If you thought your tanks was BIG!!!!!

[PelagicMagic]

Your tank is very nice. I have been to many public aquariums and they do not even have a reef as nice as yours. I have known about your tank for a while now and it is amazing. I also did tank maintenance while in college and the business I worked for only did expensive tanks, like the ones in homes that exceed 5000 sq feet and this is in FL. They don't even compare to yours. What I guess I am trying to say is that you probably have one of the nicest systems that is privately owned, congrats on your success and its finally nice to talk to the man behind the tank.

I have one question, Your power bill including the house power is 350?

[steveweast]

Nope....just the tank.....before I set up the tank, the house PGE bill was around $50 per month +/-. My current total bill each month is $400 +/-....so, I figure the tank accounts for in the $350 range+/- each month. My house is nearly totally operated by gas....gas ovens, gas cooktop, gas dryer, gas heat.....so, my electric bills were never really high to begin with.

[PelagicMagic]

Thats not bad at all. My last bill was 340 and I don't even run as near the wattage as you do for the tank. We also have gas waterheater, stovetop and range, most of our power used each month is for the AC and right now its on 24/7. I need to move north.

Do you have any updated pics of the system?

[tiburon]

Steve - I see your reasons for not going 1/2 and 1/2.. all are very valid and I understand... I was just sort of thinking out loud without sorting the details.. you, however, have done that and I am sure thought of all the different viable options given your space + building options and what you want for the tank + room it ajoins with.. anyways, that tank is like what my dream tank would be like.. it's really amazing and all of your hard work + planning is very apparent in it's outcome.