FutureInterest
02-01-2008, 2:39 PM
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web25.jpg
Introduction
Well like a lot of “Reefers” I never imagined that I would be asked to do a write up or be selected as Tank of the Month. I am very honored but do not feel worthy. My tank is a constant work in progress.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web27.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web28.jpg
I first had a salt water tank in the mid – late 80’s and it was a fish only tank. The knowledge level that I had then and the information available was nothing like it is today. I look back and the only advice that I was given was from a kid at the LFS in Charlotte and the fish that I mixed together makes me cringe. It was a short lived hobby for me then.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web11.jpg
In 2005 I started to get the “fever” again (I have found that it never really leaves you). My wife Teresa and I had 2 daughters in college at the time so I promised her that I would just get a small tank and that the expense would be minimal. So I set up a 12G Nano Cube with live rock, a couple of clowns, and some assorted Zoas and softies. It was a successful tank as I had done a lot of reading on Reef Central and The Reef Tank sites. After about 3 months the 12G was just not big enough. Somehow I convinced my wife that “we” needed to upgrade to a bigger tank. So from the 12G I went all the way up to a 20G H tank. This lasted for another 3-4 months and another upgrade was in order so I went to a 40 breeder. As you probably guessed this did not last long either and I went to a 58G RR tank. I kept this tank for about a year and just a few months ago had a custom made tank built.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web5.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web6.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web7.jpg
The 95 gallon Starfire
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web24.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web23.jpg
My current tank is approximately 36 x 25 x 25 which I believe is about 95G. I had it custom made by Glass Cages. The tank has starphire glass on 3 sides and a single overflow in the center. I have a 29G sump underneath with an ASM G2, a section for a refugium, and of course my return section. The oak stand was also made by Glass Cages and has a lift out panel in the front and a lift out panel on the side so that the sump can be removed if necessary. For lighting I use an Outer Orbit with 2 x 150W with 14k Phoenix bulbs and 4 x 39 W T5 Ho Actinics. The unit also has 16 LED moonlights half white and half blue. The return pump is a “Quiet One” rated for approximately 700GPH. In addition I have a Koralia 1, 2, and 3 for flow.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web26.jpg
Maintenance wise I consider myself a “Simple Man”. I am a little afraid of “automatic” anything so I do most everything manually. I am fortunate to be able to work from home full time which helps a lot. I have my own RO/DI unit (Typhoon 3) so I make my own water and use Reef Crystals salt. I change between 5-10 gallons every 5-6 days. I dose a 2 part (Kent Tech CB A & B) daily and supplement the tank with Kent Magnesium and Turbo Calcium when needed.
Fish
The current fish in my tank are a Yellow Tang and 2 tank raised clowns. I had a 6 line wrasse until recently. RIP the poor guy committed suicide by jumping. I have a Flame Angel in quarantine that I just bought as I felt sorry for the guy / girl. According to the vendor it had an accident in shipping and only has 1 eye. The missing eye has completely healed over and the vendor had it for several months thinking that no one would want it. It appears very healthy and eats like a pig. I feed the fish once per day a combination of frozen brine, frozen mysis, flakes, and cyclopeeze. The tang also gets a daily piece of seaweed selects or Nori.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web9.jpg
Corals
As for the corals I like to choose specimens with lots of color which also seems to equate to lots of $’s. I have several Acan Lord colonies / frags, Blastomussa Wellsi, Zoanthids, Chalices, and Micromussa. I also have assorted softies such as toadstools and mushrooms. I have recently received a few SPS which I am trying out. They seem to be doing well. The corals get fed at each water change. I take mysis, brine, cyclopeeze, flakes, and selcon and let them sit and thaw in some tank water. I then use a large syringe (no needle) or a turkey baster and try to hit all of the LPS that consume food. I also use DT’s a few times per week when lights are out.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web22.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web21.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web20.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web13.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web17.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web18.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web16.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web10.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web8.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web4.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web1.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web2.jpg
Acknowledgments
Well that seems like a long “read” so I will close this out. I owe a lot to lots of people for their help and guidance. ARC has been a world of help with club meetings and members knowledge and advice. Special thanks go out to Mark, Rit, Jin, Brandon, “Big D”, and Melissa for guidance and frags that were purchased or traded for. There are many more folks but the list would be too long. If anyone has any specific questions please feel free to PM me.
Thanks,
Darren Hayes
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web3.jpg
Jin's note:
Pictures never do a tank justice. Darren's tank is much prettier in person, but at least you get a hint of how colorful it is! I loved this tank from the moment I saw it as a 54 almost a year ago. I wanted to feature it back then as well as the tank is so well maintained and every coral in the tank just pops out at you.
Its not a huge tank, and its not an expensive setup. There's no calcium reactor, no auto-top off, no kalk reactor, no ozone, no wave devices, no crazy skimmer, no huge sump, no controllers... nothing fancy. Yet, I think its still one of the nicest tanks in the club. Simply put the tank is an inspiration of color and balance. It goes to show you what you can accomplish with just intelligent reef keeping. Bravo Darren!
Thank you Darren for sharing with us!!! :)
Thank you Alex!
