Pinecrest Reef
From Microcosm Aquarium Explorer
Marc Silverman's awesome new 680-gallon Florida reef. Jeff Turner/Reef Aquaria Design
Profile by Jeff Turner & J.R. Corvison
Photographs by Matthew L. Wittenrich
Owner: Marc Silverman
Location: Pinecrest, Florida
Date established: 2006
Designer: Jeffrey Turner, Reef Aquaria Design
When aquarist Marc Silverman was ready to upgrade from his successful 13-year-old 230-gallon (871 L) reef tank, he went back to Jeff Turner of Reef Aquaria Design in Coconut Creek, who had originally helped design and install it.
Together they came up with a plan for a new 680-gallon (2,574 L) display tank and spacious mechanical room that would allow expansion and would better accommodate the large coral colonies that were outgrowing the previous reef.
The bowfront tank dominates a large room with a viewing bar and is a focal point for the entire home.
A relatively dense population of active fishes is made possible by automated feeding and exceptional water quality, with total tank volume at 680 gallons, backed up by 400 operating gallons (1,514 L) in sumps and refugia in an adjacent service room.
Banks of six HQI metal halide and two T5 fluorescent light fixtures are mounted on a custom stainless steel sliding rack inside the hood.
The custom-built glass aquarium has a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) cut-out glass Euro top cap that allows for full access and lighting to the aquarium.
Silverman keeps a number of challenging species, including a Goldflake Angel (Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus) and a Scribbled Angel ((Chaetodontoplus duboulayi), that thrive in the movement-filled reef.
Custom woodwork frames the special bowfront 1 inch laminated Starphire glass front.
The mechanical room adjacent to Marc Silverman's reef includes a refugium/macroalgae filter, coral fragment propagation tank, 265-gallon (1,003 L) All-Glass (Aquarian) sump, and various other tanks bringing the total system volume to over 1,000 gallons (3,785 L).
Note the elevated dual 100-gallon (376 L) water tanks above that allow for a 100-gallon water change without turning the main system off.
The construction of the room walls is plywood over concrete and they are covered with FRP wall board for a water-tight seal to the blue tiled floor with main floor drain.
This professionally detailed space, designed and installed by master aquarist Jeff Turner, keeps all of the life support systems in a temperature-controlled environment that affords the aquarist a pleasant working environment. The remote mechanical room even has its own telephone for remote monitoring and communication purposes.
A large Crosshatch Triggerfish shares space with large coral colonies from the owner's previous reef.
Volume
- Display Aquarium
- 680 gallons (2,574 L)
- 82 in x 44 in x 44 in
- Main Sump
- 265 gallons (1,003 L)
- Water storage: Overhead 100-gallon (376 L) mixing/transfer tank.
- Elevated backup water container: (376 L)
- Total Operating Water Volume: 1,000 gal (3,785 L)
Lighting
- 4 x 400W HQI Metal Halide (14K)
- 2 x 250W HQI Metal Halide (20K)
- 2 x 65W T5(Actinic 03)
- Total watts/gallon: 4.01
Filtration
- Skimmer, Calcium Reactor, Kalk Stirrer and Fluidized Media Reactor by Deltec intergrated into custom glass sump design.
- Split 2-ton fluid chiller by Aqua Logic
- 2 x 1/2 hp Performance Pro water pumps operate the water flow at 10 to 15 times/hour total water volume.
- The custom-glass refugium contains a 24-hour lighting system and a large stand of Chaetomorpha linum green algae.
- 30-gallon (114 L) Quarantine and Acclimation aquarium is mounted directly above the sink of mechanical room and can utilize aquarium and purified fresh water easily.
- 40-gallon (151 L) Coral Propagation tank has 4 x 40 watt T-5 bulbs and 2 Hydor Koralia # 4 flow pumps (powerheads). It is plumbed into the main system water flow.
Aquascaping
- Live Rock 900 lbs (408 kg)
- Sand bed - Maximum to 2 in (5 cm) deep coral gravel
For further information: Reef Aquaria Design