First tank! Crystal Dynamic Peninsula 83

mrcole76 · Nov 18, 2018

If you figure out a way to cram a second, smaller pump in there you could use it just for the manifold. Then in an emergency you could put that pump onto your main return. The bonus with that setup is you’d get a nice consistent flow to the manifold at all times and wouldn’t have to worry about turning down your main return for feeding or maintenance and having it mess with whatever’s hooked up to the manifold. Some of that stuff can be flow sensitive. Fmk will be nice to dial that in.

If you wanted to get fancy, you could rig it to manually switch over with some well placed ball valves.

Two of the new kessils on that will be sweet!

anonomous09 · Nov 19, 2018

I was actually planning on skipping a manifold and hoping the single reactor would be enough? The only thing I thought I would maybe add down the line is a UV sterilizer? Then again, this is my first tank....

anonomous09 · Nov 27, 2018

Thanks to the BRS Black Friday sale, I have boxes showing up all week. I have a plumbing game plan laid out. The first A360X has shown up also with the second showing up at the end of the week. I will be building a stainless rack that cantilever over the tank as well to hold the lights!

anonomous09 · Nov 28, 2018

Alright guys, even more packages have arrived from BRS today! All plumbing fittings are in, Spectral Kessil Controller showed up and some other goodies. However it appears I’m two steps forward, one step back... Over the weekend I ordered two MP40 Ecotech pumps. My plan was to attach them both below the return lines on the back “wall” that is the overflow box. While looking over the quick start guide for the first pump, the terminology “dry side” dawned upon me. The dry side would not be dry, but submerged. Now I will need to return the MP40s and WXM Apex module and form a new game plan. This is one of a couple things I need help with.

1. Besides the Ecotech pumps, what are everyone’s favorite power heads? Preferably Apex controlled. I originally jumped to the Maxspect Gyre pumps since the gyre effect seems effective in a peninsula tank. However Apex integration seems pretty spotty. Unless everyone thinks the gyre and stay on during feeding? In which case the gyre could run its own program.

2. I know the A360X are new lights, but does anyone have recommendations for a starting height for the lights from the surface of the water? I will be building a stainless hanger setup and wanted to find a good starting point.

3. My tank came with three bulkheads for the overflow but the overflow was not built. Is there any good guides out there for how to build a bean overflow from common PVC fittings? Also a way to calculate the height?

Thanks for helping a beginner out!!

anonomous09 · Nov 28, 2018

Anyone bored at work happen to know the answers? Hoping to get parts ordered ASAP!

dbl · Nov 28, 2018

anonomous09 said:
Alright guys, even more packages have arrived from BRS today! All plumbing fittings are in, Spectral Kessil Controller showed up and some other goodies. However it appears I’m two steps forward, one step back... Over the weekend I ordered two MP40 Ecotech pumps. My plan was to attach them both below the return lines on the back “wall” that is the overflow box. While looking over the quick start guide for the first pump, the terminology “dry side” dawned upon me. The dry side would not be dry, but submerged. Now I will need to return the MP40s and WXM Apex module and form a new game plan. This is one of a couple things I need help with.

1. Besides the Ecotech pumps, what are everyone’s favorite power heads? Preferably Apex controlled. I originally jumped to the Maxspect Gyre pumps since the gyre effect seems effective in a peninsula tank. However Apex integration seems pretty spotty. Unless everyone thinks the gyre and stay on during feeding? In which case the gyre could run its own program.

2. I know the A360X are new lights, but does anyone have recommendations for a starting height for the lights from the surface of the water? I will be building a stainless hanger setup and wanted to find a good starting point.

3. My tank came with three bulkheads for the overflow but the overflow was not built. Is there any good guides out there for how to build a bean overflow from common PVC fittings? Also a way to calculate the height?

Thanks for helping a beginner out!!

