Reefmack's Red Sea Max

[rhogeo]

I really like that urchin, RM. Where'd you get him?

[Reefmack]

rhogeo - actually I got mine at Fintastic last Saturday, but I see them at a lot of online outfits too.

[StevieT]

Just here to say HI, tank looks the same, whats up with that?

[Reefmack]

Hi there StevieT! I'm being extra careful on spending, and out of room for corals too. I was told a week ago Monday my job was being terminated and told to retire, and the next day offered a position in another department. Close call and it rang a bell in my head to control expenses! Don't expect too many changes unless the darn hair algae I'm now fighting takes over the tank.

[StevieT]

Sorry to hear that and I understand. I am feeling the pinch as well, they are closing my store and moving me up to Milwaukee. We had another round of layoffs last Friday.

 

I think you have a good level of stocking and with time everything grows and fills in. I haven't added anything in many many months, I don't even remember the last coral I purchased.

 

Of course two days after I purchase the new light I get the news about my store, go figure! Hang in there, good to hear they offered you another position. Retirement sounds cool, but with my workaholism, I can't see myself ever coming to that stage. Maybe ask me how I feel in 40 years

[Reefmack]

Unfortunately I'd get the lowest possible SS check at my age, and even with my pension check things would have been very tough for me. My 401K, even invested in the "safest" plan is still taking a hit. With my years of service I could have gotten a year's pay severance, but after heavy taxation on it, it wouldn't have carried me very long. I was going to take the "package" and they offered me the other job and said if it didn't work out after 6 months I could still get the package - it was a no-lose offer, and I was blessed to get it. A lot of my friends are being terminated the last few weeks - some with just a walk out the door. The whole situation is horrible and sad.

 

So sorry to hear about your office being closed That really sucks! Do you have a family to relocate or just you? What happens to the tank(s) and the business? It sounds like you have a lot to deal with, and I hate to hear that. Everything sucks right now, and it's the same situation overseas with layoffs and closures. Best wishes on getting it all together. I'll bet Chanahon beats the heck out of having to be in Milwaukee! And that's from a former Illinoisan!

[StevieT]

I hate hearing about all of this.

 

Just me, and my girlfriend. It will give me a good chance to see if she is the one and she can follow me later on early in the summer. She is a teacher and needs to finish the school year.

 

Gosh no I am not moving to Milwaukee! haha. Our store up there is in Milwuakee, barely on the borders of nice suburbs. I will probably live in one of those but I don't know where yet. I am orginally from that area so I will be very close to home now. It is a great time to get into a house and prices are dirt cheap, so for a guy like me it really isn't a bad deal to move.

 

I will be moving inTank into my new house. My officemax goes into my new office and my freshwater tank can go into my house.

 

I am looking at the positives of it all. I will get more exposure with my real job, our Milwaukee store is a lot bigger and I could move up much faster there if and when this economy recovers. Starting a business in WI is more than half the cost than in IL. The housing market is great for a guy like me, single two jobs etc. I can do inTank anywhere as long as I have my tools and the internet.

 

2009 is pretty much written off as a lost year, and it is only Feb. Lets all hope people get sick of this and start to produce and spend money again, 2010 can be a rocking year then.

[Reefmack]

StevieT - it sounds like the positives outweigh the negatives - I sure hope so. I hate to think of that awesome RSM being disrupted to move it, but no choice. I hope it makes the move well. I agree - most companies have already written off this year as a loss. It's just a shame to see so many good people have their lives affected in a bad way by the situation. Let's hope for some recovery by 2010!

[rhogeo]

Good luck StevieT! It's like spring cleaning for the tank I guess? You can redo the aquascape and change things if possible. It will be a ginormous pain, but I'm sure you'll make something positive out of it.

 

I ordered my media basket for the new RSM. Should be getting it setup in the next week or two.

[PIPS]

Hey Reefmack,

I stumbled onto your thread and wanted more updates !!

[Reefmack]

Hey Reefmack,

I stumbled onto your thread and wanted more updates !!

 

Hey PIPS! I'm still around but spend most of my time elsewhere these days. Here's a quick update:

 

Most recent FTS - crappy picture, and pardon the veggie clip I forgot to move out of the way!

 

 

I recently replaced my Orbit HQI/T5 hood with a newly released 6 x T5 hood from CoralVue. After a new Flame Angel ate all of my SPS I've switched back to leathers, LPS and softies, and really don't think I ever needed the HQI to begin with. The new fixture has each set of 2 T5's on a separate cord so I can still set up a dawn to dusk lighting scenario. It also has 5 one watt moonlights (manually dimmable) that are so bright that I keep it dimmed during the night:

 

 

I put a new black ABS light shield on the front:

 

 

One thing that I don't especially like is that the hood sits very high:

 

 

BUT, with the hood up high like that, the hood easily tilts forward or backward, which allows great access to the tank for maintenance, placing corals, etc. With the Orbit hood I had to remove the hood to do a lot of things. So the disadvantage of the hood being high gives the advantage of easy tilt and accessibility - I like that! Here's the hood tilted back:

 

 

The hood has individual higly polished German reflectors, and I really couldn't see a visual light intensity difference from the HQI/T5 fixure. Plus it's a bit easier on the electric bill, and the tank ran so much cooler this summer that my cooling fans rarely came on (less ATO water needed).

 

 

Also running a Reef Keeper Lite L3 controller for the lights, cooling fan. pH & temp. monitoring, etc.

 

Running a new sump now - LifeReef overflow and a SWC skimmer in the sump:

 

 

 

Latest corals were some 50 polyp zoa colonies that I got at a great price about 2 weeks ago:

 

 

 

 

That's pretty much it for major changes.

[PIPS]

Did you respond back fast or what !!

Reefmack, I must say that I truly enjoyed stumbling onto your thread over at U-R which you stopped updating and after searching your username, found this thread on N-R.

I see you paid very close attention to detail as by the looks of things, not a thing was over looked or spared on this tank.

You probably get this all the time.....This is THE best 34G RSM going....Period.

 

Keep the updates comming

 

EDIT: What camera/lens are you shooting with ?

[Reefmack]

Did you respond back fast or what !!

Reefmack, I must say that I truly enjoyed stumbling onto your thread over at U-R which you stopped updating and after searching your username, found this thread on N-R.

I see you paid very close attention to detail as by the looks of things, not a thing was over looked or spared on this tank.

You probably get this all the time.....This is THE best 34G RSM going....Period.

 

Keep the updates comming

 

EDIT: What camera/lens are you shooting with ?

 

Thanks, but there are quite a few better looking RSM 130s out there! Unbelievable how much money I've poured into this tank over the last 3+ years - I don't even like to think about it LOL! There's not much left of the original tank equipment - just the 2 circulation pumps. It really is an addiction!

 

The camera used on those last pictures is an older Fuji Finepix S6000fd. It's a non-SLR digital that I find myself back to using more and more these days. I have a Canon DSLR and macro lens that I rarely use these days - the all digital is so much easier to use, and instantly switch between macro, super macro and normal settings. No swiching lenses, etc.