What Has Kept Your Tank Going For a Long Time

Paul B · Jan 14, 2023

Delatedlotus said:
The real bottom line secret is my diatom filter, take that to the bank! How can you ever have a tank for years, and years without one? I will never know.... This is NOT a theory either, it is the fact. Vortex Interspace went to of business, I want that patent !!!!. Best tool for fowler and reef tanks ever.. A sadly but forgotten fact. This is kind of cool as well,

I agree with this and still use my diatom a few times a year. Wouldn't be in the hobby without it.

As for the tank, for me anyway it is natural thinking. I don't believe in quarantine or medication but I do believe in bacteria in and around the fish as well as natural hiding places so the fish can't see you.

Fish need to feel safe and "think" they are in the sea and not in our living room looking at our cat.

i cant think · Jan 14, 2023

I don’t have a tank that’s decades old however I do have a tank that’s 3 years old and I had a tank running that was passed down to me in the LFS (it was our display). I didn’t own that tank for its whole lifespan however I was the last to own it before it got taken down and replaced with a smaller tank.
The tank was a good 20 years old by the time I got it and I kept it running for another 5 years.

My key to keeping it up and running was this;
Changing very little. If I were to change anything then it would be in the ways of these;
- Adding territory (Usually in the ways of coral - yes, coral can be used as territory)
- Adding a new fish or two
- Adding inverts

If any of these three caused a bad reaction I would often remove the change and it would go back to normal. I’ve also learnt another thing;
Don’t dwell on a fish death. If a fish dies and your husbandry doesn’t change in a long period of time then it’ll likely be due to the fish.
Inverts and Coral I have found to be slightly different. If a parameter is out of line then a coral or even an invert may bail out. Obviously there is the odd occasion when an invert or coral bails out for no reason but generally with this side of the hobby there is a reason for the death that is something to do with a change.