My 650 Peninsula build and setup

[submaweiner]

I’m completing the Setting up my RO unit and booster pump. I purchased a BRS 5 stage super saver 150gpd unit. I decided to mount it on a board so I can move it if necessary during the colder months in WA to my garage. It’s setup on my back porch which is covered. I’m using two brute trash cans on rollers. The discharge water I’m going to collect and use to water my garden, plants and yard.

The booster pump was needed, the pressure outside is only around 40-45 psi measured with a basic
gauge . The pump is setup to 80 psi and works great.

I plan to do a 10% Swap out weekly. One trash can will be for mixing salt and the other is for RO. I bought a cheap maxi jet for circulation and a 300 watt heater. I drilled the lids and installed bulkhead connectors for the inlet and outlet tubing.

My next step is to buy salt. Any recommendations for brand of salt?

 

[Bleigh]

I’m completing the Setting up my RO unit and booster pump. I purchased a BRS 5 stage super saver 150gpd unit. I decided to mount it on a board so I can move it if necessary during the colder months in WA to my garage. It’s setup on my back porch which is covered. I’m using two brute trash cans on rollers. The discharge water I’m going to collect and use to water my garden, plants and yard.

The booster pump was needed, the pressure outside is only around 40-45 psi measured with a basic
gauge . The pump is setup to 80 psi and works great.

I plan to do a 10% Swap out weekly. One trash can will be for mixing salt and the other is for RO. I bought a cheap maxi jet for circulation and a 300 watt heater. I drilled the lids and installed bulkhead connectors for the inlet and outlet tubing.

My next step is to buy salt. Any recommendations for brand of salt?

It’s looking good!!

honestly, salt is super subjective. The best option is to choose a salt that is close to the parameters you’d like to keep your tank at. I strive for 8.6 alk, 480 Ca, and 1440 Mg. I personally use tropic marin, and dose up to where I want my tank to be. It mixes at 7 alk, 440 calcium and 1350 magnesium.

 

[Saltees]

It’s looking good!!

honestly, salt is super subjective. The best option is to choose a salt that is close to the parameters you’d like to keep your tank at. I strive for 8.6 alk, 480 Ca, and 1440 Mg. I personally use tropic marin, and dose up to where I want my tank to be. It mixes at 7 alk, 440 calcium and 1350 magnesium.

What did you use to raise the numbers, I’m on TM Reef Pro, and the ALK falls below 7 very quickly, currently dosing with TM CarboCalcium.

 

[submaweiner]

I had converted the stock ATO to a ATS. And freed up the refugium area to be my frag/holding tank. Lights are TUNZE ECO CHIC REFUGIUM LED.

NYOS 160 is a tat too small for me, I have to empty the cup every 24 hours.

Awesome setup! I’m thinking about getting a skimmate locker for that purpose...like avast locker. I had a turf scrubber on my 40 gallon reef and it worked great! May try to include one on this round but as you know space is limited under these cabinets. I’m trying so hard to keep it all underneath and streamlined with no outside cabinets. We will see how that goes!
That’s a Very creative way of including a ATS.

im planning on setting up another QT specific tank for my fish and frag tank. Not risking my display to hitchhikers and parasites. I’ve battled it in the past in my early tanks.

Bleigh, Do you plan on getting a bigger skimmer? I’m worried I may need to upgrade once I get established with my planned SPS setup.

 

[Bleigh]

What did you use to raise the numbers, I’m on TM Reef Pro, and the ALK falls below 7 very quickly, currently dosing with TM CarboCalcium.

I’ve been dosing triton chemicals but I’m Adding kalkwaser to get the extra bit of alk a little bit more cheaply.

 

[Bleigh]

Adding some corals to the tank. Seems to be working. Alk is getting taken up and the nitrate is going down. As is the ammonia and nitrites.

first two got moved over cause they were fighting in the 60 gallon and there was literally no other place for them to be.

 

[submaweiner]

I started to mess with my Rock work and aquascape. As mentioned by a few other peninsula owners, I’m trying to make it appealing from all three sides.

I purchased 140 lbs of mixed Carib sea liferock. Some shapes, arches, shelf, base and branch.

I’m laying it out on the stand with cardboard to get an idea of placement and keeping space around the glass for flow, and cleaning.

not sure if I’ll incorporate the branch. I’ll keep playing with it. I’m using the Pinkish Marco mortar to cement things in place. I have acrylic rods as well for support for planned towers and overhangs.

Anyone using Branch pieces incorporated into there aquascapes? I’d Love to see some new ideas.

 

[submaweiner]

Finally got the tank inside from the garage with the help from 4 other co-workers! ...not fun and very scary up stairs and around corners! The tank will divide my living room and kitchen and will be viewable from all three angles.

