It's A Lifestyle - 250g Peninsula

[rtparty]

Nothing new to update except my highlighter acro has decided to start STN'ing on me and I'm positive it's from lack of flow. I am starting to find flow is an absolute nightmare. Every time I solve it one area, 2 other areas get worse.

It would be a ten page novel trying to type it all out but the short of it is I love the Tunze Stream 3 but it might not end up being the best (right?) tool for the job. It comes with 3 nozzles (wide, narrow, and deflector...all my names for them) and the narrow works best for a 6 foot tank. But I can't turn it up over 25-30% or it blows sand off the front glass. It also can't be aimed in any way so the water is just shot down the glass and then bounces around.

If I put the wide nozzle on it, it only pushes out to about 4 feet before the current coming back is mixing and creates a giant crater in the sand. Still can't be aimed in any way.

The deflector you can kind of aim but it's pointless for my setup.

The 6095s do great but are too wide of a flow pattern for a 6 foot tank.

So I don't know what to do here... Deven at ReefDudes uses 2 MP60s for his 6 foot peninsula but Ecotech is up in the night at $820 per pump now! The MP40 likely won't push 6 feet.

Like I said, I'm at a loss and need to figure this out soon.

 

[Sean Clark]

How big is your sand? I only have one Stream3 with the "rectifier" nozzle mounted mid tank depth angled slightly up with fine sand (smaller than 1.5mm).

 

[Hydrored]

Nothing new to update except my highlighter acro has decided to start STN'ing on me and I'm positive it's from lack of flow. I am starting to find flow is an absolute nightmare. Every time I solve it one area, 2 other areas get worse.

It would be a ten page novel trying to type it all out but the short of it is I love the Tunze Stream 3 but it might not end up being the best (right?) tool for the job. It comes with 3 nozzles (wide, narrow, and deflector...all my names for them) and the narrow works best for a 6 foot tank. But I can't turn it up over 25-30% or it blows sand off the front glass. It also can't be aimed in any way so the water is just shot down the glass and then bounces around.

If I put the wide nozzle on it, it only pushes out to about 4 feet before the current coming back is mixing and creates a giant crater in the sand. Still can't be aimed in any way.

The deflector you can kind of aim but it's pointless for my setup.

The 6095s do great but are too wide of a flow pattern for a 6 foot tank.

So I don't know what to do here... Deven at ReefDudes uses 2 MP60s for his 6 foot peninsula but Ecotech is up in the night at $820 per pump now! The MP40 likely won't push 6 feet.

Like I said, I'm at a loss and need to figure this out soon.

40’s certainly don’t push 6 feet, I have 4 of them sitting here lol

I absolutely despise them but gyres?

 

[rtparty]

40’s certainly don’t push 6 feet, I have 4 of them sitting here lol

I absolutely despise them but gyres?

I think I'd rather stir the tank by hand

They might be the best tool though. I know Ryan at BRS tried them on his peninsula and they didn't work out well enough to keep.

Many peninsula owners have to relegate to using pumps on the "viewing" panel and I will exhaust every resource before going that route.

Nero 5s will push 6 feet and have a super thin wire so maybe a couple of them will help.

I'm also looking at the more narrow Tunze Stream pumps that I can aim more.

I'm going to pull the flare nozzles off my returns and put on the round nozzles. Then turn my return pumps a little higher. This will allow more aiming ability and maybe better surface agitation at the long end.

 

[Hydrored]

I think I'd rather stir the tank by hand

They might be the best tool though. I know Ryan at BRS tried them on his peninsula and they didn't work out well enough to keep.

Many peninsula owners have to relegate to using pumps on the "viewing" panel and I will exhaust every resource before going that route.

Nero 5s will push 6 feet and have a super thin wire so maybe a couple of them will help.

I'm also looking at the more narrow Tunze Stream pumps that I can aim more.

I'm going to pull the flare nozzles off my returns and put on the round nozzles. Then turn my return pumps a little higher. This will allow more aiming ability and maybe better surface agitation at the long end.

I would try getting your hands on a couple used MP60’s. I really want a peninsula for my next tank but flow is on of the big reasons keeping me from it unless I go full built in or closed loop.

 

[lubeck]

Nice build. Following.

 

[rtparty]

After consulting multiple peninsula owners, it seems that 2 MP60s is likely my best bet going forward. Hard to stomach $1640 in pumps so I'll have to spread out purchasing them over a few months.

I've really got to get this control board setup and get the DOS's back online. I'm tired of dosing everything by hand daily.

I'm also thinking of adding like 15 chromis to this tank but they usually don't last long IME. I really need to get some more fish added.

 

[rtparty]

One MP60 has been ordered and I've made some good progress to get Apex on this tank.

I'll wait for the MP60 to get here before deciding final placement of everything. This controller board will have an 8" Fire tablet, a Reef Octopus Elite controller, an Apex display, and 2 MP60 controllers on it. Those are the only things I need quick access to IMO. There might be some room for some Apex buttons as well if I decide I need anything like that.

Time to get the wiring organized and make this tank look a little more finished.

 

[rtparty]

It's coming together...