A special thanks and shoutout goes to Alex Ward, aka photokid, for volunteering his time and efforts into taking these wonderful shots. Heaven knows I can't take a picture, thankfully we are blessed with many talented people in this club. We drove to Ackworth to take the shots, and when the FTS didn't come out right... Alex drove up there by himself to retake the shot we needed. Does ARC pay for our gas? Heck no! We do it for the love of the hobby and for the club. TOTM would not be possible without him!!! Thanks bro!!! :yay:
Introduction
Well like a lot of “Reefers” I never imagined that I would be asked to do a write up or be selected as Tank of the Month. I am very honored but do not feel worthy. My tank is a constant work in progress.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web27.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web28.jpg
I first had a salt water tank in the mid – late 80’s and it was a fish only tank. The knowledge level that I had then and the information available was nothing like it is today. I look back and the only advice that I was given was from a kid at the LFS in Charlotte and the fish that I mixed together makes me cringe. It was a short lived hobby for me then.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web11.jpg
In 2005 I started to get the “fever” again (I have found that it never really leaves you). My wife Teresa and I had 2 daughters in college at the time so I promised her that I would just get a small tank and that the expense would be minimal. So I set up a 12G Nano Cube with live rock, a couple of clowns, and some assorted Zoas and softies. It was a successful tank as I had done a lot of reading on Reef Central and The Reef Tank sites. After about 3 months the 12G was just not big enough. Somehow I convinced my wife that “we” needed to upgrade to a bigger tank. So from the 12G I went all the way up to a 20G H tank. This lasted for another 3-4 months and another upgrade was in order so I went to a 40 breeder. As you probably guessed this did not last long either and I went to a 58G RR tank. I kept this tank for about a year and just a few months ago had a custom made tank built.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web5.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web6.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web7.jpg
The 95 gallon Starfire
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web24.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web23.jpg
My current tank is approximately 36 x 25 x 25 which I believe is about 95G. I had it custom made by Glass Cages. The tank has starphire glass on 3 sides and a single overflow in the center. I have a 29G sump underneath with an ASM G2, a section for a refugium, and of course my return section. The oak stand was also made by Glass Cages and has a lift out panel in the front and a lift out panel on the side so that the sump can be removed if necessary. For lighting I use an Outer Orbit with 2 x 150W with 14k Phoenix bulbs and 4 x 39 W T5 Ho Actinics. The unit also has 16 LED moonlights half white and half blue. The return pump is a “Quiet One” rated for approximately 700GPH. In addition I have a Koralia 1, 2, and 3 for flow.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web26.jpg
Maintenance wise I consider myself a “Simple Man”. I am a little afraid of “automatic” anything so I do most everything manually. I am fortunate to be able to work from home full time which helps a lot. I have my own RO/DI unit (Typhoon 3) so I make my own water and use Reef Crystals salt. I change between 5-10 gallons every 5-6 days. I dose a 2 part (Kent Tech CB A & B) daily and supplement the tank with Kent Magnesium and Turbo Calcium when needed.
Fish
The current fish in my tank are a Yellow Tang and 2 tank raised clowns. I had a 6 line wrasse until recently. RIP the poor guy committed suicide by jumping. I have a Flame Angel in quarantine that I just bought as I felt sorry for the guy / girl. According to the vendor it had an accident in shipping and only has 1 eye. The missing eye has completely healed over and the vendor had it for several months thinking that no one would want it. It appears very healthy and eats like a pig. I feed the fish once per day a combination of frozen brine, frozen mysis, flakes, and cyclopeeze. The tang also gets a daily piece of seaweed selects or Nori.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web9.jpg
Corals
As for the corals I like to choose specimens with lots of color which also seems to equate to lots of $’s. I have several Acan Lord colonies / frags, Blastomussa Wellsi, Zoanthids, Chalices, and Micromussa. I also have assorted softies such as toadstools and mushrooms. I have recently received a few SPS which I am trying out. They seem to be doing well. The corals get fed at each water change. I take mysis, brine, cyclopeeze, flakes, and selcon and let them sit and thaw in some tank water. I then use a large syringe (no needle) or a turkey baster and try to hit all of the LPS that consume food. I also use DT’s a few times per week when lights are out.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web22.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web21.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web20.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web13.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web17.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web18.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web16.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web10.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web8.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web4.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web1.jpg http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web2.jpg
Acknowledgments
Well that seems like a long “read” so I will close this out. I owe a lot to lots of people for their help and guidance. ARC has been a world of help with club meetings and members knowledge and advice. Special thanks go out to Mark, Rit, Jin, Brandon, “Big D”, and Melissa for guidance and frags that were purchased or traded for. There are many more folks but the list would be too long. If anyone has any specific questions please feel free to PM me.
Thanks,
Darren Hayes
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc204/FutureInterest/web3.jpg
Jin's note:
Pictures never do a tank justice. Darren's tank is much prettier in person, but at least you get a hint of how colorful it is! I loved this tank from the moment I saw it as a 54 almost a year ago. I wanted to feature it back then as well as the tank is so well maintained and every coral in the tank just pops out at you.
Its not a huge tank, and its not an expensive setup. There's no calcium reactor, no auto-top off, no kalk reactor, no ozone, no wave devices, no crazy skimmer, no huge sump, no controllers... nothing fancy. Yet, I think its still one of the nicest tanks in the club. Simply put the tank is an inspiration of color and balance. It goes to show you what you can accomplish with just intelligent reef keeping. Bravo Darren!
Thank you Darren for sharing with us!!! :)
Thank you Alex!
A special thanks and shoutout goes to Alex Ward, aka photokid, for volunteering his time and efforts into taking these wonderful shots. Heaven knows I can't take a picture, thankfully we are blessed with many talented people in this club. We drove to Ackworth to take the shots, and when the FTS didn't come out right... Alex drove up there by himself to retake the shot we needed. Does ARC pay for our gas? Heck no! We do it for the love of the hobby and for the club. TOTM would not be possible without him!!! Thanks bro!!! :yay: