My 150 gallon Starphire's last hurrah

[Archie]

Here are some shots of my tank at it's peak.

http://members.rogers.com/left-hook/reeftank/front.jpg

http://members.rogers.com/left-hook/reeftank/right_angle.jpg

http://members.rogers.com/left-hook/reeftank/from_right_side.jpg

More images can be seen at my website (http://members.rogers.com/left-hook/reeftank/).

More info on it's setup can be viewed in this thread (http://www.aquariumpros.ca/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=729) .

[Red-Sea]

Archie, looking gorgeous :bigeek:

But I heard you disassembled the tank & most of the corals was sold???

[Chrismo]

Holy crap! That is awesome.

[Archie]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Dany: Yeah, I am in the process of dismantling the tank. Most of the coral have been sold and are in well established tanks in the hands of friends that I know will be able to offer me a frag when I set up my next monster system. One thing learned with this 150 is that sps given the proper parameters will grow incredibly fast, and that once tiny frag will in no time become a large threat to it's neighbouring colonies. My next tank will more than likely be around 300 gallons or more.

These were shot a while ago. Just thought that I would post them here as not many people have seen these shots before. I was actually preparing an article for Reefcentral. Skipper there wanted to feature my system as tank of the month. However, time restraints due to work and family issues prevented me from submitting one. Now with a move imminent, I'm considering selling this tank very shortly.

Next time I'll hire a real pro like Mitchell to take better photos than what I'm capable of. That way I won't feel as hesistant I was in submitting an important article as RC's TOTM.

[Mitchell]

Ah Archie :bsmile: Thanks

I would have LOVED to shoot that tank :bigeek:

Cant wait to see the new one !!!

But ah, there isn't a thing wrong with those pics. I wouldn't hesitate to send them ;)

[Archie]

Mitchell: All I have to do is look at some of the work you've posted and compare them with my blurry shots. With your kind of talent, you should seriously consider working for an organization like National Geographic.

[kentracey]

That tank is a work of art. You should get an award for that. Amazing, amazing tank!!!!

[Sohal Tang]

Man o man...I have seen a few beautys but HEYYYY HEYY HEYYYY....

whatttt a tank!!!
I wish so bad I would have been able to view it set up in person.
That is amazing.....

So...Archie....in a nutshell if you had to tell us your secret in
say 5 sentences to getting that end result what would you
attribute such beauty and art towards?

I also THANKYOU for the gorgeous pics....very, very nice.

Man....I cant take my eyes off of it....

Tim
:eek1: :eek1: :eek1: :thanks:

Curious what you used for lighting system Archie please?
Thanks,
Tim

also...may I ask where you picked up most of your corals?

Thanks again!

Tim
:eek1: :thanks:

[Archie]

Kentracey & Sohal: Thanks for your kind words.

For any reef tank, keeping stable parameters is vital for the health of such fragile creatures. I used a chiller, carefully timed my lighting, maintained the calcium with reactors, and maintained water quality with agressive skimming.

I have a background in design and tried to apply that to the well-being of the coral. No secrets really. Tried to keep decent space between them and place them where they would naturaly be located in a real reef (eg. sps - high light/high water flow, mushrooms - lower light/low flow).

Lights were dual 400 watt Radiums powered by PFO HQI ballasts and dual VHO URI actinics.

The coral came from a variety of places but most notably Reefquarium, ORG, Aquarium Depot, and Saltwater Connection.

[Andy]

See Tim

Now doesn't that make you want to go SPS all the way. Beautiful setup Archie. I sure like the look of the radiums. I'd really like to see your new setup when its up and running.

Andy

[Sohal Tang]

Ya Andy, no doubt about it...sps are gorgeous...
They still scare me though.....
I was wondering if I went 2 x 250 MH on my 90
plus perhaps add 2 x vho actinics......
if I should go 250 watt radiums or go 250watt 10k ???

Any suggestions Andy? Archie?

I am going to upgrade my 175's likely in the near future....
I will go to 250 x 2 + 2 x VHO....and dont have a CLUE
yet what the best bulb is...I was leaning on staying
with the 175's and just going 10K Ushio but...am having
second thoughts when I see a picture like this....

I mean I ALREADY HAVE THE SKIMMER!!! hahaohoahoahoaha

Everyone take NOTE that Archie is using an AEROFOAMER!!HEHEHE

LOVE IT!!

I love those things so much I should be sellin them!! hehehe

Thanks Andy!
Tim
:thanks: :D :cheers:

[Archie]

On a 90 I think 250's are ideal. Heat will be a huge factor with less water. I really liked the 250 watt 10k Ushios. Great colour and good response from the sps. If money were no object, the double-ended 250 hqi bulbs are phenomenal too. But wait it out. Technology keeps advancing. Now the new thing is the T-5 flourescent bulbs. Let's just wait and see how things shape up first though. Either way, your setup is sound for most reefkeeping needs.

[Sohal Tang]

Archie...WHICH set up did you mean ?
The 2 x 175mh or the 2 x 250 MH?

Tim

[Archie]

the 175s

[Sohal Tang]

Ok Thanks Archie....
I don't suppose you are selling the lighting system that
you used on this system that you just took down eh?

Tim
:)

[kentracey]

I find myself coming back to look at this thread all the time. I can't help it . That reef is un-freakin-believable!!! Thanks for the inspiration Archie.

[Sohal Tang]

Hey Kenny!! hehehehe and I thought it
was only ME coming back to this site over and over to
look at that tank again and again...finally I copied it
and pasted it to the background on my desktop!! THERRRRRE!!!
HEHEHEH
Tim
Thanks again Archie!

[visor]

verry nice keep up the good work

[Chrismo]

Archie, How did you keep them from stinging and touching each other? Or did you just let them battle it out?

[Archie]

It was a constant battle of pruning to keep colonies from damaging others. The initial placement of each piece had to be well thought out with their eventual growth in mind, as some grow much faster than others. Some experimenting would also prove that some species were not threatening to others. That's why I'm planning on a bigger system (72x36x24) for the same amount of coral with lots of room for each to grow. Also, I will keep this system sps only and have a second tank setup for shrooms and other incompatible species.