450 Gallon Peninsula Display - Page 4

rubysmomma1 · 11/21/2006, 10:43 PM

First off, great tank!!! I can only imagine having a tank that size.

Secondly, I have a question that will take you back to sand. We are getting ready to upgrade from our 75 to a 210. How long did you let the sand settle before moving over the live rock, fish, corals, etc? We were afraid of what effect the new sand would have on our livestock. We don't want to kill anyone in the move!!!

Thanks!! And thirdly, beautiful tank!!

drummereef · 11/21/2006, 11:48 PM

Tank is amazing. Love the two outcropping rock structures. Great!

mcrist · 11/22/2006, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rubysmomma1
First off, great tank!!! I can only imagine having a tank that size.

Secondly, I have a question that will take you back to sand. We are getting ready to upgrade from our 75 to a 210. How long did you let the sand settle before moving over the live rock, fish, corals, etc? We were afraid of what effect the new sand would have on our livestock. We don't want to kill anyone in the move!!!

Thanks!! And thirdly, beautiful tank!!

Thank you for the compliments. The most important part of having a tank of this size is an understanding spouse.

If it wasnâ€™t for my wife I would never have built this tank. She actually got me in this hobby (obsession). She told me that I needed to get a hobby and brought home a freshwater beta. I told her that this was a mistake to get me a fish since I always wanted to have an aquarium. She never realized what she started until it was too late.

Oh the sandâ€¦I still have nightmares about the sand.

It wasnâ€™t really bad getting it to settle and I even just dumped the sand in the tank without rinsing it. What helped me a lot was the perforated tubing I have for my drain on the closed loop. I used a large filter pad and wrapped the perforated tubing and turned on my closed loop. I also need to point the returns of the closed loop straight up so that I didnâ€™t disturb the sand bed but it worked. I took about a week before it was completely clear. I still use this idea when I blast the junk off of my rock and it works very well.

By the way, the perforated tubing was Jamesâ€™s idea from Envision Acrylics. Thanks again for a great tank.

mcrist · 11/22/2006, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by drummereef
Tank is amazing. Love the two outcropping rock structures. Great!

Thanksâ€¦My last tank was the standard wall theme and I never did like it. I really wanted to break it up a little.

rubysmomma1 · 11/22/2006, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Oh the sandâ€¦I still have nightmares about the sand.

It wasnâ€™t really bad getting it to settle and I even just dumped the sand in the tank without rinsing it. What helped me a lot was the perforated tubing I have for my drain on the closed loop. I used a large filter pad and wrapped the perforated tubing and turned on my closed loop. I also need to point the returns of the closed loop straight up so that I didnâ€™t disturb the sand bed but it worked. I took about a week before it was completely clear. I still use this idea when I blast the junk off of my rock and it works very well.

Thanks for the tip. It will be very helpful once we begin undertaking this project. Did you use the sand from your 1st tank for the sump sand or did you purchase more sand for the sump too?

mcrist · 11/22/2006, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rubysmomma1
Thanks for the tip. It will be very helpful once we begin undertaking this project. Did you use the sand from your 1st tank for the sump sand or did you purchase more sand for the sump too?

No, I did not reuse any of my old sand. I only have sand in my display for now. I am contemplating adding a refugium but havenâ€™t decided on that yet.

sivert55 · 11/23/2006, 06:48 PM

where did you get the perforated pipe for the closed loop sytem?

mcrist · 12/04/2006, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sivert55
where did you get the perforated pipe for the closed loop sytem?

Sorry for the delay. I thought I posted a reply already but I guess I didnâ€™t

. I actually received the perforated pipe from James at Envision Acrylics. I did find more of it at http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/...etail/iid/8559.

mcrist · 12/04/2006, 10:22 AM

Here is a list of current residents under my care.

