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Skipper
09/05/2002, 06:34 AM
This month we are featuring Joe Burger's (JB_NY) beautiful 180 gallon reef:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-09/totm/images/DSCN1940.jpg (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-09/totm/index.htm)

More details can be found here (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-09/totm/index.htm) or by clicking on the picture above.

Congratulations, Joe!

smiller
09/05/2002, 06:53 AM
Outstanding JB!

Red Sea Purple Tang
09/05/2002, 07:03 AM
I just love big SPS tanks!

scubadude
09/05/2002, 08:14 AM
Great Choice.....I love your SPS garden Joe

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

MtnDewMan
09/05/2002, 08:19 AM
Joe has one of my most admired tanks ... Very nice Joe, well deserved.

griss
09/05/2002, 09:48 AM
Excellent tank Joe, congratulations.

BTW, I'll take a frag of this, one of that, well you get the idea;)

Griss

mia1974
09/05/2002, 12:25 PM
There are a few tanks that I keep my eye out for when seeing who gets the tank of the month award...this was definitely one of them!! You have a very beautiful system- and might I add, a fish room to die for !

:D

Congrats!

Nanook
09/05/2002, 12:32 PM
Hey Joe, that is a beautiful tank you have there. Nice layout on the system and maintenance too!!

Congrats!!!!



Nanook

kedd
09/05/2002, 12:43 PM
GREAT JOB! Very nice tank Joe.

I second the fish room to die for.

Kedd

mnreefman
09/05/2002, 02:39 PM
Instead of bikering why not just sit and stare at his great accomplishment. this is one of the nicest tanks i have seen, he DESERVES this honor, look at all of his supplys he trule cares for his reef and it shows, dont try and spoil this achevment. way to go, congrats, and that good stuff, you have a wonderful tank.
once again most georgeous tanks i have seen

JB NY
09/05/2002, 02:58 PM
Hey Guys, Thanks for all the kind words. I've been working pretty hard to get the tank where it is today. The fish room is great, It give lots of room and isolation to do what ever I want. No more complaining that I have (3) 25 gal trash cans in the living room mixing up salt water. :)

It seems like every month, sps dominated tanks make the tank of the month award.
I definitely have more SPS that any other coral. But I've got a bunch of LPS too. Most of the LPS are pretty large corals taking over 8-10 inches of space. A huge Hammer and Frogspawn dominate the left side of the tank. I've also got a huge leather coral that is probably close to 12" long as well as xenia and a couple of gorgonians. Although, I don't keep anemones as they have a poor survival rate in an aquarium. SPS are just easier to acquire and trade with people. So I think if ones tank can has the lighting and current to support SPS corals, they tend to start to build up after a while.

Corpus Callosum
09/05/2002, 02:59 PM
JB congrats!

I do not think it's coincidence that many of the TOTM's have been SPS dominated. It's not about the way they look. Generally speaking, I think the common consensus is that SPS require more stable water, maintained calcium and alkalinity levels, etc.. It's not just that they require more work, but being successful with SPS usually shows a reef keeper who knows what he is doing. That's what tank of the month is about, setting up a tank the right way, not just growing the colors but knowing what you're doing. I'm not saying non sps dominated tanks say that you don't know what you're doing, not at all, just that if you're successful with keeping SPS it reflects on a more knowledgable/successful reefkeeper. I would also like to see LPS/soft coral dominated tanks for a change, but just because you don't see them a lot as tank of the month does not mean reef central is biased or something. I know I'm not.

yrureefing
09/05/2002, 03:18 PM
I think most people want to see sps tanks for totm. JB, GORGEOUS tank!

Nano-Neophyte
09/05/2002, 03:32 PM
Joe, unbelievable tank! You are an inspiration to us all.

spsfreak
09/05/2002, 03:36 PM
Joe,
One word.... SPECTACULAR

:D :D :D :D :D :smokin: :smokin: :smokin:

MH

sven
09/05/2002, 07:24 PM
I'm afraid I'm not worthy of scraping your algae.
Wonderful tank!

in2deep
09/05/2002, 09:34 PM
Totally awesome display!!! If i could ask how did the tank change when you recently added the fuge? Did you have nutrient excess before/ any less or more alge now? And also are you useing any mechanical (sponge) filters in the sump? Thanks.

