300 gallon shallow tanked fish room build

[Joeb1983]

Frag tank and correct peninsula ordered at this time.

Cost me a little over $200 more to go 24" wide over the 18".

I Really need the frag tank over the peninsula, so I requested that take priority if at all possible.

My Morrish Idol, although a beautiful and healthy conversational piece is a F*****G nightmare when it comes to coral. Especially LPS.

The only think he doesn't mess with is my 3 giant nems and a beast of a long tentical plate coral.

I've yanked what I could and my current frag system is a max capacity with recovering lobos, blastos and the like. (Blasto colony is what ticked me off the most)

As much as I hate the dude, I still like him. Might make adjustments between the 5 tanks.

I did order another trigger sapphire 26 and 5 gal ATO for the new frag system (Fit like a glove under the steel stand) as well as the AI ext mounting bars (in black)

 

[Joeb1983]

Ready for the frag tank...

 

[JonezNReef]

Wow how many tanks on how many systems will you have running when this is all said and done for now LOL. I would hate to see the amount of time and maintenance that goes into it all. Where do you plan on putting the low boys in comparison to the rest of the tanks.

 

[Joeb1983]

It will be 4 systems total.

The 72x24x15 and two 24x24x15's (fish room)

The 36x24x15 peninsula (fish room)

The 36x18x10 (living room, "choice" frag tank)

And finally the two 48x24x10 lowboys. (The kitchen/some weird 9ft long office internet bar thing...)
Mainly as a grow out tanks.

Maintenenance isn't all that bad to be honest. It helps with my anxiety believe it or not. Lol!

 

[JonezNReef]

Very nice. How are the current tanks doing? Any update on when the new ones come in?

 

[Joeb1983]

Since the peninsula tank and stand was built and delivered to/with the wrong dimensions, they had to re-quote and rebuild.

Seeing how my current frag tank was at and now is over capacity; I added the 36x18x10 to the quote/order as well.

Took down the 40 breeder and will utilize the stand, thus the dimensions.

Was told 3"ish" weeks... That was 2 weeks ago... We will see.

Then I made the mistake of going to one of my LFS's and saw the lowboys and all was downhill from there.

The 10' of tank in the fish room was on hold due to a bunch of medical BS I'm dealing with.

 

[Joeb1983]

Well, Planet delivered the tanks today...

Both where built with rims, so they are going back.

Always something with them lately.

 

[JonezNReef]

Wow hate to hear that.... the waiting game continues

 

[Joeb1983]

I don't get it nor does my LFS that's placing the orders. It's not their fault, but they are just as frustrated with them as I am.

I personally think it's a situation where a company is growing faster than they can keep up; more and more mistakes happen and like the majority of businesses out there, they want to cut costs and increase profits.


I do know their warranty (with stand) is now 5 years instead of 7.

Their "classic" stands are now come un-routered; so no more finished/rounded trim edges.

(I was fortunate to have the 36x24x15 tank's stand finished, but was told once the "rounded stock" on hand is out; their will be no more. A shame really, because it just looks cheap and on top of that, the price is still the same)

So, I guess that is pre-ordered like their glass is.

All glass is pre-cut and pre-drilled to order like mentioned above. (Heard a rumor the glass is from China, but what isn't now a days)

Basically from what I gather, Planet assembles the tanks and Coastal finishes (stains & clears) the stands.

Appearantly the major distributor DFW, Planet and Coastal are all under the same roof from what I'm told.

Who knows how long it's going to be this time around.


Another low blow was from AI. They "no longer" have or manufacture half the parts for Non-HD Hydra 52's and 26's.

They consider them "legacy" fixtures.

They did however offer me the opertunity to upgrade to HD and would graciously give me $300 in credit for two 52's and two 26's towards new HD fixtures!

Planned obsolescence and forced upgrading seems to be their business model since the merger.

Another shame if you ask me.


Guess I'll press with the lowboys in the meantime.

 

[Joeb1983]

So instead of sending them back yesterday, they now sit at my LFS.

