Skimzilla! Very happy to hear your tank has turned around.

FTS...with survivors
 

Here's an updated full tank shot and one from 1 year ago to see how far the tank has fallen. You should be able to see all the large colonies that aren't there anymore.

Oct, 2008
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0306.jpg

Oct, 2009
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/000_0192.jpg

Fortunately, there are survivors. Let's classify these ones as "hard to kill".
The Hammer Coral and this very-hairy acro...
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/000_0193.jpg

Don't know what this is, but I'm glad I didn't lose it. It is quickly regaining its purple with brown colour.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/000_0195.jpg

This moss-green acro also seemed to do OK while everything else died. It never even lost it's colour. Recently, this coral has started to grow like crazy! The red milli behind it took a real beating, but looks to be recovering. If you look closely at the red milli, you'll see that a couple of branches are orange. That is because they died and were covered over by orange encrusing fire coral....another coral that seems impossible to kill.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/000_0197.jpg

wow untamed, your tank looks really purple now in that shot. those fish are definitly georgeous. your tank is truly and inspiration to not quit when the going gets tough. your tank is a dream tank for me. great photos too by the way, i wish i could see this tank is person i would be blown away compared to what i have ever set up.

Well...between the cyano on the sand and the uncleaned coraline on the glass...there is more purple there. But I think you are mostly seeing some bad colour balanced photography on my part.

Wow Brad: Sure did lose quite a few. Glad things have settled down and recovery is on its way. Fish look good. How are those gobys doing? Still excavating?

Thats a humungus (sp?) hammer coral.
Is that new skimmer working out? Is the cyano getting less?

I've had that hammer coral now for 15 years. I can't imagine how large it would be if I had not sold off most of it when I sold my first tank. I purchased it as a single head.

Sadly, I lost both Gobies over the summer...just shy of two years in the tank. I'm trying to replace them now.

I think the new skimmer is the reason for the tank turnaround. I still have cyano, but I've always had cyano even when the tank was extremely healthy. I just feed too much.

Onward and Upward...
 

The extension for my skimmer arrived today and I couldn't resist putting it in place. Unfortunately, the carbon cup for the very top wasn't built quite correctly so that will have to wait for another time.

If I ever get out of the hobby, I've got a start on an interesting Halloween costume!
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...n/000_0205.jpg

Close a valve and water stops going to the skimmer allowing me to dismantle it even while the pumps are still running.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...n/000_0206.jpg

Add the new section....
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...n/000_0207.jpg

Put the top back on, open the valve and away she goes! I can't go any higher than this because the water line in the skimmer would become higher than the overflow box that is feeding the skimmer. At this height, the reaction chamber is 12"D x 40"H. At 600gph that makes the dwell time inside the skimmer about 2 minutes. The water is calmer at the top of the skimmer now than previously.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...n/000_0210.jpg

That's a good look for you Brad.

One of these days I'm going to get a phallic skimmer as well.

:)

I'm guessing it didn't fit.