CoralVue's Tank Display Overview, Episode 1

In this episode, Sam discusses the significant friendship formed with CoralVue founders David and Brandi D’Aquin. He describes how this connection led to his most ambitious aquarium design project. From concept to creation, he details the work involved in this notable project.

Episode 1: Tank Display Overview

Dec 1, 2023

Today, Wet Work visits CoralVue. Many people recognize the name, as it has been around since the 90s and is owned by David and Brandi Skeen. Their location serves as both a home office and a manufacturing facility in Slidell, Louisiana, about 45 minutes from New Orleans.

Sam has known David for many years. They first meet at a local shop when David is starting his business with electronic ballasts and halide bulbs under the brand Reflux. These products gain popularity until the industry shifts to LED technology.

Sam remembers seeing his first black tang in David’s home aquarium in Metairie. Years later, during a visit to another local store, David and his associate Carlos ask Sam if he can assist with plumbing and electrical work for their new manufacturing facility and warehouse display.

This request evolves into a full-scale design project—not just for the 1200-gallon display, but also for the fish room, equipment room, executive offices, and lobby. It becomes the largest project Sam has undertaken.

The project incorporates a variety of materials, and Sam handles much of the installation himself, particularly in the fish room. Carpenter Ethan Bojo plays a key role, executing complex carpentry without border seams or moldings. Companies like CCF in Lafayette contribute by fabricating structural fiberglass stands, requiring precise workmanship.

To ensure durability and resistance to rot or corrosion, the project utilizes titanium fittings above the waterline and 316 stainless steel below. Exterior-grade treated wood with a 50-year warranty is selected for both the interior and exterior of the fish room.

Sam values the opportunity to continue visiting the facility, observing its growth, and providing maintenance support as needed.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

"Today, here we are at CoralVue. Many of you were familiar with the name. They've been around since the 90s. And, they're owned by David and Brandi Skeen. And we're here at their home office and manufacturing facility in Slidell, Louisiana, about 45 minutes outside of New Orleans. It was interesting. I've known David for a very long time.

We met, years and years and years ago at a local shop when he was just first starting out with his, electronic ballasts and the halide bulbs that he used to sell, line called reflux. And, they were the gold standard for a very long time until, of course, everybody moved to led. So I've known him for a while.

I saw my first black tang at the aquarium at his home in Metairie. Back then. And I was at another local store a couple of years ago, David. And, one of his associates, Carlos, came in and he asked me if, I was still building aquariums because he wanted a little bit of help with plumbing and electrical and the, display for his new manufacturing facility and warehouse.

And I was like, absolutely. I'd be more than happy to help. And it, it more from a little bit of help with plumbing and electrical into an entire design project for not just the 1200 gallon display, but the fish room behind it, the equipment room behind it as well as the executive office spaces and the lobby. I mean, to date, it's the biggest project I've ever done.

It was an incredible opportunity to use materials that I'd wanted to work with for years. They gave me almost complete carte blanche. Creatively, they just let me off my leash. So. So I had, I had a lot of fun with it. It was, other than a little bit of help with some of the materials.

I did all of the installation myself in the fish room in particular. Now, I'm not a I'm an okay carpenter, but I'm not a great finished carpenter. We had a wonderful carpenter, Ethan Bojo. Just one of the nicest guys I've ever met, but just such an incredible talent. The design called for very, very difficult and precise carpentry.

There are no, there are no border seams or moldings on corners or anything of that nature. So it was a lot of complicated angles. Knocked it out of the park. The three form resin material panels, a company in Baton Rouge installed those, CCF, which is in Lafayette. Fabricated the structural fiberglass stand for the tank, which is completely inert.

They actually build oil platforms. So I wanted something that was completely inert. So it's titanium fittings above the waterline. 316 stainless steel. Not the other stuff, but surgical stainless steel below that. So the objective when the design was ongoing, was to ensure that everything in that room was completely inert and would be eternal, so that nothing ever had to be replaced due to rot or corrosion.

In addition to that, the wood on the outside of the fish room and the wood that's inside the fish room as well is a exterior grade treated shitzu given it has a 50 year above ground warranty outside and in very harsh climates as well. The material is used in a lot of northern climates, but, it's all cypress.

Since we're in south Louisiana, I thought it was the appropriate, species to use. And, Yeah, it was. It's a great opportunity. And I especially appreciate the fact that I'm able to come back here, watch it develop, help clean the pains a little bit, you know, empty the skimmer, clear out the refuge. And just watch it develop over time.

And David's very busy, so I'm always happy to come up and help him out a little bit."