Just thought I would share some recent pics of my display. I am about to sell all things salty, display included, as the snow is about to fall and I love snowboarding more than reefkeeping, and will be away to much to maintain my tanks properly. I would like to sell the tank as a complete setup, corals and all as it is a very stable micro-eco-system that is virtually self supporting. If any one is interested, please feel free to send me a email to:
mph@email.arizona.edu
The following is a little retrospective memoir about the tank build, and a glimpse into my reefing philosophy:
The tank is a custom build (by me) that is a 20 gallon long, trimless glass box. It is very unique and the product of a combination of: all my excessive reef keeping, years of glassblowing (I have a very good understanding of how liquids/air travel through tubing), and imperative internal desire to keep it clean (as in smooth, unobstructed, complementary aesthetics). When building this tank, I always kept in mind the vital importance I placed on a aesthetics. I also wanted to create an ideal environment to house the massive collection of coral I was obtaining.
I have made a good amount of money on coral. For a while my frag tub was my sole form of income. If it didn't do well, I didn't do well. It paid for this tank. Nothing like trial by fire to keep you on top of your game, and make you obsessed with reefing. I had taken down my 15g as I had run out of room for frags, and moved everything over to my new 40gallon plastic frag tub. Not exactly the most aesthetically pleasing environment to house thousands of dollars of rare coral in. After a while, I began to desire a display tank again, so I could view my collection from an angle other than top-down. I wanted to see the sides of corals again.
So I set out to build a display for me. Me and only me. Well and for the massive following of people that track me on nano-reef.com, I am a nano-reefer after all. Over 14,000 people watched my 15g, and I had a reputation to live up to. A innovator. Someone who knew the box of conventional reefing was there, ignored it's existence, and thought not outside the box, but beyond the box. This tank had to do some new things never before seen!
So I set out on my tank building journey...
I decided to use a trimless 20gallon long as the basis for my system. It has amazing dimensions. 12" tall, 12" deep, and 30" long, the wide screen of nano tanks. Small enough to allow you to densely stock with higher end corals some what affordably, yet large enough to allow you to cram a ton of coral in there without limitation and have a good depth of field. It is larger than a humans field of view so you can sit close and really walk your eyes around the tank focusing on its micro beauty. It is shallow so it can easily be lit. The perfect platform for my tank build.
I love to aquascape, my 15g didn't have a overflow box, just a single one inch standpipe in the back center of the tank; it was always in my way! For this tank, and this was huge for me, I custom designed some of the most complicated plumbing ever on a reef tank that allowed me simply to have my drain and return placed at the bottom of the tank with no internal plumbing. Sounds so simple. Far from it though. The problem with tanks that have drains and returns at the bottom is, that if the power ever goes out, and it does, the tank will drain onto your floor, subsequently killing all your coral and ruining your life all at the same time due to the flood. I couldn't have that, so through a complicated plumbing process I dubbed EL CHUPACABRA'S INVISIBLE PLUMBING, I created a way to eliminate all in-tank plumbing and also eliminated all possibilities of a flood due to pump failure. Further more, remember my focus on aesthetics: I figured out a way to run the power wire for my necessary koralina powerhead through the plumbing, instead of out and over the exposed trimless glass back wall allowing me to really hide its presence as it is the only visible piece of equipment. I have never seen a giant powerhead in the ocean and since it was vital that I had one, I wanted to minimize its visual presence in my reef. The water level can easily be adjusted up and down by moving the overflow upper-drain located behind the back of the tank. It is hard to understand, I would be happy to demonstrate it in person to anyone that cares. The tank will not drain when the power goes out, and can run independent of the sump by design. I wrote up a lengthy discussion of the plumbing on my tank thread in the members tanks section on club-zoa if you wish to hear further about the plumbing design and fear meeting me
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I really took my time building the tank, and if something didn't turn out perfect I tore it down and re-did it. This happened many times. This tank took a long time to build, but it was done right and I do not regret any of the set-backs as I would hate to look at mistakes, instead of the coral, and I would. Remember keep it clean!!!
The stand is a custom build also, it is based on a modified furniture dolly that can support 2000lbs, this platform gave me wheels, which have come in handy more than a few times. Nan Nan a Boo Boo, I don't have to drain my tank to move it.
I hate how everyone builds there stands so tall. When you are seated in front of the tank, you can see the bulb and it really blinds your view of the tank, when you are standing getting a close view, well you are standing, and how relaxing is that. My tank is located at eye level when seated. You cannot catch a glimpse of the bulb unless you are lying on the floor. this way I can comfortable stare for hours at the tank while seated. When standing, you get an amazing top down look on the tank as it is a trimless, topless tank with a suspended light. Corals are best viewed from above, their intense colors focus upwards as they protect the coral from the lighting suspended above. Further more glass really dampens the look of a coral as the lead in the glass absorbs a lot of the vibrancy of the colors.
