Tank of the Month - May 2007

[Skipper]

This month we are featuring Dave Jelley’s (250G) beautiful reef aquarium:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/totm/images/RChomepage.jpg (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/totm/index.php)

More details can be found here (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/totm/index.php) or by clicking on the picture above.

Congratulations, Dave!


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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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[jwccwj]

Amazing,definatley one of the nicest Ive seen!! Glad to see a fellow Canadian with such a wonderful tank. Sometimes getting beautiful livestock is a challange this far north.

[Lo0seR]

I am not one to check water parameters all that often. Honestly, I check my calcium and alkalinity once every four months or so. I find a large system such as mine to be very stable.

Just keep it simple, man I love your setup and simple is what more of us should get back to. Nice display of what you preach, well thought out and it shows.

[Hop]

Very nice! Definitely need to spend some more time and reread the whole article. Nice job!

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

Beautiful sps reef! Well done!

[slojmn]

Dave,
Excellent read and lots of enjoyment looking at your amazing collection of corals. Your system is gorgeous :D.

[Baddi]

sweet tank, congratulation!

[anothermineral]

Beautiful, Congrats! Your coral peg system is a great idea.

[250G]

Thanks everyone!

slojmn - appreciate the comments, I always follow your posts with interest.

As you can tell from my write-up, I try and keep things really simple (easy), consistent and stable.

And yes, chalk on up for Canada! Here in Toronto we are pretty luck to have several really good stores for livestock.

[Oldude]

That is an awesome reef display and setup. It's an inspiration and gives me something to aspire to. Thanks for sharing.
Well done!!!!

[jwccwj]

250g just a question on your 20k xms,I thought the higher the k the bluer the bulb? Is the whiteness of your bulbs because they are XMs or because all electronic ballasts do not overdrive the bulbs giving trhem a whiter appearance.Just asking cause I really like the color of your lighting.

[jenz]

Congrats Dave.... Im glad that most of the pieces you got from us are doing well and thriving.

Keep up the good work. ;)

[KevinFJB]

Congratulations and excellent job Dave - truly a great tank.

[eldude]

Nothing against last month's TOTM but it's nice to see a large tank with a lot of livestock. I can't wait till next month's tank because I never get tired of looking at other peoples addictions, I mean tanks.
Amazing tank this month, just amazing!

[Jocool]

Yes beautifull tank. I almost spilled my coffee though when I got down to the bottom of the read, when it states LONG TERM PLANS--in it he says 'save enough money to finish the basement. Personnally, I'm finding it difficult to understand where the money problem is?

[fishdoc11]

Very nice tank....well deserved:D

Extremely well thought out system. Very similar in tank size/dimensions/layout to the system I hope to build one day.

Congrats, Chris

[Dudester]

Just beautiful! Could you please elaborate a little more on your coral pegging system? Do you drill a hole into the rock that an acropora is mounted upon, then glue some rigid tubing into that hole?

[tom obrecht]

Welcome to the TOTM club!! WOW, you have a true beauty there!! Keep up the great work!! You are an inspiration for me!

[AS11423]

Gorgeous!

[spoiledcats]

The tank is beautiful, but the poor hippo tang looks emaciated.

[robs fish]

Thing of beauty look so forward to seeing it in person.

Rob

[merseyman]

Awesome. Can you tell me who built the first tank, that fell apart? Curious because I had a starphire custom made form an Ontario builder. Also, if you ever need to sell any of your frags and are willing to ship to San Francisco, keep me in mind. You've some gorgeous stuff.

[NightShade00013]

Tank looks great, love the fact that more and more people are begining to run almost fully natural systems without water changes. Just top off and add back what the tank uses. Very inspiring.

[REHEM]

This is the part that blows my mind:

"I do not do water changes on a regular basis. In fact, I have done only one water change in the past two years."

Beautiful tank!

[250G]

Wow - a lot of posts. I will try and get a respose to most of you!

Oldude - Thanks, inspiration is important, I would not change too many things about it, and am generally happy with it.

jwccwj - I have no idea why my lights are so bright, except because of my ballasts. If I ran Icecap ballasts, I could not personally use 20K XMs (which you are correct are the most blue in the tyically used reef spectrum). I have a Icecap as a back-up ballast.

jenz - You have provided the most insane livestock over the last 4 years in the Toronto area, and there is a reason your business has grown SO much during this time. Click on his little red house - the majority of corals in my system come from ReefRaft. And now you got me interested in aussie acans! See you next week ;)

KevinFJB - Thanks man! If you have any questions about my tank and I am not around, as Kevin. He was over today! His tank is a future TOTM here as well FYI.

eldude - Thanks - believe it or not I have more corals in there, but could either not get good photos, or we just did not have enough space in the layout.

fishdoc11 - Thanks. As I noted in the text, NOT my design, but I mad it work. My original design was better, but what can you do.

