Pictures - 800 gallon reef - 7+ years in operation

[Mai]

Originally posted by Evanish
One more thing:

I couldn't agree more

[BroderIsak]

Nice man!!!!
Best regards Stefan

[fred says]

Any updates?

[melev]

BroderIsak,

[welcome]

[owskkibibles]

WOW thats a NICE tank good job

[lijeff]

WOW, just finished reading this entire post, 2 hrs. well spent!! Beautiful display tank and excellent information throughout this entire thread. I just purchased my 24g nano cube last week as this is my 1st experience reefing, I'm oh so very tempted to convert my 180 freshwater!!! Anyone wanna adopt my Frontosa colony :>) I look forward to more pics!

[melev]

lijeff

[welcome]

[kewliz]

Krasavetz-

Would LOVE to see your pics when you start working on it!
Sounds wonderful!

Originally posted by Krasavetz
That is almost exactly what I am thinking Kewliz. I am building an addition onto my house. Its a HUGE - 750 sq ft - entryway (instead of an attached garage that is supposed to be there). However instead of bookcases, the tank is going to be surrounded by plants: orange trees, banana trees, norfolk pines and smaller flowering plants including my numerous orchids. The tanks is going to be a large L shaped tank and a big comfy couch wil be in front of the tank to just sit and watch it all evening long.

The room is going to have tile floor, vaulted ceilings 11ft high walls and 38ft x 8 ft high south and west facing windows. I am hoping that will help supplement the lighting. I was supposed to be building the tank already this winter, but my cunstruction crew was unable to come last fall due to the amount of rain we had here all last summer. Got them booked for May 2005, to get started on the addition. Man am I getting excited.

Sorry for hijacking your thread hcrk. Looking forward to hearing all you have to say about your Incredible tank. I hope I can get mine to even approach the beauty of yours.

[blondie16]

i love your tank i would love to see more pics customized plumbing huh?

[melev]

blondie16,

[welcome]

[eraml]

Tagging along.

[reefska]

OH MY GOD!!!...

3hrs after beginning, I am finally at the end, and all I can say is that this is truly one of the most beautiful aquariums I have ever seen, and needs to be put up alongside tanks like david saxbys (3500gal total, 1,200gal viewable) whos tank may be vast, but I feel does not do as good a job, of looking like a true slice of ocean.

Kudos to you, and I wait for more with baited breath...

Chaio :-)

[chask]

reefska,

Do you have any links for Daivd Saxby's tank?

Thanks,
Charles

[reefska]

I feel sure he must have his own site, these are the only ones I know of:

http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/p...davidsaxby.htm

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.u...article_id=151


Unfortunatly neither of them show his equipment setup in any great detail, the tank is features in a book called "ultimate marine aquariums" also....If anybody else has any links to pics I would love to have them.

[Scuba Oz]

hcrk
I just read this whole thread and I would like to say that this is the best looking setup i have ever seen. Not only the tank but the beautiful woodwork, the craftmanship I am seeing, the attention to detail. You have created a beautiful sceen. Thanks for sharing this with us here on RC.

[LeftCoast]

Not worthy!

[eraml]

hcrk---
Lets see some more pics, you are leaving me drouling for some more!

[hubblebubble]

Well all i have to say is AWESOME. thanks for posting the pics!

[snakeklr]

I hope my tank gets to grow up like that as yours has.

looks awsome.

[hcrk]

...........


First of all, I should to apolgise to all for my lengthy absence. Although I keep planning to devote some time to this thread, ongoing business. professional and family responsibilies have severely limited my "free time".

In any case:

Originally posted by mmgm
As far as your request for questions and conversation:
What are your thoughts on a Refugium? I have had great success and currently incorporating a large Refugium (230 gallons) in a planned upgrade to about 500 gallon display tank.....
My LFS tells me he has had equal success (as you have had) with Overskimming........ Looks like your seven years ahead of the times...... Any thoughts on Overskimming?
But larger water volumes have advantages also......
If you had the space would you have incorporated a Refugium? What do you think about large volumes of water supporting your Display Tank?

I have often thought of incorporating a refugium. I believe that it would likely be a beneficial addition. However, for one reason or another, I never incorporated a refugium into my set-up. Basically, I attribute this to the fact that my reef seems to be working well and I never saw a refugium as being a "pressing" requirement.
It is on my "list" however and sooner or later I expect to create a refugium - likely in the first part of my sump.

All that I can say on the issue of "overskinning" is that it seems to work well for me.

Finally, I certainly believe that larger volumes of water increase satbility are are therefore desirable.

Originally posted by fredl
Very nice setup, I don't think I could land such a great project myself. Kudos on a project very well done, it's clear that you must have a great passion for reefs.
Do you keep fish in the garden as well?

Yes, I keep fish in one of my garden ponds. I have approximately 20 Japanese Koy some of whom have been in one of my ponds for about 15 years. I also have a school of golden Orfe.

Originally posted by Lev
I've been following this thread. And unfortunatelly HCRK has not been posting almost a month now. I really hope he will continue sharing his expertise with us. Please, go on posting, I really like your tank, and I managed to grab some good ideas from you.
Best Regards,
Lev Mironov
Moscow, Russia

I'm really pleased that some readers have derived "ideas" from this thread as that is the main reason that has motivated my participation. Also, I intend to keep posting as long as there is interest in my aquariums.

