SeanCallan

I managed to get my acro for $15 it was about the size of a baseball. Are there any stores around here who have brown outs or do you get them online?

I've had a very limited exposure to brown outs and I was curious why fewer reefers purchase brown outs. I may be misguided in my statement but the majority of the reading I've put in over the years when I had my tank and even after the fact usually turned up very few people purchasing brown outs. I'm not sure if there are vendors in the area who would be willing to sell them, but I know I for one would love to get a hold of a few little colonies when I have my tank up and running. I had the opportunity (a while ago) to acquire a brown out tabling acro which eventually turned into an amazing piece: Purple base with green tips and red polyps. Any reason why most people stay clear of brown outs?

Alright, no problem I'll check out the link whenever they set me up. Maybe once I've been accepted into the ranks we can find a way to automate that process; doesn't take much of an reason for me to write code.

Yeah, I need to go ahead and do that since I'm getting serious about jumping back in the hobby. I'll probably take care of that after work today. Done.

I thought I had sent him a PM previously but my sent box is telling me I'm a crazy person. I'll shoot him a quick PM and see if he has time to discuss a tank. Thanks!

I've finally managed to budget for a tank setup and but I'd like to try acrylic this time around. Right now I'm not in the market for a huge tank, I'd prefer something between 30-50g for an SPS only tank. I was originally thinking about a cube to get the most benefits from a MH but I'm open to ideas if anyone has any recommendations. I used to run a 12g softie nano and a 75g SPS/LPS w/ a 50g refuge when I lived in GA. I've got a fair amount of knowledge about the hobby but I need to brush up. I enjoyed my previous tanks but they lacked things I was really looking for like external overflows and drilling. This time around I'd like to put more thought and planning into the tank and hopefully get it drilled to really cut down on the equipment visible in the display. Are there any stores or vendors you recommend working with? I'm in the Alexandria area if it matters but I'm willing to pick up a tank. Thanks,

Heres my idea for the rock work to disguise the CL intakes and returns. The island would not be nearly as tall as the rear wall structure. The two forward returns would use loc-line to direct the flow towards the rear wall ensuring the coral there get the best flow possible. Some parts: Sequence 1000 #3200 1200-3200gph on the CL Ocean Motion 4-way (squirt?) Mag Drive Supreme 18 1800gph on the sump return 14K 250w MH pendant to start (maybe VHO supp. later) I'd plan on starting with about 50lbs of LR and adding more to achieve the aquascaping I have in mind, but right now I'm not sure how much it'll take. I have a custom build Beckett skimmer rated at 250g but it might be worth looking at a venturi. Never actually got to use the skimmer, it's got a tiny crack I need to patch. I plan on dosing 2-part initially to keep the cost down on equipment. This week I hope to send out some emails and get some quotes on the tank so I can figure out how much of my budget I have left to dedicate to extras like an AQIII. So far I've estimate the start up at about $2,500.00 not sure how accurate that'll be in the end, but it's an idea.

Think of it as an investment. Awesome! SCUBA is amazing.

Yeah, I've never been out to the NC wrecks but I've heard great things about them. I'll have to get my WAMAS membership so I can find the thread. Let me use your money.

All the divers I know are located in and around GA/FL so I'm looking for some possible dive buddies up here in the DC area. I've got my SSI Adv Open Water with specialties: limited visibility/night, deep, nav, boat, photo, and a couple others. Looking to get my nitrox, wreck, and cave certifications this year if anyone else is interested. I'm up for just about any kind of diving, with the only exception being ice diving, that's too darn cold for me.

Yeah, I was talking to Tonkadawg about that earlier and I think I'll definitely go with the 30x30x24. I am vertically challenged as well. Stole some my ideas from yauger's thread. I removed the labels because they were distracting. The top 2 rear bulkheads as well as the 2 on the bottom towards the front would be OM4 CL returns. The 2 on the bottom rear would be OM4 CL intake. The lower back bulkheads would be sump returns. This is just an initial design, nothing is set in stone.

Hi Matt, I'm excited about getting back into the hobby. To answer your questions: I was going to go with a OM4 but I'm not 100% on any one pump. I'm not really sure what kind of flow I should be considering for a cube of this size. Recommendations are welcomed. I'm not really looking for a DSB for filtration, but like yourself I like to look of sand. I think it gives the reef a more natural look and feel. Before I commit to a sand bed I want to ensure that I can achieve adequate flow through the CL without having to worry about the sand bed being tossed up. One thing I was considering, and I'd definitely need some input on this, was having an intake for the CL on the bottom of the tank, covered with the rock. My thought for this was it would bring a sizable amount of flow through the rocks and hopefully prevent any debris build up. My concern is that it would also result in a substantial amount of flow right around the sand bed or that it would post a risk to fish that use the rocks.

Alexandria, near Old Town. Work on the Hill. Recently relocated from Statesboro, GA.

Matt, keep up the good work. It's definitely looking good. I can't wait to get my tank up so you can utilize your skills as a craftsman to help me construct a stand.

Hey guys, I'm not technically new to the hobby, but I have taken an extended 3 year break and I'm new the WAMAS. I'm looking at starting a new cube tank and I wanted to ensure this tank is as close to perfect as possible before proceeding. For size I was thinking 24x24x30 or 30x30x24, lighting would be a 250w 14K Pendant. I was thinking about doing a CL and an external overflow centered in the rear. Primarily SPS with some Rics and a couple (3 at most) fish. What I'm not sure about anymore is the sand bed or the amount of rocks I should consider. I intend to have a sump with a skimmer and at some point a CO2 reactor. I'm going to work on some diagrams of the tank and placement of CL bulkheads. I've never run a CL system so I'm not 100% on the amount of necessary. If anyone wants to weigh in please do so. I'm still pretty rusty and I want to make sure I do this right the first time. Thanks!