Tank of the Month - June 2007

[Skipper]

This month we are featuring Scott's (sidewinder770) and Erin’s (Reefmaiden) beautiful reef aquarium:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-06/totm/images/RChomepage.jpg (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-06/totm/index.php)

More details can be found here (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-06/totm/index.php) or by clicking on the picture above.

Congratulations, Scott & Erin!


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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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[anothermineral]

Beautiful tank! Congrats!

[slumpysix]

Stunning... this tank really shows your dedication and love for your hobby. congrats to both of you!....
love the stand and canopy too!

[aztbs]

Excellent write up for an excellent tank! I've read nearly every post of your build thread and your tank has inspired me along the way. Congratulations!!

[Kentanner11]

Where abouts in Arizona are you?

[andyjd]

Excellent looking tank, I am very jealous

Andy

[Kuzujanakis]

Holy Cow! You guys go all out for sure on these great tanks! I am just stunned, especially the behind the scenes work, plumbing, etc!

Awesome tank for sure! I so much look forward to the beginning of each month to see these masterpieces!!!

BTW - I absolutely just love the background!

[sfilingeri]

Congratulations........................beautiful work!!

[Fliger]

There has never been a more deserving reef, or reefers!

"soon to be wife"

And congrats on that as well, I think you should honeymoon at Canyon Lake. ;)

[sidewinder770]

Thanks everyone! It's certainly been an interesting project to say the least. We always love looking at the TOTM and they have always been an inspiration for us and always look forward to the informative articles in Reefkeeping Magazine. We are still suprised that we got nominated, but thanks to everyone who voted for us. Hopefully we have been able to give back to fellow reefers that which we have gained from them and Reef Central in particular.

Planning the system and putting it together is most of the fun for me and I'm glad we were able to share it with others.

Fliger-
I'll keep it in mind, but I don't think Erin's too hip on a skiing on the lake kind of honeymoon ;) but we'll definately have to hookup for a few laketrips this summer.

[Philwd]

Looked at TOTM and did a double take. I know that tank! As great as the pics are they don't do the tank, or the dedication to the hobby, justice.

Congratulations Scott and Erin!! For both the tank and upcoming nuptials.

[moore_rb]

Well, I'm glad my TOTM nomination wasn't for naught.... ;)

Congrats Erin and Scott! You both definitely deserve the kudos.

Makes me feel proud to have the home-town (and the DIY crowd)represented this way.

[GreenBay1]

Outstanding setup, very impressive system. I love the woodwork, something to really be proud of.

[snappedbigfoot]

wow wow speechless wow

[pledosophy]

Great tank. I'm going to have to look up your spray foam for sure. I love the plumbing too. Thanks for tanking the time for such a detailed write up.

Keep it up. :D

[kirstenk]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v440/kkmircat/clap.gif

BRAVO!!!

[Hop]

Very well deserved. I've been following the progress for sometime!

[Rokdog]

Congrats on a beautiful tank. Loved your build thread as well

[donta42]

LINEAR ACTUATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE YOU BOTH!

[SEAFLOWERS]

Be very proud of yourselves, one of the best looking and planned out tanks I have seen in a along time, Congrats:)

[supateddy]

It looks like all the time and effort put into planning the tank was well worth it, the tank (and the woodwork, even the plumbing) looks wonderful.

[dc]

What a beautiful tank! I really like the pond foam texture for the back. :D

[rcypert]

Just stunning. Amazing collection of fish. What kinds of things do you do to prevent aggression and disease? Also awesome blue linkia. How long have you had him, any special care?

[sidewinder770]

rcypert-

We do have a lot of fish and it's been challenging at times trying to keep them all happy. Agressive fish haven't been too much of a problem but it has come up. We've had to pull a fish or 2 because they were getting to aggresive (such as a 6 line wrasse and having 2 scotts fairy wrasses) and find them other homes. We've also had to pull a few because they were nipping at things (Majestic angel, 1st regal angel). The blue Linkia has been with us since the beginning of the tank setup. If I remember correctly he was introduced about a month after the tank was cycled and other than the initial acclimation we haven't had to provide it with any special care.

The pond foam has worked out great and be sure to check out our build thread for lots of info on the application of it as well as lots of fellow reefer pics and info.

The woodwork was probably the longest part of the project. I've never made cabinets before so it was a fun experience to say the least. the plumbing was easy- I've had tanks for years so I'm very use to making PVC do what I want it to :)

[cthetoy]

Beautiful tank! I just aquired a Longnose Butterfly and was wondering how do you manage to feed it with all the other agressive fish.

