NB’s AIO Peninsula Build

[NB Reefer]

Great time to pick up reefing again with all the downtime. My heart, thoughts, and prayers goes out to everyone who has been effected by the virus though.

I have kept saltwater and freshwater tanks throughout my whole life. I have been wanting a peninsula tank for awhile. This last move for us about a year ago into an apartment forced us to give up our tanks. We had a 90ish gallon reef and 80 gallon predator tank in our place before this apartment. Those wouldn’t work in an apartment in the third floor. Hahaha.

I have been a member of Reef2Reef but haven’t done a build thread yet. I thought it was time with tank. Surfing on here I saw someone mention Fiji Cube. After looking into them I saw their 38g AIO peninsula. The dimensions were perfect, approximately 36”x16”x16”. I found my tank and a perfect spot in my apartment to display it. I started gathering additional items I would need, put a plan together, and convinced the better half.

Anyway, here it is in place and wet. I’ll add details later on building the stand and all the equipment

I dub thee “COVIDsula”. Here we go.

 

[NB Reefer]

Equipment List (Current):
Fiji Cube 38g AIO
Custom Built Stand
Radion XR15 on RMS Arm, I am not sure about the placement currently but the wifey likes it. You can see it below in the first FTS.
Cobalt Neotherm Heaters, 150w each, x 2
Tunze 9004 DC Skimmer
AA Aquarium GKM UV Sterilizer 9w
Titanium Grounding Probe
Stock Return Pump, this is the loudest thing in the tank right now. I am thinking about replacing it.
ADJ Four Switch Power Strips
AI Nero 5 with Fish of Hex Guard
IM Aqua Gadget Refugium Light 18w

Equipment List (Future):
Fiji Cube HOB Refugium - It's on the way.
IM Midsize Media Reactor - I plan to run carbon in this. I thought about running bio-pellets originally but they seem to have fallen out of favor. This is also on its way. Thoughts on bio-pellets? I always run carbon, it helps, IMO, with coral warfare and I think in a nano tank will help with stability.
Doser - Maybe.
CaRx - Maybe if I start loading up on sticks, who knows. I am going to start it as a mixed reef so probably no need for a calcium reactor.
Controller - Maybe.

Fish/Invertebrate Stocking List: (All hopeful right now)
Sailfin or Starry Blenny - I have had these in the past and love them. Lots of personality and help keep algae biomass down. No room in this tank for a tang.
Dwarf Angel - I would really love a Golden or Potter's.
Longfin Clownfish Pair - I think these are just cool looking clowns.
Goby/Shrimp pair -
Mandarin - Let's see if I can get the pod population up. Also, need to find one that is eating frozen, dry, etc.
Wrasse - I would love a leopard wrasse in here as well but even with a strong pod population in the refugium may be too much for both the mandarin and leopard wrasse. We will see.
Golden Banded Coral Shrimp
Sand Sifting Star - Maybe.
Bristle/Serpent Star - Maybe.
Nardoa Star - Maybe.
Not sure on the crab/other shrimp fronts.
I would like as much other micro bio-diversity as I can get.

Coral Stocking List: (All hopeful right now)
A whole list of zoas.
Aussie Elegance
Garf Bonsai
Grafted Monti Cap
Some cool 'shrooms
This list will grow.

 

[Rhino]

What are you initial thoughts on quality of the tank? I have been out of the hobby for a while and just ran across this brand. I'm with you in that the dimensions on this tank seem perfect.

Looks like your off to a great start. Tagging along.

 

[NB Reefer]

Hey, @Rhino thanks for chiming in. Initial thoughts on quality are high. The tank packaging was great and very secure. Silicone lines are clean. The AIO set up in the back is well thought out. There are two water intakes in my tank, high and low. It comes with a block for the lower screen if you only want surface skimming. The first chamber is designed well. If you have both intakes open the bottom doesn't bypass the first chamber. There is a divider that forces the water up to the top of the first chamber then down into the second chamber. Overall really happy. It is a AIO so tight fit with what you can put in the back chambers but a little planning and careful measuring have worked so far. I currently have two cobalt neotherms 150W, Tunze 9004 DC skimmer, green killing machine UV, return pump, and grounding probe back there. I plan to add a media reactor, IM midsized in the first chamber, and a Fiji Cube HOB Refugium for pods, macroalgae, etc.

 

[NB Reefer]

First FTS with aquascape in. At first, I thought it may be a little low but it's growing on me. I think a lot of the rubble pile on the right is going to go in a Fiji Cube HOB fuge that's on its way. What do you all think? There are a lot of fun caves and various heights for corals.

 

[Rhino]

Looks great. Jealous of the position right at eye level next to the couch.

I prefer the small caves look, makes watching fish and shrimp interacting with the scape more fun to me than just piles of rock.

 

[NB Reefer]

So @HotManwich was selling his tank and I was able to grab all his live stock. Thank you sir! After two days I think I’m happy with how everything turned out. Mostly everything made it through the ideal happy and healthy. Tons of fun life on the rocks: bristle worms, stars, stomatella snails, pods, etc. A few things on the sand need to find a home, hammer, favia, two leather corals. Time to relax, watch and enjoy.

 

[Chrisfish]

Congratulations on you peninsula tank, looks great!

 

[NB Reefer]

Thanks @Chrisfish. I like where it’s currently at. Have some things I want to add but I want to let everything settle first. It’s been through it and back the last couple days.

