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-   -   October 2017-Reefer of the Month-hkgar! (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2653357)

Nanook 10/01/2017 02:48 PM

October 2017-Reefer of the Month-hkgar!
 
What a journey it has been. The road from there to here has had some bumps and a lot of sharp curves. Sometimes difficult to navigate.
I got my first tank in 2002 while living in Matlacha Florida (near Cape Coral). A 40B and used the Berlin system, whatever that is, for filtration. First mistake was letting the LFS owner convince me to add a Sea Apple. I don’t remember what happened to it but at least it didn’t pollute my tank. Like most beginners, it was a soft coral tank.
In 2004 I decided to move back to my home state of Michigan and in September flew to Michigan and purchased a home in DeWitt. Three weeks later in Florida we got hit by Hurricane Charlie and the 3 day power loss pretty much destroyed the tank. Tried to get a generator but there were none to be had and the tank was gone in 24 hours. Packed up the rock and equipment and moved it and the tank plus my girl friend a dog and a cat to Michigan. Probably the power loss prevented me from killing everything (from the tank – not the GF,cat and dog) on the move. With the house plants in the back of the pickup we found a Gecko when we got to Michigan so, of course, had to get it a home.

Got the tank set back up and cycled the salvaged rock and got it going again. About 2 years later I made my first upgrade to a 90 gallon and added some blue mushrooms, which in a couple years completely overtook the tank. We have a pretty good LFS where I am now and the owner gave me store credit for the mushrooms and new rock for the rock they were attached to. Thus began my move to stonies. After about 3 years I had a beautiful SPS tank so I decided it could be even better if I upgraded to a 180 and it was to go where the 90 was located. I made up several containers of new water for the new tank and in preparation for the upgrade moved all the fish and coral to the containers. I got the new tank set up after a day or two and low and behold lost all the fish except a yellow tang – that I shouldn’t have had in a 90-and coral.
After a year or so, my external skimmer cracked and the next thing I know I had about 15-20 gallons of water on the floor and leaking into the basement and into the finished theater room. The dry wall ceiling came down. The good news was this allowed me to move my sump operation to the basement location. I couldn’t do it before as the plumbing needed to go across the finished room into the unfinished portion of the basement.
I had, unknowingly, been playing Russian roulette and when I added a Powder Blue Tang from my LFS I got hit with a major outbreak of Ick and lost 9 of 11 fish. One of the survivors was the Yellow tang previously mentioned. (One morning I came down stairs and found the poor guy that had survived so much attached to an MP40, didn’t survive that one).
It has been a great journey and I have enjoyed it even with the troubles. Always learning, sometimes too late. Should have done more of what I often advice others to do – read and then read some more.
I don’t even want to talk about my progression with lighting.

Nanook 10/01/2017 02:51 PM

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Thanks for all you have contributed to making Reef Central what it is.

Description of RC ROTM:

In appreciation and honor of the members that regularly contribute to our discussion forums, we would like to acknowledge a Reefer each month that stands out as exceptional for their outstanding service to others. This person will be selected by the Reef Central Staff, based on their willingness to help others in response to questions, giving advice, and overall disposition. The honoree will be given the Reef Central ROTM tag, that will appear above their avatar and will follow them for one year after being awarded. This will not only demonstrate to others that you have been chosen as a trustworthy source of information, but also as a positive role model for others to emulate. Additionally, we are pleased to upgrade your membership to "premium" for one year.

We look forward to honoring one person, each month, by highlighting them in the Reef Discussion and New to the Hobby Forums. This will include a recent photograph of yourself, or your avatar if you prefer not to show your actual face, along with what you love about the hobby of reef keeping and why you have chosen Reef Central to be your home. Each month the face and paragraph of the ROTM will change, but you can forever hold the honor of knowing that you were one of the chosen few to have earned this title and our respect as a member in great standing.

Best Regards,

The RC Staff

hkgar 10/03/2017 02:31 PM

Of all the bumps and curve I forgot to add the biggest one.

The time my Zoa's sent me to the hospital for 3 days.

moondoggy4 10/04/2017 09:53 AM

Congrats and being the ROTM, very nice tank. I love the Atlantic Blue Tang I think that is what it is called.

hkgar 10/04/2017 10:20 AM

Thank you. Yes, Atlantic Blue Tang, sometimes called a Caribbean Blue

awais98 10/04/2017 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar (Post 25233505)
Thank you. Yes, Atlantic Blue Tang, sometimes called a Caribbean Blue



Congratulations!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

cincyjim 10/10/2017 07:16 AM

Congrats!!!!! Very nice looking tank!

hkgar 10/10/2017 01:44 PM

Thank you to all

sirreal63 10/10/2017 04:28 PM

Congratulations on a well deserved honor, you are one of the people I paid attention to in my early days in this hobby. Thank you for all you do.

hkgar 10/10/2017 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirreal63 (Post 25239433)
Congratulations on a well deserved honor, you are one of the people I paid attention to in my early days in this hobby. Thank you for all you do.

wow, thanks for the great compilment. but you have been at this only two less years than me and way back when you started I knew nothing.

