Photo Gallery

This beautiful acropora was in a friend's reef in Austin, Texas. The nickname must have come from the color of this SPS's skin.

The 199g sump is the biggest sump I've constructed thus far.  Water enters the rear left corner, flows to the right, then to the front and finally back to the left end where the return zone exits to an external pump.  This raceway method prevents microbubbles, although with a 14' travel time there shouldn't be any.  The equipment sits on acrylic shelving to keep it clean.  The refugium zone allows for a DSB, and the live rock zone in the front can be used for additional natural filtration.

These fish aren't hard to breed, and some hobbyists discover tiny fry in surprising places like deep inside their sump hidden from view. Considered at risk and now protected in the wild, captive bred Banggai fish would be the better choice for aquarists to purchase from their local stores or breeders.

Early 2012, I built this box for new fish introductions and named it The Peacemaker.  As new fish were introduced via this box floating in the main display, the regulars could see the newcomers without being able to attack them. Everyone could see each other, but aggression levels were eliminated. After three days, the fish are released into the reef without concern.

The only clam I purchase are Tridacna maxima because of their vivid coloration and the shape of their shell. I prefer maximas over all the other clam offered. ORA has a great selection, for example.

This comical looking fish is a fun addition to any tank, and even I couldn't resist its charms when it posed for my lens. Lawnmower Blennies do eat algae, but I've watched this fish swim up and try to take a chomp of Spock, literally trying to latch onto her body as if there was algae to consume. Of course, Spock was furious, turned hard and fast sending the blenny into a hasty retreat. She'd pace the tank a couple of times, basically muttering to herself "As if I was a moss-covered wall... tsk!"

The structure of the A. secale coral indicates it likes high flow and can totally take it. I've purchased this species a couple of times, and will do so again in the future.

The Crayola acropora grew in my 280g like a weed. As soon as I had a palm-sized piece, I placed it upon the one beneath it creating a stair-step look that was impossible to overlook. The nickname came from the variety of colors seen when studying this species closely.

This particular picture will always be one of pride for me. I'd gotten a new camera, shot this moment in time, and love how it captured the essence of my full-blown reef. This tank was the definition of mature, probably somewhere around the 4 year mark.

It's funny about Chalice corals. People often referred to the mouths as eyes.
 

When you bought a coral, they'd say it comes with "x amount of eyes" when  really they should have said "x amount of mouths" on that frag.  As mine grew out, I was constantly amazed at how beautiful the skin of chalice corals was, and my nose would virtually be pressed up against the glass to take it all in. Here are three mesmerizing pieces I grew out.