19,000 gallon aquarium build... wow! Building a tank next to the ocean, even better. If you haven't checked out this month's Thread of the Month brought to you by nahham, then now is your chance.

A ~19,000 Gallon Aquarium

Thread of the Month is here! Here’s your chance to vote. Each month TeamRC selects three of the best threads for all Reef Central members to vote on. There will be three threads to choose from, and you are only allowed to vote once. We encourage you to follow the links provided below, to read and enjoy these threads. All three are full of information and are each equally worthy.

Thread of the Month Poll

This month we are featuring the beautiful 200-gallon mixed reef aquarium of Yung-Ming Kang. Learn how he has created this beautiful system. Read more...

If you'd like to nominate a tank for Tank of the Month, click here or use the button to the right.

Have you ever dreamed of a 1000+ gallon display? We all have, and for some of us it is a reality. Follow April's Thread of the Month winner on his journey as he makes this dream a reality. This is only the beginning...

Coral Tank from Canada (1350gal Display Tank)

Thread of the Month is here! Here’s your chance to vote. Each month TeamRC selects three of the best threads for all Reef Central members to vote on. There will be three threads to choose from, and you are only allowed to vote once. We encourage you to follow the links provided below, to read and enjoy these threads. All three are full of information and are each equally worthy.

Thread of the Month Poll

This month we are featuring the beautiful 400-gallon mixed reef aquarium of Greg Timms. Learn how he has created this beautiful system. Read more...

If you'd like to nominate a tank for Tank of the Month, click here or use the button to the right.

Check out the lastest edition of CORAL Magazine online:

Ever wonder how to propagate nice LPS frags without waste? Kraylen shows how to in his YouTube video, where he frags 25 LPS using a wet tile saw.

This month capn_hylinur shares his "log book" of information. The thread covers everything from deep sand beds to fish disease and treatment. If you're looking for an answer to something reef related, there is a good chance that you’ll find it in this month’s Thread of the Month. Read more...

Thread of the Month is here! Here’s your chance to vote. Each month TeamRC selects three of the best threads for all Reef Central members to vote on. There will be three threads to choose from, and you are only allowed to vote once. We encourage you to follow the links provided below, to read and enjoy these threads. All three are full of information and are each equally worthy.
 

Thread of the Month Poll

This month we are featuring the beautiful 120-gallon mixed reef aquarium of Mark Hallett from Little Britain, Ontario, Canada. Learn how he has created this beautiful system. Read more...

Light is one of the most important tools at the disposal of the reef aquarium hobbyist. Our corals and other photosynthetic livestock require intense light of the correct spectrum to grow and thrive. The methods commonly used today - high output fluorescent or metal halide lamps - are well established and viable sources of light. Their use has become well accepted as a standard approach, despite their shortcomings. LED lighting offers an alternative for people who are interested in a different approach that can address some of those shortcomings, while providing some exciting new advantages. As with many new technologies in the reefkeeping hobby, the DIY community has begun embracing LED lighting. This has created a flurry of questions from people interested in building their own LED fixtures:

• What is LED lighting? What advantages does it have? Can I make my own?
• Which LEDs should I use, and how many do I need?
• How do I power LEDs?
• How do I assemble an LED fixture?
• What creative things can I do with LEDs that might not be possible with other types of lighting?

Coming soon, Reefkeeping Magazine will feature a series of articles to address those questions, and provide a basic point of reference for people interested in building their own LED fixtures. Even if you have no desire to assemble your own LED rig, this series will provide information useful when evaluating commercial LED rigs, or comparing LED lighting to other types of lighting technologies. This series will cover the following topics:

• The first article will cover basic theory of LED lighting: how LEDs work, how they are powered, what the light they produce “looks” like, and how they are fundamentally different from other forms of lighting.
• The second article will present the case for LED lighting - efficiency, spectrum, expected lifetime, comparing LEDs to other lighting technologies, and other concerns specific to applying LEDs to reef aquariums.
• The third article will cover practical application of LED lighting to reef tanks, covering subjects such as selecting LEDs, drivers, optics, and other components that meet your needs and budget.
• The fourth article will provide step by step instructions on assembling a typical DIY LED fixture, including presentation of several DIY fixtures assembled by Reef Central forum members.
• Finally, a fifth article will cover several DIY LED fixtures built and in use by your fellow hobbyists, summing their findings and showing LEDs in action on their reef aquariums.

So, if DIY LEDs have caught your interest, stay tuned to Reefkeeping Magazine!

Written by Nate Enders

Photo courtesy Reef Central member Santoki