Tank of the Month - March 2004

[aquamanlou]

WOW! Absolutely beautiful. I want to know what in God's name I am doing wrong. I have so much less in my 55 AGA tank. Less LR, more room, less bio load, lots of water movement, and I still have CBA problems, algae problems and every other kind of problem. Someday soon my tank may be as beautiful.....i'll keep day dreaming.

 

[reef379]

Very nice, I really like the montipora's how big of a piece did you start with? Did it start out without MH lighting. Any pointers on keeping the monti's would be great. Did you buy your skimmer online, if so where from I have been researching skimmers for my new 150 for about 2 months now and have read alot of good things about Euro-reef.

 

[joshuasamuels]

beautiful

beautiful

Wonderful pictures and fanatastic setup. I agree that it looks larger than 90 gal. Makes me jealous that we don't have basements here in Houston...

Joshua

 

[melev]

AquamanLou & Reef379,

[welcome]

Getting algae under control is usually done by reducing nutrients in the water. Zero Phosphates, low Nitrates, replacing old light bulbs that have shifted their spectrum, increase flow and the use of a good clean up crew all help battle the various algaes.

 

[cman]

Any chance you have any pictures/diagrams of this little gem?

Sorry, I don't have a digram. I'll try to post one this weekend.

Have you had any fighting between your clowns? Are they on separate ends of the tank? Also, does your porcelain crab get along with the clowns okay?

The Pink Skunk defends it's BTA more than the Percs defend theirs. The percs are in the lower right and the skunk is in the middle. The anemone crab has had no problem with the clowns.

I really like the montipora's how big of a piece did you start with?

The monti was about the size of a quarter. I got it from Greg Hiller, a member of the Boston Reefers Society. Monti's are pretty easy to keep.

Did it start out without MH lighting.

No. I had VHO for about a years before adding MH.

Did you buy your skimmer online

Yes. I think I got it from Premium Aquatics

 

[karburn]

photo question

photo question

The photos are truly great. I've got to know what camera you used, any special lighting/settings, and if you used a tripod. Clarity of that kind is usually only achieved with a tripod. Great job. Those are "book quality" shots.

 

[reef379]

I was refering to the monti, how long has it been under the MH and how long did it take to grow from the frag to what it is in the picture?

 

[Angelfish]

Hello Carl:

Could you explain in more detail how you modified the existing hood to hold the additional lighting ?

Tks.

 

[4sleds]

Very nice. Great job. Excellent thought on the cooling using a heat exchanger theory. I also started with the berlin in sump skimmer and just recently switced to a Euro Reef es6-2. And to think I suffered for 7mths with the berlin. If only I had known! Every time I open up the doors to the sump it brings a smile to my face to see all that dark stinky gunk. (my family thinks I am nuts). All the best cheers.

 

[MGD]

Carl,

Wonderful tank. I'm just starting out, also with a 90g. How have you managed to keep anemones with the corals? I would like to keep anemones with corals but I understand it can be a problem. I'm at that stage of trying to figure out what critters I what to keep.

 

[cman]

I've got to know what camera you used, any special lighting/settings, and if you used a tripod

It's a Sony Cybershot. No special settings other than using macro mode. I didn't use a tripod, just a steady hand.

I was refering to the monti, how long has it been under the MH and how long did it take to grow from the frag to what it is in the picture?

It's been under MH since I got it about 2 years ago.

Could you explain in more detail how you modified the existing hood to hold the additional lighting ?

This is a tough one to explain. Basically I remove the flap that comes with the original hood. I then built a box to house the VHO and MH. I lined it with reflector material and drilled holes out the back for all the wiring. This box sits on what is left of the original hood. Think of it this way. The original hood acts as a riser to keep the new box elevated off the water surface.

I used two door hinges with removable pins to connect the new box to the original hood. By removing the pins I can lift the box off the tank to get it out of the way if need be.

Hopefully I have helped to explain it better.

How have you managed to keep anemones with the corals?

I have been lucky because my anemones have never moved much from where I first put them. One moved a bit and I just repositioned the coral that it got close to.

 

[MacnReef]

What did you make the top part of the hood out of, i.e. 1"x4" or 1"x6", oak or pine.

TIA,
Mike

 

[cman]

What did you make the top part of the hood out of, i.e. 1"x4" or 1"x6", oak or pine.

It's made out of 1x6" oak. I had bought some small pieces of pine,oak, and another wood (can't remeber what it was). I then bought three or four colors of stain and the oak ended up being thje best choice.

 

[MacnReef]

Thanx! I will probably do the same thing! What is the top made out of?

Mike

 

[BobB]

Hi Carl,

Great tank! I really appreciated reading your write-up describing the tank and equipment. I have a question. I'm preparing to buy the lighting for my 90G. I noticed you managed to fit 2-250wMH plus 4-48 inch VHO bulbs into the canopy. I was planning on 3-46 inch bulbs plus the twin 250MHs. My question: was it very difficult to get the 4-48 inchers in that canopy? Does the canopy hang over the edge of the tank?
TIA,
BobB

 

[Joboo]

Great Tank!! A couple questions:

1) what size Maxi-jet pumps did you use?

2) where did you end up placing the Powerheads in the Tank? I can see one near the overflow but am unable to see the others due to all the livestock!! LOL

Hopefully I'll have a tank like yours someday!!

Thanks
John

 

[agarom8]

Beautiful aquarium. Of the best thing that I have seen

The skimmer Turboflotor 5000 Shorty feeds directly of the drain of the aquarium.

The aquarium characteristics that I am installing are similar. These truly satisfied one with this skimmer?.

 

[melev]

agarom8,

[welcome]

 

[Radicaljbr]

Hey Cman,

Hope your still up to anwser a question. I had asked you about how you feed your fish and you replied that you set your Eheim right over top of your return pump in your sump. I tried this and my flake just rest on the water and end up falling to the bottom later no where near the pump. Any suggestions?

thanks

John

 

[cman]

John,

My feeder sits over my sump but it is also where the water is spilling in from the refugium section. The flow of water pulls the foos of the surface and into the water column to get pumped upstairs.

Do you have a small powerhead that you could mount to break the surface of the water? You could put it on a timer so it goes on right before the feeder drops the food and stays on for 5 or 10 minutes after. I think this would do the trick.

Carl