Skipper
09/05/2002, 10:13 PM
I have moved the posts related to the discussion of the process of Tank of the Month selections to here. (http://archive.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&postid=761306#post761306)

Carry on with enjoying/discussing JB's awesome tank.

deuce
09/05/2002, 11:17 PM
JBNY great tank and setup all reef keepers should envy you.I also love the room in the basement.That's a must.
Deuce

RandyM
09/06/2002, 09:47 AM
Excellent job Joe.Very very nice!!

Elmo18
09/06/2002, 12:54 PM
Nice tank there Joe.

- Elmo :)

JB NY
09/06/2002, 06:29 PM
Originally posted by in2deep
Totally awesome display!!! If i could ask how did the tank change when you recently added the fuge? Did you have nutrient excess before/ any less or more alge now? And also are you useing any mechanical (sponge) filters in the sump? Thanks.

Yeah I used to have lots of excess nutrients in the tank. Trying to feed all the fish and corals (before using live food) was causing too much nutrients to accumulate in the tank. Although I had no hair or other common algae, I had a bryopsis problem that was starting to get out of control. Probably about 5 months ago the bryopsis was on about 20% of the rock. So I added the fuge, and did a bunch of water changes. Also ran lots of carbon. About two months later the bryopsis started dying back. Now it is almost non existent. I think the refugium helped the most as I have done the water changes and carbon before but not had the same effect as when I used the refugium.

in2deep
09/06/2002, 09:47 PM
Joe, thanks for the insight on the fuge. Just curious but do you run the sponge filters in the sump? and how does your Lifereef skimmer do with the Dolphin 1200? Thanks, Mike.

JB NY
09/06/2002, 10:07 PM
No sponges in the sump or anywhere. the baffles I put in the refugiums pretty much take care of any bubble in the main tank.

I used to have a little giant 3MD on the skimmer. I swapped it out about 3 months ago and like the dolphin better.

slojmn
09/07/2002, 06:55 AM
JB, Just glorious. I will fourth, fifth, and sixth the "fish room to die for". Really nice sps color and growth, love the comparison growth pics.

sci33, It's not just that they require more work, but being successful with SPS usually shows a reef keeper who knows what he is doing. That's what tank of the month is about, setting up a tank the right way, not just growing the colors but knowing what you're doing.
lots of she's out here :) :) :);) ;) ;)

Corpus Callosum
09/07/2002, 02:08 PM
sorry I meant to write "he/she". For example look at Sue Truett's tank.

joefish
09/08/2002, 08:26 PM
Joe Congrats,:celeb1: :celeb3:
There is nothing left to say everyone beat me to it.:D

JazzMan
09/08/2002, 08:37 PM
Joe,
I actually have your site bookmarked, and have been following your progress for sometime. The tank is amazing. Keep up the good work.

xmadcowx
09/08/2002, 09:19 PM
how much convincing did it take to let you use an entire room for the "fish room"...gosh, if my girlfriend ever let that happen i dont know what i would do, probably go out and buy another tank while she was still in the mood. o yea most execllent job on the tank, like i cant describe, so much cool stuff, plus you have a hippo! you win!

JB NY
09/09/2002, 10:23 AM
The fish room is actually a corner of the basement. We have a finished basement that is not used at all, other than for some storage. So convincing was easy as it got all the equipment out from under and around the tank stand and meant my wife would get her living room back.

nematode
09/09/2002, 01:07 PM
Joe,
great tank.
I could only find a partial list of you fish stock?

I see you added a DSB in the basement. How do you like your DSB in your tank? Would you do it again if you had to start over?

Mushroom Boy
09/09/2002, 03:32 PM
As always, fabulous tank Joe!!! Inspiration abounds!

Paul.

joefish
09/09/2002, 04:32 PM
Hey Joe,
Why did you seperate and make 2 refugiums instead of 1 with every thing in it???:confused:

JB NY
09/09/2002, 08:32 PM
I could only find a partial list of you fish stock?

I see you added a DSB in the basement. How do you like your DSB in your tank? Would you do it again if you had to start over?


