Tank of the Month - February 2007

[Skipper]

This month we are featuring Dessy Dietrich's beautiful reef aquarium:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-02/totm/images/RChomepage.jpg (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-02/totm/index.php)

More details can be found here (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-02/totm/index.php) or by clicking on the picture above.

Congratulations, Dessy!


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<center><font color="#FFFFFF" size="-1">If you'd like to nominate a tank
for Tank of the Month, click <a href="http://reefcentral.com/forums/newthread.php?s=&action=newthread&forumid=189" target="_blank"><font color="#FFFFFF">here</font></a>
or use the button to the right.</font></center>
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<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF" width="27%"><img src="http://reefkeeping.com/images/nominate1.gif" border="0" title="Click here to nominate a Tank of the Month"> (http://reefcentral.com/forums/newthread.php?s=&action=newthread&forumid=189)
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[kelley_mc]

What an impressive tank. Very nice job.

[agent007]

I concur. It's a beautiful tank.

With all the products on the market, I am still uncertain if I am giving my critters a good balanced diet. I use Kent PhytoPlex Phytoplanton and Marine Plankton Cyclop-Eeze.

Have you ever found a need to add Stronium, Magnesium or Iodine?

[reefez]

Really cool story behind your tank. Great to see what you have accomplished since 9/11/01.. I think we all remember what we we're doing on that dark day. Have you used all of the same equipment since the tank was started up? Looks as if you are getting great results out of the set up you have..

[reefing102]

Sweet Tank

[newsalt]

The article says your tank is an All-Glass 120 tall that is 60x20x24. Is that 60Lx20Wx24H? With those dimensions, it works out to close to 125g. I didn't know All-Glass made a tank that size. When I wanted a 60"L tank I could not find anyone but Perfecto that had one. I got a Perfecto 60Lx18Wx26H. I'm curious as to where you got yours.

Thanks

[Rokdog]

I love this tank! It seems a relatively simple setup that shows what knowledge over equipment can achieve.

Congratulations

[Dudester]

Wonderful to see a tank of this stature running on relatively low-tech equipment. I, too, use a CPR overflow for my tank, and part of my tank's maintenance is to clean out the hard connection to the siphon pump tubing with a tooth pick. Do you have a similar requirement, and have you ever had a problem losing the siphon (i.e. flooding?).

Congratulations on your well-deserved honor of TOTM!

[Misled]

:cool: Absolutly marvelous!

[eaglesrx]

Absolutely beautiful tank!!!!! I am very impressed!!!

Sorry, I have some relatively newbie type questions.

How does your orchid dottyback get along with your mandarin or wrasse?

Has your angelfish ever nipped at your soft corals such as your zoos? How long have you had the fish?

How long have you had your hippo or hippo tang? Has that particular tang ever nipped at your corals?

Sorry for all of the questions, but it's nice to see such a successful, amazing tank!!! Congrats!!

[fisheebill]

Great tank!
Congrats on TOTM!

[giants4pc]

It is always reassuring to see a tank as nice as this one with relatively few "extras." The typical TOTM winner goes on to state that they are shocked to win but when you add up the total cost of the equipment alone, how can you be surprised with $15k in cost? This tank has a calcium reactor, fuge, and skimmer. This is proof that the supposed "necessary" items aren't really that necessary. Congrats...it's awesome!

[acrouse]

What a beautiful tank! The colors are absolutely stunning! It's nice to see such beauty without all the additives! Keep up the great work!
jolene

[fish like me]

Less is more indeed. Beautiful tank, congratulations.

[benray4fun]

Congrats..."love the purple monti-cap"...:smokin:

[poknsnok]

just proves you dont need to spend a fortune to have a top notch sps tank

[menard]

Des / Larry............congratulation on TOTM.

Gorgeous indeed !!..........keep up the good work. Love the way they all grow together like that reminds me of the natural settings in the wild.

Menard

[dc]

Absolutely stunning! Another well deserved choice.:D

[Lrood]

Awesome aquascaping! I love the mix of textures and forms with your aquarium. Maybe there is hope for mine.....

Congrats!

Ken

[conorwynne]

Got some new acro frags yesterday, its been 24 hours and they still have not grown up.
Hurry up lads, got to catch up on this lovely tank.

Congrats girl!

[Johan Susanto]

simply the best!!!!

[plyle02]

Its a very cute system.

[Hop]

Very nice use of space and an inspirational tank to say the least! Nice job.

[Danamck]

Beautiful tank. Love the Montipora. And I love the "less is more" approach - I agree completely. Congradulations on TOTM.

[orchidsnfish]

Beautiful tank! Does it have a DSB, SSB, or is it BB? I cant tell from the pictures.

Thanks
Angela

[slumpysix]

Great looking tank and congrats on the TOTM. Looks like a very heathly system...
very nice....

[jmkarcz]

A very well deserved honor... I think the word "Stunning..." sums it up from me.

What duration are you running your lights?

I have a simular setup, but have not been gettng the growth that you mentioned regarding your pruning...

[Zoa06]

I love your monthi its really birthday cake..how can do that?

[tygger]

Just wanted to echo everyone else's comments (first thing I thought as well)... it's great to see that you don't need to spend a fortune to have a awesome tank. Also by normal reefers' standards, this tank would be considered overcrowded, but it's doing marvelous.

[jnarowe]

Great tank and well deserved TOTM. As has already been written, I love what you have done equipment wise. So often I see people trying to compensate for lack of ability with over-priced equipment.

Your monti caps are extreme!! Love that so much and I am hoping to emulate in my own system.

Time for a larger tank?? You have the room! :lol:

[D.G.]

Wonderful looking tank. I have the same set up in a 156 gallon oceanic. 5 ft tank.
I was wondering what the blue acropora's are called and where I could find some of them. I love the colors and growth. I think you have two different ones to the left side of the tank.

[mikejones]

so this tank has a hang on overflow box?

[flfirefighter13]

Amazing tank, love the minimal equipment approach......and of course symbolism of the start day.

[tktodd]

wow!! Great job on the tank. Looks fantastic.

[Larry Waughon]

Great tank!
Larry

[RalfP]

Breathtaking!
I fell in love with your coral.
Thanks,
Ralf

[STH53]

Wonderful tank and congrats on TOTM. Am very impressed with the aquascape especially the monti cap. How did you achieve the tiered effect? Mine always grow so large I have to break them up and start over.

[IMM3DOORSDOWN]

tank is best i've seen .awesome job

[CoralKing]

Awesome tank - does anyone know what type of light hood that is? - Is it a PFO hood?

[FunkieReefJunkie]

Beautiful. You and your hubby are lucky to share the reef passion.

[reefez]

It would be nice to have some feedback on all of these positive comments on your TOTM which is well deserved. It says you have 23 fish in your stock list but you don't see but 2-3 fish in any of the pics. How did you get them to move for the pics? Every time I go near my tank it is like the fish are always expecting food to be thrown in and they all come and dart all over the place. Just wondering if they we're hideing for some reason.

[tee1172]

I'm going to be a newbie at this but you said that Aqua-tech did the custom 20 gallon refugium, is Aqua-tech one of the sponsors here?

[Slamajama]

B- E- A - utiful...

[kajung2k]

Your tank is beautiful!! Great job!!!! Curious, how many inches are your MH above the tank?

[jheath]

Fantastic reef setup

[manosdr]

Wonderful tank, congratulations...:)

[alaskareef]

Dessy, I have a 55 gallon reef and want to upgrade. However, I do not want to build another room to house all of the equipment that we see in past Tanks of the Month. I will definitely use your minimalist approach when planning my upgrade. I assume your tank gets the trace elements from the small weekly water changes. I am considering a calcium reactor since I am always worried about my alkalinity and calcium levels. Congrats! John M

[jnarowe]

alaskareef:

[welcome]

[jmack]

Beautiful! I have the exact same tank at home but right now it's filled with softies cause I only have PC's and would like to know more about your light fixture. It's very hard to find 60" fixtures to fit my tank. I'm also wondering if a fixture that isn't suspended above the tank would melt the center brace.

It was great to see how much could be done with this type of tank..congratulations on TOTM!

[new2r1]

Nice blend of colors ! very nice...

[NanoCube-boy]

You have a nice tank and I love your clown fishes.

How did you plumbed the EV-180 to the refugium?
Do you have a picture of it connecting to the refugium?
Isn't 85 degree F. hot for your corals?
What kindof black clown are those? False or true perc?
Really hard to tell because of the black line. Congraduation and wish you luck on the tank.

[949Reef]

Nice!

[BONDQ]

Very pretty! Great tank.

Keep up the great work.

[dobly_1999]

I am glad to finally see a tank setup that is within REASON both from an expense and space limitation situation. You see so many setups with half a basement and a full closet being use to filter one display tank.