Thread: Hi

**Chip** · 03-06-2013, 12:04 AM

I joined ORCA at the last meeting at SITC. It was nice to meet everyone that was there. Also, thank you to Marce for a great feeding presentation and for the frozen food. She has done some amazing work with the fish at SITC.

I started with freshwater tanks in highschool. This progressed to marine fish and inverts in College. When I got a real job; I purchased 2 - 240 gallon tanks. The thought was to make at least one a reef tank. The fear of moving and the cost kept me from actually having a reef tank. I also have a 110, which I'm redoing the silicon on the inside, and 4 - 55 gallon tanks. So currently, I have a lot of glass without water.

The idea to create a reef tank revisited me at work a couple of months ago. Someone in the science department was giving away a tank. We decided to make this a nano reef tank. My friend in the science department decided the reef tank was a great idea and it should be shared with the science students. They have modules where they learn about fish, corals and the interrelationships.

I joined ORCA to meet people with a similar interest and to gain more knowledge on reef tanks. I have been studying saltwater and reef tanks for years with subscriptions to FAMA and Marine Fish. It has been interesting to see the hobby evolve over the years.

I'm glad I joined ORCA and thank you to everyone for sharing your knowledge and experience with reef tanks!

PS: I'm not really posting as late as the server time says. The server clock is 2 hours ahead. I don't know - this might be due to the location of the server?

**techbiker** · 03-06-2013, 08:15 AM

Welcome Chip, is a pleasure to have you as a member of the club and please share all your experiences, while you fill all those glasses, so we can all learn and compare our experiences

**ccampo** · 03-06-2013, 11:25 AM

Welcome to ORCA !!!
Chip, do not forget I have one frag for you !!!

**techbiker** · 03-06-2013, 11:50 AM

When Cesar had a "frag for you" you getting the cream of the cream!

Sent from my iPhone because I am not home with my fishes

**Chip** · 03-06-2013, 01:53 PM

Thank you techbiker! I'm doing my research now. I'm changing my original plans based upon what others told me (Terry and David). I learned 55s are a little small, because of the demands for SPS. I'm going to start a 240 at home and at least a 75 (yet to be aquired) for the students. These tanks are going to take a little time to setup, because of lack of funds (I work at a school). I'm going to build sumps out of 2 of the 55s for the larger tanks. I'm also going to build stands for the 240s. Another gradual project will be DIY LEDs. I still think purchasing LEDs is a cleaner and more cost effective way to light my tanks.

I won a frag (thank you Serenity). Cesar is kindly taking care of it for me.

Thank you Cesar!!

**techbiker** · 03-06-2013, 02:46 PM

Oh! on the sps, I seen and awsome 55 with sps only, and for my personal experience creating a small reef it may take more detail work but is way more rewarding in a shorter period of time ( still long) than a bigger tank that will take several amounts of money, time and maintenece to get a fairly full tank, and always you can get the same volume of water to create stability with larger sumps or refugiums.
as soon as my 75 gallon run out of space i may move to a bigger one in the mean time i enjoy every inch off water and rocks with coral, my 2 cents
I know what short funds can be but with patience and the proper research you can acomplish way more that you can think!

**like-fish** · 03-06-2013, 06:31 PM

welcome! Where ya located?

**Jim28fl** · 03-06-2013, 07:54 PM

Welcome from one noob to another. lol

**Chip** · 03-06-2013, 08:01 PM

Good to know. I was originally planning on a 55 with a 55 refugium. The stand is built to have a 55 refugium inside. I picked up some paint for the stand last weekend. I also got some precut glass from Lowes to build the sump.