Xtra Wide Staphire Peninsula Build Thread - 400g System - Help! ;-)

[tonyespinoza]

So this is a *big* upgrade for me... Going from a 50g rimless system with all in-tank stuff (Tunze 9010, 3167, etc.) to a large reef system and my first sump... Been planning it for many months, but still have a lot of loose ends.

Display:
- 74" x 36" x 24" tall
- Starphire Peninsula (front, back and one end)
- Internal overflow on other end
- 250g total water volume (22" waterline)
- High flow, bare-bottom

Sump Plan:
- 75g Fuge
- Large RDSB
- Large dark live rock chamber (high flow cryptic zone)

Equipment Plan:
- Bubble King Deluxe 300 External (gravity fed from overflow)
- AquaPhoton Plus 4x400W + 12x54w T5HO
- Tunze 6201 x4 on Multi-controller
- Liter Meter 3 dosing 2-Part (May upgrade to Ca Rx down the road)
- Tunze Auto-Top-Off
- Return pump (help - need something silent and reliable)
- Reef controller (currently using Lighthouse, which I'll keep in my softie tank but would prefer something more robust for this tank)

Livestock:
- Dominated by tables and stags with a few other SPS for variety
- Large Flame Tip BTA (Outgrowing my current tank)
- Decent fish load (Tangs, Anthias, Wrasses, Clowns -- open to doing something unique here if anyone has a cool idea)

Aquascaping:
- Prefer to leave room to grow really big colonies and focus on a few key species of tables and stags.
- Want to keep live rock in the display to a minimum, hoping the dark live rock chamber will help achieve that. The remote live rock will be high flow, bare bottom as well.

Where I need help!

Are these the right sizes?
- Dual 1.5" Durso returns (different heights) in overflow.
- Dual 1" Loc-Line returns. Big enough?
- Should I order schedule 80 bulk heads?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[tbone28]

which builder did you decide on? Eurobrace/rimless?

return pump - I like Velocity pumps. DEAD silent. The T4 may fit your application.

I also use dual 1.5" drains and dual 1" returns on my tank

And a definite YES on sch 80 bulkheads. Makes sense to do what's in your power to minimize potential leaks. I like Hayward bulkheads.

Any thoughts on a wavebox?

 

[Jar*Head]

I heard Velocity T-4 is for rookie .

Tony go with tunze master Circulation. I ran them in my 240g system before from the garage to my so call dining room . The pump run cold not warm . You can run it internal or external. Or use the eheim 1262

Here is the pump that i am going to use in my new setup

You may need the Ca reactor if you decided to go with SPS dominate. I like your list of equipment but i heard the photon doesn't have a very good spread.

 

[tonyespinoza]

Steve -

I'm intrigued on the Tunze pump... is it silent?
Thanks for the heads up on the Photon! I run a miniLumenarc now and love it, but my wife is not thrilled about a custom lighting rack in our living room (even if it's covered). So it's either the Photon or the Sfiligoi (which I've seen have probs more than once). Heard anything about the Sfiligoi -- from the looks of the reflector I would assume a great spread. See my wavebox question below... And let me know if you would recommend a particular Ca Rx for my system.

Terry -

I will look into velocity... I, er, kinda, *am* a rookie... (As they say, if the pump fits... )

I would love a wavebox, but I keep hearing from Roger that I shouldn't use it in a peninsula config or it will be sloshy/noisy. Then Steve comes along with his peninsula wavebox monster... Maybe I'll try it and see. Roger also says that a WB won't work on a tank wider than 24"... (I know, I know, I've seen the videos of Steve's tank...) I guess I'm curious to hear everyone's opinions on this.

I'm going with eurobraced so I can keep the thickness at 12mm. But also because I have a toddler and feel like it's a little safer to have around the house. (At least a little safer.) The eurobrace itself will be starphire too.

 

[tonyespinoza]

Oh, and by the way, as soon as I make my deposit on the tank, I'll reveal the manufacturer... I'm very close.

 

[tbone28]

Steve is teasing me about the Velocity. I like it because it fits my needs - silent and small footprint. A drawback is it can heat up the water. For me, it's a benefit, since it's a source of free heat on my T5-only tank.

The waveboxes can be noisy, so something to consider if your tank is in the living room. My wife would nix that idea in a heartbeat.

Regarding Roger's comments, I think his suggestions always err on the conservative side. For example, he recommended 6101x2 on my tank, but I run a lot more than that

Hey Steve, i think you should wipe all that dust off your pump before taking pictures

 

[Jar*Head]

I'm intrigued on the Tunze pump... is it silent?

It is quiet enough for my taste

Thanks for the heads up on the Photon! I run a miniLumenarc now and love it, but my wife is not thrilled about a custom lighting rack in our living room (even if it's covered). So it's either the Photon or the Sfiligoi (which I've seen have probs more than once). Heard anything about the Sfiligoi -- from the looks of the reflector I would assume a great spread.

Sfiligoi has a very good spread, many has problem in the past. But i think they all have been corrected by swap out the ballast. My friend Chad has the 3x400w with 4 T-5 in his 72x30x24 he said the light spread very wide. It cover his tank and some . He also has problem with the pendant for till AO send him the IC ballast to replace the ballast that came with the fixture.

