Old school tank

[Clanger]

One for the oldies , how were tanks kept thriving back in the day BEFORE all the trickery we have now , ie mechanics and chemicals ..how did you maintain nutrients or were you just not bothered then ?? I would love to try a "natural-ish" tank ..HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO IT ha ha ..

 

[marinesnow]

Kalkwasser, salifert, refugiums, plug in timers, and water changes.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Water changes is one of the best ways to maintain nutrients

 

[Clanger]

Kalkwasser, salifert, refugiums, plug in timers, and water changes

 

[Nano_Man]

Kalkwasser, salifert, refugiums, plug in timers, and water changes.

That’s how I keep my tanks now I must be a oldie as well

 

[Clanger]

Kalkwasser, salifert, refugiums, plug in timers, and water changes.

Kalk has been around for ever so when did a fuge make an appearance ? And what is your water change schedule ??

 

[Clanger]

That’s how I keep my tanks now I must be a oldie as well

I'm limited on a refugium as I live above a shop and would hate the flooding scenario should a pump fail or power outage.... paranoid ha ha

 

[WhoDey]

Caulerpa everywhere

 

[Nano_Man]

I'm limited on a refugium as I live above a shop and would hate the flooding scenario should a pump fail or power outage.... paranoid ha ha

Yep if you do a regular maintenance on a canister filter they were good in the day . Ehiem canisters were Bomb proof. Plenty of people have great reefs running on canisters

 

[Solo McReefer]

One for the oldies , how were tanks kept thriving back in the day BEFORE all the trickery we have now , ie mechanics and chemicals ..how did you maintain nutrients or were you just not bothered then ?? I would love to try a "natural-ish" tank ..HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO IT ha ha ..

Many of the corals we take for granted now

Were either impossible or expert only in the 90s

I still look at gonis and my old hard drive thinks, "I wonder of I will kill that"

We also put stuff in there, you wouldn't think about putting in now

Sea apples are not just red, white, and blue turds

Would you put a crinoid in your tank today?

 

[darrick001]

I have come full circle. I started with a natural eco system in the 90s. If only I knew then what I know now I would still be using it. My current system is a complete natural system. Back then we didn't know we needed high quality lighting on our refugium. We just used cheap lights that kept the algae alive. Water changes to replace minerals and keep nutrients in check.
Now I use the triton method without skimmer. Refugium as my only filter no water changes, phytoplankton to feed the bugs that feed the coral and fish. Ultra low nutrient.

Back then we couldn't keep most of the coral we have today. We just didn't have the knowledge.

 

[fish farmer]

Kalk has been around for ever so when did a fuge make an appearance ? And what is your water change schedule ??

Back in the 1980s, a lot of the old tanks had caulerpa growth in the tank. Algal Turf Scrubbers made an appearance as well.

 

[Solo McReefer]

7500K was blue back then. That's yellow today

I just remember I built a timer for two powerheads, that would switch on and off.

It worked. Except the MJ powerheads would "clack clack clack" every time it was turned on

I now remember going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Looking at a small exhibit, and heard that clacking, through the glass. They had built the same thing, and used it

I was going to sell it, call it Ocean Motion Plus or something Wave Something

I still recoil at the idea of adding nitrate and phosphate 'dosing'. Just add more food silly

I still have the old Sprung, Theil, and Moe books in a box

Only one salt available purple Instant Ocean

 

[Serpentman2024]

One thing that is noticeably different these days versus "back in the day" is the nutrient levels. Back then, Nitrates and Phosphates were taboo so emphasis was indiscriminate removal. Big skimmers, GFO, Nitrate reactors. Basically everything you could do to strip everything down. I think modern reefing is much more comfortable with higher nutrient levels.

On the flip side, lighting was a little less scientific but a tad easier to use. Metal Halide, T5's, etc. afforded a margin of error as far as coverage. Obviously, our electric bills paid for that ease.

Not sure how "old school" it is but here's what my equipment looks like in 2010.

 

[Jekyl]

One for the oldies , how were tanks kept thriving back in the day BEFORE all the trickery we have now , ie mechanics and chemicals ..how did you maintain nutrients or were you just not bothered then ?? I would love to try a "natural-ish" tank ..HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO IT ha ha ..

Search @Paul B 's posts. All the research you need. Also has a book where proceeds go to MS research.

 

[kevgib67]

Water changes were #1 for my tank in the mid 90’s as well as a protein skimmer and a filter under the tank in the stand. Water changes were religiously weekly.

 

[vetteguy53081]

One for the oldies , how were tanks kept thriving back in the day BEFORE all the trickery we have now , ie mechanics and chemicals ..how did you maintain nutrients or were you just not bothered then ?? I would love to try a "natural-ish" tank ..HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO IT ha ha ..

Things were very basic- Undergravel filter, florescent lights, floating hydrometer, instant ocean, reef safe treatments that rarely worked, like tetra Oomed, and a hang on power filter. Lots of salt creep, rusty components but easy to maintain

 

[Solo McReefer]

One thing that is noticeably different these days versus "back in the day" is the nutrient levels. Back then, Nitrates and Phosphates were taboo so emphasis was indiscriminate removal. Big skimmers, GFO, Nitrate reactors. Basically everything you could do to strip everything down. I think modern reefing is much more comfortable with higher nutrient levels.

On the flip side, lighting was a little less scientific but a tad easier to use. Metal Halide, T5's, etc. afforded a margin of error as far as coverage. Obviously, our electric bills paid for that ease.

Not sure how "old school" it is but here's what my equipment looks like in 2010.

Biopellets is still new school for me

Or is that a Sulphur reactor?

 

[Ironwill723]

I'm real old school. Still running these in my reef...

SeaLab No. 28 mineral blocks - anybody still use these? | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Of course some people must be using the Sea-Lab No. 28 mineral replenishing blocks because they’re still making them and we still see them on the same spot on the shelf of the mom n’ pop fish stores.

reefbuilders.com

 

[Solo McReefer]

Never used those

I did have one of those trickle wet dry filters, upgraded the roll to bioballs, baller

Remember going to the book store, the buy the newest reef magazines?