Tank of the Month - October 2007

Skipper · #1 09/30/2007, 06:43 PM

This month we are featuring Paul Whitby's (pwhitby) beautiful reef aquarium:

More details can be found here or by clicking on the picture above.

Congratulations, Paul!

If you'd like to nominate a tank
for Tank of the Month, click here
or use the button to the right.

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t11t5 · #2 10/06/2007, 03:39 PM

WOW.......

mokeyz · #3 10/06/2007, 03:41 PM

Stunning!!!

reefsahoy · #4 10/06/2007, 03:44 PM

congrats! that is an awesome tank and to think t5 only. how often and what % of water do you use to complete a water changes? thanks

Travis L. Stevens · #5 10/06/2007, 03:49 PM

Congratulations Paul! Your tank was tank of the month worth when it was a 225g tank, but it is now leaps and bounds above the rest. This is a well deserved honor indeed.

Antman · #6 10/06/2007, 04:03 PM

Great looking tank
I know you said you are using 3-1 Blue atanic to 1100K But what blues are you excatly using ?Most Atinics are more Violet purple Your tanks looks bluer
LOOKS GREAT ~

Rogger Castells · #7 10/06/2007, 04:06 PM

Very nice tank, how long ago did you switch to t5's only, the initial set-up pictures shows you had 4 MH. Did you ran MH at the beginning and then decided on t5's if so could you tell me why and your observations of this change.

pwhitby · #8 10/06/2007, 04:15 PM

Thankyou all for your very kind words,

Let me see if I can begin to answer some questions:

Water Changes
Generally I do around 60-100g a month, maybe less. I feel that with a calcium reactor and a good sized skimmer/fuge its not that major a deal.

Bulbs.
I like geisemann bulbs, I use the Aqua blue, the Actinic+ and the the pure actinic.

MH to T5s.

Initially I had MH over 3/4 of the tank but noticed I had great growth under th T5s.

I then added 2 of the 8 bulb hoods across the front in Dec 2006.
The back row I replaced in may 2007.
I like the T5s for the decreased heat, the broad panel of light as opposed to the point source of the MH and of course the lowered running costs.

I do miss the shimmer.

My frag tank, which isnt shown in the article, is also t5 lit.

Paul.

WeMa · #9 10/06/2007, 05:45 PM

very nice tank paul...really wish i would have had the chance to see it when i was in OKC last month...lookin forward to crase too, ill be back up with some of the other DFWMAS group...

and, wow...4' deep...nice...my fowlr tank is 4' wide, lol!

2ras · #10 10/06/2007, 05:53 PM

Congratulations Paul, well deserved!

pwhitby · #11 10/06/2007, 06:04 PM

Wes, Ray...

Thankyou very much.

Ray....The naso you kindly passed to me is the star of the tank. Everyone loves him....and what a pig he is! never stops eating.

captbunzo · #12 10/06/2007, 06:16 PM

Wow, what a lovely tank.... I look forward to coming back for a viewing again someday.

eddybabyhd · #13 10/06/2007, 06:35 PM

To be honest, this is one of the most deserving tank, in my opinion, for tank of the month. The tank is sooooooooo much better in person.

Reefski's · #14 10/06/2007, 07:20 PM

Beuatiful tank.

do you use carbon or GFO? what are you nitrate and phosphate levels?

how often do you clean the tank? what do you use?

Carl

reefsahoy · #15 10/06/2007, 07:35 PM

when you changed to t5 did you notice any color changes in the corals?

pwhitby · #16 10/06/2007, 07:36 PM

Eddy, Carl...thanks.

carl, I only use carbon every so often.....maybe 4 or 5 month or so if I think there is a yellow tinge in the water.

The cannister filter in the TOTM pics of my sump was running filter media as that picture was taken at the time I was setting up the refugium. I was trying to remove some of the sand dust.

Nitrates and Phos are zero, as near as I can tell.

pwhitby · #17 10/06/2007, 07:37 PM

Reefs,

yes a great deal actually. They became insanely bright.
A few changed colors, though not a great extent.

I love the T5s.

P.

SoonerReefer · #18 10/06/2007, 07:40 PM

I have saw this tank in person and its amazing! Great job Paul getting Tank of the month ,what an honor big congrats!!!

Donny and Lori
OMAS

pwhitby · #19 10/06/2007, 07:47 PM

Hey Donny/Lori.

Look forward to seeing you next weekend at the CRASE.

Paul.

reefsahoy · #20 10/06/2007, 07:49 PM

I'm glad to see someone in the good o'le USA use T5 so successfully without Zeovit, prodibio, or some witches potion. There are so many threads whether T5 can work or not. I guess you've proven that they actually work!!! anain congrats. It really looks awesome!

pwhitby · #21 10/06/2007, 07:55 PM

Thanks Reef.

there are actually a lot of us in this club (Central Oklahoma Marine Aq. Soc- COMAS) that use T5s solely.

You should Ray's (2RAs) tank. The colors in his tank are stunning.

And I totally agree....its an addiction not a hobby.

MUCHO REEF · #22 10/06/2007, 08:41 PM

Congratulations Paul, by far one of the most deserving TOTM that I can remember. The aquascaping is both natural and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The detailed husbandry is truly unmatched, I just can't say enough about it my friend.

I had the pleasure of seeing this gem in December of 2006 in its infant stages. It was an awesome display then, now I'm simply blown away by the exceptionally growth. Guess I'll be paying you a visit soon my friend. Tell Mrs. Whitby I said hello. Congrats again.

Mucho Reef

reefsahoy · #23 10/06/2007, 08:43 PM

you got a link to his tank?

pwhitby · #24 10/06/2007, 08:44 PM

Hey MR, thanks!
The tank has certainly come a long way from when you saw it last year.

This was where it was at a year ago....half T5 and half MH (MH at back).

I wish I had the power to grow ricordia like you do Mucho!....You had to have the most colorful TOTM I have seen....just breathtaking.

Regards,

Paul.

pwhitby · #25 10/06/2007, 08:48 PM

Reefs:

I dont think Ray has ever posted a dedicated thread. Let me see if I can find a pic for you to see.