Reefs:
There are a few of Rays tank in this thread...they are from a recent tank tour we had (sept 2007).

Ray has a 180 mixed reef. The colors in his system are incredible. He has 6 5foot T5s....I think....I certainly know it is all T5s.

[url]http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1203761[/url]

Paul.

Awesome tank Dude ... I've been toying with/drwing up plans for something aroun 500G with all the plumbing, etc. in the basement .. this just gives me more conviction ... CONGRATS! on T.O.M.:beer:

Thanks Voodude.
I spent a LOT of time planning....its time very well spent.

How long (short of the planning) did that take to put together with some kind of likeable/physical results???

i love it! i was subscribe to your thread in the large reef tank forum when you first started this setup but i believe you moved it to your club forum.. Nice to see it all finish and thriving beautifully!

if you want to see it all...from day 1.....
This is the thread in my local club:

[url]http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=665314&perpage=25&pagenumber=1[/url]

only 70 odd pages.....lol

Yoboyjdizz....yes, it was tough answering the same questions twice and keeping track, so I just kept up with the thread in my clubs forum (as posted above).

Paul.

Truly a work of art. I would love a tank like that. Very inspiring.....
congrats on TOTM!

What do you feed the tank?
 

Beautiful tank!

What do you feed the corals?

-Jocca

pwhitby, what is the life span of the bulbs? i run T5's also on my tank but i'm new to it. have you ever tried the atinic plus bulbs?

I run actinic +...I like them.

Lifespan is a tough call.....10 month is my thought right now.
I really would like to the potential spectral shifts examined over time.

P.

Jocca,

I just feed the fish....the corals seem to do quite well on their own.

P.

Coral feeding....
 

Thank you for the quick reply...

That's amazing...you don't feed the corals at all?

Do you feed the tank DT's or any type of phytoplankton?

-J

Paul that is incredible!! Absolutely Beautiful. Could you post some pics of your fish room. I would like to see how it all fits together. Also, do you have a concern/problem with your anemones moving and attacking sps and other corals?
Flounderfish

Jocca,

Nope, I dont feed anything other than Thera pellets (with garlic) and a frozen food I make myself from minced clams, shrimp, fish, squid, scallops.

Some of it is blended a little more to make it fine, so its conceivable the corals get that...but I dont feed anything specifically for the corals.

Flounderfish.

I will dig some pics out for you with the layout annotated on them.
REmind me if I forget...

P.

Beautiful tank! Congrats!

spectacular tank, great job

I know you have heard it before but, what an awesome tank. does your trigger bother your corals at all?

Your Tank is truely a piece of God's ocean...It inspires all !

Debbie

So nice and clean :)!

how many gallons is your skimmer rated for?

AnotherMineral/Reefing/Bill/Olivert/Jan...

Thanks for taking time to stop by and leave compliments. I wish it were possible for you to se the true size of the tank.....pictures really give the impression of size at all.

Bill:
Yes he does. I am surprised no one has commented on the fact that one coral in one picture looks like nudibranchs are eating it.

It is this picture:
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/paul-w/RK%20pics/topdown-pillar2-3.jpg[/IMG]

the brownish plate on the right hand side is a porites I believe. He sometimes scrapes his teeth on that. Not enough to kill it, but enough to gouge it. He is though, stunning. The markings on his face really stand out in real life, but I didnt really manage to capture them by camera. The damage to the coral I can forgive.

Reefs:
I managed to get one of the first runs of that skimmer and I love it. As for true rating, I have no idea....but 600g seems a good start.

Thanks all,
Paul.

Congratz Paul! You are very deserving of this.

As stated several times, it is much better in person. Truely amamzing actually.

Thanks Jimmy.

This is a mini video of the tank just after installing the last two pillars. Its not great quality and is blue since I can color correct the original. It does however give a feel for the 3d layout of the pillars and the coral placement.

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v112/paul-w/?action=view&current=DSCF0374.flv][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/paul-w/th_DSCF0374.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

at the time I was running MH across the back and the fron LHS, T5s on the RHS.

Paul.

Flounderfish:

here you go:
Pics of the fishroom....or my garage as it used to be called.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/paul-w/sump1annotated.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/paul-w/sump2annotated.jpg[/img]

There are now lights suspended over the refugium and there is a large roll of chaeto/caulerpa rolling in the flow from the spray bar.

At a later date a frag tank will be installed over the top of the refugium (2 feet above it) and a shelf placed over the main sump for storage and stuff.

The refugium is fed from the bracuda pump (it splits off of a manifold I made) before the water flows into the main tank (via the chiller).

Does that help ?

Paul.