MP60 will be here Friday and I'm really hoping it helps with the flow issues. I'm starting to have tissue necrosis on pieces I can't get enough flow to currently.

I'm also trying to get a bunch of frags and loose corals sold off. I might be remodeling the tank quite a bit soon. I'm not loving some of the pieces and would like to remove them plus some rock if possible.

 

[rtparty]

MP60 number 2 has been installed. Looks like my flow issues may be resolved.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to rescape the tank and sell off a bunch of LPS. They just don't do it for me any more and are taking up a ton of real estate.

Very quickly taken updated pic

Little more zoomed in

 

[rtparty]

After close to 40 hours of work, Hydros is completely offline and Apex is now running the tank! Still have a little bit of cleanup and need to calibrate the DOS units but I'm stoked with how it turned out.

Takes major planning to organize it all and pics will never do it any justice. At the end I was flat exhausted and just plugged everything in. I couldn't keep routing every last plug as room was running out. I've got plenty of room leftover to add on any of the new Neptune stuff and may get an EB832 for 1Link and power draw. Pretty sure I'll be ordering a Trident in the near future as I haven't had time to test this tank in over a month.

Couple pics of the new controller cabinet. I'll grab one with the final setup once I'm back home tonight.

 

[rtparty]

Tank is is now fully run by Apex and it is SOOOO good to be back! I do not miss Hydros' UI one bit. I do miss the tiny magnetic temp probe though. Not to mention the BNC connectors are still better than USB plugs IMO.

I got the DOS pumps all setup and calibrated last night so we are back on autopilot for dosing. Alk, Calcium, Part C, and Magnesium will be dosed on the 4 heads.

In other exciting news, I bought the A3 Pro and Trident on release night. So I get to set that all up and recalibrate the DOS next week. No biggie. Priming is the worst part LOL and they are already primed. I am looking forward to the EB832 (assuming they have really fixed the bad parts in them) and what is has to offer. Power monitoring is a very nice perk and I can cut down on clutter by using the 1Link on the 2 DOS setups.

The LLS is what I was really after in the whole upgrade. That is going to make my ATO and dosing reservoirs so much easier to manage without having to go look at it all. I really like the idea of learning just how long my additives are lasting. 4 gallons at a time should last me a long while. I will grab some pics when I am home a little later.

It's not all rainbows and butterflies though. Got some cyano creeping up, the MP60s have rearranged my sand quite a bit, and I found an aiptaisa the other night. First I have seen in a very long time. My peppermint is an aiptaisa eating fool though so hopefully it finds it easy enough.

My 2 SPS that have had necrosis going on seem to have stopped amd just in time. The highlighter has like 3 tips still alive but they are starting to grow flesh back down the branches. Fingers crossed.

 

[rtparty]

Apex Pro and Trident arrive today! Not sure when I'll get them setup but hopefully soon

 

[rtparty]

The wait is over! Let's hope it lives up to the expectations. Mostly excited for the Trident and LLS

 

[rtparty]

First water change since setup 4 months ago.

Did the tank need it? Not at all. So why then?

Without sharing too much I've kicked off a pretty large scale salt test and will have lots of excess saltwater. Some will be used for 5-7% water changes and others will be dumped.

Nothing else to report. Tank is doing well. Serious growth on a couple acros. Necrosis has stopped on the others with new growth covering the old, dead areas.

That's about it.

 

[rtparty]

Word of the day is cyano.

Can't believe how quickly it is moving on my sand. Reminds me why I hate sand so much lol...with no sand I would probably set the MP60s at 100% and leave them there full time. The fish stocking plan means sand is necessary though so we'll see what I can do to fight the cyano back.

Incoming post about the new A3 Pro and Trident...it deserves its own post IMO

 

[rtparty]

For those of you following...can you give me some input on my next fish purchase? All coming from Dr Reef so fingers crossed it goes smoothly.

Ready to purchase:
Midas Blenny
Green Chromis x 15 (too many?)
McCosker's Wrasse
Spotted Mandarin
Flame Angel
Diamond Goby

Current residents are:
Two Spot tang (boss of tank)
Convict Tang (slightly psycho chasing reflection all day)
Rabbitfish (almost 6" and total wuss)
FoxFace Lo (6" and huge baby as well)
Lawnmower Blenny (I am postive he is a huge jerk and bites others)
2 pajama cardinals
Red Firefish
Yellow Stripe pygmy wrasse
Peppermint shrimp (that devours aiptasia if it finds it)

Hopeful additions down the road:
5-7 Anthias (Lyretail or Resplendent/Tierra)
Yasha goby (diamond may make this impossible)
Helfrichi x 2 (red firefish might no enjoy this)

 

[rtparty]

Cyano starts making more sense when I actually test for nutrients.

Nitrates around 20ppm but expired kit. Hanna checker on the way.

Phosphates at .22!

Time to get things cleaned up and back on track

 

[Hydrored]

Hi,

I was curious if you ever did a PAR map?

 

[rtparty]

Hi,

I was curious if you ever did a PAR map?

I haven't. I really should since I have a meter but with halides, nothing seems to care about PAR like it does with LEDs.

Here is my old 120 and I suspect I'm pretty close to this. Maybe even higher with the XHOs on.