Originally posted by sixxer
Hcrk,
One question for you! I have looked at your photos and have noticed that the only Angel you have in your tank is a Swallowtail(I believe that is what it is), is this correct? And if so, is there a reason you eliminated Angels from your livestock equation?
Thanks
(Sorry, I guess only us FOWLR guys would notice that!
)

In my experience, virtually all angels (other than genicanthus) eventually bother corals. Early on, I tried several types of angels including flame angels, potters, flamebacks ... and although some were well behaved for extended periods of time, with time, they all eventaually began to nip at corals. Now, again, I should like to emphasize that I am referring to my personal experiences and that I am understand that some aquariests have apparently had better luck with their angels.

Originally posted by flycut
I just spent all last night and most of today reading about this amazing tank. I would like to know if you have ever keep smaller tanks than those huge ones. You know something like 30g or maybe a 90g or did you start off big. What made you think of doing something so wonderful. If possible I would love to see some progression pictures. Something like a picture a year. It is just something I do, I take a full tank picture every first of the month.

No, I started with a 225 gallon reef. I believe that I posted a picture of this aquarium early on in this thread.
Although I did not regularly take pictures of my reefs, I may have the odd picture somewhere. I will post any pictures that I find.

Originally posted by Flyflicker
I just have one question... How hard is it going to be to move that tank over to my house? No actually the question is on maintainence... do you have to do a lot of cleaning and what kind of minerals and additives do you use for that awesome reef tank?

No, I really do very little cleaning. I clean the front glass about once a week; the skimmers get my attention about once each month and I syphon the detritis out of the sump about once every two or three months....and really that is about it.

I occasionally add calcium chloride and buffer; and that's about it in terms of additives.
I am quite reluctant to use additives as I really don't know:
(a) what is truly necessary and in what proportions;
(b) what is missing;
(c) how quickly substances are actually being depleted;
Furthermore:
(d) I do not think it wise to rely on the directions contained on packaging; and,
(e) I believe that the dangers of "overdosing" are, at least as great as "underdosing".

Originally posted by kewliz
Absolutely beautiful tank, hcrk.
I appreciate all the time you took to post the info and pics.
I don;t know if you'll find time to answer my question, but I'm curious- if you could do it again, would you build it in your basement? I know all the guys are drooling over your bar and all - but as a woman, I'd love to see it in a living room with tons of bookcases, big sofas with pillows and blanket throws. What a way to spend a weekend.... reading, and watching your fish. :-D

I believe the aquarium weighs about 6 tons....so it would likely end up in the basement even if I built it on an upper floor.

More seriously, although I am not a structural engineer, I expect that the vast majority of floors would not be able to support this sort of weight.

Far simpler to bring the bookcase, sofas etc down and create a comfortable environment in the basement.

Originally posted by geeman
Great tank. Keep the pics coming. Do you have any pics of your other tanks and set ups?

I will take some pictures when I get a chance and post them.

Originally posted by homer227
Any updates?

Yes, lots of updates.
For example:
Have added some new fish;
One of my favorite fish (the watanabi) suddenly "disappeared" (we almost never find the bodies given the size of the aquarium and the fact that the scavengers are rather efficient);
Rearranged some of the rockwork;
Lost a couple of my corals and added a couple of new ones.


To my way of thinking, the thing to remember on the issue of losses, is that a reef aquarium is a dynamic habitat where, precisely as is the case in the ocean, nothing is static and where things evolve and change over time. Briefly, I see gradual change and periodic losses as simply being "nature at work".



Thanks again to all for your many compliments.

.....................

[guitarfish]

Thanks for posting back hcrk!! I enjoy your updates. When you're ready to answer more questions, I was wondering if you've every had any issues with cyanobacteria or other nuisance algaes, and what you do to export phosphate/nitrate from your reef.

[Boorish Idol]

hcrk,
WHAT AN INSPIRATION !!! I now know what my dream tank is. However reality dictates that I start much smaller. Thank you again for sharing all the pictures, ideas and information. I'm sure it will inspire many!

[Herpervet]

Just came home. I walk into the house and my computer is flashing yellow sirens. It appears the prodigal son has returned!


Now for them pics.....

[Tommyc]

Dang. I checked the thread last night and figured that hcrk wasn't going to pop in anytime soon and I had plenty of time to post my question or two. Now I may have another extended wait...

First question is given such a large tank and large fish stock, what, if any, spawning behavior do you see? What fish, how often, when, etc.

Second, did I see some anthias in some of the pics? If so, what kind and how many? Are they picky eaters? Can you make any comments about what foods they like? or is everyone acclimated to the flake? Did you have any trouble with them initially?

Out of blind luck you answered my question about wether you kept flame angels or not. I'll think of some more later. Thanks in advance for the info and ditto on all the compliments.

Tom

[TigerWoods]

This is my 1st time reading this post. I think you have truly created what you intended and that is a "window of the ocean." I appreciate how you care for the system where less is more. We can all tell by your beautiful tank, garden, bar and home that you have that "creative itch." You've done a fantastic job...its something that Steven Spielberg would be proud of. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your tank and home with us. I like the comment you made about your guests pondering life. AMAZING!