Hello all,
Starting a build series that I hope to actually keep up with this time. I am switching from my 560g(120x36x30) to a 520g peninsula(96x48x26). I'll first briefly explain why I am switching. If you're not interested then go ahead and skip the next paragraph
The 560 has been a bit of a rollercoaster. At first I started with sand and eventually things started growing quite nicely. Had some vandalism that crashed the tank and killed all of my corals, but only one of my fish(Goldenflake Angel). The tank is setup to water change 35 gallons a day from a reservoir in my garage. Well, someone dropped some chlorine tablets in it and I didn't notice for two days and when I went to check the water storage there were two tablets down at the bottom. No idea why or who, but I had to deal with it. Broke the tank down and moved all my fish to 4 tanks around the house for 3 months while I fixed the tank, made a new aquascape, and decided to go bare bottom. Since then, I never really added any difficult corals and just focused on fish and softies. Two months ago I realized that I never actually spend anytime looking at the tank unless I am doing maintenance. Briefly thought about getting out of the hobby, but I truly love reefing and I have fish I've had for years and years so that thought went away in about 25 minutes. Instead I decided on something more drastic...
Tank, Sump, and Stand
520g peninsula(96x48x26) built by Miracle - Ordering this week and they are 12 weeks out. I wish I could go 120' again for my tangs, but the tank would just look weird in the place it is going if its that long.
3/4 Inch Starphire glass on 3 sides.
Black backing on short side
Armored Seams.
Black Vinyl bottom
Coast to Coast external overflow setup for bean animal and with adjustable insert for waterline.
Miracle metal stand that will be 36 inches tall. I could use some opinions if anyone thinks that is too short. I'll be mostly sitting for viewing but I don't want to crouch to see anything and I'm 6' tall. Did an outline in PVC pipe and it seems good, but open to suggestions! For now I won't be skinning the stand as I like the open look.
I am keeping the sump that I have on my 560 and I'll post a picture once I have it all cleaned up. I'll be creating a stand for it in the fish room and waterproofing it as best I can.
The tanks external overflow will go through the wall and my current office will turn into my fish room. My office setup will go into the room with my aquarium so I can view it nearly all of the time when I'm not asleep.
Equipment
Switching from my 5 Orphek V4s to 4 ReefBreeder Photon 48 V2 Pro. Once the tank is up and running and corals start going in then I'll probably add several LumenBars from Reefbreeder as well for that blanket of light. They'll be hanging from 80/20 that'll be attached to the ceiling. I'm making the switch because the first light I ever used was the first version of ReefBreeder and I liked them quite a bit. My first tank(220g) was the most successful strangely enough. Not saying its because of the lights, but I just like them.
Right now I am thinking 2 MP60's and 2 MP40's for the overflow side. I am going to try Maxspect Gyres for the 3rd time and see if they can work past 2 weeks and I wish I was exaggerating. If so, they will go on the opposite side of the tank with 2 more MP40's.
Also switching from my Bubble Magus B10 to an external Reef Octopus Regal 300EXT
Getting rid of my 2-part system and going with a Calcium Reactor for the first time.
Returns will continue to be two L2 Vectras. Might add another one for the external equipment.
Pentair UV 120w will be used still.
ATO will continue to be fed from a 250g container in the garage that runs outside and then through the wall
Fish Room(Pictures to come as we get closer)
This will house everything but my large water reservoirs as I don't really need them inside, so they will stay in the garage. The sump will be on one wall and I'll make a shelf that goes across the length of the room for my Calcium Reactor, Protein skimmer, etc. Having an external skimmer gives me two large areas in my sump that I'll use to introduce coral to instead of putting them on frag racks in my display. I'll probably use my old Radion G3 Pro to light this area.
Above the shelf will be all of my electrical and on the other wall(11feet away) will be my QT setup. A 40 gallon breeder will be running constantly unless I don't plan on buying livestock for awhile. I also need one for coral but I haven't decided on that yet. To be honest, I'm not amazing at keeping SPS and that is why I want to get into, so QT'ing them in a small 20gallon tank with parameters that can more easily fluctuate is intimidating for me. I'll still have a plan in place, but more research has to be done here. Lastly, I didn't see much benefit to adding a sink to this room as the adjacent room of the fish room is a bathroom.
The display will be on the other side of the wall so I'll need to take out a 4'x3' area in the fish room for easy access to plumbing and my Vortech pumps. I'll also need to add another dedicated 20amp circuit for this room or move the dedicated circuit that was for the 560 to this room.
This will be a slow process at the start, but here are some pictures of the current fish situation, 560 breakdown process, etc.
Currently have a large Dussumieri , Chevron, and Achilles Tang in the 55 gallon. The 40 has my Fowleri, White Tail Bristletooth, Gem tang, and 3 Anthias. Unfortunately the Fowleri sliced open his abdomen very badly and he's not doing great right now. I've had him for like 8 years and not sure how to help him.
Not included in this picture is a 20gallon with an Orange Shoulder Tang. He has been extremely skinny for 2 years now, so I am taking this time to fatten him up. He is currently doing exceptional. My two clowns and kole tang are in another 40 gallon that was setup previously.
