Chappy's 300 gallon peninsula

Chappy

Member
Well it is time to start documenting my build. I have been in the dreaming stage for almost two years since we moved into a new house. I have several walls that an aquarium would look pretty good on, but I have always liked the way peninsulas looked. There is something about being able to see all the way through without coralline all over the glass that appealed to me.

So, after being out of the saltwater hobby for a few years while my time was spent having babies (my wife will laugh at that), it's time to get back in. I have had several tanks the last 20 years and my current one is a freshwater 180 gallon.
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Freshwater just didn't do it for me, so I'm going back. This was the 180 when I had a mixed reef. Not a great picture of the tank but my wife looks good. :)

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So when I asked my wife, I mean told her that we were going to get a new aquarium, she was surprisingly okay with it...as long as we sold the other two.

I told her the size I wanted and asked her if she had any idea about the budget. She is pretty smart and said, about $10,000. I quickly said okay, I can agree to that, lol. :bounce1: And I should be under budget...maybe.

After talking to a few tank builders, I went with Reef Savvy in Miami. I waited a few months as he is one busy builder.
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I ended up going 84 x 32 x 26. That kept me out of having to do 3/4 inch glass all over which helped keep the cost down quite a bit. I originally wanted to go taller. The tank is low iron on three sides with wier and external overflow.

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And to show the width...
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My front doors open out, just in case anyone was wondering. ;)
 
I'll put up some more info tonight after the kids are in bed. I just lost about ten minutes of typing on the iPad trying to go back and forth from photobucket. That's annoying.
 
I have been picking up equipment as I find some good deals for about six months. I will use a Reef Octopus 5000 internal skimmer, dart for return, mp40s, and Tunze's that I had in my old tank.

It looks so big next to my daughter.

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I'm using AI's for lighting. I bought 3 sol blues and have three Vega's ordered. If they come out soon enough, I'll go with the Vega's for everything and return e blues.
 
Here are a couple pics of some goodies that the UPS guy brought and I got through my LFS, mainly Treasure Coast Corals.

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Looking good, I have a similar tank in dream state. Looking forward to seeing this one up and running. Looks like we live pretty close to eachother so I am have to come up and see your wife in person.... oops I mean your tank :o)
 
lol yeah that's how ya do it,So when I asked my wife, I mean told her that we were going to get a new aquarium
off too a good start can't wait to see this one up and running.
 
Looking good, I have a similar tank in dream state. Looking forward to seeing this one up and running. Looks like we live pretty close to eachother so I am have to come up and see your wife in person.... oops I mean your tank :o)

Actually, I'm from Boynton. I went to Atlantic High. My parents live off Jog and BB Blvd.

I live in Grant, just north of Sebastian south of Melbourne.
 
I am from Canada... but married a florida girl :o so I am now down here in Boynton. If you dont mind me asking how old are you or when did you graduate? My wife also went to atlantic.
 
Hello,

That will be a nice system! Also way to put the wife in her place from the start:)lol

Lol. Thanks. I hope to have water in it in a week. The cabinet builder that did our kitchen is coming tomorrow. The rest of the plumbing I ordered is supposed to be here tomorrow. An electrician is coming tomorrow to set up a whole house generator. I'm getting ready for hurricane season.

Gold coast, pm me their names. I'm curious if I knew them.
 
I decided to build the stand and sump myself. I picked up two 1/4 inch acrylite sheets from an acrylic dealer right next to Living Color (Fish Tank Kings) down in Ft Lauderdale. It cost a little over $200 in supplies for the sump. I spent a lot of time on Melev's Reef learning how to build it. My Dad has a large woodworking shop so it made it fairly easy, materials wise.

My sump will be simple...skimmer, then return, then refugium. Here are a couple pics.

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Here is a clock he just made. It's pretty cool but after an hour or so, it's behind a couple minutes.

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Here are my little helpers painting the stand. They started with clothes on but I quickly realized my wife was not going to be happy with me, so off with the clothes. I kept mine on. ;)

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tagging along. I'm in the planning stages of a peninsula tank as well. One side will be "in wall". Size will be 72 x 30 x 30. Hoping to get away with 1/2" glass. Will learn from you as you go along.
 
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