A² 225g Peninsula (Acro Den)

[Aaron-A2]

Preface
Many of you have followed either my previous build or my YouTube channel. I have told many people in my local reefing community and a few places here on R2R, but many asked what happened to me and my tank. For more details, please check out this video which covers it in length.

Side note: All of my coral is being held by a good friend of mine who was kind of enough to take them temporarily. I DID lose my ASD rainbow milli, but everything else is good.

The System

• Tank: 225g Peninsula CDA (72x30x24)
• Overflow: 18" Modular Marine external overflow
• Sump: Fiji Cube 46"
• Lighting 1: ATI Sunpower 8x80w
• Lighting 2: x2 Reef Brite LED attachments
• Skimmer: Regal 250SSS Various
• Powerhead 1: Gyre XF350
• Powerhead 2: MP40 (extra I don't use today)
• Return Pump: Jaebo 15000
• ATO: Tunze

The below pictures are from CDA's facility. This is NOT my tank, just an exact version of one currently being built. My tank still has around 5~ weeks left in construction as of this post (11/28/2019)

Why Peninsula
I always told myself that if I ever bought a new tank, it would be a peninsula style. I love having 3 viewable sides and the extra available aqascaping space. When I looked at my old 210g tank (72x24x29), I always regretted two things:

1. Having a deep tank (Seriously, I'm basically snorkeling when touching the sand bed)
2. Only 24" wide

The first one is self explanatory, but the 2nd is more personal preference. My favorite tanks in the hobby have that bit of extra depth for aquascaping which is just something I do not want to go without going forward. Coupled with the peninsula style, I think I've found my ideal tank setup.

Coral & Fish
This tank is first and foremost an acropora tank with other types of SPS in between. That said, the lighting, flow, sand size, and other factors are going to be built with that in mind.

One mistake I made in my 210g was due to my many fish issues, I had 0 nitrate/0 phosphate for extended periods of time leaving my acros starved of food. I started dosing nitrates/phosphates near the end, but many pieces were completely brown. That said, I fully intend on stocking this tank with fish prior to adding my first acorpora to the system.

With the fish, I still plan on following @HotRocks and @Humblefish 's methodology on prophylatic quarantine. This coupled with a tank I'm setting up on the side for coral and invert QT, I hope to go in with a clean system.

Current STATUS: 11/28/2019
As my tank is under constructions and will not be completed for another 5~ weeks, I am working on the following steps:

• Cure 220 pounds of dry reef saver rock
  • I don't technically have to do this, however I have the time so why not?
• Setup coral/invert QT system
  • I have a spare Radion G4 doing nothing, so the hardest part is solved
• Decide if I want to go for full a full anglefish tank (Scribbled, regal, etc) and know I won't see polyp extension, or go full wrasse/tang
  • Paging @FarmerTy to convince me @_@
    • Also if you're reading this, why aren't you with your new baby!!!!

 

[Aaron-A2]

Finally coming home after a long trip overseas. I'm both sad and excited. Excited to put more hands on work on this build, sad i have to go back to work ;Drowning

On the bright side, Narita airport duty free was incredibly kind to me. Leaving a Japan with a blast!

 

[Aaron-A2]

I arrived back in the states after a long turbulent flight... seriously, one of the most turbulent flights I've ever been on.

ANYWAYS...

Now that I'm back I'm already on the ground running. I've started cleaning up around the future tank location and outlining where I want it to go:

This is 72x30x24 with 1-2 inches padding against the wall. This will be the first thing you see coming into my house. I'll have to move my dining table vertically, but I have fiance approval.

Here's another side shot, close to the front door.

While I wait on my tank to be completed, my next steps are to start curing my rock that arrives Wed next week. Technically I don't have to cure this rock as it's dead dry rock, but since I have the time I can now take the opportunity to essentially have a fully cycled tank day 1.

The step after that will be to begin QT'ing my first batch of fish prior to this tank being setup. With fully cycled media and only QT'ing a few smaller fish, I see no reason I can't have fish ready shortly after the tank is up and running.

 

[Krissreef]

fallowing

 

[Ben Pedersen]

Preface
Many of you have followed either my previous build or my YouTube channel. I have told many people in my local reefing community and a few places here on R2R, but many asked what happened to me and my tank. The short answer is that after a series of fish deaths ending with my scribbled angel, I was so devastated that I had to take a step back from the hobby. I ended up shutting down my aquarium and selling it to a reefer in the Austin area. After many months of reflection, I've come to terms with what I can and cannot control and would like to give this rodeo another ride.

Side note: All of my coral is being held by a good friend of mine who was kind of enough to take them temporarily. I DID lose my ASD rainbow milli, but everything else is good.