[reefing102]

spectacular tank

[sidewinder770]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10080891#post10080891 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cthetoy
Beautiful tank! I just aquired a Longnose Butterfly and was wondering how do you manage to feed it with all the other agressive fish.

Actually, he does just fine during feeding time. We actually don't have a lot of "agressive" fish and they all get plenty to eat when we feed (except the pipefish and Mandarin who only seem to be interested in pods). The LNB was also one of the first fish added back when we added the Linkia so he's has had plenty of time to learn to fend for himself when it comes to food.

[The Grim Reefer]

Tis' Tropical fish. I remember the name but can't recall the details. Where was that store located? I probably bought stuff there years ago.

[WinnipegDragon]

Absolutely stunning. An inspiration.

When my little one is grown up, my wife and I agreed to do something like this. Glad to see it's a reality for you already!

[anjhof]

I'm amazed that you can have regal angels in with your zoos. Do they get picked at?

[sidewinder770]

The Grim Reefer-
That was many years ago :). It was in Fountain Valley Ca. I want to say Brookhurst north of Warner next to Mile square park. It was a great learning experience and I'm pretty sure that's where the addiction started for me :)

anjhof-
Angels are definately tricky- we had to "re-home" a few angels before we got one that didn't pick on anything(I really liked the majestic angel too). We also had a potters angel that died after having it about 3 months and could never tell why but he didn't nip at anything.

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10081809#post10081809 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sidewinder770
The Grim Reefer-
That was many years ago :). It was in Fountain Valley Ca. I want to say Brookhurst north of Warner next to Mile square park. It was a great learning experience and I'm pretty sure that's where the addiction started for me :)


Yeah, this was back in the 70's and 80's. DAMN I'm getting old. Looks like the taught you well. Good job

[DarthBaiter]

Nice set up. That back wall is great.

No shot of the Green Chromis mentioned in the opening paragraph? :)

[eaglesrx]

Wow, as stated earlier, this tank is truly an inspiration!! Just absolutely wonderful tank and setup. Truly shows how good planning and teamwork can result in a great tank. Great Job! I'll have to read your build thread.

BTW, what's your secret to keeping the achilles? From what I've read, it's a very difficult fish (flow, space). Any bullying from your purple tang?


How deep is your sand bed? What type of maintenance do you do for it (i.e. vacuum, stir)? What critters do you have to keep it stirred, if any?

Wow, once again, amazing tank!!! Truly deserving of TOTM!

[sidewinder770]

I guess we did forget to post a pic of the little guy huh? It's an old pic but he hasn't changed at all. Here we go-

http://www.azreef.com/images/chromis.jpg

[Jadams]

Speechless....Absolutly fabulous design and planning involved in this great display!

[sidewinder770]

eaglesrx-
We really got lucky with the Achillies. As you can tell by my avatar he's my favorite fish (Choati wrasse is a very close second). He has been eating and happy since the day we got him. He is a bit of a bully sometimes and I might have thought about getting rid of him if it was a different fish but I just can't part with this guy. He has bullied a few fish, angels and tangs. The purple tang was introduced about 6 months ago and there were some definate tensions between them and they "got into it" a few times. Both came away with some deep cuts from it before I could seperate them for a bit. Today they are fine with each other and only occasionally will they "flash " at each other and then they both back off. I think they are fairly evenly matched and the purple tang has obviously had a few fights in his life.

As for the sand- it's about 2-3 inches deep. We have a lot of sand dwelling snails, serpant stars and conches that do a decent job of stirring up the sand- we don't vacuum it at all .

[TrojanScott]

Congrats on your tank! I tell myself all the time that the cost of running something like that in So. Cal would put me in the poor house. (not that my 180 doesn't come close)

I remember Tis, it was one of the first shops I visited when I started in the hobby. Wow, that takes me back a little!

Beautiful tank, you both should be very proud!

[reefing102]

i got a quick question for you though, do you have a picture of mainly the foam today?

[TrojanScott]

And, the Achilles is awesome, forgot to add that! Too much to say really, your tank is just phenom!

[eaglesrx]

Thanks for the info! Not only is your setup great, but obviously, your husbandry skills are not too shabby!! Great to hear success stories with the Achilles. One of these days when I upgrade to a larger tank, I would love to get one. How does your achilles like your flow? I'm assuming he's always swimming right at the powerheads.

