MACNA XIX pictures!{Thread Of The Month}

[dc]

Originally posted by smmscott
Yes very lucky, Can't beat all new gear. That was tons of fun getting it out of there. We were there fairly late with the guy who won the 176 gallon with all the livestock. I am glad we got to meet alot of cool people and we will be there next year.

Hey, that's my tank. Need my address for delivery?

Congratulations to her. I would love one.

[j_chu]

Originally posted by original-reefland
ORA zero-edge cube display:



ORA zero-edge top-down:

this is a neat looking tank!!! i understand the water flows out all the edges. but where's the return???

[KEstep]

Originally posted by Sparkss
OK, now I really feel like I have been living under a rock. How do these reflectors compare to the LA IIIs ? Hard to tell overall size from the picture, what are the dimensions ?

Thanks in advance, and thanks to all who posted picts of the event for those of us who couldn't make it

i got mine through Coralvue.. I have two of the III's and one of these newer models. They said it was up to 16% brighter than the III. I did not think it would be that much but man I have a dimmer on my ballast and I had to dim it a good amount to make it match the other two. It is the same size as the III except that instead of being square it is hexagonal. If you are going to buy a III I suggest you get this newer one.

[IRISSERVICE]

Originally posted by Sparkss
OK, now I really feel like I have been living under a rock. How do these reflectors compare to the LA IIIs ? Hard to tell overall size from the picture, what are the dimensions ?

Thanks in advance, and thanks to all who posted picts of the event for those of us who couldn't make it

http://www.reefexotics.com/lumen_bright.htm

[bleedingthought]

Originally posted by Sparkss
I just got some background info on the "owner" of that design and think that we will pass. I did not realize who it was, but now I know. The last I heard they were in a lawsuit with PGS, the rightful owner of the LA patent over some very shady practices. I am not going to say any more since I don't know if he is an RC sponsor of what not and I don't want to get banned for posting negative things about him (even if they are fact).

That is if I am thinking of the same group/person.

I sure am glad that someone else here knows the story.

Shady doesn't begin to describe it. It just ain't right.

[Sparkss]

which is why we won't even put them over our tank. I can only hope that justice prevails and they pay (and then some). Don't forget the PGS guys are just a hope skip and a jump across the bridge here from us . I have met them more than once and we bought our LA IIIs directly from them, not that they would talk openly about any ongoing lawsuits (I had to get the dirt from other sources ). But yea, shady is being very generous. Outright criminal and in obscenely bad taste would be a more accurate portrayal

[BeanAnimal]

The pipefish were in one of Boyd's cubes. It was purchased by a local club member...

[melev]

Okay, I have a bunch more pictures done. If you guys want me to back off, let me know. Uploading 177 images to my server now.

[Baron]

Marc,

Where are they at on your site? I am probably blind? Thanks!

[melev]

I've not even begun to put them on my site. That is another whole day of my life I'll never get back. For now, I'm posting them all on RC first.

[melev]

Here's something I don't think was posted yet. The raffle on Sunday took place at 1pm. Whatever a person wanted to win, they could put the ticket(s) in the matching bucket. Here are some of the items.
Prodibio kits


Top Down photo boxes I made the night before I flew to MACNA


Fluidized reactor


Frag kit


Solaris LED light fixture

[melev]

Marco rock


Ani-Cati resin




Reef Nutrition booth - GreshamH on the far right


Salifert


Salifert USA rep


Salifert USA rep looking pretty. Resized to reduce blurry shot, but definitely still usable.


Sandy Shoupe, Reefkeeping author

[melev]

Here are a series of shots of the Zero-Edge $20,000 grand prize. I'm sure I have a few more pictures from Sunday, but I've not gotten that far through my images. On Sunday, the water was just about crystal clear. These are from Friday & Saturday. For those of you that don't know what Zero-Edge means, the water flows over the top edge on all 4 sides and pours into a gutter/tray. The water then drains down into a sump where it is filtered and pushed back up. The returns are under the rockwork. You view the tank through the water pouring down the outside, which is almost invisible. It is very interesting and calming, but a little tough to photograph.

The black box in the center of the tank is glued to the base of the tank, and is open from below. Two VorTech pumps were installed inside that box, providing flow while keeping the motors dry. Great idea!

[melev]

In this picture, if you look at the upper right corner, you can see how the water is overflowing but the very seam is staying dry. That would occur with a brand new tank, but as long as it is truly level and has had some time to break in, that stops.


Quick shot of the inside. Rich took better pictures of this.


I'd like some cold water snails from the bottom of the tank please.


The Euroreef-Salifert-Marine Depot-EcoTech Marine-Zero Edge-IceCap multibooth had several raffles over the three day conference. After you got a free ticket, you just had to show up and win. Well, you had to show up. Winning wasn't quite as easy.

Jeff filmed the craziness.








On Saturday, barista and baristo were there to care for your java needs.

[melev]

Here is the EcoTech Marine booth


The new wireless controller that talks to the other controllers. (Master to Slave, like harddrives, but wirelessly)




Here's a VorTech that is inside the tank, with the motor in a dry area. If you drilled the tank, you could run power cords down through the inside of that area from lighting hanging above.


Here's a brief video of the vortechs in action. It didn't come out as good as the one Mr. Crab posted. Remember, one controller is telling all three tanks what to do, and each one flows differently.
6 megs (Right Click, Save As to your harddrive to give my site a break vs streaming)

This is the new Euroreef Pico tank, made of glass with an auto top off compartment in the back.




