Wieloch’s nano peninsula build

[Wieloch89]

Hey guys! It’s been a couple of years since broke my tank down and sold everything off. Tons of lessons learned from my first build and I’m in a good spot again to really be able to maintain my aquarium. I previously had a largely successful 150 gallon mixed reef but I pieced it all together as a budget build and made things much harder on myself than they needed to be hopefully. Hopefully I learn this time around!

It’s nice to finally be back! It’s been an itch I haven’t been able to scratch since I broke my first tank down and I’m ready to jump back in. Looking forward to seeing and dealing with all of you again, and I’ll keep posted with updates as I go!

 

[Wieloch89]

I purchased a Waterbox Peninsula 25 that I’m waiting on... back order. I ordered it about 2 weeks ago and I’ve got another 2-4 weeks to wait. With it I purchased a CNC cut lid from Kraken Reef with a removable feeding door with a feeding cup. You guessed it... back order.

The plan is to go bare bottom and make a negative space aquascape out of reef saver dry rock. I’m going to add some pre cycled bio media to the filter sock chamber and remove the filter sock all together. A skimmer will go in the center section eventually but with a lite bio load I won’t need it for a while anyway.

 

[Wieloch89]

Livestock is pretty much going to be simple, a pair of nice clowns and maybe a coral beauty. The random invert may make it to the scape eventually.

I plan to stick with mainly softies and a few LPS and later on upgrade the light away from the AI Prime 16HD and get back in to SPS.

I want to keep the tank relatively simple and rely mainly on multiple micro water changes multiple times every week once my corals start to consume my trace elements.

 

[Wieloch89]

I did get my QT tank set up while I’m waiting on my display tank to get here so I can start the quarantine process on my clowns that I’m picking up Monday. A Black Storm and an Extreme Picasso! They’re a pretty cool pair and will be a focal point in the tank!

 

[Wieloch89]

Just got these two in QT while I wait for my display to get here, hopefully in the next 2-3 weeks. I figured I’d get a jump on the process in the mean time though. Picked up a Black Storm and an Extreme Picasso from my LFS and I couldn’t be happier with them. They have beautiful markings.

They’ll get a few days to just chill and acclimate to their new temporary habitat before I start treatment with prazi, over the next 2ish weeks after I’ll start the copper treatment. Hopefully in the next 6 weeks I’ll have everything set and ready to transfer these two over to the display. I’ll keep you guys updated!

 

[Wieloch89]

Just smashed all of my perfectly good Marco rock, mocked up inside dimensions of my tank, and popped a fresh bottle of glue. Time to get this negative space aquascape done!

 

[Wieloch89]

Took me longer than I would have liked it to but I didn’t want to rush the process and get a result that I wasn’t happy with. All in all I think it went great and I’ll be happy to have this in my aquarium for years to come. I still have to let the glue cure and then mortar the joints for strength and even out some of the rough spots on the slopes.

What do you guys think???

 

[Wieloch89]

 

[Wieloch89]

Alright, so it’s been a while since my last update… anyway on July 10th I was in an ATV accident that left me with a shattered pelvis. Since then I haven’t been able to walk and have been staying with my in-laws. Hopefully in another 6 weeks or so I’ll be walking and able to go home. I’ll be off of work for quite some time so I’ll have the time to devote to a brand new tank and thankfully something to keep my mind on track.

My wife has been able to, with some instruction, turn my hospital tank in to a temporary home for my two clowns after 3 weeks of Prazi and a month of copper. I’ll be posting updates of the build in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!!!

 

[Wieloch89]

Alrighty so excited news! I’m back home now and getting back to this tank. I’ll be off of work for a few months so I have some time to get this baby up and running. Although, I do need a lot of time because I can’t really get around all that well right lol! Anyway, I started sanding down what I’m going to use as my stand today to refinish. It’s an antique piece from my late uncle and should be perfect for my peninsula! Can’t wait to post more updates.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Took me longer than I would have liked it to but I didn’t want to rush the process and get a result that I wasn’t happy with. All in all I think it went great and I’ll be happy to have this in my aquarium for years to come. I still have to let the glue cure and then mortar the joints for strength and even out some of the rough spots on the slopes.

What do you guys think???

Love it! Great looking scape!!

 

[Wieloch89]

Alright, so as I was sanding down the cabinet I intended to restore, I left it outside overnight and it unfortunately rained ALL NIGHT. So some of the veneer started to bubble and peal up and well as the drawer and cabinet doors swelled and will no longer close. I found a little stand that will work for now as I wanted to just get the tank up and running.

This is a completely stock out of the box setup and I’m generally really happy with it overall. The SICCE 1.0 return pump is a little too small for the Waterbox Mini 25 peninsula and I’ll be upgrading to the 1.5 in the near future. It just doesn’t turn over enough water in the AIO chambers or produce enough flow in the display. I’ll also be adding the Nero 3 soon as well to help out with those flow issues. The tank comes with the AI Prime 16 HD, it’s pretty user friendly but I still have some time before I actually need a light and could give a review of its performance. I did however add an acrylic top and feeder cup from Kraken Reef. It was a little pricy but definitely finishes off the look while keeping the jumpers in the water.

Here is what I have so far! I hope you keep on following along with me!

 

[Wieloch89]

Got my clowns in their new home today! I’ve dosed some Dr Tim’s one and only and some supporting bacteria(not at the same time) and added a bag of media from the tank they were in for the last 4 months to help the bio filter

 

[rishma]

Sorry to hear about your accident. Wish you a full and speedy recovery. I’m starting my own WB25 peninsula. Like your rock work!

 

[Wieloch89]

Well 3 months since the last update, mainly because not much has really changed since then. Params have been stabile and I’ve been very happy with this system so far, great choice going with the Waterbox. Added my first coral 2 days ago, a neon green leather, and it’s looks super healthy. It’s filled out and plumped up great since it addition to the tank and has great polyp extension. This will probably be my only coral for a little while anyway since I’m still out of work since my injury 6 months ago but I’m super excited to have it and see that it’s doing well!

 

[Wieloch89]

Testing out my new IceCap camera filter. I’m liking it already!

 

[Wieloch89]

I’ve added a Dragon Soul Favia… at least that’s what I think it is. Corals are looking great so far, even thought the leather is molting but that’s a good thing anyway! I’ve upgraded the return to a SICCE 1.0, and purchased a Tunze nano ATO. I haven’t installed the ATO since I’m waiting until I get my Nero3 in to do all of the cord management at the same time. It’s been a fun process and since it isn’t my first tank, things have been going much smoother and I’ve been extremely patient as well. I’ll be adding updated as I get them!!!

 

[Wieloch89]

Water testing, water change, and regular tank maintenance on a slow Sunday. How are you guys spending your Sunday???

 

[Wieloch89]

Just a few shots after some maintenance and coral feeding… there are some floaties in some of the pictures from the pump coming back on.

 

[Wieloch89]

A couple of new editions from last week, I wanted to get these out before the frag swap coming this weekend. The yellow hammer has some pretty severe skeletal damage from the previous owner fragging but I think it’s going to be ok! Also a purple tip hammer, a baby blasto, and a couple avatar polyps(I think that’s what the guy called them).