therman's 40B SPS tank, TOTM Oct 2001 and reef nostalgia thread

[therman]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Yeah, my last rimless tank was 36x36x18 and it was awesome. I just went with a shallower tank this time around as I wanted maximum light penetration. How are your led's doing? Here's a pic of my acrylic mesh top. I had PicoAquariums custom make it for me and it came out nice.

My LEDs are good. I've got 4 fixtures I built running now, anywhere from 44 to 156 Crees. With 25 degree optics I can grow acros on the floor underneath the bare bottom tank

That is a slick lid. I will admit it looks better than my window screen frame.

[A. Grandis]

Those chats on mIRC were great!! I've learned so much!!! Dial tone internet!!
I remember the best paper magazine ever: Aquarium Frontiers!!!!!!
I also liked Marine Fish Monthly and FAMA!
Another very good product was those AquaC skimmers!!
I've got one to run on my 125gal. to come!!
The books were so informative and full of scientific info.
Meetings were more serious, but fun at the same time.
The learning process was incredible towards the chemistry and biology aspects of the hobby.
There was less showing offs and more friendship/sharing info and organisms back then.
It seemed that everyone was heading towards a goal as one, to keep the corals at best.
The business was alive but at the same time there were no abusive/ ridiculous prices.
If there was any hard to find coral, the natural tendency was to spread frags to friends (for free!!!) so that species would be safe if something would happen to that tank.
There were not many frag tanks. The displays were full of colonies and some frags donated by friends to become colonies soon!!

Good wonderful magic times!!!

More pics please!

Grandis.

[Carlos]

Holy Crap, Sang is back!!! This means he will use stuff for 6 months and then I can buy it off of him cheap!!!!

[ganjero]

Awesome tank, love the looks of a mature (nutrient rich, most likely this one) reef tank much better than the barebottom ULNS (not that there is anything wrong with those)

Three MJ 1200 with a Red Sea Wavemaster Pro for better circulation. That would never work in today's standards

[Jeremy B.]

Wow, what a nostalgic thread, love it! I'm very happy therman's TOTM listing was found as well, as I too was told that everything prior to 2/2002 was lost.

Had no idea Tracy Gray had a store in California as well...



I've looked at his TOTM posting about as much as I did therman's when I could still access it:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...totm/index.php

[Jeremy B.]

Some more awesome pictures of TOTM back then....

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Carlos

Holy Crap, Sang is back!!! This means he will use stuff for 6 months and then I can buy it off of him cheap!!!!

LMAO! My reputation follows me everywhere!! What's up Los!! I haven't seen you in a looooong time, bud!

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Jeremy B.

Wow, what a nostalgic thread, love it! I'm very happy therman's TOTM listing was found as well, as I too was told that everything prior to 2/2002 was lost.

Had no idea Tracy Gray had a store in California as well...



I've looked at his TOTM posting about as much as I did therman's when I could still access it:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...totm/index.php

Tracy has a store in CA? Woa, what's the name of it?

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by A. Grandis

Those chats on mIRC were great!! I've learned so much!!! Dial tone internet!!
I remember the best paper magazine ever: Aquarium Frontiers!!!!!!
I also liked Marine Fish Monthly and FAMA!
Another very good product was those AquaC skimmers!!
I've got one to run on my 125gal. to come!!
The books were so informative and full of scientific info.
Meetings were more serious, but fun at the same time.
The learning process was incredible towards the chemistry and biology aspects of the hobby.
There was less showing offs and more friendship/sharing info and organisms back then.
It seemed that everyone was heading towards a goal as one, to keep the corals at best.
The business was alive but at the same time there were no abusive/ ridiculous prices.
If there was any hard to find coral, the natural tendency was to spread frags to friends (for free!!!) so that species would be safe if something would happen to that tank.
There were not many frag tanks. The displays were full of colonies and some frags donated by friends to become colonies soon!!

Good wonderful magic times!!!

More pics please!

Grandis.

Yep, I used to chat on MIRC all the time back in the days!

[A. Grandis]

I have a little time only to come to the forums this week and I've promised myself I would just see the posts for a while and be quiet here. LOL!

I have to tell: you guys have no idea how much I love this thread!!
It's like coming back in time!!
I miss that so much! I feel like crying!
I felt like I stopped breading couple of time here while reading and seeing the pics.
I didn't feel like that since then.
Hope you know what I'm talking about.
Thanks very much! Please keep them coming!!!
That also makes me feel younger!!!!
Thank you!!!

