Midwest 200 Gallon Peninsula

[Jeto2004]

Nice looking scape. How does it look form the side panel?

 

[ReefRy]

Watching astounding build threads like these are such a humbling experience. It really makes me realize how much more I have to learn. You, sir, are an inspiration.

 

[jose hernandez]

VERY NICE WHICH CEMENT DID YOU USE TO GLUE THE ROCK IN PLACE THIKING OF DOIN THE SAME FOR MY REEFER 750XXL

 

[special-ops-s2k]

Nice looking scape. How does it look form the side panel?

Thanks! I'll get some better pictures of it from all sides once I finish up the final tweaks, this was just a quick teaser pic!

Watching astounding build threads like these are such a humbling experience. It really makes me realize how much more I have to learn. You, sir, are an inspiration.

It's very humbling to have something like this said about me or anything I've done. I truly appreciate it and am glad to be an inspiration! Thank you for the kind words and make a build thread when your time comes, I love reading them all, you never know what small or big ideas you can get from others builds!

VERY NICE WHICH CEMENT DID YOU USE TO GLUE THE ROCK IN PLACE THIKING OF DOIN THE SAME FOR MY REEFER 750XXL

I used the Marco E400 for the majority of the structure and then reinforced areas / attached small pieces with BRS extra thick super glue... Works well!

 

[jose hernandez]

THNKS

 

[special-ops-s2k]

Looks great! Rock on.

Thank you! It's coming together nicely now!

Added Pods on Wednesday!

 

[special-ops-s2k]

Been working every moment on the cord management in and behind my control board. I made major progress today! A few more parts to order from Harry Singer and I'll be able to finish it up!

Got the Trident setup today as well so this reef starts from the ground up under Trident control.

 

[MatsReef]

Just read through 7 pages and it was worth every minute. Outstanding build my friend!

 

[special-ops-s2k]

Just read through 7 pages and it was worth every minute. Outstanding build my friend!

Thanks for the compliment! It's been a long journey and even longer in the planning stages. It's nice to finally see some fruits of all that labor!

Can't wait to get some fish in there other than my mollies that are keeping it clean for me while I wait! Hope to add first batch of fish by the end of the year. Next on my to do list is to get the AWC pump running and dialed in... Once that's going it should be autopilot for the next 6-8 weeks while everything stabilizes and I make certain there are no bugs in the system... I have lots of like to accomplish with Apex programming but that is a steep learning curve for me, I need to work some more on figuring out how to take full advantage of the features. Virtual outlets etc are beyond me at this point...

 

[jose hernandez]

VERY NICE

 

[Nar-1992]

Nice build

 

[ESH]

Love the build! Read through the pages and not sure if I missed a few of these details. Did you make your own t5 fixture for your xr30s or would you mind sharing what one you went with? I have been looking for a t5 fixture to add to my tank but haven’t seen any examples that fit the XR30s until I saw your setup.

Also, did you change out all the plugs going into your power strips or is everything simply plugged into extension cords and hidden behind the panels? I really like the cable management youve done!

 

[special-ops-s2k]

Love the build! Read through the pages and not sure if I missed a few of these details. Did you make your own t5 fixture for your xr30s or would you mind sharing what one you went with? I have been looking for a t5 fixture to add to my tank but haven’t seen any examples that fit the XR30s until I saw your setup.

Also, did you change out all the plugs going into your power strips or is everything simply plugged into extension cords and hidden behind the panels? I really like the cable management youve done!

Thanks for the compliments!

As far as the T5 fixture goes, I did not make it, it's the Aquatic Life T5 Hybrid with the widest span bars they make so you can place the XR30s perpendicular to the length of the tank. I did take the fixture apart and flip the ballast on one side of it so that all the cords run out of one end and make it much easier to install cleanly on my peninsula build.

The cords on my control panel are 1' extension cords from Amazon they simply clean up the plug layout and allow me to label them all and then behind the panel plug whatever device it is I need into them. This also allows me to use y-splitter extension cords on the things that control several things at once (for instance the T5s are corded for each side separately so that cable is a splitter and let's the Apex turn the T5 on and off with a single outlet)

The cable management was the longest process so far... And is still a work in progress but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel!

 

[ESH]

Thanks for the reply! Great info, especially with the T5 setup. Did it come with the spacer or did you have to buy separately?

 

[special-ops-s2k]

Thanks for the reply! Great info, especially with the T5 setup. Did it come with the spacer or did you have to buy separately?

Separately. The 24" is what you need to mount the XR30S the way I did.

These are the mounts for each radion:

24" Rectangle LED Hybrid Mounting Bracket

Add more lights to your Aquatic Life Hybrid Light Fixture! Compatible with Aquatic Life's original non-dimmable hybrid fixtures when converted to use the 24" end plates. The rectangle LED mounting brackets are a direct fit and let you customize your fixture for your aquarium. Each kit comes...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

These are the endplates:

24" End Plates for Hybrid Fixtures

Need to make your Aquatic Life T5 Hybrid Light wider? Add a pair of 24" end plates, and 24" Rectangle LED Mounting Brackets. Each 24" End Plate kit comes with two brackets that will replace the stock 18" brackets that come with the Aquatic Life Hybrid T5 Lights. Making your fixture wider allows...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[special-ops-s2k]

Been absent for a bit but I've been hard at work. Since it's winter and heating my quarantine tanks in the garage will become a problem I wanted a more permanent quarantine system that gets fed water from the display when it performs it's daily AWC.

I built a stand to hold 2x 20 gal long tanks... Then got to work setting it up. I should have water in them and the AWC running through them by next week. I'm currently waiting on an extra long aquabus cable... Once I have that I can tie all of the Neptune gear on the quarantine systems into my main Apex.

The idea is the display will AWC about 2 gallons per day and dump it into those 2 tanks... After that the Dos will pull 1gal out of each of the quarantine tanks and push it down the drain. This will continuously change the water of my quarantine tanks AND keep the parameters of them the same as my display. In theory...

 

[MrDellimore]

This is such an awesome install!

I love the idea of using the Apex to slowly acclimate new livestock!

 

[special-ops-s2k]

QT UPDATE:

Water in the tanks, lighting setup, fully integrated with my Apex and some test coral frags along with the first batch of snails for my CUC are in and doing well. Lines have been run for the AWC and now it's just figuring out the Apex programming. Need to get some plexiglass lids made to limit evaporation...

 

[Mario0240]

Wooooow!!!

 

[ethridge78]

Nice build.