My First Saltwater Adventure - 120 Gallon Peninsula

[CoralManz]

After reading your tank update I just realized I talked to you at the LFS.I was the kid with the Bucket Hat lol

 

[dbl]

Wow...you are absolutely correct. Now I remember your screen name from your Naples Reefers thread. Nice meeting you in person and it was nice sharing Irma war stories with you...lol. You should consider going to the local club's reef conference on the 21st. Let me know if you need details. It's usually a great event and we have some good speakers scheduled.

 

[leahfiish]

Looks great, sorry to hear about your losses from the hurricane, though.

 

[dbl]

Thank you @leahfiish. I appreciate the comment.

 

[dbl]

If you go back several pages, you'll see I redid things to get rid of some RBTA's that were wrecking havoc. The one I left in for the Snowflakes seems to be doing well...lol. The thing is about 12-14" when it's fully opened. Now it's stinging it's neighbors. Maybe I should have removed it too...lol.

 

[Gribbliest]

if I like it, I buy it, and tell my wife I traded something for it!

Love the thread, this in particular made me laugh!

Sorry to hear about the Irma losses! Love that RBTA - I just don't know if I want to risk anemones again. I had tooooooo many last time.

 

[dbl]

Love the thread, this in particular made me laugh!

Sorry to hear about the Irma losses! Love that RBTA - I just don't know if I want to risk anemones again. I had tooooooo many last time.

Thanks G. I too often regret putting the first RBTA in the tank, although the clowns seem to enjoy it! That poor Idaho Grape Monti in the picture above is getting beaten to heck. But for the most part, I've always enjoyed the interactions of things in the tank - my version of survival of the fittest I guess. Thanks for checking in.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I've been enjoying R2R for several months now as I recently set up my very first saltwater aquarium, something I've always wanted. Many of you have taught me a great deal without even knowing it, and continue to do so. For that, I say Thank You. I thought maybe it was time to do a build thread. So here it goes, starting with a brief history of how I got here.

In December of last year, my daughter came home from college and brought with her a 10 gallon aquarium, filled with saltwater and clownfish. So I blame her for my newest addiction! Without any research and no clue what I was doing, I put a few more fish in there. You experienced aquarist already know how this ends - let's just say not well for the clown and his new friends. So the research began and I quickly realized to what extent this hobby will take a person if they want to be successful - so it was game on!

I purchased a used 55 gallon tank and that was going to be my first "real" tank. Turned out I was a little hasty on that purchase as it was tempered and couldn't be drilled (obviously I hadn't gotten that far in my research). At this point, I'm aggravated, my wife is wondering if I've lost my mind and just how much this is going cost us, and my daughter is ready to get back to college, even though classes won't start for another two weeks!

Mid-January, I found a system that had been taken down the middle of last year and I bought the RR 120 gallon tank and equipment. So I bring this monster (compared to the 10) home and it assures my wife that yes, I have in fact lost my mind. However, she quickly jumps on board by saying "Wouldn't it be great if we could use the tank as a room divider, separating the dining area and the family room". Well, the game just went in to overtime and it was time to strike while the fire was hot. The wife is now excited and on board, the budget just grew a little (because she's on board) and our new peninsula build is born. I ended up trading the used RR tank with corner overflows in for a brand new 120 drilled on one short end for the peninsula set up.

I put the mistake buy 55 to work by using it to cure the 150 lbs. of now dried live rock from the other system. Scrubbed it all as best I could and started soaking it in saltwater. I'm in SW Florida so I did this inside, out of the heat. Lost a little ground with the wife due to the smell the first couple of weeks, but both the smell and my wife backed down. Now it was time for the DYI stand.

As you will see in the pictures, the stand is likely overbuilt - if I'm going to end up with water on the floor, which everyone says I will at some point, it's not going to get there because I didn't build the stand strong enough. I could lie and say I came up with the design on my own, but I based it off a design I found during one of my many midnight online searches. If I could remember, I would give the person their due credit. I adapted the design and integrated canopy to our specific needs. All panels are removable and held on with magnets, as I have a tendency to bump my head on open cabinet doors. Besides, it makes for great access. Didn't know it at the time, but it really is an asset when doing tank chores.

Jump to the first of April, the live rock has cured for 2½ months, the stand is ready, I have volumes upon volumes of printed out research, and it's finally time for water. Not wanting to use the simple wet/dry filter from the used system, and instead of pushing the budget committee for a new sump, I converted the mistake buy 55 in to my sump. I baffled off four sections - drain/skimmer, return, refugium, and top-off reservoir. Got everything plumbed and put the new live sand in, aquascaped and started filling with saltwater. At this point I was feeling pretty cocky and didn't even do a leak test with freshwater. Other than a ball valve not being tight enough, I got pretty lucky. I let it cycle for another month and a half and on May 17th, I put the first forms of life in the tank. I said this was going to be a brief history (apparently I lied) so I will wrap this up for now.

I cannot begin to tell you just how much I have enjoyed this process. Yes, this hobby can be frustrating, time consuming and expensive, but gosh is it rewarding. To come home every day and get to enjoy a little piece of the ocean right in my family room is pretty awesome. And through all of this, I now have something I've wanted since I was a young lad, my daughter graduated college, my other daughter started college, and my wife hasn't left me (although she's still pretty sure I'm nuts).

I will end this with the equipment and livestock listings and a few pictures. The first picture is my favorite - it's of me and my favorite "fish", who happens to be the one I blame for getting me in to this hobby (see above). I appreciate your taking the time to read this (assuming you've gotten this far) and look forward to any comments and or suggestions you may have.

Again Thank You for all the help you've unknowingly provided and Happy Reefing!

