Tank of the Month - September '06 - Page 4

bheron · #76 09/12/2006, 01:49 PM

phenominal!!! i thought it was a longshot. reefcentral is my lifeline these days, but i have to tell you that I owe you and some other people at SWF.com everything! wow. i started there back in 2002 and, for obvious reasons, migrated out and found RC. just never knew you made it over here too.

just want to say thanks for all the help you lended back in 2002-2003 and really helped me get off the ground and into the hobby as I am today. thanks!

Kip · #77 09/12/2006, 01:59 PM

glad to be of service

i re-registered over there the other day to post and give props to Bang, broomer, et al. .... didnt get much response. (although i know broomer has taken a hiatus from the hobby for a while)

i spend most of my time on a local club board and here now.

bheron · #78 09/12/2006, 02:37 PM

yea, those guys were great. really helpful. what a flashback.

Kalied20 · #79 09/13/2006, 10:34 PM

What a beautiful Tank and setup. I strive to one day have the space and conviction to do something as beautiful as yours is.

Thanks for sharing.

Kip · #80 09/14/2006, 08:07 PM

thanks, but dont do "as good"... do "better"

RobChuck · #81 09/15/2006, 12:24 AM

Congrats Kip!

I remember seeing pics of this tank when you first set it up and had no idea that it would become this stunning!!!

And to second bheron's words, your contributions to swf.com a number of years ago have helped me immensely in this hobby.

Kip · #82 09/15/2006, 03:37 PM

happy i could help

TheSaladCo · #83 09/16/2006, 04:08 AM

That is a stunning display of dedication.

I am still new to the hobby (2mos) but seeing Kip's tank makes me feel inspired. Congrats! You deserve the award.

baller71ss · #84 09/16/2006, 12:07 PM

KIP-
Having just re-sodered my LED moonlight setup, I noticed yours looks like a string of christmas lights or something, but has the desired blue-green color. What exactly are they and where did you get them? I only have a 55 gal, but plan to upgrade someday. No way I'm sodering a couple dozen LED's and resistors together!

Kip · #85 09/16/2006, 12:19 PM

blue rope light... lowes... about 10 bucks or less... go ahead and get better clips to hold it up though... ones that come with it arent so hot

Capt Crabtabulous · #86 09/18/2006, 06:22 PM

Beautiful tank. Do you have a back-up power supply?

Kip · #87 09/18/2006, 07:36 PM

i have a large portable generator... of course, it doesnt work unless someone is there to run it. so.... i have an aquacontroller set to send me both an email and text message as soon as the power goes out.

i'd like an auto "whole house" generator.... next house, next tank.

Jamesurq · #88 09/18/2006, 07:52 PM

Good plan - the aquacontroller has a battery backup?

Kip · #89 09/18/2006, 07:59 PM

uh huh.. with it, the wireless adapter, and the broadband router all on UPS

melev · #90 09/18/2006, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kip
uh huh.. with it, the wireless adapter, and the broadband router all on UPS

Good plan.

Kip · #91 09/20/2006, 12:04 PM

the tank re'scape is in full swing.... most of the rock is out and all of the corals have been "loosened" for repositioning

Kip · #92 09/20/2006, 12:04 PM

some corals are in the 150g stock tub in the garage that i put a 400w 10k over

Kip · #93 09/20/2006, 12:05 PM

and some corals have gone (or will be) to new homes like the purple cap/grn digi cluster seen here

Kip · #94 09/20/2006, 12:06 PM

i am sure i am too late for october... but if i hurry and re'scape.. maybe i can get TOTM for november too

just kidding

Skipper · #95 09/20/2006, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kip
i am sure i am too late for october... but if i hurry and re'scape.. maybe i can get TOTM for november too

just kidding

Since your tank is now dismantled, we may have to withdraw your TOTM title.

melev · #96 09/20/2006, 07:31 PM

Kip · #97 09/20/2006, 08:03 PM

oh well... was fun while it lasted

d_hartke · #98 09/21/2006, 04:27 PM

Unbelievable!!! I can't even imagine the work you put into that. I wish I new, so I could appreciate it as much as it deserves. Nice job.

Kip · #99 09/24/2006, 07:54 AM

lots and lots and lots and lots of tinkering

thanks

Kip · #**100** 09/25/2006, 08:41 AM

re-aquascaping the tank has been a pretty arduous task over the last coupla weeks, but there is now light at the end of the tunnel. having to decide which corals will be left out of the display this time around wasnt very fun. I am happy to say that i havent lost any corals (yet) from upsetting their home which usually occurs during a tank re'scape. Some of the acros have darkened up from all of the junk getting stirred up in the tank and my purple lokani frag got burned pretty badly by a mille that placed a little too close to it in my coral holding hotel.

All in all this has been a good move and i am really starting to like the look of the display. I will try to get some update pictures up soon.

I have gotten a lot of PMs, IMs, and emails saying "why didnt you leave well enough alone?" The tank as seen in this TOTM had enjoyed too much success for its own good. Corals were beginning to fight, corals were growing out of the water, and other corals were being shaded. No matter how you set up a tank, there will always be competition... that's just the nature of a reef. There are just ways you can set a reef up that will allow more mean time b/w direct competition and thats what i am aiming for this go'round. The fish are also enjoying the vast room that has been opened up for them to swim. SO... to the emails, etc asking why i would immediately take down a TOTM... consider the tank still running just as normal... but that a hurricane came through and things got tossed around and are starting to regrow in a new form.

About emails, PMs, IMs, etc.... i have received TONS and TONS of congratulations, requests for frags, and hobbyists just seeking advice (i think this is par for the course for any new TOTM). In the beginning, I did my best to keep up and respond to every single person, but began to fail miserably after a few short days. For those who received no response, please dont feel like i "snubbed" or ignored you in anway and just understand that the volume of messages became very overwhelming. If you didnt get a response to a question about setting up your own tank, etc... i invite you to further ask questions here on the forums at RC.

Thanks again for all of the congratulations and nice comments from folks in this thread, thru emails, and PMs. I really appreciate it.

As of now, my tank has about 1wk left its reign and I hope to get updated pics of my re'scaped reef up very soon.