Tank of the Month - July 2005

[tlp]

Just to add my congratulations! Nice to see a UK reefer doing so well in the home of reefing fanatics! A worthy addition to the TOTM pantheon.

Also encouraging to see that there are decent SPS available in the UK, for when I return next year (when I'll be setting up again). Where did you get yours Tuan?

Tom

Most (all but one) of my SPS were grown from frags. Many were bought from a local farmer (Martyn Huyler), some were given/traded with friends. We're still quite limitted on what's easily available but the situation is improving.

 

[guitar_lord]

I just wanted to add my comments and say congrats for tank of the month!

I am amazed by all the time, hard work, and dedication that you've put into this hobby.

Thanks so much for sharing that
simply amazing......:eek2:

 

[Ricardo Lacerda]

Very Good...

Very Good...

Congratulations....
.. i just fell that we could never do something like that here in Portugal !! Our prices are insane !!! It would take a two year income to do that ...

....and i thought my Tank was OK .... :mad2:

Just one question ...
... donÃ"šÃ‚´t you have problems with all that copper??


Thanks a lot...
...and greetings from Portugal!!!

 

[Skipper]

For those having problems with all the images displaying...

If you click on an image before all the images in the page have loaded, the rest of the images will stop loading. Wait until your status bar shows that the entire page is finished loading.

 

[tlp]

The copper pipes are part of the heating/cooling system and are isolated from tank water by a titanium heat exchanger. ie. the heated/cooled water (tap water) pass through one side of the heat exchanger in one circuit, tank water on another circuit pass by on the otherside and are not in contact. The heat exchanger in the middle transfer just the heat across from one circuit to another.

 

[Broodingwolf]

tuan --

Possibly one of the best tanks I've ever seen on the TOTM page. For that opening shot, I had to do a double take, my first thought was that it was a gag shot of an actual ocean setting. Your tank really beautifully captures the depth and feel of open ocean. Congratulations on the award! I would like to know, how do you sex the mandarins to get a pair?

 

[THE_PROPAGATOR]

Speachless, just totally speachless
That tank is truly one of the best tanks I have ever seen.

hats off to you my friend

Dan

 

[Ricardo Lacerda]

..... tank water on another circuit pass by on the otherside and are not in contact...

Sorry ... i didnÃ"šÃ‚´t understand.... Now i see how you made it.

Other questions (sorry but i am trying to learn with the masters...):

1-How much water do you loose by evaporation?
2-Do you use Kalk?
3-How often do you replace your bulbs?

Thanks a lot,

Ricardo

 

[spamin76]

Thanks & well spotted. The pink tail trigger is one of my most recent purchases, not paired up unfortunately, it is a great fish.

I noticed this too
I am inspired to see a trigger in such a set up - I would love to create a similar set up with crosshatches.

 

[tlp]

tuan --

Possibly one of the best tanks I've ever seen on the TOTM page. For that opening shot, I had to do a double take, my first thought was that it was a gag shot of an actual ocean setting. Your tank really beautifully captures the depth and feel of open ocean. Congratulations on the award! I would like to know, how do you sex the mandarins to get a pair?

Mandarin sexing was fun. The male is supposed to have an extended/elongated dorsal fin but typically mine didn't so I had a real problem trying to pair it up mistaking it for a female initially.

LisaP had some beautiful shots of male & female mandarins. I'll see if she can drop in a link here that might help.

 

[tlp]

Sorry ... i didnÃ"šÃ‚´t understand.... Now i see how you made it.

Other questions (sorry but i am trying to learn with the masters...):

1-How much water do you loose by evaporation?
2-Do you use Kalk?
3-How often do you replace your bulbs?

Thanks a lot,

Ricardo

1 - a lot. as the tank is in my garage which is quite drafty and I also encourage evaporation via fans (extractor and blowing at the water).
2 - yes, with high evaporation I can add a lot of kalk. Most of the kalk solution is dripped in at a constant rate 24/7 via a dosing pump, some is added periodically and automatically via the float switch when the evaporation is more than the constant dripped rate.
3 - the lamps are replaced around 12-15mths cycle, although recent attendance at a seminar where Sanjay Joshi was speaking I getting more convinced that we can replace the lamps less frequently.

 

[anothermineral]

Tuan,

Congrats, The tank is awe inspiring.

 

[dc]

Another amazing tank! Thumbs up on the reefslides also!

 

[Witchdoctor_h]

Tuan, first let me say BEAUTIFUL!!

I have only one question. You mention in your description about the live rock that you have a "two level structure". Can you describe more about what exactly you mean and how you did it?

Thanks

 

[tlp]

Tuan, first let me say BEAUTIFUL!!

I have only one question. You mention in your description about the live rock that you have a "two level structure". Can you describe more about what exactly you mean and how you did it?

Thanks

Sounds a lot more sophisticated than what it is... what I meant is most of the structure is only 2 average sized pieces of live rock high.

 

[mattls]

Great Tank.

How do you get the water up to your refugium?

 

[tlp]

Great Tank.

How do you get the water up to your refugium?

Some of the return feed from the main pump is diverted up to the refugium. The flow isn't great but sufficient.

 

[Cosper]

That setup is absolutely breathtaking. Your photography is also awesome.. One of those pics makes your tank seem as though it goes on foever like the ocean!

I realy enjoy the tank of the month articles!

 

[jthnhale]

:thumbsup: absoulutly amazing.

the size of the colonies is great. I would be tempted to go for a swim in your tank
did you ever have to use a mask and snorkel to reach something in the front?

 

[sean48183]

Best design I have ever seen for a tank. Above the tank refugium and water change vat that can be used for a QT tank. You have got to be kidding. Absolutely brilliant. What's the longest you have ever just sat and stared at that tank? I stared for 20 minutes and that's just on a computer screen!