Peninsula Reef Tanks: What needs to be considered and do you, did you or would you?

Peninsula Reef Tanks...

  • I currently have one

    Votes: 131 26.6%
  • I used to have one set up

    Votes: 19 3.9%
  • I would like to try one in the future

    Votes: 248 50.4%
  • No interest

    Votes: 94 19.1%

  • Total voters
    492

Daniel

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 18, 2009
Messages
236
Reaction score
406
Location
California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Lots of good input - seems like flow keeps coming up in addition to cleaning.

I've got the urge to do a peninsula in the future too but pausing at getting one that is too long due to flow considerations. The ideas on alternating flow seem great, has anyone used a wave box successfully in a peninsula and what are your thoughts on that helping with creating sufficient flow?
 

jmatt

Just gettin' started. Again.
View Badges
Joined
Apr 27, 2022
Messages
553
Reaction score
803
Location
Lehigh Valley, PA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Presently in the design and build stage of my 48x30x17 lagoon peninsula.

For my 48" I don't think flow would be too much of a problem. But I watched the ReefBum videos with his recent peninsula and to achieve the flow he needed, the return pressure was so high that the fish are all blown to the far end of the tank where the water bounces off the the glass and allows them to have some stability.

He may have changed the plumbing by now and corrected it, but it was very apparent there was an issue in the video I saw. So the struggle is real.

Anyway, I anticipate needing a few powerheads at the far end to circulate water back.
 
Last edited:

ReefEco

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 12, 2017
Messages
722
Reaction score
779
Location
Truckee
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As has already been said, getting good flow at the other end of the tank is key. You can see what I did on my 400g peninsula below. Routed returns to other side of the tank, plus added a closed loop as well.

 
Last edited:

rtparty

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
4,667
Reaction score
8,024
Location
Utah
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I can (and am) write (ing) a book on the 99 things I thought I planned but didn't with my new peninsula.

Flow is number one by a mile.

Go 48" wide if you can. You will never regret this.

If you aren't going to have a fish room to put everything in, we have a LOT to discuss about the stand configuration.

Enjoy cleaning glass because it's a daily chore.

I absolutely love my peninsula but it has serious challenges I never planned for.
 

BigBossReefer

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 29, 2018
Messages
26
Reaction score
24
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a newly setup Red Sea 650 peninsula and it is fairly large, like everyone else has said flow is the biggest problem. I have a Red Sea gyre on the far end and it easily solved the flow issue. I have two MP60’s & two MP40’s on the overflow side and that still wasn’t enough to reach the far end. I built a light mount out of 1515 extrusion for my Kessils and I just ran the gyre cord along the mount.
 

Sean Clark

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 16, 2019
Messages
8,055
Reaction score
31,574
Location
Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The flow comments are kind of blowing my mind. My low flow "problem" area is actually on the drain side below the returns; not on the far side of the tank.
 

Thepower2win

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Messages
1,265
Reaction score
1,053
Location
Lindon
Rating - 0%
0   0   0

Crotalus

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
143
Reaction score
146
Location
Dallas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have Gyre pumps at each end. They were pushing the water to the middle. Since the return and overflow are at the same end I wasn't satisfied with surface skimming. I used flex lines under the hood from the return to the opposite end of the tank. That let the surface get pushed continually toward the overflow.
 

Frank SM

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 17, 2022
Messages
124
Reaction score
109
Location
San Marcos, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
https://waterboxaquariums.com/collections/saltwater-aquariums/products/peninsula-7225

I'm Starting my Dream build with a Peninsula 7225 from WaterBox, (it's was just delivered) for the feeling you get of immersion there is nothing better, no black background, the expansion of two sides for corals, (stocking it with your priced frags is half the fun) I saw them and fell in love. I can't wait to get started.
I started my Waterbox 7225 on May 3rd. It's a great tank.
 

Cheeze

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 8, 2021
Messages
193
Reaction score
173
Location
New York
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Here's a challenge I had which I haven't seen really mentioned yet, albeit a nice challenge: scaping

You want to be sure the tank is wide enough that you get good aesthetic scape and dimension on both sides with enough spots for corals, AND enough clearance to clean the glass without bumping into rocks.

My tank is over a year old, and I still find myself playing with the aquascape!
 

JCOLE

Grower of the Small Polyps
View Badges
Joined
Mar 12, 2018
Messages
4,078
Reaction score
11,016
Location
Charlotte, NC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Following as my new tank is being built. It is a 480 gallon 96x48x24 peninsula. One of things that is going to be a struggle is flow. I think I have a plan though. I am going to have return nozzles coming out of the braces on each side. So 16 nozzles on two different pumps. Plan to have two MP60s on the back end towards the bottoms.

JCole External Overflow.jpg
 
Last edited:

katonge

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 18, 2019
Messages
300
Reaction score
228
Location
NPR, Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I was totally convinced I was getting a large peninsula & I was planning on placing it to divide the 2 living rooms. However, as I did research online & looked at tons of pictures I realized the ability to see thru to the other side was very distracting. With doors & windows on one side & a wall of patio doors on the other I worried it would take away from the enjoyment of viewing the fish.
 

Timfish

Crusty Old Salt
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2012
Messages
3,738
Reaction score
4,927
Location
Austin, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Tank width and having to leave space on both sides of the aquascaping can make the rockwork a bit 2 dimensional. access to both side is a big plus. it can take more lighting if lights are moved to the sides and angled to light up the aquascaping better. viewing height on both sides need to be considered to determine how tall the stand should be.
 

ReefEco

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 12, 2017
Messages
722
Reaction score
779
Location
Truckee
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Following as my current tank is being built. It is a 480 gallon 96x48x24 peninsula. One of things that is going to be a struggle is flow. I think I have a plan though. I am going to have return nozzles coming out of the braces on each side. So 16 nozzles on two different pumps. Plan to have two MP60s on the back end towards the bottoms.

JCole External Overflow.jpg
That is going to be a great tank. You might plan for at least one other mp60. I have 3 mp60s on the overflow end in a 72x40wx32h tank and it is barely enough, and you have to push another 2ft. Then again, I don't know what your 2 return pumps will be pushing in the 16 nozzles...
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 38 47.5%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 42 52.5%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 16 20.0%
  • None.

    Votes: 21 26.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 8 10.0%
Back
Top