WMAS - Tank of the Month
Fred and Susan Matney

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Hi, Future Tank of the month WMAS member! Thank you for allowing us to showcase your tank on our website. To assist you in your write up, we have compiled a list of things to consider:

1) Your name, location and occupation. Include how long you have been an aquarist, how long you have been a WMAS member and how you heard of our club.
Name: Fred and Susan Matney
Location: Woods Cross
Occupation: HVAC and Nurse Informaticist
How long have you been in the hobby? 2 years
How long have you been a member of the club? 18 mos
How did you hear about the WMAS? Found it on the Web. First person we called was Mark who is now a lifelong friend.

2) Describe your tank. Acrylic or glass? Size in dimensions and gallons. How long has it been set up?
Acrylic / Glass: Glass
Size in gallons: 91
Dimensions: Corner
Age: (how long has the system been running) 1 � years

Total of three separate systems: a corner 92 gallon corner bowfront SPS tank; 12 gallon nano; and 15 gallon softie nano\frag tank combined.

3) Describe your lighting system, including your photo-period. Add what you would change if you could.

24 � VHO Actinics on at 0700 off at 2200
2 10K 250W MH�s left comes on at 10 off at 5, rigt comes on at 2 p.m and off at 9:00.
Run by the neptune

4) Describe your filtration system. Include: How deep is your sand bed, plenum, your skimmer size and model and how long you run it, your circulation pumps (how many and their size in gallons per hour), your sump/refugium including Reverse Daylight, biowheels and skilters, HOT systems, clean up crew.

Tank 4� sand bed, 6 inch in refugium. Filter bag, carbon, macroalgae and live rock.

Iwaki 40XL pump 1200 gal/hour, two 3/4 inch sea swirls.
ASM Skimmer
Refugium on at 2100 off at 0700 3 36w power compacts over refugium.

Downstairs � 3 18w power compacts over refugium. 3 inch sand bed.
MH�s over frag and 15 gal nano, power compacts 18w over nano.

5) What are your maintenance techniques? Include water change schedule.

15% water change every two weeks. Dump the skimmer when needed. Use magnet every day. Change the filter bag and carbon every two weeks.

6) What additives do you use? Kalkwasser, Strontium, Molybdenum, Iodine, Magnesium, Other
Calcium reactor bult by Eric.

B-ionic added to systems downstairs.

7) Describe your feeding philosophy. Include your schedule, and what you prefer to feed your system?

Phyto or Tahitian blend twice a week.
Oyster pearls or cyclopeze or frozen rotifers or golden pearls or some of all 1-2 times a week.
Feed the fish every day � flake food
Nori to tangs when Susan thinks of it.

8) DIY ie, Calcium reactor, stand / hood, skimmer, sump, ect. Any Do-it-yourself items of interest? Web-sites that you may have referenced?


9) Stand and Canopy
Wood: Oak
Color: Oak
Special Characteristics: Pull out cutting board

10) Items of interest: Favorite or unusual Fish, coral, or invertebrate

Favorite Fish: Flame Hawk �Kit�
Favorite Coral: Bubble Gum Limited Edition mycedium, love millipora
Favorite Polyps: Totally orange zoos
Favorite Crab: pom pom crab in the softie nano
Favorite Clam: Derasa � he�s huge.

11) Can you include a table showing your elemental levels of Ca+, alkalinity, S.G., temperature, pH and other interesting testables?

Nope � don�t keep a table. Monitor a couple times a week and keep them within normal ranges.
Look at temp and pH on Neptune.

12) What experiences and challenges have you had with the tank? Any lessons learned? Is there anything you do differently than others (or differently than previously)? If so, why?

Challenges:
Red bugs
Flat Worms
Zoanthid Die off
Mantis Shrimp
Goby eating/destroying SPS
Many, many, many floods
Salt ruins everything

Lessons Learned:
1) Don�t go too fast
2) If you think it won�t die � it will.
3) Watch your chemical readings. Had a huge algae outbreak due to low alkalinity
4) The mantis shrimp wins
5) It�s easier to a little everyday instead of all at once.
6) STOP sometimes and let it grow.
7) You don�t have to have the most colorful, expensive and rare to make it look cool.

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