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View Full Version : What is Old Tank Syndrome?

fender4string
02/27/2009, 04:35 PM
Well what is it?! :)

I've heard of new tank syndrome, where all the levels are stablizing and such but I just came across this in a thread today and was curious.

Thanks!
IslandCrow
02/27/2009, 05:01 PM
That may be a question for Paul B and his 35+ year old tank. . .

Seriously, though, that may have something to do with problems that can potentially build up in a tank over a long time. Usually, I've heard these in relation to deep sand beds becoming anaerobic and building up hydrogen sulfide. This can also potentially happen in live rock (though I'm not sure how much of a factor it really is). Other than that, I can't think of what they'd be referring to as "old tank syndrome".
Capt_Cully
02/27/2009, 05:02 PM
I believe it's refering to a build up of nitrogenous wastes in the sand bed (typically a deep sand bed). The levels become very high to the point it becomes super saturated and leaches wastes back out into the water collumn causing a crash.

I could be very mistaken, but that's what I'm thinking. See what others have to offer.
fender4string
02/27/2009, 10:02 PM
thanks for the input guys. I figured that it must be somehow related to a lack of biological filtration or something like that.
cloak
02/28/2009, 06:32 AM
One way or the other, an individuals husbandry will determine.
IslandCrow
02/28/2009, 04:37 PM
Yeah, that sounds familiar, Capt Cully. At least I got the sandbed part right.
Paul B
02/28/2009, 05:04 PM
That may be a question for Paul B and his 35+ year old tank. . .

I have no idea :lol:
ddinox64
02/28/2009, 05:11 PM
P.B. Your sand bed looks to be fairly deep in spots and thin in others. What's the average depth in your tank? Have you or do you ever do a complete breakdown and rebuild? If so how often? Thanks
Paul B
02/28/2009, 05:14 PM
My "sand" bed is gravel, dolomite gravel. The fish move it around, it is about one and a half inches over a slow running reverse UG filter.
I never broke it down but I did a good cleaning of the gravel after the first 25 years with a diatom filter. I left it in the tank and stirred it up and cleaned it with a diatom. The tank has never been emptied since the early eightees when I moved it to another house. I just transfered all the water and gravel when I moved.