Terry's 180 Peninsula Reef build.
- Thread starter terry4505
- Start date
terry4505
New member
That's what I figured.
I dealt with the surface scum issue today. Or at least started to...
Using Gary M's design as a basis, I plumbed 3/4" pipe around the top of the tank, tucked under the trim and T'd in the loc line returns on the far end. This was just a test run, as I am planning on painting it all black, but I wanted to make sure things fit before I finalized anything.
I could not be happier with how it came out. Once everything is black, it will be virtually invisible.
I was thinking about drilling small holes in the thin part of the top trim so I can inconspicuously zip tie the pipes to the trim, is this a bad idea?
Should I move the WAV pumps down so they are supporting the gyre, instead of fighting the returns?
I dealt with the surface scum issue today. Or at least started to...
Using Gary M's design as a basis, I plumbed 3/4" pipe around the top of the tank, tucked under the trim and T'd in the loc line returns on the far end. This was just a test run, as I am planning on painting it all black, but I wanted to make sure things fit before I finalized anything.
I could not be happier with how it came out. Once everything is black, it will be virtually invisible.
I was thinking about drilling small holes in the thin part of the top trim so I can inconspicuously zip tie the pipes to the trim, is this a bad idea?
Should I move the WAV pumps down so they are supporting the gyre, instead of fighting the returns?
Capt_Cully
Active member
Nice work! Lighting solution is SLICK!
terry4505
New member
Thanks guys. I am really happy with how everything is turning out.
It's been fun to plan all of this from the beginning and have it turn out how I pictured it.
I am especially happy with how the light turned out. I am waiting (impatiently) for the 3rd Kessil to arrive so I can get it hooked up. The Apex/Kessil cable arrived today, but it's too short. So I need to get an audio cable extender.
It's been fun to plan all of this from the beginning and have it turn out how I pictured it.
I am especially happy with how the light turned out. I am waiting (impatiently) for the 3rd Kessil to arrive so I can get it hooked up. The Apex/Kessil cable arrived today, but it's too short. So I need to get an audio cable extender.
Henry Colf
New member
Awesome!!!
Nammy
New member
yes I really like your idea on the lighting hood.
terry4505
New member
Thanks guys!
The Kessil/Apex cable arrived today and for the life of me, I cannot figure it out. When I plugged the Kessils into the cable, the both came on 100% and will not respond to any control through Apex fusion. I tried the VS 1/2 and 3/4 outlets, tried unpluggling an repluggling everything. No luck.
I ultimately just went back to the Kessil controller out of frustration...
The Kessil/Apex cable arrived today and for the life of me, I cannot figure it out. When I plugged the Kessils into the cable, the both came on 100% and will not respond to any control through Apex fusion. I tried the VS 1/2 and 3/4 outlets, tried unpluggling an repluggling everything. No luck.
I ultimately just went back to the Kessil controller out of frustration...
don_chuwish
Member
Thanks for sharing. The plumbing pics and video are a big help for my upcoming 120G with the Synergy Reef overflow.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
You're overflow end looks really good.
The far end pushing returns... well, personally... speaking from experience... I would copy my design
If you don't do the mixing eductors (which I think you should) at least don't bother to connect the returns.
As you already became aware... the plumbing jams nice and tight in those corners.
It pretty much holds itself in place!
I would not bother to drill any trim...just zip tie directly to cross braces.
Algae will "paint" the returns quickly so I strongly feel painting it black would be a waste of time.
The return plumbing on my aquarium isn't noticeable except for the eductors (which happen to be black)
The far end pushing returns... well, personally... speaking from experience... I would copy my design
If you don't do the mixing eductors (which I think you should) at least don't bother to connect the returns.
As you already became aware... the plumbing jams nice and tight in those corners.
It pretty much holds itself in place!
I would not bother to drill any trim...just zip tie directly to cross braces.
