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Slapshot's Non-Photo Reef


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  1. #1
    slapshot - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Farmington Hills Michigan
    Posts
    724
    Awards Photo of the Month - May 2012 Photo of the Month Photo of the Month Tank of the Month

    Default Slapshot's Non-Photo Reef

    I would like to thank the committee for this honor. My love of saltwater aquariums started when I was born in Southern California within a mile from the ocean. I grew up less than a block away. My father first took me diving when I was 10, I got my first aquarium shortly there after. My first beginnings in saltwater was 30, well lets just say "some" years ago.

    My humble 55-gallon with dead coral, turned into today what could conservatively be called an obsession. Not satisfied with the difficulties of SPS my I have moved into the world of Azoox corals. My system has been sculpted to keep the beauty of SPS on the top and the color and majesty of the Azoox corals on the bottom, all along trying my best to make it look like a natural reef. I am as you can see a bit crazy about keeping it natural looking, every attempt is made to hide every wire and pump. The rockwork is four pillars with a central face rock. The sides of the tank are incorporated into the design as additional rockwork. The system is a 150-gallon custom tank that is 33-inches high 24-inches deep and 48-inches wide. It is built into a closet in the garage so all that shows in the house is a perfect window into the ocean. The plumbing runs from the garage down into the basement to my filter room.

    My filtration system has become a little obsessive also. With two deepwater 55-gallon drums then an old trickle filter that has been modified into a cooling tower then into a 150-gallon sump and several refugiums.

    The system is fed three times a day a mixture of various pellets and every hour a mix of several phytoplankton and various Fauna Marin foods. This is accomplished using a Super Feeder, peristaltic pumps and a Neptune Jr.

    Equipment & Maintenance

    Sump
    Several sumps, but a total 300 gallons. The water flows through two 55 gallon drums as settling stations then an old trickle filter, then a 30 gallon fuge and finally a 100 gallon sump. I have two fuges, one that houses Cheato and another that houses a deep sand bed, reef lobster and various macro algae. The cool thing is the drums have become environments unto themselves. The first one is covered with a white sponge and the second one tube worms. Interestingly there are no tube worms in the first one and no sponges in the second one.

    Flow
    Blueline 70
    Tunze Wavebox 6201
    Tunze 6201
    Hydor Koralia 6

    Lighting
    Two 400-watt MH with Ushio 20k bulbs.
    Two 24-inch HO/T5 with Pure Actinic bulbs.
    Five Blue LED spotlights.

    Skimmer
    Two, Reef Octopus 200 and a Thiel Aqua Tech

    Cooling
    A custom DYI cooling tower.

    Calcium and Alk
    I use the Balling method with peristaltic pumps, controlled by a Neptune Jr.



    Other Equipment
    Everything is controlled by the Neptune Jr.
    Vertex Bio Pellets

    Maintenance
    Weekly 5-percent water changes.
    Daily clean front glass.
    Monthly clean the back of the display tank.

    Additives and Feeding
    I feed Frozen Cyclops by themselves, then a mixture of Fauna Marin's Clam Food, Sea Fan food, Ultra Min mixed with Ultra Min S. I follow the directions for Fauna's gorgonian system add several types of Phytoplankton. I mix it up in 200-mL of water and add that throughout the day. The food seems expensive but it last a long, long, long time. I have had my containers for 6 months and I am only half way through. Thank God for Bio Pellets!

    I feed the Cyclops in the morning before work or before going to bed but only once a day. The tough part is you have to feed way less then you think but many times. I do a 10 percent water change every week and have no nitrates at all. I do have a large amount of water (400-gallons) in the system and only have animals in the 150-gallon tank.

    Target Water Parameters
    • Calcium: 420 ppm
    • Alkalinity: 8.5 kH
    • Nitrite: 0 ppm
    • Nitrate: <1 ppm
    • Phosphate: Low
    • Magnesium: 1500 ppm
    • Specific gravity: 1.26
    • Temperature: 79 F
    • pH: 8.03


    Inhabitants


    Conclusion

    In conclusion, I hope you enjoyed my little window into the ocean. My future hope is to continue to explore the world of Black and Azoox Corals. Succeeding in keeping them long term would be the highlight of my life. Then who knows where I go.

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    Last edited by jimsflies; 05-28-2012 at 08:04 AM.
    Likes AJ :) liked this post

  2. #2
    tankdude - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Shelby Twp.
    Posts
    237
    First Name
    Dean

    Default

    Congratulations! You have a beautiful system and I like your idea with the cooling tower.
    Last edited by jimsflies; 04-02-2011 at 08:20 AM.

  3. #3
    Rabidgoose - Reefkeeper Moderator

    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Thumb MI
    Posts
    2,211
    Awards Yugo Award Photo of the Month

    Default

    Congratulations Slapshot!! A very nice tank, I always look forward to new posts and pictures.
    I simply can't trust people that don't like bacon,

  4. #4
    Heidi - Reefkeeper
    Queen of Chat

    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    979
    First Name
    Heidi
    Awards Fishbowl Drawing Winner

    Default

    Beautiful tank, Slapshot! Very diverse collection of coral, and fish. Congratulations on yo tank of the month, you for sure deserve it!!


    Heidi

  5. #5
    slapshot - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Farmington Hills Michigan
    Posts
    724
    Awards Photo of the Month - May 2012 Photo of the Month Photo of the Month Tank of the Month

    Default

    Thank you all. I hope you enjoy my obsession.

  6. #6
    Sir Patrick - Reefkeeper A2 Club Coordinator
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    UofM territory
    Posts
    7,838
    First Name
    Chris
    Awards Monthly Giveaway Winner

    Default

    Awesome TOTM!!!

  7. #7
    Rupert - Reefkeeper
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    CaptiveReefs.com
    Posts
    16,112
    First Name
    Rupert

    Default

    Congrats Don! Great looking tank!

    Jim had me convinced I was the TOTM for April, but it turns out it was just a big April Fools joke.

  8. #8
    slapshot - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Farmington Hills Michigan
    Posts
    724
    Awards Photo of the Month - May 2012 Photo of the Month Photo of the Month Tank of the Month

    Default

    Ha I thought you were too. The colors of yours and being able to keep what only Disney has been able to keep alive is quite an accomplishment, worthy of TOTM for sure.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  9. #9
    larryandlaura - Reefkeeper
    Team CR

    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Houghton Lake
    Posts
    5,338
    First Name
    Larry
    Awards Monthly Giveaway Winner Fantasy Football Champion Referral Award Monthly Giveaway Winner

    Default

    Wow is all I can say. Great job on you tank.
    Likes carlitofish liked this post

  10. #10
    Mouthstofeed - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Newton, MS
    Posts
    47
    First Name
    Scott
    Awards Fishbowl Drawing Winner

    Default

    Simply amazing. I wish I could get my corkscrew to grow like that. I am truly inspired!

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