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What is a mature tank?


RovingGinger
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I see people talk a lot about certain species that need to be put into a “mature” tank.  

What does that mean? Just very stable ongoing parameters? Like, you know your water change schedule and it’s a week+ dependably? The fish all stop bickering and learn to settle their disagreements through civil discussion? A special type of algae pops up and then vanishes forever? 

Edited by RovingGinger
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Seized basically nailed it. Mature tanks will always have well-established beneficial bacteria and are less vulnerable to swings in parameters. It will also have a lot of biofilm, which is important for development when breeding certain organisms (most often shrimp).

Most of the beneficial bacteria grow on surfaces in the aquarium rather than the water, so if you want to kick-start the process in new tanks it's recommended that you seed the new setup with some filter media or substrate from an established one.

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15 minutes ago, Brandy said:

I would add that in reference to algae eaters you need to have lots of visible algae before you add them. It is surprising how many people will "preemptively" buy algae eaters for a brand new tank and then NOT feed them.

And to add to that, you still need to feed them once the algae is gone. Lots of "algae eaters" end up starving.

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I usually think of it as a stable aquarium that has been running for more than 6-12 months and has an established ecosystem that can support baby fry, dwarf shrimp, etc. Signs could include lots of healthy plants, algae growing on the back or side walls, biofilm, tiny infusoria, and of course beneficial bacteria. 

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13 hours ago, RovingGinger said:

It has sounded like shrimp also do better if the tank is a bit “messy” - accurate? 

So basically mature means in most cases “don’t use this as your cycling fish” or potentially “ensure you have cleanup for this guy to cleanup”. 

I think this is pretty accurate. And yeah, what Irene said.

Though, I have cheated on the 6-12 months a time or two with clean up crew, but been prepared to feed heavy to compensate. I am an impatient soul, but knowing which corners you can and can't cut helps. Early tanks have wild swings in more than nitrogen cycle--pH/GH/KH can all drift around too while wood becomes saturated, mulm builds in the substrate, maybe your substrate has some (intended or unintended) activity, etc. If you are starting with aged decor and substrate repurposed from another tank, if you are feeding heavy and the tank is cycled, if you have live flourishing plants, and some algae, I would say you are getting close.

But if every parameter has been stable for just a month, that is not saying it wont do something crazy next month. If it is stable for a year, you can feel more confident. So I have 100+ RCS in my shrimp tank. I will throw 3 in a newer tank. If they grow and molt and seem happy, I will put in 15-20 a month later. If they seem stressed I can move them back. I would not order $50 worth of fancy shrimp and experiment like that. 

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According to this, you can cycle in a week, but get a mature tank (aka crystal clear water) in 6 weeks by continuing:

https://aquariumscience.org/index.php/2-3-how-i-cycle/

I'll definitely try this when I get a chance, for now I'm testing if manure can get a tank cycled in 8 day, just started today will report back!

https://aquariumscience.org/index.php/2-11-inoculate-for-cycling/

 

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On 9/2/2020 at 1:05 PM, Irene said:

Signs could include lots of healthy plants, algae growing on the back or side walls, biofilm, tiny infusoria, and of course beneficial bacteria. 

 

On 9/1/2020 at 9:52 PM, ange said:

Most of the beneficial bacteria grow on surfaces in the aquarium rather than the water, so if you want to kick-

Is it a good idea to not clean algae off of the stuff in the tank then, except for the front glass? (Heater, filter, decor, fake plants, back and sides walls just let it grow?) And just keep substrate and water clean?

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Generally speaking, algae is good. Excessive algae indicates an imbalance in the ecosystem. People will algae scrape glass for viewing purposes but it's usually best to leave it alone on other surfaces/decor. I will remove it from equipment if it could impede function but for the most part I leave algae alone (especially since I keep critters that love to munch on it).

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As many have said, it usually is in reference to a certain level of important bacteria in the nitrogen cycle; however, I think the term is also often used when describing a tank that's been running with stable parameters for a long time (i.e. ~years). One way to think about it is the longer a tank goes with stable, healthy parameters, the more "mature" it is. Mature tanks are generally more resistant to problems, as inputs (light, food, fish, etc.) are in a stable balance with chemical processes and outputs (biological filtration, plants, water changes, algae control, etc.).

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