 

[NB Reefer]

@HotManwich May youhelp me ID all these Zoas ... Anyone else is welcome to chime in.
Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5

Photo 6

Photo 7

Photo 8

Photo 9

 

[HotManwich]

Hoo boy let's see if I can remember. In order:
Pic 1: Devils armor
Pic 2: Watermelons
Pic 3: Top- never had a name. Next down are are utter chaos and king midas (the green ones.) Next down didn't have a name, and the bottom most are fruit loops.
Pic 4: the close one is a mix of blow pops and pink galaxies.
Pic 5: background is king midas, the pink ones are the other part of the pink galaxies/ blow pops. closer still are just pure blow pops, and up front is a mixed colony of king midas and radioactive dragon eyes.
Pic 6: middle is king midas, back right I don't remember the name.
Pic 7: another pink galaxy, with the ones on the left are blow pops
Pic 8: mixed colony of gorilla nipples (?) and radioactive dragon eyes
Pic 9:top colony is blow pops, middle left colony I cannot remember the name of, bottom colony are rastas.

(also you have two pictures labeled number 5, so I am not using your numbers. just the order the photos were posted in)

Hope this helps! I've never been super fond of all the names zoas get, so I usually would just buy what I thought was pretty and then forget the name. I never went for the pricy or rare ones, just the pretty ones! If one looks the same as a named one but it's 1/3 the price I'd get that, since they're the same exact thing anyways.


The tank looks fantastic by the way!

Also the gorgonian is a "grubes gorgonian" and is totally photosynthetic. It's also really "sticky" and will attach to any hard surface it leans against if given enough time. Then you get more new colonies lol.

 

[NB Reefer]

Thank you @HotManwich. Super happy how the tank is looking. Thanks for the zoa download.

 

[NB Reefer]

So everything has settled in from the move from @HotManwich's tank to mine except, unfortunately, one jumper, a percula clownfish. I need to get a cover it seems for the tank.

Currently, for fish, there is a Starry Blenny (Starlord), a Royal Gramma (unnamed), Kaudern's Cardinalfish (Zorro), and an Orange Barred Prawn Goby (Marmalade). All seem to be doing well and adjusting.

Corals and invertebrates that are currently in the tank: Rainbow bubble tip anemone, green, yellow, and red rock flower anemone, gsp, branching hammer, willow toadstool, standard toadstool, rainbow yumas, green floridas, and red discosomas, big green hairy mushrooms, alveopora, goniopora, red and green favia, peppermint shrimp, various snails including stomatellas, one larger red hermit (may have to be moved to the fuge), bristle worms, micro bristle stars, serpent stars, and pods. Also, a whole smattering of zoas: Rastas, Utter chaos, devils armor, fruit loops, watermelons, blow pops, king midas, radioactive dragon eyes, pink galaxies, gorilla nipples.

Some corals on the way from a local reefer I hope to get early next week: Gonzo's golden mushroom, frogspawn, purple/blue rhodactis, mystic sunset monti, JF slow burn monti, purple pocillopora, Alpha and Omega zoas, and WWC twizzlers. I know, I really need more zoas, hahaha. There are a few higher-end zoas I am in search for and then I'll be done adding zoas, maybe...?

Here are a few photos from the phone with a filter. I need to start working with the DSLR. Next project.

FTS:

RFA with some zoas, mushrooms and the Royal Gramma photobombing in the back.

Bubble tip anemone finding an interesting place to post up.

Toadstool and the hammer.

Thanks for checking out my little slice of reef heaven. Sorry for the dirty glass.

 

[Chrisfish]

Tank is looking really good!!!

 

[NB Reefer]

Thanks @Chrisfish. Now to “slowly” add more coral, a fish or two more and let everything grow.

 

[HotManwich]

Lookin' good! What a shame about the clown, he was a pretty friendly guy. You think you might get another one?

And be careful with buying those zoas! Once you start you really just can't stop adding more. They're just too colorful and addicting! What are some of the high ends you're thinking of getting?

 

[NB Reefer]

@HotManwich It is a shame with the clown. I hate to lose any life we are responsible for. I am thinking of possibly getting another clown or a pair. My wife has wanted a longfin clownfish for a while. I think they are pretty cool as well. It's on the possible list.

Oh, I know about the zoa rabbit hole. I have been there before. A few that are currently on my list are rainbow incinerators, the whole family of Krakatoas (the first one I have my eye on and a budget for is the speckled krak, white zombie, CC white walker, salted agave zoa, SBB Marvin the martian, flamin mohican, hallucinations, and CB adonis maul's to name a few. Hahaha.

 

[NB Reefer]

So I got some new coral and a new RFA. I didn’t realize how big my old RFA was until I got this new one. I’ll have to take some pics later today. Also, got some iPhone filters I need to try out. So let’s see a green skirt yellow RFA, two cool pastel-ish blastos, and orange/yellow striped dark purple lobo, a pastel rainbow scoly, garf’s bonsai acro, and another purple acro with yellow polyps I’m not sure what it is. Photos coming tonight I hope.

 

[NB Reefer]

Pastel Rainbow Button Scoly

Garf Bonsai Acro

Unknown Acro, polyps are a little more yellow in person.

Cool pastel rainbow blasto

Another blasto

Gold/yellow stripes lobo

Green skirt yellow RFA. Kinda hiding.

RFA size comparison

 

[NB Reefer]

Everything is doing well. Took some parameter readings this morning around 11:00 am. A few things to adjust but nothing crazy.
Calcium 510
PH 7.7
dKH 8
Phos .44
Nitrate 5

I have been running Brightwell extraxphos to help with phosphates. I added more this morning. I'm a heavy feeder. I also have been feeding flakes and pellets which according to my research is a phosphate factory so I have stopped feeding that. I may also increase the photoperiod on the fugue. One step at a time though.

Recently added a pair of Wyoming White Longfin Clownfish. I need to try and get some photos loaded. They are beautiful.

A few more corals added as well I need to get photos of: Rainbow Negelctus Shroom, Meteor Shower Cyphastrea, JF Halloween Lepto, Mummy Eye Chalice.