Fish list is posted on my website, here it is:

Lyretail Anthias (3)
Spotted Mandarinfish
Yellow-Streaked Fairy Wrasse
False Clown Fish (2)
Coral Beauty
Hippo Tang
Six-line wrasse
Niger trigger
One-spot Foxface
Fathead Anthias

I really like a DSB, I think they work great and help tremendously in keeping nitrates at near zero levels.

Why did you seperate and make 2 refugiums instead of 1 with every thing in it???

I felt that two, each one serving a specific purpose, would be better than one large one trying to do it all. I think if you have the room, multiple refugiums are a great benefit to the display tank.

JoJoIndianapolis
09/10/2002, 01:12 AM
You're he first person I have seen in a while that has a Niger Trigger in their reef tank. How well does this guy do, any problems, such as knocking corals over, or bulling smaller fish.

I also added your site to my favorites, so I can show my friends what an idela tank looks. AWESOME!


Great tank JOE!

cvye
09/10/2002, 07:02 AM
You seem to be feeding alot of phytoplankton. Which are the target animals you hope will benefit from this?

DJMEAT
09/10/2002, 01:54 PM
I can safely say that that tank is the stuff dreams are made of!!!! I have just got to get a second job!!!



Spectacular tank JB

hiddendragonet
09/10/2002, 04:19 PM
All I can say is, Wow! Stunning purple montipora. I WANT ONE.... aaahaaghghhghghgh.... (Homer Simpson-esque drool sound).

Let me know if you're ever shipping monti frags to Wisco! :smokin:

DJMEAT
09/10/2002, 04:47 PM
ITs official JB you are now going to have to frag every piece of coral you own!!!

JB NY
09/10/2002, 08:52 PM
You're he first person I have seen in a while that has a Niger Trigger in their reef tank. How well does this guy do, any problems, such as knocking corals over, or bulling smaller fish.

No. So far the niger has behaved better than some of my other "reef safe" fish. The Niger never bothers any corals or fish. He seems to get along fine with the whole tank. He is still very small less than 2" but I bought very small 5 months ago. Time will tell.

You seem to be feeding a lot of phytoplankton. Which are the target animals you hope will benefit from this?

For the most part I hope that some gorgonians, soft corals, invertebrates, feather dusters and other small and microscopic critters will eat the phytoplankton. I don't think the SPS will eat it. That's why I also feed rotifers.

Again, everyone, thank you for all your complements.

JoJoIndianapolis
09/10/2002, 11:30 PM
That Alveopora is probably one of the most impressive coral I have ever seen around. And I have been to a lot of public aquariums.

LOVEMYREEF
09/11/2002, 04:29 PM
great tank

CleveYank
09/12/2002, 12:32 AM
definately one of the better tanks I've seen in a while...next to the 500 plus gallon monster from a while ago...very impressive.

Skipper
09/12/2002, 11:19 PM
Oops! My bad, folks. I forgot to add the fish list and the invertebrate list from Joe's article to the webpage. :(

It's fixed now and I'll crawl back in my hole and hide. :p

Valab
09/13/2002, 06:33 AM
Hi,

I'd love to add a larger external pump to my 120 gal. The pump would be in a separate room like yours, but I'm a bit concerned about the noise. Does your Sequence 6000 make a lot of racket? Would you buy the same pump again?

Also, where did you find those nifty looking stainless steel rails that go around the middle portion of your stand?

thx

JB NY
09/13/2002, 09:05 PM
I think the sequence 6000 is a great pump. Super strong. It's not quiet but it is not overly noisy. It's fine for a basement but it would be too loud if I were to put in the stand under the tank in my living room. I would definitely buy this pump again. Also, it's a pretty big pump maybe 2 " all around larger footprint than the Ampmaster 3000.

The stainless steel bars were bought at Home Depot Expo.

SteveMH
09/14/2002, 12:48 PM
Great tank Joe! Been waiting to see this one as TOTM for a while now. Awsome tank, love the fish room, and only wish I could build a stand and canopy half as nice as yours.

ByTor
09/15/2002, 03:36 PM
Great job Joe!!! :thumbsup:
It's gonna be a real monster in another year :D
When your ready to frag out I'll take one of everything;)


Keep up all the great work!!

FISH
09/15/2002, 04:18 PM
Job well done !!!! Congratulations :)