Who has the oldest longest running tank?

vijaym85 · 07/17/2006, 08:34 PM

Just curious what a well matured tank would look like compared to a newly established reef tank.

physicslord · 07/17/2006, 08:49 PM

I think it's that PaulB guy.

He has his own thread here. His tank has been running for 30+ years.

FishNutzBoi · 07/17/2006, 08:49 PM

I think some guy in this forum named "Paul" has a tank that's 30+ years old

physicslord · 07/17/2006, 08:50 PM

Hey Jinx!

reefnewbie54321 · 07/17/2006, 08:55 PM

yup PaulB

c9miles · 07/17/2006, 09:00 PM

Anyone have the link to his thread?

Duchess · 07/17/2006, 09:42 PM

Here it is:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=727454

vijaym85 · 07/17/2006, 10:24 PM

wow that is awesome, I bet a tank like that has a great level of stability.

outy · 07/17/2006, 11:39 PM

he has to keep an eye on it like the rest of us, his skills are better then most though

ERICinFL · 07/17/2006, 11:43 PM

Yeah, PaulB has skills. Chics dig guys with skills.

physicslord · 07/18/2006, 12:14 AM

I know. Paul B gets all the ladies in his thread.

Paul B · 07/18/2006, 09:50 AM

Quote:

I know. Paul B gets all the ladies in his thread.

Good looking guy like me, why not.

I haven't changed a bit since this picture was taken somewhere in Cambodia or Nam. I was three when I was drafted.

MJAnderson · 07/18/2006, 10:30 AM

I hope you've learned since then that the critter you're holding in that pic isn't "reef safe".

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul B
Good looking guy like me, why not.

I haven't changed a bit since this picture was taken somewhere in Cambodia or Nam. I was three when I was drafted.

CW from the OC · 07/18/2006, 10:49 AM

Hey Paul, great pic! LOL!

RichConley · 07/18/2006, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ERICinFL
Yeah, PaulB has skills. Chics dig guys with skills.

Like having a sweet bike? And being the only guy in school with a moustache?

Paul B · 07/18/2006, 11:51 AM

How about the only guy on a firebase with a lizzard?
Chicks like lizzards, or is that puppies?
Do chicks like old reef tanks?
Any chicks out there?

iCam · 07/18/2006, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul B
Do chicks like old reef tanks?

Do chicks like old guys?

vijaym85 · 07/18/2006, 11:55 AM

Hey paul nice tank.
Do you think that live rock when you started was better in quality to what we see today?
Also what is the one thing most evident about a well matured reef vs a 1 or 2 year old one.

iCam · 07/18/2006, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vijaym85
Also what is the one thing most evident about a well matured reef vs a 1 or 2 year old one.

Probably stability.

c9miles · 07/18/2006, 12:35 PM

So what's the oldest coral in your tank? Any of them been around the whole time?

Paul B · 07/18/2006, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Do chicks like old guys?

I guess old chicks do. They're all over me like a cheap suit.

Let me see a one year old tank verses a matured tank, thats easy. IMO, a matured stable tank is one where every animal lives out it's normal life span. Most angels, tangs, and butterflies should live over ten years. Smaller fish like pipefish and gobies live from about four to about eight years. The point is that your animals should live to die of old age and nothing else. You should keep fish either until you give them away for some reason or they get too old to get their own food.
A one year old tank is IMO not even cycled. It is still working on the same bacteria that was introduced with the animals.
In a new tank too many bad things can happen if you are not careful.
It is also very easy to tell a matured tank, it will not be sterile looking. New tanks look new and they also have an artificial look to them. All sorts of things grow in a mature reef, things that you can't buy. There is all sorts of protrusions growing in my tank that I have no idea what they are. Also the sand, gravel whatever should be full of other things besides pods. Those come from any fish store. There should be worms, amphipods, brittlestars and an assortment of things that you say, what the hell is that.

My electric was just off for about 20 hours, it came on today, I have a generator that I ran once in a while but it was no problem, everything is fine.
Also animals in a mature tank should hardly if ever get sick, and they should spawn every month or so, or at least attempt to spawn if there is only one. They should be seen making a nest if they are the type of fish that does that. They should hardly hide, that is a sign of stress.
About live rock being better. I don't know. I collected mine in the Caribbean.
Anyway those are my opinions.
Any chicks (or old chicks) like opinionated guys?
I have been around the world a few times and can get in touch with my feelings if need be, or I can fake it good.

