Pedro Gomes
Pedro Gomes
Madeira Island, Portugal
Pedro Gomes comes to the EcoTech Expert community from Madeira Island, Portugal.
A long time EcoTech user Pedro has generously contributed to many EcoTech Marketing projects with his skillful coral and tank photography
I have decide I can’t live without the rush of having a running tank.
The Hobbyist
Like many Pedro started on the freshwater side of the aquarium hobby, even more specifically with a small pond. I went to a pet store to check out some things for my little home pond, and they had a small nano tank with some live rock and a little hermit crab on a white sand bed… just hanging there, this caught my attention and I moved closed to check the detail of this animal… I found this amazing and wanted to learn immediately how to setup a marine nano tank, so I did and here we are.
There are a lot of things to love about the hobby, mainly the possibility of constantly learning about the marine eco-system, understanding the chemistry and nutrients needed to keep the most demanding types of SPS corals, and in the end observing the living animals thrive in excellent conditions. I feel it is important to take time to observe the colors and polyp extension of my coral as this not only gives me a great feeling but lets me know that the tank is healthy and happy
I find Reef keeping is a great remedy for work stress. After a long day I open my sump area and do some maintenance, the change of pace is relaxing with the added benefit that I can then enjoy the results.
“I love to switch on my photo scene in Mobius and soak in the insane color of the coral.”
Fish & Coral
Pedro’s current tank is only 18 months old – but already it is showing his high level of skill with both hard and soft corals growing rapidly. His fish look healthy and well established.
As with most long-term hobbyists Pedro’s collection of acropora are trending toward the advanced end of the spectrum. A focus on some of the harder to maintain pigment morphs in the pinks and the yellows of the slower growing species.
The tanks fish inhabitants are a lively group of workers. With the expectation of a school of Anthias, which add a pink shimmer to the water, many of the fish are good workers whether it is the tangs for agleam maintenance or the wrasses for pest control.
Pedro's Equipment
I built this tank with some preferred specifications in mind. The details add to the experience and my favorite attributes include the wire management, opti-white glass, and the sense of depth from the width. My sump is not inside the tank room making the tank very silent. The tank lighting is now such a part of my home office that it feels strange when the lights are off. Its incredible to me that I have had this tank so long that it is more than a hobby, it feels as if it is part of my home itself.
If you zoom out and look at the worldwide market there are just a tiny portion of high-end aquarium equipment and EcoTech is by far the best you can get. I love technology and innovation and I have always been impressed by EcoTech products. The new Mobius system has taken that to a new level for me by connecting everything with a simple user friendly app. I have found the VorTech and Vectra pumps to be both very reliable and operate with surprisingly low power consumption.
3x EcoTech Marine Radion Gen5
1x XR15w G4 Freshwater – Refugium light
4x MP40w QD Refuge and Royal-Exclusive Double Cone 200 skimmer with RD3 pump
Deven Rich
Deven Rich
Kelowna, B.C. Canada
I used to be hardcore into planted tanks but always liked the allure of having a saltwater tank… one day I asked myself “how hard could it be? “
After that moment I never looked back! One of my favorite moments is at sunset when the golden hour peeks through the window and casts a warm vibrant glow across my reef. The Intense UV/Blues contrasting with the intense orange is a stunning site to see!
“Maintaining your reefkeeping focus by learning outside of the tank has the added benefit of preventing over tinkering with the delicate balance in the aquarium.”
The Hobbyist
Deven Rich knows reef keeping. Well-known and well-liked in the marine hobby Deven has built a successful sponsored YouTube channel under his ReefDudes name. Reef Dudes has a wide selection of videos including content ranging from the basics of reef keeping through advanced topics on pest control. Deven runs a weekly live show that hosts guests from the hobby, industry and affiliated areas of reef keeping.
Over the years Deven has had several saltwater tanks which have culminated in his current room dividing masterpiece. While the system is only about a year old, the growth, and more importantly the rapid rate of success shows his wet shoulder. At times Deven was bordering on as much a tank collector with many small systems (a common behavior amongst us hobbyists) he has since condensed and refocused on having a single larger system.
