Tank of the Month - February 2011

I got started in this hobby two and a half years ago when a friend called and said "come get this tank or i'm throwing it away!" So I started with a 55 gallon, rock, lights, and skimmer for free.

http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral10.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish10.jpg

mph84 - Mike Harmon





http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/tankshot.jpg

My influences lately have been random tanks I've seen. There is always something new and cool when you look into someone's reef. Tanks in particular are; Acroholics, Bigd, and marine designs' 90 gallon. These tanks are what made me love SPS!! There are so many wonderful tanks in the ARC and for mine to be picked was an honor!!!!

http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral31.jpg

Tank Overview

My tank is a 4 foot wide 120 gallon mixed reef with hopes of being mainly sps dominant one of these days! I bought this tank from a fellow ARC member about 2 years ago. I then started the "build" process.

I built the stand with fellow reefer JT955 and that process seemed to take forever!!!!

After my fiancee and I moved, I decided it was time to go for it and I moved everything from the 55 to the 120. I did the whole thing with the help of a bunch of rubbermaid tubs and a lot of back breaking lugging!!

The tank is "48x24x24 with dual overflows. I don't have any other tanks at the moment (but I'm working on it with the soon to be wifey!!).

http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish05.jpg

System Profile

System water volume 155ish gallons
Display tank volume 120
Tank dimensions 48x24x24
Sump volume 55 gallons

What type of equipment are you using (such as pumps, lighting, cooling/heating, etc..)? I have a mag 9.5 return pump, mag 5 that runs a chiller, 2 tlf reactors, a mj1200 runs a UV sterilizer, and a mj1200 pushes water to a CR-1 calcium reactor. The chiller is a Current 1/4 horse. I also run a Reef Octopus NW-250. The lights are 2x 250 Radium 20k's and a homemade led moonlight setup. I also have a Reef Keeper lite that runs heaters/chiller.

-Lighting (ie: photo period) The halides come on at 1:00 and run till 10:30

-Filtration (ie: types) Reef Octopus NW-250 and 2 two little fishies reactors(one with GFO and one with Seachem Denitrate)

-Cooling/Heating I have a Current Usa 1/4 horse chiller and two 250 watt heaters that all run off of a Reef Keeper Lite controller.

http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/lights01.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/equipment01.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/equipment02.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/equipment03.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/equipment04.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/equipment05.jpg

Livestock
Coral I'll start with SPS: I have 2 ORA green with blue tip acros, rose millipora, bubblegum milli, green milli, garf bonsai,hawkins blue, sunset montipora, grape monti, orange monti, hydrophora, red planet, pink birdsnest, green birdsnest, orange digi, ORA spongodes, Tyree pink lemonade, frogskin, superman monti, phils granulosa and a cali tort.(i think that about does it!) Lp: NEON green hammer, red/pink acans, frogspawn, red wellso and a duncan. Softies: eagle eyes zoas, green with purple eyes, atomic sunrise zoas, purple people eaters, purple ricordia, blue with green ring, and light blue with green skirt.

http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral05.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral04.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral01.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral30.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral29.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral28.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral27.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral26.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral25.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral24.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral23.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral21.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral16.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral19.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral17.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral06.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral15.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral14.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral13.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral12.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral11.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral09.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral08.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral07.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/coral02.jpg

Fish: I have a red mandarin goby, filamented flasher wrasse, blue side fairy wrasse, 2x back and white oscellaris clowns, blue throat trigger, powder brown tang, yellow watchman, and 3 lyretail anthias.
Inverts: two cleaner shrimp, a couple of peppermints, bunches of hermits of all sorts, a few nassarius snails, one stomotella, and one of the biggest astrea snails I've ever seen.

http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish11.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish12.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish09.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish08.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish07.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish06.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish03.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish04.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish01.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/fish02.jpg
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/%7Earcimages/TOTM/201102-feb2011/invert01.jpg

Feeding and Additives
What brands and types of food do you use? San Fransisco Bay foods such as emerald entree, marine cuisine, mysis, and occasionally PE mysis. I also feed formula one flakes. I feed when i get home from work and at 930 or so...

Tank Maintenance
Daily Routine Wipe the glass, add water, and give it a good once over... and "fiddle" so sayeth the fiancee
Weekly Routine Scrape the glass
Monthly Routine Clean skimmer, and yes I know I'm "supposed" to do water changes!!
(for example: frequency of water changes and how much)
Water Parameters
Specific Gravity 1.023
Temperature 78-80
pH 8.2
Alkalinity 3-4
Nitrate close to 0
Magnesium 1400
Calcium around 430ppm on a good day
Whatever else you measure...

What is your key to success or what have you learned?
Let things grow!! I think most people frag before I would. I try and let mine get big before ever cutting!! Do lots of homework and try and be very selective in the corals you pick.

What are your future plan for the tank?
I would like to upgrade to a 180 or maybe a 210, but that is WAY down the line when I have more money to work with!
What is the worst and best thing you have ever bought/added/done to your tank? The best choice I have made was to buy a calcium reactor. It is saving me a lot time mixing!! The worst thing I have done was flooding the living room at JT955s house because we didn't have a float valve on the RO/DI.

