310g Peninsula Mixed Reef

[NeveSSL]

Hi everyone,

I've begun planning out my tank! This may take a little while to get setup, but I'm excited to research it at least for now.

My plan as it stands:

310g 96x30x25 Peninsula Style Tank - Probably from Glass Cages
Extruded Aluminum Stand (most likely from Tnutz)
Custom Synergy Sump (old school... they only do production sumps now)
Red Sea RSK900 Skimmer
Synergy Overflow (most likely the 20", but maybe the 16"... not 100% sure yet)
DC Return Pump of some sort
Noopsyche + T5 lighting
Tropic Eden sand (meso flakes and reef flakes)
Neptune Apex control

I'm still not 100% sure on flow. Thinking about using 3 or 4 Gyre pumps... one in each corner of the overflow side and one at the top of the other end... May add some MP40s, too. Just not sure yet. I want to really overdo the flow, though.

I'm basically planning on following the WWC/BRS hybrid method. That series has been great to watch.

I am currently going through a divorce, so I will certainly need to get that completed and behind me before anything too serious can happen. Hopefully nothing happens that causes me to not be able to build out this tank. I want this size so I can have whatever fish I'd like and quite a few of them! The stocking list is something I've been thinking about a lot, too. Will probably add a rabbitfish near the beginning so I can get some algae eating going on up front, then add the fish in order of aggressiveness with some of the larger tangs coming in last. I WILL have a white tail tang, no question about it unless I just absolutely cannot get one. I will also probably have a gold rim, going to try for an achilles, and maybe a purple tang, too. If I decide to get crazy, maybe a chevron tang. We will see.

Filtration is expected to be very basic, at least to begin with: Live rock, sand, skimmer, 7" filter socks, and chaeto. May do I'm also planning on having sand sifting fish, specifically a diamond goby or maybe two. I want a big focus on utilitarian fish that also look great! I've thought about a yellow coris wrasse because of the amount of pests that they will eat, but I really want a mandarin dragonette later on and don't want them to be out competed on food, so we will see.

I'm expecting to not be salty until probably around the holidays, if not later. Just depends on how my current life events go. I'm not in a hurry, though. My goals for this tank are to be beautiful and fairly easy upkeep. I'm not currently interested in being SPS dominant or anything... it will be a mixed reef for sure, and probably lots of zoas and acans with the easier sps (digis, green slimer, torts, etc.).

Attaching pics of my sump as that's all I have so far! Haha!

Brandon

 

[Patientman]

Sounds like a good plan … and being "patient" is always a great part of a "good plan"!

 

[User]

Sounds like a good build.

get a custom overflow from @TaylorPilot instead of the shadow. It has a design issue that makes it noisier than it should be. I ran one for 6 months, on my 180 pushing 800gph and was constantly fighting noises. Endured being told ‘I was stupid’ by people on this forum because I ‘clearly hadn’t set it up correctly’.

on advice of a few other people -via pm, since if you talk about this in the open, you get shouted down, but I’m over that at this point- I got a custom for maybe $30 more than the shadow cost me.

installed it with the same internal BA elbows etc, and just slotted it in- and my BA was IMMEDIATELY silent. Not a gurgle. To the point the wife asked if I’d turned the pump on yet. I didn’t touch my pump or valve settings- was literally a drop on replacement.

best reefing money I’ve spent, by far.

and I’m recommending that while I have a 16” shadow in its box in my basement, dry. Because I would feel bad giving it away for free. I might use it in my super low flow frag tank in my basement away from any people’s but probably not.

 

[NeveSSL]

Sounds like a good plan … and being "patient" is always a great part of a "good plan"!

Trying to do this right!

Sounds like a good build.

get a custom overflow from @TaylorPilot instead of the shadow. It has a design issue that makes it noisier than it should be. I ran one for 6 months, on my 180 pushing 800gph and was constantly fighting noises. Endured being told ‘I was stupid’ by people on this forum because I ‘clearly hadn’t set it up correctly’.

on advice of a few other people -via pm, since if you talk about this in the open, you get shouted down, but I’m over that at this point- I got a custom for maybe $30 more than the shadow cost me.

installed it with the same internal BA elbows etc, and just slotted it in- and my BA was IMMEDIATELY silent. Not a gurgle. To the point the wife asked if I’d turned the pump on yet. I didn’t touch my pump or valve settings- was literally a drop on replacement.

best reefing money I’ve spent, by far.

and I’m recommending that while I have a 16” shadow in its box in my basement, dry. Because I would feel bad giving it away for free. I might use it in my super low flow frag tank in my basement away from any people’s but probably not.

That sucks you had issues. I've run Synergy overflows before and had zero issues with them. I really loved it. Full disclosure: I have known the people behind Synergy for far longer than they've been behind Synergy.

Brandon

 

[NeveSSL]

A couple of developments have happened this week. I got a 150g Rubbermaid stock tank for the live rock I'm buying locally, picked up a box of Reef Crystals, bought some shelf rock at a great price, and finally found my RODI in our very messy garage! I've had this RODI since about 2007! Oh, and I found my Tunze skimmer for my 45g JBJ. I'm not sure yet if I'll set that up first, or just go for the gold and do the 310g. We will see! Going to eat dinner and then get my RODI going. Also going to buy one of the BRS water saver kits and run the second membrane after the first. I've got a booster pump already, so it should work great.

Brandon

 

[NeveSSL]

40 lbs of shelfrock that was on sale came in Sunday. Also got my RODI hooked up. Unfortunately the pressure in my house is so low it won't even trip the switch to turn the booster on. Gotta get that figured out. I think it may be my house pressure regulator is either failing or turned down for some reason. We'll see. Hopefully that's all it is. I also ordered a new pressure gauge for my RODI unit to replace the one that broke that's built into my unit and a few other various things from BRS. Getting there!

Brandon

 

[NeveSSL]

New sediment filter and Triple TDS meter... My old one had died. New Water Saver from BRS will be here tomorrow, and then the water making shall commence!!!

Brandon

 

[botheboss]

Following

 

[NeveSSL]

Got the rock and sand today! And quite a bit more!

 

[botheboss]

Got the rock and sand today! And quite a bit more!

Nice!

 

[NeveSSL]

So... Got through the divorce... Got through the holidays... Got a new job... And got a new lady... Time to start this tank planning again. Now also adding a frag tank and maybe an octopus tank to this system!!! Lots of planning to do now that I can focus on this thing again. More posts soon!

Brandon