Mike's 300 Double-D

[rpjaws74]

nice tank...

 

[d3hree]

Mike/Terry. Your "tale of two reefs" made it into a Uk/European Mag, "UltraMarine" Can you get it out there? I will send you a copy if you pm over your address.

 

[pepsimax]

Nice tank

 

[prop-frags]

Glad to hear you got your Apex issues worked out. I have had the same experience with their customer service. They're terrible about calling back but once you get a hold of them they are very good at trouble shooting and resolving the issue. Despite your recent issues the tank is still looking great!

Thanks Brett. It's been running fine since the "rebuild". I finally got around to building a BOB for it, and am in the process of testing out some float switch controls. It's amazing how complex the code is that some folks have running. Are you using any float switch controls? I'm just leery to put too many eggs in that basket...

Awesome TJ. AMAZING TANK! None more deserving after your first disaster! Lesser reefers wouldve packed it in then and there! congrats guys!

Thank you Jason. That's very kind of you to say and we appreciate you stopping by the thread.

I might have missed it, but do you have a quarantine for your corals? I would hate to see you post that you have AEFWs!

Hello Atomikk. We do have a rigorous process for "on-boarding" our new corals. We have several tanks that are used for those purposes. We dip (typically using Revive), QT in interceptor, and use extensive observation and monitoring before adding corals to the display. if anything looks funny, we toss the corals. It is just not worth introducing a pest that can wipe out our entire system.

nice tank...

Thank you rpjaws! Come on by anytime...

Mike/Terry. Your "tale of two reefs" made it into a Uk/European Mag, "UltraMarine" Can you get it out there? I will send you a copy if you pm over your address.

Thanks Matt! We are eager to see the new magazine! We worked on that article for quite a while and have yet to see what final copy and pictures the editor chose for the print. Thanks for the awesome offer! We'll post a link when / if the magazine gets put online.

Nice tank

Thanks pepsimax!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

How about some new pics?
We changed out the bulbs in the system this weekend (running 14,000K Ushios on the MHs)...

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8508044333/" title="desjardini_2 by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8225/8508044333_44a36093ea_b.jpg" width="1024" height="680" alt="desjardini_2"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8508045181/" title="stylophora_2 by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8247/8508045181_63e7b857f1_b.jpg" width="1024" height="667" alt="stylophora_2"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8509153396/" title="topdown by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8248/8509153396_51a0c02c95_b.jpg" width="1024" height="680" alt="topdown"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8509153508/" title="royal by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8379/8509153508_64b9da5373_b.jpg" width="1024" height="579" alt="royal"></a>

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

You have some great color going on there. Amazing tank.

 

[kmooresf]

Those shots are amazing. Congrats!

 

[Crazy_Beaver]

Great tank and some amazing photo skills!

 

[drummereef]

Thanks Brett. It's been running fine since the "rebuild". I finally got around to building a BOB for it, and am in the process of testing out some float switch controls. It's amazing how complex the code is that some folks have running. Are you using any float switch controls? I'm just leery to put too many eggs in that basket...

Gah! Your colors are making me drool. I don't run any float switch controls directly from my Apex. The only "float" control I have is my Tunze Osmolator. I wanted to keep my top-off control separate from my main system control just for redundancy. And I like the built in safety backup of the Osmolator.

 

[biecacka]

Great looking photos man! What lens are you using?
Corey

 

[110galreef]

Radiums to Ushio 14k's.....
what are your thoughts? Did you change any of the acctinics?
So what all bulbs you have now?

 

[prop-frags]

You have some great color going on there. Amazing tank.

Thank you, Wayne. The colors are a little hit and miss. Some of the corals are coloring up nicely, others are still really slow going. I need to get Terry to snap a nice pic of the purple monster; it's been growing uncharacteristically fast and has an awesome color.

Those shots are amazing. Congrats!

Thanks Kris!! We appreciate the kind words and that you stopped by for a spell.

Great tank and some amazing photo skills!

Thanks CB. It's a great team effort - Terry is getting pretty handy with the camera.

Gah! Your colors are making me drool. I don't run any float switch controls directly from my Apex. The only "float" control I have is my Tunze Osmolator. I wanted to keep my top-off control separate from my main system control just for redundancy. And I like the built in safety backup of the Osmolator.

Brett, you and I are thinking alike on this. We are still using the Reef Fanatic ATO and not really wanting to move off. Similarly, I still am using dedicated controllers for O3 as well. As much as I like the Apex, it is still a consumer-grade product in my view. When it flakes out like it recently did, swapping variables in the outlet programs, that is just too crazy for me to ever feel like I can completely depend on it. Are there any "pro-grade" or "industrial strength" controllers out there?

Great looking photos man! What lens are you using?
Corey

Thanks Corey! Terry is blushing, no really - she seriously is. We have been slowly adding to our collection of "glass". You can take out a second mortgage on some of these lenses...but it makes a huge difference in getting a so-so shot and getting a really excellent shot. Right now, the king is probably the new Nikkor 105mm micro 1:2.8 lens that Santa brought.

