10+ years of a 20,000 Gallon Reef Tank

[Faisal1976us]

Wow ,,,, amazing

 

[Justjoe]

How often do you backwash the sand filter? any problems with dissolved accumulated organics with nitrates/phosphates leaching back into the tank?

How do you suppose the Bryopsis was introduced? What is your plan of attack?

Filters are backwashed twice/week, sometimes with tank water, sometimes with freshwater. No real worries about the nitrates/phosphates from the filters.
Bryopsis is bascially in every tank and will surface when the opportunity presents itself. Its just a few spots... enough of a warning to try and stay ahead of a potential problem. Detritus removal, increased flow, manually removing the clumps and keeping it cropped so the urchins can then mow it down. A closer look at PO4's and nitrates as well, started dosing some vinegar/ vodka as well.

 

[Elliott]

Filters are backwashed twice/week, sometimes with tank water, sometimes with freshwater. No real worries about the nitrates/phosphates from the filters.
Bryopsis is bascially in every tank and will surface when the opportunity presents itself. Its just a few spots... enough of a warning to try and stay ahead of a potential problem. Detritus removal, increased flow, manually removing the clumps and keeping it cropped so the urchins can then mow it down. A closer look at PO4's and nitrates as well, started dosing some vinegar/ vodka as well.

which urchins eat bryopsis? I've heard that royal urchins eat it

btw, I dose LC into a pool DE filter plumbed in my 600g system, it runs for an hour twice a day, when offline it's isolated from the system with no shared water, everything is automated, I backwash it once a week first with freshwater and rinse with seawater, the DE does a great job of polishing the water crystal clear and filtering the LC precipitate, have been very happy with it.

if you were to build this tank today, what would you do differently (including the dimensions)? would you use natural lighting with maybe supplemental LED viewing lights?

 

[nata]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NEMS AND MORE NEMS ..my favourite ...wish I could see your tanks in person ..thanks for sharing!

 

[syedjilani]

amazing.....

 

[gimmito]

Amazing tanks Joe. I heard your talk on the 20,000 gal tank and your interview w/Melev. What were some of the hurdles you had from conception to reality of 20,000 gal tank ?

 

[Ketchup]

amazing tank... love the anemone and clownfishes!

 

[tom obrecht]

Hey Joe...really enjoyed your presentation in Omaha last weekend. I heard you speak years ago when the tank was still an infant. The water mov't section of your talk was very interesting. Great job!

 

[seashark]

wow amazing tank ,thanks for sharing

 

[Ken Sellick]

any outstanding issues after running for so long, anything you would change if you were to build another one today?

 

[kinlayan]

Hi Joe, Can you explain how lanthanum works does it form a precipitate with the phosphate? and then is backwashed? If the precipitate stays in the aquarium does it release it again?

Your Aquarium is outstanding , the sheer density of corals and fish incredible, lets hope that decimated wild reefs can one day get back to this magnificence that you have produced here

 

[dougie]

awesome tank, il make sure its on my list next time im in the states.

 

[tom obrecht]

any outstanding issues after running for so long, anything you would change if you were to build another one today?

I saw Joe speak last weekend on the tank and he had a section of his talk on issues that have arisen over the years. Everything from acro eating flatworms to water mov't issues. I'll let him chime in but I think the results speak for themselves as far as almost anything can be controlled if given time and patience.

 

[tom obrecht]

any outstanding issues after running for so long, anything you would change if you were to build another one today?

I saw Joe speak last weekend on the tank and he had a section of his talk on issues that have arisen over the years. Everything from acro eating flatworms to water mov't issues. I'll let him chime in but I think the results speak for themselves as far as almost anything can be controlled if given time and patience.

 

[Aaarrrggg]

Oh my! Often when I go to public aquariums I'm disappointed by the lack of corals. I'd started to think it was just impossible to successfully keep corals in such a large tank (with light penetration and all that,) but you've sure busted that myth!

Bravo! Bravo!

 

[Johndoe0336]

WOW is this a personal tank or a display somewhere i miss something? Thanks for sharing with us very inspiring.

 

[dread240]

Me and the Wife were planning on coming up to NYC this year in the summer. This is a gauranteed spot on the list of places to visit now

Beautiful tanks man, absolutely beautiful

 

[fragboy94]

how many watts in total do u have with all that lighting!!!!:eek2::eek2::eek2::eek2::eek2::eek2::eek2::eek2::eek2:

 

[Nanook]

Nice job making such a huge reef tank look so beautiful:thumbsup:

 

[patmack]

Joe, I was at your presentation in Omaha, NE and really enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to visit us. I will have to make it up there to see your tanks in person sometime. They look amazing in the photos.
Pat