Jump to content
WAMAS Tank of the Month




Robie Sayan (ROBZ)

Congratulations Robie, on being selected tank of the month.


About the Tank



Fish
  • 11 Lyretail Anthias,
    10 females - 1 male
  • 16 Longspine Cardinalfish
    (Apogon leptacanthus)
  • 5 Blue/Green Reef Chromis,
  • 1 True Percula Clowns
    (Mated Pair)
  • 2 Dragonface Pipefish
    (mated Pair)
  • 1 Purple Tank
  • 1 Spot- Cheeked Tang
  • 1 Copperband Butterfly
  • 2 Yellow Wrasse
    (Halichoeres chrysus)
  • 1 Possum Wrasse

Experience in hobby

How long have you been doing this?

I've been in this great hobby for 15 years.

Who got you into the hobby?

I grew up near the ocean, which I love, surfing, scuba or snorkeling were always my favorite activities to do.

Who in the hobby most influences you?

It's difficult to really point to one individual, there are so many methods of keeping a your tank healthy and thriving, and there are so many great reefers out there I would say one of the most methodic guys in that time that was an influence for me was John Nguyen (VA-Reefman) AKA Mr. Miyagui, that I think is no longer in the hobby.

Tank setup and equipment

The main display is a Glass Cages Euro braced tank, 180 gallon tank 6'x 2'x 2'. The sump, refugium and prop tank are custom built by a good friend of mine that helped me back in to the hobby, Pepe Venero aka “CubanVet", in the forums. Thanks Pepe!!!
The main pump is a Reeflo Dart. Circulation around the system is powered by Tunze Streams on a Tunze Multi-controller. The Protein skimmer, Calcuim reactor, Kalk reactor and fluidized reactor are all Grey Seas Aquatics custom build. I had different brands before but I swiched to GSA. I am very pleased to support a local Builder and good friend with his great products. I run an Aqua controller III by Neptune systems. My lights consist of 3 x 400w Raduims supplemented by VHO superactinics. The refugium runs in a reverse photoperiod from the main display. Cooling is accomplished with ½ hp Tradewind Chiller.

Corals
  • Lots….LOL
  • SPS
  • LPS
  • Softies







What is your maintenance schedule like?

I clean the glass of the tanks every other day and once a week I do a 40 gallon water change and try do keep everything as clean as possible, filter socks, skimmer cup, Kalkwasser is added every 2 weeks to the reactor and the carbon in the fluidized reactor is replaced every 2 to 3 months.

What brand salt do you use??

I have always used Instant Ocean from the very beginning.

What do you feed your fish and or corals?

I feed different types of foods, dry and frozen. Ocean Nutrition different types, cyclopeeze, brine shrimp, mysid shimp, and GSA “ReefTrophic" reef food not yet available on the market. I also use Plank Automatic Feeder from GSA, soon to be available.

How do you maintain calcium/alkalinity?

Calcuim via Calcuim reactor and Kalk reactor that is connected through my top off system maintans calcium and alkalinity were I want to.

Do you dose anything? If so, how much, how often?

I really don't dose anything… but Kalk, there are so many productcs now available in the market but im trying to keep it as simple as possible.

Do you use vitamins or amino acids?

No, I don't for now.

What type of lighting do you have and what schedule do you have them on?

3 x 400w Raduims supplemented by VHO superactinics & 3 moonlights
Photoperiod:
VHO1 on 11 am - off 11 pm
VHO2 on 12:30 pm - off 1am
MH1 on 12 pm - off 7 pm
MH2 on 12:30 pm -off 7:30 pm
MH3 on 1:00 pm - off 8 pm
Moonlight on 12:30 am - off 9am

Where do you keep your water parameters?

Specific gravity: 1.025 sg
pH: 8.25
Calcium: 465 ppm
Alkalinity: 9 dKH
Magnesium: 1300 ppm
Nitrate: undetectable
Phosphate: < .03ppm
Temperature: 78° F -79° F

Do you have any tricks or methods to keep your water parameters where you have them?

No tricks really, a well setup and programmed system will pretty much help keep your system stable and your parameters were you want.

What kind of water flow do you have? How do you accomplish it?

Main pump Reeflo Dart pump and also Tunze stream in a Tunze multi controller.

What are your future plans for improvement/upgrade of the tank?

Take out all visible pumps in the system and install a 4 way from Oceans Motions, add another DC8 for my ACIII to be able to have the entire system hooked to the Controller.

What makes your setup special or unique?

I think every setup is unique, could be a 10 gallon nano or a 1000 gallon High end $$$$ reef. I like to think that my tank is unique cause I put a lot of work building almost everything, I'm really focused not only how the tanks looks inside, but the outside must look as good, I built a mosaic stand that took me lot of time and work. I made a suspended floating canopy that I'm pretty pleased with. I really put a lot of work into everything.

If you had to start from scratch, would you do anything different?

Nothing really, I guess the only thing I would do for sure if I were to start a new tank again is make 3" deep, the rest I would not change a thing. You know we are always upgrading things in this hobby. As long as I don't do any drastic changes in the “Method" you have Reef keeping.

Personal

What are your other hobbies?

Music, surf , scuba, tattoos, painting , photography

What kind of music are you into right now?

I am pretty open to all types of music, but have a soft spot for Alternative

Who would you most like to meet past present or future?

Past … my father, he died when I was very young.

If you could go one place on earth where would it be?

mmm… Great Barrier Beef, Red Sea and surfing Chicama longest left wave in the world!!!

Why did you choose the screen name you did?

Robz… just shorten my email Robzid… no particular reason

What is the last book you read?

Book …. Im more of a article reader … I really don't remember…


Inverts
  • 40 Hermit crabs
  • 5 Peppermint shrimp
  • 2 Sally light foot crab
  • 2 Cleaner shrimp

Football or basketball?

SURF!!! SOCCER!!!

Scotch or burbon?

Scotch

Do you have any advice for those folks whom are new to the hobby.

Please do a lot of research read the forums there is so much knowledge and articles online don't go out there starting a tank without good planning.

Things I wish I knew 6 years ago:

Winning Lotto numbers?…. LOL

×
×
  • Create New...