365 Gallon Pennisula.

[Swissoz]

Hello everyone.

I am four of five weeks into the planning, buying and building stage of a new 30mm acrylic 365G Pennisula and sump.
I have designed it to be a Triton system, so 10x turnover 10 to 20% refugium, oversized skimmer.
I am having the build done in China with a company callled Grandview Arcylics. There service and attention to detail has been incredible so far. I am hoping to sign off on the final plans tomorrow, it has taken a while to get there but they have not complained at all as i have tweaked different things within the sump and the display tank. Once i have signed off on the plans i will post the plans. But in the meantime here is a taste of what is to come. However i will not receive the tank until at least August. but that will give me plenty of time to everything I need to before its arrival.
Display tank 2300mm x 800mm x 750mm with covers and integrated overflow
Sump 2000mm x 730mm x 750mm with covers
Equipment purchased so far is as follows
GHL Profilux 4 with 2 6 outlet powerboards, all necessary probes and optic level sensor.
Royal Exclusive Bubble King 300 Deluxe Skimmer with new RDX 63w pump.
7 Orphek OR4 150 light bars. If necessary i will add some Atlantiks later on.
2 Orphek OR4 Red Plus refugium lights.
1 Orphek Osix controller, it will only to six bars but thats ok
2 500w Aqua medic titanium heaters.
2 Tunze ECO 6225
2 Maxspect XF 350 cloud editions
2 Abyzz A400 pumps
1 Waterdrop 600gpd Ro system.
1 Aqmos 15 litre DI resin bottler with inline electric ballvalves either side to act as ATO water supply
All plumbing will be 63mm
I still have a lot to plan and buy and do. Hopefully will be able to make a decision on the stand tomorrow and purchase it and get it delivered.
Anway i hope someone would like to come for the ride with me.

 

[JumboShrimp]

There is nothing like the excitement of a new tank, is there? :)

 

[Swissoz]

There is nothing like the excitement of a new tank, is there? :)

Absolutely not. As my last tank was in 2013. I had to shut it down after only a couple of years just as it was really maturing. As I moved to Switzerland suddenly, one day i was in Australia and then 6 weeks later I was in Switzerland. And i have waited all that time and finally made the decision that i will stay here long term. So no better reason to start a new tank

 

[backbayreef]

Very good choices in equipment. My 450gal has similar equipment list as yours.

Skimmer: BK 300 - this is an awesome skimmer!
Return: Abyzz A200 + RD 130W Eco (I wish I can afford 2 x Abyzz A400)
Lighting: 14 x OR3, 2 x OR4
Wavemakers: 4 x MP60s vs your Tunze and XF350. I love those gyres as well but I’m too lazy to clean them!

Dosing: you’re planning 2 parts or will do a Deltec calcium reactor? What about water testing & dosing? My system is all Trident & NP.

 

[Swissoz]

Very good choices in equipment. My 450gal has similar equipment list as yours.

Skimmer: BK 300 - this is an awesome skimmer!
Return: Abyzz A200 + RD 130W Eco (I wish I can afford 2 x Abyzz A400)
Lighting: 14 x OR3, 2 x OR4
Wavemakers: 4 x MP60s vs your Tunze and XF350. I love those gyres as well but I’m too lazy to clean them!

Dosing: you’re planning 2 parts or will do a Deltec calcium reactor? What about water testing & dosing? My system is all Trident & NP.

I will give the full Triton method a go and see how it is, as that is basically two part and in parts A and B and the other 2 supplements are geared towards maintaining the parameters, but with also specific supplements to help the growth of macro algae. As the refugium is 20% of the display volume. As 365G is just the display volume and then the sump is at least another 100G considering I running the refugium at 300mm water level and 250mm in the skimmer compartment and return pump section. As far as testing i am thinking of the ghl kh director and ion director. As well as bi monthly ICP to start with.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along! Can't wait to see the tank filled!

 

[Swissoz]

So another step forward today of three weeks of designing and changing as I went. For two rectangular boxes it certaily chewed up some time. But here is the final plans of the tank and the sump. Now they can start building it. And ordered the aluminium profile stand this morning as well. So slowly slowly things are taking shape.

