Raymond Gathright
Community Member
Hello everyone. I actually started with the group several months ago... if not over a year ago. Unfortunately, I had my tank up and thriving until last December. I was diagnosed with a pretty serious illness in November and it just wiped me out for several months. My tank was one of the casualties. I'm not looking for sympathy, so please... let's not go there.
I now have a couple of people who are willing to lend me a hand when I can't keep up with things, including a SW expert. Last week, I had my son come over and help with the "heavy lifting" for me, and completely tore my set up down and cleaned it up. I rinsed out the sand with RO and scrubbed the LR with the same. Then we got to work putting it back together.
It's a Top Fin 75 gallon aquarium. I actually picked it up at Petco during one of there $1 per gallon sales. I guess it's the only time they've had the 75's, I've not seen them since. I'm also running a 30 gallon DIY refugium. It's nothing real fancy. The intake chamber holds my heater, though I originally had planned on putting my protein skimmer there. My stand is just a bit to short, though. I normally grow gracilaria, personally I like red, in the main chamber where I keep a small power head for a little flow on the bottom. I cannot, just cannot, for some reason grow cheato. I'm going to switch lights next week and I may try one more time. Then I have my bubble traps, followed by the return chamber. I do run the refugium lights opposite the main display tank.
I'm running a Reefoctopus 1000 HOB protein skimmer, along with a Cascade 1000 canister filter. I also have a Marineland 400 just for a little extra filtration. I'm running a 48" Current USA Marine Orbit Pro LED. It seems to do okay with zoas, though I'm thinking about either adding an actinic on a timer or another LED for a little extra penetration. I've got around 80 pounds of LR and about that in sand. I'll probably end up picking up another 20 or 30 pounds of LR before it's said and done...
I'm looking to do a reef. I love zoas, so the largest part of the tank will be devoted to zoa gardens. I'll probably pick up a Leather shroom, an acan, and maybe some hammer coral. I'm not a huge fish guy... huge as in size. I'll probably start off with some green chromis, either 3 or 6. I love they way they school. Then I'll pick up a pair of dart fish. That's one of the things that still makes me ill. The two I had, had paired up. I'm convinced they would have mated... I'm seriously thinking about picking up a Tomini tang as well... and we'll go from there...
For what it's worth, here you go. It's nice to meet everyone again. I'm looking forward to getting to learn from and talk with you... Raymond
I now have a couple of people who are willing to lend me a hand when I can't keep up with things, including a SW expert. Last week, I had my son come over and help with the "heavy lifting" for me, and completely tore my set up down and cleaned it up. I rinsed out the sand with RO and scrubbed the LR with the same. Then we got to work putting it back together.
It's a Top Fin 75 gallon aquarium. I actually picked it up at Petco during one of there $1 per gallon sales. I guess it's the only time they've had the 75's, I've not seen them since. I'm also running a 30 gallon DIY refugium. It's nothing real fancy. The intake chamber holds my heater, though I originally had planned on putting my protein skimmer there. My stand is just a bit to short, though. I normally grow gracilaria, personally I like red, in the main chamber where I keep a small power head for a little flow on the bottom. I cannot, just cannot, for some reason grow cheato. I'm going to switch lights next week and I may try one more time. Then I have my bubble traps, followed by the return chamber. I do run the refugium lights opposite the main display tank.
I'm running a Reefoctopus 1000 HOB protein skimmer, along with a Cascade 1000 canister filter. I also have a Marineland 400 just for a little extra filtration. I'm running a 48" Current USA Marine Orbit Pro LED. It seems to do okay with zoas, though I'm thinking about either adding an actinic on a timer or another LED for a little extra penetration. I've got around 80 pounds of LR and about that in sand. I'll probably end up picking up another 20 or 30 pounds of LR before it's said and done...
I'm looking to do a reef. I love zoas, so the largest part of the tank will be devoted to zoa gardens. I'll probably pick up a Leather shroom, an acan, and maybe some hammer coral. I'm not a huge fish guy... huge as in size. I'll probably start off with some green chromis, either 3 or 6. I love they way they school. Then I'll pick up a pair of dart fish. That's one of the things that still makes me ill. The two I had, had paired up. I'm convinced they would have mated... I'm seriously thinking about picking up a Tomini tang as well... and we'll go from there...
For what it's worth, here you go. It's nice to meet everyone again. I'm looking forward to getting to learn from and talk with you... Raymond
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I'm so glad your doing better and getting tour tank going again 
I wish you and the tank the best!
