Previously Featured Aquarium

Vance Dunnam Jr.’s 210 Reef Aquarium

Our first customers tank of the month is Vance’s 210 reef behemoth. Vance has been a customer at NWTF for 40 years and just recently dove into saltwater. His tank is an all-glass aquarium with dual overflows, a 50 gallon My Reef Creations custom refugium sump wrapped with a Victorian style oak stand and canopy from DFW Aquarium supply. Protein skimming is accomplished with a huge recirculating skimmer from Hamilton Technologies. Tank circulation is accomplished with three Koralia 4Dynamic, fully submersible water pumps revitalize hard-to-access "dead spots" in your aquarium. Magnetic base with articulating ball joint allows a full, 360 degree range of convenient pump positions. Directs vital water movement to areas of your aquarium never possible with conventional powerheads. powerheads moving 3,600 gallons per hour! Lighting is accomplished with a 72” Solaris L.E.DThe Solaris is the first LED System designed to replace Metal Halide and Fluorescent lighting for the Aquarium Reef Tanks. The white LED used in the I4 series is producing more than 80 lumens/watt. The new I4 series produces PAR light output levels equal to a 400W MH 15k. It uses 40% less energy than the 400W MH 15k fixtures it replaces. The life of the LEDs is approximately 50,000 hours, so it almost eliminates metal halide and fluorescent bulb replacements. All heat is radiated up and away from the tank; therefore, it does not heat the water like Metal Halides or Fluorescents. This eliminates the need for Chillers. lighting system.

The reef structure consists of 400 pounds of Fiji and Tonga branch liverock. The substrate is 160 pounds of SeaflorSeaflor is a special grade pf reef sand and has a 1.25 - 1.95 mm diameter grain size. This grade of aragonite is specifically engineered for plenum-type nitrate reducing beds or anywhere a deeper bed is called for. The pore water space created by precision grading also allows maximum pH support and dissolution of calcium carbonate. grade reef sand from Caribsea. Vance spent several hours placing the rock in a manner that would be aesthetic and provide for many spaces for corals to be placed and fish to swim through.

The tank is a work in progress with approximately 30 corals. Included are several Zoanthid polypsZoanthids form clusters of polyps and encrusting mats commonly referred to as "sea mat," "false coral," or "colonial anemones," and they are sometimes erroneously called "soft corals." The polyps can be solitary, connected by a creeping tissue called coenenchyme that may form stolons or lamellae, or they may be embedded in a thick massive coenenchyme. They are normally attached to any hard substrate, though some genera are associated with specific "host" organisms and grow only on them., Hawaiian feather dustersThe Hawaiian Feather Duster are "segmented worms", and uses the radiole to filter out small floating organisms, which it directs toward its mouth located at the center of the crown. It protects its segmented body by secreting a parchment-like tube to cover itself. When the Hawaiian Feather Duster is disturbed, it can quickly retract its radiole into the tube., several types of leathersLeather corals are found in various shades of brown, tan or green, with white or gold polyps. It is difficult to identify many species because they all have the similar appearance of a mushroom or toadstool, each with a distinct stalk and capitulum (cap). As they grow older, they develop a folded appearance. and closed brain corals.Hard corals are most often referred to as corals that contain a 'hard' calcium skeleton. Their structure consists of a calcium framework, or base, of which a polyp or polyps extend off of. These polyps are generally large, fleshy and consist of one or more individuals. The fleshy, or bulbous polyps are used for capturing sunlight, as well as, food particles. In the future he hopes to stock the tank with a few SPS coralsThe Small-Polyp Stony (SPS) corals have small polyps on a calcerous skeleton. They are usually either branching or plated. For the most part they enjoy bright light and strong currents. They are often fragile and are propagated by breaking off pieces..