Living Color’s 650 gallon “Hybrid Reef Tank”

by | Dec 26, 2011 | Advanced Aquarist | 0 comments


Living Color's 650 gallon "Hybrid Reef Tank"


This 650 gallon “sustainable” hybrid show tank marries artificial reefs, live rocks, and cultured corals.

The description below is provided by Living Color Aquariums


 

Max2.jpgHybrid reef tank revolutionizes the way large live reef aquariums are built!


This jaw dropping 650 gallon ( 96″L x 36″W x 42″H) hybrid live coral reef aquarium is hand built using 1.25” acrylic and  utilizes our museum-quality artificial reef as the main structure. Our artificial reefs are so lifelike that you cannot tell which rock pieces are artificial and what is real!  The client for this project is a true reef enthusiast and he wanted his new aquarium to be designed without any unsightly cords or pumps visible. To achieve this, the stand pipes, overflow and return lines are camouflaged within the central structure. For additional flow, artificial islands with multi-directional nozzles are placed throughout the tank and themed to look like live rock. The reef structure is inert and totally fish safe; Live corals thrive and spread quickly on the artificial substrate. The fabricated reef is a stable structure which allows you to create reef shapes impossible with conventional live rock from  towering reef structures to cantilevered ledges.  The artificial reef structure is created using Living Color’s proprietary blend of epoxy which has become the gold standard in the Zoo and Aquarium industry.

To start the aquarium off right, we filled the tank with Tropic Marin Bio Active Salt. The advanced filtration system turns over the tank volume every 10 minutes,  utilizes a calcium reactor, downdraft protein skimmer, chiller, advanced dosing system, auto RO-DI top-up, LED lights and a 100 gallon refugium filled with live sand/mud, macro algae and live rock.  The refugium is set on a reverse daylight cycle to help ensure stable water chemistry throughout the evening hours.  A power feeder located in the aquarium cabinet allows the client to feed New Era Marine Pellets or Frozen Food at the touch of a button without having to climb to the top of the tank.

Max4.jpgThe aquarium was stocked using many choice coral pieces from ORA as well as corals transferred from the clients old 150 gallon reef tank.  The fish were a mix of specimens from ORA and from the client’s existing animals.

We hope to inspire new bold aquascape designs with the use of our hybrid reef technology.

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  • Leonard Ho

    I'm a passionate aquarist of over 30 years, a coral reef lover, and the blog editor for Advanced Aquarist. While aquarium gadgets interest me, it's really livestock (especially fish), artistry of aquariums, and "method behind the madness" processes that captivate my attention.

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