Lets see your reef tank(s)!

[dtool242]

I know there has got to be a few people on here that have the expensive reef tank habit. So show them off!

Here are two I had before I had to move. Been contemplating lately on setting another up sometime.

26 gallon bowfront tank when I first set it up


And then after about 2.5 years, last pictures before I tore it down.




And my 72 gallon bowfront I set up to make an SPS tank

Initial setup


And after about 1.5 years of operation before I tore it down






Oh ya, and I had a 6 gallon tank set up on the kitchen counter

[livi]

Thats beautiful! I am also considering starting again. I never had salt water but I am intrigued. I used to breed Discus.

[Drdogface]

Very cool. I've been tempted many times to start one...esp. after living in Thailand and diving every weekend for a couple years. Love those clown fish and wish I had some. Are they hearty ?

[Joeaksa]

Very nice! Am not going to ask the cost!

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Very nice! Am not going to ask the cost!

Probably cheaper than if they had fish.

Very nice.

[Drdogface]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Very nice! Am not going to ask the cost!

Yeah, I'm sure they are spendy to start and maintain. Sometimes I just go look at local stores. When I was in practice some of my clients had really great ones.. No, did not treat fish, but some Vets do...

[dtool242]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Very nice! Am not going to ask the cost!

That's the first cardinal rule of any hobby, NEVER keep track of how much you are spending on it.

If I had to estimate, the 72 gallon tank cost me over $10K for equipment and livestock. And that was with having a buddy as a manager at a fish store. I do know my electric bill dropped over $100 a month when I shut down the reef tanks. And not just a lot of $ but a lot of time spent in upkeep.

And no, a fish only tank is waaaaay cheaper. I only needed to feed this guy about once a week.



And he certainly didn't need 700 watts of lighting, a calcium reactor, a chiller, etc. etc.

[Drdogface]

Wow...nasty lookin' sucker...what is it ?

[dtool242]

A miniatus grouper. He certainly had a lot of character. Many times when you came near the tank, he would charge at you with his mouth open like that. When I got him he was less than 2" long and probably over 10" long when I gave him away. Another gratuitous shot of Groovie Mann.

[Drdogface]

Very cool fish. The look on his face in the first pic says 'Don't F... with me bro'...lol.

[klm2500hd]

The latest setup, 180 gallon / 30 gallon (plus 2 more 30's inside the stand for filtration). Started 20 some years ago.

Full view


Soft corals


Big tank left


Big tank right

[masraum]

Wow, cool stuff guys.

[Nathans_Dad]

I have a small saltwater tank, 29 gallons. Only been up for about 5 months so far, having some brown algae issues so don't want to post a pic just yet. Trying to decide between fish and reef right now, originally wanted to do reef but now I'm not so sure.

[autobonrun]

I've been into salt water fish since the mid 80's. Went the full reef tank route 8 years ago. The tank has never been down. At one point it was so balanced, I never fed the fish. The lived off the critters and algae that grew in it for years. I think the few fish I had finally croaked from old age; not starvation.

Here's some of the inhabitants.

[dtool242]

Hey KLM, where in IL are you. I might have to get some frags from you when I start up a tank again. BTW, I like how that plating monti is covering up the overflow slots on the left side of your tank. I had the same problem, those things grow like weeds and it's hard to chip it off that plastic surface.

Anybody have any overhead shots of thier tanks? I think everything looks so much better from overhead, but it's so hard to capture in a camera with the glare of the lights.

[willtel]

My old one before I drained it.


P1010017 by willtel, on Flickr

ncn by willtel, on Flickr

[Drdogface]

All you guys have really great stuff here... !!!

[dtool242]

C'mon, anybody else? There has got to be more reef tank owners on here.