Dudester - Coral pegging
- I drilled a ton of 3/16 holes in my liverock when I put it in the tank.
- Now, I drill a 3/16" hole in the small piece if rock I want to mount an SPS frag to, and glue to the frag to the rock
- Insert the rigid plastic tubing (airline tubing from the fish store) in the rock which you glued the frag to, and simply insert in the predilled holes in the rock of the tank.
- As the holes are a reasonably tight fit I do not glue the plastic tubing in, in case I need it londer or shorter in the future.
- I can also remove a piece of liverock and drill a hole in a specific location if required.
Gotta love the flexability this provides!

tom obrecht - Thanks. Be inspired by how simple my process is as outlined in the article. Anyone can do it.

spoiledcats - Yes, I keep the fish thin. The blue tang dominates the daily spirulina pellet however, over the back, purple and tomini tangs.

robs fish - Thanks. Next time you head into Toronto for a shipment let me know.

merseyman - With regard to the company who constructed my tank, well all I can say is that they are a respected as a top quality builder. Maybe chat off-line. Frags will be sold through an online store, shipping to the US is not possible at this time however.

NightShade00013/REHEM - Well about 10 fish in a 270G makes that possible. And I am lazy - but it seems to work. Thanks being said, I will be doing my second water change this week!!!

[dc]

Totally awesome. :D You have some spectacular corals.

[dvanacker]

Amazing Dave,.......way to rep the north side of the border !!

I plan to see your tank before I die......

It should be easier for me because I'm moving to the burlington area.....

Inspiring.!! I've heard stories but and a pic here or there but damn its better then I even imagined.

[SERVO]

WOW Dave, your tank is absolutely SICK. Pristine!

I wish I would have pegged!

[250G]

Well I am not sure how old you are, but I am sure we can coordinate something! Let me know next time you are in TO for a shipment.

About the "stories" you heard - let me tell you, most of them are right on the money!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9890777#post9890777 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dvanacker
Amazing Dave,.......way to rep the north side of the border !!

I plan to see your tank before I die......

It should be easier for me because I'm moving to the burlington area.....

Inspiring.!! I've heard stories but and a pic here or there but damn its better then I even imagined.

Pegging is sweet, however I do find the corals grow a little slower if you glue them on a small pice of rock. Those SPS love to encrust, but I love to be able to move them.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9890787#post9890787 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SERVO
WOW Dave, your tank is absolutely SICK. Pristine!

I wish I would have pegged!

[dvanacker]

Yes.....I tried to co-ordinate something with you before on reefescape once. I go by reefermadnesss on other forums. I've been to see Kevin a couple of times and have visited both RR and WTR when I can get in the area.

Im moving from London to the GTA for work. Not looking forward to moving my tank. Your in the Mississuaga area right??

[gman0526]

This is a really amazing tank and I wish you the best in the future with it. You have an awesome coral collection in there, great job.

[Waxxiemann]

Dave,

Great tank. I love how straight forward it is. Anyway, I have a quick question about your pegging scheme. Did you just drill a ton of holes in every peice of rock in yout tank and then put the corals in later or did you know where you wanted to place them before hand.

Also, did you use a drill bit exactly the same size and the airline tubing (1/4" I think) or did you go a little bigger?

Thanks and congrats on an awesome tank.

Waxx

[Waxxiemann]

Actually, I have another quick question for you. You were saying in your writeup that you would not have used the 1/4" black acrylic laminated to the back panel if it were up to you.

I have been putting a lot of thought into my next tank and I know that I want to go with an external overflow as well but I can't wrap my head around how to acheive a black backround and still have an external overflow without using the acrylic.

Do you have any thoghts you could share on this matter?

Thanks again!
Waxx

[Zoos]

This is one of the nicer ones i've seen in a while.
Congrats.

[Rokdog]

I love it

[yiliyang]

I can only imagine how beautiful it would be to look at that tank in person. It is absolutely gorgeous in the web posting.

I was intrigued by how you "pegged" your frags to the LR. How do you drill holes under water? Please share your technique.

Your collection of coral, your tank and your techniques are all amazing. I am an instant fan of your setup.

Yili

[SEAFLOWERS]

Very nicely done, give yourself a pat on the back!

