New 520g Peninsula Build

Syntax

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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 :)
20220103_144018.jpg


After corals were removed and sold off
20211230_190832.jpg


And the tank as it sits today

20220104_191243.jpg
 
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Syntax

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Cut out in the wall is nearly complete. Need to cover certain spots with some PVC board to help protect the wall. I asked Miracle to make the tank 28 inches high instead of 26, so the tank will actually be 560gallon just like my last one. The cutout is 28.5 inches tall and 48 inches wide. Should give me complete access to the overflow as well as the backside of the tank to place my Vortechs.

Next step is to move my current office into the room where the tank will go and start mapping out the fish rooms equipment, electrical, and plumbing plan.

20220113_092854.jpg
 

Daniel@R2R

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This is gonna be awesome!!
 

srcleary

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Sweet build! I love Miracles. I went with a 42" stand on my 800g but it is for standing view. I am glad I went 42" as I have all the components under the tank and only like 1" to spare to remove the skimmer collection cup.

However I think it would be tall for viewing while seating. 36" seems to be more standard but with a custom build you could make it anything you want. Like 38 and 5/16" :cool:

One thing I did (a few times) was to mock up three different heights of the tank and stand. It was easy for me as I could use markers on my office glass wall. But I highly recommend a mockup showing the stand and tank height and then ask people which one seems right. Just an idea.

Steve
 
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Sweet build! I love Miracles. I went with a 42" stand on my 800g but it is for standing view. I am glad I went 42" as I have all the components under the tank and only like 1" to spare to remove the skimmer collection cup.

However I think it would be tall for viewing while seating. 36" seems to be more standard but with a custom build you could make it anything you want. Like 38 and 5/16" :cool:

One thing I did (a few times) was to mock up three different heights of the tank and stand. It was easy for me as I could use markers on my office glass wall. But I highly recommend a mockup showing the stand and tank height and then ask people which one seems right. Just an idea.

Steve
Thank you! Yeah I actually did a PVC outline of it and thats how I got to 66 inches for the height. I think otherwise it would have been 72-75 or so, but since I'll be mainly sitting while viewing the 66 works out for me
 
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Syntax

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Decided to switch lighting solutions. I've been researching the Hybrid Kessil/LED bar for a couple years now and decided to go that route.

Currently thinking 6 Kessil A500x and 6 48inch ReefBrite Blue HXOs. I'll have to turn down the two middle 500's as the overlap between the adjacent fixtures would probably be a bit much. The alternative was 8 Kessil 360's and still 6 reef brites, but I think the spread and overlap of the 500's wins out for me. Interested to hear some opinions.
 
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I just can’t get past that someone poisoned your tank!!! Neighbors? Someone in the house? It’s a classic case of… WhoDunnit!

Its so specific too, chlorine tablets, not like someone dropped a toy car or a crayola or even a rock.

sorry that this happened.
 
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Syntax

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I just can’t get past that someone poisoned your tank!!! Neighbors? Someone in the house? It’s a classic case of… WhoDunnit!

Its so specific too, chlorine tablets, not like someone dropped a toy car or a crayola or even a rock.

sorry that this happened.
My best guess is a neighbor or one of their kids. It was a very long, expensive, and wasteful process :(

I heard later on from a LFS that someone did the same thing to their tanks overnight. Wiped out close to 90% of their livestock.
 

flagg37

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My best guess is a neighbor or one of their kids. It was a very long, expensive, and wasteful process :(

I heard later on from a LFS that someone did the same thing to their tanks overnight. Wiped out close to 90% of their livestock.
That should narrow down the list of suspects. Who knows you and is a patron of the fish store?
 
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Syntax

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The old office(new fish room) is nearly ready. Need to plan out my plumbing so I can have a new circuit installed as well as move the old tanks circuit into this room. Baseboards are waterproof. Still need to install GFCI's on the outlets that are staying.