 

[NautiTang]

Looking good. Did I miss planned stocking or is that still an unknown?

 

[Swissoz]

Looking good. Did I miss planned stocking or is that still an unknown?

I am setting up more as an SPS dominant reef with some lps, no softies and my favorite fish.

 

[Swissoz]

Final renderings, goes into production today. Obviously the top will be clear not white as in the rendering.

 

[Swissoz]

So the good news is that the first of the A400s turned up with the heaters, Maxspect XF350s and 2 Tunze 6225 Eco Hub versions. The wifi setup is not playing nicely with the Tunze pumps as yet, which is fine i have plenty of time to work it all out. I also added two Orphek Natura Icons to the lighting so will be a total of 7 OR4 lightbars, with a mix of 3 Reefday, 2 Blue Plus, 1 Blue Skylight, 1 Violet and the two new Natura Icons. So with this array i ordered the materials in aluminium profile to make a custom fixture with all of the fittings mounted and suspended within. As i will stagger the light bars over the tank to get full coverage on most of it. thus why i got the natura icons. The bad news is i was just looking around on the Swiss equivalent of ebay, and was just trying to get an idea of what the tank size is actually going to look like. So i looked at a very similar size and thought oh thats nice a little shorter and a little less height but the same width. So i closed the site down and was happy with what i had seen. Then to my shock I received an email 20 minutes later saying congratulations you have purchased the tank i was looking at earlier. So I was WTAF, as in know way did i initiate a purchase. So contacted the seller immediately to explain the situation, as i have absolutely now way of collecting the tank and stand etc which is 250 klms from home. So far i only received a messge saying thanks for buying the tank when do you want to pick it up. To which i then copied the emails and translated them into German for the person, yet I am still waiting to hear back from her. As in Switzerland you have the obligation to purchase the item if you buy it. So i am bewildered to as how this happened, and am now hoping that the seller will cancel the purchase. But we will see.

 

[Swissoz]

So another week another arrival or three of new gear. Earlier in the week the aluminium profile turned up for the lighting. As it will have 7 Orphek OR4s and 2 of the new Orphek Natura Icons. I plan to have it so there is just one cable to the fitting as it will be suspended above the tank, not in a canopy. So it will have the Orphek Osix controller and power supply and then one of the or4s power supply and also the power supply and control units for the Icons. So ordered 8 3mm Stainless suspension kits today which gives me a SWL of around 300kg so more than enough but it will be a heavy bugger. I also ordered 130kg of Carib Sea life rock this week, including two of there mega arches and which are around 90cm long and weigh 24kg a piece. Also got some shelf, donuts and some cheap 45cm white rock that i can cut up for foundation pieces. All up around 150kg of rock. So it will be all dry rock. First time with dry rock as having all of my other tanks in Australia I always filled them with Live rock, but it is prohibitly expensive here in Switzerland. And is also in very very short supply. Also got a quote for the new control cables for the Abyzz A400s for GHL, 315 Euros before tax. So i will hold off on those until closer to the arrival of the tank. Hopefully have some pictures to show next week of the stand and the light hood.

 

[Swissoz]

 

[Swissoz]

 

[Swissoz]

 

[Swissoz]

So things are starting to move quicker now. As you can see by the pictures. Lighting canopy is nearly done. Just have to mount the two Orphek Naturas and wire it all up. Stand is nearly done but unfortunately one of the 5 boxes did not turn up so couldnt be finished yet. I already have the marine ply for the top and for the bottom so wont be long to finish it. Then i can start to work out the layout of all the gear. So in the last week i have ordered the KH director and accompanying doser for it. All the plumbing is now ordered, which came in at around 700 Euros before tax. Also ordered some gear from BRS using MYUS so will let everyone know how that works out for, especially for anyone that is not in the US. So this week i am hoping the 140ish kg of Caribsea rock will turn up as well as the second Abyzz A400.