1. I personally use two Gyre pumps, one on each "short" end of my peninsula. The magnet bar on one is located inside my overflow box, thus wet. I had actually called Maxpect and they told me it was fine to be submerged. Been in there for years without issue (knock on wood). I used to run them through the Apex but now I just use the new controller. I personally leave everything on while I feed. I make the fish work for their dinner.

2. As to light height (I don't have personal experience with the A360x's) you'll just have to play with it to get the spread/intensity you want. I personally would start any light out at around 10-12" above the water and adjust accordingly.

3. Can't be much help there. I would search Bean here on R2R and see what you find. Or check out YouTube as I'm sure there is more than one video on the topic.

anonomous09 · Nov 29, 2018

Thanks for the info! I am leaning towards the Maxspect Gyre or two of the new AI Nero pumps.

anonomous09 · Feb 2, 2019

Well, bringing this one back from the dead! It was a crazy end to the year so I got a little behind on this project. I got it about 95 percent plumbed in place! The last piece to the plumbing puzzle is the overflow. I have looked at some diagrams of bean animal overflows. But my overflow box is much deeper than most. I have attached a photo any suggestions or examples on how to plumb it?

anonomous09 · Feb 4, 2019

Any recommendations for building the overflow piping?

anonomous09 · Jun 4, 2019

Alright bringing this thread back from the dead! Thanks to a wedding and a extended honeymoon the tank construction got put on the back burner. However I am well on my way to getting this thing wet. I still haven’t determined if I’ll use some kind of manifold. I think it would be easy to plumb one in right after the flow sensor currently. I got the modified skimmer lid back from Avast to mount the skimmer scrubber. I also got the roller filter completely setup and operable. Currently working on the rocks ape and wiring. Trying to keep as much of the wiring as hidden as possible however that is proving challenging with the limited space.

anonomous09 · Jun 5, 2019

Finished up the rock scape last night, but forgot to snap a photo. Continued working on hiding all the wiring. Anyone else find it weird the Apex probes are all different lengths? Anyway, my LFS is really pushing running a UV sterilizer. I would have to mount it to the ceiling of the cabinet and get creative with the plumbing. His recommended setup was the UV sterilizer with RoPhos in the generator. Any advice is welcome!

doodledreads · Jun 5, 2019

Why a UV sterilizer? You would be killing a lot of beneficial organisms. I would use QT and dipping to avoid pests instead.

count krunk · Jun 5, 2019

UV helps keep the water clear by zapping anything that flows thru it.

I am a fan of that or ozone. But I also don't QT and think that is part of that school of thought.

You should definitely give for corals a dip before you put them in.

anonomous09 · Jun 5, 2019

He claimed for clarity. This is my first tank so I am not very experienced. I don't plan on going all out with coral at first. From my research I was just going to run carbon in the generator for now.

G8rBait92 · Jun 5, 2019

Nice, clean, setup.

doodledreads · Jun 6, 2019

anonomous09 said:
He claimed for clarity. This is my first tank so I am not very experienced. I don't plan on going all out with coral at first. From my research I was just going to run carbon in the generator for now.

Good decision.

anonomous09 · Jun 6, 2019

@doodledreads the Uv or the carbon?

Eros · Jun 6, 2019

Beautiful tank and home... looking forward to seeing your progress.

misoldier06 · Jun 6, 2019

The guys over at BRS are talking quiet a bit about UV sterilizers being used in the first year of a bare bottom tank.... Apparently, bare bottom tanks that do not utilize a UV sterilizer have a higher likely hood of going through more bacterial blooms than tanks that contain sand. BTW, I'm loving everything your doing with the set up of this tank... The stand and tank are beautiful. That Sump looks like it was designed for the military. Good luck on the build and i hope we keep getting updates!

doodledreads · Jun 6, 2019

anonomous09 said:
@doodledreads the Uv or the carbon?

Carbon! I dont use it anymore as I installed an ATS (which is another thing you could explore) but I liked running carbon as it keeps the water clear. I also used a little GFO now and then.