Seth Miller stands along side his 180-gallon reef system

A few months ago I visited Brian Ferguson in Charlotte, North Carolina.  I spoke at his club, Reef Aquarium Society of Charlotte (RASOC) and at the meeting I had the opportunity to meet Seth Miller, a very enthusiastic hobbyist and the proud owner of a very nice 180-gallon reef system.  Incredible photos after the jump…

Full tank shot displaying light fixtures and fans in canopy

Seth’s reef system is very well maintained and the corals that reside in his system are healthy specimens with incredible color.  He assembled the 180 back on November of 2009 and slowly introduced new frag specimens.  Today, Seth, his family, and the countless number of visitors that parade through his living room get to enjoy his hard work.

Close-up on the right side of the 180

Macro shot of a orange/pink Ricordea florida

Circulation is accomplished using a Dart return pump connected to a 1-inch Sea Swirl located at the middle of the rear panel.  Additional flow is provided by two vortech MP40s operating on a long pulse, five second interval.  This reef aquarium is brightly illuminated with three 250-watt 12K Reeflux metal-halide lamps mounted in three LumenMax Elite reflectors.  Supplemental lighting is provided by a couple of actinic T5s and four strips of actinic blue LEDs.

A perfect colony of Acropora granulosa, receiving the right amount of light and flow

Another perfect Acropora sp. enjoying its environment

One of the first things you notice when you view this tank for the first time is how wonderfully clear the water is maintained.  The water is kept crystal clear with the assistance of several items, an H&S A200-1260 protein skimmer, 200 micron filter socks, GAC and GFO reactors.  And let’s not forget 30-gallon weekly water changes.

Male Lyretail Anthias Pseudanthias squamipinnis

A male Blue Throat Triggerfish Xanthichthys auromarginatus

A beautiful tank managed by a tenacious hobbyist looking for perfection.  Thank you Seth for letting us into your living room.