Bay Area Reefers

Hi,

Thanks for landing on my journal page

Like you Folks, I'm always on the look out for healthy / showy / unusual SPS frags and LPSs for my 100 gallon tank. I'm raising them for the enjoyment and with the intention of putting back into the DBTC program and trading at Swap Meets. Sad to say, even with all the club's encouragement I'm am at deficit in the DBTC department. I definitely have put back more outside the program - club swaps, and for the first time at BAYMAC then I've taken. BTW, if you haven't been to BAYMAC yet, you got to see it to believe it. I'm not out there like some of you folks, but, truth-be told, I haven't seen that much color and inventory in one place since I was at Ian's Tank Tour.

Currently, I have a lot Acros, a few Chalices, some Hydnos, all sorts of Montis, a Yellow Turbinaria (I rescued and is coming back slowly) along with some other nice stonies, LPSs, and Softies. My current system is now over 4 years old and has been healthy, with the exception of some nudies that are fortunately long gone thanks to the advise received on these boards. Some of what I have in the main display was summoned from my other 35 gallon tank (which is now a freshwater system) I had for apx 10 years before transferring them to this one such as my Tang, Green Bubble and Candy Canes.

You can check out some of my pics on our gallery:
http://www.bareefers.org/discussion/index.php?action=gallery;sa=myimages;u=5350

Also, you can scroll down to post #3 for picture evolution of this current set up too.

Equipment
Note: "Special Thanks" goes out to Jeremy / Tuberider who, initially, helped me lay out the equipment plan for this set up, and who continues to make suggestions and recommendations to keep my tank and critters vital. Thank you Jeremy.

2 x 175w Reeflux 20k SE MH - Purchased at BestPetLighting.com & Fired by PFO Pulse Start Magnetic Ballast (it's a beast)- Purchased at Custom Aquatic.com (These people really know what their doing) Thx Jeremy.This December, I'm switching over to Ushios 20K+ Aqualife b/c you folks seem to be sold on them; can hardly wait to fire them up

2 x 110W URI Super Blue Actinics, Fired by Ice Cap's 660 Ballast - Both Purchased at Custom Aquatic.com This last order, 5-2011, was through Marine Depot, and boy they fire nicely.

1- 48" 59W T5 Super Blue Actinic From Commodity Axis.com (current moon light: waiting for R2 Dual Extreme lunar lights and Controller from Best Pet Lighting.com) Then T5 will be serve as interim light between URI Super Actinics and Lunars.

R2 Dual Extremes and R2 Lunar Controller arrived today 8/28/09 - From BestPetLighting.com. them. Nice shimmering blue LEDs and the R2 Controller is totally adjustable in all three modes. Pictures to follow. Saw my Favia night feed (I mean really going at it) for the first time. I'm a happy reefer now.

Reef Octopus 150NW Protein Skimmer equipped with their OTP2000 pump, from Custom Aquatic.com

40 gallon sump - Purchased from Pet Club not Petco. Note: Petco frequently has super fast Fed-Ex Free Shipping with small orders, which has saved me some money. Petco has a great return policy, a good website and great customer service too, about as good as Dr.s Foster and Smith; and no I am not being paid by anyone to plug any of my equipment.... But I know you knew that.

7 gallon Hex Fuge with 4" DSB, - Given to me by Jeremy of Coastal Aquatics Lit by Coralife Mini Aqua 9", 9W True Act and 9W 10k PC (grows nice coralline algae on live rock, Chaeto loves it to; and it driving my little buggers wild too) Circulation provided by Maxi-Jet MP1200, rated at 295GPH-20W purchased from MarineDepot.com. Previous 10 gallon DIY Fuge made by Vince of Aquatic World (now out of business), but it leaked, so now it's in the trash: A $200 piece of garbage, (looked good that's all - nuff said).