Radiums to Ushio 14k's.....
what are your thoughts? Did you change any of the acctinics?
So what all bulbs you have now?

Yeah, the Radiums were just some spare bulbs we had when the last Ushio 14Ks needed replacing, so we were a little short on cash and decided to use them. I REALLY like the Ushio 14ks. We get better growth with them, no question about it. The only thing is that some of the green corals don't pop quite as well as with the Radiums, but I can certainly live with it. Those bulbs are very nice, but just too blue for our tastes. We did change out the VHOs - but kept the same type - 454s. VHOs don't last long. Even with moderate usage on our light schedule, they're toast in about 8 months.

 

[prop-frags]

How about some coral shots:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8514334144/" title="acroporasp by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8228/8514334144_cf30baf456_b.jpg" width="1024" height="642" alt="acroporasp"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8513223295/" title="dfs_pinkdahlia2 by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8381/8513223295_6b2974719f_b.jpg" width="1024" height="684" alt="dfs_pinkdahlia2"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8514228763/" title="nasuta2 by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8532/8514228763_f7d7fd4965_b.jpg" width="1024" height="735" alt="nasuta2"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8514186361/" title="secale2 by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8093/8514186361_ff618db6f8_b.jpg" width="1024" height="575" alt="secale2"></a>

 

[biodegraded]

Woah, is this a marking variant of Z. desjardini? Beautiful! Want!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8508044333/" title="desjardini_2 by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8225/8508044333_44a36093ea_b.jpg" width="1024" height="680" alt="desjardini_2"></a>

 

[rorroreef]

Your tank is such an inspiration to us new people in the hobby

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

How about some coral shots:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8514334144/" title="acroporasp by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8228/8514334144_cf30baf456_b.jpg" width="1024" height="642" alt="acroporasp"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8513223295/" title="dfs_pinkdahlia2 by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8381/8513223295_6b2974719f_b.jpg" width="1024" height="684" alt="dfs_pinkdahlia2"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8514228763/" title="nasuta2 by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8532/8514228763_f7d7fd4965_b.jpg" width="1024" height="735" alt="nasuta2"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryl93/8514186361/" title="secale2 by terryl93, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8093/8514186361_ff618db6f8_b.jpg" width="1024" height="575" alt="secale2"></a>

Now that's just plain showing off. Which is a good thing. Beautiful corals.

 

[drummereef]

Brett, you and I are thinking alike on this. We are still using the Reef Fanatic ATO and not really wanting to move off. Similarly, I still am using dedicated controllers for O3 as well. As much as I like the Apex, it is still a consumer-grade product in my view. When it flakes out like it recently did, swapping variables in the outlet programs, that is just too crazy for me to ever feel like I can completely depend on it. Are there any "pro-grade" or "industrial strength" controllers out there?

You know, I don't know if there's any pro-grade controllers available - or at least any more "reliable" than the ones common to our hobby. Good question though. I think the best we can do, unless we have the time/knowlege/patience to make an Arduino device, is just to have redundancy... which is difficult sometimes and requires $$$. I think anything that involves electricity or electronics is subject to error/failure at some point. It's just kind of the nature of the beast I guess.

 

[biecacka]

One day......

Corey

 

[prop-frags]

You know, I don't know if there's any pro-grade controllers available - or at least any more "reliable" than the ones common to our hobby. Good question though. I think the best we can do, unless we have the time/knowlege/patience to make an Arduino device, is just to have redundancy... which is difficult sometimes and requires $$$. I think anything that involves electricity or electronics is subject to error/failure at some point. It's just kind of the nature of the beast I guess.

Agree Brett. I don't know that I would trust myself on a DIY controller...there's just so much at stake when you control critical systems like dosing or ATO. And yes, we're big fans of the redundancy approach and fault tolerant design. Maybe I'll just get a litermeter or some such dedicated controller. It is just that it's so much more desirable to have dosing controls that can evaluate probe values, etc.

One day......

Corey

Thanks for stopping by Corey.

 

[drummereef]

Agree Brett. I don't know that I would trust myself on a DIY controller...there's just so much at stake when you control critical systems like dosing or ATO. And yes, we're big fans of the redundancy approach and fault tolerant design. Maybe I'll just get a litermeter or some such dedicated controller. It is just that it's so much more desirable to have dosing controls that can evaluate probe values, etc.

Most definitely. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you end up doing. Keep us posted.

 

[prop-frags]

Woah, is this a marking variant of Z. desjardini? Beautiful! Want!

Thank you! He's not a variant. He's been with us for almost 10 years now and was a "free to good home" rescue.

Your tank is such an inspiration to us new people in the hobby

Thank you for that awesome compliment and for taking the time to post in our thread!

Now that's just plain showing off. Which is a good thing. Beautiful corals.

LOL! You are too kind...