 

[Swissoz]

Very good choices in equipment. My 450gal has similar equipment list as yours.

Skimmer: BK 300 - this is an awesome skimmer!
Return: Abyzz A200 + RD 130W Eco (I wish I can afford 2 x Abyzz A400)
Lighting: 14 x OR3, 2 x OR4
Wavemakers: 4 x MP60s vs your Tunze and XF350. I love those gyres as well but I’m too lazy to clean them!

Dosing: you’re planning 2 parts or will do a Deltec calcium reactor? What about water testing & dosing? My system is all Trident & NP.

Hi there Bakbay,
I just finished reading all 57 pages of your thread on your tank. To say you have been on a journey is an understatement. You have truly shown amazing stamina and fortitude with all that you have been through. Since you are running the orpheks or light bars, I was wondering what height you have them above the water level of your tank. Because as you can see in my thread the canopy I have made puts me in a similar boat as you. That is once it is up its not coming down again as I have 7 x or4 150s and 2 of the new Natura Icons mounted within the 23kg aluminium canopy. After reading your complete thread on your tank, i was wondering if you ever thought to try the Triton method out. Because as you I like to do as little as possible for the maximum benefit and lowest cost without giving up on reliability. As you already have a refugium set up. you have a great skimmer and it wouldnt take much to up your flow rate. And with your dosing, calc rx, etc etc etc. Even if your were dosing. 100ml of each Core 7 product it might end up costing less than what you are already doing. And your using ICP tests already which is one of the bigger expenses. Just a thought.

 

[backbayreef]

Hi there Bakbay,
I just finished reading all 57 pages of your thread on your tank. To say you have been on a journey is an understatement. You have truly shown amazing stamina and fortitude with all that you have been through. Since you are running the orpheks or light bars, I was wondering what height you have them above the water level of your tank. Because as you can see in my thread the canopy I have made puts me in a similar boat as you. That is once it is up its not coming down again as I have 7 x or4 150s and 2 of the new Natura Icons mounted within the 23kg aluminium canopy. After reading your complete thread on your tank, i was wondering if you ever thought to try the Triton method out. Because as you I like to do as little as possible for the maximum benefit and lowest cost without giving up on reliability. As you already have a refugium set up. you have a great skimmer and it wouldnt take much to up your flow rate. And with your dosing, calc rx, etc etc etc. Even if your were dosing. 100ml of each Core 7 product it might end up costing less than what you are already doing. And your using ICP tests already which is one of the bigger expenses. Just a thought.

Thanks for following along! As you know, reefing can be a full-time job! I run 4 tanks so it’s essential to automate as much as I can.

Lighting: I love the Orphek lights - very good, even distribution and balance. I’m 9” from the water line - so very tight to do anything. Guess it can be a blessing so I won’t stick my hand in the water, disrupting corals and introducing contaminants.

Triton: I have never done this before tbh. I have heard others employing this method with success. As for me, I believe in long term capital investment up front to pay future dividends. I think that I’m almost done to keep my params stable with minimal effort. I might consider Triton in the future and thanks for the suggestion.

Your build is phenomenal and I’ve been lurking & following along. Best wishes and we can certainly share notes (and challenges). :)

 

[Swissoz]

Getting there. Just the overflow to install and then it will be ready to packed and shipped.. Finished the base of the stand last night. And 140kg of Carib Sea life rock turned up as well. One of the mega arches has been broken and repaired but heah at least i got another 25 percent off. As these bloody rocks cost me close enough to 2800usd after shipping and tax. The same arch in the US is around 400. Better than the first quote i got though as they wanted 1250usd per arch. KH director and doser should be turning up today. So still waiting for all the plumbing and my second A400. At this rate I am hoping i may see the tank around the end of July.

 

[Swissoz]

Great news today. The 8ft tank I apparently bought on the Swiss equivalent of Ebay has been cancelled by the seller. So at least I am off the hook for close to 3k usd. As there is no right of cancellation here in Switzerland I was legally obligated to buy it unless the seller agrees to cancel the sale. So very nice of the lady to do so.