The Aquarium
Deven agonized for weeks over the perfect aquascape for this system. He even built the rock work in a cardboard version of the tank to ensure that the scape would fit and look just right. Likewise, mounting hardware, stand position even reinforcing the floor were all carefully considered in preparation for building his current dream tank.
Deven’s secret to success as a reef keeper lies in a combination of a tech-savy and logical mindset coupled with passion and curiosity. Deven loves studying and learning about the livestock, equipment and the craft. Knowledge that he happily shares with others in the community who reach out to him for assistance. Ultimately patience and diligence are the foundation of his systems but maintaining that focus by learning outside of the tank has the added benefit of preventing over tinkering with the delicate balance in the aquarium.
Deven's Equipment
5x Gen 5 Radion XR15’s, 2x MP60QD – 2 on overflow wall Clarisea SK5000 filter roller, Nyos 2200 Skimmer, AI Fuge light. L2 return pump 2x 4 Packs of Versa’s for AWC, feeding the CaRx and Dosing trace elements.
Refugium lit by AI Fuge light which grows Chaeto like crazy! I also have the ReefDudes AI Flaps to keep the algae out of my skimmer and the sump looking good! Dosing is done by a calcium reactor. I also have an Alkatronic that test KH every 12 hours and Mastertronic that tests KH, Ca, Mag, No3/Po4 every Friday morning.
World Wide Corals
World Wide Corals
Orlando, Florida
If you are a reef keeper, you have almost certainly heard of World Wide Corals. Now with two retail locations, an ever-expanding online presence and several franchised Reefapalooza shows – the WWC team is an industry leader in the coral marketplace.
With modest beginnings involving some used tanks and a small rental space WWC has grown to include a mega-store across the street from SeaWord. WWC was also one of the first coral aquaculturers opening its first dedicated farm in 2019. With a great eye for collection defining corlas and a multi-step quarantine procedure to make sure everything they ship is pest free, its no surprise that their online store has literally thousands of 5 star reviews.
“We have taken the time to build a team of the best talent in the industry, and you can really see that in the health, vibrancy, and quality of the livestock that we sell”
The Facility
Currently World Wide Corals has two stores. The main location includes their current aquaculture facility sin downtown Orlando. A second smaller storefront is located in Winter Park. WWC offers a complete saltwater lineup including coral, fish, inverts and dry goods. WWC also provides aquarium installation and servicing options as well as custom work.
Production and supply chain visibility is growing in popularity in the aquarium industry. This is in part thanks to WWC who has always been happy to invite the public to see what they do behind the scenes. An annual open house has been a tradition starting with their first location. Opening the doors to the farm lets customers see firsthand the dedication that they bring to the trade. The current aquaculture facility boasts over 5,000 square feet with 66 tanks containing over 30,000 gallons of saltwater. WWC’s longterm goal is to ship primarily tank grown coral.
Vendor Information
World Wide Corals carries an extensive selection of livestock and dry goods. For more information as well as current details of sales, events and tradeshows involving WWC please visit their website https://worldwidecorals.com/ or visit their Orlando superstore.
WWC Facility Equipment
EcoTech and WorldWide Coral have worked closely together over the years. Currently World Wide Coral uses over 250 EcoTech Radion LEDs and an equal number of Vortech pumps. All this lighting and flow is necessary to keep the coral in the farm and display tanks happy and healthy. This is no small task as WWC currently stocks 300 different species of coral frags filling in the region of 400-500 online orders per week. In addition to Radion and VorTechs WWC also utilizes a mix of high volume commercial water handling and filtration equipment. For more information on equipment and system setup from their previous facility take a look at the flow basics corallab whitepaper at ecotechmarine.com/corallab.
Sebastian Winkler
Sebastian Winkler
Stuttgart, Germany
Sebastian Winkler has been a reef aquarist for much of his life. Based in Stuttgart Germany, Sebastian’s tank is a perfect example of an aesthetically pleasing well-engineered mixed reef, much like the automotive offerings of locally manufactured Porsche and Mercedes.
“After a day of hard work, my tank beams me into the quiet world.”
