Waited 20 years to say hello (my 350gal system)

[JL15219]

Welcome to R2R!!

 

[Manny’s Reef]

Welcome to the R2R family. We are excited you decided to join us.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hello, my name is Matt L., and I've been reefing for 20 years now.

That sounds like an introduction to a help group.

I have a 350gal (I think. I keep losing count) system, which now lives in my basement with no display tank. You've heard of no sump, or no substrate, or no skimmer. Well, this is no display tank, which I highly recommend for maintenance purposes.

This is what 20 years does ​

The oldest Fiji live rock in my system is from September 2002. You can see it on the left in the near stock tank, in the photo above. You can also see where the urchin gnawed on it. The definition of what algae an urchin will eat is quite expansive.

I've been posting to another centrally located reef forum since 2002 under MattL, and the Boston Reefers Society (since 2004) and Manhattan Reefs (since 2010) under Matt L. I just didn't want you think I was some rando looking for frags or something.

I've been very fortunate to not only reef as a hobby, but basically do almost the same thing for a living as a Ph.D. in environmental microbiology and engineering. I used to give talks to the local reef clubs on hydraulics and plumbing and the nitrogen cycle in reef tanks, but I think the last time I spoke to a club was in 2008 or so. Dr. Randy Holmes-Farley might remember me from the mid-aught Boston Reefers Society. I even built systems for a while around 2010. PVC Fittings dot com now knows me by name.

I've been keeping current with the hobby, but haven't had much time for the message boards the past 10 years or so.

How could I have time when I'm over-engineering my RO/DI system?​

I heard this was a nice place, so I finally managed to create an account. Better late than never.

I also have a 55gal quarantine system and a, well, I don't know how big it is frag tank.

I'm a big advocate of full quarantine. I do both copper power and hyposalinity, and have had success with both.​

During the move last August, I unplugged an Apex temperature sensor before bedtime, which triggered a heater to turn on with no temperature fail safe. By the time I found the tank in the morning, the temperature was 93F. I lost half my fish, and two-thirds of my corals. I had some pretty enormous colonies. I lost a gem tang and a trio of yellow pyramid butterfly fish, plus my mated pair of swallowtail angels.

A few other colonies died during the move plus my convict tang, but I've been satisfied with just getting my water parameters balanced. It's not easy with a 12 year old, 4 ft zebra moray nitrate factory.

The only survivors from the move. ​

So I just wanted to say hello. I've been coming here for advice for a while without joining. I'm sure there are other people knowledgeable, but I do like to answer questions about plumbing, valves, plumping, hydraulics, the nitrogen cycle, all sorts of denitrification, ORP, and Quarantine.

The system has settled in to its new home nicely, and maybe one day I'll get a display tank again.

Have a good afternoon,

Matt

Hi Matt and Welcome!

I feel like I already know you. Very glad you joined