I just came across this post..Did you think you'd be where you are today back then lol

 

[dbl]

I just came across this post..Did you think you'd be where you are today back then lol

Honestly, I kind of did! When I elect to do something, I usually jump in full steam. I just fell in love with the hobby and researched by brains out. I still don't know anything but I've been unbelievably lucky despite myself. I've gotten the tank to the point where it really runs itself. As I said a couple posts ago, I just let things roll and they have always worked themselves out...knock on wood. I'm fighting a little what I believe is cyano right now but I really don't get hung up on it. The best advise I was given, and yes, it was by a guy at my LFS, is to keep my hands out of the tank! It's proven to be very beneficial.

Once the algae works itself out (or I eventually have to intervene), I'll take some updated pictures and do a long overdue update on the tank.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Honestly, I kind of did! When I elect to do something, I usually jump in full steam. I just fell in love with the hobby and researched by brains out. I still don't know anything but I've been unbelievably lucky despite myself. I've gotten the tank to the point where it really runs itself. As I said a couple posts ago, I just let things roll and they have always worked themselves out...knock on wood. I'm fighting a little what I believe is cyano right now but I really don't get hung up on it. The best advise I was given, and yes, it was by a guy at my LFS, is to keep my hands out of the tank! It's proven to be very beneficial.

Once the algae works itself out (or I eventually have to intervene), I'll take some updated pictures and do a long overdue update on the tank.

Words of wisdom. I mean to with the site, you've got every badge known to man, and you're a staff member, did you think you'd get this far into the website back then

 

[dbl]

Words of wisdom. I mean to with the site, you've got every badge known to man, and you're a staff member, did you think you'd get this far into the website back then

Ah...when it comes to that, the answer is simple - NO WAY! I was surprised when they let me log on for the first time...lol.

 

[dbl]

Not many follow this thread which is okay because I use this as a record keeper for myself...lol. So I'm providing a long overdue update.

Spent some time with the tank this weekend which I honestly haven't done in a very long time. The major thing accomplished is a change in lighting. Basically since the beginnning I've been using the AI Vegas. Although happy with them, it seemed to me even with four Vegas, no matter what settings I tried, I would have shadowed areas. And my polyp extension was weak at best. Obviously could be a component of many things, but I was ready to try different lighting.

Many months ago, I picked up a Geisemann Matrix II 8 bulb T5 fixture. However, it had been retro'd by removing the two center bulbs and replaced with two Reef Brite XHO strips. Well I finally took the time to hang it. It's a beautiful fixture and it's too bad it is installed in a canopy...lol.

All I can say is wow...what a difference. It's been only 24 hours and I'm already seeing polyp extension from SPS I've never seen to this extent. The tank simply looks better as well, at least to my eyes. I'm pretty excited to see how this thing is going to work.

It's been a long journey back from the damages and loss from Irma last fall. But it's coming back together and I really do think the T5 lighting is going to help. Time will tell I guess.

Anyway, a few pictures. Excuse the glares from the windows. I'll break out the DSLR and get some better pictures one evening.

Side #1

Side #2

End Panel

The New Light

 

[Fudsey]

Not many follow this thread which is okay because I use this as a record keeper for myself...lol. So I'm providing a long overdue update.

'Bout time....... ;Yuck;Yuck;Yuck

I can follow now too

 

[tsav87]

I follow your thread! Looks great! Your experience with switching (back) to T5 and instantly awesome PE is not an isolated event. Many reefers report the same thing.

 

[dbl]

'Bout time....... ;Yuck;Yuck;Yuck
I can follow now too

Thanks...I'm not great, as you can tell, on keeping this update.

I follow your thread! Looks great! Your experience with switching (back) to T5 and instantly awesome PE is not an isolated event. Many reefers report the same thing.

Thanks. I kept reading the same thing about folks going back to T5's...lol. I'm pretty hard headed so I had to prove it to myself by trying them for the first time.

 

[dbl]

Just for giggles, took a few cell phone pictures with just the Reef Brites on.

I've started running the T5's for 7 hours. The RB's run 3 or so hours on either side. They will eventually ramp up and down when I get the proper cable for the Apex. Any input/suggestions would be appreciated. As I said earlier, this is my first date with T5's.

 

[tsav87]

I would run the LEDs for 8 hours and the t5s for 6.

 

[Mal11224]

Very nice setup. I think your T5 is your main light source for what it can do for growth. So, I think 6-7 hrs on is good as long as your corals can take it. The LEDs can probably stay on longer. Depends on how long your light cycle will be. You can ramp them up and down in between with longer periods of nice low intensity actinic in the beginning and end of your cycle.
Adding T5s to my LEDs has done so much for my tank coral growth. Love the tanks!

 

[dbl]

I would run the LEDs for 8 hours and the t5s for 6.

Very nice setup. I think your T5 is your main light source for what it can do for growth. So, I think 6-7 hrs on is good as long as your corals can take it. The LEDs can probably stay on longer. Depends on how long your light cycle will be. You can ramp them up and down in between with longer periods of nice low intensity actinic in the beginning and end of your cycle.
Adding T5s to my LEDs has done so much for my tank coral growth. Love the tanks!

Thank you both. Plan to watch things pretty closely for a while to see how everything reacts. I have the RB dimming module but the wrong cable. My plan is to do a slow ramp on both sides of the T5's.

I had the previous lights ramp 4 hours on either side of the max intensity, so I figured I would do the same here. The T5's are not dimmable, so I figured I'd shut the RB's off during the hours the bulbs are running.

I will get it dialed in sooner or later...I hope!

 

[s2nhle]

Looking great. thank you for sharing.