Hi all, I posted this on RC but I'd like to keep a log here as well. For those that don't know me... I was a DFWMAS member '96-99 and recently returned to Dallas =) I have to say in advance that I apologize for not attending many meetings - things have been hectic, that's my only sad excuse =(
I’ve frequented RC over the last few years off and on and have thoroughly enjoyed looking at everyone’s tanks and seeing the hobby evolve. I have since graduated from high school, college, graduate school, lived in two states and gotten engaged! I hope you all enjoy the story of my tank and hobby as much as I will!
My story: As a diver for 18 yrs now and an environmentalist, I’ve come to greatly appreciate and respect the planet we all share. One Saturday I was “bored” and thought I’d take a drive to all the lfs’s in the area, including the one I worked at in high school. I checked out Melev’s website and found stores in the Dallas area. At my third stop I came to an empty building – apparently the fish store had burned down a few months earlier and was about a month away from re-opening… I was offered a part time job on the weekend! (I already work 8-5 m-f elsewhere). I thought this would be a good opportunity to “get my feet wet” without actually having to get into the hobby ($$) and was urged to jump in by my fiancée.
This soon changed and I ordered a 280 gallon A.G.E. Starfire aquarium! (60x36x30) After looking at the support of my apartment complex, I became nervous (4k lbs) and thought we probably shouldn’t live on the second floor! We quickly moved downstairs to a larger apartment (housing is too much $$, especially with wedding/aquarium planning and college debt payments going on) .
My responsible environmental side of course kicked in – we changed over to 100% wind electricity, I set up my first quarantine tank (avoid unnecessary losses), will utilize low wattage pumps (Tunze/ReeFlo) and I have pledged to purchase 100% aquacultured (not maricultured) SPS, 50% aquacultured Fish (ORA, Rod, Sustainable Aquatics, other?) and will use caution on any LPS aquacultured “claims” but will purchase what I can find. I was not able to find “branchy” aquacultured liverock unfortunately. I also didn’t want the tank to be “to big” and so felt the ~300g size was neither too big, nor too small.
Tank:
- 60x36x30 A.G.E. Starboard base, 1/2” Starfire front/sides, acrylic euro bracing, angled overflows, mirror back (I really enjoy mirror backs, they can often make the tank look twice as deep) I also went with these dimensions because I enjoy cube and “tall” tanks… I may have trouble with the depth and my arms but I’m hoping the view will be worth it.
- Bare bottom (yellow polyps, green star polyps, zoa’s and SPS stags to grow up from base
- 2x 400w Reeflux w/ Lumenbright large reflectors (high to avoid needing a chiller)
- ReeFlo Orca 250 skimmer, Octopus dual chamber Ca Reactor, Aqua Controller 3, ReeFlo Dart return
- 2x Tunze 6101, 7095 controller and still thinking on either 2x 6055 or 2x 6101 – will see based on rock layout
- Sump will have separated Chaeto, DSB, rubble areas (maybe miracle mud too)
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I’d like to give special thanks to the following; they’ve provided enormous help in helping me get this dream tank up and running!
Dallas Fort Worth Marine Aquarium Society members
Reef Specialty
Zoanuts
Oceaninabox
I’ve frequented RC over the last few years off and on and have thoroughly enjoyed looking at everyone’s tanks and seeing the hobby evolve. I have since graduated from high school, college, graduate school, lived in two states and gotten engaged! I hope you all enjoy the story of my tank and hobby as much as I will!
My story: As a diver for 18 yrs now and an environmentalist, I’ve come to greatly appreciate and respect the planet we all share. One Saturday I was “bored” and thought I’d take a drive to all the lfs’s in the area, including the one I worked at in high school. I checked out Melev’s website and found stores in the Dallas area. At my third stop I came to an empty building – apparently the fish store had burned down a few months earlier and was about a month away from re-opening… I was offered a part time job on the weekend! (I already work 8-5 m-f elsewhere). I thought this would be a good opportunity to “get my feet wet” without actually having to get into the hobby ($$) and was urged to jump in by my fiancée.
This soon changed and I ordered a 280 gallon A.G.E. Starfire aquarium! (60x36x30) After looking at the support of my apartment complex, I became nervous (4k lbs) and thought we probably shouldn’t live on the second floor! We quickly moved downstairs to a larger apartment (housing is too much $$, especially with wedding/aquarium planning and college debt payments going on) .
My responsible environmental side of course kicked in – we changed over to 100% wind electricity, I set up my first quarantine tank (avoid unnecessary losses), will utilize low wattage pumps (Tunze/ReeFlo) and I have pledged to purchase 100% aquacultured (not maricultured) SPS, 50% aquacultured Fish (ORA, Rod, Sustainable Aquatics, other?) and will use caution on any LPS aquacultured “claims” but will purchase what I can find. I was not able to find “branchy” aquacultured liverock unfortunately. I also didn’t want the tank to be “to big” and so felt the ~300g size was neither too big, nor too small.
Tank:
- 60x36x30 A.G.E. Starboard base, 1/2” Starfire front/sides, acrylic euro bracing, angled overflows, mirror back (I really enjoy mirror backs, they can often make the tank look twice as deep) I also went with these dimensions because I enjoy cube and “tall” tanks… I may have trouble with the depth and my arms but I’m hoping the view will be worth it.
- Bare bottom (yellow polyps, green star polyps, zoa’s and SPS stags to grow up from base
- 2x 400w Reeflux w/ Lumenbright large reflectors (high to avoid needing a chiller)
- ReeFlo Orca 250 skimmer, Octopus dual chamber Ca Reactor, Aqua Controller 3, ReeFlo Dart return
- 2x Tunze 6101, 7095 controller and still thinking on either 2x 6055 or 2x 6101 – will see based on rock layout
- Sump will have separated Chaeto, DSB, rubble areas (maybe miracle mud too)
alt="">I’d like to give special thanks to the following; they’ve provided enormous help in helping me get this dream tank up and running!
Dallas Fort Worth Marine Aquarium Society members
Reef Specialty
Zoanuts
Oceaninabox
I understand your point, the blue background can still give a pretty good infinite look, if you keep the back glass scraped.
