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Many people have asked about our display tank, so we have included some information here.

History:

This beautiful tank has only been set up for 18 months. However, many of the current inhabitants were assembled from other tanks much older. Our first saltwater tank started as a 55 gallon w/20 gallon sump. Just like everyone else, we had our share of problems, tank crashes, dead fish, dead coral, and all the other fish tank nightmares people talk about. However, we were lucky, to have a small tank to make mistakes on. This allowed us to learn from our mistakes without significant cost.

 

 

We later moved up to a 90 gallon, which we purchased used.

The ninety gallon was a good choice, because it allowed us to use the same lights and most of the rest of the equipment. We just added another light, a bigger pump, and a skimmer. This picture is of the 90 just after set up.

This was our first really successful reef tank, thanks mostly to my wife Karie taking over responsibilities of the tank maintenance. (A note to all you guys out there that you just can't seem to get the tank to look good no matter what you do. Step back and let it be!) I was always fussing with the tank equipment, corals, water chemistry, rocks, sand and everything else I could think of trying to make it work. Also, don't try to cheap out on equipment by building your own or using something that wasn't designed for that purpose. Your just wasting your time and money. I could have bought quite a few really nice skimmers, with all the money I spent on dead fish and coral. Karie took over the tank, bought the right equipment, and it looked incredible ever since.

Evolution

The second most important thing to learn is to talk to people in the hobby with lots of experience. They will save you more money than anything you could do on your own, and you'll be happy with the result. I highly recommend joining a reef club like S.W.A.M., "Salt Water Addicts Of Maine".

In June of 2007, we purchased a new home. One of the things we wanted to have in the new house was a built in fish tank. Luckily, the house had a perfect spot. Unfortunately it required demolishing an old exterior wall and coat closet. Due to the location of the 90 in the old house, we had many problems regulating the  temperature of the tank. It was in a room with large windows on 2 sides which acted like a greenhouse in the Summer. We also use wood heat for our home, which is very difficult to regulate. This was a big reason to build the new tank into a room, since we could economically air condition the small space around the tank without the need for an expensive chiller.

Here is a picture of the 90, just before we sold the tank and stand.

The hard part was timing the move. We had a deadline to be out of one house and into the other. Luckily we had a 2 week overlap. As soon as we closed on the new house renovation began, and soon we were ready to install the new tank. The new 150 was actually purchased used as a complete setup, so we had to  move the tank, 100+ lbs of live rock, sand and fish from NH to the new house. All of which we staged in our garage until the tank room was ready. 

Here is a picture of the new 150 in the wall.

On a side note: I strongly recommend people never build a tank permanantly into any part of their home unless they have a lot of experience in fish keeping, carpentry, and understand the basics of structural support and moisture problems. This is a major undertaking that should not be taken lightly! It can also have serious consequences if not done properly.

On the other hand if done right it can make for the most impressive display of a tank.

 

 

Here is the backside, with the equipment.

 Equipment:

Display Tank: 150 Gallon glass (not drilled), 200+ lbs live rock, 4-5" live sand. 5 powerheads, overflow.

Sump: 75 Gallon glass, partitioned for refugium and coral grow out. ASM G2 skimmer. Return pump.

Lighting: Display,  8 - 65 watt pc. 10K & 420 atinic. Sump, 2 - 65 watt pc.

6 stage 100 gpd, RO  unit. w/ auto top off. , 35 gallon salt mix barrel, 15 gallon freshwater reserve.

   

Lastly, the most important part.... The livestock.

Here are some pics, the updated list is coming soon.