[Ellery]

Awesome Setup Dave - You're right there's always something that will require more money and time to make the ultimate automated and maintenance free system.

That's my goal at least.

Ellery

[250G]

Just a post to clarify how I go about using the pegging system.

1. First, when I placed the rock in the tank originally I drilled a ton of 3/16" holes all throughout the live rock.

2. Also, when I got the aquascaping approximatly the way I wanted it, I took individual pieces of liverock out again, and drilled holes in all the aproximate locations I though I would want to peg a coral

3. Now, when placing frags in the tank (or any coral with a rock base for that matter), I drill a 3/16" hole into a small piece of liverock and insert a piece of rigid airline tubing into the hole, and then simply glue the frag to the rock.

4. I do not glue the rigid airline tubing into the small piece of liverock (or the rock in the tank), as I may want to remove the airline tubing at any time, to replace with a longer or shorter piece then.

Now, should I want to move the coral at any time I can remove it, whether it be to frag it or relocate it.

[SPS4Life]

That tank is amazing.

[Mac's zoas]

Amazing tank!!! :eek1:

[MTB]

Great tank Dave! I have seen intermittent posts of some of your SPS. I have also looked on frags.ca. Some wonderful stuff you have. I am intrigued by the pegging system you have devised. Your tank is truly an inspiration to me and I'm sure several other members as well. Plus lots of pics, which is always a plus for TOTM. Or any other thread for that matter. Well done!

[reeferman]

well deserved dave,well done. Flavio

[coralfever]

Great tank! Who built the tank? Those are great dimensions.

[prop-frags]

Absolutely marvelous, Dave. I must say very inspiring to see you getting such obviously good results while keeping your system so relatively uncomplicated. I can tell you're a neat freak though just looking at the wiring and your tank room. Tell me, how do you acclimate & quarantine? AEFW or similar pests could be a horrible affair with so many SPS colonies you keep.

[cweder]

I would also like to know if you had any pests or problems and if you acclimate or treat your new coral.

I am really taken back by your awesome results and simple methods. I am just getting my sps started and find your method remarkably simple, compared to some TOTM I have read about. No carbon, phosban, zeo, prodibio, trace elements or even regular water changes and wonderful results. You must need magnesium though.

I also run a beckett skimmer and have noticed little improvement with carbon.

The beckett is very touchy though, it seems the smallest things like small snails or a little piece of chaeto can ruin performance and require daily adjustment. I was just about to buy a new skimmer when I decided to make the bullet a little narrower where the water shoots through. So far it is skimming just as good, but not nearly as touchy, otherwise I was considering the micron bags as you are using.

Thanks for sharing and proving once again you dont have to make things so complicated to achieve excellent results. You definately have the salty thumb!

[saltkreep]

SO! please fill me in on the overflow issue with that other tank. Iordered a 48x24x22 plexi with a 24" o/f on the back (external) Should I be worried????? BTW awsome tank! hats off to ya"

[250G]

Thanks Flavio. Had it not been for your involvement this TOTM would have never had my name on it. Your smart thinking kept me in the hobby last November/December at a very critical/stressful time, your name should also be up there.

After all this time I also appreciate the the equipment you sold be back in 02/03 still works as well today as it did back then. Thanks again.


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9895891#post9895891 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reeferman
well deserved dave,well done. Flavio

[capn_hylinur]

Congratulations Dave:
I'm am one of the lucky ones to have seen this tank in person last fall. I was totally amazed by it then as everyone is now.
What is also amazing that is not shown in the pictures is the clarity of the water and the over all tank. This is the thing that influenced me most and probably has given me a great deal success with my tank considering my newness to this facinating hobby.
I owe you a lot Dave and its nice to see you get such recognition for your efforts--everyone here can appreciate the hours and hours that maintaining a tank of this calibre takes---and the fact that you still make time to help newbies like myself is really appreciated
Capn_hylinur

[250G]

First, thanks for all the positive feedback. Below is a response to some of the specific comments noted above.

1. Tank Manufacturer
I have no intent of personally disclosing the name of the manufacturer who built the tank which subsequently came apart. Generally known as a good/top quality manufacturer, just in my case there was no easy solution and that is why it presented a problem. For this reason I do not indicate the manufacturer of my tank in my signature, I used to as I was kinda proud of the tank! I actually plan on getting another tank from them in the near future. Only people on this site could appreciate the circumstances, stress and potential problems associated with changing out this size of fully stocked SPS tank!