The System

• Tank: 225g Peninsula CDA (72x30x24)
• Overflow: 18" Modular Marine external overflow
• Sump: Fiji Cube 46"
• Lighting 1: ATI Sunpower 8x80w
• Lighting 2: x2 Reef Brite LED attachments
• Skimmer: Regal 250SSS Various
• Powerhead 1: Gyre XF350
• Powerhead 2: MP40 (extra I don't use today)
• Return Pump: Jaebo 15000
• ATO: Tunze

The below pictures are from CDA's facility. This is NOT my tank, just an exact version of one currently being built. My tank still has around 5~ weeks left in construction as of this post (11/28/2019)

Why Peninsula
I always told myself that if I ever bought a new tank, it would be a peninsula style. I love having 3 viewable sides and the extra available aqascaping space. When I looked at my old 210g tank (72x24x29), I always regretted two things:

1. Having a deep tank (Seriously, I'm basically snorkeling when touching the sand bed)
2. Only 24" wide

The first one is self explanatory, but the 2nd is more personal preference. My favorite tanks in the hobby have that bit of extra depth for aquascaping which is just something I do not want to go without going forward. Coupled with the peninsula style, I think I've found my ideal tank setup.

Coral & Fish
This tank is first and foremost an acropora tank with other types of SPS in between. That said, the lighting, flow, sand size, and other factors are going to be built with that in mind.

One mistake I made in my 210g was due to my many fish issues, I had 0 nitrate/0 phosphate for extended periods of time leaving my acros starved of food. I started dosing nitrates/phosphates near the end, but many pieces were completely brown. That said, I fully intend on stocking this tank with fish prior to adding my first acorpora to the system.

With the fish, I still plan on following @HotRocks and @Humblefish 's methodology on prophylatic quarantine. This coupled with a tank I'm setting up on the side for coral and invert QT, I hope to go in with a clean system.

Current STATUS: 11/28/2019
As my tank is under constructions and will not be completed for another 5~ weeks, I am working on the following steps:

• Cure 220 pounds of dry reef saver rock
  • I don't technically have to do this, however I have the time so why not?
• Setup coral/invert QT system
  • I have a spare Radion G4 doing nothing, so the hardest part is solved
• Decide if I want to go for full a full anglefish tank (Scribbled, regal, etc) and know I won't see polyp extension, or go full wrasse/tang
  • Paging @FarmerTy to convince me @_@
    • Also if you're reading this, why aren't you with your new baby!!!!

Why did you choose the color you did for the painted back? I'm also in the process of putting together a peninsula. Not sure what color to paint the back.... Black, dark gray, blue, dark blue, light blue... etc.

 

[Aaron-A2]

Why did you choose the color you did for the painted back? I'm also in the process of putting together a peninsula. Not sure what color to paint the back.... Black, dark gray, blue, dark blue, light blue... etc.

Outside a FW iwagumi tank i did where i used white, I've always done black. It gives a sense of depth that I've always enjoyed.

 

[Ben Pedersen]

Outside a FW iwagumi tank i did where i used white, I've always done black. It gives a sense of depth that I've always enjoyed.

I've recently seen a tank painted light aqua blue. Surprisingly it gave the allusion of depth.

 

[Bob Weigant]

Wishing you good luck on your build

 

[Aaron-A2]

Wishing you good luck on your build

Thank you!

 

[rirun]

Hey @Aaron-A2
I was thinking of getting the same tank. Did they give you the weight of it? Are you getting the metal stand from them?

Good luck with the build. I'll be following along.

 

[Aaron-A2]

Hey @Aaron-A2
I was thinking of getting the same tank. Did they give you the weight of it? Are you getting the metal stand from them?

Good luck with the build. I'll be following along.

No, I didn't ask for the weight primarily because it was always going to be first floor/on concrete.

I did decide to go with the metal stand -- going to place magnetic panel boards for easy removal around the stand.

 

[rirun]

Thanks. Will be doing the same but in my basement. Wanted to see how many friends I’ll need to enlist to get it down there

 

[Aaron-A2]

Thanks. Will be doing the same but in my basement. Wanted to see how many friends I’ll need to enlist to get it down there

When my tank arrives, most of my friends will be visiting family for the holidays. I'll prob pay to have one of my LFS's come over and help put it in place. ($75/150 depending)

 

[Bacon505]

Look like its going to be a nice build. All my setup has been a peninsula style and will never change. My biggest issue with peninsula is flow in sps tank. Since we can only mount powerhead on one side of the tank

 

[Aaron-A2]

Look like its going to be a nice build. All my setup has been a peninsula style and will never change. My biggest issue with peninsula is flow in sps tank. Since we can only mount powerhead on one side of the tank

I plan on having 1 gyre on the return pump side and another mp40 i have laying around on the far glass side. It's not as aesthetic, but i want the flow. Down the line I'll probably replace the mp40 with another gyre so there's a gyre at both ends.

 

[Aaron-A2]

My rock is arriving today! Since I still have some time before the tank arrives, I'm going to begin curing the rock using cycled media from my 90g because... why not? That giant black tote I showed above will be container and I've got a cheap submersible return pump I'll use to move flow around the container.

Pictures to come later today.

 

[Michelle G]

That's gonna look so nice..!

 

[drawman]

Following!

 

[Aaron-A2]

Thanks the both of you!

As a side note, I just received an update from CDA telling me that the glass work will be underway as of this week. I did decide to go with a full steel stand for a few reasons:

• Full wood stand is on an enormous backorder (8-10 weeks before mine could be worked on)
• I prefer a full metal stand with removable magnetic side panels.

In the mean time, I'll have a video out this week talking about the build and showing off some of the new equipment.

 

[Aaron-A2]

Quick update covering much of what you already know, but more in-depth. Cheers!