Describe any disasters you have had.
I haven't had any true "disasters" so to speak. (knock knock knock knocking on wood!!!) I did lose all of my fish in my old tank in about a weeks time though. That was very disheartening.

What would you have done differently?
I would have built the sump and fuge in different tanks. My sump is stuffed in the stand and cannot be moved or removed without breaking it or taking a side off of the stand.

Thoughts on coral fads
I haven't really got into any major fads. I like corals for their color or movement or whatever it is that catches my eye.

Advice for beginniners/Words of wisdom
Patience is key!! Don't freak out at the first sign of trouble (I'm learning), gather thoughts and materials and take it slow!

Tips and Tricks
One thing I do for pulling hair algae is start a siphon with a small hose and let it grab the HA and then just cap it off with your finger and pull.

Things you couldn't live without
My fiancee's tweezers! they come in handy for everything.
What other tanks do you hate? tanks that have more money than heart...

Acknowledgments
Is there anyone specific or any particular resource that has been extra helpful in bringing your tank to where it is? My fiancee for buying my membership and all the "I need an extra hand" times. JT955!! he helped me build almost everything! Thanks future brother in law!! I can't forget my local fish stores either they are always helpful! And last but not least everyone on here that helps with problems, whatever they may be. Thanks and I hope you enjoy.

thanks for all the time spent taking the photos dave! they look great!

Congrats mike looking good

Great looking tank! Congrats!

My buddy. Its looking great. I told you months ago that you had a toth and you said no way

Mike congrats on TOTM, you have a beautiful . Thank you again for the frags they are all doing great.

Congrats and well done. Nice water box.

dave that is an awesome pic of the mandarin

My buddy. Its looking great. I told you months ago that you had a toth and you said no way

well I guess you were right...

You have a great looking tank, thanks for sharing!

Congrats! I can't believe there is a TOTM from the southside. I didn't know there was a great tank so close!

Jeff

Congrats! I can't believe there is a TOTM from the southside. I didn't know there was a great tank so close!

Jeff

ha ha there are some awesome tanks down here!!!

+1ha ha there are some awesome tanks down here!!!

dave that is an awesome pic of the mandarin

that is a really great pic!! now if he could have got one of the wrasse flashing.... :lol2::lol2::lol2: thanks again dave!

Congrats on you WiN great looking tank and Awesome shots Dave I love the pic with the Yellow watchman goby. Thoes Anthias? are they the Sunburst? Very cool

they are lyretails anthias. super cool little fish. always out and about. they also get all the bigger fish out and about.

very cool i have the anthias bartletts ......... wonder if they'll get along with each other

You have a very nice set of corals and fish. Looks great! Congratulations!

Beautiful tank! Congratulations on your recognition. Well deserved!!!

thanks so much everybody!! it is quite an honor!!

that is a really great pic!! now if he could have got one of the wrasse flashing.... :lol2::lol2::lol2: thanks again dave!

Yeah... that ol' boy was being a real flash-hole!!!

I've heard of "spray-and-pray," but that was kinda extreme... it was kinda like he knew what I was up to and wanted to see how long he could get this funny looking human to follow his butt around the tank...

That first mandarin shot is one of my all-time faves.

Yeah... that ol' boy was being a real flash-hole!!!

I've heard of "spray-and-pray," but that was kinda extreme... it was kinda like he knew what I was up to and wanted to see how long he could get this funny looking human to follow his butt around the tank...

That first mandarin shot is one of my all-time faves.

yeah I'm pretty sure he was toying with ya!! I have to say I agree with you on the mandarin shot. It was perfect!! At least one of my fish was nice... thanks again dave!

I love that Garf. LOL

yep she's a beauty!! do you still have yours?

Lost a good chunk due to a big mag drop. but its still here.
I have another one you would like. Shoot me a text sometime

you need to drop on by one of these days and see what stuff you wanna pick up. I'm not sure what frags you would want...

Congrats! Well done!

Beautiful tank. Well deserved. Congratulations.

Awesome tank! :thumbs:

thanks again everybody! I'm going to develop a ego if this keeps up! :lol2:

Tank looks awesome! May I ask why you run your sg a tad low?

Tank looks awesome! May I ask why you run your sg a tad low?

no reason really. Live aquaria suggests 1.020-1.025 for most fish so I just figured somewhere in the middle

Very niiice!

Beautiful tank and truly an inspiration.

Congratulations, you make us proud!

Really Nice Mike!!!

:cheers:
Congrats!

Just got around to seeing this congrats buddy. I thought this tank was amazing when I saw it a few months back

Just got around to seeing this congrats buddy. I thought this tank was amazing when I saw it a few months back

where've you been hiding?

Busy busy busy... Tax Season work has been insane. In fact the past few days are the first ive been on here since back when I got the bubble tip from you

Busy busy busy... Tax Season work has been insane. In fact the past few days are the first ive been on here since back when I got the bubble tip from you

how's the bubble tip doin?

updated Iphone shot of the tank.

http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp45/mph841/photo-12.jpg

Soon to be a memory? looks good man!

Soon to be a memory? looks good man!

yep... just got my fans and the rest of my tunzes parts. I was going to shoot for this weekend but I just have too much to do... Maybe weekend after next!

Beautiful tank, and alot of very nice corals.

the last shot of the 120. three years of work have moved into a 210(pics to come)

http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp45/mph841/DSCF3077_zps9ca0d8a0.jpg

Wow! Very nice indeed.