...at the same time, a resourceful internet search for 220G in Canadian reef keeping forums would likely give you the name of the manufacturer. There is one forum I was banned from, and as such can not delete my profile which indicates the manufacturer. FYI, I do not agree with the way the owner of the Canadian site promotes the hobby to the "general" hobbyist, and we agree to disagree after some review. Had I never personally met him it would have never become an issue. The joys of the internet!

2. Pests.
Well I have had red-bugs and they have been addressed with Interceptor. AEFW, well I think I have them. That being said, reading on RC gave me the heads up so I think I found them early, and they have never really presented a problem, and I have never lost a coral because of them.

I would say I find about 2 or 3 AEFW every 6-8 weeks. Seems odd, but maybe it is just the species of flatworm. They do cause some minor damage if not detected, but the coral recovers quickly. I have never really had a "nice' coral suffer from them. Think I first noticed them about a year or so back.

When basting off my rockwork (and corals) of detritus should I find an AEFW I address the coral at that time, and inspect/baste all the others. As I can remove all my corals at any time :D , I take the coral to the frag tank for cleaning and close inspection. Honestly, I am not sure what the big deal is about AEFW, if I have them, they do not present that much of a problem. Again, maybe the species, although they visually appear similar to those identified on RC.

I do not quarantine corals before they go in my tank. I do however inspect them very closely before putting them in the tank. Quarantine would however be the best way to do things. At the same time, even with quarantine, I think it is impossible to protect your corals against everything out there and still survive.


3. Beckett Skimmer

I would never sell the skimmer I have, I love it, and would recommend a tall Beckett style skimmer to anyone with enough room for one. That being said, you do need to keep the skimmer input water free of particulate and debris for optimum performance. I have my skimmer intake in the same section of my sump as where the overflow's enter the sump. I have the micron bags filter all water that enters that chamber. These do a great job and also do great at controlling micro bubbles. At the same time, taking the time to clean out the injector weekly will also improve performance. A pressure-rated pump is also a good idea with a Beckett.

Also, clean/wipe out the reaction chamber when build-up occurs. And the square "box" at the bottom...you would be surprised how better the skimmer works when it is cleaned out! I did this after 3 years of never cleaning in, and WOW what a difference.

[cmsurfr22]

The Sera™ Spirulina stick-on tablets that you feed your tangs, where do you get them from?

[reefsahoy]

nice tank! what type of mud are you using in your refuge? and how do you keep your sand so clean without any sand shifting animals?

[250G]

I buy them at MOPS (in Canada, close to the US border). Sera ones are the best - very rugged (ie. they do not fall apart like others) and the fish can not knock them off the glass.

http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/skus/fo/FOSR-13232.asp?L+scstore+fjfc8909ff8a5f8a+1178649051

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9899913#post9899913 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cmsurfr22
The Sera™ Spirulina stick-on tablets that you feed your tangs, where do you get them from?

BB in the fuge, just rock in there for the macro to grow onto. Substrate in the sump just makes it tougher to clean (although my micron bags keep it pretty fre of detritus). The sand stays clean by itself really, however I do have a sand sifting starfish, and some nassarius snails.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9900236#post9900236 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefsahoy
nice tank! what type of mud are you using in your refuge? and how do you keep your sand so clean without any sand shifting animals?

[JMaxwell]

Dave,

As others have said, your tank is breathtaking. I noticed that you didn't list any inverts (other than corals!) in your livestock list. In the above post, you noted a sand sifting star and some narcissuss snails for sand cleaning. Do you employ anything for algae control other than the tangs? Crabs, urchins, starfish, snails, slugs etc?

Thanks,

Jason

[250G]

Other than the sand sifting stars, and about 20 nassarius, I have about 10-15 turbos, nothing else. I should really get some more.

No urchins, crabs or slugs.

I have a large pepermint shrimp, other than that my wrasses enjoy any new invert (shrimp) I try and introduce.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9901082#post9901082 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JMaxwell
Dave,

As others have said, your tank is breathtaking. I noticed that you didn't list any inverts (other than corals!) in your livestock list. In the above post, you noted a sand sifting star and some narcissuss snails for sand cleaning. Do you employ anything for algae control other than the tangs? Crabs, urchins, starfish, snails, slugs etc?

Thanks,

Jason

[cmsurfr22]

how do they stick to the glass?

[reefez]

Very nice tank! That's a rough water change regamine you have. If it is working though why not? I would do a 60gal. WC and see how it looks the day after. Polyp extension etc. I'm sure the corals would love some new trace elements once a month..

[cward]

Your tank is amazing!!! Very nice article and great photography:thumbsup:

[Reef This]

Wonderful tank, stunning to say the least.

Your methods are interesting, and thats what makes this hobby so great. I loved the segment, and once again, the tank is wonderful!

If I may ask, where do you find the Sera stick on tablets? What exactly are they called. I hate feeding nori every day!

-- Joe

[cmsurfr22]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9900481#post9900481 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 250G
[B]I buy them at MOPS (in Canada, close to the US border). Sera ones are the best - very rugged (ie. they do not fall apart like others) and the fish can not knock them off the glass.

http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/skus/fo/FOSR-13232.asp?L+scstore+fjfc8909ff8a5f8a+1178649051

[250G]

Had an electrical "issue", had to replace the outside meter panel. Photos tomorrow - thank got that is over!

[danoreef]

beautiful tank... I see that you are a wealthy man. I do alright, but I could never afford that set up. I love it keep up the great work.

[reefsahoy]

i notice you said your tank is only about 6 months old, have you vacuumed your sand at all? and do you only have one sand shifting starfish? did you transfer your sandbed when you went to your current tank or did you use new sand? on your older tanks, how long did you go without completing water changes?
it's pretty amazing that you add no supplements and go so long without water changes.

[250G]

Well I would not say wealthy by any means! I knew I wanted a big tank, small house (1400 sq. ft. bungalow becuase I can not afford a bigger one!),and found a old house (big backyard) with an unfinished basement.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9906230#post9906230 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danoreef
beautiful tank... I see that you are a wealthy man. I do alright, but I could never afford that set up. I love it keep up the great work.

I do not vacuum the sand as the flow keeps most debris from settling. I did transfer the livesand from my old tank into the new tank, my tank had a brief "cycle" from replacing the sand. Did not do water changes too ofen on my 150 as well, maybe, maybe one in the 10 months I had it before the indicident. Only supplements come from my calcium reactor media!


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9906432#post9906432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefsahoy
i notice you said your tank is only about 6 months old, have you vacuumed your sand at all? and do you only have one sand shifting starfish? did you transfer your sandbed when you went to your current tank or did you use new sand? on your older tanks, how long did you go without completing water changes?
it's pretty amazing that you add no supplements and go so long without water changes.

[cmsurfr22]

how many of those tablets do you feed a day? and how do they stick to the glass? I have a naso tang/whale that is a veracious eater

[250G]

I generally feed one a day - they last a long time. No tang can knock them off - just held on by suction, just a little convex perhaps, never really look that close. They perform well though :)

[250G]

Look at this!

Follow the thread in the SPS forum for more details (as the SPS kind tend to use a lot more electricity than other reefs...i guess...)
Happened last night - May 8, 2007

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1117191


http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/djelley/panel.jpg

[Oldude]

Yikes!!!!

[Boomstick]

Awesome Tank! Gives me something to aspire to!
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9899913#post9899913 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cmsurfr22
The Sera™ Spirulina stick-on tablets that you feed your tangs, where do you get them from?

Also try here, http://www.sera.de/index.php?id=692&L=1

This is the manufacturers website, I didn't have any luck at the closest LFS to me but maybe someone will - i suggest using the biggest city near you as your search option.

Also, here is another kind i found here in the US - anyone have any experience with this?
Azoo 9 in 1 (http://www.fish.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=701067%20100)

[wdt2000]

Wow what a great looking tank. Grats on tank of the month.

[capn_hylinur]

I use these tablets as recommended by Dave__no mess no fuss

Here is the link:
http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/skus/fo/FOSR-13232.asp?L+scstore+rgxz2216ff63a763+1178731877

[adimal]

me like

[miguel reis]

I wait that the abitantes of the tank are well

[NoSchwag]

Beautiful tank, congratulations on TOTM. Glad the electrical issue wasn't more serious. :)

I am also a becket lover, I wouldn't trade this type of skimmer for anything. I run mine a little different than you.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cS-U1cmvxzI

I love it this way because the skimmers' bubbles stay very clean. The only maintenance is a weekly wiping down on the walls of the collection cup.

Do you have an auto shut off collection cup?

[250G]

Thanks. I also skim wet - because of the high pressure pump I need to keep my level a litle lower. I use a PCX-100 on the skimmer.

I do use the auto-shut-off collection cup that came with the skimmer - a great tool!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9912791#post9912791 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NoSchwag
Beautiful tank, congratulations on TOTM. Glad the electrical issue wasn't more serious. :)

I am also a becket lover, I wouldn't trade this type of skimmer for anything. I run mine a little different than you.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cS-U1cmvxzI

I love it this way because the skimmers' bubbles stay very clean. The only maintenance is a weekly wiping down on the walls of the collection cup.