LPS
Green Frogspawn Coral
Orange Plate Coral
Plate Coral
Doughnut Coral
Tongue Coral
Moon Brain Coral

Soft
Green Devil's Hand
Toadstool Mushroom
Colt Coral
Lavender Mushroom
Red Mushrooms

Inverts
Purple Tube Anemone
3 Emerald Mithrax Crab
3 Sally Lightfoot Crab
>15 Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crab
2 Coral Banded Shrimp (Mated Pair)
3 Brittle Sea Star
>25 Nassarius Snail
>25 Astraea Snail
5 Tongan Fighting Conch
Crocea Clam

Fish
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
Naso Tang
Sailfin Tang
Black Cap Basslet
Flame Hawkfish
Flame Angelfish
Lemonpeel Angelfish
Potter's Angelfish
Half Black Angel

mrpet · 12/20/2006, 01:15 AM

killer tank.... im getting one the same size or maybe 72" long
insted if u dont mind saying how much was the tank? im in ca so
shipping might be a little less. thanks

scott

mrpet · 12/20/2006, 01:15 AM

killer tank.... im getting one the same size or maybe 72" long
insted if u dont mind saying how much was the tank? im in ca so
shipping might be a little less. thanks

scott

Reet15 · 12/20/2006, 06:10 PM

Your tank is beautilful!!

mcrist · 12/20/2006, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrpet
killer tank.... im getting one the same size or maybe 72" long
insted if u dont mind saying how much was the tank? im in ca so
shipping might be a little less. thanks

scott

The tank was about $4,500 give or take.

mcrist · 12/20/2006, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reet15
Your tank is beautilful!!

Thank you. It doesn't look like what I had envisioned but I am still working on it.

mrpet · 12/21/2006, 12:41 AM

thanks mcrist....scott

mcrist · 03/21/2007, 08:46 AM

Over the last two months I added the following:

Inverts
2 Cleaner Shrimp
>10 Fiji Turbo Snail
Tiger Tail Sea Cucumber (I wonder if it survived, never saw it again)

Fish
2 Black Cap Jawfish (I lost one. That was the first fish loss with this tank.)
6 Convict Goby
Mystery Wrasse
Red Margin Fairy Wrasse
Blue Sided Fairy Wrasse (Unsure of the ID)
2 Sleeper Striped Goby

Is it normal to never see a cucumber after adding it to the tank? I know they mainly come out when the lights are out but I do check the tank at night. If it didnâ€™t survive at least it didnâ€™t pollute the tank.

mcrist · 03/21/2007, 09:19 AM

Ever since setting up this tank I have been battling slime and hair algae. First it started on the rock and then it moved to the sand. I expected some algae since it was a new tank but not the quantity I was experiencing. I was very discouraged with this and I have been trying a lot of different ideas to eliminate it. I wanted to make any changes slowly and without the use of any chemicals. I figured this is what I did wrong that helped the algae to get started in my tank.

1. When filling the tank I only used RO water without adding the DI canister. I also did not test the water enough resulting in me changing the filters later than I should. I ended up with nitrates in the tank before I added anything. I was just too happy to see water in my tank that I ignored the testing.
2. I should have cooked the rock before adding it to my tank. Patience was never one of my virtues.
3. Adding my existing fish too early. I was worried that they were in a 100 gallon Rubbermaid container too long and I needed to have something in the tank since Thanksgiving was almost here and I had family coming over to see â€˜The Tankâ€™.

Itâ€™s also hard to get enough water movement in a peninsula tank when all the pumps/returns are on the one end of the tank. I guess thatâ€™s why I have algae on the one side of the tank and not the other.

mcrist · 03/21/2007, 11:01 AM

Two days after adding 2 Sleeper Striped Goby my sand is clean. I canâ€™t believe the difference they made. I first tried 2 Black Cap Jawfish, but they donâ€™t sift through the sand, just move it around.

Julio · 03/21/2007, 11:19 AM

sweet setup!!

mcrist · 03/21/2007, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Julio
sweet setup!!

Thank You

mcrist · 03/21/2007, 12:47 PM

One thing I was never happy with was the return line coming from the sump in the basement. I originally had it going to a Wavysea unit on the wall closest to the overflow chamber. I never liked this setup since it seemed to interfere with the efficiency of the protein skimmer. It seemed to block some of the water flow and in turn interfere with the top layer of water from going down the overflow. I later changed the location of the Wavysea return line to about half-way down the right long wall. I was not happy with this location either since I now had a large Wavysea device right in the middle of one of my main viewing walls.