TLF Phosban Reactor Purchased from Petsolutions.com

2 Drew's Dosing Pumps From Bulk Reef Supply. One for dosing Alkalinity and the other for dosing Calcium.

1/4 H/P Eco Plus Chiller. Purchased from Plant Lighting Hydroponics.com - Will say P.L.H. had the best deal on these when I made my purchase. The chiller in not terribly noisy, and although I estimate it to cost me apx $20 or so per month to operate it, I haven't noticed the difference in my bill largely, because I don't run the actinics at the same time as I run the Halides (in cost cutting mode and tank doesn't seem to miss em on at the same time...) The Chiller is being powered by a Via Aqua 3600 Circulation Pump - Purchased at Petsolutions.com. The pump moves approximately 1057 GPH, uses 80 Watts and has been extremely reliable and very quiet.

Main Circulation Pump was a Ocean Rummer 3500 made by Aqua Medics, Purchased from Custom Aquatic.com Pushes apx 900GPH and uses apx 65 watt p/h. I have a Aqua Via 4800 to replace this eventually that is rated at apx 1400gph and uses apx 85 watts. Had to installed new return pump Jan 02, 2011- went with Eheim 1262 and loving it.

In tank circulation pumps are Koralia 2 #4s and 1 #3. I only have 2 of the number 4s turned on until my anemones settle in more. There is way too much flow with them all on. I'm planning to run either 1#3 and 1# 4 or 2 #4s. Time and more experimenting needed. With all three, and including the main return on, they're pusing apx 4100 gph or 41x turnover (only slightly overkill. If not for the anems, would have all three on) Don't use Koralia's AC version on any tiimers, controllers or wavemakers, as they sometimes spin backwards and wont work they way you want them to. Trust me. If anyone has a good wavemaker system that works with the AC versionpost it here on this thread. Koralia, made by Hydor, strongly advises not to use them on wavemakers; and not just so they can sell their $400 plus DC version which looks pretty sweet if you have the money. Now running just one Koralia #4 and hoping to get a Vortec, they're just so expensive and I'm not sure how reliable they are, as I seem to always hear about someone having to replace the wet side or something about replace expensive bearings. But I digress.

If your interested in the other circulation pumps I'm using, feel free to ask on this thread. Note: Nothing special to write home about Maxi-jets.

I only use R/O for WC and / or Distilled for top off (I make it myself). I make 5-10% WCs twice a week. I target feed Reef Nutrition's Oyster Feast, Rotifers, EOS Phytoplankton, Seachem's Fuel, Liquid Life Bio Plankton, Mysis, Cyclopez, and Flake daily and rotate feeding routine daily. I check Trace Elements and water quality a few times a week (I don't like surprises) NOT ANY MORE. Now just two 25 gallon W/Cs bi monthly, and now feeding just RN Oyster Feast and H20cean Pro Variety, SFBay frozen Rotifers and some time Mysis for a treat or RN Artic pods if I have any in the fridge.

The tank had apx a 4" DSB (apx 170lbs), now only 1/2 that, apx 200 lbs of aged live rock a few fish 1 of which I've had >10 years (Yellow Tank- Sunshine):

Fish Family:

Yellow Tang (Purchased 12/1998)
1 Blue Damsel
1 Sargent Convict (mean)
3 Blue/Green Chromis
Flame Angel, (Traded 11/01/09) Likes eating polyps all day long / had to go,

That's it (glad I did this exercise, so I have it all in one place now yea).

Feel Free to surf my page / posts from time to time, as I've been posting decent photos, and sometime useful information.

Also, I am interested in meeting "Tank Buddies (?)"at the meetings, so we can discuss caring for each others' tanks when we are on vacation or ill (that kind of stuff). I have someone very good and well trained by me when I travel, whose taken care of my tanks for years now, but you never know, people move and that kind of stuff. So I'm interested in meeting like minded persons. Word of caution: My wife is very particular (even more than I am) who she would consider; hopefully you are too.

Here is the Welcome/Introduction link / node with some information about me: http://www.bareefers.org/home/node/2379?page=47. I'm about 1/2 way down the page.

Thanks again for landing here and for your post.

Joel / Reef Keeper

http://www.bareefers.org/home/node/8238#comment-100682

There, you can post comments and exchange communications - if you care to. I appreciate your comments, insights and suggestions. Enjoy!