The Hobbyist
Like many of us, Sebastian started in the freshwater hobby. After many years and a developed mastery with Süßwasser he made the move to saltwater and live coral and has never gone back.
“After decades of freshwater, it was the time to move to another level”
Exotic wildlife excursions on both land and sea are showcased on his Facebook page including a trip to an African Gorilla sanctuary. He’s also an excited diver and got the chance to visit some coral farms and reefs in Bali, the Philippines and Egypt.
More local to Germany Sebastian works in the music industry, specifically in audio/video production as well as concert management. His career keeps him on the move and sometimes away from home. This presents both a challenge and a blessing as a reef keeper, while being away presents certain challenges it also keeps one’s hands out of the tank.
The Aquarium
The System is a custom-built 130gallon(500L) with a 13 gallon (50L) sump. The current tank has been up and growing for the last eight years and has a couple of fish and coral carryovers when the upgrade happened. A clown fish Sebastian has been caring for has been with him for over 12 years.
Parameter targets are standard to the hobby. Sebastian tests regularly using the Nyos test kits but rarely sees much fluctuation. 3 Part dosing and liquid plankton including Nyos Artemis and Nyos Goldpods.
Sebastian is one of the few long-time hobbyists who has so far escaped having a tank crash. He did however have a tank collapse when one pillar of live rock on an earlier system toppled over. He attributes success in the hobby to being patient and only making small changes over time.
Keep your hands out of the tank (meaning: Don’t change too much too often)
Sebastian's Equipment
In addition to the EcoTech lighting and pumps, he also runs the Nyos Quantum skimmers and chemical filtration using Nyos carbon and media with the TORQ reactor.
“I love EcoTech equipment because it’s not only different products but it’s a platform. The components work great together and are controllable via one app. The quality is best on market and the guys I know at EcoTech are enthusiasts and simply good people.”
Over the years the tank’s parameters have stabilized and do not require a great deal of maintenance beyond a 20% weekly water change. The system’s stability makes for easy reefing and is a real bonus that comes with a tank that has settled in over time.
See more of Sebastian’s tank when he posts the occasional update on Schwings Reef.
Dayne Lyn
Dayne Lyn
Toronto, Ontario Canada
There are some truly spectacular reef tanks in the world and EcoTech Expert Dayne Lyn certainly has one of them. His 500 gallon system sits centrally located between his kitchen and living room and is home to huge colonies of coral as well as a selection of fish which will make even the most seasoned hobbyist salivate. While pictures and video hint at the scope and the beauty, they barely do justice to the masterpiece Dayne has created.
I knew I was a reef keeper when my son turned 18 years old and my marine Beta was older than he was.
The Hobbyist
Dayne has been in the hobby for literally decades. For him it started with a turtle tank for his youngest son which over the years has predictably evolved into an ever larger and more complex system.
I find love in the reef keeping experience in many aspects of the hobby. On a daily basis watching the coral and fish feed and go about their lives. Over time watching the corals grow from small frags to large colonies.
Dayne’s corals do indeed grow. So fast in fact that he makes trips to his local distributor sometimes multiple times a month to exchanges frags for supplies which helps to offset the operational costs of his system.
My favorite part of the day is when the Radions ramp down for sunset and the 4 auto feeders kick off. The coral fluorescence peaks and the fish go crazy.
The main tank is a Miracles 374 and is now almost 16 years old. Dayne has run this aquarium for a little less than half of his 32 years in the hobby.
While the main display is located in his living room the overflow feeds a sump and refugium system in the basement. This is where the support equipment for the main tank is located.
Predictably with coral growth comes additional frag systems and Dayne has a couple of them running in the sump room downstairs.
He has had his share of failures as well. Some years ago a Kalkwasser mishap wreaked havoc and almost wiped out his entire system. Dayne’s advice to the new hobbyist is the old adage be patient and don’t be discouraged by the occasional setback.