Still need to organize my cords
After corals were removed and sold off
And the tank as it sits today
Starting a build series that I hope to actually keep up with this time. I am switching from my 560g(120x36x30) to a 520g peninsula(96x48x26). I'll first briefly explain why I am switching. If you're not interested then go ahead and skip the next paragraph
The 560 has been a bit of a rollercoaster. At first I started with sand and eventually things started growing quite nicely. Had some vandalism that crashed the tank and killed all of my corals, but only one of my fish(Goldenflake Angel). The tank is setup to water change 35 gallons a day from a reservoir in my garage. Well, someone dropped some chlorine tablets in it and I didn't notice for two days and when I went to check the water storage there were two tablets down at the bottom. No idea why or who, but I had to deal with it. Broke the tank down and moved all my fish to 4 tanks around the house for 3 months while I fixed the tank, made a new aquascape, and decided to go bare bottom. Since then, I never really added any difficult corals and just focused on fish and softies. Two months ago I realized that I never actually spend anytime looking at the tank unless I am doing maintenance. Briefly thought about getting out of the hobby, but I truly love reefing and I have fish I've had for years and years so that thought went away in about 25 minutes. Instead I decided on something more drastic...
Tank, Sump, and Stand
520g peninsula(96x48x26) built by Miracle - Ordering this week and they are 12 weeks out. I wish I could go 120' again for my tangs, but the tank would just look weird in the place it is going if its that long.
3/4 Inch Starphire glass on 3 sides.
Black backing on short side
Armored Seams.
Black Vinyl bottom
Coast to Coast external overflow setup for bean animal and with adjustable insert for waterline.
Miracle metal stand that will be 36 inches tall. I could use some opinions if anyone thinks that is too short. I'll be mostly sitting for viewing but I don't want to crouch to see anything and I'm 6' tall. Did an outline in PVC pipe and it seems good, but open to suggestions! For now I won't be skinning the stand as I like the open look.
I am keeping the sump that I have on my 560 and I'll post a picture once I have it all cleaned up. I'll be creating a stand for it in the fish room and waterproofing it as best I can.
The tanks external overflow will go through the wall and my current office will turn into my fish room. My office setup will go into the room with my aquarium so I can view it nearly all of the time when I'm not asleep.
Equipment
Switching from my 5 Orphek V4s to 4 ReefBreeder Photon 48 V2 Pro. Once the tank is up and running and corals start going in then I'll probably add several LumenBars from Reefbreeder as well for that blanket of light. They'll be hanging from 80/20 that'll be attached to the ceiling. I'm making the switch because the first light I ever used was the first version of ReefBreeder and I liked them quite a bit. My first tank(220g) was the most successful strangely enough. Not saying its because of the lights, but I just like them.
Right now I am thinking 2 MP60's and 2 MP40's for the overflow side. I am going to try Maxspect Gyres for the 3rd time and see if they can work past 2 weeks and I wish I was exaggerating. If so, they will go on the opposite side of the tank with 2 more MP40's.
Also switching from my Bubble Magus B10 to an external Reef Octopus Regal 300EXT
Getting rid of my 2-part system and going with a Calcium Reactor for the first time.
Returns will continue to be two L2 Vectras. Might add another one for the external equipment.
Pentair UV 120w will be used still.
ATO will continue to be fed from a 250g container in the garage that runs outside and then through the wall
Fish Room(Pictures to come as we get closer)
This will house everything but my large water reservoirs as I don't really need them inside, so they will stay in the garage. The sump will be on one wall and I'll make a shelf that goes across the length of the room for my Calcium Reactor, Protein skimmer, etc. Having an external skimmer gives me two large areas in my sump that I'll use to introduce coral to instead of putting them on frag racks in my display. I'll probably use my old Radion G3 Pro to light this area.
Above the shelf will be all of my electrical and on the other wall(11feet away) will be my QT setup. A 40 gallon breeder will be running constantly unless I don't plan on buying livestock for awhile. I also need one for coral but I haven't decided on that yet. To be honest, I'm not amazing at keeping SPS and that is why I want to get into, so QT'ing them in a small 20gallon tank with parameters that can more easily fluctuate is intimidating for me. I'll still have a plan in place, but more research has to be done here. Lastly, I didn't see much benefit to adding a sink to this room as the adjacent room of the fish room is a bathroom.
The display will be on the other side of the wall so I'll need to take out a 4'x3' area in the fish room for easy access to plumbing and my Vortech pumps. I'll also need to add another dedicated 20amp circuit for this room or move the dedicated circuit that was for the 560 to this room.
This will be a slow process at the start, but here are some pictures of the current fish situation, 560 breakdown process, etc.
Currently have a large Dussumieri , Chevron, and Achilles Tang in the 55 gallon. The 40 has my Fowleri, White Tail Bristletooth, Gem tang, and 3 Anthias. Unfortunately the Fowleri sliced open his abdomen very badly and he's not doing great right now. I've had him for like 8 years and not sure how to help him.
Not included in this picture is a 20gallon with an Orange Shoulder Tang. He has been extremely skinny for 2 years now, so I am taking this time to fatten him up. He is currently doing exceptional. My two clowns and kole tang are in another 40 gallon that was setup previously.
Still need to organize my cords
After corals were removed and sold off
And the tank as it sits today
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