Our AMAZING day in reefer heaven!

[masterswimmer]

I'd like to take a moment to thank Sanjay for extending his gracious hospitality and giving us a personal tour of his amazing reef, both at his home and at Penn State University. We had an opportunity to view an unbelievable number of rare and LE corals :biggrin:

Here's a very brief and unjust pictorial of his home system. Believe me when I say, the pix do ABSOLUTELY NO JUSTICE to the colors in his display.

Thanks again Sanjay, and without further ado...............

 

[masterswimmer]

And here's the Penn State tank (please try to ignore the lighting glare in the top down shots (I tried to block the lights without success)). What I wanted to show in the top down pix are the density of the corals. Notice you cannot see a single rock. The front view shows how big the colonies are. BTW, so that you can gain perspective, this tank is 500 gallons:

 

[daisy]

Must have been very, very cool to see that!

In the last pic, the tips of the corals are out of the water - how does this impact these corals? does it encourage lateral growth (is that possible?)?

 

[SlamaJama]

sanjays been holding out on us, i think he needs to invite us to a frgging party...no worries i have brand new clippers....lol
sweet collection!

 

[jhale]

I love the open areas in Sanjays tank. Plenty of room for the corals to grow in. which looks like something he learned from the Penn tank, omg that's dense!

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

WOW!!! Penn State I pass by in July on vacation I get some frags? Sorry talk later going to look at pics again!

Oh and Daisy they say that many corals on the reefs that are close to the shore are exposed to air many times at low tide with no ill effect on the coral except minor die off if that helps answer your question.

 

[zahner]

wow great shots! how long has that Penn tank been up?

 

[yiliyang]

Quick, those acros are growing out of the water, lets try to save those tips by making 20 frags.

 

[TimberTDI]

no worries i have brand new clippers

Leave the clippers home, you're gonna need one of these bad boys...

 

[masterswimmer]

Must have been very, very cool to see that!

In the last pic, the tips of the corals are out of the water - how does this impact these corals? does it encourage lateral growth (is that possible?)?

Good observation Tahl. However, the tips are only above the water surface because Sanjay turned off the return pumps so we could have a clearer top down view. If you look at the same staghorn pic in the FTS and the 2nd pic in the Penn State post, you'll see the tips are below the water surface.

Nice try everyone, I don't think we need to save his corals..... even though we did offer to 'thin out the herd' :biggrin:

The tank has been running since 1999. It started as a class gift from that years' graduating class.

Jon, the forethought that went into Sanjays' home system was very apparent. The open space for growout and swimming room is awesome. The tunnels that you can only see in person run completely through the LR structures. The amount of flow is unimpeded with all these tunnels. The placement of corals looks perfect. He placed a huge green slimer way in the back, down low, offering it room to explode. Just amazing planning went into it.

Russ

 

[fritz]

I bet everyone is wondering, what bulb ballast combo is he using?

Fantastic thread guys I hope there are more pictures to come.

 

[cali_reef]

Nice trip and pictures Russ!! I know you have more pictures .

In the last pic, the tips of the corals are out of the water - how does this impact these corals? does it encourage lateral growth (is that possible?)?

I am pretty sure they turn off the return pump so he can take clear pictures, the water level must have drop to allow the tips of these corals to show.

The tips will have dead spots as they grow out of the water, the tips then grows laterally following the water surface.

 

[bad coffee]

sweeeeeet.

 

[prattreef]

The answer to the lighting question is.....
On the home tank he is running 400W Giesmann Coral SE lamps in Luminarcs with Ice Cap ballasts

On Penn State 400W SE XM 10K in Luminarcs on tar ballasts.

No supplements on either tank.

And as has been stated both systems are totally awesome in every way.

Randy

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

The pic of all of you in front of the tank is priceless, like kids in a candy store

 

[[JWS]wasabi]

holy poopers. thats one crazy awesome rig.

 

[House of Laughter]

I took a few as well

The Nittny Lion Tank

 

[House of Laughter]

. . . and Sanjay's AMazing Reef

Here it is, a few extras
House

 

[Zuska]

wherre is this place??

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

wherre is this place??

Penn State University