Hey R2R crew,
I have been active in reefing since about 1996, but only recently traipsed over here to R2R.
I live outside of Dallas,TX and as a result, have been very active the last 10 years or so, on DFWMAS, and in the local community.
About 7 years ago, I relocated back to the Dallas area, from Southern California, and due to the house being finished, it wasn't feasible to move my 120 back with us. So I had about a 6 year hiatus from reefing.
Late last year, I happened upon the chance to buy out 2 tanks within a week of each other, so I treated it as serendipity, and reinvested full-bore.
We consolidated a 125 and a 75 Gallon into a single 100Gallon i bought new, en route to a more comprehensive build, planned for a 250G this spring.
Here are a few shots. I'll update some of the thread this week, with build pics, bad ideas I overcame along the way, and some of the method to the madness. Hopefully I can contribute regularly, and help out with new and regular hobbyists, to get good results.
This will be the 9th or 10th tank of around 100Gallons I have had in 2 decades, so there's been a ton of trial and error, and of course, lessons along the way. Much of which I learned, just like a lot of you, from friends, local hobbyists groups (before the emergence of internet forums.) and frankly, through experimentation.
Here ya go !
This is a rather prolific GSP that decided to cover the overflow, I have since given away, or removed the majority of it from the rock work.
Here's a tank shot from late last weekend. Still working out the lighting situation, for optimal Photos. I keep my tank heavily on the blue side, and everything seems to thrive at this intensity / color mix. (lighting is 2 x 1st Gen AI Hydra's running on the Hydra wireless controller.)
Here's the gratuitous tank shot, with the sump and lid open. The light rack is just 1" aluminum U-stock from Home Depot. It's perfect because it comes in 48" length, and drills, taps and rivets easily. Also a bonus it's aluminum, because once it is attached to the AI housing, it acts as an extension of the heat sink, and helps dissipate heat. I run these aproxiamately 36% intensity at their brightest. They are 9" off the water surface, and approximately 32" from the sand bed.
Here are a few frags recently introduced from Cherry Corals. My params are pretty much bulletproof between water changes every 3rd or 5th week, and my Kalk stirrer, I don't really have to do much. My Tunze Osmolator Nano pushes RO from a jug into the kalk stirrer, I use about 5 gallons of RO top off per week, or very close to it. The sump is a Trigger Emerald 34.
Bad photo, but from left to right.
"Marlboro Red" Acans
Some Mystery Coral LPS, haven't ID'd yet
An ORA Neon Green Birdsnest
A bright green Acro
A Pink Goni
And out of focus bottom right Tyree's Sunset Monti.
Here are a couple of other pics for anyone interested. Top is a colony of Turbinaria Peltata that was shriveled and about the size of a quarter when I got it. Now it's about 4-1/2" around and flourishing. Surrounded by some giant mutant Rhodactic and a very interested Yellow Tang
Below that is a Candy Cane in similar condition to the Turbinaria when I received it and it's not quite fully extended but doing quite well since October, Along with some Nuclear green palys and various other remnants of softies I have been removing.
I have been active in reefing since about 1996, but only recently traipsed over here to R2R.
I live outside of Dallas,TX and as a result, have been very active the last 10 years or so, on DFWMAS, and in the local community.
About 7 years ago, I relocated back to the Dallas area, from Southern California, and due to the house being finished, it wasn't feasible to move my 120 back with us. So I had about a 6 year hiatus from reefing.
Late last year, I happened upon the chance to buy out 2 tanks within a week of each other, so I treated it as serendipity, and reinvested full-bore.
We consolidated a 125 and a 75 Gallon into a single 100Gallon i bought new, en route to a more comprehensive build, planned for a 250G this spring.
Here are a few shots. I'll update some of the thread this week, with build pics, bad ideas I overcame along the way, and some of the method to the madness. Hopefully I can contribute regularly, and help out with new and regular hobbyists, to get good results.
This will be the 9th or 10th tank of around 100Gallons I have had in 2 decades, so there's been a ton of trial and error, and of course, lessons along the way. Much of which I learned, just like a lot of you, from friends, local hobbyists groups (before the emergence of internet forums.) and frankly, through experimentation.
Here ya go !
This is a rather prolific GSP that decided to cover the overflow, I have since given away, or removed the majority of it from the rock work.
Here's a tank shot from late last weekend. Still working out the lighting situation, for optimal Photos. I keep my tank heavily on the blue side, and everything seems to thrive at this intensity / color mix. (lighting is 2 x 1st Gen AI Hydra's running on the Hydra wireless controller.)
Here's the gratuitous tank shot, with the sump and lid open. The light rack is just 1" aluminum U-stock from Home Depot. It's perfect because it comes in 48" length, and drills, taps and rivets easily. Also a bonus it's aluminum, because once it is attached to the AI housing, it acts as an extension of the heat sink, and helps dissipate heat. I run these aproxiamately 36% intensity at their brightest. They are 9" off the water surface, and approximately 32" from the sand bed.
Here are a few frags recently introduced from Cherry Corals. My params are pretty much bulletproof between water changes every 3rd or 5th week, and my Kalk stirrer, I don't really have to do much. My Tunze Osmolator Nano pushes RO from a jug into the kalk stirrer, I use about 5 gallons of RO top off per week, or very close to it. The sump is a Trigger Emerald 34.
Bad photo, but from left to right.
"Marlboro Red" Acans
Some Mystery Coral LPS, haven't ID'd yet
An ORA Neon Green Birdsnest
A bright green Acro
A Pink Goni
And out of focus bottom right Tyree's Sunset Monti.
Here are a couple of other pics for anyone interested. Top is a colony of Turbinaria Peltata that was shriveled and about the size of a quarter when I got it. Now it's about 4-1/2" around and flourishing. Surrounded by some giant mutant Rhodactic and a very interested Yellow Tang
Below that is a Candy Cane in similar condition to the Turbinaria when I received it and it's not quite fully extended but doing quite well since October, Along with some Nuclear green palys and various other remnants of softies I have been removing.
