/2014, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by igot2gats

This is a marathon, and not a race.

A marathon IS a race! hahaha

chrisfont23 · 02/01/2014, 09:24 AM

Time

01/30/2014, 09:06 PM	#1
codyreed29 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 892	How do i make my new tank OLD? I was wondering what are the best ways to make a new tank old. OR as close to old as possible. What would help make a 1 month old tank more like a 20 year old tank. __________________ 27 Rimless cube DIY lights and sump mag 5 cad lights pls 100 jeabo rw4 jeabo dp4

01/30/2014, 09:10 PM	#2
Coral Dilema Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Central NC Posts: 953	Short of finding a source of 1.21 gigawatts and a crazy old man with a delorian, wait. It really is as simple as that. Biological systems take time to populate and stabilize. If you try to rush it you will just make it take longer. Keep your water parameters good, do regular maintenance, and be patient. Nothing good happens quickly in a reef aquarium. __________________ Build a man a fire and he is warm for a night. Set a man on fire and he is warm for the rest of his life. Current Tank Info: 20 inch cube running, Looking for a good place to get a 36 X 20-24 X 18-24 tank.

01/30/2014, 09:11 PM	#3
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	There is no way to do that. Tanks take months to get established. Even a year old tank can be considered newly established. I would suggest taking it very slowly for your success in this hobby. Rushing things often leads to disaster. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

01/30/2014, 09:21 PM	#8
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	Another 19 years and 11 months. Even if you did big water changes from a system that was 20 years old you're still most likely going to go through a maturing process that will most likely take another 8, 10 or 12 months. Or it might not, biology doesn't always want to be predictable. __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

01/30/2014, 09:21 PM	#9
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	__________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

01/30/2014, 09:11 PM	#4
KafudaFish Cyprinius carpio Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,496	Are you wanting to scratch the glass up and beat the frame?

01/30/2014, 09:13 PM	#5
rfgonzo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,280	Let your tank crash lol

01/30/2014, 09:18 PM	#6
gam3ovr Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 90	221 posts and you're asking this sort of question? Surely you've seen threads discussing this before. As some have already said, nothing happens fast in this hobby. Patience.

01/30/2014, 09:20 PM	#7
cheezybuda Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 102	Think of reefing like underwater bonsai....

01/30/2014, 09:31 PM	#10
johnike Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bureau County Illinois Posts: 5,406	Put metal braces on the outside and get a slate bottom.

01/30/2014, 10:59 PM	#12
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	Get a bunch of bleached white coral skeletons and some damsels __________________ On a break

01/31/2014, 09:41 AM	#14
igot2gats Deeeetroit Basketball! Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 1,063	Time. This is a marathon, and not a race. If there was one or a few things that you could do to speed up time, and have a well established tank early in the life of your DT, we'd all be doing it. __________________ Jeff Stop being lazy, and use the search function. Seriously. Current Tank Info: 75g DT / 20g sump / 20g QT - Eheim 1250, Tunze Osmolator 3155, GHL Profilux 3, 2 Tunze 6095, Tunze Wavebox, Aqua Illumination Hydra LEDs

01/31/2014, 10:56 AM	#15
codyreed29 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 892	Ok I guess you guys are right. No way around it. Well I will give it my best shot. I will start it with nsw and a bio start I think something zyme 900 turbostart plus live rock. and then I will take ten or so gallons out after it cycles for a about 6 weeks and replace with my ten gallon which is from a old *** tank __________________ 27 Rimless cube DIY lights and sump mag 5 cad lights pls 100 jeabo rw4 jeabo dp4

01/31/2014, 10:59 AM	#17
KafudaFish Cyprinius carpio Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,496	If you have live rock that is all you will need to "age" a tank.

01/31/2014, 11:03 AM	#18
mx51 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Great Falls,MT Posts: 344	I bet if you were the guys from tanked you could do it... LOL

01/31/2014, 11:36 AM	#19
d2mini Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 10,344	Marry it and make it have little nano tanks. That'll do it every time! __________________ -dennis Elos Diamond 120xl \| Elos Stand \| Radion G4 Pros \| GHL Profilux Controller \| LifeReef Skimmer \| LifeReef Sump Photos taken with a Nikon D750 or Leica M.

01/31/2014, 11:51 AM	#20
markaren Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Clermont ,Florida Posts: 634	I have been Tanking for 2 years now like Bonsai to get a tank to a point stable and to acquire experience BEFORE I dive into corals and expensive companions. It is paying off. __________________ Mark Current Tank Info: Oceanic 76G Half Circle/XP2000SSS/MP40Wes/Radion Gen1, Tunze Osmolator ATO...Maturing Stage

01/31/2014, 12:24 PM	#22
vitz Moved On Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 987	if you don't learn patience soon, i predict you'll be out of the hobby in 2 yrs or less. and what disc1 said-the bacteria etc we desire do NOT hang out in the water column-they almost instantly gravitate to surfaces, and all you'll really get are the wastes that ARE in the water column 'all things come to those who wait'

02/01/2014, 09:24 AM	#24
chrisfont23 Reef Monster Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,343	Time