Kooma's 225 Peninsula

[Kooma]

Its been a busy week!

I put together a quick and simple drip tray and sealed/painted it, not to be a waterproof tub but to catch a gallon or two from ending on the floor.

I picked up the sump glass and the silicone came in. Its been about 10 years since I tried this, but it has water tested and is ready to start filling.

I started the plumbing down to the sump from the drain and began working on the returns. Thankfully this take came with all of the old plumbing, including a 1.5" spear gate valve! I also painted the PVC over the top black.

I also fixed that one drain that is a little off, this was pre-glue.

I found a great design for a heater stand I am going to give a try, I like that it keeps them off the bottom and doesnt require suction cups that dry out and go hard. It is printed from PETG.

Link: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:337535

FTS:

I ordered 120lbs of caribsea aragonite that has arrived, once my other tote is fallow for its 76 days (ich, Halloween day its good) I will be scaping it and rinse and add my sand. The tank is already cycled as the rock was live, the heater is on and the tank was at 77F and 1.024. Its down to 1.020 with the extra filling of the sump going on, Ill get that mixed back up to 1.026 once the complete system is flowing water.

I still havent nailed down the skin of the stand yet, but im more interested on the inside of the tank than the outside at this point anyways. I have 3 weeks off around the holidays I will probably spend working on the skin.

 

[MegabiteOG]

Very sweet looking setup. You're approach was very thought out. Love how nice you plumbing is running across the top of the tank. I'm sure it will all payoff.

 

[Kooma]

This was another solid weekend of progress. I have the plumbing complete and circulating finally.

I’ve started the back wall and some electrical panel work though I am probably going to change the layout and create an electrical garage on the wall of the stand to reduce salt spray on these electronics.

More to come…

 

[Kooma]

Last night after another round of tests the tank looked good and everything was in check, so I moved over most of the fish from QT to the system. Everyone has settled in well.

My desjardini is still in QT and going through some antibiotics for an abrasion, and the threading as it’s a coral muncher will be getting rehomed, so he is staying in the QT.

After this weekend as we have some family over, I will get into the electrical and the equipment box I plan to build in the stand, and skinning the stand.

I also am going to build some lids for the display, the evap hasn’t been bad but unless I run our air exchanger 24/7 the room gets warm and in the 70% humidity. I expect to save some $ in heating and remove that humidity issue with the lids, just have to watch gas’s exchange with the skimmer. Any tips are welcome, I’m debating between glass panels or lexan.

I have been using ChatGPT for some calculations, and it’s interesting what it looks at when discussing heat load and evaporation. By its estimate I have a 361 watt evaporation heat load on the system 24/7, a 90% evaporation reduction could save over $50 a month in heating electricity.

 

[Ironwill723]

Nice build. Are those 1" return lines on the euro brace? I was thinking of doing the same with my build but was nervous about drilling through the eurobrace and possibly weakening it.

 

[Kooma]

Nice build. Are those 1" return lines on the euro brace? I was thinking of doing the same with my build but was nervous about drilling through the eurobrace and possibly weakening it.

Yep! I bought the tank used like this and the holes are drilled in the short end by Miracles. No issues that I can see.

It’s been really nice for flow in the tank, I can’t imagine having my returns come out beside the overflow.

 

[Ironwill723]

Yep! I bought the tank used like this and the holes are drilled in the short end by Miracles. No issues that I can see.

It’s been really nice for flow in the tank, I can’t imagine having my returns come out beside the overflow.

Awesome. By chance do remember how wide your eurobrace pieces are? Mine are 4" wide, I'm hoping I have enough room to drill holes. Thanks again.

 

[Kooma]

Yep! I bought the tank used like this and the holes are drilled in the short end by Miracles. No issues that I can see.

It’s been really nice for flow in the tank, I can’t imagine having my returns come out beside the overflow.

Awesome. By chance do remember how wide your eurobrace pieces are? Mine are 4" wide, I'm hoping I have enough room to drill holes. Thanks again.

About 4”.

 

[Ironwill723]

About 4”.

thanks!

 

[Kooma]

Not much for new details, all rock has been moved over (not pictured yet) and the livestock in the system seem to be settling in well.

My sailfin has been scratching his gill plates the last week so he just went through a clean of the QT and will go through another round of Prazi and likely some kanaplex. Once he is moved to the display and my threading sells I’ll be moving the clowns and chromis to the QT for copper/prazi and into the display. That will let me fallow the biocube before I move corals over and the 225 to settle in for a couple months.

Still haven’t nailed down the stand design I want, work has been so busy my mental bandwidth has not been what it usually is.

More to come.

 

[Kooma]

It’s been a while!

Tonight I’m finally adding some sand. It’s been a busy fall and I haven’t had much time, but the fish are all well settled and everything is working as expected.

I’ve been working away on the skin and once that’s together I’m going to tackle the wiring hazard that is my power hub..

Photos!

 

[MegabiteOG]

Tank is coming along great. Looking very nice!

 

[Kooma]

I had a few hours this weekend and put together a simple chord box and door to mount the equipment to. I’ve left enough room for a second power bar and future expansion. I’m going to try and find a brush material or something to close up the holes the chords go through.

I’ve been doing more trim on the stand skin as well, I have a bit more to build and then start making doors.

 

[Kooma]

Quick update.

I’ve moved my clowns to QT and they are about half way through, everyone is doing great.

Wife and I also got to talking and have decided to go with a mostly FOWLR tank instead of a reef. I’ll be doing a small sump area for frags, just to scratch the itch and for the corals I already have. I’ve found the fish to be the star of the show lately and am more interested in some of the fish that are not reef safe than a fragile reef system while I’m as busy as I am. I’m still dropping in a few frags to see what can survive.

Moved my banished threadfin butterfly from the sump to the display last night. Was going to sell him but with the change he is welcome back. Maybe in a couple years I’ll go for a reef, maybe not? Coral prices and nearby availability, upkeep and being concerned when travelling are all reasons I decided to pass on the full reef tank. My biocube crash cost me about 80% of my coral, and the cost alone im not really interested in doing that all again yet.

So, any suggestions for fish that might go well? I would like to avoid anything too large, more smaller fish would be nice to be honest to fill the tank in a bit more.