This past weekend I changed the setup again and now have the one return line split into two that travel down the full length of the tank and drop into the tank on the opposite wall of the overflow chamber. I am using loc-line with flare nozzles for the return and removed the Wavysea unit completely. This change completely eliminated any micro bubbles that I was experiencing in the tank. This was an added bonus. I never liked the Wavysea unit since it required me to use tubing when I always prefer to use hard plumbing (PVC). I plan to try the Wavysea unit with the Tunze adapter this weekend to see how my Tunze pump likes to rotated.

TandN · 03/21/2007, 07:48 PM

I had a HUGE HA battle when I set up my 120g I added 25 mexican turbos and with in 1 DAY!!!!! it was all gone simply amazing

Beautiful Set up "Good Luck" with it

samson78945 · 03/21/2007, 09:12 PM

wow!! i think im looking at my next tank!!

mcrist · 03/22/2007, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tanya72806
I had a HUGE HA battle when I set up my 120g I added 25 mexican turbos and with in 1 DAY!!!!! it was all gone simply amazing

Beautiful Set up "Good Luck" with it

I read in 'Marine Invertebrates - A Pocket Expert Guide (TFH)' that Mexican turbos will not survive long in a standard reef tank. They prefer cooler temperatures than what most reef tanks are going to be. Since then I have only purchased Fiji turbos. They are about half the size but they can handle the warmer temperature. I did not have any luck with them eating my hair algae so I needed to try something else.

mcrist · 03/22/2007, 06:56 AM

Some pictures of the plumbing changes I made this past weekend.

11/21/2006, 10:43 PM	#76
rubysmomma1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 295	First off, great tank!!! I can only imagine having a tank that size. Secondly, I have a question that will take you back to sand. We are getting ready to upgrade from our 75 to a 210. How long did you let the sand settle before moving over the live rock, fish, corals, etc? We were afraid of what effect the new sand would have on our livestock. We don't want to kill anyone in the move!!! Thanks!! And thirdly, beautiful tank!! __________________ Nicole of the Jay and Nicole show. Current Tank Info: 75 gallons of overgrown coral and still desiring a seahorse tank and our 210 up and running

11/21/2006, 11:48 PM	#77
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Tank is amazing. Love the two outcropping rock structures. Great! __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

11/23/2006, 06:48 PM	#82
sivert55 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wesley Chapel, FL Posts: 891	perforated tubing where did you get the perforated pipe for the closed loop sytem?

12/20/2006, 01:15 AM	#85
mrpet Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: ca Posts: 981	killer tank.... im getting one the same size or maybe 72" long insted if u dont mind saying how much was the tank? im in ca so shipping might be a little less. thanks scott __________________ "FREEEEEEEEDOM" Current Tank Info: 375 in wall with 180 sump

12/20/2006, 01:15 AM	#86
mrpet Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: ca Posts: 981	killer tank.... im getting one the same size or maybe 72" long insted if u dont mind saying how much was the tank? im in ca so shipping might be a little less. thanks scott __________________ "FREEEEEEEEDOM" Current Tank Info: 375 in wall with 180 sump

12/04/2006, 10:22 AM	#84
mcrist Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania Posts: 1,598	Here is a list of current residents under my care. LPS Green Frogspawn Coral Orange Plate Coral Plate Coral Doughnut Coral Tongue Coral Moon Brain Coral Soft Green Devil's Hand Toadstool Mushroom Colt Coral Lavender Mushroom Red Mushrooms Inverts Purple Tube Anemone 3 Emerald Mithrax Crab 3 Sally Lightfoot Crab >15 Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crab 2 Coral Banded Shrimp (Mated Pair) 3 Brittle Sea Star >25 Nassarius Snail >25 Astraea Snail 5 Tongan Fighting Conch Crocea Clam Fish 2 Ocellaris Clownfish Naso Tang Sailfin Tang Black Cap Basslet Flame Hawkfish Flame Angelfish Lemonpeel Angelfish Potter's Angelfish Half Black Angel

12/20/2006, 06:10 PM	#87
Reet15 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pueblo, Colorado Posts: 426	Your tank is beautilful!! __________________ Don't take life too serious, nobody gets out alive anyways!

