If you look up the word redundancy in the dictionary, you’ll find a photo of Doug Deurloo’s Reef. Did I mention that Doug’s reef is the definition of redundancy? Ok, I’ll stop.
During a recent trip to Indianapolis, I was able to tour a couple of different hobbyist systems in the area. Doug is the President of the Indiana Marine Aquarium Society – he is also a pharmacist. When I tell you that Doug’s middle name is “Details,” I’m not kidding.
300-gallon custom aquarium
The 300g custom Planet Aquarium display on the main floor is breathtaking. It’s been outfitted with a 42” stand to sit at a perfect viewing height. The cabinetry is Amish made – crafted to last generations. Most importantly, the aquarium was built into the fabric of the home.
Within the confines of this beautiful display are a myriad of thriving fish and coral. Like many reef keepers, Doug wanted each fish to serve a purpose. I think it’s safe to say he’ll never have an algae problem with the tang gang he’s employed.
Mixed reef
Technically speaking, Doug is running a mixed reef but as you can see, he loves SPS. While he does frag some of his pieces for various swaps in the region, the colonies in this display are quite chunky. Two of my personal favorites included this luscious, multi-colored, Acanthophyllia. Also, the neon pink and green tube anemone.
As we ventured to the basement it became clear that this wasn’t going to be a normal fish room. I was right. Not only did it include all the bells and whistles but everything was well-thought-out. A restaurant-style sink created the ultimate rinsing station. There were layers and layers of quarantine tanks. My attention immediately went to the 8ft long Pentair trough across the back wall. It was filled to the brim with coral.
Old school/new school reefkeeping
It was refreshing to see a successful marriage of old-school and new-school reef keeping. Doug swears by the growth-inducing halide lighting fixtures but also understands the practicality of the modern LED. Did I mention he also has a whole home generator? He’s ready for catastrophe on many levels.
A huge thanks to Doug for opening his home and showing me his beautiful system!
About the author
Remy has been keeping aquariums, both fresh and saltwater, since the dial-up modem. He has been a professional radio personality for the last 20 years and has been heard on stations from St. Louis to Chicago and beyond.
While studying Mass Communications in college, he minored in biological anthropology as science has always been a huge passion of his. In the last 5 years, he started documenting his journey in the reefing hobby through his YouTube channel, Bahama Llama Coral. Remy shares – with complete transparency – his successes and failures in the hobby. His mission has always been to empower reef keepers to step outside their comfort zone and try new things. Now he heads up our YouTube channel to bring you everything interesting in reefing.
