MACNA XIX

Here are a series of shots of the Zero-Edge $20,000 grand prize. Over the course of the conference, the water quality improved. By Sunday, the water was just about crystal clear. These are from Friday & Saturday. For those of you that don't know what Zero-Edge means, the water flows over the top edge on all 4 sides and pours into a gutter/tray surrounding the tank. The water then drains down into a sump where it is filtered and pushed back up into the display tank, via returns that are hidden under the rockwork. You view the tank through the water pouring down the outside, which is almost invisible. It is very interesting and calming, but a little tough to photograph. The black box in the center of the tank is glued to the base of the tank, and is only open from below. Two VorTech pumps were installed inside that box, providing flow while keeping the motors dry. Great idea!


















In this picture, if you look at the upper right corner, you can see how the water is overflowing but the very seam is staying dry. That would occur with a brand new tank, but as long as it is truly level and has had some time to break in, that stops.

Here is Rich Durso (who created the Durso Standpipe many of us use) taking pictures of the grand raffle prize. He also took a few pictures of me in the process. 12 megs (Right Click & Save As to your harddrive)

Quick shot of the inside. Rich took better pictures which you will see momentarily.

Comments & pictures from Rich Durso: Our daily raffle from IceCap, Euroreef, MarineDepot, and a few other vendors that I can't remember. We all gathered around waiting for our number.... I didn't win anything.

Long time friend, Tim Marks - Ecotech.

Drain lines from the Zero-Edge grand prize, fairly soft, clear, food grade said to be imported from Japan.

Skimmer included in the Zero-Edge grand prize setup.

Sump area, notice the wet towel. Something was leaking. At it was really warm under there.

Melev trying to sneak a picture of me. I think he was taking a movie if I recall. (Melev: Correct!)

Melev checking out the Grand Prize.

"I'd like some cold water snails from the bottom of the tank please."

The Euroreef-Salifert-Marine Depot-EcoTech Marine-Zero Edge-IceCap multibooth had several raffles over the three day conference. After you got a free ticket, you just had to show up and win. Well, you had to show up. Winning wasn't quite as easy. Jeff filmed the craziness.





On Saturday, barista and baristo were there to care for your java needs.

Here is the EcoTech Marine booth

The new wireless controller that talks to the other controllers. (Master to Slave, like harddrives, but wirelessly)

Here's a VorTech that is inside the tank, with the motor in a dry area. If you drilled the tank, you could run power cords down through the inside of that area from lighting hanging above.

Here's a brief video of the vortechs in action. It didn't come out as good as the one Mr. Crab posted. Remember, one controller is telling all three tanks what to do, and each one flows differently. 6 megs (Right Click, Save As to your harddrive to give my site a break vs streaming the video)
This is the new Euroreef Pico tank, made of glass with an auto top off compartment in the back.

Look at the tiny Euroreef skimmer! It is very easy to adjust by twisting that small pipe slightly.

And even these clams were happy. :)

Icecap booth

New dimmable ballast, perhaps. I just liked it because it was new and red.

Quick shot of Jeff from Euro-reef.