12/21/2006, 12:41 AM	#90
mrpet Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: ca Posts: 981	thanks mcrist....scott __________________ "FREEEEEEEEDOM" Current Tank Info: 375 in wall with 180 sump

03/21/2007, 08:46 AM	#91
mcrist Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania Posts: 1,598	Over the last two months I added the following: Inverts 2 Cleaner Shrimp >10 Fiji Turbo Snail Tiger Tail Sea Cucumber (I wonder if it survived, never saw it again) Fish 2 Black Cap Jawfish (I lost one. That was the first fish loss with this tank.) 6 Convict Goby Mystery Wrasse Red Margin Fairy Wrasse Blue Sided Fairy Wrasse (Unsure of the ID) 2 Sleeper Striped Goby Is it normal to never see a cucumber after adding it to the tank? I know they mainly come out when the lights are out but I do check the tank at night. If it didnâ€™t survive at least it didnâ€™t pollute the tank.

03/21/2007, 09:19 AM	#92
mcrist Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania Posts: 1,598	Ever since setting up this tank I have been battling slime and hair algae. First it started on the rock and then it moved to the sand. I expected some algae since it was a new tank but not the quantity I was experiencing. I was very discouraged with this and I have been trying a lot of different ideas to eliminate it. I wanted to make any changes slowly and without the use of any chemicals. I figured this is what I did wrong that helped the algae to get started in my tank. 1. When filling the tank I only used RO water without adding the DI canister. I also did not test the water enough resulting in me changing the filters later than I should. I ended up with nitrates in the tank before I added anything. I was just too happy to see water in my tank that I ignored the testing. 2. I should have cooked the rock before adding it to my tank. Patience was never one of my virtues. 3. Adding my existing fish too early. I was worried that they were in a 100 gallon Rubbermaid container too long and I needed to have something in the tank since Thanksgiving was almost here and I had family coming over to see â€˜The Tankâ€™. Itâ€™s also hard to get enough water movement in a peninsula tank when all the pumps/returns are on the one end of the tank. I guess thatâ€™s why I have algae on the one side of the tank and not the other.

03/21/2007, 11:01 AM	#93
mcrist Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania Posts: 1,598	Two days after adding 2 Sleeper Striped Goby my sand is clean. I canâ€™t believe the difference they made. I first tried 2 Black Cap Jawfish, but they donâ€™t sift through the sand, just move it around.

03/21/2007, 11:19 AM	#94
Julio Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: New york Posts: 7,978	sweet setup!! __________________ Thanks, Have a nice day. Julio Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef w/ 250 watt SE XM10Ks and AP1003, 12 gallon reef, 40 gallon reef

03/21/2007, 12:47 PM	#96
mcrist Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania Posts: 1,598	One thing I was never happy with was the return line coming from the sump in the basement. I originally had it going to a Wavysea unit on the wall closest to the overflow chamber. I never liked this setup since it seemed to interfere with the efficiency of the protein skimmer. It seemed to block some of the water flow and in turn interfere with the top layer of water from going down the overflow. I later changed the location of the Wavysea return line to about half-way down the right long wall. I was not happy with this location either since I now had a large Wavysea device right in the middle of one of my main viewing walls. This past weekend I changed the setup again and now have the one return line split into two that travel down the full length of the tank and drop into the tank on the opposite wall of the overflow chamber. I am using loc-line with flare nozzles for the return and removed the Wavysea unit completely. This change completely eliminated any micro bubbles that I was experiencing in the tank. This was an added bonus. I never liked the Wavysea unit since it required me to use tubing when I always prefer to use hard plumbing (PVC). I plan to try the Wavysea unit with the Tunze adapter this weekend to see how my Tunze pump likes to rotated.

03/21/2007, 07:48 PM	#97
TandN Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: NYC Posts: 2,009	I had a HUGE HA battle when I set up my 120g I added 25 mexican turbos and with in 1 DAY!!!!! it was all gone simply amazing Beautiful Set up "Good Luck" with it

03/21/2007, 09:12 PM	#98
samson78945 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: So Cal Posts: 267	wow!! i think im looking at my next tank!!

03/22/2007, 06:56 AM	#100
mcrist Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania Posts: 1,598	Some pictures of the plumbing changes I made this past weekend.