Do you have an auto shut off collection cup?

[grigsy]

Your tank looks really nice. Good job!

[jfish298]

very nice congrats

[ryan_lalande]

Congrats Dave you are definitally one of the top reefers around.

I am glad I had to opportunity to view this tank in person.

[MUCHO REEF]

Awesome display my friend, simply awesome.


Mucho Reef

[Ric@rdo]

Simply spectacular, you have a beautiful tank, congratulations.

[otterpop510]

amazing tank.. been admiring your gorgeous coral pics in the sps thread, great to get more info on your setup. particularly like your pegging and sepa stick-on tab ideas.. :D

[manosdr]

Beautiful sps reef, congrats...:)

[Jochen]

Hy Dave,

very, very beautyful tank. Congratulation!!!

You said, you dont make that much of water changes in your system, do you use any trace elements like jodide, iron etc.?
How about aminos, coral food ?

Best regards from Germany:wavehand:

Jochen

[pncpon]

Sweet!!! Nice job!!!!

[250G]

Thanks again everyone.

Not only did you see it - you helped move it around the corner and down the stairs and into my basement without a scratch! Thanks again, and the store is really coming along.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9920357#post9920357 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ryan_lalande
Congrats Dave you are definitally one of the top reefers around.

I am glad I had to opportunity to view this tank in person.

Thanks Mucho Reef - I always follow your thread in the Zoa forum. Would love to see your tanks someday.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9921236#post9921236 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MUCHO REEF
Awesome display my friend, simply awesome.

Mucho Reef

Hello Germany, and thanks! As noted, no supplements are added, no iodine, iron or aminos. I do add Cyclopeeze and Golden Pearls. The GP make my SPS go insane - one of my best mille's actually freaks out and gets really weird looking when I add it (in a good way at least I hope!)

I should note that I will be doing a water change this week. 50 gallons. Think this is the second one in 2+ years. Also, I stopped using my Kalc reactor recently as my dkh was getting a too high and I noticed bleaching in several digitata's, one encrusting monti and one acro.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9933975#post9933975 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jochen
Hy Dave,

very, very beautyful tank. Congratulation!!!

You said, you dont make that much of water changes in your system, do you use any trace elements like jodide, iron etc.?
How about aminos, coral food ?

Best regards from Germany:wavehand:

Jochen

[Stephany]

My my my...! It's unbelievable how mature & Gorgeous your tank looks after three moves! Your tank is nicer than a lot I've seen at zoos & the like... I would Love to see it in person...!!!!

I went through 3, & after my third tank move.. I took a break from the hobby. It makes me a little sad even looking at my empty 75 gallon... Someday though.. right?

[CamoCreatures]

WOW... Simply AWSOME. Any words of advise to a new-reefer just about to pull the trigger... 180-220gl, Starfire glass ect..
An absolutley wonderful job and VERY professional.
Thanks for the peak.

[sfilingeri]

Congrats.................Very nice tank

[250G]

Best thing I could recommend is to go and see a couple tanks of similar size before you deside on a design. Understand what features you want, and how you want to be able to view the tank becaase once the holes are drilled this essentially dictates how the tank will be viewed for the tanks lifespan.

Also get an RO/DI unit before you put water in the tank :)


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9973661#post9973661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CamoCreatures
WOW... Simply AWSOME. Any words of advise to a new-reefer just about to pull the trigger... 180-220gl, Starfire glass ect..
An absolutley wonderful job and VERY professional.
Thanks for the peak.

[Boomstick]

Wow 250G every time i come back and look, your tank just looks awesome! as for the Sera (see Below), on your advice i went ahead and ordered some and my Tang, Antheias, Goby and clown thank you for it! they all love it and it is so easy to feed and lasts a good while without breaking up - highly recommend to others.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9900481#post9900481 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 250G
I buy them at MOPS (in Canada, close to the US border). Sera ones are the best - very rugged (ie. they do not fall apart like others) and the fish can not knock them off the glass.

http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/skus/fo/FOSR-13232.asp?L+scstore+fjfc8909ff8a5f8a+1178649051



BB in the fuge, just rock in there for the macro to grow onto. Substrate in the sump just makes it tougher to clean (although my micron bags keep it pretty fre of detritus). The sand stays clean by itself really, however I do have a sand sifting starfish, and some nassarius snails.

[reefsahoy]

what is golden pearls?

