John's SPS Shallow 90g Peninsula-Lagoon build

[minus9]

Just a couple quick top down pics.

 

[minus9]

Couple top down pics during feeding.

 

[revhtree]

It's a beaut Clark!

 

[Smite]

I'm not big on the soft stuff but that rock with those neon mushrooms and leather (gorg?) is outstanding

 

[minus9]

It's a beaut Clark!

Thank you!

 

[minus9]

I'm not big on the soft stuff but that rock with those neon mushrooms and leather (gorg?) is outstanding

Neither am I, but I got that green rhodactis for free when I bought my valida/secale five years ago and it moved to that rock. The purple gorg is great, but I really want to scrape off those rhodactis at some point. I don't mind them, but I should've never allowed them to take hold, oh well. Besides the jawbreakers and zoas, those are the only softies in there. The cool thing with the rhodactis are the tips, they get really puffy sometimes.

 

[minus9]

 

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ATI has me rethinking lighting with the new Straton, man that thing is slick. Just thinking out loud.

 

[Kyl]

You're not the only one thinking about the Straton. Would you keep those accent strips if swapping? The shimmer is very subdued.

Gorgeous tank.

 

[minus9]

You're not the only one thinking about the Straton. Would you keep those accent strips if swapping? The shimmer is very subdued.

Gorgeous tank.

Thank you! I was just thinking out loud, but if I were to change lighting, I would probably add the Straton with my Kessil's and call it a day. I don't think I would ever set up a tank without them. The only upgrade/change that I have planned for lighting is redoing my canopy with 8020 and replacing my 2' Orphek bars with the newer OR3 3' bars for more coverage on all sides (currently have 3 sides covered). I also want to replace my Nyos skimmer with a Deltec 1000i.

 

[Kyl]

I just wish Kessil would come into the 21st century with their puck offerings, control wise. What were you thinking of for mounting the Kessils if you go with an 8020 canopy?

 

[minus9]

I just wish Kessil would come into the 21st century with their puck offerings, control wise. What were you thinking of for mounting the Kessils if you go with an 8020 canopy?

I'm going to use swivel ball mounts, just not the overpriced Kessil branded version. That way I can move them within the t slot channel and angle them in necessary. Just curious, what control are you looking for from Kessil?

 

[Kyl]

Slight colour temp adjustment during the day, and more importantly ramping periods. My DT (48x18x16) is Kessil/T5, have been debating how to light the shallow peninsula attached to it (72x22x14). I don't mind the 0-10v cords for anolog control honestly, but replicating that with a USB connection instead of wireless just feels like a step in the wrong direction. Just a whole bunch of cords, but I love that shimmer..

 

[minus9]

Slight colour temp adjustment during the day, and more importantly ramping periods. My DT (48x18x16) is Kessil/T5, have been debating how to light the shallow peninsula attached to it (72x22x14). I don't mind the 0-10v cords for anolog control honestly, but replicating that with a USB connection instead of wireless just feels like a step in the wrong direction. Just a whole bunch of cords, but I love that shimmer..

What kessil's do you have? I find the adjustment with color and intensity with the spectral controller very smooth compared to my old AP700's, which were horrible. I have mine going from 0% color to 30% over the course of 2 hours and it's really smooth. I don't see the jump like the 700's. Now that I can control the violet, red and green (i don't use R & G) it gives me even more control. When I first used kessil's on my 22g nano, I used my apex to control them, but has issue with the 0-10v, so I opted for the spectral controller and never looked back. I also gained my variable speed ports back, which I would rather use for pumps than lighting. If your using an apex to control them, ditch it and do yourself a favor and get the controller. I'll probably get the Wi-Fi dongle when I redo my canopy, just to minimize some cabling.

 

[Kyl]

I could go on a long rant.. whoa boy about control, but 0-10v on the DT A160's, QT has an AP700. Not looking to replace what I have till they're dead, my existing systems are fine. The main question was for my third tank, did I want to go hybrid again, or not. Love Kessil shimmer, it's the only thing really holding me back from just doing a much easier blanket panel install, like a Straton.

 

[minus9]

I could go on a long rant.. whoa boy about control, but 0-10v on the DT A160's, QT has an AP700. Not looking to replace what I have till they're dead, my existing systems are fine. The main question was for my third tank, did I want to go hybrid again, or not. Love Kessil shimmer, it's the only thing really holding me back from just doing a much easier blanket panel install, like a Straton.

Ah, got it. Depending on the tanks dimensions, but I'm in the all LED camp now. T5's are great, but I think the results can be accomplished with all LED. The key is matching the right led for the application. I think each type of LED (puck, panel, bar, etc) has it's own unique strengths and it's the combo of these that makes the difference. If ATI eventually offered the Straton in segments or as a single strip/panel (it's essentially 3 panels in one) then I would be all over it in a heartbeat. Kessil's with diffuse panels would give the ultimate coverage and shimmer. I really wish Kessil would come out with a panel full of mini pucks with super wide reflectors. One can dream.
Back to your dilemma, I really like led combos, so that's where I am. Depending on how wide your new tank is, you could do Straton with a 360x between them out on either side? On my tank, I would do a single Straton in the middle, with a 360x in each corner, slightly pointed in towards the middle. Or the crazy way, two Straton's side by side, with 360x's in the front and back. I kinda like the crazy way.

 

[Kyl]

If they even made a passive bar with a few of the A80 lens's I would be all over that just for the aesthetics.

 

[minus9]

Just a couple quick pix during my last day off of work. Since I haven't had a gig since March, it'll be nice to work again so I can afford a few changes and upgrades. Hopefully by the new year, I'll be able to buy a few things for my 25 lagoon build? The plan is to have the lagoon on the 36" stand that I built and have a UNS 60s (10g shallow) next to it, but lower buy a foot or so. I'm not sure what I want to put in the 25 lagoon, but the 10g shallow will be a clam / mangrove lagoon. I'm thinking of lighting it with a Kessil 360x tuna Sun on the 6.5k setting using the narrow reflector mounted as the same height as the 25 lagoon lights. The sump will be in the 25g stand and I'll put a refugium under the 10g. Everything will be plumbed to the sump. I'll use sand in the clam/mangrove tank and miracle mud in the fuge, but may try bare bottom in the 25g? I'll attach the stands to each other, wrapped in the same wood and make the top of the 10g meet the bottom of the 25g lagoon. I'm thinking maximas and croceas in a 7" tall tank will look pretty good and make viewing them very easy.
Of course, this is the plan and we'll see if that changes in the coming months?
Currently I have a little cyano in the tank, so I'm using microbacter7 daily to see if that helps? I need to test NO3 and PO4, just to make sure there are no swings. But since I've added some carbon and rowaphos in a reactor, my colors are getting better.

 

[minus9]

Okay, I lied. Here are a few more while I was feeding.

I couldn't get a good pic of my Randall's assessor, but it's a cool shot of him silhouetted over the grafted monti. My clams are still in purgatory, but they're growing and safe for the most part, so that's all that matters for now. After I'm finished with this gig, I'm going to clear out most of the unwanted corals on my sand bed and make some frags to sell. Then maybe I can afford the Deltec skimmer that I want?

 

[Smite]

Your tank is looking great!

I swapped from a RO skimmer to a Deltec about 6 months ago and absolutely love it. No fancy dc stuff like my RO but who needs it really?

I need to get some some clams, I've heard they are great for po4 consumption. That 25 lagoon + uns clam mangrove setup sounds cool. If I'm reading right each tank will step down from the next?

One day I WILL keep confetti alive, haha. Very nice colony you have.