I really like your filtration strategies. Protein skim the heck out of the tank, good flow, and let the inverts stir the sand for you. Sounds like you have a bunch of ceriths and nessarius.

Once again, great job.

[sidewinder770]

TrojanScott-

I know they were around for a long time with a few different owners. I'm not sure when they went under but it was at least 5 years ago if not before that. I hear ya on the electric bill- I don't think I could do this tank in SoCal either!

reefing102-

I'll see what I can find and post it. If I find one you'll have a hard time telling the foam from the rock I guarantee you.

[docwells]

Congratulations on tank of the month. You deserve it.

I went through your build post. I want to put the actuator concept on my next tank. Could you give me some information on how it is hooked up and operates. I didn't quite follow the concept in your build thread.

[musty baby]

Every once in a while I think the hobby is too much trouble, then I see a tank like yours and think of how much fun it would be to plumb the thing. Love it.

Do you have fish or corals? :)

[reefez]

Very sweet tank! I guess I can stop wondering if my 250 watt halides are enough for my 125gal. I can't believe you are only running 1000 watts of light on a tank that size. Seems to be working great though. Congrats! Very nice planning...

[pncpon]

SWEET!!!!!

[ibesmokindareef]

now thats a totm

[72gNano]

Gratz! I love the wood work, really makes the tank stand out.

Great idea with the pond texture, i love all the DIY work I think that's what makes this hobbie so much fun.

[kysmith]

Do you all not have jobs or not sleep? I couldn't put that all together in 2 years with my spare time.

Also...

How did you make the chillers?

[reedrodz]

guys, your tank is set up amazingly beautiful...great job to both of you....

[zemuron114]

a healthy achilles and a healthy choati? man, you are doing something right! i love the choati leopards. I bring them in from AU but have had mixed results with them. Definitely one of the nicest fish around. How long have you had it?

[pbukow]

Just one question, what do you guys do for a living and how can I do it too.

Gorgeous tank, I admire the amount of planning that you guys underwent before water even entered the equation. Thanks for sharing your slice of the ocean with us.

[sidewinder770]

docwells-

I will try to get some pics and info posted about how the actuator is hooked up soon. I guess I never went into a lot of detail on that in the build thread but I'll try to get something going.

reefez-

I think 1000w works great for us. We would have liked a little more light on the bottom but they do work rather well. We mainly keep softies and such on the bottom so it works for us. We will be adding some T5's just for a little "fill" in the near future.

kysmith-

LOL- Yes we both have jobs :). We need them to be able to pay for the tank!. As for the chillers- check the build thread and you should find a TON of info on them. There is a way to much info and tips to post in one reply so the thread should have what you are looking for including a parts list. I will also be adding a section on that to my website in the future so you can check there.

emuron114-

Thanks! We have been very fortunate to get very healthy fish. the first Choati I ordered came in DOA so that was not good. We were sure to get a healthy and eating Achillies and Regal angel locally to avoid any issues like that but the Choati we could never find locally and our only option was to order it. So far so good- they are all doing great and have been with us for a while now. The Choati we've had for a little over a year now, the Achillies almost 2 and the Regal angel about 6 months.

pbukow-

Nothing exciting really. I'm in computer networking and Erin is an office manager. We tried to think of everything we could in the planning stage and it was kind of strange when it was time to add fish. We'd though of nothing for months except planning and building and when we finally got to the point of adding livestock were saying "wow, really, finally we get to add fish"!

[Lytehouse]

Congrats on the totm. Stunning tank and beautiful display.

[Cuby2k]

wow

[Cuby2k]

oops sorry for the last short note. I wanted to say wow what an incredible project and then to document and maintain it. Very impressive. You guys are an inspiration to us all, thanks for sharing this beauty!

[mojoreason]

great tank!

[Randall_James]

must be nice to have a wife that does more than go "Oh thats nice" :)

Super nice design...

have you figured out the total current draw for the entire electical system on the tank?

(Mesa native myself)

[wakeboarder2342]

If you dont mind me asking what was your setup cost and monthly operating cost on that system?


Very very well done, some of the best work i have seen to date

[JustReefIt]

Do I spy any of my Corals?????? I miss them, and the wrasses, and I think the dottyback, but they look really happy in their new tank.
Is that orange/green eye echynophilla from my frag?

I'd stop by and see it in person, if I didnt' move to Columbia, MO!