Have a great day.
Paul

Paul B · 07/18/2006, 12:50 PM

Miles, I just saw your question. My oldest coral is not very old, maybe twelve. I had three accidents in the last 35 years all my fault and all experiments that didn't go exactly as I planned.
I also lost my 18 year old brootaloid (cusk eel) a 10 or 12 year old hippo an old mandarin and a few others. The corals I lost were a very old leather and an assortment of others. I never lost everything but it thinned out the herd. This bubble is about ten or twelve.

The clam is way up there too.

Here is the tank in the seventees or eightees. This top picture appeared in "Marine Fish Monthly" magazine. I lost that big leather in an experiment.

The tank is an experiment and I will lose stuff, it's the nature of the beast and how you learn.
Have a great day.
Paul

vijaym85 · 07/18/2006, 01:14 PM

Thanks for writing back so comprehensively. Great info. Being that your tank is older than me by 14 years I can cerrtainly learn a lot from you words of wisdom.
By the way what equipment do you use nowadays it seems every company has some gadget but it's hard to seperate the useless ones from the quality ones at times. Do you find keeping a dsb helps your tank. I was worried using one would cause detrius buildup and nasty odors to form. Finally how slowly do you introduce new animals to your tank.

Paul B · 07/18/2006, 01:28 PM

Vijaym85, I don't use a DSB and never have. I use a reverse UG filter and always have. I run it very slow with a sponge on the intake. It's just me.
The equipment I use is an ozonizer with no controller and a large homemade venturi skimmer.
Thats about it unless you want to know about the algae trough that forces algae to grow in a trough instead of the tank and a homemade automatic top off. There is also a leak detector (also homemade ,which shuts off the skimmer in case of a leak. The skimmer drains into a 5 gallon bucket also with an auto shut off in case of an overflow.
I don't introduce too many animals because they do not die very often but I just mix some water in their container with a turkey baster a few times for a half hour or so and dump them in without the water. But you should quarintine for a few weeks. New tanks are different.
I have the same thoughts as you on DSBs but don't tell anyone or they will jump all over me.
Paul
PS you sound very informed for someone your age, I like that

vijaym85 · 07/18/2006, 02:07 PM

Reefcentral and aquarists like you have helped me learn about this hobby. I thank you all!! I really think this community is so valuble to anyone who wants to even attempt to learn about keeping an aquarium. I also like to look at tanks of the month to learn different stratagies which I seek to incorporate whenever feasable. By the way I live in queens Ny just wondering where you go to buy your stuff.
Have you ever heard of a place callled fishtownusa?

07/17/2006, 08:34 PM	#1
vijaym85 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Queens NYC Posts: 1,296	Who has the oldest longest running tank? Just curious what a well matured tank would look like compared to a newly established reef tank.

07/17/2006, 08:49 PM	#2
physicslord Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Santa Cruz Posts: 469	I think it's that PaulB guy. He has his own thread here. His tank has been running for 30+ years. __________________ a border collie is my pilot animal Current Tank Info: 12 gal. JBJ nanoDX, BB, 2x24W PC lighting, JBJ ballast, Maxijet 400 powerhead, Hagen Tronic 100W heater, Red Sea 60 skimmer with Hagen Elite 802 pump.

07/17/2006, 08:49 PM	#3
FishNutzBoi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 541	I think some guy in this forum named "Paul" has a tank that's 30+ years old __________________ I'm one of those reefnutz that are actually nutz. Current Tank Info: 8G Biocube, 70W SunPod, Koralia nano + Maxijet900: Mixed Reef with SPS's and no softies.

07/17/2006, 08:50 PM	#4
physicslord Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Santa Cruz Posts: 469	Hey Jinx! __________________ a border collie is my pilot animal Current Tank Info: 12 gal. JBJ nanoDX, BB, 2x24W PC lighting, JBJ ballast, Maxijet 400 powerhead, Hagen Tronic 100W heater, Red Sea 60 skimmer with Hagen Elite 802 pump.

07/17/2006, 11:43 PM	#10
ERICinFL Rejisturd Mimbur Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Brevard County, FL Posts: 1,346	Yeah, PaulB has skills. Chics dig guys with skills. __________________ Ummmm... yeah... don't touch the Mag Float. Sorry kids, your college fund is gone, but the tank looks SWEET right? Current Tank Info: 150gal mixed reef. ER CS135, 65gal sump/fuge with a Mag12 return. (2) Korillia 4s, (1) modded MJ1200, two SunSun 3200gph powerheads. 250+lbs LR.

07/17/2006, 08:55 PM	#5
reefnewbie54321 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Boston Posts: 1,263	yup PaulB

07/17/2006, 09:00 PM	#6
c9miles Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 59	Anyone have the link to his thread?

