Tank of the Month - September 2007

Skipper · 09/02/2007, 12:09 PM

This month we are featuring Mike Leonard's (acropora nut) beautiful reef aquarium:

More details can be found here or by clicking on the picture above.

Congratulations, Mike!

If you'd like to nominate a tank
for Tank of the Month, click here
or use the button to the right.

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Carlos · 09/05/2007, 01:15 PM

Congrats Mike. Awesome tank!!!!

Azazael13 · 09/06/2007, 12:21 PM

very very nice tank. Did I miss in the article how often you change your bulbs?

NoValidTitle · 09/06/2007, 12:22 PM

Congrats

Chef Reef · 09/06/2007, 12:24 PM

simply amazing. i wish i could afford to have the stuff you have.. im so jealous...

green_frogspawn · 09/06/2007, 12:44 PM

i love it! well worth the wait for the pics and behind the scenes knowledge

tom obrecht · 09/06/2007, 01:14 PM

One word says it all...AWESOME! You gave me the sps bug again!

Gobie74 · 09/06/2007, 01:53 PM

Good god that is an amazing tank. Grats on TOTM, you deserve it.

markandkristen · 09/06/2007, 02:17 PM

probably one of the best to come on TOM .i like the way you explained what you do and why ...

mccrat · 09/06/2007, 02:29 PM

Absolutley beautiful!
Congrats!

Hendersonracing · 09/06/2007, 02:45 PM

you had mentioned about magnesium chips???? in the calcium reactor...how do these work and were would I get some from????

oh yeah great job on TOTM....

Dudester · 09/06/2007, 02:52 PM

Beautiful tank, of course, but also a very nice write-up. I was surprised to read that you clean out your 100 micron filter sock only once per week. How filthy is it at that time? I was always under the impression that they should be cleaned daily. Whatever, it's obviously working for you!

KEEPERZ · 09/06/2007, 02:56 PM

raskal311 · 09/06/2007, 02:59 PM

WOW~!~~!~!~!

BlitzK · 09/06/2007, 03:13 PM

Awesome tank!

Do you have any pictures of your corals that haven't been edited/corrected so much?

carnavor · 09/06/2007, 03:52 PM

hey mike tank looks great,
on the skimming , i also used a mrc double beckett skimmer,
i add a algae turf scrubber 10 months ago, and it out preforms my skimmer, my skimmer has stoped produceing foam. i just scrape my screen weekly, much easer chore than the skimmer. check it out at my gallery.

reefing102 · 09/06/2007, 04:17 PM

spectacular tank, great job

JRaquatics · 09/06/2007, 05:49 PM

Congrats... Mike. Great article and pics. One of the BEST TOTM article to date. I hope one day my tank will look like yours.

johnvu713 · 09/06/2007, 05:51 PM

awesome...how you clean your acrylic glass without getting any scratches?

cutnup · 09/06/2007, 06:19 PM

nice tank mike..nice turf scrubber carnavor

kangym · 09/06/2007, 06:55 PM

Great set up and Incredible coral growth! Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

acropora nut · 09/06/2007, 06:58 PM

Thank you again everyone for the nomination and all the support. This is a really big deal for me and I am really excited for everyone to read the article and see the great pictures Jim and Renee took. I had some really incredible help putting this all together and can't thank those people enough.

I will try to answer everyone's questions as fast and as thoroughly as possible. I will be happy to help anyone in need of advice, always glad to pass on what I have learned.

Thanks again!

Mike

acropora nut · 09/06/2007, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Carlos
Congrats Mike. Awesome tank!!!!

Thx's Carlos...How's the tank????

Mike

FunkieReefJunkie · 09/06/2007, 07:04 PM

Beautiful and vibrant! Absolutely all out gorgeous. Hats of to you.

hahnmeister · 09/06/2007, 07:14 PM

That 'Multi-Colored' Wrasse isnt on the list anywhere, but I thought you might want to know, from the picture, I would recognize that bugger anywhere.... its a Temmincki Fairy Wrasse.

Yours looks just like mine... nasty little bugger too! Nothing 'fairy' about males from this species.

And the 'Orange Fish' is a Bodianus bimaculatus, or Yellow Candy Hogfish.

Love the colors of all your critters and corals BTW... looks like you have a good start there...

09/05/2007, 01:15 PM	#2
Carlos RC Mod Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Melrose Park, IL Posts: 7,210	Congrats Mike. Awesome tank!!!! __________________ Carlos RC Staff "Only a fool wants to hear the echo of his own voice." "What do you want for nothing? rrrrrrubber biscuit?" Current Tank Info: 300 gal system - 180 gal, 50 gal sump, 60 gal prop tank, Geo Skimmer, Geo Calcium Reactor, Aquacontroller III, 3 250 Watt HQI 14.5K Megachrome Lights

09/06/2007, 12:21 PM	#3
Azazael13 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tallahassee Florida Posts: 434	very very nice tank. Did I miss in the article how often you change your bulbs? __________________ Percula Clownfish Current Tank Info: 55 Salt and 35 Hex Fresh

09/06/2007, 12:44 PM	#6
green_frogspawn Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 357	i love it! well worth the wait for the pics and behind the scenes knowledge __________________ Dolphins. They think they're so cute. Oh, look at me, I'm a flippy little dolphin, let me flip for you Current Tank Info: 4x2x2

09/06/2007, 01:14 PM	#7
tom obrecht Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 1,811	One word says it all...AWESOME! You gave me the sps bug again! __________________ Reef keeping is where Murphy's Law and your bank account collide!! Current Tank Info: I'M OUT!

