Ken's 290 Peninsula

[bhargs99]

Looks awesome! Can't wait to see what the rest of the rock when it comes in. Do you feel like the MP40's are insufficient to move water the entire 6'? I know Jake at reef builders did 2 MP60's on his 6' peninsula, but the waterbox is only 25" wide, not 3' haha.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Looks awesome! Can't wait to see what the rest of the rock when it comes in. Do you feel like the MP40's are insufficient to move water the entire 6'? I know Jake at reef builders did 2 MP60's on his 6' peninsula, but the waterbox is only 25" wide, not 3' haha.

The MP40s move a lot of water. To be honest, I never considered the 60s. I knew I was going to go closed loop to get more flow down at the far end of the tank, so the 60s seemed like overkill.

 

[bhargs99]

Gotcha. Good to know they move some water! The 60's would definitely be overkill with the closed loop.

 

[LiverockRocks]

Also spent some time programming the Kessils. Think I finally figured out the app.

So here is where we sit today.

Love to see the tanks! Making a note on the order for some large pieces.

Thankful the sand and rock survived Delta's mistreatment. Next order we will use a different route, plane transfers through DTW have been fine until yours. The photos of the shipping boxes were downright painful to see. We are working to improve this shipping component.
We were out yesterday to harvest for this week's cargo. Visibility was 6"-12" and the current flowing, which made the mission slow and unproductive. J & M will be out again today, fingers crossed visibility has improved a bit.

Thanks for being a great customer to work with. We appreciate it.

Rock On. (When harvesting, this is the phrase Jocelyn says over the intercom to signal that the net bag is now full and ready to be pulled up to the boat.)

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Not much of an update. The second shipment from TBS was delayed until next week due to poor diving conditions and now the holiday week. Disappointed, but totally understandable. Just letting the tank cook. Working on identifying and eliminating hitch hikers.

Still trying to catch this guy. Lost him for a bit as I moved things around, but finally found his hiding spot again. Have a couple glasses with some chopped up shrimp set as traps.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Well that was quick, got the trap in the right place, as soon as I turned my back....He's chilling in the freezer now!

 

[oktoreef]

Hi @Fiziksgeek ! I love your setup! Currently waiting for my aluminum profile stands and looking for some ideas to make a cabinet out of it. Any plans to skin your main tank? Also what size of profiles is it?

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Hi @Fiziksgeek ! I love your setup! Currently waiting for my aluminum profile stands and looking for some ideas to make a cabinet out of it. Any plans to skin your main tank? Also what size of profiles is it?

Yes I have plans to skin the stands...though not entire sure how. Initially I wanted to do Starboard panels. Framingtech used to offer these, but the prices for the starboard got out of control so they stopped. I'd like to do something myself, either plywood or maybe some premade door panels, not entirely sure. I don't expect to have the stand covered up this year.

The profiles are 45x45 and 45x90s.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Found another...

 

[LiverockRocks]

Found another...

Excellent trapping skills! These guys make great octopus or puffer snacks...or sump dwellers.
Just sent you a note regarding air cargo this week! WooHoo!

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Excellent trapping skills! These guys make great octopus or puffer snacks...or sump dwellers.
Just sent you a note regarding air cargo this week! WooHoo!

Trapping seems easy, a little shrimp in a glass, 10 minutes later he's in there. Its knowing that there is something to trap that is the issue, these little guys are hard to find!

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Uh oh, think I found a little Mantis Shrimp....

 

[bhargs99]

Uh oh, think I found a little Mantis Shrimp....

Looks like it! Hopefully you’re able to get him out of there.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

At the end of this I am sure getting live rock will be worth it in terms of bio diversity and speed getting the tank established, but here are 3 more hitchhikers, so we are up to 6 gorilla crabs, and I saw one more poking around with a flashlight.

I have 150 more lbs of rock coming…not sure if there is anything better I can do, maybe a more vigorous salt water bucket swish before putting them in the tank…? I think crabs and the like can wedge themselves in there pretty good!

Didn’t go after the mantis, but I know where he lives!

 

[bhargs99]

I think it will definitely be worth it in the end! I think I’d rather trap crabs and such that you see rather than fight the uglies that come with dry rock.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Still catching crabs…my son wanted to keep this big guy, so he is living in the sump now!

 

[Fiziksgeek]

The additional 50 lbs base rock and 150lbs live rock and a clean up crew came in on time and the boxes were in better shape than the previous shipment. Although it was a direct flight and got into my hands faster, there was bit more "odor" from this shipment. So I assume that means a little more die off. Some of the rocks also looked a little muddy. I took a little extra time to swish every rock in a bucket of tank water to see what is anything would come off. I did remove a couple gorilla crabs. Got a couple freebees from TBS. A purple urchin and a decorator crab.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

The tank got pretty cloudy over the weekend. So I took the opportunity to get the filter rollers up and running. Has just been using the filter socks until now.

I freaked out at first because I couldnt get the inlet pipe to line up with the bulkheads in the Synergy reef sump. But discovered if you losen the bulkheads just a hair you can slide them up. The holes are either oversized or slotted in the vertical direction. So the rolls are now rolling.

The skimmer is also starting to remove some gunk. Skimmed a little wet as I was adding rock because it displaced some volume int eh main display and raised the water level in the sump for a bit.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Picked up an orange clip on filter for my phone, so I can get some pics that are closer to real color. I find that the thin algae layer that is forming on the sand comes out very green, much more so that in real life.

End shot

This is the view from my desk!

View from the other side.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

My wife calls this guy Cookie Monster

I didnt think there was anything living in this bump...but apparently there is!.