Algae will "paint" the returns quickly so I strongly feel painting it black would be a waste of time.
The return plumbing on my aquarium isn't noticeable except for the eductors (which happen to be black)
Capt_Cully
Active member
What is your planned supplementation regimen? Is that a homemade Kalk bin at the end of your sump by the return end? Can't quite make it out. I also see the "dinky" B-ionic bottles. Even a moderately stocked 180 is a big tub. That'd last about 12 hours at Gary's house :lol: (as a caveat-a trip to Gary's is always enlightening-bring beer, let a loved one know where you are, ignore the Deaths Head Moths, and DON'T go in the basement...but I digress) Consumption is going to rocket upwards. Planned stockage? Planned water change regime?
looking for your thoughts. Your 120 was so nice, I've no doubt you've got a plan.
looking for your thoughts. Your 120 was so nice, I've no doubt you've got a plan.
terry4505
New member
Thanks for the advice Gary. The return plumbing "scum buster" is working well. I programmed the WAV pumps to turn off a few times a day, which gives the return a chance to clear the surface of the water without having to fight to the powerheads.
I also added the third Kessil to the fixture (I thought I updated this thread):
My early review of the Kessil A360We is this:
After having run Gen 1, Gen 3 and Gen 3 Pro Radions, I loved them. They were as advertised. They were controllable, customizable, and grew corals. I always like LED with T5 supplement, but I could not have been happier with the Radions. They simply didn't fit in this fixture. I wanted to try out Kessils, and my hand was forces, because no amount of modification was going to squeeze a 7" radion into a 5" gap between the T5 reflectors on the fixture.
The first and most obvious difference is ascetic. The Kessils are little cans, and they hang below the fixture. Radions would not. I actually love the look. I love the look of the three cans below the fixture.
The next most obvious thing is the shimmer. Wow. Everyone who has seen the tank has commented on the shimmer. I have never run MHs, so I cannot compare, but it is beautiful to see. I was afraid it may be too much, and it's not.
They are less controllable than Radions, which for some people is a good thing, as they don't want to tinker with their lights all of the time.
I do wish they would dim all the way down. They cut off at like 12%, which is OK, I have moonlights built into the fixture. But with LED, one of my favorite things is the slow ramp up/ramp down in the morning and at night. I don't have the replacement Kessil cable from BRS yet, so I am running them off of the Kessil controller, and it works fine. The Apex wizard is better.
To answer your question Cully, I don't have an answer yet. The bin next to the sump is the top off, and it is currently only RO/DI. The tank is only consuming about 25 mls of each of the two parts right now.
I grabbed a utility sink off of the side of the road, which is going in the basement. In the next few months, I'd like to move the sump to the basement, directly under the tank. I think I'd like to give a Calcium Reactor a shot. I've done Kalk, I've done 2 part, both worked, both had good and bad things about them. I'd like to step up to a CaRx and give that a shot.
I started slowly adding livestock this week. Looking at an empty tank as gotten old:
I added a Yellow tang, a pair of Bangii Cardinals and a firefish that my daughter asked me for. So far, everything looks great.
I also added the third Kessil to the fixture (I thought I updated this thread):
My early review of the Kessil A360We is this:
After having run Gen 1, Gen 3 and Gen 3 Pro Radions, I loved them. They were as advertised. They were controllable, customizable, and grew corals. I always like LED with T5 supplement, but I could not have been happier with the Radions. They simply didn't fit in this fixture. I wanted to try out Kessils, and my hand was forces, because no amount of modification was going to squeeze a 7" radion into a 5" gap between the T5 reflectors on the fixture.
The first and most obvious difference is ascetic. The Kessils are little cans, and they hang below the fixture. Radions would not. I actually love the look. I love the look of the three cans below the fixture.
The next most obvious thing is the shimmer. Wow. Everyone who has seen the tank has commented on the shimmer. I have never run MHs, so I cannot compare, but it is beautiful to see. I was afraid it may be too much, and it's not.