I’m currently working on measurements of where to hang my T5 / LED hybrid setup.

lots to still do:
-Hang lights
-verify/ level stand and tank
-install sump and brace
-install doors
- hook my stuff up.

here are a few pictures of things and how they are looking.

 

[Dcal]

Looks awesome

 

[Bleigh]

Beautiful placement!

 

[Devaji]

I utilized the damaged tank stand panels which were replaced by Redsea to make a few controller boards.

I’m mounting my Apex stuff on the one and the other will hold my power bricks, and icecap controllers and power power supply backup. The boards are held in place by super strong magnets for removal as needed.

funny I was just thinking today as I try to get my wire mamagment on my 650P under control that it would be cool if it came with an extra door just for this use.
wish I had a few around..lol

any updates on the controller board?

 

[submaweiner]

funny I was just thinking today as I try to get my wire mamagment on my 650P under control that it would be cool if it came with an extra door just for this use.
wish I had a few around..lol

any updates on the controller board?

If you are in WA I’d give you some. I have several still in the garage.

Im waiting for my Neptune controller display holder and all of my power brick mounts to arrive so I can finish the board. I picked up a Trident bracket which I need to find a location for in the cabinet. They are all 3D printed off of Etsy.

I also bought a MP40 this last weekend, so I purchased a bracket for that. I hope to get them all in by Friday and finish it all up and test it out.

 

[submaweiner]

Another consideration I am throwing around is buying some bio sphere balls for the sump to add more surface area for bacteria since I’m going bare-bottom. I have some extra branch liferock that I can use and I’m already planning on using a brightwell aquatics brick with the microbacter additive.

The sump is pretty big and I have 40-50 lbs of branch I could use. Any recommendations from the bare-bottom reefers on bio balls or just use the life rock and save my money for other stuff?

 

[Saltees]

Just stay away from bio stuff that disintegrates easily… I’m getting good results from plenty of fishes, heavy feedings and die offs with MATRIX, SIPORAX and BRIGHTWELL BRICKS. Ammonia remains zero throughout.

Recently removed the (MAXSPECT like) bio nanospheres, as they keep “shedding” very fine beads, that could easily be ingested by the tank’s inhabitants. Surely that cannot be good thing.

 

[submaweiner]

Just stay away from bio stuff that disintegrates easily… I’m getting good results from plenty of fishes, heavy feedings and die offs with MATRIX, SIPORAX and BRIGHTWELL BRICKS. Ammonia remains zero throughout.

Recently removed the (MAXSPECT like) bio nanospheres, as they keep “shedding” very fine beads, that could easily be ingested by the tank’s inhabitants. Surely that cannot be good thing.

I have heard a lot of people say that too.. that the media crumbles in sump, guess I’ll give the extra life rock a try to provide surface area and filtration.

I plan to do a lagoon tank as well in the future to support as a fish and Coral quarantine tank prior to introducing livestock into my peninsula. I really love shalllw tanks and want to do a mangrove setup in the center, the rock I can use some of the sump life-rock as a kick start for that maybe.

 

[Devaji]

I am not a BB reefer I like sand to much but I debated bi media for weeks. I end up going with seachem matrix from my understanding is just large pumice cleaned. I almost whent with a cheaper large amount but smaller pieces but decided go get the gallon bucket. I like the stuff as it dose crumble in the reef and there is more surface area than the man man rock.

I'll have to look in to the printed apex holders on esty wonder if that Harold's shop?
unfortunately I am on the WY/ID boarder.

OH are you going to run the center brace? I saw an older post that RS is offering them for the 625 & 650P now. kinda bummed as I went thought that with my 750XXL but I will install it to give more tank support if I need to.

 

[reefinnewb]

I’ll have to check Etsy out! I have a 3D printer. So I’ve been experimenting with some brick holders, but would love to get some more inspiration. Your set up looks super clean!

Give Thingiverse a search. They have brick holders on there for Ecotech.

 

[submaweiner]

I will be running the brace based on guidance and the discussions about support.

 

[Devaji]

I will be running the brace based on guidance and the discussions about support.

yeah I just got mine on order.

 

[submaweiner]

I installed my Aquatic Life T5HO hybrid with (4) Radion blue Gen 5’s. I selected Geisemann power chrome super Acitinic and Acitinic blue bulbs to start out. The hanging kit was a AI hanging kit which seems to work well and was easy to install.

I have some Diffusers for the G5’s I will put on to check out the comparison.

picture is obviously very blue. I’ll take a picture in a bit with the lights off to show a better picture of the setup. I will be using a par meter eventually to adjust the Radions on the rails to get the most uniform coverage.