20220206_192100.jpg

20220206_192110.jpg


I originally wasn't going to store any water in the house, but the AZ summers makes it impossible to do a large water change with the mixing container in the garage. In the past I have to fill up containers in the hallway and let them sit for a day or so to cool down. I'll be plumbing off of my ATO and Saltwater containers to automatically fill these up with whatever I need, so I can at least do a 120g water change in a hurry if I ever need to. They are 65g a piece. Ordered an Iwaki pump for circulation, but haven't ordered the plumbing yet.

20220206_191912.jpg


My 80/20 also came in and I got that hung up that the Kessil's and LED Bars will mount onto. Obviously need to clean up the extra cable, but this is the view from my desk currently:

20220206_194834.jpg


Equipment is also starting to arrive!
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20220206_191600.jpg


I also asked @chemisfun11 for a custom 3D print solution for my sump. It has eshopps rectangle cut outs and not only are those much more expensive than other socks, but in my experience, they fall apart easier. Lee was awesome to work with and after some poor measurements on my part he sent me three adapters that fit in the sump perfectly.

20220128_164753.jpg


Miracle provided an update for the middle of March for delivery. While I am eager for that date to arrive, I still have quite a lot to do! Next step is to move the sump and a couple desks in, do a rough outline on plumbing, and then do the electrical.
 
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Syntax

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Have accomplished quite a bit!

My aquascape is about 50% of the way done. I have taken dozens of photos but they really don't come out well, so going to post the aquascape once it is inside of the tank or move them out of the garage to get more light. I'm about 20 hours into the scape but its been a fun process.

I made a stand for the sump that has a small bulkhead that will take the water outside should it ever flood. Also in the middle of painting all of the furniture that is in that room.

Electrical will be completed next week. I'll just be using the dedicated circuit the old tank used and I found out that room has its own dedicated circuit as well, so 20amp x2 circuits should be enough.

I'll post some pictures of the progress next week hopefully.
 
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Syntax

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Its been awhile since I posted but we're almost there!

Miracles shipped the tank in late April and it got here yesterday. It was an adventure getting it into the backyard and we realized equipment wasn't going to cut it. We needed manpower. Sunday(5/15) I have 10 guys coming out to pick this thing up and put it on the stand.

I'll fill it with water to leak test it but going to wait to plumb the overflows as I have 2 ReefMats ordered and it looks like they may ship on May 17th. I'll probably go ahead and plumb the returns though.

Looking for advice on the best way to plumb my external skimmer. I have two return pumps and the chamber isn't going to fit a third. I need 3 pumps for other equipment and redundancy which I'll get into once I post the fish room. Right now I am thinking of putting the skimmer pump in the 'refugium' section. I won't be using it as a fuge, but that water never goes through mechanical filtration(reefmats) as it has its own dedicated overflow pipe, so I figure it is the dirtiest water and I'll feed that to the skimmer.

The other option is to just put the return pump in one of the other chambers that is already filtered by the roller mats and dump the skimmer return into the return chamber. My only concern here is that the two roller mats won't allow the skimmer to be 100% effective.


Here are some pictures of the tank, stand, and the lighting(6 Kessil 500's and 6 Reefbrite strips).


20220513_173023.jpg
20220512_122527.jpg
20220512_122540.jpg
20220512_202520.jpg
 

srcleary

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Glad to see you post again!

Can you just drill a hole in your sump and use an external pump to feed the skimmer? I did this on my tank and I actually pull from two sumps. It works great. I drilled the holes immediately after the socks to try to catch the most in the skimmer. I can't believe how much it pulls out! I also have a separate collection cup that I empty at least weekly.

The only thing I would do differently is use schedule 80 bulkheads. I've had issues with leaks. Fixed now, but it was a pain. Its crazy that I spent so much on the tank and let the LFS sell me these very cheap bulkheads.

Is the 300ext big enough for your tank? Will it be heavily stocked?

Keep us posted!

Steve
 
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