Smiddy's Reef 360 Peninsula

SynDen

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Looks awesome. Can't wait to see it wet!
 

Colored Sticks

Angel Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
I think we have finished all the aquascape we can do outside the tank. Obviously it is subject to change once it is actually inside the tank. I need to install the lights before placing the rocks in the tank and approving the structures. Lights should be going in tonight and aquascape tomorrow. It is hard to visualize what it will look like inside the tank for heights as well as how it will look with SPS mounted everywhere, so bare with me.
View attachment 16794 View attachment 16795
 

halmus

Registered Users
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Looks good to me. You have a lot of horizontal mounting space for the SPS.

On my system, I ended up with quite a bit of shadowed area down low that I’ll have a hard time filling in even with lower light coral. I think you’ve done a good job avoiding that.
 

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Angel Fish
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Looks good to me. You have a lot of horizontal mounting space for the SPS.

On my system, I ended up with quite a bit of shadowed area down low that I’ll have a hard time filling in even with lower light coral. I think you’ve done a good job avoiding that.
Appreciate it! That is exactly why I went with with gradual ramp downs versus ledges. Low ledges seem to always get shaded after year two. I have looked through you thread, wow I thought I was decently planned and "clean". Yours is at another level.
 

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Angel Fish
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Water is in. Constantly checking for leaks of any kind. So good so far. Cycle has started in the main tank, used turbo start 900 for the first time. The QT system is fully functioning and ready for is first batch of fish. Refugium will be put online this up coming weekend.

Things I have noticed so far that might need to be worked on.
1)I have two Sicce SYNCRA ADV 9.0 WATER PUMP (2500 GPH) return pumps running, the modular marine overflowbox is rated for 3,600 gph, I have a minimum of 9 elbows on each return as well as head. I currently am able to run both pump with no restrictions on the output of the pumps and have a silent overflow. I think I am pushing the limits in GPH for the overflow box. Sump is running a ton of water through it, granted the only thing currently in there that requires significant contact time is the skimmer which as everyone knows controls its own internal chamber. The display refugium is powered by a different return pump, meaning much slower contact time for those macro filters. So the question is if I should dial back the flow going into the main tank? I would absolutely LOVE to not have a power head on the front of the peninsula and currently with both returns running at full, I do not require a power head on the front pane.
2) I some how only have 5 out of 6 radion diffuses? easy fix. Ran a custom made power bar for the addition of T5's when I actually need them.
3) Return pumps are so large that I am unable to use my synergy reef baffle to lower the water level in the sump below 8.5 inches without the return section being too low in volume.
4) My oldest MP 40QD decouples the dry side almost once a day... ( yes I have cleaned the wet side and even used a brand new wet side) Factory reset yesterday.. we will see.
5) So much flow in the big tank the special grand sand still moves around a ton. ( I had to order the MONSTER 1" loc line from vivid creations in order to help adjust return water coming in, makes to much surface agitation that it splashes)
6) Debating whether to turn the lights off now for a month or just turn them off when the diatoms come..

Photos:
View attachment 16816 View attachment 16817 View attachment 16818 View attachment 16819
 
Holy Moly! It's already wet! I like it!

Things I have noticed so far that might need to be worked on.
1)I have two Sicce SYNCRA ADV 9.0 WATER PUMP (2500 GPH) return pumps running, the modular marine overflowbox is rated for 3,600 gph, I have a minimum of 9 elbows on each return as well as head. I currently am able to run both pump with no restrictions on the output of the pumps and have a silent overflow. I think I am pushing the limits in GPH for the overflow box. Sump is running a ton of water through it, granted the only thing currently in there that requires significant contact time is the skimmer which as everyone knows controls its own internal chamber. The display refugium is powered by a different return pump, meaning much slower contact time for those macro filters. So the question is if I should dial back the flow going into the main tank? I would absolutely LOVE to not have a power head on the front of the peninsula and currently with both returns running at full, I do not require a power head on the front pane.
3) Return pumps are so large that I am unable to use my synergy reef baffle to lower the water level in the sump below 8.5 inches without the return section being too low in volume.
I would wait until you get the loc-line installed to determine if you need to reduce the the flow from the return pumps. I'm not sure if you got anything for the ends of them (flat nozzle, eductor, normal nozzle) but I would try to slowly dial back the pumps until you have the flow you want in the aquarium along with the correct sump height.

5) So much flow in the big tank the special grand sand still moves around a ton. ( I had to order the MONSTER 1" loc line from vivid creations in order to help adjust return water coming in, makes to much surface agitation that it splashes)
Where are you seeing the most sand movement? At the opposite end due to the return pumps or around where the vortech pumps are?

6) Debating whether to turn the lights off now for a month or just turn them off when the diatoms come..
Personally I have always left the lights on, let the algae run its course, and add critters to help deal with the buildup. It's a good source of food for pods, and other organisms within the cleanup crew!
 

neil82

Sting ray
M.A.S.C Club Member
Looks awesome! Very impressive. Keep us posted on how you address the points listed above. Stab in the dark, but sounding like you might want to try to dial back return pumps.
 

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Angel Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
I would wait until you get the loc-line installed to determine if you need to reduce the the flow from the return pumps. I'm not sure if you got anything for the ends of them (flat nozzle, eductor, normal nozzle) but I would try to slowly dial back the pumps until you have the flow you want in the aquarium along with the correct sump height.
I am going to wait till the loc line comes, and to be fair give it six months and the pumps will procude 85-90% of the flow they are producing now. I do have one of those "random flow generators" from vivid creative just because i couldn't find anything else to fit on that size of loc line. The sump height I am not worried about as much I can always make the baffle taller and create a skimmer stand.

Where are you seeing the most sand movement? At the opposite end due to the return pumps or around where the vortech pumps are?
I see most of the movement at the end of the peninsula from the return lines, but also to be fair currently the returns have a piece of silicone tubing that jets a laminar stream directly down the front of the glass till it hits the front pane and can either go up or down. So I can fix that with the loc line as well

Personally I have always left the lights on, let the algae run its course, and add critters to help deal with the buildup. It's a good source of food for pods, and other organisms within the cleanup crew!
I will leave the lights on for now and see how bad the algae becomes and address it based on amount of growth.
 

Colored Sticks

Angel Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
You double sided tape for the dry side. It works great

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The only thing is, if you ever pull off the double sided tape... I am going to guess the black paint will come with it. I can always replace just the dry side. With no SPS in the system and won't be for a while. I have time to replace/jerry rig it.
 

Andrew_bram

Tiger Shark
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The only thing is, if you ever pull off the double sided tape... I am going to guess the black paint will come with it. I can always replace just the dry side. With no SPS in the system and won't be for a while. I have time to replace/jerry rig it.
I havent seen any I'll effects on mine. I learned the dryside trick from cris capp at aquatic art.

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