They said a rep from Planet "might" come and pick them up, but in all honesty, will stay there until DFW delivers again next week and they get thrown on the truck. (What I see happening)

Also, to not be surprised if the edges of the glass are finished/polished under the trim, that Planet doesn't simply pop the caps and removes the excess silicone/RTV off in order to quick turn them. (I hope that's not the case...)

 

[Joeb1983]

FYI, a Rock Beauty angelfish is 100% not reed safe. (At least in my case)

Put it in a "tester" system. Usually to see if its experimental nips or choice chomps.

Everything from softies to sticks where chomps. Particularly loved the eyes of chalices.

After just one day, he's in a fowlr holding tank till I trade em in.

 

[Joeb1983]

Well, the word on the street is Planet is doing a complete rebuild on both the tanks.

We will see...

We will also see how long it takes this time around. (I would think think this would be a priority build) but, most likely not givin their latest track record.

In the meantime I'll focus on the lowboys more...

 

[Joeb1983]

Tanks are here. Got the 36x18x10 rimless fraq system up and running.

Just started a fish-less cycle with janitorial ammonia/10% ammonia hydroxide.

For the water volume w/ sump I dosed 4ml this morning.

Just tested, 4ppm.

So far so good.

Here is the breakdown of equipment.

36x18x10 rimless planet tank (Bare bottom)
Petco steel stand for a 40 breeder
Trigger 26 sapphire sump
Trigger 5 gal sapphire ATO reservoir
(They both fit PERFECTLY inside the frame rails. A 1/4" less and they wouldn't)
Plumbed with silicone
seaside aquatics c6 w sicce. (awesome skimmer for the $, I have 3)
Finnex titanium 300w heater
Finnex heater controller (The separate digital one)
2 X Marine pure blocks (8x8x4)
Jebao DCP-5000 return pump. (Believe it or not, these things are pretty decent.)
MP10
AI 48" Tank mount in black
18" EXT rail matching
Single Hydra 52, again in black.
RKE to be swapped over from old system.

 

[Joeb1983]

One thing to mention. I changed over from IO to Tropic Marin Pro. So far corals love it, but for some reason it makes my hands itch like crazy!

Any idea as to why? I never had this reaction to any salt so far. IO, RedSea or HW over the years.

 

[Joeb1983]

Peninsula up and running...

 

[JonezNReef]

That looks sweet! Whats going to be housed in this one? Sorry you have so many systems its hard to remember LOL

 

[Joeb1983]

Thanks!

I have to throw my Morrish in there for a bit as my clown tang is relentless towards it, but the plan was/is a "black" tank:

Black tang
Black Nox angel
Black combtooth blenny
Midnight clown pair

 

[Joeb1983]

Cycling is taking forever on this tank for some reason...

As usual, I'm using ammonia hydroxide.

Processes ammonia over night, but its the nitrites that remain sky high.

Trates are around 40ppm.

I know its only a matter of time, just thought it would be different since I have been curing that Pukani for months now.


Black Nox angel and midnight clowns be here today to start QT.

They did not have the blenny or black tang.

I did come across a "midnight dottyback"... Have no idea where I would get that thing though.

 

[Devaji108]

nice build there man!

 

[Joeb1983]

nice build there man!

Thank you! It's definitely taken over that's for sure...

Hooked up the RKE. Still need to cal the PH probe.

I have to say, I prefer DA over Neptune as far as user interface goes.

The peninsula looks amazing. Really stands apart from all the other tanks and has become my favorite over the big tank and the twins (that I still need to get up and running.)

Still waiting for these darn nitrites to drop... Story of our lives right.

The onyx angle and midnight clowns are in and in QT.

I did find on my Trigger 26 sumps, the built in probe holders won't work.
They come with o-rings to go around the probe and press into the holder... there's no way. On my 39 sump they have a inlay and it works just fine, the 26's don't. I have to call them about that.

On a lighter note I added a lunar wrasse to the big tank and a small purple tank in my frag (for now) and got it eating off a clip.

Also picked up some 3" square ceramic frag plates. (Love them)

I'll update when the trites drop and I do a WC.

Thanks again!