New to the area

[bradwent]

Hi,

I recently moved to the area from CO and was looking for recommendations as to LFS. I have done some searching on RC and Reef.org and found my way to this site. My tank is still dry as I have not set it back up yet as we are doing construction on our "new" house and the carpet will be replaced where the tank will sit. When I took down my reef tank in CO, I sold off all of my livestock and just kept the equipment.

Tank specs:

- 72 AGA drilled with built-in overflow, no my bow front has not leaked

- 2 x 150 HQI 20k, 4 x 30w NO actinics

- Sump with venturi mod Berlin classic skimmer

- Mag7 for return

- Rio (may go soon ), replace with another Mag7

- 2 other PH for internal movement

- small refugium with LOA 65w PC, mainly for macro algae export

- DSB or actually about 3 inch SD base, worked for me

- Live rock assortment

- RO/DI water only


I kept Ricordia (my favorite) and other assorted softies, assorted SPS and a few fish. My plan is to go with more SPS this time, no mushrooms except for my Ricordia, which I will be getting back, and maybe a few slower growing softies for movement.

The reason for my post is to find out what peoples opinions are of LFS within reach of the Portland area. I travel 5 days a week from the North Oregon coast to Beaverton for work so the Portland metro area is referred for recomendations. I have spent a little time searching through this forum and have not been sucessful so far. On RC, a person recommneded WAVES but I have not been there yet.

I was a part of RMRC in CO and took part in frag swaps and meetings and would be interested in pursuing that here given I have the time since I don't live in Portland and once my tank is back up with some time. I have come across PNWMAS.com and will keep checking back on that site.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

Brad Wentworth

[reefcam]

Welcome Brad to Oregon and The Reef Tank.

Here's a link to some of the LFS that I visit:

http://www.romperroo.com/FishCorner/...ish_stores.htm

The only one I don't have on the list is Gateway Bob, but I haven't been there. If anyone knows if he has a site, please post it here and I'll put it as part of my link.

Others will chime in again.

Jim

[powdertoastman]

Welcome to the family

there are lots of very nice LFS around here, im sure you will be very happy with just about any of them. hope to meet ya at the meetings soon.

nathan

[reefcam]

The only one I also don't have on my list is Coral Visions in Vancouver. They are on the I-205 side, or out by Portland Airport.

[bradwent]

Thanks for the links and replys.

I am glad to see that there a local selection of frags available when my tank is ready.

Jim, I like some of those frags you have posted. It will be a good 6 months to a year before I will be adding corals but there is always time for browsing to see what is out there. Now I just need to find some time to make the rounds of LFS.

[wanareef]

Welcome Brad

Also you can contact Jim aka/reefcam as he sells corals on-line. rainbowcorals Great guy and great service. Carries the nicer corals and clams, too.

Bob over at Gatway does not have a site. He sells out of his garage, nice guy and good prices on fish. He gets his shipment on tue and fri

Also there is Patrick out in Beaverton sps frags

[Krux]

if you find me on a sunday, i can navigate you to 4 or 5 stores in the area.

welcome to the area, excited to meet you at a meeting soon.

[reefcam]

Hi Brad,

Not a problem. Also there's frag swaps that goes on during the club's monthly meeting. No fees or anything, just need to show up.

The meetings are every 3rd Sunday of the month. We just had one last week and will have another one next month. You should start seeing a thread about the meeting and another about frag trades in this forum.

So around you located in Seaside/Astoria area? Just curious.

[Ryan Mackey]

If you come to Salem, we are open fron noon to 7pm, wednesday through sunday, at Advanced Aquarium. 120 17th st. ph 503-316-9974.

[bradwent]

So around you located in Seaside/Astoria area? Just curious

Yes, we live just north of Gearhart in Surf Pines. I like it a lot out here, very quite except for the "loud" ocean from time to time.

I just wish I was done with all our construction so I can get our carpet and I can get the tank back and going. I also will be changing my set-up as the tank will be backed up to a wall that is shared with the garage. I am going to plumb through the wall into the garage where I can have as large of a sump and refugium as I want. Unfortunately, it just takes time to do things right and I am not taking down a tank to move it, I just have to be patient. It has been just over a year since I took the reef tank down and I think I am now starting to go through withdrawls.

Also you can contact Jim aka/reefcam as he sells corals on-line. rainbowcorals Great guy and great service.

I have checked out his site and was impressed with the frags he has to offer. I will be wanting to get a hold of some of those.


Thanks for all the reply's fellow reefers. I welcome any and all info that you have to share. I also look forward to the club's meetings, time allowing.

[reefcam]

Brad,

Sounds like it will be a great setup. Not sure if you have done this before, but there's a local guy here, Steveweast, whose tank is in the garage along with all his plumbing and stuff. I've used many of his ideas and he as a very well thought out setup.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...ght=steveweast

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...ght=steveweast

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...ght=steveweast

Here lives in the Portland area and a great guy. His tank was featured as tank of the month on Reef Central last year.

His handle is steveweast.

[bradwent]

WOW!!!

That is an increadible tank. I saw some extremely nice ones in CO but Steve's tank is amazing. I'd like to do some searching on his tank and read about his set-up.

I actually have not read much from RC and Reefs for the last year while the tank is down and was not aware of his tank. Although, those pictures make me believe his tank has been fuctioning very well for at LEAST 2+ years. I am interested in learning more from his set-up.

[reefcam]

Shoot steve a PM. He'll tell you about his setup, but it's even more impressive in person. He recently upgrade to his new 900g tank, but kept most of his other tanks (sump, refugium). And I'll have to say this, his setup looks like he just set it up that day.

He pays very close attention to details and care of his tank. This is one tank that I'm envious of. I can only hope to have half the look of his tank someday.

There are many large tanks and nice looking tanks, but Steve is by far the best I've seen in care and condition. When I first saw his previous tank, I though he just started the hobby and how he could be adding SPS into his tank. Turned out it has been running for 2 years.

(And yet, he still wants to come over... guess he wants to see how the other half takes care of their tank. j/k fellow reefers).

[bradwent]

I did some searching on RC last night and ahh yes, I do recall seeing posts about his tank. Who could forget such an immpressive construction effort utilizing his garage the way he did.

I do not plan for something even remotely similar. My plans are to just plumb through the wall, leaving the tank on its own stand and then the sump will sit in the garage. I see two advantages for doing this. I am no longer restricted to a 20 gal sump and seperate small refugium/algae export tank. The other advantage is getting the pumps out into the garage and limiting the noise.

Now I can DIY a sump the way I want and not have to worry about limited space...can't wait.


And, I would love to see Steve's tank in person some day.