They are less controllable than Radions, which for some people is a good thing, as they don't want to tinker with their lights all of the time.
I do wish they would dim all the way down. They cut off at like 12%, which is OK, I have moonlights built into the fixture. But with LED, one of my favorite things is the slow ramp up/ramp down in the morning and at night. I don't have the replacement Kessil cable from BRS yet, so I am running them off of the Kessil controller, and it works fine. The Apex wizard is better.
To answer your question Cully, I don't have an answer yet. The bin next to the sump is the top off, and it is currently only RO/DI. The tank is only consuming about 25 mls of each of the two parts right now.
I grabbed a utility sink off of the side of the road, which is going in the basement. In the next few months, I'd like to move the sump to the basement, directly under the tank. I think I'd like to give a Calcium Reactor a shot. I've done Kalk, I've done 2 part, both worked, both had good and bad things about them. I'd like to step up to a CaRx and give that a shot.
I started slowly adding livestock this week. Looking at an empty tank as gotten old:
I added a Yellow tang, a pair of Bangii Cardinals and a firefish that my daughter asked me for. So far, everything looks great.
terry4505
New member
Quick update on the tank, along with a question.
I did some cleaning up under the tank. I still haven't dealt with the cord mess, because the plan is still to move the sump to the basement (sooner, rather than later) and I don't want to spend a ton of time relocating and organizing cords, when many of them are heading downstairs soon.
I've added a few fish and some corals. I have the Kessils maxing out around 50% at peak and am slowly ramping them up. The T5s run from 10-4 daily.
Chemistry is staying pretty consistent. I am still dosing two part (via B-Ionic for now) by hand (20 mls daily, as there is not a ton of demand). I picked up a Hanna Phosphorus checker ULR, and it P04 tested out at .045 ppm.
I am experiencing browning on the SPS that is in the tank, with poor polyp extension. I don't think it is Phosphate, so is this just a normal part of an immature system? I am still getting some diatoms on the glass, sand and rocks.
I did some cleaning up under the tank. I still haven't dealt with the cord mess, because the plan is still to move the sump to the basement (sooner, rather than later) and I don't want to spend a ton of time relocating and organizing cords, when many of them are heading downstairs soon.
I've added a few fish and some corals. I have the Kessils maxing out around 50% at peak and am slowly ramping them up. The T5s run from 10-4 daily.
Chemistry is staying pretty consistent. I am still dosing two part (via B-Ionic for now) by hand (20 mls daily, as there is not a ton of demand). I picked up a Hanna Phosphorus checker ULR, and it P04 tested out at .045 ppm.
I am experiencing browning on the SPS that is in the tank, with poor polyp extension. I don't think it is Phosphate, so is this just a normal part of an immature system? I am still getting some diatoms on the glass, sand and rocks.
terry4505
New member
After talking with some people, I think I have put my finger on what is causing the browning in the SPS.
As of two days ago, the chemistry looked like:
Alk- 9.8
Cal- 450
Mag- 1400
Nitrate- O
PO4-.04
I am fairly aggressively removing nutrients via Biopellets, GFO and NO4POX. I know that's a lot, but it worked on my old tank. After talking with some folks, I think the low nutrients, coupled with the ALK of almost 10 is the culprit. I am going to reduce the Alk dosing to allow it to drop slowly to around 8 and see how things look.
As of two days ago, the chemistry looked like:
Alk- 9.8
Cal- 450
Mag- 1400
Nitrate- O
PO4-.04
I am fairly aggressively removing nutrients via Biopellets, GFO and NO4POX. I know that's a lot, but it worked on my old tank. After talking with some folks, I think the low nutrients, coupled with the ALK of almost 10 is the culprit. I am going to reduce the Alk dosing to allow it to drop slowly to around 8 and see how things look.
Last edited:
Capt_Cully
Active member
Looking good Billy Ray!