[Skipper]

reefsahoy:

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/other-goldpearl-particle-c149.html

[250G]

A great product, and a reason they cost more than the others. A great way to display your fish when you have company without making a mess of the tank.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9987193#post9987193 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Boomstick
Wow 250G every time i come back and look, your tank just looks awesome! as for the Sera (see Below), on your advice i went ahead and ordered some and my Tang, Antheias, Goby and clown thank you for it! they all love it and it is so easy to feed and lasts a good while without breaking up - highly recommend to others.

[250G]

This makes some of my SPS go absolutely crazy, specially my rainbow mille.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9988115#post9988115 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Skipper
reefsahoy:

http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/other-goldpearl-particle-c149.html

[NanoCube-boy]

awesome tank man. Why do you have seven baffle in the fuge?

[250G]

During my "early" days I was always frustrated with micro-bubbles. I since learned that the micron bags were the solution to that problem. I also wanted to draw quite a bit of water through the sump, estimated at 2000GP through a 4' sump.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10004238#post10004238 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NanoCube-boy
awesome tank man. Why do you have seven baffle in the fuge?

[Beach Native]

Another amazing tank raising the bar for the rest of us. Besides the main tank, the whole fish room is immaculate and well laid out. This is much deserved recognition!! Congrats!!

[eaglesrx]

Just amazing!!!! Definitely, one of my favorite tanks. Not only is the tank gorgeous, but your tank maintenance efficiency is fantastic!! Keep up the good work and keep everyone updated!!!!

[bayreef]

great shape tank. cant believe the husbandry. Still many things in this hobby that are a mystery to me lol

[piscies75]

wow, knocked my sox off. love the way you made a little island with the rock , looks more natural reef looking
I am in Toronto too, not far from NAFB , ever out this way?
Just got back from 2 weeks in ALaska vacation and my 180 reef tank is out of order. My mh not coming on, wonder if the ballast is blown because current certaintly to it. wonder if you ever considered the hqi pendants?
Further I know Jensen if a big fan of feeding acros oyster eggs I think, have you tried this?
I am using Hammertone I got from Mitch where can I find Luminare reflectors locally?
I too have the Gen x 100, I got it off Flavio as well.
I am sure there is a line up but would love to see it or have you over, I am a Nikon man, would have fun shooting this tank. Steve. now where's my sox.

[snappedbigfoot]

wow great tank can't wait to c mine turn out like that i dought mine will compair to yours good job

[jwccwj]

250g great tank,I love it! I have a question about your external overflow,you said you would'nt have designed it this way in the beginning of your thread what do you mean by this?Is it because its coast to coast or something else.The reason I ask is im soon ordering a tank of silimilar size and I am struggling with my decision to go with dual external overflows or a single central external overflow?Do you recommend the external or would you go internal if you had your time back?

Thanks.

[Blaster]

do you ship frags in canada?

[250G]

Thanks. The external overflow is a wonderful design feature IMO. However, I would not have had the overflow extend all the way to the bottom of the tank (esentially the same hight as the tank). Wasted space. My old tank has an external overflow that was about 6"x 6" on the back of the tank. This way, I could have closed loop intakes/returns across the middle of the tank. Also, 1/4" acrlylic was poorly laminated to the back glass. Not only does this result in week overflow teeth, the acrylic has now bowed, making it difficult to clean my back panel with a flat scraper. You need to use 3/8" acrylic, like on my other tank.... ok you should use it...that's just me.

Dual external or single external, think either would work but a single is less expensive and would accomplish the same thing. I like to have 2 - 2" drains to ensure there are never any issues.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10018543#post10018543 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jwccwj
250g great tank,I love it! I have a question about your external overflow,you said you would'nt have designed it this way in the beginning of your thread what do you mean by this?Is it because its coast to coast or something else.The reason I ask is im soon ordering a tank of silimilar size and I am struggling with my decision to go with dual external overflows or a single central external overflow?Do you recommend the external or would you go internal if you had your time back?

Thanks.

Indeed :D Right across Canada From BC to NS. Need to pay my hydro and water bill...have a shipment going to BC today.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10027651#post10027651 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blaster
do you ship frags in canada?

