Tank of the Month - April '06

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by rjwilson37
A very beautiful TOTM there Gary, you have done and excellent job on that tank, congratulations.

Originally posted by ttomkat1
Wow, what an awesome tank, I love the openess of having all four sides visible. Must have taken quite a bit of planning for aquascaping.

Congrats! Very well deserved.

---ttomkat1

Thanks.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by XxMutedYouthxX
tank is looking awesome bro keep up the good work... btw what kind of leppord wrasse is that?

Originally posted by dfcjr
Congrats Gary,awesome tank!!I too would like to know what kind of wrasse that is.

Good question. Someone with the Kuiter Wrasse book needs to help us out.
Is it really a male Macropharyngodon meleagris?

[alien9168]

Nice skimmer! Thanks for the info about how you keep all of those very different corals together.

[Fast Fred]

Excelent job Gary!!!

[percula99]

Very nice tank indeed Gary. Congratulations on a job well done. I am interested in how you suspended your canopy from the ceiling with a height-adjustable cable kit. Can you tell me more about the kit and where you got it. Any pics? I have a canopy suspended from the ceiling as well, but it is stationary. More info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[solenowski]

Supernice Setup, need more pics of the tank and setup.

[mameloot]

Congrats Gary!

What can you tell us about Thorite?
I followed the link, and tried to do some (unproductive) searches.
Did you use the Thorite 400 or 500?
they mention an acrylic additive for structural application?
Is this available in stores or only by order from the link (where did you get yours?)

I need to join some ceramic rock into open structures, and am looking at options. This sounds interesting.

Thanks,
Michael

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by percula99
Very nice tank indeed Gary. Congratulations on a job well done. I am interested in how you suspended your canopy from the ceiling with a height-adjustable cable kit. Can you tell me more about the kit and where you got it. Any pics? I have a canopy suspended from the ceiling as well, but it is stationary. More info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Here's the link to the cable kit again:
https://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewI...Product=PF2817

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by solenowski
Supernice Setup, need more pics of the tank and setup.

Thanks. Here's an uncropped shot with the hood raised.

a reflective view down the length of the aquarium

mechanical filtration picture. A 100 micron pad (instead of a sock that can clog)

this is where the main drain goes through the aquarium stand into the basement

[NachtKrieger]

Amazing job with the tank, nice to see a fellow New York tank as TOTM.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by mameloot
Congrats Gary!

What can you tell us about Thorite?
I followed the link, and tried to do some (unproductive) searches.
Did you use the Thorite 400 or 500?
they mention an acrylic additive for structural application?
Is this available in stores or only by order from the link (where did you get yours?)

I need to join some ceramic rock into open structures, and am looking at options. This sounds interesting.

Thanks,
Michael

I still have about half of the 12 lb. can of Thorite that I purchased at Allied Builders Supply in Rochester, NY back in '93.
As far as I can tell, the stuff is still good. The Thoro company is listed as being in Miami, Florida. No mention of 400 or 500 on the can. It does say it's a low slump polymer based concrete product.
The stuff works very similar to cement and it's great for bonding large heavy objects together.

[alien9168]

Is that a hamper?

[Opus_x]

Very nice tank and a nice spot it has in the room.

Congratulation.

[solenowski]

Thanks for the pics!

Sweet use of a hamper. I myself use a 6 gal bucket and plastic tv stand.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Nice to receive recognition in Denmark!
Actually, the filter pad holder isn't a hamper but one of those plastic baskets you can purchase at dollar stores.

[GSchiemer]

Originally posted by Gary Majchrzak
Is it really a male Macropharyngodon meleagris?

Yes, it is! They are typically very difficult to adapt to captivity. How long have you had this specimen? Did you buy it as an adult male fish?

Greg

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by GSchiemer
Yes, it is! They are typically very difficult to adapt to captivity. How long have you had this specimen? Did you buy it as an adult male fish?

Greg

I had four Leopard Wrasses in my system for around four years- one female, one juvi and one male M. meleagis and one M. negrosensis.
I lost all of them prior to (and during) DSB removal, and I've been unsuccessful re-introducing one without having at least a 1" deep sandbed. (As you already know, Leopard Wrasses sleep in the sand.)
This particular fish was purchased as seen in the photo in the TOTM article. Although many other fishes spawned in my aquarium, no Macropharyngodon spawning activity was ever observed and I began to wonder if I'd actually purchased individuals of the same species. Here's a pic of the "female" (?)

[GSchiemer]

Nope, that's a male fish. They are sexually dichromatic and the females looked distinctly different.

[Gary Majchrzak]

I don't have pics of the juvenile, but it had a different appearance than these two males. I moved recently and I plan on keeping Leopard Wrasses once again. Thanks.

[MarinaP]

Originally posted by Gary Majchrzak
. Here's a pic of the "female" (?)

Looks like fem M.meleagris to me.

[GSchiemer]

No way. That's a male Macropharyngodon meleagris. The female is primarily black and white, no green coloration on the body and face. If I had time, I'd post a picture.

Greg

[merseyman]

... nice tank. Really piqued my interest, as I'm in the process of planning a 120 "island." I love this set-up and am always surprised that they are so rare. I guess you need the right room space. Ok, my question: what exactly is your drain/return sytem like? Is there an overflow box, or just pipes? I f just pipes, how is the noise? I'm looking at a 12" by 8" or 6" box in the center of my aquarium, but might consider going without based on your experience. Pros/cons? If you have any pics or diagrams I'd love to see them.
Also, do you think those cables would work on another brand of fixture (all aluminum housing, remote ballasts)?
Appreciate you taking the time. Thanks.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by merseyman
... nice tank. Really piqued my interest, as I'm in the process of planning a 120 "island." I love this set-up and am always surprised that they are so rare. I guess you need the right room space. Ok, my question: what exactly is your drain/return sytem like? Is there an overflow box, or just pipes?

There was one drain pipe from '97 until two years ago when a large anemone clogged the one and only drain. I then added a second drain in the form of a hang on tank prefilter box.

Originally posted by merseyman
... I f just pipes, how is the noise? I'm looking at a 12" by 8" or 6" box in the center of my aquarium, but might consider going without based on your experience. Pros/cons? If you have any pics or diagrams I'd love to see them.

The drain on this aquarium was nearly silent, but it took some work to get it like that. I cut slots into the top of the standpipe and I drilled 1/4" holes near the top lip. I then covered the top of the pipe with nylon window screening (not to be recommended to others but it works great for me).

Originally posted by merseyman
Also, do you think those cables would work on another brand of fixture (all aluminum housing, remote ballasts)?

The cables were designed to hold certain hoods with enclosed ballasts. (ie: heavy fixtures) and I'm sure you can use them with other brands of lights. I believe they're rated to hold #100, but you'll need to double check me on that. I screwed the supplied bolts solidly into a wooden header (beam) over my aquarium.

[toccata]

Great tank Gary. One of my favorite setups. I have actually seen this tank online before the TOTM was posted. I so impressed I showed my LFS some pics of it. I have always kept fish and am just now getting into keeping corals. It's a painful process at first finding the right chemistry with everything. When I started my tank project the original design was to have it viewable from all four sides. I built a custom stand and was going to put it on casters as to be able to move the tank. There were just too many things that were going to be problematic so I settled for a 3 sided view and black background. My other design feature was to have a nice clean look. You have achieved this nicely. I don't like seeing equipment in the tank or outer areas. Great job…

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by toccata
Great tank Gary. One of my favorite setups.

Thanks. I live for this stuff. I don't even think my wife and kids know the aquarium exists- except when the drains gurgle!