Great job guys, congrats on TOM!

[sidewinder770]

Randall_James-
It is certainly nice that Erin and I are both into The tank. I wouldn't have even considered a system like this if it wasn't for her. I don't have exact numbers on current draw but I know it adds about $80 a month to the bill in the winter and about $140 or so in the summer.

wakeboarder2342-
I try not to think about how much we have invested in this hobby so I can't give you a very good figure on that. I stopped keeping track once the water was in the tank. As for monthly expenses, I guess about $220-$280 a month on average including food, water, electric, salt, test kits, RO consumables, new bulbs every 10 months, additives, etc, etc. Not including livestock of course :)

JustReefIt-
Hey Brian. I didn't know you moved to MO. I knew you were moving but I just thought somewhere local. Still have a reef tank? You are correct- the Orange crush, dottyback, ornate wrasse, and some of the SPS were from you. They are doing great and thanks again for providing us with some of our favorite inhabitants. Still have the flashlight as well- the main colony took a hit but we do have it and a few frags of it in other peoples tanks. You are always welcome to stop by and see it if you asre ever back this way.

[crazzy]

Congratulations, well deserved and great info on your build out.
Thanx for sharing & all the best to you and yours!

[Absolute Reef]

A true results of artistic view and scientific appriach combined.

[JustReefIt]

Cool, I'll have to stop by around the holidays when I'm back in phoenix.

No reef tank right now, too busy getting the business going, and only going to be in this house for about a year, don't want to move a tank.

Congrats again, this really is a masterpiece.

[Abominable Reef]

Beautiful tank

[Deuce67]

Wow thats a nice tank! Love that background. Did you just spay the foam directly to the tank? If so, how well does it stick?

[SLODEN53]

Very nice woodwork surrounds your awesome reef tank! I love the "garage style" opening mechanism on your canopy! That is just way cool! I can't say enough about how truly nice the woodwork is. A fine piece of furniture indeed.

Tis really nice that you gave your monthly expenses on this mighty fine marine tank and it's beautiful inhabitants.

Who needs a TV when you have something like this to bathe the eyes with?

[sidewinder770]

JustReefIt-
You know you are welcome anytime!

Deuce67-
Yes, the foam is sprayed directly on the acrylic and it sticks very well. I've heard conflicting info about it sticking to glass but it sticks just fine to acrylic. Check out my website and look in the FAQ section for some more info on the foam.

SLODEN53-
Thanks for the compliments. The wood looks a lot better in person- the lighting for taking pictures is just horible and took forever just to get a half way decent shot of it. That's one of the great things about the tank being where it's at- we see it from the dining room, the back patio, the kitchen and from the living room where the TV is located. So we get to look at the tank from almost everywhere and can watch the tank and TV at the same time :D

[RayinAZ]

I heard about your selection at the FRAG/PROP meeting, but I only got to see the posting tonight. Awesome! I remember seeing the postings about the metal frame when you had it made. I love the idea of being able to pipe everything to the garage.

You're my new heros.

Do you know if this thread gets archived somehow? When I make the big move from my converted 100 gallon freshwater tank (thus, no sump--just a ton of live rock) to a beautiful dream tank like yours, I'd love to use your thread and pics as a resource (especially those drawings and your foam).

Congratulations!

Ray

[jwilso]

can you tell me the name of the foam you used :confused:

[sidewinder770]

RayinAZ-
Thanks Ray! I think the TOTM threads get archived just like the rest so you should be able to look them up later. My build thread has tons of pics and information and that should be around for a while.

jwilso-
The foam I used was called "handi foam". Look on our website in the FAQ section and there is more info about the foam.

[grigsy]

That tank is awesome. Nice job.

[ivyvine1]

Amazing tank, well deserved TOTM. You have a "gorgeous" selection of fish. One question that quickly comes to mind as I was looking over your inverts. I noticed the absence of hermits ..... is there a reason for this? I keep lots of these as part of my clean-up crew; in fact, I rarely see a body when a fish dies, it just disappears. Hmmmm, am I overlooking something??
Congrats!
Irene

[NanoCube-boy]

Wow, your tank is incredible because I like how your tank goes very well with the hickory cabinets and keeping your system cool. I have a hard time keeping my little tank cool because of my hot room. Good Job and keep it up.

How does your device brain control your chiller? That ?I do not get?
How do you make your own reef food? Isn't human fresh seafood are bad for reef because of the chemicals and preservatives?