There is no hardware on the cabinet what so ever, as it would distract from the aesthetic focus: the tanks inhabitants. Instead the side panels velcro on and can easily be removed when during sump maintenance.
The sump is a rubbermade container, as it easily fit, and is seamless plastic so it is one less point of failure to have to worry about. It has no baffles, just a bunch of cheato (macro algae, live rock rubble, yellow polyps, mini hitch hiker sea urchins and about a billion pods that are the primary food source for the tank, which I never feed, really never. Oh yeah and the heater is down there. I run a 24-hour light cycle on the sump, with a walmart fluorescent plant grow light. Refugiums, in my opinion are one of the single most important aspects of the reef aquarium. I built a sump thats focus is the ideal environment for algae to thrive. I want algae to go wild down there. I never clean it, never, I try not to disturb the algae growth on the walls, I do siphon out detritus weekly as it builds up but try to never remove algae growth. I have no algae growth in my display because it would rather stay in the 5 star exclusive algae hotel know as my sump. I often see people trying to eliminate algae growth all together in their tanks. Good F-ing luck. Instead and I don't think many people realize this, you can easily choose where algae will grow, but eliminating it all together is virtually impossible. I have a small but great clean up crew in the display, the long spine urchin being the best member, and virtually no algae eaters in the sump. If I could advise a reefer on only one aspect of reefing, I would choose to inform them of the benefits of a refugium. The single most important aspect of successful reef keeping in my mind. And its super cheap, all natural, and SO beneficial. The rufugium also provides a predator free breeding ground for pods which are the primary food source for the tank. They are continually being chopped up by the sump pump and sent to the display for feeding. So much so that I do not have to feed the tank whatsoever and have not in many months. By not putting a bunch of dead rotting food in my tank on a daily basis, and instead providing fresh live food on a continually basis, I have eliminated many of the water quality issues that come about from external feedings. A true microcosm is self sufficient, by adding food I feel that I am throwing of homeostasis.
I originally had some black gravel in the tank that matched the black background, oh yeah I screen printed my online advatar into the back panel of the display, but I removed it to go for bare bottom, as I hate the look and more importantly the bio-load of dirty sand. I keep all four panels of the glass spotless, and allow the coraline algae to go crazy on the floor. The tank is now lit with a 250w electronic Metal halide. I switch between two bulbs, a 10k that provides great growth, and makes the coral look terrible due to its yellow hue. I also use a 20k bulb that is my favorite, corals truly display their maximum beauty under the rays of 20K lighting, the colors really pop! Oh yeah but growth is virtually non existent under 20K lighting. Trading the bulbs depending on my goals of growth vs. aesthetics, really allows me to achieve exactly what I want at that time.
I could go on longer but have to go to class. If you read this bravo, you know know a little bit about my reefing philosophy. I am the most generous of reefers, feel free to email me any-time and I will happily let you pick my brain. If you would like to see my tank feel free to come by anytime. I will probably send you home with some cheap, and often time free frags so beware. Save the drama for your mama, I don't care to add anything other than positive vibes to the local reefing community. I know how to do everything cheaper in this hobby and can DIY anything, and am happy to offer my services for little to nothing. I am a poor college student that was able to turn a bare-bones budget 5.5gallon into a fancy high-end nano-display and separate 40 gallon frag tub that has a 5 gallon wave roll through every 30 seconds or so, these tanks house some of the nicest corals obtained from all over the country, and world. How did I do it, little by little. I was a coral whore, I fragged everything, kept piece for myself and sold the rest only to reinvest all my earnings back into the tank.
Is coral propagation a good way to make money???
Hell No.
Is it fun???
Hell yes!!!
Mad props to all those I have run across along the way, especially Cerreta, you helped me become the reefer I am, through our limited interactions. I hope that the rarest and most beautiful corals lie in the tracks of all the Tucson Reefers, and fresh powdery snow in mine. I will be back. Thank you Tuscon reefers, the imminent doom looming over my tanks is approaching quickly, only you can save them. Email me at:
mph@email.arizona.edu if you see anything you want of mine, I will be listing everything shortly, I know I said this before but I procrastinated as long as possible so I could stay with my friends, who now must leave shortly. If you read all this, ummmm, word... CHUPA CHUPA CHUPA
PS, for my last words in this novel I would like to extend the offer to any local reefer to contact me for anything they need, be it questions, corals, equipment, DIY help, advice, or simply to kick back a beer and gaze at a new coral you got. I am a smiling face in the local scene, and wish to continue to be a part of it even after I sell of my own. Cue: Jess to make sure I become a member of the newly founded club, I am interested, just forgetful.
Off to class...
