Tank of the Month - July 2005

Skipper · #1 07/02/2005, 12:18 PM

This month we are featuring Tuan Pham's (tlp) beautiful reef aquarium:

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

Congratulations, Tuan!

GregM779 · #2 07/05/2005, 10:13 AM

Gorgeous Tank! Congrats!
I love the large amount of fish, it looks like the ocean. The pic above looks like it goes on forever.
I'm trying to accomplish the same thing, a self sufficient mini-ecosystem. Tanks seem to stay much more stable and healthy that way.
Great idea on the water change tank, makes it much easier for that water volume.

annasor · #3 07/05/2005, 10:40 AM

I didn't see anywhere in the story how many gallons the DISPLAY tank is???...although 11,000 gallons total is impressive!

kase · #4 07/05/2005, 11:02 AM

love the tank.you're living in a perfact world......you must have a lot of time on you hand.....kool love to see my pix if you can..

LobsterOfJustice · #5 07/05/2005, 11:10 AM

I am wondering how you figure there is 11,000 gallons in the system. It did not tell the heights of any tanks other than the display, but assuming a height of 24 inches for the water change sump and a height of 12 inches for all the others, the volume is around 1070 gallons. I know I didnt count water in all the piping, which probably makes a difference, but I notice 1070 is somewhat close to 1100... possibly a typo?

Anyway, nice tank!

Aquaguru · #6 07/05/2005, 11:22 AM

I like the open space that you created so that all of your fish can swim and can be seen by others. You have a ton of fish and that makes it look more realistic. Awesome job on it!!

Jamesurq · #7 07/05/2005, 11:52 AM

main tank is about 500 gallons... Based on my estimate.

Beautiful setup! Amazed that there really isn't any noticable difference in color and intensity between the areas.. (at least not anything that's noticable with the pictures that were taken)

sixxer · #8 07/05/2005, 11:57 AM

Great Tank!!!! Perfect Display look!

sfsuphysics · #9 07/05/2005, 01:14 PM

yah awesome tank.. that width is absolutely amazing it's almost like the ocean in that you see that "extinction" area where you can't see any further in any direction you look, it just fades out. Granted you can see the back but it's almost like it's not there (although I do see the coraline

).

Oh yah it does look like a typo, that's not 11,000 gallons. The main display is about 520(ish) gallons so I'd hazard a guess at 1100 as well

scothew · #10 07/05/2005, 01:14 PM

Amazing tank.

raskal311 · #11 07/05/2005, 01:50 PM

WOW, great tank and a great choice for tank of the month.

tlp · #12 07/05/2005, 01:56 PM

Thanks for the compliments.

Altogether there are 5 tanks connected together. The display tank is 7.5' x 4' x 2.5' (567 US Gallons, 472 Imp Gallons, 2,145 ltrs)
.
Refugium tank is 84" x 26" x 15" (141 US Gallons, 117 Imperial Gallons, 534 ltrs)

Two large sumps 8' x 2' x 2' and 5'x 3'x 2' and a frag grow out tank as well.

So yes, a lot of water, but I think it was a typo. It's meant to be over a 1000 gallons ( though each time I do a water change it does feel like 11,000

).

F35-Joint Strike Fighter · #13 07/05/2005, 02:25 PM

Congratulation!!! I noticed that your name is Vietnamese..... so I would like to say "Chuc Mung"...

Great job...

sbgreen · #14 07/05/2005, 02:35 PM

Gorgeous
very inspirational - just shaking my head at how much effort went in before it was set up. Very nice my friend, very nice.

AtlanticReef · #15 07/05/2005, 02:43 PM

Chuc mung Tuan! Congratulation! If you have time just check out the link SoCal Viet reefers and give us some of your advice...

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=621903

Triggerfish · #16 07/05/2005, 03:12 PM

freaking awesome!!! nothing more to say.

"central heating gas boiler is installed specifically for the tank"

lol...unreal what some folks got going on..

Skipper · #17 07/05/2005, 03:46 PM

Oops, my apologies folks on the total system gallons. My bad!

Hey... I was only off by a zero, though.

I'll get that corrected. Thanks for pointing it out.

druluv · #18 07/05/2005, 03:48 PM

Wow well thought out plan

Acroholic · #19 07/05/2005, 04:31 PM

Beautiful Tank. Great Effort deserves TOTM! It's nice to see a well thought out plan, followed thru, and receive the accolades it deserves. I noticed a crosshatch trigger (Xanthicthys Mento) in your pics, not listed in your wet friends, just wondering, do you have a pair of them also?

tlp · #20 07/05/2005, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CapeCoral
Beautiful Tank. Great Effort deserves TOTM! It's nice to see a well thought out plan, followed thru, and receive the accolades it deserves. I noticed a crosshatch trigger (Xanthicthys Mento) in your pics, not listed in your wet friends, just wondering, do you have a pair of them also?

Thanks & well spotted. The pink tail trigger is one of my most recent purchases, not paired up unfortunately, it is a great fish.

TippyToeX · #21 07/05/2005, 05:30 PM

Absolutely beautiful!

Congratulations.

Pavlo · #22 07/05/2005, 05:43 PM

Well done Tuan

I followed the progress of this tank on Ultimate Reef with great interest and I am very impressed with how it has matured.

It is easy to see how much work has gone into your system and it is nice that it has got the recognition it deserves.

All the best

Paul

Simon.g · #23 07/05/2005, 05:54 PM

Congratulations. and very well deserved Tuan. Nice to see a fellow UK reefer get an award as prestigious as this.

Regards

Si.

kbd · #24 07/05/2005, 05:59 PM

Tuan,

Many congratulations, and so well deserved.

Did you ever worry about using copper piping ?

kim

Morgandy · #25 07/05/2005, 07:03 PM

I'm out of adjectives, they list grows smaller each month with each TOTM. This is just breathtaking...oh the peace it must bring to sit absorbed for hours by it. Question, you said you had trouble initially getting your mandarin a partner..did it reject others at first? Many congrats to you!!