See my wavebox question below... And let me know if you would recommend a particular Ca Rx for my system.

If money isn't an issue. I highly recommend the Deltec PF601S. But there are many other brand that work very well like Geo, MTC procal, MRC etc.....

I would love a wavebox, but I keep hearing from Roger that I shouldn't use it in a peninsula config or it will be sloshy/noisy. Then Steve comes along with his peninsula wavebox monster... Maybe I'll try it and see. Roger also says that a WB won't work on a tank wider than 24"... (I know, I know, I've seen the videos of Steve's tank...) I guess I'm curious to hear everyone's opinions on this.

You can run the wave box in your peninsular tank if you know how to adjust your water level inside the overflow box. The reason it make noise because when the wave go down, the water level inside your overflow box drop, and when the wave go up it create a sloshing sound because the water fall inside the overflow. You can correct that problem by raise your water level inside the overflow with the durso pipe.

For your tank size, you highly recommend a wave box and 1 extension.

I'm going with eurobraced so I can keep the thickness at 12mm. But also because I have a toddler and feel like it's a little safer to have around the house. (At least a little safer.) The eurobrace itself will be starphire too.

Euro brace beside supporting the tank, it also help keep the fish inside the tank.

 

[Jar*Head]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12301084#post12301084 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tbone28
Steve is teasing me about the Velocity. I like it because it fits my needs - silent and small footprint. A drawback is it can heat up the water. For me, it's a benefit, since it's a source of free heat on my T5-only tank.

The waveboxes can be noisy, so something to consider if your tank is in the living room. My wife would nix that idea in a heartbeat.

Regarding Roger's comments, I think his suggestions always err on the conservative side. For example, he recommended 6101x2 on my tank, but I run a lot more than that

Hey Steve, i think you should wipe all that dust off your pump before taking pictures

As for the wave box and noise issue. If you decided to add the wave box, make sure you tell the company who build your tank to cut the overflow box teeth 1/2"-1" lower than standard. By doing that, it will help with the noise.

Terry, the pump has been sitting in my garage for almost 2yrs. It is new. I had two but i sold the other with the tank.

 

[tbone28]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12300998#post12300998 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tonyespinoza
Oh, and by the way, as soon as I make my deposit on the tank, I'll reveal the manufacturer... I'm very close.

Hmmm, a guessing game? If you have a starphire eurobrace, must not be AGE. AO?

 

[Jar*Head]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12301213#post12301213 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tbone28
Hmmm, a guessing game? If you have a starphire eurobrace, must not be AGE. AO?

AO :eek2: . You need more than just euro brace.... Ask Chad about his 225g tank.....

 

[tbone28]

I'm with Steve on this. With a few recent threads about AO seams splitting, I'm a bit weary of their tanks right now.

 

[Jar*Head]

Terry is it SEEMS or SEAMS. I am not trying to correct you because i have been using the word "SEAMS" for quite sometime now. I don't want to use the wrong word without anyone correct me .

 

[tbone28]

where are you seeing the word SEEMS, steve?

 

[Jar*Head]

oops, sorry brother. I must be OLD....

 

[tonyespinoza]

hm.. . you're scaring me! do you have a link to Chad's thread?! or any others?

 

[tonyespinoza]

The issue i have with AGE is that their price has gone up significantly, the PVC bottom is of no use to me (no closed loop), and the acrylic eurobrace looks funny on an open top peninsula tank...

 

[tbone28]

ha, i knew it was AO. Chad and a local guy on our BAR forum posted. he had a tough time getting a hold of AO initially.

I think PVC is still of use, especially on BB. What if your rock tumbles down? PVC is safer. The looks of the acrylic eurobrace is personal preference, but it will be functionally stronger than a glass Euro.

The AGE is a 1-piece brace. Most glass eurobraces are 4 separate pieces siliconed together, which means those seams can split.

Steve - just messin with ya! I edited my post Nice catch!

 

[Jar*Head]

Chad did not have a build thread or complain thread. "He is cool like that" . He likes to change tank every 1.5yr but i know Greg from Bay area has his 60g split as well as anaslas' 600g and there is a few more. IMO, 1 yr warranty sound kinda weak.

But don't worry, just get yourself a bunch of cargo strap, the heavy duty kind and strap around the top and bottom of the tank then you will be fine....

The cool thing is, if your tank ever split open and your warranty is expire. AO willing to fix it for you at no cost but you have to ship the tank to Canada and pay for the shipping back to your house. The round trip of shipping cost around $1400 but you will get a brand new silicon

 

[tbone28]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12301531#post12301531 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jar*Head

But don't worry, just get yourself a bunch of cargo strap, the heavy duty kind and strap around the top and bottom of the tank then you will be fine....

:lol: that comment right there will make Tony go AGE

 

[Jar*Head]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12301496#post12301496 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tonyespinoza
The issue i have with AGE is that their price has gone up significantly, the PVC bottom is of no use to me (no closed loop), and the acrylic eurobrace looks funny on an open top peninsula tank...

The PVC bottom has nothing to do with CL. It is there for durability (spelling?). The acrylic top actually very smart because you can drill hole on it without worry about cracking the glass.