Oh, and you have 10k more posts than me. so, congrats on your being team RC member.

sirreal63 10/10/2017 05:30 PM

Quality over quantity Gary, I learned after all of these years that I don’t really know much at all.

nanosteve309 11/20/2017 10:03 AM

Congrats! Glad you didn't give up after all the road bumps!

hkgar 11/20/2017 01:55 PM

Thank you Steve

Pandagobyguy 11/20/2017 06:38 PM

Beautiful tank!
What are you running filter wise? (If you dont mind me asking)

Daddi0 11/20/2017 07:02 PM

Congrats! You give us newbies something to strive for!

hkgar 11/21/2017 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pandagobyguy (Post 25280237)
Beautiful tank!
What are you running filter wise? (If you dont mind me asking)

I use a skimmer (MVX 36), ATS (algae turf scrubber), and dose carbon 50/50 vodka/vinegar) and of course live rock and sand. Don't really have a "filter", just a filtering system.

hkgar 11/21/2017 02:58 PM

Let me state, that allthough almost all, if not all, of us ROTM winners, post pictures of our tanks, that is from personal ego and pride :). Our tanks have nothing to do with the award.

Before I won, i wondered how you could nominate your tank for Reef of the month. Then I won "reefer of the month". The award finds you.

For those who make the decision, Thank You for the honor. I hope that I will continue to live up to the model.

Pandagobyguy 11/21/2017 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar (Post 25281184)
I use a skimmer (MVX 36), ATS (algae turf scrubber), and dose carbon 50/50 vodka/vinegar) and of course live rock and sand. Don't really have a "filter", just a filtering system.

Thanks!

McPuff 12/04/2017 10:14 AM

Very nice system! And I really like the Atlantic Blue... the true blue tang in my opinion. I feel these are an underappreciated tang but they are absolutely beautiful.

I see you are close to me, here in Michigan! Great to see fellow MI reef keepers.

hkgar 12/04/2017 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McPuff (Post 25292932)
Very nice system! And I really like the Atlantic Blue... the true blue tang in my opinion. I feel these are an underappreciated tang but they are absolutely beautiful.

I see you are close to me, here in Michigan! Great to see fellow MI reef keepers.

Thank you. I do enjoy the Atlantic Blue, but wonder if your comments are for my Purple Tang which is the fish in the last picture. There is a picture (fourth picture) of the Atlantic but he doesn't have the bright yellow tail.

Where in Michigan are you?

McPuff 12/05/2017 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar (Post 25292954)
Thank you. I do enjoy the Atlantic Blue, but wonder if your comments are for my Purple Tang which is the fish in the last picture. There is a picture (fourth picture) of the Atlantic but he doesn't have the bright yellow tail.

Where in Michigan are you?

Nah, the purple tangs are pretty common so I'm not a huge fan actually. It's the Atlantic blue I like. Especially seeing them in the wild, they are incredible. Yours looks like it's pretty darn big too!

I'm in Plymouth so not too far away.

hkgar 12/05/2017 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McPuff (Post 25293952)
Nah, the purple tangs are pretty common so I'm not a huge fan actually. It's the Atlantic blue I like. Especially seeing them in the wild, they are incredible. Yours looks like it's pretty darn big too!

I'm in Plymouth so not too far away.

Yup, got him as a yellow juvenile about the size of a half dollar. Now about 6 inches.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tAz5fjJQ0JyFMleA3

Reeferman127 02/27/2018 10:20 PM

Congrats on the. Reefer of the month , your tank looks beautiful.. i seen you have a red montipora, i have a few and my big cluster is starting to turn white and looks like it diving . Would you have any suggestions ?

hkgar 02/28/2018 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reeferman127 (Post 25376469)
Congrats on the. Reefer of the month , your tank looks beautiful.. i seen you have a red montipora, i have a few and my big cluster is starting to turn white and looks like it diving . Would you have any suggestions ?

Welcome to Reef Central. How long have you been reefing?

There are so many possibilities. Check out the SPS forum on this site and raise your question there.
Nutrient levels
Tank age
water parameters
lights
etc, etc


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