Congratulations to Sunny as our Spring 2013 MR Tank of the Season with his 350G Reef !!
What does being chosen as MR TOTS (Tank of the Season) mean to you?
I think it is a great honor to be a part of the elite club. However, I have always maintained that this hobby can be tricky at times. No one knows everything about this hobby and things can change overnight.
So give in your best and hope for the best.
How did you get involved in fish keeping?
In 2006 my son who was 6 at the time, wanted a dog. I was in no way ready for one. So I made a deal with him that till he is able to take care of a dog by himself, I would buy him a fish bowl.
We went to Walmart and bought a 10G complete kit. I did some reading and decided that I would not go with betta or goldfish. Instead I got him 2 African Cichlids. Well, in 3 months that 10G evolved into a 75G and then into a 150G.
Once I perfected the freshwater tank, I started reading about saltwater. I read for about 18 months before taking the plunge. The first SW tank I setup was in 2008 and it was 150G. I had mixed luck like everyone.
I fought hair algae, ich etc and almost gave up. I am glad I did not. In 2010 I decided to consolidate my 3 SW tanks into one, and that was the birth of my 350G setup
What equipment do you run on your tank?
Skimmer - Reef Octopus 8000xp
Sump - 150G custom
Fuge - 40G breeder
Flow - 1 MP60wes and 2 Mp40wes. 2 Koralia Magnum 8 buried in the rock work.
Dosing - BRS 2 part.
ATO - Tunze Osmolator
No Chiller.
Controller - Neptune Apex
Light - Fathom LED
What?s your husbandry like?
100G WC every 2 weeks.
Salt - Aquavitro Salinity
No GFO and No Carbon
Do you plan to change anything about your system in the future?
Nope. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
How would you best describe your reef?
Heavily Dominated SPS reef.
You have lots of fish in there..what are they?
Tangs - Gem, Mustard, Achilles, Powder Blue, Chocolate Mimic, Yellow Belly Hippo (2), Fowleri, Blonde Naso
Angels - Bellus Pair, Watanabie Pair, Red Sea Regal
Wrasses - Rhomboid pair, Lineatus Pair, Flame Pair, Radiant, Leopard, Labouti, Red Tail Tamarin (3 female)
Anthias - Bartlet Harem (2 males and 7 females)
I also have - Magnificent Foxface, Green Chromis, Reef Blue Chromis
Do you have a favorite fish, if so, why?
I love my Mustard Tang and Red Sea Regal. They both are very active and add a lot of character to the tank. Eats everything
Does anyone else in your family have an interest in the hobby?
My son who is now 13 is the babysitter of the tank now. He is the one who feeds the tank and keeps up with daily maintenance such as cleaning algae, dosing additives if needed.
I have setup a 180G FOWLR for him and I plan to train him to do everything for that tank including water changes. Well, we will see how it goes.
What has Manhattan Reefs contributed to your enjoyment of the hobby?
I joined MR very late in the game. However, the respect and reputation that the fellow reefers at MR gave me, is priceless. I met some very knowledgeable reefers on this site and that is something that I will always cherish.
Any final thoughts you?d like to add?
I would just reiterate that this hobby can be very frustrating and less rewarding at times. The key is to not lose hope and be patient. Nothing in this hobby happens overnight and once you come to terms with that, you are a winner.
Every tank is different and no one can claim to know it all. It is a constant learning curve. I also believe that luck plays a part in this hobby sometimes. So do the best you can, be it fish or corals and when in doubt ASK.
All Photo Credits: House of Laughter - thanks Jim!!
What does being chosen as MR TOTS (Tank of the Season) mean to you?
I think it is a great honor to be a part of the elite club. However, I have always maintained that this hobby can be tricky at times. No one knows everything about this hobby and things can change overnight.
So give in your best and hope for the best.
How did you get involved in fish keeping?
In 2006 my son who was 6 at the time, wanted a dog. I was in no way ready for one. So I made a deal with him that till he is able to take care of a dog by himself, I would buy him a fish bowl.
We went to Walmart and bought a 10G complete kit. I did some reading and decided that I would not go with betta or goldfish. Instead I got him 2 African Cichlids. Well, in 3 months that 10G evolved into a 75G and then into a 150G.
Once I perfected the freshwater tank, I started reading about saltwater. I read for about 18 months before taking the plunge. The first SW tank I setup was in 2008 and it was 150G. I had mixed luck like everyone.
I fought hair algae, ich etc and almost gave up. I am glad I did not. In 2010 I decided to consolidate my 3 SW tanks into one, and that was the birth of my 350G setup
What equipment do you run on your tank?
Skimmer - Reef Octopus 8000xp
Sump - 150G custom
Fuge - 40G breeder
Flow - 1 MP60wes and 2 Mp40wes. 2 Koralia Magnum 8 buried in the rock work.
Dosing - BRS 2 part.
ATO - Tunze Osmolator
No Chiller.
Controller - Neptune Apex
Light - Fathom LED
What?s your husbandry like?
100G WC every 2 weeks.
Salt - Aquavitro Salinity
No GFO and No Carbon
Do you plan to change anything about your system in the future?
Nope. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
How would you best describe your reef?
Heavily Dominated SPS reef.
You have lots of fish in there..what are they?
Tangs - Gem, Mustard, Achilles, Powder Blue, Chocolate Mimic, Yellow Belly Hippo (2), Fowleri, Blonde Naso
Angels - Bellus Pair, Watanabie Pair, Red Sea Regal
Wrasses - Rhomboid pair, Lineatus Pair, Flame Pair, Radiant, Leopard, Labouti, Red Tail Tamarin (3 female)
Anthias - Bartlet Harem (2 males and 7 females)
I also have - Magnificent Foxface, Green Chromis, Reef Blue Chromis
Do you have a favorite fish, if so, why?
I love my Mustard Tang and Red Sea Regal. They both are very active and add a lot of character to the tank. Eats everything
Does anyone else in your family have an interest in the hobby?
My son who is now 13 is the babysitter of the tank now. He is the one who feeds the tank and keeps up with daily maintenance such as cleaning algae, dosing additives if needed.
I have setup a 180G FOWLR for him and I plan to train him to do everything for that tank including water changes. Well, we will see how it goes.
What has Manhattan Reefs contributed to your enjoyment of the hobby?
I joined MR very late in the game. However, the respect and reputation that the fellow reefers at MR gave me, is priceless. I met some very knowledgeable reefers on this site and that is something that I will always cherish.
Any final thoughts you?d like to add?
I would just reiterate that this hobby can be very frustrating and less rewarding at times. The key is to not lose hope and be patient. Nothing in this hobby happens overnight and once you come to terms with that, you are a winner.
Every tank is different and no one can claim to know it all. It is a constant learning curve. I also believe that luck plays a part in this hobby sometimes. So do the best you can, be it fish or corals and when in doubt ASK.
All Photo Credits: House of Laughter - thanks Jim!!
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