Tank of the Month - July '06

[GregM779]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7698327#post7698327 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Your tank is a work of art.
Color, design and structure were well planned.
Another great example of what a reef can be with careful planning and a dedicated hobbiest.

You posted this on my thread a while back and now I can say ditto. The tank came out great, definitely a good pic for TOTM

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7703800#post7703800 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jakano
hey sunny i love how simple everything with your system is. most TOM candidates have so much equipment its mind boggling. I do have one question for you though how do you run the carbon? is it in a cannister filter or just in a bag some where getting water flowing through it somehow? could you post a picture of the method you use? thanks and congrats on the TOM.

Carbon is run in a mess bag suspended in the sump. The bag of carbon is shaken everyday to to release and detritus or bacteria.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7705933#post7705933 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GregM779
You posted this on my thread a while back and now I can say ditto. The tank came out great, definitely a good pic for TOTM

Thank you very much

Yes your tank is definitely TOTM material. Simply beautiful display. :thumbsup:

 

[JoeW]

I especially like the beautiful color of the vibrant SPS in this magnificent reef.

Sunny, how do you clean the front panel and avoid scratching the glass?

Joe

 

[NanoCube-boy]

How often do you frag your corals? How can you frag such some nice LRs.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7708299#post7708299 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JoeW
I especially like the beautiful color of the vibrant SPS in this magnificent reef.

Sunny, how do you clean the front panel and avoid scratching the glass?

Joe

I use a mag float to clean the light stuff. I attach a blade fixture to the mag float when I need to remove the hard stuff like corlline.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7713550#post7713550 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NanoCube-boy
How often do you frag your corals? How can you frag such some nice LRs.

Corals are fragged as needed. I usually dont frag much, just what is need. Does LR stand for Live rock?

 

[NanoCube-boy]

Yes, LR stands for LR. What I mean is that when you fragging your corals, do you cut your LR or you just sniffle their tissues off the rock?

 

[cecilturtle]

How long have you had the Anthia group Sunny? I assume they take the Spectrum pellets then ...which formula? Also, how are they getting along as a smaller group? Am interested because 8 would be overkill for me. BTW, awesome tank.

 

[NexDog]

Sunny, so how do you pump out the sand when changing it?

 

[drewdeezee]

Wow!

Wow!

Absolutely gorgeous! That Deltec skimmate looks yummy!

 

[NanoCube-boy]

i know.. that skimmer is sick............ as awsome...........

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7715880#post7715880 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cecilturtle
How long have you had the Anthia group Sunny? I assume they take the Spectrum pellets then ...which formula? Also, how are they getting along as a smaller group? Am interested because 8 would be overkill for me. BTW, awesome tank.

I have had them for over 10 months now, so far so good. When I purchased them they were all female, within a week one of them transformed into a male. The Anthias only eat Formula One flakes, the larger fish eat Spectrum Large Fish formula.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7716211#post7716211 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NexDog
Sunny, so how do you pump out the sand when changing it?

Gravity my friend.

 

[Aquabucket]

Congrts Sunny!!! Your tank has come along beautifully! Its a very colorful and heathy system you have there!!!

Best of the luck to you!

 

[chessmanmark]

Your tank is awsome. Thanks for sharing. I was quite impressed that you so young and put together such a fabulous system. I never could have done that at 24. No time or funds. I was wondering if you could tell us how you found so many terrific looking SPS corals. You said in the article you avoid designer corals, however you prefer to pick out nice looking specimens. I live in NY where it is very difficult to find nice looking SPS. Often I will buy pieces online based on a picture which is usually color corrected. It's been a struggle to aquire quality SPS. Any suggestions?

 

[NexDog]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7720240#post7720240 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Gravity my friend.

Yea, bit hard on a 30" high tank. Just haven't come up with an easy system yet....

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7732129#post7732129 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chessmanmark
Your tank is awsome. Thanks for sharing. I was quite impressed that you so young and put together such a fabulous system. I never could have done that at 24. No time or funds. I was wondering if you could tell us how you found so many terrific looking SPS corals. You said in the article you avoid designer corals, however you prefer to pick out nice looking specimens. I live in NY where it is very difficult to find nice looking SPS. Often I will buy pieces online based on a picture which is usually color corrected. It's been a struggle to aquire quality SPS. Any suggestions?

Thank you .

98% of all corals in the tank were started from frags of 1" or less. Only two small colonies were purchased recently from Reefermadness.us, the Yellow Tort and the Blue Slimer.

The key to having great looking SPS is to purchase them small. This gives the coral time to adapt and grow in the aquarium environment. Provided that water and parameters are in check there is no reason why a coral should not look its best.

Be sure to give corals as much space as possible. I find that corals with extra space grow much larger, more colorful and exhibit more natural growth pattern then those corals that are packed together.

Just be patient and let things grow out. Try not to add too many different species of coral in one tank. Purchase the corals you would like and then try to add as little as possible later down the road.

My old 120gl was run for almost one year before I added any corals. I wanted to be sure that everything would not just survive but thrive.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7733217#post7733217 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NexDog
Yea, bit hard on a 30" high tank. Just haven't come up with an easy system yet....

I use this sometimes to remove the sand:

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=PY1217

Connect it to a facet and place an empty bucket in the sink, Sand will collect in the bottom and water will simply flow over. Works great for me. If you do not have an industrial sink in the fish room than it could get a bit tricky and messy.

 

[jay24k]

It just goes to show you a tank can evolve in 1 to 2 years with good husbandry and good parameters. I didn't realize they were all started with frags but I have followed his progress here on RC.

Very nice tank.