Randy's Tank Description

[Paul B]

Beautiful tank Randy. Loved the cowfish.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks, Paul.

 

[Rybren]

Randy, I'm thinking of following your lead and setting up multiple brutes as sumps. I have a couple of questions if you don't mind.

1. Are you using standard bulkheads or uniseals on the brutes?

2. What size pipe are you using? I would imagine that in case of a power outage, there could be a large surge of water to the first sump.

Thanks, Jerry

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I use regular bulkheads. The plastic can is reasonably flexible so that you can get a good flat seal as long as you are not real close to the top or bottom.

The diameter of the pipe I use is way oversized to prevent clogging. 3" PVC, I think.

In a power failure, lots of water makes its way down to the sump from the tank and 3 refugia that are upstream from it, so one must allow for that level to rise without overflowing. It isn't a surge in the sense of fast water entry, but it keeps coming in for a while even though none is going out.

 

[Rybren]

Thanks Randy. I appreciate it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.

 

[Electrobes]

Hey Randy, did you ever take any more pics of your tank recently? Has anything changed?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No, I've not taken any photos recently.

Some of the tank creatures are doing great, such as my favorite, the large blue S. gigantea which has a trio of spawning ocellaris clowns and an anemone crab sharing it.

But I lost some fish last time I was away, and I'm thinking of taking it down. It's also become overrun with vermitid snails, and without the fish I lost, it will likely soon be overrun with aiptasia and caulerpa (since the rabbit fish and the copperband butterfly were keeping them under control but are now gone).

It's an agonizing process to decide what to do, but I think the time has come...

 

[Electrobes]

Oh man! I'm so sorry to hear Randy! Have you considered restarting it? I had to not a month or two ago because of my losing battle with colonial hydroids. Though difficult, I dare say I fell in love harder with my reef than before.

 

[Mo-sachi]

OH NO!! I've been a student of your articles for quite some time. You have traveled this road for a long time. You would do a great disservice to the reef community as a whole by alleviating yourself from the hobby. Sure hope you would reconsider. But ultimately the decision is yours. I can only thank you for your tutelage and patience.

 

[aaron23]

i agree with member above. we need to see a v2.0!!! Go Randy Go!

 

[Cory]

Everythings got a predator. A quick search came up with these:

- six line wrass
- puffer fish
- bumble bee snails

Dont quit Randy! Try a new project big or small, or rebuild something better! Dont give up!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks folks.

FWIW, taking down the tank won't impact my participation in the hobby, such as here. I like it too much.

 

[s2nhle]

Randy, how about keeping it as learning experience or lab equipment.

 

[aaron23]

i no longer like this thread :mad:

 

[reefwiser]

Need to go SPS Randy walk a different path.

 

[Mike in CT]

Randy, you need a "Reef buddy" to help watch your tank while you gone! Seems like o am constantly hearing about tank disasters while people are away. If I was a bit closer I would volunteer [emoji6]

 

[Mo-sachi]

Thanks folks.

FWIW, taking down the tank won't impact my participation in the hobby, such as here. I like it too much.

I am certainly glad to read this. Maybe at a future date you will miss it enough to start a fresh one and apply all the knowledge you've most certainly learned and taught to a new build. Thank you again. Happy reefing.

 

[Mo-sachi]

Randy, it's been a month... What have you decided on? Still have the tank?

 

[s2nhle]

any update Randy?