09/06/2007, 01:53 PM	#8
Gobie74 Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South Windsor, CT Posts: 503	Good god that is an amazing tank. Grats on TOTM, you deserve it. __________________ How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges? Current Tank Info: 150 gallon RR AGA, Deltec AP600, Velocity T4, 2 Vortech Pumps with WWD, 72" AquaIllumination LED lighting, Corallife Calcium Rx

09/06/2007, 12:22 PM	#4
NoValidTitle Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bristol, PA Posts: 29	Congrats

09/06/2007, 12:24 PM	#5
Chef Reef Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Hallandale, FL Posts: 2,189	simply amazing. i wish i could afford to have the stuff you have.. im so jealous...

09/06/2007, 02:17 PM	#9
markandkristen Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Lakeland, fl Posts: 3,960	probably one of the best to come on TOM .i like the way you explained what you do and why ... __________________ Dont yah just love LFS ...'That sohal would look lovely in that 10 gallon you were looking at. All you need is a skilter filter some salt and you can take her home tonight..... Current Tank Info: 150 Gallon 2x 250 watt radium on Aro Bal. eheim 1260 return. euroreef rc-135 mesh modded eheim 1048 for feed pump Magnum 350 for carbon and p04 remover

09/06/2007, 02:29 PM	#10
mccrat Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Airdrie, Alberta Posts: 95	Absolutley beautiful! Congrats!

09/06/2007, 02:45 PM	#11
Hendersonracing Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,666	you had mentioned about magnesium chips???? in the calcium reactor...how do these work and were would I get some from???? oh yeah great job on TOTM....

09/06/2007, 02:52 PM	#12
Dudester Team RC Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,292	Beautiful tank, of course, but also a very nice write-up. I was surprised to read that you clean out your 100 micron filter sock only once per week. How filthy is it at that time? I was always under the impression that they should be cleaned daily. Whatever, it's obviously working for you! __________________ The Dude abides Current Tank Info: building a new home tank l 450g office tank with Deltec everything

09/06/2007, 02:56 PM	#13
KEEPERZ Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: LAS VEGAS Posts: 994

09/06/2007, 02:59 PM	#14
raskal311 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Huntington Beach Posts: 4,931	WOW~!~~!~!~!

09/06/2007, 03:13 PM	#15
BlitzK Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Florida Posts: 957	Awesome tank! Do you have any pictures of your corals that haven't been edited/corrected so much?

09/06/2007, 03:52 PM	#16
carnavor Moved On Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Douglassville, PA Posts: 128	hey mike tank looks great, on the skimming , i also used a mrc double beckett skimmer, i add a algae turf scrubber 10 months ago, and it out preforms my skimmer, my skimmer has stoped produceing foam. i just scrape my screen weekly, much easer chore than the skimmer. check it out at my gallery.

09/06/2007, 04:17 PM	#17
reefing102 Who am I here? Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Mt. Vernon, Ohio Posts: 1,090	spectacular tank, great job __________________ Shane RC Rules F&Q Lounger Life's a climb... but the view is great. "Never argue with an idiot, they'll drag you down to their level, and beat you with experience." - Debi ____________________________________________________________ Current Tank Info: 20 Gallon Long; Filtration - Magnum 250 (carbon), 10-15 lbs LR, 15 lbs LS; Lights - 96W T5 HO; Flow - around 1780 Total GPH (MJ 400 Mod & 900 plus 250 GPH from Magnum)

09/06/2007, 05:49 PM	#18
JRaquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: On RC Posts: 5,520	Congrats... Mike. Great article and pics. One of the BEST TOTM article to date. I hope one day my tank will look like yours. __________________ Supplier of Specialty Reef Products for Your Saltwater Obsession ReefSpecialty.com \| Call 435-671-6522 for Sales and Tech Support Current Tank Info: 180 Gal, 75 gal Sump/Fuge, Super Reef Octopus 5000 skimmer, ATB Econo 840 skimmer, 3 SE 250 Reeflux Bulbs in Lumen Bright mini reflectors, CoralVue E-ballasts, 3 Vortechs, Geo 618 CR, ACjr

09/06/2007, 05:51 PM	#19
johnvu713 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: houston Posts: 622	awesome...how you clean your acrylic glass without getting any scratches?

09/06/2007, 06:19 PM	#20
cutnup Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Vero Beach Florida Posts: 560	nice tank mike..nice turf scrubber carnavor

09/06/2007, 06:55 PM	#21
kangym Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: CA Posts: 146	Great set up and Incredible coral growth! Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

09/06/2007, 06:58 PM	#22
acropora nut RC Sponsor Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 631	THANK YOU Thank you again everyone for the nomination and all the support. This is a really big deal for me and I am really excited for everyone to read the article and see the great pictures Jim and Renee took. I had some really incredible help putting this all together and can't thank those people enough. I will try to answer everyone's questions as fast and as thoroughly as possible. I will be happy to help anyone in need of advice, always glad to pass on what I have learned. Thanks again! Mike

09/06/2007, 07:04 PM	#24
FunkieReefJunkie Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: TotallyLostItville Posts: 737	Beautiful and vibrant! Absolutely all out gorgeous. Hats of to you. __________________ May everyone be happy, May everyone be free from misery, May no one ever be separated from their happiness, May everyone have equanimity, free from hatred and attachment. Current Tank Info: In progress... till infinity. 400 gallon display with 200 sump.

09/06/2007, 07:14 PM	#25
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,937	That 'Multi-Colored' Wrasse isnt on the list anywhere, but I thought you might want to know, from the picture, I would recognize that bugger anywhere.... its a Temmincki Fairy Wrasse. Yours looks just like mine... nasty little bugger too! Nothing 'fairy' about males from this species. And the 'Orange Fish' is a Bodianus bimaculatus, or Yellow Candy Hogfish. Love the colors of all your critters and corals BTW... looks like you have a good start there...