Lots of Tangs
One of the less usual aspects of Dayne’s tank is the number of Tangs that share it. While a larger tank increases the opportunity to have territorial fish co-habit the number and size of these fish are surprising. The source of these fish is mixed as some were inherited from other hobbyists which you would not know as they all look so fat and happy. Dayne claims the secret to his success with a Tang harem comes from making sure that feeding is regular and plentiful to reduce territorial animosity competing for food.
Whatever the secret seeing 9 Tangs in the same tank is certainly impressive.
Dayne's Equipment
A large tank needs a substantial amount of equipment. Lighting on the main display currently comes from 6 XR30 G5 Blues and flow from a pair of MP60s.
Dayne uses the onboard Ab+ spectrum that the Radion Blues are built for. The tank was previously lit by Gen 3 Radion Pro’s that were running the AB+ spectrum.
I have had great success with EcoTech equipment. Multiple generations of lighting as well as powerheads have contributed to the coral health and growth that you can see in my tank. I particularly like EcoTech as the support has been top-notch both in instruction and equipment maintenance.
The tank filtration is provided by the standard array of mechanical and biological filtration in the basement sump. Dayne is particularly fond of his filter socks which he rotates regularly.
George Pillas
George Pillas
Bristol, UK
George Pillas comes to the EcoTech Expert community from Bristol in the UK. His stunning Evolution Aqua 1500, 110 gallon/ 500L aquarium showcases true expert-level hobbyist technique, with a stunning collection of coral and fish. While the Triton method adds a level of complexity to Reef Keeping, George employs it in this system with impressive results.
I just love being able to watch a thriving reef from the comfort of my living room. Its all amazing to me – everything from the colorful fish and coral to the weird inverts.
The Hobbyist
For many there is a moment that captures the imagination and launches one’s life as a reef hobbysist – for George that was a trip to Australia.
We were travelling around Australia and I think saw a picture of a sea dragon somewhere, I knew I wanted one. Obviously I could have one but ended up reading more and more about how to keep marine fish alive and eventually took the plunge. My wallet has been empty since.
With 9 years in the hobby George has experienced all the strug- gles a seasoned reef keeper would consider a coral keepers rite of passage.
Just like everyone else, I made every mistake there was. I bought the wrong fish, the wrong gear, the wrong corals and had a few disasters here and there. I even had a power outage once when on holiday and lost everything.
Traveling around Australia got me interested in marine life – my wallet has been empty since!
George Pillas
His latest tank is nearing 4 years old and with the learning ex- periences molded into a plan and philosophy the results speak for themselves. Challenges are a rite of passage in the hobby – but are also what makes success so rewarding.
When I was forced to start over I knew exactly what I wanted and I have been very fortunate since. One thing that I learn over the years is to stop trying to ‘improve’ everything. When the tank is happy, don’t change a thing.
Fish, Coral & Bradley
A mature tank with a great deal of livestock. There’s always a favorite and in George’s case that is Bradley a personable Copperband Butterflyfish.
I knew it was going to be a challenge when I bought him 3-4 years ago but I have been completely captivated by his inquisitive nature. He always follows me around the room and begs tirelessly for yet another tasty meal. After all this time he is doing great AND definitely not to be trusted with clams…
George's Equipment
Equipment is an important part of the successful hobbyist puzzle. George has evolved his equipment selection over time, with the tank in its current state (at time of documentation) using largely EcoTech lighting and Flow, a Nyos Skimmer and a Neptune Apex controller and Dosing System.
A total of 6 Radions provide lighting. George uses 3 G4Pros, 1 G3Pro and a G3 Base. The spectrum he runs is a full although relative to the Radion’s capabilities leans heavier on the blue side of the potential output spectrum. A gently ramping photoperiod starting at 7:30 completes around 9PM. Peak intensity is around 2PM reaching 52% total output for the lights (73% before spectrum adjustment).
I wanted to have the best gear and Ecotech makes just that. Reliable, powerful and with lots of cool functions. What else could you ask for?
George Pillas
In tank flow is provided by 2 MP40QD and 1 MP10QD pumps. George’s Schedule combines some random modes with constant speed modes alternating which pump does which throughout the day. The mixed program patterns ensure detritus removal and adequate flow for the hard corals.
Return flow comes from a Vectra M1.