[trueblackpercula]

250G

First of I would like to say one more time congratulation on making tank of the month. I have seen many tanks in person and here on Reef-central in my life. But I must say that your tank is just amazing. It has me thinking about some changes I just might make on my own tank…..your system is truly an inspiration to me. I have a couple of questions that maybe you can answer. You mention that you are using 400 WATT 20K XM BULBS. Do you feel that theses bulbs need to be replaced often to keep there spectrum? I always wanted to use them but many have posted that they loose there color after the 6 month mark and that would be too costly for me. Have you experienced this first hand? Also what 400 watt bulbs have your tried and what made you to stay with the XM? The reason I am asking is because I have recently upgraded to a 400 watt system on my 120 cube and was looking to get better color on My Sps. I also have 150W VHO of actinic as a supplement to give with a 400 watt ushio 10k bulb on icecap electronic ballast a pleasing color balance. I am still not happy though with the color of the corals.

OK my second question n I hope will not be too hard for you to answer. How can you get away from not doing water changes? I have read countless hours of material thru out my years in the hobby ( over 20 years ) an every were it says to change between 5% and 20 % depending on the size of the tank. Do you have a dosing system for additives like ZEOVIT or tropic marin additives these are just examples and any others out there………TO EVERYONE READING THIS POST I AM NOT TRYING TO SELL THESE PRODUCTS OR HYPE THEM UP. I am just trying to mimic 250g system as it is a truly remarkable accomplishment. Thanks once again for not only sharing your system and tank pictures with everyone but for truly being an inspiration to me.

Thanks
Michael Iezza
AKA trueblackpercula

[250G]

Thanks Michael.

With regards to the lights, I change out my 20XM halides every 11 months. I have not heard of these only lasting 6 months, although I have heard this about Radiums. I change them every 11 months and there are no visual indicators that they need to be changed (visually to the eye, or the tank inhabitants). XM bulbs are the only 20 bulbs I have used - in the last 5 years I went from 10 Ushios, to 10K XMs to 20K XMs. I have only tried these. Different colours pop with different lights.

With regard to supplements, the way I wrote it up in the article is the way it is. Only supplements in my ystem come from my calcium reactor. Remember I do not have that many fish, and that I only feed flake food and spirulina pellets to the fish. Alot of people make comparisons to my tank to zeo systems...

Ironically, I did do a water change last week (2nd in as many years). Guess what happened - a colony RTN'd, have not had that happen in over a year. Thank got it was not a "premium" colony.

[wingd]

250G - Do you have any issues with humidity / moisture in your basement? I would love to have a set up in a basement, but have always been very skeptical given moisture issues. What has your experience been? How many gallons / litters a day do you add in top off water?

[250G]

I use a 8" diameter fan to draw out the moist air. I had mould start growing before I added it. Not efficient for heating and cooling, but until my basement is finished I can manage. There would be no issues what so ever if you got a 200cfm Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV). Do a little search on the net and learn how they work - humidity issue solved properly.

I have my RODI unit hooked up directly to a float switch so I have no idea how much water I use. Gets filled automatically :)

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10038387#post10038387 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wingd
250G - Do you have any issues with humidity / moisture in your basement? I would love to have a set up in a basement, but have always been very skeptical given moisture issues. What has your experience been? How many gallons / litters a day do you add in top off water?

[NanoCube-boy]

What do you mean 2000gp? gallons per day or hours?

[foober]

wow,,,nice tank!!

[250G]

Thanks foober.

2000 GPH


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10047223#post10047223 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NanoCube-boy
What do you mean 2000gp? gallons per day or hours?

[ReefJunkieOK]

Awesome tank!!!

[patej]

awesome tank

[EmilyB]

I am curious since you said you feed no frozen food, what does your copperband eat, and how long have you had it?

I'd really like to get my copperband eating different foods.

[250G]

Because of the size of my tank and the amount of liverock my CB can pretty much eat/live off my liverock. In small tankd it is pretty much required to get them to eat prepared foods if you want them to live longterm.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10065795#post10065795 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EmilyB
I am curious since you said you feed no frozen food, what does your copperband eat, and how long have you had it?

I'd really like to get my copperband eating different foods.

[mfinch99]

Very nice tank.....

[rduic]

hey dave, your tank is absoutly amazing.
anywas i live in windsor ontairo.
just wondering if you coudl give me an e mail at

duic@sympatico.ca

i am intrested in seeing your tank and wondering if you would be willing to trade me some corals?

[NanoCube-boy]

250g, thanks for the replied.

[fizhfly]

hello
i too have a mtc 1000 and have trouble tweaking it was wondering if you have some input to it
mike

[linkss]

Really a very nice tank!!!!
I also live in toronto, but im just a novice at this for now, i was wondering if u can give me some of the names of the saltwater stores you mentioned, since i dont think its such a good idea to relly on generic pet stores for this type of thing.

thnx