Look at the tiny Euroreef skimmer! It is very easy to adjust by twisting that small pipe slightly.


And even these clams were happy.

[melev]

Elos had a nice booth, and some new toys. That guy is Jesse, the U.S. rep for Elos. Nick was here from Italy as well.


I love the clean look of their skimmers.


Look at the collection cup. It just sits on an O-ring!


The controller has a new plug in module. Now you can use the regular Elos test kits, but it will measure the results via light and provide you with the digital results on the controller. No more guessing what color it really is. The module is about $200. Since you don't need special test kits, that is a huge perk for those that already own the controller ($1500).


Controller software:


Like using UV? Emporer Aquatics: These guys take that seriously.


Look at this beast. I swear it belongs in a Mustang. Or a submarine!

[melev]

The online magazine Advanced Aquarist was there. This is the editor's wife, who likes to make tiny baskets, as seen in the picture. (Little known fact, right?)


Aqua FX provided all the top off water for the conference. Why didn't I think of that? I think that same unit was raffled off on Sunday.


Atlantis Custom Aquariums only had actinic lights on, so the pictures will be very groovy baby.










Blue Life USA had a booth again this year. I wanted one product, but they weren't selling from their booth.




This is the Bowtie Publications booth. Maybe it is just me, but shouldn't he be required to wear a bowtie?

[melev]

Aquarium Specialty tends to sell only the nicer products on the market. Here are a few shots from their booth.




Scott, the owner.












Sump with removable baffles and a neat blue glow from below.

[melev]

Boston Aqua Farms, with yet another vendor trying to dodge the camera for some reason.


Frag Exchange was next to them.


Random shot


Rock on, Boyd!






Brightwell Aquatics had a visually stunning booth.


Icecap booth


New dimmable ballast, perhaps. I just liked it because it was new and red.

[melev]

CPR Aquatics


This skimmer is supposed to just set into a glass tank, so you don't have to deal with baffles.


Directions never hurt.




Coral Magazine, past issues available.


Coral Frenzy


Nature's Ocean (Dr Mac's booth also shown somewhat)


I think he remembers us using his boxes for the human bowling video. LOL

[melev]

Coral Dynamics
















They also have the internet-ready Lighthouse Controller I'm interested in.

[melev]

Premium Aquatics. That's Jeremy in the P.A. shirt


bmwaaron brought home one of these babies on our plane.


Big skimmer...


...check out the pump!


New MJ mod kit - sold out quick.


Marine Depot


Ben, always grinning


Neptune Systems, with the new Aqua Surf on display


Two Little Fishies had mangroves for sale, as well as their normal products. I got a sample of Sea Veggies and my fish love 'em.

[melev]

Magnavore, famous for their cleaning magnet (imho)


Their Pura products.


Let me pause here for a second, as this got a little interesting. They had a Nitrate remover that was some type of resin. They took 30 minutes to explain it to me. One man was from Russia, the other was from (Poland?). We talked for a long time, as they stated nitrates would drop 50% each day. Once they were at the ideal level, remove it and recharge it with various acidic solutions. My head was swimming. I saw Boomer of the Chemistry forum and recruited him to go over there and make sense of it.

Then I went over to talk to Habib, who felt it couldn't work in saltwater. This is no slam on the Magnavore guys, but I'd prefer to use something that works and doesn't waste my time. Boomer came over to me later and we talked about it. I think his face says it all.


So I'm going to use AZNO3 as soon as I can get some.

Back to the booth. Because they did have something neat and I'm going to get it. This is their Fischer-Price sump, that allows you to assemble it in various configurations. Fun if you like that, but I tend to stick with one layout and reduce my workload. Note the thing the arrow is pointing to?


Here's that basket. It's really neat. Costs $50 retail.


The way it works, unscrew the blue lid, remove the mesh screen, and pour in your media (carbon, gfo, etc). At the base is another screen and another blue lid. The device can sit on the bottom of your sump, and using a powerhead (50-500gph), push water through the media. As detritus collects on the screen, you can pull the basket out of the base housing, flip it over and reinstall it to blow that detritus off the screen. Very handy, very easy to clean, and replacement screens come in a 6-pack.

Mr Coral, who had a cool looking Hummer wrapped with a reef scene in the parking lot




MarineLand / Instant Ocean


Oh, missed these two pictures. These are from Premium Aquatics, displaying the Tunze skimmer. That is the model number, not the price.


Actual price was $1500.

[melev]

This booth is The Coral Broker, who happens to be located in Arlington, Tx. I was really surprised, since I thought I knew all our local vendors. The owner is Don Burns, whom I've known from several fish stores over the years. This is his own mail order venture.




Adorable tiny clams. (remember, each square is 1/2" wide.








Jim from The Filter Guys. We took some time out to talk, and it really struck me how two competing RC sponsors can be absolutely great people and get along fine. That alone proves what nice people are in this hobby. It doesn't have to be cut-throat or political, imho.


The Fish Place, where I got a couple of beer glasses.


Ushio, with three panels in the background showing the spectrums


Huge 1000w bulb

[melev]

Ever heard of Sera? Me either.


Their master reef test kit, which didn't include Magnesium.


Something Fishy


I don't have any idea whom this Trigger was assigned to, but it was very pretty. It was next to the UV booth.




Tropic Marin


Under The Sea, a LFS north of Pittsburgh