07/17/2006, 09:42 PM	#7
Duchess Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 165	Here it is: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=727454

07/17/2006, 10:24 PM	#8
vijaym85 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Queens NYC Posts: 1,296	wow that is awesome, I bet a tank like that has a great level of stability.

07/17/2006, 11:39 PM	#9
outy Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: auburn CA Posts: 4,021	he has to keep an eye on it like the rest of us, his skills are better then most though

07/18/2006, 12:14 AM	#11
physicslord Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Santa Cruz Posts: 469	I know. Paul B gets all the ladies in his thread. __________________ a border collie is my pilot animal Current Tank Info: 12 gal. JBJ nanoDX, BB, 2x24W PC lighting, JBJ ballast, Maxijet 400 powerhead, Hagen Tronic 100W heater, Red Sea 60 skimmer with Hagen Elite 802 pump.

07/18/2006, 10:49 AM	#14
CW from the OC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 853	Hey Paul, great pic! LOL! __________________ Cheers! C Dub Current Tank Info: 210 LeeMar starfire reef (7x2x2), 100 gal SoCalCreations sump, Aquacontroller 3, Geo 618 fed by Cole Parmer peri pump, ATB Large Cone , Aquatinics Constellation T5, 4 Vortecs with wireless controllers, Eheim 1262 return on a SeaSwirl

07/18/2006, 11:51 AM	#16
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	How about the only guy on a firebase with a lizzard? Chicks like lizzards, or is that puppies? Do chicks like old reef tanks? Any chicks out there? __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

07/18/2006, 11:55 AM	#18
vijaym85 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Queens NYC Posts: 1,296	Hey paul nice tank. Do you think that live rock when you started was better in quality to what we see today? Also what is the one thing most evident about a well matured reef vs a 1 or 2 year old one.

07/18/2006, 12:35 PM	#20
c9miles Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 59	So what's the oldest coral in your tank? Any of them been around the whole time?

07/18/2006, 12:50 PM	#22
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Miles, I just saw your question. My oldest coral is not very old, maybe twelve. I had three accidents in the last 35 years all my fault and all experiments that didn't go exactly as I planned. I also lost my 18 year old brootaloid (cusk eel) a 10 or 12 year old hippo an old mandarin and a few others. The corals I lost were a very old leather and an assortment of others. I never lost everything but it thinned out the herd. This bubble is about ten or twelve. The clam is way up there too. Here is the tank in the seventees or eightees. This top picture appeared in "Marine Fish Monthly" magazine. I lost that big leather in an experiment. The tank is an experiment and I will lose stuff, it's the nature of the beast and how you learn. Have a great day. Paul

07/18/2006, 01:14 PM	#23
vijaym85 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Queens NYC Posts: 1,296	Thanks for writing back so comprehensively. Great info. Being that your tank is older than me by 14 years I can cerrtainly learn a lot from you words of wisdom. By the way what equipment do you use nowadays it seems every company has some gadget but it's hard to seperate the useless ones from the quality ones at times. Do you find keeping a dsb helps your tank. I was worried using one would cause detrius buildup and nasty odors to form. Finally how slowly do you introduce new animals to your tank.

07/18/2006, 01:28 PM	#24
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Vijaym85, I don't use a DSB and never have. I use a reverse UG filter and always have. I run it very slow with a sponge on the intake. It's just me. The equipment I use is an ozonizer with no controller and a large homemade venturi skimmer. Thats about it unless you want to know about the algae trough that forces algae to grow in a trough instead of the tank and a homemade automatic top off. There is also a leak detector (also homemade ,which shuts off the skimmer in case of a leak. The skimmer drains into a 5 gallon bucket also with an auto shut off in case of an overflow. I don't introduce too many animals because they do not die very often but I just mix some water in their container with a turkey baster a few times for a half hour or so and dump them in without the water. But you should quarintine for a few weeks. New tanks are different. I have the same thoughts as you on DSBs but don't tell anyone or they will jump all over me. Paul PS you sound very informed for someone your age, I like that

07/18/2006, 02:07 PM	#25
vijaym85 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Queens NYC Posts: 1,296	Reefcentral and aquarists like you have helped me learn about this hobby. I thank you all!! I really think this community is so valuble to anyone who wants to even attempt to learn about keeping an aquarium. I also like to look at tanks of the month to learn different stratagies which I seek to incorporate whenever feasable. By the way I live in queens Ny just wondering where you go to buy your stuff. Have you ever heard of a place callled fishtownusa?