Grandis.

[therman]

I thought he had a store. Maybe he was just hanging out in a store with Tyree...kind of warehouse-like if I remember correctly. I will admit my memory of that CA trip is a little hazy...maybe Los or Ramon remember better.

[therman]

Because I promised pictures...sorry been a busy couple of days.

One of my favorite things about the tank, spawning mandarins:

[therman]

And I miss this fish immensely

[Carlos]

Originally Posted by therman

And I miss this fish immensely

Ha! I forgot about the "Kickass Blenny"

[Carlos]

Originally Posted by therman

I thought he had a store. Maybe he was just hanging out in a store with Tyree...kind of warehouse-like if I remember correctly. I will admit my memory of that CA trip is a little hazy...maybe Los or Ramon remember better.

I remember Ramon could not go with us so someone else took us there. I remember we hit the store and Tyre and Tracy were there waiting for us. You brought in a couple of monti frags for them and they were all over them I remember. There was not much to see at the store as they had just experienced an accident with one of the main tanks. That part of the trip was a blurr.

Oh!!! Adrianne used to work there so she gave us the tour as well. Maybe I should email her so she can chime in and remember what happened.

[griss]

Tim, look what you did. All these old reefers coming out of the woodwork. Good to see all you guys again.

[fishinchick]

I remember seeing Tracy Grays tank in person before the crash. Even with all the things I've seen over the years, I think back on that system, it's fish and corals and .... I'm still pretty impressed with it. Losing that would have affected me like the loss of losing a child. Probably more since the tank doesnt talk back ... or keep moving back into my house ....

I can't believe you guys are dragging me out of my horse ranch induced happyness to mess about with this reef thing again. Why.

PS: Waiting for my daughter to move out and Aquaman is going to set up the 65 again ... this time, he's got a rimless. But I'm being a ... well .... "insistent me" and making him keep the canopy on it somehow.

There's NO skool like the OLD skool

Good to see you boys are all still alive and doing well .... We are all staying out of trouble, yes?

[fishinchick]

RIF .... The store was not so much Steve or Tracys. It belonged to a guy by the name of Andrew. He originally owned the office space Steve was in, then rented another store a few doors down. One space was the actual retail store and where he built his stands and canopies he sold, and the one Steve operated out of was simply for frags and corals being sold online, holding tanks, etc.

If I remember right, I believe eventually Andrew sold or gave Steve the store. There's some drama with someone that was supposed to be a partner with them in all that mess but I dont recall details other than he was a douchebag, I told him off (shocker) in regards to his lack of skill in reef keeping ability, said douchebag turned to Steve for support and Steve said "She's rarely wrong" and left it at that.

Kinda miss chatting with you guys ... I'm so busy these days ... but I do think back on our Friday night chats with deciphering Phillstone and Dwayne handing out rope lights and programs at the door.

[likefish]

just read the archive TOTM thread. WOW 400W of MH over a 40 breeder! That photo period was used with that much light?

Very impressive in its simplicity!

[therman]

400W of MH plus 440W of VHO

I think it was close to 12 hrs VHO, 8 or 10 MH. Might be in the Paletta book, I don't have it handy.

[therman]

Originally Posted by likefish

Very impressive in its simplicity!

I'm not sure I'd describe this as "simplicity"....also proof that a functional SPS tank doesn't have to be loaded with fancy expensive equipment

The Aquaclear added quite a bit of laminar flow and acted kind of like a sump, the 3 maxi jets on the Wavemaster added the randomness.


Lights off top down...corals still had some growing to do when this photo was taken

[Amphiprion]

Wow, those years were indeed good times in the hobby. In my area, it was far more niche and far less mainstream at the time. That, like most things, was both good and bad, but it was all fun nonetheless.

Tim, your tank was an inspiration every time I saw it, along with Chuck F "mtndewman's" tank and several others. I was surprised to see pics of them both resurfacing. Even today, they are still inspiring to me. Thanks for the nostalgia!

[Maximus]

Adrienne, long time no see!! How ya doing?

[therman]

Red and blue "superman" table in the year 2000.

[Nanook]

Tim, got love that top off Not much could go wrong there That tank was amazing...i modeled my 58g SPS tank off that with the lighting...talk about some heat!

Adrienne, great to see you Say hello to Aquaman as well.